Thrust+ Platinum Bug?

[PAH]

I recently started playing Thrust (platinum edition). Fantastic game!!!

 

Unfortunately, I am having problems with it acting strangely and ultimately hanging. It plays fine for a while, and then the planet color starts changing every 1/2 second or so. All the other graphics stay the normal color, but the planet itself (playfield) starts changing. For example on a yellow planet, it will suddenly change to white, then grey, then a really light blue, and back to yellow (not sure about the exact sequence of colors, but something like that). Then after a a bit of that, the game completely locks up, or resets. I've seen the screen simply go black, and require a power cycle. It has also gone to black and white vertical bars and lock up, and once it reset back to the title screen and fixed itself. Normally, when it gets in this mode, I have to power cycle it to get it working right again, and then a few minutes later, same problem.

 

This is on a light sixer with the CyberTech AV mod.

 

Every other game I've played seems to play fine. I've compared my Thrust+ Platinum binary to the one on AtariAge and it compares perfectly.

 

As far as controllers go, I'm using a Starplex controller (Asteroids like button layout) in the first controller port and a driving controller in the 2nd port. I use up/thrust, down/shield/tractor-beam and fire on the Starplex, and only rotate with the driving controller. The only odd thing I can think of is that the starplex controller does allow up and down to be pressed simultaneously; I'm not sure if the foot pedal controller that is explicitly supported prevents that or not.

 

Anyone seen such a problem? Got a fix/workaround?

 

Thanks,

Pete

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Hi Pete,

sorry to hear about your problems. Since you are the very first to report those in ~10 years, I am very sure this must be a hardware problem. The controllers shouldn't make any difference.

 

My guess: Either something with your Atari 2600 is dying or your power supply has become weak.

[PAH]

Thomas, Thanks for the quick reply (and the awesome game). I'll try digging up the necessary connectors/cables to hook up my unmodified 2600 jr. and verify that it doesn't have this issue.

[PAH]

Well, the Thrust and the same controllers work fine in my 2600A with the same AC adapter, so it's a problem with my 2600+CyberTech system.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be the voltage regulator - that ranged from 5.08 to 5.12 V while playing the game until it crashed. Unless of course it is a very short dropout that my 100ms sampling meter didn't catch.

 

Further troubleshooting awaits me.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I could also the cart itself having problems. Maybe cleaning the contacts helps?

[PAH]

It turned out to be that the socketed chips in my light sixer needed to be reseated. Strange that everything else seemed to work fine and that when the problem showed up in Thrust it repeatedly had the planet color changing shortly before crashing. Anyway, pressed on the chips and they popped a bit into the sockets, and then all worked fine. Closed it back up, and it still works fine.

 

Awesome game! Thanks!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Thrust is notorious for stressing the hardware to the limit.

Though I never heard it could unsocket chips too!

[+Random Terrain]

Thrust is notorious for stressing the hardware to the limit.

Though I never heard it could unsocket chips too!

 

It's not a bug, it's a feature.

[+RevEng]

I heard that Thrust+ can loosen dental work. Best be careful!

[Godzilla]

giving stella a work out after all these years

[mmervine]

It turned out to be that the socketed chips in my light sixer needed to be reseated. Strange that everything else seemed to work fine and that when the problem showed up in Thrust it repeatedly had the planet color changing shortly before crashing. Anyway, pressed on the chips and they popped a bit into the sockets, and then all worked fine. Closed it back up, and it still works fine.

 

Awesome game! Thanks!

Glad to hear that your 2600 is back in service!