Is there a Dropzone Conversion for 5200?

[funknflow5200]

Plainly stated: I cannot find it anywhere if it does indeed exist. Can anyone confirm / deny?

[+Allan]

No. It would be nice but it probably is too big.

 

Allan

[kiwilove]

There would be a lot of work involved in getting Dropzone (which required 48k to run on the Atari 400/800/etc computers) to run on an Atari 5200 (16k) console. Someone who could do this work - would probably be more interested in working on their own project instead....

I cannot even begin to guess how many hours it may involve? As I am no programmer.

 

Dropzone is ultimately the best 'Defender' game running on A8 bit hardware .... I have not played the 5200 Defender - but my guess is, it totally outclasses it easily...

[Rybags]

Theoretcially most games that run on a 48K computer might be convertable to the 5200. But in most cases a very involved process. Move anything that can be altered to the first 16K. And probably move some stuff already there out to make room for it.

 

With modern-day reverse-engineering tools the job can be made a whole bunch easier. Still, potentially dozens of hours worth of work though.

[Wrathchild]

Rybag's & Kiwilone's summaries were spot on, but it turned out to be possible

Dropzone5200.zip

[+DamonicFury]

Rybag's & Kiwilone's summaries were spot on, but it turned out to be possible

You are the man! Looking forward to trying this out!!!

[+sramirez2008]

You are the man! Looking forward to trying this out!!!

 

+1

 

Just added it to my AtariMax, but won't be able to try it out until this weekend. - Thanks!

 

Okay...I had to try this and the game is great! Only played one quick game, but I love the sound your Spaceman makes when he literally explodes.

 

Great Game...thanks for the ROM Wrathchild.

 

Edited February 13, 2017 by sramirez2008

[Wrathchild]

Your welcome, just thought it might be helpful to add that the game supports a 'pause' mode via the controller's pause button, smart bombs via the second button and other keys should toggle the cloaking.

[+sramirez2008]

Thanks. I tried the pause mode, but was going to ask what keys were mapped for smart bombs and cloaking. Didn't get to test those parts of the game.

[SoundGammon]

On the 5200 game ROM can go up to 32K and the RAM is 16K and that equals 48K! The 16K ram is used for RUNNING the game, variables, scores, graphic data and such!

 

Most games that "require" 48K in the computer is so the game code can sit in 32K of space and the 16K of RAM is left for RUNNING the game.

 

The 32K space in RAM is treated like a ROM!

 

If I remember right, an Atari 400 with 8K of RAM would run Star Raiders with no problem!

Edited February 13, 2017 by SoundGammon

[Everett1954]

Another great conversion Wrathchild !!! Your conversions makes my 5200 my favorite system!

[Wrathchild]

If I remember right, an Atari 400 with 8K of RAM would run Star Raiders with no problem!

 

In performing one of the other conversions (Jet Boot Jack) to the 5200, it had the added benefit of then being able to take what was a 32KB title on the A8 platforms and make it a 16K cartridge that could run on a machine with 16K RAM

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Yoomp? hehe

[MIKE5200]

Rybag's & Kiwilone's summaries were spot on, but it turned out to be possible

Will this run on a flash cart??

[Wrathchild]

Perhaps others are better placed to comment (I don't have an actual 5200) but based on the comparison here it may well be that Ultimate SD Card cart handles the > 32K images but not the Flash cart?

[MIKE5200]

Perhaps others are better placed to comment (I don't have an actual 5200) but based on the comparison here it may well be that Ultimate SD Card cart handles the > 32K images but not the Flash cart?

I'll rename the .ROM to .BIN see if it works. Thanks

[MIKE5200]

Perhaps others are better placed to comment (I don't have an actual 5200) but based on the comparison here it may well be that Ultimate SD Card cart handles the > 32K images but not the Flash cart?

yep, 32k not 64k. So i can't run it. unless i upgrade.

[+DamonicFury]

yep, 32k not 64k. So i can't run it. unless i upgrade.

 

Shoot, looks like I'm in the same boat. Attempting to load it on the 128-in-1 flash cart results in "Error loading rom "Dropzone5200.bin" for slot #14, ROM size of 65536 bytes is not a supported"

 

Bummer, but the conversion is still good news for owners of the Ultimate cart. Hope to upgrade myself one of these days.

[Wrathchild]

Maybe a case for a standalone cartridge run but is there a supply of boards that could facilitate it or would a new batch need to be sourced?

[Everett1954]

Dropzone runs fine on Atarimax Ultimate SD cartridge.

[Lynxpro]

Yoomp? hehe

 

 

Definitely. That would definitely drive someone to upgrade their 5200 with a Stereo POKEY board. Throw in Trak-Ball support and that game would seriously rock on the 5200.

 

Now I'd say another great game deserving of conversion shares your same user name... XEGS Crossbow. Mod it so it can use the Trak-Ball since light guns are essentially impossible on the 5200 without some serious hardware upgrades to the mobo.