Just played Tempest......(jaw drops)

[Lynxpro]

 

someone has a working mod for the CX53 to put out quadrature signals for the 2600/7800.

 

 

so can we develop a 5200 spinner standard?

 

 

If someone wants to, then yes. I'm sure Keithen would be up for adding support for such a device to an updated version of 5200 Tempest. I know he's a fan of Tempest 2000 and Tempest Xtreem. But we'd need a "standard" set for a "5200 rotary controller" so all subsequent custom controllers would abide by it so everyone could play the game(s) that supported that standard. It would be yet another way to differentiate the 5200 from the rest of the retro gaming community.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Isn't the CX53 good enough? There's no drift with the trackball with regards to analog signal because it uses digital pulse width modulation to control the delay rather than analog RC time constant like 2600 paddles or the CX52 analog joysticks use. So if the console is calibrated properly, there shouldn't be any drift when the trackball is stationary. The technology is different, but if rotating the trackball a given amount of distance relates to a proportional distance travelled in the game, I don't see a reason to reinvent the wheel.

 

If someone really wants to play 5200 Tempest with an arcade spinner, they can mod a CX53 trackball by adding a spinner and connecting the quadrature outputs of the spinner to the control circuitry instead of the X-axis of the trackball encoder. The modder could also use a DPDT switch to select either the spinner or trackball inputs for the X-Axis. Y-Axis would remain connected to the trackball regardless of switch position.

[Gabriel]

I'm late to the party. I don't have anything to say about controller support.

 

All I want to add is that Tempest on the 5200 is absolutely freakin incredible. It's the best arcade port on the 5200, and it has some damn stiff competition. I'd say it's the best adaptation of Tempest to anything, beating out even Tempest 2000.

 

[+sramirez2008]

Played Tempest for nearly 2 hours today. Decided to use the trak-ball controller only. Love the way handles and I love the sounds too. My scores aren't anything to write home about, but I'm getting better and better.

 

I really like this game...its hard to put down.

 

- Thanks to everyone involved for completing this game and finally making it available.

[Master Phruby]

I own the Tempest cart. Where can I get the ROM to play off my atarimax SD?

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

I own the Tempest cart. Where can I get the ROM to play off my atarimax SD?

 

Try this link. Tempest ROM 5200 Hopefully it's not the Prototype with the non collision detection.

[PhoenixMoonPatrol]

So whats everyone's best score on this game?

I'm still playing on Novice because I royally suck if I jump to normal setting.

Also,its damn hard to achieve great scores if you don't use warp by starting on a advanced web that gains you a great score. Like for example - starting and completing web/stage 9 where you receive an automatic 54,000 once you jump to the 10th web.

 

My best score if i just start from the beginning is around 32,000

If I start from the 9th web and go on from there its 82,000

All on novice though.

 

(Edit) And I just noticed that you have access to later webs should you play on harder difficulties - giving you better scores. Holy shit is the game difficult the deeper you get though,wow. Fun but brutal.

Edited February 26, 2016 by PhoenixMoonPatrol

[Gabriel]

From level 1 regular my top score is 61,711.

 

And if I just keep on continuing from the last checkweb I passed, then I've scored 276,603 after starting from level 31.

[Andromeda Stardust]

So whats everyone's best score on this game?

I'd like to know for myself someday...

 

I have no 5200 to play, but when I get one, Tempest will be the first game I buy...

[+darryl1970]

Try this link. Tempest ROM 5200 Hopefully it's not the Prototype with the non collision detection.

That's the prototype.

 

Is be willing to pay for the ROM. I'd rather add it to my AtariMax cart.

I hate changing cartridges. I understand the concern with piracy.

 

It's this compete version available for pay via download?

[Dutchman2000]

At this time the game is only available through the AtariAge store as a cartridge.

[TJSLAPSHOT]

Is tempest a homebrew? My trak ball is on the way so I definitely want to pick up Tempest. It really doesn't get much better than Tempest. An all-time fave.

[TJSLAPSHOT]

I wanted to share a pic of my 5200 collection with u guys but I dont see a way to upload it? : /. Any tips?

[tep392]

There's no drift with the trackball with regards to analog signal because it uses digital pulse width modulation to control the delay rather than analog RC time constant like 2600 paddles or the CX52 analog joysticks use. So if the console is calibrated properly, there shouldn't be any drift when the trackball is stationary.

If you look at the CX53 schematic you'll learn that this statement couldn't be farther from the truth. The output of the CX53 is analog and was designed to work with the potentiometer inputs. There is no digital out. Encoder -> digital -> analog -> console. That is the reason Atari provided a calibration circuit in the trackball. The console uses the cal line to disable the digital circuit ahead of the analog circuit to force a "stationary ball" condition. The the game reads the "pot" values and treats those zero speed. Games that fail to use the cal line run the risk of drift.

 

If someone really wants to play 5200 Tempest with an arcade spinner, they can mod a CX53 trackball by adding a spinner and connecting the quadrature outputs of the spinner to the control circuitry instead of the X-axis of the trackball encoder. The modder could also use a DPDT switch to select either the spinner or trackball inputs for the X-Axis. Y-Axis would remain connected to the trackball regardless of switch position.

This statement makes complete sense. I thought of doing it myself. My thought was to put a DB9 connecter and select switch in the back of the trackball. The spinner and control buttons would be in their own box.

[+Allan]

I wanted to share a pic of my 5200 collection with u guys but I dont see a way to upload it? : /. Any tips?

Click on the orange 'More Reply Options' button.

 

Allan

[+darryl1970]

Is it possible to just purchase ROMs for those of us with AtariMax carts? I realize this adds the risk of people sharing, but Carl Muller has been doing it with his Intellivision ROMs.

The cartridge thing is cool, but I am so over digging a game off the shelf, switching it, and having to clean up a mess later.

I would rather select and go!

[+darryl1970]

Is it possible to just purchase ROMs for those of us with AtariMax carts? I realize this adds the risk of people sharing, but Carl Muller has been doing it with his Intellivision ROMs.

The cartridge thing is cool, but I am so over digging a game off the shelf, switching it, and having to clean up a mess later.

I would rather select and go!

"Crickets...."

[tep392]

This is sold thru AA so you would need to address this question to Albert directly.

[+darryl1970]

This is sold thru AA so you would need to address this question to Albert directly.

thanks

[Andromeda Stardust]

 

If you look at the CX53 schematic you'll learn that this statement couldn't be farther from the truth. The output of the CX53 is analog and was designed to work with the potentiometer inputs. There is no digital out. Encoder -> digital -> analog -> console. That is the reason Atari provided a calibration circuit in the trackball. The console uses the cal line to disable the digital circuit ahead of the analog circuit to force a "stationary ball" condition. The the game reads the "pot" values and treats those zero speed. Games that fail to use the cal line run the risk of drift.

The potentiometer in an Atari paddle creates a time delay circuit resulting in a rising signal. When the voltage level of this signal exeeds some threshold, it triggers a response in the output of the digital TTL logic chip reading it. You could also configure a one shot timer to instantly pull the input high or low and it would have the exact same net effect on the TTL logic. The low becomes a high or visa-versa.

 

The console measures the time elapsed between the start and end of the clock pulse and changes that into a logic value. So whether the voltage TTL input gradually increases as the capacitor charges up or if it is instantaneous on/off logic, the output of the logic detection will be the same.

 

So you can absolutely drive an analog paddle input with digital logic because the actual sensor is digital. Certain VCS homebrew can even read Genesis controllers in this manner. With regards to the "analog" signal, it is the timing of the signal that is critical, not whether the voltage signal is gradual rise or sharp pulse.

 

Using digital logic to drive the paddle inputs would be more precise because it is not dependent on the tolerance or of the input circuitry. Individual TTL chips can have a lot of drift concerning what constitutes a logic low or logic high, thus necessitating calibration of the potentiometer inside either the Atari or controllers. The data sheets have a fairly large "invalid" range regarding input voltages. The true crossover is different from one component to the next and can be anywhere within this region.

[tep392]

Absolutely

 

edit: I think trying to trigger the pot circuit is going to be problematic when you start thinking about how you will actually accomplish it. The big question is how do you know when to trigger your digital output. Remember that the pot input/POKEY is doing the time count. The 5200 will know when you trigger the pot circuit to stop POKEY's counting, but how does the trackball circuit know when it started? I think Atari's approach with the analog output circuit was probably the simplest way to utilize the POKEY counting circuit. Systems like the 7800 have to poll the trackball pulses and do the counting which wastes CPU time. I think that is why the 7800 trackball proto was so complicated. They were doing the calculations digitally in the trackball to take the load off the 7800.

[manopac]

anyone knows if the game with box is still for sale ? the link on the cartridge with manual only version seems to be dead: "If you'd like to purchase a copy of Tempest with a professionally offset printed, high-quality box, you may do so here." https://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1014

[+lawdawg710]

The boxes are sold out, but I did pick up a copy of the cartridge and manual!! In fact it arrived in the mail yesterday!! Excellent game FWIW!!

Edited April 19, 2016 by lawdawg710