Supercharger audit

[towmater]

I made the unforgivable mistake of doing the "works with any game" mod and somehow the outer shell and the circuit board ended up in separate boxes and never found each other again. I now think the physician's credo "first, do no harm" should apply to vintage gaming as well.

[+stephena]

Only thing is, if this happens, then no one is going to make anymore supercharger games. I would love to get new games on cassette. I'm (very slowly) working on my own Batari game (it's not going to at the standard of Spiceware - but it will be mine by me), and want to run it on a real supercharger. And if it is good enough that people want copies, then that can happen too. I've got a Harmony cart, so i can understand why people prefer to use that. It's just that I love using the technology as it was meant to used (as much as you can).

 

I don't see how Stella emulating something will make actual Supercharger games disappear. Stella has been around for over 20 years now, and if anything the amount of homebrew games have increased in the last few years. I'd like to think that some of this is because of Stella, and the development environment/debugger that makes development so much easier.

 

People who want to use hardware will continue to do so, and those that don't (or can't for various reasons) will use emulators. That hasn't changed in the past 20 years, and it won't change in the future. For some people, seeing something in emulation is the only way they will ever experience it, since hardware is becoming rarer every day, and not everyone can afford it anyway.

 

Besides, someone still has to write the code to do this. And if nobody comes forward (and I don't find the time), then it won't happen anyway.

[alex_79]

I would welcome patches (or at least a preliminary overview) for Stella to emulate Supercharger in the proper way. Perhaps also consider adding it as an issue in the Stella tracker.

I think that should be considered very low priority, and even when/if proper supercharger emulation is added, the current method should probably be left in place as a more immediate way to run the games (Most people won't notice/care about how the games are loaded as long as they play correctly).

 

 

At some point I want to emulate loading/saving from Compumate cassettes, so we'll eventually need such code anyway.

If code for audio loading/saving is added, this could also allow support for the Magicard cassette interface, or the various Brazilian Supercharger-like devices (assuming someday they will be documented by tracing the boards and/or dumping the bios roms).

[alex_79]

Glad the files worked. Happy to help. Is there much difference between the Pal bios and the NTSC bios?

They're almost identical. A simple file compare shows that 79 bytes differs between the two versions, but most of them are just the result of code shifted by two bytes because of an additional instruction in the PAL bios.

A disassembly is needed to be more precise, but I think they only changed a few color values (because NTSC and PAL TIAs have different palette) and increased the number of scanlines to match PAL resolution and framerate.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Due to the different frame rate, they must have also changed the timing for the cassette routines.

[Turbo-Torch]

I bought the Arcadia version right after it was released and they weren't expensive at $45.00. I bought mine at Camelot Music in our mall...they were the place to get the latest greatest games and the rare titles from manufacturers you never heard of. When I fired up Phaser Patrol for the first time, I knew I added some serious power to my 2600.

 

Few months later Toys R Us was selling them and all the games...anyone who thinks these things are super rare must not have been around in the early 80s. I bought all the available games at the time except for Fireball and Party Mix.

 

When I got my 7800 in the late 80s, I tried the SC on it and that was the end of that SC. Possibly a coincidence but no SC will ever go into that pos 7800 again.

 

In the 90s, someone found a large stash and was selling them dirt cheap on RGVC. I bought two; one I use and still have the original box and the other is still shrink wrapped today. Once again, not exactly rare.

Picked up a 3rd one for a few bucks from someone on RGVC. He sorta butchered it trying to mod it (zero soldering skills) but it was an easy fix and I was happy to have a modded SC without the guilt of blemishing a new one.

 

Also bought the numbered Stella Gets a New Brain CD when they were being offered on RGVC. I loved that newsgroup...I wonder if there are any hold-outs left?

[Mr SQL]

 

I would welcome patches (or at least a preliminary overview) for Stella to emulate Supercharger in the proper way. Perhaps also consider adding it as an issue in the Stella tracker.

 

At some point I want to emulate loading/saving from Compumate cassettes, so we'll eventually need such code anyway.

 

Very cool! It would be awesome to see Compumate BASIC games supported, would be great to see new vintage BASIC games for the 2600!

 

Only thing is, if this happens, then no one is going to make anymore supercharger games. I would love to get new games on cassette. I'm (very slowly) working on my own Batari game (it's not going to at the standard of Spiceware - but it will be mine by me), and want to run it on a real supercharger. And if it is good enough that people want copies, then that can happen too. I've got a Harmony cart, so i can understand why people prefer to use that. It's just that I love using the technology as it was meant to used (as much as you can).

 

tdp, you can make SuperCharger games in BASIC too - check out this BASIC listing for STARBLITZ on Pouet, the large virtual world and the sprites are drawn with ASCII art very similar to bB:

http://www.pouet.net/prod_nfo.php?which=66991

 

SuperCharger BASIC also has a pure old-school mode like Compumate BASIC - both are eligible for competing in the International 10-liner BASIC competitions (Starfleet Simulation started out as a 9 line game and ranked higher than competing BASIC entries from C64, Apple II and MSX BASIC).

 

Where is this website? I would love to try these games.

Thank you

 

The SuperCharger BASIC is here:

http://relationalframework.com/vwBASIC.htm

 

The AFP version (which is cross compatible with SuperCharger BASIC) and the games are all here with a link to the AFP programming forum thread:

http://relationalframework.com/Atari2600gamesonline.htm

[bohoki]

i got this i would like the other tapes but i dont even play the ones i have since i have their wavs on a cd

[rasch_C]

I picked up my Arcadia Supercharger at MGC2016. I did not have any games for it, however, until this passed Sunday, when I picked up Escape from the Mindmaster in the box from our local Savers thrift store. It even has a sealed envelope inside that states something tothe effect of "why we changed out name to Starpath".

 

I'm assuming the manual id's in that envelope, but IDK. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to what the contents of said envelope are? I would also love to have homebrewfor the unit. As stated above, there's something about having things with the technology of the time.

 

-Allen

[Mr SQL]

I picked up my Arcadia Supercharger at MGC2016. I did not have any games for it, however, until this passed Sunday, when I picked up Escape from the Mindmaster in the box from our local Savers thrift store. It even has a sealed envelope inside that states something tothe effect of "why we changed out name to Starpath".

 

I'm assuming the manual id's in that envelope, but IDK. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to what the contents of said envelope are? I would also love to have homebrewfor the unit. As stated above, there's something about having things with the technology of the time.

 

-Allen

 

Here is the SuperCharger version of WARPDRIVE, it's identical to the Flashback Portable verison of the game on my site.

 

WARP_DRIVE_PRGE.wav

WARPDRIVE_Manual.pdf

[tdp]

 

I don't see how Stella emulating something will make actual Supercharger games disappear. Stella has been around for over 20 years now, and if anything the amount of homebrew games have increased in the last few years. I'd like to think that some of this is because of Stella, and the development environment/debugger that makes development so much easier.

 

People who want to use hardware will continue to do so, and those that don't (or can't for various reasons) will use emulators. That hasn't changed in the past 20 years, and it won't change in the future. For some people, seeing something in emulation is the only way they will ever experience it, since hardware is becoming rarer every day, and not everyone can afford it anyway.

 

Besides, someone still has to write the code to do this. And if nobody comes forward (and I don't find the time), then it won't happen anyway.

 

You make a good point. I guess it just needs a few people to stimulate interest in the device to get people using it more, and then more games will come.

[iesposta]

i still have my original supercharger from back in the day.

i also own a 2nd one because it came with the awesome box art of my favorites that i repurchased.

 

i misplaced all my cassettes, they may still turn up.

i have acquired a lot back, including frogger -loose cassette-.

i bought everything in the 80's except rabbit transit and party mix, even sending for the sandwich baggie sword of saros and survival island.

 

some day i am going to make for myself, 'the official pac-man' with dintar816's 4k version - like 'the official frogger', my favorite 2600 game for many years.

if they had made 'the official pac-man' and used the supercharger's whole 6k, that would have been a dream come true for me .. i even would have liked multi-load with cut-scenes as additional loads 9although they could all fit in 4k to 6k.

i have a playlist of 215+ games that run on the supercharger. i've only used cassette once in the past 10 years.

[Mayhem]

I had some PAL stuff but sold it earlier this year. I also have a full complete set of all 12 Supercharger NTSC titles, which are also being sold, if anyone is interested heh.

[Captain_Combat]

I have one, along with the first 10 cassettes. Cassettes 1-6 are CIBs, the

 

remainder are loose.

 

My favorite is Communist Mutants from Space.

 

Communist Mutants from Space.jpg

You should try and complete the other 4 to get a complete set. I know it will be difficult to piecemeal but it will be worth it. It's a little bit easier buying all 10 of these at once when they ocassionally come up for sale.

[+sramirez2008]

You should try and complete the other 4 to get a complete set. I know it will be difficult to piecemeal but it will be worth it. It's a little bit easier buying all 10 of these at once when they ocassionally come up for sale.

 

Until recently, I didn't even have the last four. I do keep an on-going watch for the boxes, but I may never come across just the boxes.

[Captain_Combat]

Until recently, I didn't even have the last four. I do keep an on-going watch for the boxes, but I may never come across just the boxes.

I would just buy the last four complete and than sell off the extra cassettes even if you do it like this it will be difficul. Boxes alone pretty impossible to find. Best to buy as set to save the agony

[tdp]

I have one, along with the first 10 cassettes. Cassettes 1-6 are CIBs, the remainder are loose.

 

My favorite is Communist Mutants from Space.

 

Communist Mutants from Space.jpg

 

Would love to get Communist Mutants from Space for Pal. Good game.

[up2knowgood]

I bought the Arcadia version right after it was released and they weren't expensive at $45.00. I bought mine at Camelot Music in our mall...they were the place to get the latest greatest games and the rare titles from manufacturers you never heard of. When I fired up Phaser Patrol for the first time, I knew I added some serious power to my 2600.

 

Few months later Toys R Us was selling them and all the games...anyone who thinks these things are super rare must not have been around in the early 80s. I bought all the available games at the time except for Fireball and Party Mix.

I'd like to remind you that $45 was kind of expensive for a game at that time, a new game cartridge usually cost $35 at time of release, then dropping in price from there. The real savings came in that following games were cheaper, around $20 each because of the cost of tapes vs. cartridge manufacturing.

 

And I've talk to others who say in the 80s they didn't even know of the Supercharger, and that it was only in Toys 'R' Us for a short time. Remember, the company was founded in 82, started to shut down operations in 83, and folded in 84. Very short life span for a company really. On my topic "Sales Numbers," it was generally agreed that fewer than a million Supercharger units were made and sold.

[up2knowgood]

 

Only thing is, if this happens, then no one is going to make anymore supercharger games. I would love to get new games on cassette. I'm (very slowly) working on my own Batari game (it's not going to at the standard of Spiceware - but it will be mine by me), and want to run it on a real supercharger. And if it is good enough that people want copies, then that can happen too. I've got a Harmony cart, so i can understand why people prefer to use that. It's just that I love using the technology as it was meant to used (as much as you can).

I'd say there are a few out there who don't own Harmony Carts who would like to get their hands on some new Supercharger games. Granted, maybe not that many, but I think it would be cool to see some new Supercharger games on real tapes. I'm one of the few who never heard of the Harmony Cart before this topic apparently, and as such don't own one.

[iesposta]

You should try and complete the other 4 to get a complete set. I know it will be difficult to piecemeal but it will be worth it. It's a little bit easier buying all 10 of these at once when they ocassionally come up for sale.

Those last 4, well 3 of the last 4 boxes, go for crazy money!

 

Killer Satellites

Rabbit Transit

Frogger, The Official

Party Mix

 

Killer Satellites is reasonable, probably because the game play is not that great.

 

Rabbit Transit is next higher in price. Box art isn't notable. I wouldn't pay what they ask for. Probably around $100 boxed.

 

The Official Frogger is a masterpiece, and tops some charts with an A+. They really got everything right. Some EBay sellers think just the cassette is $200-$300 range. I got the Frogger and Killer Satellites cassette with a loose Supercharger AND boxes 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 for around $160.

Boxed Frogger would be the most expensive.

 

Party Mix is mini-games, paddle, for multiple players at the same time. Probably around $100 boxed.

 

The last 2 games were mail order and came in sandwich baggies, no box, and are nowhere near as fun as games 1-6 & 9.

 

My wish was more inexpensive tape games that multi-loaded for an extended changing game experience, which Mindmaster and Dragonstomper did quite well.

 

There's a Decathlon/Track & Field game type prototype.

That would have been fun.

If you can find Decathalon's Title Screen, they are bit banging the volume register to produce in tune, 3 channel music like Stella's Stocking music, Pitfall II music, Stay Frosty 2 music, but this was back in 1983 when only Pitfall II made music that way.

Edited July 7, 2017 by iesposta

[Turbo-Torch]

I'd like to remind you that $45 was kind of expensive for a game at that time, a new game cartridge usually cost $35 at time of release, then dropping in price from there. The real savings came in that following games were cheaper, around $20 each because of the cost of tapes vs. cartridge manufacturing.

 

And I've talk to others who say in the 80s they didn't even know of the Supercharger, and that it was only in Toys 'R' Us for a short time. Remember, the company was founded in 82, started to shut down operations in 83, and folded in 84. Very short life span for a company really. On my topic "Sales Numbers," it was generally agreed that fewer than a million Supercharger units were made and sold.

 

Yes, about $10 more than a premium new release cartridge but that also included Phaser Patrol which was better than any $30+ game I had played up until that point. That's a game I still love to play today.

imo, $45 was a killer deal to get game quality (and multi loads) that was right up there with an 8 bit computer or the newly released ColecoVision.

Also, most games were $15 bucks. I know Frogger was the most expensive ($25?)...I remember asking and getting that one for Christmas.

I'm not saying the SC is dirt common; however, you can go to eBay at any given time and choose from several at reasonable prices.

[Captain_Combat]

Those last 4, well 3 of the last 4 boxes, go for crazy money!

Killer Satellites

 

Rabbit Transit

Frogger, The Official

 

Party Mix

Killer Satellites is reasonable,

probably because the game play is not that great.

Rabbit Transit is next higher in price. Box art isn't notable. I wouldn't pay what they ask for. Probably around $100 boxed.

The Official Frogger is a masterpiece, and tops some charts with an A+. They really got everything right. Some EBay sellers think just the cassette is $200-$300 range. I got the Frogger and Killer Satellites cassette with a loose Supercharger AND boxes 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 for around $160.

Boxed Frogger would be the most expensive.

Party Mix is mini-games, paddle, for multiple players at the same time. Probably around $100 boxed.

The last 2 games were mail order and came in sandwich baggies, no box, and are nowhere near as fun as games 1-6 & 9.

My wish was more inexpensive tape games that multi-loaded for an extended changing game experience, which Mindmaster and Dragonstomper did quite well.

There's a Decathlon/Track & Field game type prototype.

That would have been fun.

If you can find Decathalon's Title Screen, they are bit banging the volume register to produce in tune, 3 channel music like Stella's Stocking music, Pitfall II music, Stay Frosty 2 music, but this was back in 1983 when only Pitfall II made music that way.[/qu

 

Yeah your right getting the last few piecemeal would be expensive and hard to get its probably better getting 1-10 cib together that's what I did because I knew the rarer ones don't come up for sale that often, you have to keep scouring ebay for a decent deal or lucky timing and then turn around and sell your partial collection.

[tdp]

Those last 4, well 3 of the last 4 boxes, go for crazy money!

 

Killer Satellites

Rabbit Transit

Frogger, The Official

Party Mix

 

Killer Satellites is reasonable, probably because the game play is not that great.

 

Rabbit Transit is next higher in price. Box art isn't notable. I wouldn't pay what they ask for. Probably around $100 boxed.

 

The Official Frogger is a masterpiece, and tops some charts with an A+. They really got everything right. Some EBay sellers think just the cassette is $200-$300 range. I got the Frogger and Killer Satellites cassette with a loose Supercharger AND boxes 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 for around $160.

Boxed Frogger would be the most expensive.

 

Party Mix is mini-games, paddle, for multiple players at the same time. Probably around $100 boxed.

 

The last 2 games were mail order and came in sandwich baggies, no box, and are nowhere near as fun as games 1-6 & 9.

 

My wish was more inexpensive tape games that multi-loaded for an extended changing game experience, which Mindmaster and Dragonstomper did quite well.

 

There's a Decathlon/Track & Field game type prototype.

That would have been fun.

If you can find Decathalon's Title Screen, they are bit banging the volume register to produce in tune, 3 channel music like Stella's Stocking music, Pitfall II music, Stay Frosty 2 music, but this was back in 1983 when only Pitfall II made music that way.

 

It's funny how times change. There was a time when the super charger and it's games were very, very cheap. If only I knew then what I know now.

[+Nathan Strum]

 

It's funny how times change. There was a time when the super charger and it's games were very, very cheap. If only I knew then what I know now.

 

 

I had that Special Offer flyer too. Meant to send it in and round out my collection. Never did. (Also meant to buy Crazy Climber through Atari Age Magazine. Never did that either. At least I'm consistent.)

[bugcatcher88]

I also own a Supercharger along with a copy of Dragonstomper (w/ manual). Still works great. I last fired it up about a year ago to play that one game I have. Unfortunately, no other game that uses the device catches my interest.