Atari Flashback X Custom Firmware for USB roms and boxart

[Batchman]

So just checking on something here ... still won't get my X Deluxe until around Wednesday or so, but I seem to recall seeing a post that indicated that there was a good chance the latest version of Nexus might even work fine on a 9.

 

The last time I tried redoing the firmware on my 9 Gold to add the box art, it somehow removed the previously there ability to access the SD drive, removing access to extra games, but just reflashing with the basic updated firmware returned that option, kind of indicating that no permanent harm was caused, even if I couldn't get everything working, that time.

 

Would there actually be any harm to take the firmware update within the NEXUS build and put it on my SD card to try updating my 9 Gold again, then adding the whole package and trying to put the whole thing on my 9 Gold? Might or might not work, but shouldn't do any real harm, regardless? I hope?

[rocketfan]

Draxxon, back on the 5200 games topic. 

 

I see that a few of those 5200 ports were already on the device and it looks like you moved some of them already.  Gremlins works and is in that batch I recently PM'd you.  In total I think there are 17 which might be playable (not sure about baseball).  I will check them out and let you know.  Hopefully there is 5200 box art for all those.

 

http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-atari-5200-conversion_licence_1_8_G.html

 

 

 

[rocketfan]

1 hour ago, Batchman said:

might even work fine on a 9.

No - sorry it will not work.  There are paths baked in several places for the thumb drive and I've seen it is different on a 9 because of the SD card being a different device name in Linux.  There are probably only 3 or 4 files that need to be changed, BTW.  I thought maybe someone was going to start working on that? 

Edited March 8, 2021 by rocketfan

[Draxxon]

what i meant by the pack working fine on an AFB9, if folder support was implemented, is that the box art would show correctly.

If there are only 17 5200 games, Id like to knock that out right after the A800 best of list.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Draxxon

[Batchman]

Yes, it didn't work, no big deal. But there are other problems that have got me scratching my head, but I'll tackle them in the 9 thread instead of here, and hope when the 10 arrives, things will go more smoothly. ::)

[Draxxon]

Side Project.

 

Atari 800 - Atari 5200 Ports Pack (Update Only)

Apply this patch to your NEXUS v2.5 pack. Drop it on the root of your drive. Copy over the old files.

 

rom_a5200.rar

Edited March 8, 2021 by Draxxon

[Velvis]

On 3/3/2021 at 8:48 PM, rocketfan said:

That's true they are binary files, which is a bummer.  I think MAME was invented before .xml or something.  What you can do is just delete a file.  Then - when the file is not there the mame2000 emulator will come up with the mapping menu as soon as you start the game so you can re-do it.  Please note that there are more mapping options available under general than under the per-game section.  That mapping dialog is a bit of a weird interface BTW, and maybe you can find a youtube video on it.  One trick I know - if you want to replace a setting move the cursor down off it and then back on to it, otherwise it will not replace, but add the new button as an OR condition.  I have never been able to figure out how to do an AND condition, but I suspect there is a way...

 

I am trying to figure a way to configure the paddles for the paddle games. Once in the menu and its waiting for the input choice rotating the paddles isn't recognized.

[Velvis]

Does this support in-game bezels?

[Draxxon]

I havent started to mess with the bezels yet. each theme/skin can have 4 you can set universally for all games. RocketFan says there is a way to set up a unique bezel to each game, but again, I havent even looked into it yet.

Atari Flashback X - NEXUS (Atari 8-Bit - Update Only)
The AtariAge Best Of... Collection:

 

NEXUS_AA_Update.rar

Edited March 9, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

Atari Flashback X - NEXUS V.0.2.6 (Update Only)
Skin Changes requested by RocketFan. (Removed "Atari Vault") Also, New Background Music. (Old Music is still in the Homebrew Section)
#NuetralZone, #YarsRevenge #ProtonShield #ZorlonCannon

 

 

 

nexus.rar

Edited March 9, 2021 by Draxxon

[rocketfan]

10 hours ago, Draxxon said:

Atari Flashback X - NEXUS V.0.2.6

The nexus icon goto link looks great.   I like the retro 80's music for the Nexus.

 

I noticed the Kooky Climber basic game doesn't load.  Here is a .bas file that should allow it to load instead of the .atr.  I am going to go through some old disks of BASIC type in games and find some of the best ones, plus look for a few more good basic games to throw on.   I like your Atari BASIC box art for those!

 

 

kookyklimber.bas

[rocketfan]

11 hours ago, Draxxon said:

RocketFan says there is a way to set up a unique bezel to each game

Yes, there would be a way to do this, but I did not work on it yet.  It will not be too hard.  Something like you will have a default bezel unless the bezel artwork is in place for the game, then it will use that.  It will require some changes to the scripts.  I will work on something soon.

[Draxxon]

I just received my newer model AFBX standard edition from Menards in the mail.

Firmware: It says it is V.0.1.21 - But, like i was saying, this isn't the v21 that AtGames recently posted online. Box Art is still messed up. Online v21 fixed it. I also learned you NEVER need to open it up, connect it to a computer, or even PRESS the reset button on the bottom AT ALL. It has OTG support and /game folder on the flash drive support with Atari 2600 ROMs straight out of the box. which means you can flash firmware from the flash drive.

Gameplay: It seems exactly the same as the older model.

Cords: Still no HDMI cord. Gone is the all in one, cheap USB power cord with plug hardwired (Thank God). It now comes with a standard USB mini charge cable and NO brick/plug. (Does it have a data line?)

Controllers: Um....... WOW! These Joystick Controllers are better!! The stick is more STIFF!!! and not super loose like the older models. Its also heavier. old one was 150g new one is 160g. Also You CAN run two P1 (player 1) joysticks at the same time. Player 2 only has access to menu and rewind, it seems select and start do not work. Now I have to decide, run the newer, stiffer sticks, or run two P1 sticks. OCD sucks.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also got my RetroN77 today.

Paddle~Pads dont work in the AFBX (just the fire button works, no joystick, no paddle)

The joysticks DO work, and the arey VERY STIFF. the AFBX later models sticks are somewhere in the middle. Dare I say, I prefer this R77 stick to all of them?

Edited March 9, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

BTW, Just checked, couldn't edit.

the RetroN77 sticks are 295g - HEAVY! Both fire buttons function as fire on the AFBX. The stick unscrews from the base exactly the same as the AFBX sticks.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Draxxon

[No Quarter]

FWIW, after a year or more of being out-of-stock, AtGames’ Classic Joypads recently reappeared under Accessories on their E-store.  Perhaps Bill could enlighten whether there is reason to hope that Atari Paddles & Atari Joysticks might similarly be re-stocked.

[Draxxon]

I think the joyopads are for the Legends Core Gamer, right?
 

Just a little bit of trivia, the skin in the sears category is a reworked atari pi kit background. Also, I just pulled the retron77 background and am going to incorporate it into the star wars theme. so now every theme has a base from another system. AFB, AFB Gold, Legends FB, Sega FB, Atari Pi and Retron77. Plus Kevin's wood grain theme.

I mean, its a perfectly good background the guys over in the retron thread just tossed out, but Darth Vader is gonna love it! LOL!  

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

Swapped the P1 and P2 tops around.

[No Quarter]

No, I’m talking about the 9-pin controller for the LFB’s.

(They are supposed to be coming out with a wireless Legends GamePad that’ll work with the Legends Ultimate Arcade, Legends Pinball, Legends Gamer Pro, Legends Gamer Mini, Legends Core, and Legends Connect, but it isn’t due out until May.)

[Draxxon]

Oh, I'm sorry. My bad. Yeah, I don't get it either. for how many of these ones I saw at Wal-Mart for 5 bucks clearance you think they could make some. I think it's because the paddles are emulated so jittery that they don't even care to mess with it.

 

By the way, can these be wired up? P1 has start, select, menu and b.m.b.

 

 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Batchman]

So I'm in the process of trying to buy a set of classic Atari paddles on ebay, to be able to use them for paddle games with my X when it arrives (Thursday, not Wednesday, darn it!) ... am I seeing indications that even on the X with actual Atari paddles, things still aren't good?

 

If you go to the trouble of including all the Atari paddle games, shouldn't there be a good way to play them?!? (That's to AtGames, not Draxxon, just to be clear.)

[Draxxon]

To be fair, I've never used paddles on the the AFB9 or X. I hear that the 9, with mod, paddles work and are kinda jittery. Ive seen videos where people plug paddles into the 9 and the X and it LOOKS the same. The walmart exclusive blast paddles are unplayable crapola, just being honest.

I got the hyperkin paddle pads knowing they didnt work on the 9, hoping they would work on the X. They didnt. So, I still havent got to try. I did update my RetroN77 with the community build up until the point that they broke paddles. So paddles still work on mine without otg and adapter, but they are a little strange, how much of it on the R77 that was Gamer Rust, emulation, lag, weird paddle~pads, is anyones guess. I would say stuff was playable, but it wasnt perfect. it was, just okay, at best. I personally dont see breaking paddles to repalce stella 6.X with 6.Y, but thats just me. 

I'm to the point that Im going to break down and buy a couple sets of paddles, also i hear the driving style ones do NOT work on the X.

Check out my boy Tim on the Legends with the paddle and kaboom. it looks best ive seen.

 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Batchman]

Well, if I can get a set at a decent price, maybe I can test on the X ... found a set on ebay at a decent price, and the seller is located in my hometown, so if I can avoid paying the shipping charge, I'll be on them, instantly! I miss me some good ol' progressive Breakout! (And a few other paddle games.)

 

I wonder what kind of tweaking and collections people have put together for the Legend cabinet? That could be fun! (If I can reach the point of affording it, a cabinet is something I've always wanted, and the Legend seems pretty darn reasonable.

 

 

[Draxxon]

7 minutes ago, Batchman said:

Well, if I can get a set at a decent price, maybe I can test on the X ... found a set on ebay at a decent price, and the seller is located in my hometown, so if I can avoid paying the shipping charge, I'll be on them, instantly! I miss me some good ol' progressive Breakout! (And a few other paddle games.)

 

I wonder what kind of tweaking and collections people have put together for the Legend cabinet? That could be fun! (If I can reach the point of affording it, a cabinet is something I've always wanted, and the Legend seems pretty darn reasonable.

 

 

i bought just the Legends Core for $60. Which is basically the cabinet without the cabinet. I'm okay with it. I'm not a huge fan of the new store bought home cabinets. The Legends Core is like the new version of the flashbacks. I mean, it does atari too. I'd say better than the 9 and the X. Getting joysticks and pads is a pain tho.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Batchman]

It looks like the paddle games on the Legend actually work well! Yes!

 

I want the full cabinet thing for a few reasons ... one, the very solid controls for dual joystick Crazy Climber ... without the full cabinet, I can't help but think the manhandling of the joysticks would be very difficult. Secondly, swapping out one of Glen's Tron joysticks for the full option of Tron, and third, it would just be really cool! But until I can afford it, the X maxed out will provide a lot of enjoyment.

[Draxxon]

10 minutes ago, Batchman said:

It looks like the paddle games on the Legend actually work well! Yes!

 

I want the full cabinet thing for a few reasons ... one, the very solid controls for dual joystick Crazy Climber ... without the full cabinet, I can't help but think the manhandling of the joysticks would be very difficult. Secondly, swapping out one of Glen's Tron joysticks for the full option of Tron, and third, it would just be really cool! But until I can afford it, the X maxed out will provide a lot of enjoyment.

I have a dedicated robotron converted to mame and emulators (horrible I know). A dedicated Mortal Kombat II, with MK1 2 and UMK3, and an empty dedicated ms pacman for a project i have never done anything with, i just dont need more. I would take a showcase 33 in a second though, or a vewlix candy cab, or something sweet, like a street fighter 2 or red SNK neo geo mult cab...... lmmfao... i cant do store bought cabs myself.

Hrmm.... maybe i should stick the legends core in the midway ms pac??? right now it has a solid replacement cpo plate. nothing has been drilled yet. but what arcade sticks work? the plan was to put mame and all the vertical screen games into it.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Draxxon