Mr SQL Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I played Crazy Tunes last night, this Atari game is a Musical with a mesmerizing phat beat and chiptunes that you shape with the game play! I must have played for 20 minutes before I could put the controller down But I didn't find this game online on AtariAge like I usually do, instead I got it from the Gameline modem: Playing new Atari games from the gameline modem Today is just as much fun as it was in the 80's! Checkout the Zeropage review for details! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alena Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Woah, this 80's modem is still supported? Far out, man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cvga Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I want to hear more 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+groundtrooper Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 5 hours ago, tman03 said: Woah, this 80's modem is still supported? Far out, man! 5 hours ago, tman03 said: Woah, this 80's modem is still supported? Far out, man! Not exactly. Check the video in the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 On 9/13/2020 at 3:38 PM, cvga said: I want to hear more OK I was busy playing with the new Gameline modem again but I'm ready to tell you more - I've been competing in the Gameline highscore contest against other Atari fans all over the world and I just set the high score in Atari Pacman! I competed in RiverRaid Today too and Asteroids last week but I've got the top score in Pacman - Pacman is all in the wrist and you need a Joystick to play Pacman properly not a Sega-Pad; players who like pads don't realize there's thumb-latency when turning-on-a-dime that just doesn't happen with a Joystick like the CX-45 Pacmen champions know what I mean: I hope that Qbert, Jawbreaker (one of the original Gameline modem classics) StarGate and Popyeye are added to the high score competition lineup for next month! Check out the high score contest information below - it's tremendously cool playing Atari for high scores against other players everywhere like an Atari Arcade: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 On 9/13/2020 at 5:08 PM, cvga said: I want to hear more Exactly. Is anyone gonna explain what this thread is about? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Torr said: Exactly. Is anyone gonna explain what this thread is about? answered simultaneously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Here's the Master File on the GAMELINE by Dan Skelton explaining the Master Control Module in full details; it connects you to the ENCOM Mainframe where you play Atari games on the game grid like in the movie Tron (the original). The older models may experience difficulty connecting to the Gameline service Today unless the company creates an API to support connecting to the new Ethernet based service or creates a legacy modem service for them. The old models can also have issues with battery replacement like this reviewer experiences opening a sealed CIB unit. With the new model I've never had a problem connecting to the gameline service, and I beat the high score in Pacman again last night! I also took a look at News Feed and stock ticker apps from the Master File which were really amazing to see on my Atari! These features are near completion but still under development as you can see from the original documentation. I've been having fun helping the development team and even more fun playing Atari on the new Gameline! Fun fact: There is at least one exclusive Atari 2600 game never released on cartridge that was only available for the Gameline. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 So, if I get this right, someone has created a new server that you can dial into using an original Game Line Modem? Sounds cool as heck... but... wouldn't that be accruing some long distance charges unless your live in the server area? I'm still a little confused. And regarding the link, I'm brought back to an idea covered in other threads regarding how necessary manuals were to old Atari VCS games. It lists a bunch of games that could have been played over the modem. Games like Crypts of Chaos and Riddle of the Sphinx jump out as games that, without having a manual, would very VERY awkward to 'try and figure out' with trial and error, and potentially expensive since you paid per play of the games. If anything, these two fine games might have garnered a bad reputation from people who downloaded it, couldn't figure it out, and then scoffed at buying it if they ever saw it in a store. Getting off track here though! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Collector Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 I remember seeing the original Gameline for sale at Gemco (discout store) in about 1983. I remember reading the box and not understanding, and thinking it was some kind of gimmicky BS. They had quite a few, maybe closeout or something. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 I've known about the PlusCart, but I wasn't aware that an old GameLine would be viable again. That's very cool, although Gameline's are not too easy to locate these days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 52 minutes ago, Torr said: So, if I get this right, someone has created a new server that you can dial into using an original Game Line Modem? Sounds cool as heck... but... wouldn't that be accruing some long distance charges unless your live in the server area? I'm still a little confused. Yes! Watch the ZeroPage review until the end (it's long you may want to fast forward) and you will see James downloading games online, competing in the high score contest and even playing COMBAT against another Player 2 who is far away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prizrak Posted September 15, 2020 Share Posted September 15, 2020 Ummm that's PlusCart, perhaps PlusCart is the new GamelineSent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hizzy Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 If I understand, the pluscart is the new gameline? Is that what you're saying? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prizrak Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Yeah I think SQL is being funny and inadvertently ruined his joke. My wife tells me all the time I can be a little slow [emoji28]Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 hour ago, hizzy said: If I understand, the pluscart is the new gameline? Is that what you're saying? That's what I think from playing with it and from watching the ZeroPage review. If you click Gameline Modem in the first post it links to the PlusCart WiFi modem thread. What are your thoughts? 4 hours ago, Prizrak said: Ummm that's PlusCart, perhaps PlusCart is the new Gameline Yes that's what it feels like! Not a joke just a lot of fun to play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prizrak Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 I was never privileged to own a Gameline back in the day but sure do love the PlusCart.Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overgrouth Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 (edited) Watching ZeroPage play Combat online was cool even though it went out if sync who thinks we can get 4 to 8 player games going with this once the online play is worked out. Edited September 16, 2020 by overgrouth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cvga Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Would love to see an 8 player on-line Berzerk-like game! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 6 hours ago, overgrouth said: Watching ZeroPage play Combat online was cool even though it went out if sync who thinks we can get 4 to 8 player games going with this once the online play is worked out. 5 hours ago, cvga said: Would love to see an 8 player on-line Berzerk-like game! X3! A Multiplayer Berzerk for the 2600 would be fantastic! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+batari Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 The concept of multiplayer online 2600 games sounds great, but with internet latency, this is problematic. The laws of physics are the problem! 2600 games run at 60 Hz so in order to be in sync you would essentially be limited to 16 ms at the very most. A few might read the controllers at 30 Hz so *maybe* 33ms with some. Problem is, it is literally impossible for a signal to travel more than around 2500km and back again in less than 16 ms (the limiting factor is the speed of light.) Or, 5000km in 33 ms. And we know the earth is a lot bigger than that. And in the real world, signals follow a zigzag path and go through several routers on the way. Maybe with someone on a LAN or very nearby and on the same ISP? Or, a game that is modified to tolerate latency (likely, really hard to do with a real-time 2600 game) or one where the latency doesn't matter (like Chess?) I am curious what was done to Combat to make it function. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevEng Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 1 hour ago, batari said: Maybe with someone on a LAN or very nearby and on the same ISP? Or, a game that is modified to tolerate latency (likely, really hard to do with a real-time 2600 game) or one where the latency doesn't matter (like Chess?) I am curious what was done to Combat to make it function. Very quickly the game de-sync'ed, which I think illustrates what you're talking about. I expect each end of the connection updates player input, and tries to duplicate it at the other end. If the lag exceeds one frame (16ms) or the even less if the two consoles aren't frame-aligned (perhaps it forces this), then events will begin to diverge at each location. Here's the video, queued to the start of the Combat demo... Modern games use predictive algorithms and run the gameplay even when the clients are disconnected by lag. When they sync back up, if there's disagreement on what happened, the server arbitrates and does the necessary adjustments on the clients. With non-emulated unmodified consoles that would be tough to manage as seamlessly as with modern games, and nigh impossible if the game uses TIA position state rather than explicit position variables for any game objects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 6 hours ago, RevEng said: Modern games use predictive algorithms and run the gameplay even when the clients are disconnected by lag. When they sync back up, if there's disagreement on what happened, the server arbitrates and does the necessary adjustments on the clients. This effectively tricks players into thinking they are playing against each other in the fast action sequences when each player is playing against AI there and the Server is picking the player who did better against the AI. 6 hours ago, batari said: Maybe with someone on a LAN or very nearby and on the same ISP? Or, a game that is modified to tolerate latency (likely, really hard to do with a real-time 2600 game) or one where the latency doesn't matter (like Chess?) I am curious what was done to Combat to make it function. Good point, slower games like Chess and two player games like Tetris with side-by-side two player action would not need frequent synching. Perhaps repeating the synch to get the players actual geographic strategy coupled with brief periods where players fight the AI instead of each other and the Server arbitrates the outcome for the next synch may be the solution to combat latency, in COMBAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cvga Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Okay, I dug out my Gameline and the Master File (instruction manuals). Who wants to play me 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 Gameline exclusive - Here is a video of a new classic version of KC Munchkin that will be part of my SillyVenture 2020 demo for December at the competition in Gdansk! PlusCart players can play the game early and preview new versions up until the contest, just like with the Gameline modem bitd! I will release the ROM on AtariAge after the compo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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