Drop in your Atari mojo?

[Mclaneinc]

 

Has anyone in here had a time when you just are not touching your machines, there's no drive to play them, does it go?

 

As said, I just am not feeling it at the moment, I'm not down in any way or feeling like selling stuff, I'm just not in to it, I'm keeping my emulators up to date, but I have not touched my hardware in weeks despite it all being wired up and ready to go. I've only had a time when I stopped playing once before,  and that was after I lost all my gear and I got stuck in to my new job and just didn't have time to indulge. This is different, I have the time in spades, there's always chaos here with the in-laws and my crappy neighbours, but it's a manageable chaos. My mood is not amazing, but I'm ok, not down in the dumps.

 

Just feels odd, I watched my daughter playing on the PS2 and enjoyed the game she was playing, but there wasn't an itch to 'have a go'. Anyone else ever felt like this?  

 

Like I said, I have no wish to get rid of my gear and not fed up with stuff, just not interested in doing...Feels very weird..

[mimo]

Yeah, right now.

Had a massive heart attack 3 weeks ago, lucky to be alive but seriously considering getting rid of all my Atari stuff. Just no appetite for it anymore, funny I thought that my rehab would include some Atari time 

[Mclaneinc]

Wow, so sorry to hear, I hope the recovery is going well. I can understand how that would put a dent in many things.

 

Whatever you decide, you get yourself well....Leave making some decisions for a while and just get well. Hearts seem to be the thing right now, a mate on another forum has just been told he needs a pacemaker fitted but they keep bumping the op.

 

Paul..

[TGB1718]

1 hour ago, mimo said:

Yeah, right now.

Had a massive heart attack 3 weeks ago, lucky to be alive but seriously considering getting rid of all my Atari stuff. Just no appetite for it anymore, funny I thought that my rehab would include some Atari time 

Sorry to hear that you had such a close call, take care.

Quite the opposite for me, I remember a long time ago I was very, very ill and the only thing

I remember about the 2 weeks or so that I "was out of it" was playing games on my 800, think it kept me sane

 

With regard to Pauls question, I don't use the real hardware much, just because where I have it doesn't lend itself to

being used often, I mainly use Altirra (we are blessed with it), most of the time I use it for coding.

 

Games wise, I'm a bit of a saddo, World of WarCraft is my main game, but like you, I've not logged on for a couple of

days, but sure why, usually it's at least a 4 hour stretch most nights (since 2004, how bad is that  )

Not sure if I should admit this, but you can check how long you have played the game, across most of my

characters I have played in excess of 15120 hours, that's accumulated playing time

 

 

 

[Beeblebrox]

@mimosorryto hear that !! wishing you a fully recovery!! 

 

@Mclaneinc know what you mean. You can get burn out with everything though. I am sure it'll return in coming months when we see any new games/ports released. Roll on ADM.

 

Perhaps boot up a demo with DLI scroll bars and sit in front of the ol A8 with a glass of ya fav tipple!! ??

Edited April 27, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[bfollowell]

Sure, pretty much all through the 90s and into the early 10s. I was busy with regular life. Raising kids, career, etc. All the normal things. I was always reading and posting on the Atari newsgroups, and I played around occasionally via emulation, but it wasn't until I stumbled onto AtariAge back in 2014 that I really started playing around with real hardware again and really getting back into Atari in a big way. I've really enjoyed being back into my 8- and 16-bit Ataris.

 

Nowadays, there are often times when I go weeks between times powering up my hardware, depending on how busy things are, but it's a pretty rare day that I'm not logging into AA several times a day.

 

[snicklin]

I know the feeling, I drop in and out of it.

 

I have another project on the go (that is a pun as I am programming in Go) and all my spare computing time is going into that.

 

Though I am hoping that once I get my automation framework up and fully running, that I will be able to apply it to the Atari. I have already used it for automating some preparation of images for Rastaconversions, but want to apply it to more places.

 

I did have a game of AtariBlast earlier though, as I have set it up as a game that I can play from pressing a button on my Elgato Stream Deck. Oh I love automation.

[Beeblebrox]

Just to add I had a 20year break from A8. AtariAge reeled me back in and I've got the bug bad... Mainly due to all the new games coming out and pushing the A8, plus of course owning the A8 models.... but to a massive extent RastaConverter is to blame!! I am never not running an image conversion these days!! Love it!!!!! 

[Meadow Glen]

well I've recently been playing games, but still maybe 10 hours in a year.  I do jump into programming projects, and I'm always wondering when life will intercept those plans and bring them to a halt, which happens every single time - without exception.

 

oh well, it's certainly normal to have a halting, intermittent, and yet real addiction to Atari 

 

[Rybags]

Yeah, get better soon mimo.

 

I seem to rarely power up the real thing in recent years.  And the additional problem that when I have, stuff just doesn't work properly.  2 x 1050 drives that need work.  My Plus/4 has graphical corruption issues which get better once it's warmed up but no idea there either.

My STs and Amigas haven't been used in probably over 5 years so who knows there?

 

The motivation part - I've got probably about 5 unfinished projects (games) of which maybe 1 or 2 will ever get done.  I've not done much programming of any siginificance in the last 5 years either.  And to confuse things more I'm in the planning stages of a game project which might or might not get any further.

Playing Atari games (emulation) - gets the occasional run.  I like checking out the new releases, video walkthroughs are all well and good but it's better to try yourself.

I've found though, and even with the phone, that I just don't play any sort of games as much as I used to.  Also got 3 Android tables gathering dust.

[Mclaneinc]

Thanks for the replies, I'm glad it's not only me, I have to admit while testing Cemu (WiiU emulator) I had a play of Super Mario 3D for about 20 mins, but it was more to see what the changes in the emulator were like. It's weird for me, I have all this nice kit across many platforms and yet the urge to play is near zero, but at the same time the love of the gear is still there, I just don't want to fire it up at this sec, and I've had the same feeling for weeks now.

 

I must admit that I have tried to get into Rastaconverter but with no disrespect to it, or it's author, I found it boring....<screams of string him up suddenly heard>

 

But then again, I am a person of the moment, if it takes time I tend to let those things pass. I think a small part of this is my neck pain, it's so sore to play or watch for any length of time, the build up starts mere minutes in to what I am doing. I have a backlog of blu ray films to watch but it's easier to just watch TV series like Halo, Moon Knight (brill) and the terrific, Outer Range, I can just last out the 45 mins or so.

[Beeblebrox]

@Mclaneincperhaps you have tech over saturation? You could hide some of the machines away and only have a few things on display.

 

RastaConverter boring!!!! ?? No self respecting A8 user would spend hours staring at the conversion process.... Ah who am I kidding... I spend hours in front of it heh heh. ?So much so I coined the phrase "Pixel twitcher" ... On account of the fact you spend a lot of time staring at it, willing the image to get to that stage you are happy with.

 

Honesty the quality of some of the images that have been produced over the years by the community and the satisfaction gained from my own conversations and experimentation is just amazing. 

 

Whenever I get a little dispondent with the A8 I usually play Henry's house, Flob or Atariblast! Works everytime! 

Edited April 27, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[Mclaneinc]

Tried the 'age old fave game' trick, failed.... Normally Jump-man just makes me smile, but I booted it, heard the music and turned it off. Same with all the usual games..

 

I'll see how it goes, could be one of those things where I suddenly feel ok and ready or could just be me calling it a day for a while. I still like the subject and I could not imagine not going here or any other forum I'm on, there's no dislike of gaming, just no spirit to do it. I was just keen to see if it's a common thing.

[E474]

@mimo get well soon.

 

For me it's always the amount of free time I have, but I have always put aside Tuesday evenings for "Games Night" (since the '90s!), as I think a bit of gaming is good for you. Sometimes it's on real 8-bit hardware, sometimes via emulation (current go to setup is my WiiU, but it took me a while to warm to it). At the moment I'm into Galaxians/Galactic Chase, but usually start with a few games of Bandits! to warm up.  Afterwards a few levels of Yoshi's Wooley World (on the WiiU), until I get stuck.

[Mclaneinc]

 

I should have made it a little more clear that be it emulation or real hardware, I'm just not touching, I just think it more strange that I ignore the actual hardware that I've invested time and money in to isn't appealing to me at this time. I just keep the emulators up to date so that if this is a phase I am all geared up still. Not a mood issue, I'm fine, just bored with gaming at the mo

 

Something I never thought I'd have myself thinking that way..

Edited April 27, 2022 by Mclaneinc

[Irgendwer]

16 minutes ago, Mclaneinc said:

Same with all the usual games..

"There is always plenty time to play KLAX."

 

 

;)

[ivop]

I recognize the change in wanting to play games. Sometimes I go months without gaming, and suddenly I find myself firing up my SNES with Super Turrican (real hardeware) and try to match my unofficial world record of 302K points Or The Last Of Us on PS3 to finally beat it in normal mode (I only managed easy mode BITD). Have been playing it for weeks now, every night. Four times easy, three times normal, and now I'm trying hard mode 

 

After that I'll probably not touch a game console in six months

 

As for Atari hardware, I still have to install a Sophia DVI in my Atari. Just can't be arsed to do it atm

 

 

Edit: My SNES Super Turrican records are 295000 for PAL, real hardware and real cart, and 303600 for NTSC on emulation. On an almost perfect run, I can't get the 50Hz score much higher. Never thought there would be that kind of a difference between 50 and 60Hz.

Edited April 27, 2022 by ivop

[Beeblebrox]

20 minutes ago, Mclaneinc said:

Tried the 'age old fave game' trick, failed.... Normally Jump-man just makes me smile, but I booted it, heard the music and turned it off. Same with all the usual games..

 

I'll see how it goes, could be one of those things where I suddenly feel ok and ready or could just be me calling it a day for a while. I still like the subject and I could not imagine not going here or any other forum I'm on, there's no dislike of gaming, just no spirit to do it. I was just keen to see if it's a common thing.

Absence make the heart grow fonder and all that. Go an buy yourself a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle of a famous landmark and start on it. After a few days (or even hours) you'll be gagging to get back on the A8 heh heh!!!?

[+mytek]

What keeps me going is developing new hardware for the A8. If I'm not in the middle of a new project or coming up with an idea for the next, I'll get totally bored with the whole thing. Never was much of a gamer, although I enjoyed watching others do so, which doesn't happen anymore. However I am looking forward to when my grandkids get to be around 4-5 years old (still a couple of years to go) and I set them up with their own 576NUC+ systems. Then I'll watch them play

 

I also taught my son to solder by giving him reject PCBs and a box of components. Figure I'll do the same with the grandkids - great skill to have. It'll be cool to let them build their own systems from scratch and see them come to life.

 

Anyway Paul, I totally get it, and I hope you get that mojo back. Sometimes just stepping back for a few years is all that it takes.

 

[Mclaneinc]

Lol.... I'd launch the puzzle in to space

 

What I might do is cheat a few games, that feels appealing enough, maybe..

 

 

 

[Mclaneinc]

1 minute ago, mytek said:

Anyway Paul, I totally get it, and I hope you get that mojo back. Sometimes just stepping back for a few years is all that it takes.

 

Thanks Michael, I hope it does not take that long, back then I liked to tinker with games more than playing them. I did play and have enjoyed that, but there always has been a side of me that likes the science as well.

 

 

 

[TGB1718]

Although I don't fire up real hardware very much, I have my original 800 just behind me and just one look at that

beauty and I'm in love with it all again ?

 

I do spend my time between my 8 bit's and my ST's, I enjoy the hardware as much as the software, at the moment

playing with a Raspberry Pi Pico to see how to make it sing, planning for it to end up in a 1050 at some stage

although I think that's some time away.

[Beeblebrox]

@Mclaneinc  maybe this will rekindle your admiration and interest in A8..... ongoing 128K 3d raycasting engine I am sure you are aware of by Globe:

 

 

 

It's got even faster since this video was taken as in March Globe also implemented the fast turn and running. It's utterly amazing to me to see this running on the A8.

 

@TGB1718  I have the same reaction with the 800 but more recently my newest A8 acquisition, the 1200XL.   I have also just bought an Atari 1040STE Motherboard, a PSU module and ST keyboard so I'll essentially have a working 1040STe to play with. I never owned one but my dad did alongside his A8s in the late 80s and early 80s. I also have bought a Gotek drive.  I know relatively nothing about the ST so looking forward to tinkering.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[pixelmischief]

I probably fire up an A8 config on emulator once per month.  I fire up a real A8 a few times per year.  I would do so allot more often, but my setup is in the man-cave and I never go down there because there is too much to do in the upstairs office.  My sweetheart doesn't like to be alone upstairs at night, so even my all-nighters don't include any time on A8.  I mostly enjoy the A8 here, on YouTube, and on eBay.

 

Recently, I did spend a few hours at my setup and had a blast doing the most mundane stuff.  I formatted a few floppies and wrote DOS back to them.  I fired up GT Data Manager and made some trivial data files.  I popped in the FujiNet, hit the archives, and played Karateka, Yoomp, and Donkey Kong.  I have a fairly complete collection of style-matched A8 setups: 800, XL, and XE.  Only the XL is set up because its my favorite.  I do wish I had more time.

 

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by pixelmischief

[TGB1718]

20 minutes ago, Beeblebrox said:

I know relatively nothing about the ST so looking forward to tinkering.

Try SteemSSE emulator, not as complete as Altirra, but a good emulator all the same.

 

and please stop talking about your 1200XL ? else I'll have to go for a lie down and have a little cry ?