combat 2 would be the most amazing online game ever.

[blastermaster]

I just got Combat 2 and Combat Redux in the mail today, and wow is combat 2 an awesome game...i think we all need to pool our intelligence and figure out some way to play it online!

 

 

 

 

...ok so i know its imposable...but just think about it!

[kirin jensen]

It's not impossible. But you'd need someone with waaay more hardware skills than I have.

[Dragnerok X]

It's not impossible. But you'd need someone with waaay more hardware skills than I have.

 

...AND someway to interface the atari's standard "joystick ports" (really just two db9 connectors) to some sort of lan. The closest thing that comes to mind is the gameline. What fun that would be.

 

Edited November 29, 2006 by Dragnerok X

[+FujiSkunk]

BOLO

[jpfalcon2003]

Combat II is a good game. I like it better than the original.

[jpfalcon2003]

Hopefully a Combat III will come too.

Edited November 29, 2006 by jpfalcon2003

[Zonie]

Well, maybe a Java version of Atari Combat. One could use keybd controls, a PC joystick, or for the ultimate retro experience, a Stelladaptor.

[Dragnerok X]

BOLO

 

Yay, archaic mac networking! I knew the connection would be made sometime. I recently just hooked up my old pre-g3 powermac to my equaly old powerbook 1400 and invited a few friends over. Two words:

 

total carnage!!!

 

[Uzumaki]

Forget Combat II, I want Combat 3D in the form of online game.

[Delicon]

I just got Combat 2 and Combat Redux in the mail today, and wow is combat 2 an awesome game...i think we all need to pool our intelligence and figure out some way to play it online!

 

 

 

 

...ok so i know its imposable...but just think about it!

Not impossible! I am working on a hardware solution. Its only a couple months away. Someone else will actually have to code the game though.

 

Vern

[scogey]

I have always loved the thought of 2600 online play. The problem is....and maybe you programers out there can confirm this...would be that games would have to be reconstructed with an interface that A..works with the web page for players to "sign in", and B..allows those players to gain control of each control port...and C..a transition out back to windows with maybe a high score/leaderboard thingy.

 

Nobel Prize to whoever figures out how to do this!

[mos6507]

The problem isn't translating the movement of the ports. The problem is where the "brain" of the game resides.

 

Even for a 1 on 1 game with no AI, the inherent latency of the connection will mean that the positions of the players won't necessarily match on both ends. A sprite collision on one end might be a near miss on the other. The scores won't match. It will be totally confusing.

 

Any multiplayer game has to establish some kind of client/server or peer-to-peer relationship and exchange game-state data, not just controller IO.

 

According to my rough calculations, using the hardware Delicon is putting into Chimera, the VCS should be able to transfer up to a theoretical maximum of 16 bytes per frame or 960 bytes per second (the size of the UART FIFO buffers). (note, if you run the game full duplex the total data being exchanged is doubled) These are transfers only occuring during VBLANK so having a minimal impact on graphics. That should be more than enough for a simple 1 on 1 tank game where there are only ever 4 moving objects at once.

Edited November 29, 2006 by mos6507