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Justin

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Posts posted by Justin

  10. Was the Atari 2600 Video Touch Pad a mistake?

    in Atari 2600

    Posted

    6 hours ago, TrekMD said:

    I don't think the controller was the mistake.  Not using it for more games was!  As you point out, they made other controllers that, while looking different, were pretty much the same thing.  It would have made more sense to make overlays for the one controller appropriate for the games that came for those other controllers.  Of course, I do have one homebrew game that uses the controller, though.  A perfect example of how the controller could have been used...

    I completely agree! I love what Holey Moley did with the overlay!

     

    4 hours ago, nosweargamer said:

    I believe the driving paddles turn all the way around where the paddles stop at a point. And only Indy 500 could use the driving controller (and maybe some Homebrews/hacks)

    True! Another good example where simplification could've won the day. Atari could've had one Touch Pad / Keypad controller, and one Paddle. I get that driving Paddles turned all the way around but did that really necessitate having to buy another controller? How about a single controller for Paddle/Driving games, maybe with the ability to toggle between the two. Keeping things simple seems to be the way to go in my opinion.

     

    1 hour ago, RickR said:

    It would have been cool to see them use it even on games that didn't really need it.  For example, it could have been used to pause, reset, start, select so you could do that from your seat instead of going back to the console on all the games that came after it's release. 

    Absolutely! Maybe what I've been overlooking is that Atari did move forward with the "Touch Pad" philosophy with the Atari 5200 which came out just after Star Raiders on the 2600. Possibly from that point forward an attitude developed within Atari that "5200 games use keypads and overlays, the 2600 doesn't need that". Or, worse, after the release of Star Raiders the marketing department realized that the 2600 Touch Pad was encroaching on the 5200's territory of what made it so "advanced". Hmm.. 🤔

    If you look at the Star Raiders overlay it only uses a few of the buttons. Almost within the parameters of Start, Select, two buttons and a D-pad.

  12. MAME Help

    in Emulation

    Posted

    56 minutes ago, btbfilms76 said:

    Yes I did.  How ever what it seams like to me - being a novice on the Retro Pie, it's almost like its built on a few different layers, and I have to write some code on a text doc.  That being said it seams like Im doing something wrong, or the build I have is not setup for it.  

    I know next to zero about emulation. I've always played on real hardware. My gut feeling though is someone out there makes a simple-stupid Raspberry Pi setup or interface that's ready to go with spinners / paddles / whatever. 

  13. MAME Help

    in Emulation

    Posted

    That wasn't a good time for us in Detroit.

    BTB, when you made the decision to switch things up and move to Retro Pie did you see anything out there with spinner controllers already working? I see so many Raspberry Pi consoles out there but I'm not very familiar with them, I can't imagine you're the first person to use spinners on a Retro Pi. I wonder if the manufacturer of the spinners could give you any advice? 

  15. Was the Atari 2600 Video Touch Pad a mistake?

    in Atari 2600

    Posted

    I think the Video Touch Pad is one of the coolest things Atari released for the 2600. But it's also tremendously disappointing in that it never went anywhere. It should have been one, big, awesome Touch Pad controller used on multiple games.  So much potential to do so many cool things, just gone. Why? Even an opportunity to repurpose the Touch Pad for use on the 7800. Nope.

    The VCS Keyboard Controller, Video Touch Pad, and Kids Controller were all essentially the same thing. Multiple releases of the same product driven by marketing. That's fine, I guess. I think the Kids Controller idea with the Kids Games was a nice idea. The VCS Keyboard Controllers were included with VCS systems early on and made a lot of sense. The Video Touch Pad seemed like 1980s Atari-brand Star Trek touch screens. Wii U or Switch controller for 1982. But what a waste. It seemed like Atari was all over the road.

    I rather would've seen one sleek controller to unify things moving forward. And make it amazing. Consider it a redesign of the Keyboard Controller. Something like a cross between the two, large in size like the Kids Controller, but with sleek, low-slung "Atari Wedge" looks closer to the Video Touch Pad, with a high-tech feel. Then create big beautiful overlays like the Kids Controller. The Star Raiders overlay was underwhelming, honestly. Get DC Comics involved! Can you imagine? Big vibrant graphics! New adventures! And still plenty of room for Kids overlays as well as more serious "programming" overlays for Keyboard Controller games. And make this the uniform approach for all "pad" games moving forward. 

    The Video Touch Pad seems to have come out right at a time where Atari had made a decision to consciously move away from developing new games for the Paddle Controllers and Keyboard Controllers which had a real presence in the earlier years of the 2600, opting instead to focus almost exclusively on creating games for the Joystick. Seems like a Ray Kassar / Marketing decision.

    I remember discovering the Video Touch Pad when I first became really passionate about Atari and began retrocollecting. This was during a time when I was attempting to piece together bits of our video game past like an archeologist digging through magazines, old Atari catalogs, finding clearance games at Kay-Bee Toys and rummaging through boxes at flea markets. This was in an an age where Atari was all but forgotten but before we had the internet. I remembered what Star Raiders was, but I didn't remember the Video Touch Pad and it wasn't in any of the Atari Catalogs I had up to that point. I had no idea that it existed until I found a Touch Pad at the bottom of a nasty box of Atari stuff at a flea market. I pulled it out by its cord which, was all tangled in a nest of other cords, and instantly recognized it was Atari's answer to the touchpads on Intellivision and Coleco systems. 

    "I wonder what other games use this?" Turns out none. What a shame.

    large.2015919337_2018-12-0114.jpglarge.2015939343_2018-12-0116.jpg

     

  18. Squad Challenge - 2018 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge (Super Nintendo)

    in High Score Squad

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Atari Creep said:

    I have honestly NEVER played this seriously anyway. Always a quick "lets check this out" kind of thing. I may not be able to join in on this one, I only have the rom on my Wii but my Wave Bird split its mortal coil some time ago. Not sure the WiiMote will work with this seeing a great number of SNES games wont. Let me play around and see what I can do.

    Don't miss out on this one, I hope you can join in 😉

  19. Squad Challenge - 2018 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge (Super Nintendo)

    in High Score Squad

    Posted

    2 hours ago, kamakazi20012 said:

    This is torture!  A score challenge for a game I absolutely love and I can't participate.  Emulation doesn't do this game justice.  Its simply too hard to navigate the courses with a computer keyboard and my PC controller lacks shoulder buttons. So...

    Does anybody have an F-ZERO cartridge and SNES controller that they can lend kamikaze for this Squad Challenge?

  21. Squad Challenge - 2018 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge (Super Nintendo)

    in High Score Squad

    Posted

    Another strategy I rely pretty heavily on is the "CHECK Marker". It appears at the bottom of your screen and acts a bit like a rearview mirror. Along with audio cues it indicates the position of a rival coming up behind you. With a little skill you can maneuver as to block them and even have them slam into the back of your car in a  way that gives you a little boost! I remember getting this game for Christmas when it was new and on that first night wondering what the heck "CHECK" meant, and actually going to the manual and looking it up. It's a strategy that's paid off through the years. I suggest it to everyone who plays. and seeing if that strategy fits your play style.

  23. Squad Challenge - 2018 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge (Super Nintendo)

    in High Score Squad

    Posted

    58 minutes ago, RickR said:

    2'29"74

    I'm playing on a Retron 3.  This is a fun game.  The controls are a little sluggish -- I was expecting Mario Kart.  But it makes sense being in a hover craft and all. 

    Glad to see you dove into the game! The different feel of the cars is all part of the game. Here's one aspect of the game F-ZERO shares with Mario Kart: Each of the four cars drives a little differently. Some are faster, others corner better. If you're just getting into F-ZERO for the first time I suggest trying out all four cars and drive them each around a few laps to see which one best suits your driving style.

  24. NSG Giveaways!

    in Events & Expos

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, nosweargamer said:

    It would be great if it was someone from here...especially if they showed what they got!

    I AGREE!! Please know you're invited to promote your events in here where you see fit! Have you thought about adding your giveaway events to the new calendar? 📅

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