Mr SQL
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Posts posted by Mr SQL
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This demo plays Arkanoid creating a new soundtrack every level.
There are some Island sounds that are very relaxing and other interesting musical pieces created, listen to it for a while and see what you think!
You can play any time pushing up and return to demo mode by pushing down, the BW switch changes the musical tempo and increases the speed.
This Atari demo also runs in the Commodore 64 embedded emulator, the SID sounds are very relaxing too but the songs sound completely different when the TIA chiptunes are played through the SID.
I couldn't upload the prg file for the C64 but will share it if support for .prg files are added 🙂
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25 minutes ago, slobu said:
Sorry to go partially off topic. Is this part of your C64 to 2600 project? I saw your post in other forums saying it got leaked / stolen. Hope you find a second wind with that project.
Thanks. Yes someone broke the TIA to SID emulation and deliberately released a non-working version to make the C64 to 2600 project look bad.
That was disappointing but motivated me to focus on improving TIA to SID emulation even more.
I've been sidetracked with sound frequencies and envelopes but will be get back to working on compatibility for bB 2K and 4K games.
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On 3/13/2024 at 6:01 PM, Amigaman said:
Any update on this project 2 years later? I want this so bad!!!
Thanks! Yes I am working on the next version with more color support and improved sound.
Here is a SuperCharger game running on a real Atari and in the emu on the C64:
This game takes advantage of the SuperChargers ability to dynamically change code to rewrite the soundtrack every level.
In the C64 emu the SID sounds even better than the TIA and the graphics are enhanced:
- slobu and MistaMaddog
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19 hours ago, Scott Stilphen said:
You're right, Gas Hog doesn't belong in that sub-list. I forgot you couldn't shoot up (and I even have the WR for the game :/)
Scott I've been reading an incredibly good Atari book I found on your site, the ABC to the Atari VCS:
book_abc_to_the_vcs.pdf (ataricompendium.com)
The author has logically divided the book into genre categories and makes a good argument for listing by genre over going alphabetically. This book was written in the 80's and is fantastic. I found more Space Invaders there to add to the list, he also describes reverse Space Invaders in some instances. This is a great read! 🙂
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On 3/21/2023 at 5:37 AM, Scott Stilphen said:
The manual for Gas Hog is on my site: https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/manuals/vcs/vcs_manuals.html
You can only shoot left or right, not up.
Thanks I read the Gas Hog manual, interesting the screenshot within is sepia monotone making it look like a ZX-80 game instead of the colorful Atari 2600. Awesome Atari resource site btw, I have bookmarked it!
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On 3/18/2023 at 10:41 AM, Scott Stilphen said:
That's Spacechase.
There's dozens of derivative Space Invaders ports for just the VCS alone (Deadly Duck, Beamrider, Juno First are a few others). SwordQuest FireWorld (the Fire-Breathing Dragons mini-game) and the 2nd screen in Gremlins are 2 more. Same in the arcade - countless knockoffs and variations of that same theme. Any game that restricts the player to movement in only one axis while shooting at enemies/targets covers a lot of games, such as Carnival, Shooting Gallery, Space Jockey, Wabbit, etc. Galaxian (and it's sequel Galaga) was a variation of Space Invaders and basically could be considered a separate category, where the 'invaders' would split off from the main formation and drop down to attack you, which of course spawned its own knockoffs (Condor Attack, Demon Attack, etc). Centipede and Millipede are essentially Space Invaders and Galaxian, that allow for a little movement beyond simply one axis (Spacechase and Time Warp are 2 more). Moon Patrol is another sub-genre that offers shooting in 2 different directions, and includes games like Gas Hog, James Bond 007, Mission Survive, Space Cavern, etc. Games like Scramble (and its sequel, Super Cobra) are an 'evolution' of that same premise and allowed the player to move anywhere on the screen while shooting AND bombing enemies, so with those you get variations like Fantastic Voyage, Name This Game, Xevious, etc. Vanguard came out later in the same year as Scramble allowed for shooting in 4 directions, and Space Tunnel (re-released as Cosmic Corridor) is a very basic version of that.
As you can see, there's a LOT of games that sprung from Space Invaders 🙂 So, if you're looking to make a list of all the Space Invaders-type games, you need to specify to which degree as to which games are included.
Thank you Scott! 🙂 I tried a few rounds last night Spacechase is excellent!
I never thought of Millipede or Centipede as an SI port but you are right, they really take the genre to the next level like Arkanoid with Breakout.
I think to qualify for an SI port the player must be able to shoot incoming Invaders.
I tried Space Cavern too, another interesting SI port. Also tried Mission Survive but only have the PAL version, it looks very cool I will try to find it for NTSC.
Agree on 007 but not Gas Hog because you cannot shoot the invaders (or I don't know how, it does look like you have a Turret on top of the Car).
I think sideways Space Invaders like SpaceWar also qualify for being similar to Astroblast.
In Fantastic Voyage, Zevious, Super Cobra and Vanguard you are the Invader so I don't think these qualify or could be reverse SI ports.
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Alright the updated list is now:
SpaceInvaders
Threshold
Communist Mutants from Space
Gyrus
Condor Attack
Galaxian
INV21
INV60904
Megamania
Pigs in Space
SIA V0.1
Spider Fighter
SuperCharger SpaceInvaders for Girls
Laser Blast
Moon Patrol
Gorf
Pepsi Invaders
Pleiades proto
Guardian
Encounter at L5
Demon Attack
Pheonix
Space InstigatorsAnd this classic port I can't remember the name of but found a screenshot here:
- socrates63 and RickR
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Found a few more Space Invaders! Pleiades proto which has a space invaders first stage.
Pheonix and another paddle game Guardian, and Encounter at L5.
Also found a very close space invaders port with a scrolling large planet in the background with continents visible. I can't remember the name and can't seem to find it again the sea of ROM's I found it in.
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I love board games this looks awesome! It reminds me of Dark Tower, great review 🙂
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1 hour ago, RickR said:
Don't forget about "Gorf", which has a Space Invaders level first thing.
1 hour ago, RickR said:And the hacks, like "Pepsi Invaders".
Two more awesome ports! I'm adding both to the genre folder.
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There are so many fantastic Space invaders ports for the Atari 2600.
Here is a list of SI ports in the Space Invaders folder on my Flashcart:
SpaceInvaders
Threshold
Communist Muants from Space
Gyrus
Condor Attack
Galaxian
INV21
INV60904
Megamania
Pigs in Space
SIA V0.1
Spider Fighter
SuperCharger SpaceInvaders for Girls
Laser Blast
Moon PatrolI like playing them back to back to enjoy the nuances between them.
What are your favorite ports in your Space Invaders folder and cart collection?
- socrates63, RickR and DegasElite
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X2 on a new Atari Flashback that uses the single chip and neatly done video mod!
I opened mine up to check, ordinary Jr. I like that the Jr has the RCA jack exposed, I use a shielded coax with an RCA adapter to clean up RF.
My Vader is on another Television setup and I think I broke my six switch removing the hex buffer with solder braid but it may be repairable, damaged it with static from my hands switching controllers. It still looks iconic just sitting there.
- Justin, MaximumRD and DegasElite
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1 hour ago, DegasElite said:
Star Raiders was great on the A2600, but the 8-bit and A5200 versions were outstanding. I liked the explosions in the later versions. They did look more realistic. Well, as realistic as you could get at the time. There was also Star Raiders for the ST and I think there was going to be a Lynx version. There was also going to be a Star Raiders 2000 for the Jaguar. It never materialized, unless there is a prototype I haven't heard about. But, it was a fun game for sure.
Checkout BattleSphere on the Jag it looks like StarRaiders 2000. It was programmed by the original developers and might have been inspired by the proto.
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On 10/9/2022 at 11:38 AM, HDN said:
I love 2600 Star Raiders. It’s nothing special or advanced, but it’s still a good time in the right mindset. Starmaster is probably a better game, but I like how Raiders makes use of the video touch pad.
Unrelated, but I also really enjoy Star Ship. Nobody really talks about it, and when they do it’s mostly negative, but I think it’s actually a really good time.
X2 StarShip plays like an abstract StarRaiders port that captures the gameplay elements and simplifies strategy.
On the Atari 400 and 800 StarRaiders was incredible as a 3D Star Fighter like nothing seen before.
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19 hours ago, slobu said:
Sounds like the Chameleon 64. You can use that as a upgrade to a real C64 or a C64 clone by itself.
How are you dealing with the shortages going on?
The Chameleon 64 sounds really cool, I like that it has FPGA cores for the Atari 2600 and the C64.
I am not affected by chip shortages, Gameloader is running Atari 2600 program on an unmodified C64.
This is a software only solution using a soft ANTIC blitter accelerated by the VIC-II.
I have just uploaded a surprising benchmark where it it is outperforming a real Atari 2600.
- slobu and DegasElite
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The Commodore Atari 2600 Cartridge Adapter was Vaporware in 1980 but the R&D looked real:
Was a prototype produced?
This MADPlanet article from 2011 sheds more light on the mysterious Atari Cardapter suggesting if a prototype was produced it would have had to have been similar to the units produced for the Colecovision, Intellivision and Atari 5200 which were basically an entire Atari 2600 inside an expansion unit.
That's not really an Atari 2600 adaptor and the marketing was misleading. "playing Atari games on the other system with the adapter" really meant adding an Atari console to it; these adapters can be modified to run as a stand alone Atari 2600 clone console.
These Adapters were defended as the only possible way to play Atari on other systems at the time since 1 Mhz target platforms supposedly cannot in any way emulate or run each others programs natively.
Maybe the Game Loader was an Atari adapter that was truly different as described?
This description details Commodore sound and graphics being used to play Atari 2600 games of all different types.
It would be awesome to play Atari 2600 games with a VIC-20 soundscape and graphical skin!
Fake product to fool investors?
Maybe a fake prototype Cardaptor was presented at CES to lure unsuspecting investors like a mock up made from blinking Christmas tree lights cardboard and paper mache.No real Adaptors only Knock Offs
It would have been easy to fool Investors at CES because there were no real Atari adapters on the scene just Knock Off Atari 2600 consoles that you plugged into your existing system which marketing called an adaptor, with marketing magic.I'm working on the real version of the product and Loader described to natively run Atari programs with CBM graphics and SID sound rendition! 🙂
Here's the thread on AtariAge, in the Commodore section. The Loader is running a real Atari program written in BASIC and Assembly with no changes to the BASIC and Assembly code on a stock C64.
CBS RAM and SuperCharger bank switching formats are supported transparently by the Loader and TIA graphics transposed to VIC-II in real time.
Haven't added the sound yet, the SID is a subtractive analog synth like a Moog. Atari TIA to SID sound will be transposed dynamically by the loader in real time on 1 Mhz systems as described by the R&D team for that phat Commodore sound while playing Atari for real, on your Commodore 64.
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Pacman has an awesome night mode.
Mr Do becomes less interesting using the same board color.
Missile Command is more interesting toggling night vision on and off between stages like you've got filter settings on the view.
Defender feels like a different game in black and white.
Video Chess looks sharper and the AI still dreams in color.
Which games do you throw the Black and White switch for?
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On 11/12/2021 at 11:10 AM, Yurkie said:
Could you share the binary so it can be ran on the Harmony cart please. I love the videos but would love to run it on my console at home.
Sure! 🙂
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This is a cool thread! I used to have big stacks of BYTE, Personal Computing, Rainbow and Compute!
My favorite way to enjoy old computer magazines and books is just to read them from the bookshelf and magazine stacks, but over time they disintegrated or were badly damaged. My copy of EDTASM+ Assembly Language programming by William Barden Jr. was probably the most severely dog eared damaged book I kept reading and rereading until it fell apart.
Preserving the stacks and books is a great idea, maybe put a few out on the bookshelf at a time to be able to peruse them and read them just like in the 80's, that's important imo. Books and magazines still have the best UI.
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This cracked me up:
Was a prototype produced?
Was Coleco's Donkey Kong Port for Atari 2600 SABOTAGED? | Garry Kitchen Settles It!
in Atari 2600
Posted
imo Gary's port is awesome not a big deal it's missing two screens.
Likewise Jelly Monsters on the VIC-20 is an awesome Pacman port despite missing a ghost.
I also particularly Like Frye's Pacman, with the BW switch thrown preferably.