DegasElite

We in Minnesota have about 38,000 confirmed cases so far, but maybe 1,500 deaths, I believe. I know that sounds morbid, but I see that also as hopeful because that means most people are recovering. So, I am not trying to purvey panic here, but optimism. My neighbor had the coronavirus, and he spent two weeks in hospital, but has somewhat recovered since then. He is doing much better. This, of which, I am glad of. Since I don't know him very well, I was never around him, so I distanced socially anyway. But, it is good here. We are all healthy and all the wiser at that. :O)

Hey, guys, I'm hanging in there. We are under a heat advisory here in the Twin Cities Metro Area in Minnesota today. It is 87º F, but feels like 91º F. The humidity is up a little. So, I am at my computer in the basement, where it's cool. Cool it is, as well. I'm not breaking a sweat anymore. I perspire right away when I go outside. We are OK here. COVID-19 was concerning me a lot before, but I have not been sick with anything all year. Strangely enough. Proper hygiene helps. I always wash my hands for twenty seconds in a rich lather of Kirk's Castile Soap. It is a little expensive for soap, but it's worth the cost at about $4.00 a three-pack. I have been taking very good care of myself all year. I only go out when I need to, and then with a mask. It helps a lot. But, I am having a decent time, otherwise. I have been playing my video games, and trying to get a decent score with the Squad Challenge for Alex Kidd in Miracle World. So for, being it is a difficult game, I only scored at best 1,800 points. It is a challenge. For sure. But, as I stated, all is good. We are fine here and no one has been sick, which is a good thing. Thanks for letting me share. :O)

I could not say it any more eloquently.

The NES version is OK, but seems a bit dazed and confused when compared to the A7800 version. Also, The NES version has flicker and is choppier than the A7800 version. I think that the A7800 version is the closest to the arcade experience when compared to other home system versions. The ST has great graphics and layout, but the music and SFX suffer a little.

Yeah. the A7800 version is graphically more pleasing and faster.

This is true. The A7800 outdoes the XE here. For sure! :O)

I have a way to make disposable razors last longer. I have a razor sharpener called Hone Alone. It can make a disposable razor last five to seven times longer than normal. It is made entirely in the United States and can be found here: madeinusaforver.com Todd Lipscomb is a businessman that owns the place. It is based in California. Great guy. You can get information about it there. Sorry if it seems like a solicitation, but the items he sells are so good. Thanks for letting me share. :O)

Agreed!

Yes. It sure can be. I lived in Indiana for two years, so I know. So close to Illinois.

Gyruss for the A2600 is one game that I do not have yet, unfortunately. I am sure that I can get it in the future, and I have it for the A5200. I would welcome Gyruss to my A2600 collection. It would be well taken care of. :O)

Lately, in Minnesota, it has been in the upper 80s to low or middle 90s. Summers are hot in Minnesota. I know. I have lived most of my life in Minnesota. But, you're right. It's bitter cold in the wintertime. Sometimes, it gets to almost -30º F. One winter, in Faribault, MN, it was -59º F. Once, in Moorhead, MN, it got to 114º F. Those temperature extremes were the highest and lowest ever recorded in the State of Minnesota.

There were two Atari XE versions: one from Atari and one exclusively from Broderbund. The Broderbund version is older and more rare.

Not at all. I don't see it as negative. It's all good.

I have Choplifter for the XE and A7800. I think it looks better on the A7800, but there could be more to it, and that I understand. I would like to collect the A5200 version as well. But, agreed, the A7800 version is well programmed. It could have been rushed. I don't know. But, it is worth collecting. I am surprised that Raid on Bungeling Bay was never ported, the sequel to Choplifter. I have never seen it on any Atari system.

As an Atari collector, I like the idea of variation between game systems. I have the A2600 and A7800 versions of Xenophobe, and I want to get the XE and Lynx versions as well. No one would want to get the game if it was exactly the same on all the systems. There are things that could be improved in the A2600 and A7800 versions. But, the XE version really shines, and the Lynx version has differences from the arcade, which I frown on sometimes. But, the Lynx version, with its enhancements, is the best in my opinion. Great games, and the differences in them make each version unique and worth collecting.

That must have been a fun trip. I have never been any farther south in the US than Indianapolis, IN, and that was for only a day. I had lived in Indiana for two years and we were picking up somebody from Indianapolis. I have, however, been to ValleyFair. It is an amusement in the town of Shakopee, MN. I have been there three times. It has roller coasters, arcades, and water rides. They are open until October, but I am not sure what this year's status is for the park. Not too far away from ValleyFair is Canterbury Park, a horse track and casino (we call them "racinos" up here). At least, I think it is also a casino. I think that they allowed slot machines there, too, according to Minnesota state law. It has been a few years since I studied that.

Cool! The McKenzie Brothers. XD

Yes, it was. The animation in the arcade version is very fluid and funny. Apparently, it was derived from the food fight scene from the movie "Animal House." At least, that is the story anyway.

Well, there are ARM-based computers that use Windows 10. I researched that on Microsoft's website. Interesting.

Trick Shot is a cool game. It's way ahead of its time. I think that it is the first billiards game for the A2600, isn't it?

Microsoft is gearing up for ARM as well. Or, so it seems. I had heard that they are trying to make Windows 10 ARM-compatible.

Yes. I remember Cyrix. They did not last long, did they? I remember some of their chips, but it has been a long time.

That makes sense. It would be ideal that way. Happy that it's coming true.

The macOS and iOS environments should have been one from the get-go. It certainly would have made things easier then. It is a start, anyway. I believe the project is called Marzipan, to integrate the two OSes. There was also a project called Kalamata, and I believe that this led to the switch to RISC for Apple.

By the way, Justin, I am also a BIG proponent of RISC. It is faster, more efficient and cheaper than CISC-based CPUs and GPUs. Also, the GPUs for the new Apple computers will be built into the CPUs, being the fact the it is a system-on-chip processor. The new Macs would probably have the rumored A14 chip as well. The chip is going to be ARM-based, so be prepared.