dauber

I'm looking for feedback for the next two episodes of the Atari 7800 Homebrew Podcast (you can find it on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or use this feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/homebrew78 ) What are your thoughts on Space Duel? This game will be covered on Episode 14. Deadline is 11:59pm CDT on Wednesday, June 28. And while we're at it, how 'bout Rip Off? That'll be episode 15. Deadline for this one will be 11:59pm CDT on Wednesday, July 12. You can also e-mail text or audio to homebrew78 -at- fab4it -dot- com. Comments are welcome any time, including after the deadlines; any feedback from after the deadlines will simply be addressed during a later episode. Mind you, my summers can really make my schedule weird, so these deadlines might be a little loose.

Yes, it's that time again: episode 13 of The Atari 7800 Homebrew Podcast is available for your listening needs! Arcade vector graphics come to the Atari 7800 courtesy of the famous Bob DeCrescenzo! http://fab4it.com/homebrew78/media/hbh_episode_013.mp3 Show notes at homebrew78.fab4it.com

BTW, folks...I have to both recommend and NOT recommend visiting fuzzymemories.tv. I recommend it because it's a treasure trove of stuff like that (heavily Chicago-focused, mind you), and I DON'T recommend it because you'll easily kill your entire day just watching videos. BTW2...not so much a commercial, but something that WAS played during commercial breaks in the late '70s during kids' afternoon programming -- definitely here in Chicago (they were made in Chicago) but I think other markets had them -- a thing called "Snipets" [sic], basically very short educational films lasting maybe a minute or two. The one that they played incessantly was a film that showed you how to make a "Come Back Here!," which was a modified coffee can that you'd roll across the floor and eventually it would come to a stop and then suddenly roll back to you. Seriously, they played the living snot out of that one...and the head-scratcher is that people have located every Snipets film....EXCEPT THAT ONE!! I do remember one commercial that was aired during kids' afternoon programming in the late '70s...but I don't remember what it was advertising...but I do remember at the very end there was this hideous looking head with a smiley face, possibly made out of papier-mâché...I just couldn't look at it. I remember every time the commercial came on, I'd say to myself, "okay, this time I'll look....NO, I CAN'T!!!!"

Ehh, I plan to be the only owner of the box; coupla rips won't bother me.

In addition to the standard CX-40 and PainLine controllers, I have... This weird one, which I acquired recently in an eBay auction. The raised text around the stick says NEWPORT CONTROLLERS on the top and BISHOP, CA PATENT PENDING on the bottom. It's a plain-yet-weird looking controller, but it works amazingly well: Also from the same auction is this thing I've never seen: the BC Blaster from B.C. Systems in Melrose, Massachusetts. The stuff I got in the auction was packed very poorly and the fire button broke off, but this morning I glued it back on with Gorilla Glue (and obviously I didn't glue it perfectly evenly!) and it's holding on VERY well. (Those of you who listen to either of my podcasts -- this is what I was talking about.) It's a very light controller -- the bulky fake wood box is virtually empty. Played it on both 2600 Asteroids and 7800 Asteroids DeLuxe to great success! And this is my UberArcade joystick made specifically for the 7800, but of course it works in anything that takes a 9-pin joystick. It's a fantastic 8-way joystick, but it's very frustrating on 4-way games -- very sensitive: Aaaaaaand, of course, the one I seemingly never shut up about: the Edladdin All-Play 4/8 Supreme 78. Lift up the panel and there's a ring you turn to alternate between 8-way and 4-way:

Oh, I'm all about the actual carts, too, but man, that Harmony is a wonderful thing. Great for playing works-in-progress, unreleased games, and games that I just plain don't have but want to play for friendly competition. Also, if I want to bring some games to an Atari party -- which has happened, by the dubs -- I can just load 'em up on an SD card rather than have to toss my stuff in a box and toss said box in the car.

I've had a CIB for years that I've obviously not touched: opened a factory-sealed version for this occasion. And ended up with 137,250. Not too bad! Those baiters, though....ughh...

Episode 55 is out! Jim fights his laptop over good audio while Sean repeatedly gets the name of a Pretenders song wrong. It's all a barrel of fish until someone gets hurt, right here on Pie Factory Podcast. http://fab4it.com/piefactory/audio/PFP_Episode055.mp3

Welcome, IndyJones! My claim to fame is focusing the attention to me.

The 7800 needs this type of game! (And no, the 2600 Surround isn't sufficient enough for the 7800. )

I'm looking for feedback for the next episode of the Atari 7800 Homebrew Podcast (you can find it on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or use this feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/homebrew78 ) What are your thoughts on Asteroids Deluxe? This game will be covered on Episode 13. You can also e-mail text or audio to homebrew78 -at- fab4it -dot- com. Deadline is 11:59pm CDT on Wednesday, June 14. Any comments from after then will be addressed in a later episode.

Episode 12 is out. Sorry for the brief delay; my hosting provider "updated" my server to allow only smaller file uploads (which I have since fixed!) and screwed up some directory permissions, but all should be good now! This time around Sean examines one brilliant homebrew developer's answer to the charming, endearing cacophony that was the Atari 7800 Donkey Kong. (MMmmmmm.....piiiiiiieeeeee.....) http://homebrew78.fab4it.com/media/hbh_episode012.mp3

Gee Bee and Bomb Bee are the first games that Toru Iwatani designed for NAMCO. He wanted to do pinball machines but NAMCO said nope, we don't do pinball. So he did Gee Bee and its sequel Bomb Bee as a compromise: basically a hybrid of Video Pinball and Breakout. Toru, of course, went on to do a little thing you may have heard of called Pac-Man.

So basically similar to Gee Bee and Bomb Bee. (cf. episode 10 of The Atari 7800 Homebrew Podcast.) #ShamelessPlug But anyhoo...Lance, I like what i see. I would recommend, if porting it to the 7800, taking advantage of some of the more advanced graphics that the 7800 could do or else some die-hard 7800 users would be turned off by it. Might want to look at Crazy Brix for some inspiration.

It occurred to me while I was making the video...Donkey Kong on the original 7800 version no longer is green! Used to be! And I know I'm not the only one -- I saw another occurrence of a green Kong at MGC (possibly even under emulation via RetroPie)...thing is, since I last noticed my copy showing a green Kong, I upgraded from a loose cart to a CIB....probably varies from cartridge to cartridge....

Thanks, GRay! It was my first real attempt at a video with my Canopus recorder -- that thing records dim for some reason, so I had to manually brighten the stuff in iMovie... Unfortuantely, I relatively suck at the game so I couldn't demo the kill screen.

As a sneak preview for Saturday's episode, comparing Donkey Kong XM/PK to the Atari/GCC Donkey Kong:

I'm in New Buffalo right now (and will be heading back home soon). Faygo...was nowhere to be found. Although my wife said when I fuel up she'll go in and check for me.

What is the sound of one hand clapping? Why, it's the next installment of the witty, irreverent, and third adjectiveless Pie Factory Podcast. Sean and Jim go all Williams on y'all for the last episode during meteorological spring; see you in June! (Yes, we're watching you!) http://fab4it.com/piefactory/audio/PFP_Episode054.mp3

So true! I'm trying to become less obese and have been avoiding sugary carbonated drinks as much as possible, but when I was recently at Underground Retrocade, first thing I did when I walked in and paid my admission was to ask for a Dew. Later on I had a cream soda.

I'm pretty sure I've seen Faygo stuff in and around Chicago. My wife and I are going to New Buffalo this weekend-- I'm sure I'll find the stuff there.

I'm looking for the next episode of the Atari 7800 Homebrew Podcast (you can find it on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or use this feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/homebrew78 ) What are your thoughts on Donkey Kong PK? This game will be covered on Episode 12. You can also e-mail text or audio to homebrew78 -at- fab4it -dot- com. Deadline is noon CDT on Friday, June 2. Any comments from after then will be addressed in a later episode.

Time for episode 11! Sean has scrambled to get this podcast out on time, despite stern warnings to put first things first. (See what I did there?) http://fab4it.com/homebrew78/media/hbh_episode_011.mp3 Show notes are here.

This is my last attempt -- giving up! 8100 Now on to Food Fight for the AtariAge HSC....

Heh. Not for a long time yet.