-^CrossBow^-

put the player 2 difficulty switch to the opposite of where you have it when you start the game. Later on..you have to use the player 1 difficulty switch to "bait" the marshmallow man. I may have those backwards..but the difficulty switches are the knowledge you seek!!

I find the touch pads all the time too. They usually want like $6 or more for them...and they almost never have the overlay. I think so many of the touchpads exist..because most of the shops here...put the touchpads with the rest of the controllers. So imagine a guy comes into the shop and buys a 2600 setup with several games. One sure bet is that Star Raiders is included in that set 75% of the time. However, they don't put the touchpad in with the deal. Since it is kept with the other controllers. What you have is that the shop owners aren't aware of the fact that Star Raiders had to have that pad since most likely they don't play what they get in. They just test it out and see if it comes up on the power switch. That is what I think happens. Afterall even on Ebay you see complete 2600 sets with Star Raiders...and yet..no touch pad.

Interesting you mention the switches and their durability. My Sears Heavy sixer is somewhat of an odd ball. I asked my Bother in Law (man I got the heavy sixer from) about whether he had gotten it repaired in the past or not. He said no..that he had never had any problem with it. I asked him this because I noticed that the whole right side of the 2600 switches..being the player 2 skill switch, Game select, and Reset were all of a different manufacture than the left side. The switches looked the same but the actually manufacturer was different. Also the right hand switches had was looked like an extra hole on their sides for mounting. They looked something like this: __[0]__ <-- Tab with mount hole | ___ | (Missing on left side switches) | | | | | | | | | |O| | | |_| | |_______| Also...one of the switches on the right hand side...(Reset I think) was mounted upside down. Not that it mattered to the functionality. But on the left hand side...all the switches were mounted upright and were of a different type which didn't have the extra tab and the mole drilled in it. So then that was my concern. I can only think that since this was made in '77 at the Sunnyvale plant..that it was hand pieced together and that they simply ran outta switches of one manufactur to finish my Sears model with..and hence they grabbed a new batch of a different make. It is worth noting that in addition to these switches being from a different manufacturer..that they are also...noticably shinier than the left hand side switches are. Any idea?! What is up with this? The switches all work great by the way...and also..excuse the lame ASCI art...but you get the idea. [ 07-12-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

My wants are still the same... HERO Planet Patrol Secret Quest Cosmic Ark I would like Road Runner...but...I haven't anything of value to offer for that and it is semi rare. I would actually hold onto that one. However, I may have something of value at the end of the day to offer you for this.

NE...hehe..once again you put us back into perspective. If the prices were right...then this would be a good thread for this very thing. And even Oshea's doesn't have some of the more hard to find or rare games. Still...that same idea was swirling in my head. I personally wouldn't buy in bulk and resell for more here...but others might be tempted.

where did you get Tank Command? I have never seen it..anywhere... Please..proved that rom to AtariAge so that everyone may enjoy it.

No sadly Matt I won't be attending this years CGE...but I did talk the wife into doing it next year! She want's to go to Vegas anyway but we have something else already planned this year. Only reason I was asking...is because I really....really want a copy of that Elevator Action. If you have any idea at all as to what it will run (Perhaps DP has given some clues). Then I will find a way to get some money to you...to pick me up a copy. I wish I had more...so I could have you pick up tons of stuff. But then you have to be able to haul it all back hehe. Just let me know.

I guess we won't know until he responds to your latest message (I did see your latest..) Like I said...I don't know the guy I was just trying to read his emotion from the words. Speaking of the CGE2K1..are you going?

Tempest, I don't know since I don't know this guy. But here is what I feel is the deal. You are asking questions on items that he either doesn't really know or have access to anymore (Or care..really). And none of your questions really go along with what his message board was designed for ie that being the discussion of game design etc... My take is this and please...please do not take this the wrong way. I simply think this guy is starting to get annoyed with your questions. Too bad if this is the case as he would be...THE GUY to know about the possible protos that might exist and could have even told us what projects were being worked on where protos might exist. Again, I feel he is tired of the questions regarding his past at Atari. He seems to have left there on a very sour note with them and also doesn't seem all that interested in the retro gaming as a whole like most of the visitors to the AGE are. My 2 cents...(Doesn't mean much...I know)

Probably should have grabbed that Sega Master System. They are hugley popular as well. Just FYI SMS games tend to be harder to find new or CIB than even are old Atari stuff is. Might want to run back and grab that SMS. I would have.

Vinnie: Damn! And here I was trying to get you an extra Rampage cart to add to your 7800 collection..and then you up and bid on this FANTASTIC collection!!! I want all you dupes now pal...don't make me hold Granny for ransom! hehe... Seriously good luck on that bid. [ 07-11-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

Malix: The reason for the blinking light symptom of the front loader NES is because of the flawed design of the contacts that touch the pcb of the carts when you insert them. They weren't plated very well and hence will corrode very easily and quickly. Also it is usually the upper row of contacts which cause the blinking condition or the garbled graphics. The reason that the Atari systems and Sega systems do not suffer from this is because they contacts are straight across from each other in the other systems whereas in the NES (Not the SNES) the upper row of contacts actually sits further back than the bottom row does. There are places on-line which sell the contact 72 pin connector new for about the cost of what a unit will run you on Ebay. But the same connectors can be had for fairly cheaply on Ebay also. There is a way to refurbish and make them work almost like new again but the procedure is not for the faint or unsteady of heart.

Speaking of Elevator Action... Anybody have any idea what this game is gonna run price wise? If it isn't too bad I may have to hit Tempest or somebody else who is going to grab me a copy for my collection (Small as it is *sniff*). Just curious...

Well...at least we know that is does indeed exist. About damn time. What about Fractalus? Or Moon Patrol?! I can just imagine a near arcade perfect version of Moon Patrol. BTW Vinnin: Still working on that review...I am staging a server right now.

Just so I am not off topic. For me the following are my pleasant surprises. Krull Indy 500 (Ice mode rocks) StarWars:The Arcade Game Keystone Kapers Trick Shot Ghostbusters Solaris Pitfall2 Minature Golf (graphics suck..but I think it is loads of fun!) and My new Riddle of the Sphinx CIB I just got. That's all that comes to mind right now. [ 07-11-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

NE.. I thought we had already covered Crystal Castles. Again, It doesn't end on the 2600 version. It either just eventually repeats all over...or it randomizes after a point. Either way...it doesn't end.

Too bad Tempest... I know I was hoping you might find some kick butt proto 7800 game that we didn't even know existed. But you kind of expected this would be the case with them...they are old...don't have stickers over the glass...and probably weren't handled real well. Oh well...perhaps something can be found from them sometime. You could always send me those eproms and your karateka board..and I can dump them?!

What do you want for one of the 7800 decks?

Well..aside from not having the scans of my carts next to the lines of everything else...it is about as complete as they come. That compare feature kicks...as if you could get just about everyone to use this program, then comparing the lists would be so much easier. For being a 1 meg download...it excellent. I am impressed.

Depends on what is considered reasonable. You must have a ballpark figure your kinda wanting on this item?

You have to press the "R" key again to make it soft reset to the game. It does work and works well. Enjoy!

Ze_ro You bring up a good point. I think the main reason why the companies who control the rights do not really seem to mind is that they really can't make anymore off the games as it is other than in some other emulated format such as the various Activision paks etc. However, I do want it to be known that several Rom sites that had roms for the Atari, Coleco, and Sega stuff were requested to remove them at the order of the respective companies. One site just recently removed all their roms on the Atari systems 2600,5200, and 7800 at Infogrames request (3 weeks ago). So it really depends. The Jaguar is a classic and non supported system for the most part now...but then again...it is also much newer than the classic 8 bit consoles of the 80s. We shall just have to see and the ultimate decision will ride on the shoulders of Alex and Albert.

Ben, Only reason I was using the universal was because the cord to my original had frayed loose. I was only like 11 years old at the time and didn't have the nohow..or the gahoonas to try and repair the thing myself. So my Father went out and bought me a universal from RS that had all the same ratings and it worked great for another 3 years until I got rid of it in 88 once I got the 7800 I didn't really need it all anymore. My recent 6 switch Heavy that I now have...does have an original Atari adapter on it...and still functions fine. But I do have a question not off topic here. Is it bad to leave the adapters plugged in all the time? I unplug everything from the surge strips when the wife and I leave on vacation...but I usually just leave everything plugged in..and always ready to go? Just curious as my 7800 adapter would be much harder to replace OEM than the others..and I wouldn't want to damage it because I left it plugged in all the time. They do sure get warm though...ugh.

Zek Interesting...I always wondered what that contest was about. I guess I will find out more when I actually get my CIB Riddle of the Sphinx next week. Hehe... Speaking of this game...I have seen auctions for it on Ebay, Yahoo etc...were the manual was in BW and in Color? Anybody know the story behind that?

Hurt: Have you been to Dan Boris's homepage? He has schemes listed for the 2600. Though they are basically what he traced it out to be kinda like your doing. However, I don't know which model those schemes are for. But I would imagine that several of the circuits would be identical just layed out differently. Like the RF circuit and cart connector...etc.. Just an Idea. Check the links here at the Age for Mr. Boris's site.