Atari Java 2600

[Trey]

i noticed many wanting to learn programming the 2600. tho i don't understand this amish behavior, i understand the desire to hack a game.

 

so, i was thinking ... create a java simulator of the 2600 in which you could easily add new "stuff" to a game. for example, write adventure in java and then add a hand grenade to blow that ****ing bat to hell. given today's tools, this is a relatively easy task.

 

the idea is not to create a java emulator (emu's exist tho maybe not in java) but a "things i wish the game had" simulation. you wouldn't want to go too far and lose the original "feel" of the game.

 

also, this isn't a money making idea. this would be in the spirit of gnu. and java is an example also (just came to mind for portability and cost).

 

opinions?/feedback?/advice?

[Viso]

So you mean a thing that runs a 2600 game and allows Java code to interact with the game? I suppose that could be done, but it wouldn't be easy at all. Also, the Java code that interacts with the game would likely have to be written with intimate knowledge of how the game works. This way, it could alter the right data in the 2600's memory at the proper time.

 

It might be better to re-write the game. Then the game could be made with things like extensible objects and interfaces that would allow the game to be altered without intimate knowledge of all its internal workings and could eventually be done like a scripting language.

 

As for amish behavior, remember all the modern things used daily (digital clocks, VCR's, microwaves, cars (electronic controlled fuel injection)) that work because of microcontrollers. Some with less processing power than the 2600.

 

To make a game with the 2600 seems to be an exercise in doing more with less. I'm always impressed by people who can succeed doing more with less. MS makes a huge database with their software and runs it on 120 some PCs in 6 months. IBM implements the same database in a week on 10 PCs. Pontiac (?) makes some car with a 2.5L V6 engine that produces a maximum of no more than 160HP. Honda makes a 2.0L I4 engine that can do 240HP. The first is ok, the second is impressive.

[Miles Tails Prower]

blow that ****ing bat to hell

 

 

[davidbrit2]

You know, there's a program named something like VCS Sim that simulates the audiovisual capabilities of the Atari, while making programming easier since such tight, low level control of the machine is not necessary. I've never written anything for it, so I don't know how easy it is, but you might want to take a look at it.

[Trey]

the 2 ideas i'm thinking about:

 

1) rewrite games in java (or whatever) and add user ability to add to the game (ie, adventure flame throwers, 2nd player controls dragon, hand grenages, etc).

 

2) create an atari age game room. model it after something like yahoo! games. i image this idea has been thought of but our great providers of atari age lack time/resources to provide. the idea here being a pure java emulation of a game where player 1 and 2 are aquired from online. that way, pc vs mac wars could be settled thru online combat rather than message board holy war.

 

just ideas.