Paddle questions

[MattK]

1. Why do early games call them "Standard Paddle Controllers"? I always thought the joystick was the "standard" controller.

 

2. Is there any way to tell which paddle to use for a one player game (other than fiddling with both to see which one works)?

 

3. Are there any games that have one player use both paddles?

[Pitfall Harry]

1. Why do early games call them "Standard Paddle Controllers"?  I always thought the joystick was the "standard" controller.

 

2. Is there any way to tell which paddle to use for a one player game (other than fiddling with both to see which one works)?

 

3. Are there any games that have one player use both paddles?

 

 

1. Because they made them, so they can call them whatever they want.

 

2. Fiddling with both of them is by far the simplest way to tell.

 

3. Bumper Bash uses both paddle controller for a one player game. They control the left and right flippers of their pinball sim, but only the fire buttons are used.

 

Ben

[+Mitch]

If I recall, looking at where the paddle wires come out of the plug. The paddle plugged into the left side of the jack is number one. Of course, if your wires are all tangled up, then you still have to fiddle with them.

 

Ben, for Bumper Bash don't the left and right paddle buttons correspond to the left and right joystick positions?

 

Mitch

http://atari7800.atari.org

[StanJr]

Mitch is right, check the jack. The cord on the left goes to player 1, the right goes to Player 2. I took a small piece of white tape and stuck it to the knob on the right paddle so I could tell the difference on sight.

 

Marble Craze will use both paddles for a one player game.

[davidbrit2]

Of course, on a 7800, this would be reversed, right? I.e. player one on the right, and two on the left.

[+Mitch]

Of course, on a 7800, this would be reversed, right? I.e. player one on the right, and two on the left.

 

Eh... no. The 7800 controller jack is the same as the 2600.

 

Mitch

http://atari7800.atari.org

[Albert]

I took a small piece of white tape and stuck it to the knob on the right paddle so I could tell the difference on sight.

 

Good idea! I have personallly used Pitfall Harry's approach in the past, which is to just fiddle both controllers to determine which is Player One. I figure I have about a 50% success rate.

 

..Al

[Big Player]

Another thing to keep the paddles straight is use white out to paint a small L or R on the respective paddle. This is also useful to mark the difficulty switches on the four switch 2600's. I got this idea out of Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games.

[davidbrit2]

The reason I think the paddles would be "reversed" on the 7800 is simply because the controller port faces the other direction. On the 2600, the plug comes out of the back, but the 7800 ports are on the front. It's simply a matter of the plug being turned around. Of course, one could open up the 7800 and swap the analog paddle inputs, but that might cause problems with the CBS Booster Grip.

[MattK]

3. Bumper Bash uses both paddle controller for a one player game. They control the left and right flippers of their pinball sim, but only the fire buttons are used.

 

Just for the heck of it, I tried the same thing with Midnight Magic, taking a cue from the picture on the cartridge label. The flippers work (using the fire buttons), but there's no way to pull the plunger back.

[Mister VCS]

MattK: I think the paddles are called standard because there is a special driving paddle for Indy 500 which looks nearly the same, but only could be used for this game.

[The Night Phantom]

1. Why do early games call them "Standard Paddle Controllers"? I always thought the joystick was the "standard" controller.

 

Remember that joysticks and paddles were included with the early VCSes. Therefore, the stock CX30 paddles were also “standard”.