Is the TI 99 any good?

[JamesD]

There are a few people out there programming in BASIC and I even do once in a while. I think the main reason there aren't more people doing it is because of it's limitations on most machines. You can't access all the features of the machine, it's slow and most of the people that are still programming the 8 bits know other languages or want to learn assembly.

 

Ultimately, it's not whether or not other people program in BASIC, it's whether or not the original poster wants to.

[fred]

So did you buy the carts? a $1 or under per cart for just about ANY system is probably a safe bet and in this case a very good investment since there seems to be a lot of interest lately in the older computers. I've seen cart lots for the TI computer on ebay go for more than $2 a cart and up so even if you turned them around for sale you'd double your money

 

I just picked up a TI99/4A not too long ago for chump change.

 

I found these sites to be very helpful:

 

http://tigameshelf.net/

 

http://www.ti-994a.com/faq/

 

 

I did pick up the games. Thanks for the links. Here is the list of games that I picked up:

 

Alpiner

Munch Man

A Maze Ing

Othello

BurgerTime

Espial

Chisholm Trail

TI Invaders

Centipede

Hopper

Blasto

Parsec

Adventure

Jawbreaker II

Moon Mine

Hunt The Wumpus

The Attack

Car Wars

Football

 

Terminal Emulator II

[darthkur]

^^^^ That's a nice selection of games there, with a few relatively scarce ones thrown in.

[Christophero Sly]

Espial is a heck of a find. Still looking for that one myself.

[GreenDayRlz]

Does anybody actually program these old machines in BASIC any more? I mean, is it really a factor for anybody when deciding which machines to collect?

 

Not so much these days. There's a relatively healthy dev scene for the VIC-20 over at Denial, but I think the majority of homebrewers have moved on to currently supported game systems and personal computers.

 

If you do own a TI 99/4A, and you are going to design games in BASIC, the Extended BASIC cartridge is a must. The system's built-in BASIC is gimped beyond belief... you don't even have access to those staples of game design, PEEK and POKE! The Extended BASIC broadens your horizons immensely, giving you access to sprites and other advanced functions.

 

 

 

Considering A COCO w/ extended disk basic lets you save on disk, and has TONS of instructions, the Tandy basic is GREAT.

 

And assembly is unbelieveable, with over 65000+ combinations of instructions, It`s unbeatable w/ the 6502 and Z80.

 

And It is only .895 MHZ, but can be doubled w/ a poke. But assembaly doesn`t need to be 3 MHZ, 1.8 Is fine for me atleast.

 

And if you have papers on a COCO, you can do ANYTHING.

[+remowilliams]

Expanding it is expensive thanks to that huge and rare expansion box.

True, unless you use something like this.

 

The TI99/4A is a cool system that never really got the love it deserved. It can be fun to program with the powerful Extended Basic, but the built in Basic as mentioned - sucks.

 

That Espial is a nice catch, I've got around 70-80 TI carts and I don't have that one.

[Mark Wolfe]

True, unless you use something like this.

 

 

Oh my, that is cool. where can I buy one of those? Who made them, is there a site for the project?

[+remowilliams]

Oh my, that is cool. where can I buy one of those? Who made them, is there a site for the project?

There is a seller on ebay (schmutzig1952) who was making the CF7 devices periodically in batches. I don't know if he still is, and he doesn't seem to have had any ebay sales in some time. There's a pdf over on the whtech site. It appears to be a manual for a slightly different version. I thought I had a project site somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can find the link now. You might want to post to the yahoo TI99 group list, it's pretty active.

[Mark Wolfe]

thanks for the info remo

[Fire Button]

Ah, the TI99/4A. Certainly brings back good memories.

 

One of my uncles had one, and most visits to his house ended up me hoping I could have a go on his TI99/4A. I absolutely loved Parsec, and TI Space Invaders was a pretty good edition of the classic as well. Upon seeing BASIC, especially its extended version, the TI99/4A urged me into writing my first lines of BASIC on paper - and wanting famliy visits far more than my parents did, just to try them out.

 

I eventually bought my Atari 600XL because the TI99/4A got me hooked to home computing (yet wasn't available, but I just needed to get my hands on any computer I could possibly afford).

[Dan Iacovelli]

I programed in Ti-basic and Extended basic (I prefer extended basic because it gives you more features,like speech and sprites, my first game was done in X-basic on the ti(laserman came later on ,but I did a superman game and a baseball game along with other apps)

[GreenDayRlz]

Still not better then deh COCO!

 

http://members.cox.net/javacoco/

 

I have one game that blows ANY game here out of the water. But I didn`t make it XD

 

I MAY work on his game that he never finished. I want to make a clone of it!

 

I`m 14, but have many ambitions.....

 

And the scrolling up and down is EASY, but left and right with bit shifting for me at the moment is a NONO, so This would be a great project for me, and then come back to my other game.

 

Both in assembly! My first 2!

[schuwalker]

Sorry dude but there is NO game better than parsec on the coco, period. Sorry

[Toucan]

Still not better then deh COCO!

 

http://members.cox.net/javacoco/

 

I have one game that blows ANY game here out of the water. But I didn`t make it XD

 

I MAY work on his game that he never finished. I want to make a clone of it!

 

I`m 14, but have many ambitions.....

 

And the scrolling up and down is EASY, but left and right with bit shifting for me at the moment is a NONO, so This would be a great project for me, and then come back to my other game.

 

Both in assembly! My first 2!

 

I challenge you to a Classic Computer Duel (havent' seen one of those in the while, so I'm sure all the Atariage guys will love this) . I KNOW that the TI-99 can blow anything the COCO has out of the water, bring it on!

 

For starters see if you can find an arcade adaptation on the COCO better than TI-99 Popeye or Q*Bert

 

Let the Classic Computer Duel begin!

[JamesD]

Still not better then deh COCO!

 

http://members.cox.net/javacoco/

 

I have one game that blows ANY game here out of the water. But I didn`t make it XD

 

I MAY work on his game that he never finished. I want to make a clone of it!

 

I`m 14, but have many ambitions.....

 

And the scrolling up and down is EASY, but left and right with bit shifting for me at the moment is a NONO, so This would be a great project for me, and then come back to my other game.

 

Both in assembly! My first 2!

 

I challenge you to a Classic Computer Duel (havent' seen one of those in the while, so I'm sure all the Atariage guys will love this) . I KNOW that the TI-99 can blow anything the COCO has out of the water, bring it on!

 

For starters see if you can find an arcade adaptation on the COCO better than TI-99 Popeye or Q*Bert

 

Let the Classic Computer Duel begin!

http://www.axess.com/twilight/sock/dk/index.html

 

http://members.optusnet.com.au/nickma/Proj...ive/pacman.html

 

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/ganteletii.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/rampage.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/radwarrior.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/pyramix.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/returnjuniorsrevenge.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/z89.html <- Z89 is from the author of the original CoCo Zaxxon redone for the CoCo3

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/sinistaar.html

 

And there were computer games never available for the TI-99.

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/leisuresuitlarry.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/koronisrift.html

[Mark Wolfe]

wow! I had no idea... the coco you say? oh man the last thing I need is another classic computer to start collecting... shew

 

ok, I'll bite, what do I need to get started, what should I look for as a start up for a coco newbie? can progies be loaded via tape? is there a tap database out there if so? are there any new sd/flash memory loaders/HDs for it?

 

update: looks like the TRS-80 is the way to go but how do I tell them apart? ie: coco 2 coco 3, etc? help a newb out

 

http://www.axess.com/twilight/sock/dk/index.html

 

http://members.optusnet.com.au/nickma/Proj...ive/pacman.html

 

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/ganteletii.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/rampage.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/radwarrior.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/pyramix.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/returnjuniorsrevenge.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/z89.html <- Z89 is from the author of the original CoCo Zaxxon redone for the CoCo3

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/sinistaar.html

 

And there were computer games never available for the TI-99.

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/leisuresuitlarry.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/koronisrift.html

Edited September 5, 2008 by Mark_Wolfe

[JamesD]

One of the only coco demos I know of:

[JamesD]

wow! I had no idea... the coco you say? oh man the last thing I need is another classic computer to start collecting... shew

 

ok, I'll bite, what do I need to get started, what should I look for as a start up for a coco newbie? can progies be loaded via tape? is there a tap database out there if so? are there any new sd/flash memory loaders/HDs for it?

 

update: looks like the TRS-80 is the way to go but how do I tell them apart? ie: coco 2 coco 3, etc? help a newb out

 

The best source of info is CoCo3.com but don't expect a lot of traffic. The SUPER COCO ARCHIVE DVD has a lot of stuff.

http://coco3.com/

 

There is a mailing list but I try to avoid the mailing list.

 

Get a CoCo3. Ebay or cloud9 are sources.

http://www.cloud9tech.com/

Drivewire or SuperIDE are good choices for mass storage.

 

Some downloads:

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/coco_game_list.html

ftp://os9archive.rtsi.com/

 

<edit>

BTW, the CoCo does have a tape interface. It's one of the fastest and most reliable ones that ever came out. Tandy learned the hard way with the Model 1 and changed the scheme to a zero crossing detection which doesn't care if the amplitude of the sine wave is a little off and Tandy patented it so it was unique to them. It's also 1500 baud so it's pretty fast as far as tape goes.

Edited September 5, 2008 by JamesD

[Mark Wolfe]

wow! I had no idea... the coco you say? oh man the last thing I need is another classic computer to start collecting... shew

 

ok, I'll bite, what do I need to get started, what should I look for as a start up for a coco newbie? can progies be loaded via tape? is there a tap database out there if so? are there any new sd/flash memory loaders/HDs for it?

 

update: looks like the TRS-80 is the way to go but how do I tell them apart? ie: coco 2 coco 3, etc? help a newb out

 

The best source of info is CoCo3.com but don't expect a lot of traffic. The SUPER COCO ARCHIVE DVD has a lot of stuff.

http://coco3.com/

 

There is a mailing list but I try to avoid the mailing list.

 

Get a CoCo3. Ebay or cloud9 are sources.

http://www.cloud9tech.com/

Drivewire or SuperIDE are good choices for mass storage.

 

Some downloads:

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/coco_game_list.html

ftp://os9archive.rtsi.com/

 

<edit>

BTW, the CoCo does have a tape interface. It's one of the fastest and most reliable ones that ever came out. Tandy learned the hard way with the Model 1 and changed the scheme to a zero crossing detection which doesn't care if the amplitude of the sine wave is a little off and Tandy patented it so it was unique to them. It's also 1500 baud so it's pretty fast as far as tape goes.

 

exactly the info I needed, many thanks.

 

here I go again... lol

[Toucan]

Well, I do know the COCO3 is more advanced than the TI-99/4A, mainly since it came out in 1986. However, the original COCO or even COCO2 which were around during the TI's lifetime is more of what I had in mind when I was pitting the TI up against the system. But, I do have to give you props for sticking up to your system even though the COCO3 wasn't what I was thinking about!

[+Zeptari]

The TI-99 is cool. It's kinda like a ColecoVision with less RAM or something. The games are close to CV but a little more basic. Hardware wise, it's VERY solid and has a very clear picture quality, even through the RF cable setup. There are SNK and Data East arcade titles on the TI that aren't on any other console or computer.

 

 

Just don't plug a colecovision power cable into a TI99 like I did!

 

It kills it DEAD!!!!

 

My brother was a little upset about this one. I was to lazy to drive over his place

and get the TI99's power cable.... so i said " hey! this cable looks like it'll fit!"

big mistake...

 

-rick

[JamesD]

CoCo 1 & 2. Most are unauthorized clones. Gameplay may have some different twists over the original.

The standard colors aren't very attractive but the artifacted colors can be pretty good.

And gameplay was pretty good.

 

Q*Bert

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/cuber.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/cubix.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/blochead.html

 

Qix

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/qiks.html

 

Russian Attack

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/rushnassault.html

 

Omega Race

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/spacerace.html

 

Time Pilot

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/timepatrol.html

 

Tutankham

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/tutstomb.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/tutankam.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/touchstone.html

 

Popeye

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/sailorman.html

 

Space Invaders

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/spaceraiders.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/colorspaceinvaders.html

 

Zaxxon

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/zaxxon.html

 

Venture

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/venturer.html

 

Joust

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/lancer.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/buzzardbait.html

 

Moon Patrol

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/lunarroverpatrol.html

 

Galaxians

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/glaxxons.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/galaxattax.html

 

Galaga

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/galagon.html

 

Pacman

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/ghostgobbler.html

 

Frogger

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/frogger.html

 

Time Pilot

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/fury.html

 

Arkanoid

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/arkanoid.html

 

Berserk

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/berserk.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/monstermaze.html

 

Centipede

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/caterpillar_edson.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/colorpede.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/kingpede.html

 

Defender

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/avenger.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/planetinvasion.html

 

Donkey Kong

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/donkeyking.html

 

Food Fight

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/foodwar.html

 

Marble Madness

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/marblemaze.html

 

Mr. Do

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/mrdig.html

 

Pooyan

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/pooyan.html

 

 

Paperboy

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/paperroute.html

 

Tapper

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/brewmaster.html

 

Track and Field

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/athletyx.html

 

Demon Attack

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/demonattack.html

 

Dragon Fire

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/dragonfire.html

 

Gauntlet

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/gantelet.html

 

Asteroids

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/meteoroids.html

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/microbes.html

 

Battlezone

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/rommel3d.html

 

Robotron:2084

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/robotack.html

 

etc...

 

One of my favorites was Time Bandit which wasn't in the arcades but was ported to the Atari ST and Amiga.

http://nitros9.lcurtisboyle.com/timebandit.html

[Jess Ragan]

It's a great way to kill your ColecoVision trackball too.

[landsmarra]

BASIC was my first exposure to computer languages. Learned it in High School from 1979-83. We had 8K Commodore PETs with green screens back then. Used to stay after class and learns tricks. Learned about PEEKs and POKEs before anyone else

 

I couldn't believe I still knew how to program something in BASIC when I downloaded a PET emulator. I was thrilled when I made a simple number-guessing game! Almost couldn't remember how to generate a random number, lol.

[Mark Wolfe]

CoCo 1 & 2. Most are unauthorized clones. Gameplay may have some different twists over the original.

The standard colors aren't very attractive but the artifacted colors can be pretty good.

And gameplay was pretty good.

 

 

The screens look very similar to the MSX. Were there any more game emulators made for the CoCo3 aside from Donkey Kong? Seems to me there could/should have been numerous arcade emu adaptations if it is strong enough to handle DK.