What should the next 2600 RPG be like?

[RevEng]

My 2 cents... if a new homebrew resorts to using the second joystick, it should also optionally support the C button on sega genesis pads. C could be used to toggle the menu mode on and off.

[psquare75]

I love RPGs. In my mind (for what it's worth) I was picturing say, Indiana Jones style, using two controllers to play to manipulate inventory, with a bar on the bottom for INV. Turn based. like nethack/Rogue.

I think two controllers is almost a must for complex RPGs, but in my opinion two joysticks are too hard to deal with. I was planning on making a large RPG (that may never get made), and I was thinking of a joystick for the left controller, plus a keypad for the right controller, and possibly with one or more of the console switches being used to flip a controller's function.

 

Michael

 

I forgot about the keypad/keyboard controller.

 

I approve, FWIW.

[TheLunarFox]

While a turn based RPG would be interesting to see on the 2600, I think a rogue-like game would actually be more possible. I also agree with Random Terrain and others that controlled randomness would be great, and that seems to come along with the rogue like games. Something like Dragon Crystal would be awesome rather than fake text.

[OldAtarian]

I love RPGs. In my mind (for what it's worth) I was picturing say, Indiana Jones style, using two controllers to play to manipulate inventory, with a bar on the bottom for INV. Turn based. like nethack/Rogue.

I think two controllers is almost a must for complex RPGs, but in my opinion two joysticks are too hard to deal with. I was planning on making a large RPG (that may never get made), and I was thinking of a joystick for the left controller, plus a keypad for the right controller, and possibly with one or more of the console switches being used to flip a controller's function.

 

Michael

 

I forgot about the keypad/keyboard controller.

 

I approve, FWIW.

 

What about the big, blue kid's controller? Or the Star Raiders controller?

Edited October 10, 2010 by OldAtarian

[SeaGtGruff]

What about the big, blue kid's controller? Or the Star Raiders controller?

As I understand it, those are functionally identical to the original keypad controller-- all three controllers are just different versions of the keypad controller.

 

Michael

[psquare75]

On a related note. How the hell was Tarmin never made for the 2600??

[+Gemintronic]

Tarmin was. It just never got released. Many Atari 2600 ROM packs floating around the Internet even claim to have it (though they DON'T).

 

I postulated that Batari BASIC could do it with the multi-sprite kernel but the Rom Hunter said to hold off due to copyright griefers.

[Fr0st]

Dragon Crystal on the 2600 would be epic. I've played that game to death on the GG and SMS!

[OldAtarian]

My 2 cents... if a new homebrew resorts to using the second joystick, it should also optionally support the C button on sega genesis pads. C could be used to toggle the menu mode on and off.

 

How many controller buttons does the 2600 support?

[RevEng]

How many controller buttons does the 2600 support?

2 genesis buttons without modification to the pad.

 

I believe all buttons could be supported with a swap of 2 wires and the addition of a pull-up resistor, but I haven't had time to test that out.

[SeaGtGruff]

Where does one buy Sega Genesis controllers? Based on their web sites, it looks like Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, etc., don't carry them (which I guess is no surprise). I guess the only place to buy them is online?

 

Michael

 

 

 

[+Random Terrain]

I got a super-cheap, new in the box Genesis years ago. That's where I got my controller.

 

[if I would ever make an RPG-style game, I'd probably go with one controller with one button to make sure everyone could play it. I'd probably have the player hold down the fire button for a certain amount of time to access the inventory screen. Or if there is more than one screen to access, I'd have the player hold down the fire button and hold the controller in one of 4 directions.]

[+Gemintronic]

I got a super-cheap, new in the box Genesis years ago. That's where I got my controller.

 

[if I would ever make an RPG-style game, I'd probably go with one controller with one button to make sure everyone could play it. I'd probably have the player hold down the fire button for a certain amount of time to access the inventory screen. Or if there is more than one screen to access, I'd have the player hold down the fire button and hold the controller in one of 4 directions.]

 

This is my thinking on controls. I see Nethack/Roguelike is still in the lead. Dragon Crystal (a Roguelike) being mentioned several times. Press-and-hold for menu sounds good to me.

 

With my current Adventure/Roguelike I'm trying not to implement a menu at all. My current plan is a Y's-like collide-into-the-monster to attack format.

[RevEng]

I guess the only place to buy them is online?

Yeah, online is the only option I'm aware of, other than used controllers thrift stores or pawn shops.

 

If I would ever make an RPG-style game, I'd probably go with one controller with one button to make sure everyone could play it.

My own thinking is that reading the second button is trivial, so its worth putting it in as an option. I.e. the menu pops up if the player holds the regular fire button button for X seconds OR if the player presses the second button.

 

In the case of action games that *need* another button, action Y happens if the second joystick fire button is pressed OR if the second genesis button is pressed.

 

Judging from the number of downloads in my 2 button hacks thread, the number of people who have genesis pads *and* have a way to play hacks or homebrew on real hardware isn't insignificant. Why not support them optionally?

 

[steps down from soapbox]

[OldAtarian]

I got a super-cheap, new in the box Genesis years ago. That's where I got my controller.

 

[if I would ever make an RPG-style game, I'd probably go with one controller with one button to make sure everyone could play it. I'd probably have the player hold down the fire button for a certain amount of time to access the inventory screen. Or if there is more than one screen to access, I'd have the player hold down the fire button and hold the controller in one of 4 directions.]

 

Mouse Trap does that with the fire button. You tap it to turn into a dog and hold it to open the doors. How do they do that, anyway?

[Nukey Shay]

By using a byte of ram to keep track of how long the button was held. If over 15 frames, another bit in ram was flipped (which was the "door state" flag). This bit decided which playfield to draw on alternating frames...with a 3rd playfield featuring no doors drawn on every other frame. That is why the doors flicker.

 

Anyway, if the button was released before 15 frames have counted, the routine branched off and set up the "dog" variables instead (decreasing the number of bones if present, and flipping another bit to signify that the mouse was now the aggressor).

Edited October 21, 2010 by Nukey Shay