fernando marrin Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 As wonderful as is the hardware inside the Atarimax ultimate SD cart, its sad it has not been taken advantage off so far. we have not seen larger disk based A8 games converted, nor games that stream levels from sd card or games that use the new Hybrid 512KB full Read/Write 8k/8k Bank-switching mode isn't it time for digital distribution on our beloved system expanded by this device? This is already a 5200 XM ! I mean, do we need it to be big,bulky, and look like a tumor over our system for developers to pay attention? we have Ram, already have pokey,and a modern distribution system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 (edited) Why not just play an Atari 800XL, almost the same system but the controllers don't suck, has 4x the RAM, has A/V (composite anyway) built-in and SIO port??? Edited December 1, 2012 by wood_jl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 Why not just play an Atari 800XL, almost the same system but the controllers don't suck, has 4x the RAM, has A/V (composite anyway) built-in and SIO port??? I regularly use my 1mb-upgraded XEGS to test Myide 2 , but it's nowhere the same feeling as playing with a deluxe game system as the 5200. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Stop being an arse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I'm not sure I understand the comparison. The 7800XM and the AtariMax 5200 Ultimate SD cartridge are totally different products. What the XM adds to the 7800 has nothing to do with cartridge bankswitching or any multicart-like functionality, and the Ultimate SD cartridge does not include upgraded sound, RAM, or any of the other things that the XM includes. I suspect that one of the factors which is preventing more 5200 homebrew from being created is that the 5200 was released in North America only, whereas many of the most prolific and talented Atari 800/XL/XE programmers are located elsewhere in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 I'm not sure I understand the comparison. The 7800XM and the AtariMax 5200 Ultimate SD cartridge are totally different products. What the XM adds to the 7800 has nothing to do with cartridge bankswitching or any multicart-like functionality, and the Ultimate SD cartridge does not include upgraded sound, RAM, or any of the other things that the XM includes. I suspect that one of the factors which is preventing more 5200 homebrew from being created is that the 5200 was released in North America only, whereas many of the most prolific and talented Atari 800/XL/XE programmers are located elsewhere in the world. Well Atarimax Ultimate SD cart IS an expansion, in the sense that it allows bigger games to be created, has 512k which can be bankswitched, and sd game level streaming capability luckily we don't need to expand sound Agree on the US only issue, but it's just partially truth, I think most Developers just find themselves more comfortable working directly for the A8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 The Bad press of the Non Centering Joystick is the curse of the system IMHO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 How is a computer the same as a game console? One has a desk monitor and disk drives. The other gets thrown on the carpet, couch, feet up. Anyway, we get it you guys like your A8 computers. There is a forum section for them. This isn't it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 The Bad press of the Non Centering Joystick is the curse of the system IMHO Agreed! I'm tired of pathetically bad gamers dissing the 5200 because of the controllers. By and large the whiners probably haven't even picked up a 5200 controller, they've just read the post 80's hate and assume they're right. Their loss. There's options if you can't adapt to the 5200 sticks to play 2600 style sticks on the 5200, but if you want to play with an advanced controller like that of the 5200 on any other system you're out of luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Anyway, we get it you guys like your A8 computers. There is a forum section for them. This isn't it. Oh..and you win at internets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 Agreed! I'm tired of pathetically bad gamers dissing the 5200 because of the controllers. By and large the whiners probably haven't even picked up a 5200 controller, they've just read the post 80's hate and assume they're right. Their loss. There's options if you can't adapt to the 5200 sticks to play 2600 style sticks on the 5200, but if you want to play with an advanced controller like that of the 5200 on any other system you're out of luck. The experience of playing a good av modded 5200, with gold controllers,paddles,competition pro and wico sticks can not be emulated on any other system, An Orgasm ! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82atari5200 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I must say I do love firing up my 1200xl with the beige joystick. I think it's one of the coolest looking systems ever. But nothing will ever compare to my 5200. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I must say I do love firing up my 1200xl with the beige joystick. I think it's one of the coolest looking systems ever. But nothing will ever compare to my 5200. Nice. I like playing my 65xe with the SD card and something like 3000 games (i think). It is about as close as a computer can come to being a console. Great stuff. What always bothers me is the "why bother with the 5200 when you can have an A8?" attitude. They share common hardware and thus common games, but the experience is totally different. As a console the 5200 is superb. As a computer I find the A8 lacking. I'd much rather keep a desk for a C64 than an A8. It is all about the software for me. A8 is flooded with very little more than cartridge games. At least for my tastes. While I find much more depth in adventure / action games on the C64. And honestly from there I can say most things I like on C64 I find a better version on the ST..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 Back to Topic, Last (big size) homebrew efforts like Gauntlet were less than stellar, Isn't it time the ultimate sd cart is fully utilized ,and then digital distribution embraced ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 Such a cart for the computer line that allowed running native high-speed code inside the cart would be a killer device and stimulate development that could benefit the 5200 as well. Digital distribution - if it's for profit then there's not really an easy way to implement. If games were dependant on a given piece of hardware like the cart and each one had a unique readable serial then that could be a solution. Bottom line - there's a much bigger audience and it's much easier to develop for the computers. Keeping 5200 ports in mind instantly places a lot of restrictions, but of course the ultimate cart can help. A "one of these days" projects for me is to make a system that allows running Atari Basic on the 5200 - that could add hundreds of titles which could be converted to work there fairly quickly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Such a cart for the computer line that allowed running native high-speed code inside the cart would be a killer device and stimulate development that could benefit the 5200 as well. Digital distribution - if it's for profit then there's not really an easy way to implement. If games were dependant on a given piece of hardware like the cart and each one had a unique readable serial then that could be a solution. Bottom line - there's a much bigger audience and it's much easier to develop for the computers. Keeping 5200 ports in mind instantly places a lot of restrictions, but of course the ultimate cart can help. A "one of these days" projects for me is to make a system that allows running Atari Basic on the 5200 - that could add hundreds of titles which could be converted to work there fairly quickly. the c64 scene works fine with new/paid downloads, and there's no point in paying a fortune for a 64 to 512k cart for each mega release , when you already have all you need already on this cart. Often proposed serialed .bins, so if someone "shares" it can be traced pd: Take a look at this 8bit device: http://www.atariage....-now-available/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) The experience of playing a good av modded 5200, with gold controllers,paddles,competition pro and wico sticks can not be emulated on any other system, An Orgasm ! How, exactly, does the experience of playing say, Pitfall II on a "AV modded 5200.. ..with a Competition Pro stick" differ significantly from playing the same game on an 800XL with a Competition Pro? Its the same game, same chipset, same controller! The entire 'user interface' is identical! Edited December 3, 2012 by adam242 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 How, exactly, does the experience of playing say, Pitfall II on a "AV modded 5200.. ..with a Competition Pro stick" differ significantly from playing the same game on an 800XL with a Competition Pro? Its the same game, same chipset, same controller! The entire 'user interface' is identical! An old honda civic can take you from point a to point b, but it's not the same experience as going the same path on the premium leather heated/massaging seat of your new BMW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 You're missing my point entirely... If the consoles themselves were hidden from view, and you only saw the screen and the joystick, you'd never know if you were playing on a XL or 5200. An old honda civic can take you from point a to point b, but it's not the same experience as going the same path on the premium leather heated/massaging seat of your new BMW The comparison I'm making is more like that of driving a new black BMW vs. driving a new grey BMW, both the same model with the same engine, transmission and interior. You'd never know from the driver's seat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 The Bad press REALITY of the Non Centering Joystick is the curse of the system IMHO fixed that. A few games (like Star Raiders, notwithstanding) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 How is a computer the same as a game console? One has a desk monitor and disk drives. The other gets thrown on the carpet, couch, feet up. That happens when the exact same technology gets repackaged. The 5200 is a repackaged 400. Anybody who doesn't know that.....may heaven help them. It's pretty obvious, to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) Nice. I like playing my 65xe with the SD card and something like 3000 games (i think). It is about as close as a computer can come to being a console. Great stuff. What always bothers me is the "why bother with the 5200 when you can have an A8?" attitude. They share common hardware and thus common games, but the experience is totally different Actually, the XEGS is as close to a computer as a console can be. It's both. It's slightly-less-sucky than a 5200. Just my opinon, but both opinions are valid, as they are opinions. .As a console the 5200 is superb. As a computer I find the A8 lacking. I'd much rather keep a desk for a C64 than an A8. While we're talking about opinions, I notice you're a big ST fan. Well, I am, too. But I can't deny the Amiga (1000/500) games are better. I wish I could deny it. But that would be a lie. But I still love the ST, because if delivered bang for the buck. If I followed your logic above, there would be no reason for an ST to occupy my desk; I would say I want an Amiga. Well, I have an Amiga 500, and it's great! But that didn't keep me from buying my 2nd Mega STe just the other day. So you'd rather keep a C64 than an A8, to justify your proclivity for 5200 vs. A8? I don't get it. For absolutely the best games (or game potential), you should be C64 (and definitely NOT A5200) and Amiga. But you're 5200 (not A8) and ST. What is the justification, for that opinion, and I ask this in a nice way? I'm not taking shots! I merely ask! Opinions vary one lots of things.....ST [alleged] inferiority, C64 [alleged] superiority...... and I admit, there are strong points made, in either direction. But to disdain the A8 in order to support the [edit: 5200, not 64] 5200? I'd have rather you cited the C64's superior octave range, or number of sprites, or number of colors-per-sprite, and then put the A5200 and A8 in the same boat.....because they are.....and lamented the deficiencies of both.....because they're almost the same thing! For the record, although I'm a former A8 and ST fanboy, I've learned (that is, experienced!) all of them now. The A8 and the ST hold special places in my heart. The C64 and Amiga are pretty fucking amazing machines - in my view - and thusly do now, as well. The 5200 was a flawed re-release of the Atari 400, in my view. I don't apologize for it, as I think you'd have to be a flippin' idiot not to realize it. But I don't criticize you PERSONALLY as liking the machine. As I'm so fond of the A8 technology, I have collected every version of it, save for the 5200. I still may have room in my collection, for one. But I'm not subscribing to this bullshit view that it's something uniquely-different to the A8, because you'd have to have your head up your ass to not notice it's the same fucking hardware, with some little differences. No offense intended, to anyone; I'm just expressing an opinion, and none are "correct." Edited December 3, 2012 by wood_jl 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 the xegs+keyboard is nearly as bulky as a 5200, but way less cool 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fernando marrin Posted December 3, 2012 Author Share Posted December 3, 2012 Actually, the XEGS is as close to a computer as a console can be. It's both. It's slightly-less-sucky than a 5200. Just my opinon, but both opinions are valid, as they are opinions. While we're talking about opinions, I notice you're a big ST fan. Well, I am, too. But I can't deny the Amiga (1000/500) games are better. I wish I could deny it. But that would be a lie. But I still love the ST, because if delivered bang for the buck. If I followed your logic above, there would be no reason for an ST to occupy my desk; I would say I want an Amiga. Well, I have an Amiga 500, and it's great! But that didn't keep me from buying my 2nd Mega STe just the other day. So you'd rather keep a C64 than an A8, to justify your proclivity for 5200 vs. A8? I don't get it. For absolutely the best games (or game potential), you should be C64 (and definitely NOT A5200) and Amiga. But you're 5200 (not A8) and ST. What is the justification, for that opinion, and I ask this in a nice way? I'm not taking shots! I merely ask! Opinions vary one lots of things.....ST [alleged] inferiority, C64 [alleged] superiority...... and I admit, there are strong points made, in either direction. But to disdain the A8 in order to support the [edit: 5200, not 64] 5200? I'd have rather you cited the C64's superior octave range, or number of sprites, or number of colors-per-sprite, and then put the A5200 and A8 in the same boat.....because they are.....and lamented the deficiencies of both.....because they're almost the same thing! For the record, although I'm a former A8 and ST fanboy, I've learned (that is, experienced!) all of them now. The A8 and the ST hold special places in my heart. The C64 and Amiga are pretty fucking amazing machines - in my view - and thusly do now, as well. The 5200 was a flawed re-release of the Atari 400, in my view. I don't apologize for it, as I think you'd have to be a flippin' idiot not to realize it. But I don't criticize you PERSONALLY as liking the machine. As I'm so fond of the A8 technology, I have collected every version of it, save for the 5200. I still may have room in my collection, for one. But I'm not subscribing to this bullshit view that it's something uniquely-different to the A8, because you'd have to have your head up your ass to not notice it's the same fucking hardware, with some little differences. No offense intended, to anyone; I'm just expressing an opinion, and none are "correct." It is all about the software for me. A8 is flooded with very little more than cartridge games. At least for my tastes. While I find much more depth in adventure / action games on the C64. And honestly from there I can say most things I like on C64 I find a better version on the ST..... again... volkswagen golf is same " exact hardware" as an Audi A3, But the experience of driving both is totally different 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 (edited) again... volkswagen golf is same " exact hardware" as an Audi A3, But the experience of driving both is totally different So, adding a shitty steering wheel and brake pedal to a Golf and calling it and A3? Is that the formula? Because if it's not, then your comparison makes no sense. It's so funny how hard people try to justify that a 5200 ain't an A8. But it's not my job to convince them. Just don't expect me to agree, and opinions are the nature of chat boards. Edited December 3, 2012 by wood_jl 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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