4cade Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Got it! thanks so much. I just bought an Astrocade off of eBay, so was interested in looking into the multicart. Much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_c Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Got it! thanks so much. I just bought an Astrocade off of eBay, so was interested in looking into the multicart. Much appreciated! It's a great product, I hope that you like it. Here is documentation about it, and other Bally Arcade/Astrocade multicarts: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/multicarts/multicarts.html Here are some pictures of all the multicarts for the Astrocade: http://www.ballyalley.com/pics/cartridge_pics/Carts_%28Multicarts%29/Carts_%28Multicarts%29.html Also, if the Astrocade is new to you, and you have AstroBASIC, then be sure to try loading some "tapes." There are a few hundred of them over here that can be loaded from the archived tapes via the built-in tape interface on the 2000-Baud AstroBASIC or via the external 300-baud tape interface for Bally BASIC: http://www.ballyalley.com/program_downloads/program_downloads.html Also, if you're not already a member of the Bally Alley Yahoo group, then consider joining. You can read all of the past messages as a guest): https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ballyalley/info Have fun with your new (to you) Astrocade. And make sure not to overheat that console. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4cade Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Love it, BallyAlley - you must know your shit with that handle. I actually started another thread asking for advice, BallyAlley - the exact kind of stuff you were suggesting: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/241879-bought-astrocade-any-helpadvice/ I was wondering if I should take any precautions before attempting to test it. It's really amazing the capability of this system; i can only imagine the thing was tanked by: 1. Price point 2. Games (lack thereof) 3. Marketing And I wonder if marketing is more key than many think. I don't know, I think A) it was stupid to name it a home library computer (I'm really shocked that virtually every console went "I'm a computer" and none went "I'm an ARCADE game - for your home!!!!", that latter of which is what kids were looking for), and B) then change the name 4 times? I'm actually researching it for a mini documentary vid I'd like to do on it by end of year. Question - I just realized. Can't I safely test this without doing anything? I don't need a cartridge to test it - so, am I being risky by not opening it up and cleaning everything? could the dust or whatever be an issue for just a test? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 you must know your [stuff] with that handle. I suppose I do know the system rather good. There are many more people that know more about the Astrocade than I do, but since I run Ballyalley.com, it seemed appropriate to use BallyAlley as my handle when I signed-up in the early 2000s. I was wondering if I should take any precautions before attempting to test it. It's either going to work or not work. Turning it on isn't going to hurt it. If the screen is jumbled, then press the Reset button (working system almost always starts with "garbage" on the screen). If the screen is red or black… well, then, you're in trouble. It's really amazing the capability of this system; i can only imagine the thing was tanked by: The system was first introduced to market by JS&A in 1977 (none shipped to customers until January 1978). JS&A had exclusive distribution rights to the system; their marketing was, as you said, "Hey everybody, this is a computer!" That isn't why the system "tanked." The system overheated badly, and often, that many units (I've read between 30%-50%) had to be returned. This is probably what caused Bally to pull-out of the market. It's amazing that the system got a second life when it was bought by another company. Without the Arcadian newsletter and Bally BASIC, the Bally Arcade would probably never have resurfaced at all; it would be nothing more than an even smaller footnote in the long history of videogames. could the dust or whatever be an issue for just a test? The dust wouldn't be an issue for a quick test. I suppose that in rare cases, depending on where the system was stored, than dust could be an issue. I doubt it. The best advice that anyone can give you is to give that machine air. Let it breath. Some people remove the RF shielding on working units, other people have written on the Astrocade Yahoo group that this has actually killed their systems. I can't vouch for that-- I've opened up six-to-ten systems and that hasn't killed any of them. Removing the RF system does require desolding huge globs of solder. A low-wattage soldering pen won't work; a very hot soldering gun needs to be used instead. Without care, people could be overheating their own systems. I'm not sure if that's the issue people have run into before when removing the shielding. I strongly suggest that you use the Bally Alley Yahoo group for the Astrocade to ask questions. There are many people there with vastly more knowledge than I have in my head. I'll answer any of your other questions there. If you sign up over there, then PM me and I'll make sure I approve you right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4cade Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Fantastic, BallyAlley - I actually read your last line first and went and joined the group before I read the rest and saw that you are the one that runs it! Thanks so much for the input. Wow, I'm looking at some of the discussions - you have Bally employees there??? That is so cool. I went through a retro gaming kick in the early aughts, but it was NES/Genesis/Atari - but this month I've picked up an Astrocade and a Fairchild, and I am STOKED to try them out. Can't wait to compare those controllers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazball Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I received my UltiMulti Cart Ver 2.00 yesterday and spent all night with it. Ken (kenzre) did a wonderful job and I'm very happy to have it. I have a question about the cart for someone that owns it. I wrote Ken but he has been slow to reply so I'll ask it publicly. Also, this may be useful to others who have or will have this multi-cart. Does anyone who owns the cart have a listing/matrix of the DIP switch settings for Ver 2.00? Ken included a printout of his Ver 1.5.1 cart (the same available here on BallyAlley). Is there an updated version for the 2.00 to include War and Crazy Climber? He didn't include the switch settings for the new game additions in any of the paperwork he included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckafka99 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I received my UltiMulti Cart Ver 2.00 yesterday and spent all night with it. Ken (kenzre) did a wonderful job and I'm very happy to have it. I have a question about the cart for someone that owns it. I wrote Ken but he has been slow to reply so I'll ask it publicly. Also, this may be useful to others who have or will have this multi-cart. Does anyone who owns the cart have a listing/matrix of the DIP switch settings for Ver 2.00? Ken included a printout of his Ver 1.5.1 cart (the same available here on BallyAlley). Is there an updated version for the 2.00 to include War and Crazy Climber? He didn't include the switch settings for the new game additions in any of the paperwork he included. Admittedly not in the best of formats, but check your PMs. War is 01010100 Crazy Climber is 00110100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I received my UltiMulti Cart Ver 2.00 yesterday and spent all night with it. Ken (kenzre) did a wonderful job and I'm very happy to have it. Those multicarts are fun. Make sure to try-out some of the exclusives that are on there, for instance, the BASICarts (BASIC programs converted to run from cartridge). One of my favorite games is called "Dogpatch." It's a simple two-player-only game that doesn't look too good. If you can get past that and are able to give it a fighting chance then it turns out to have some real depth-of-play involved when you have two fairly good players facing off against one another. Make sure to not to miss any of the Astrocade "Top Ten" games that were compiled in 2006: http://www.ballyalley.com/ballyalley/articles/Top_Ten_Astrocade_Games.txt If you have extra RAM than this multicart has many games that you'd not be able to otherwise play at all. If you're looking for some unusual non-games, then be sure to look at the "Dealer Demo" and the "BASIC Demo." Also, for something a bit out of the ordinary, try the "Machine Language Manager" (MLM), by The Bit Fiddlers (Andy Guevara). This in-depth utility which was released on a 2K cartridge will allow you to program in machine language, and also to see the small character set on an unexpanded Astrocade. "Machine Language Manager User's Manual" The very comprehensive 105-page manual explains how to program in machine language using the "MLM" cartridge. There is also plenty of information that explains how to program the Bally Arcade/Astrocade in general. The complete source code listing for the cartridge is included in the manual, which was (and is) a rather unusual move to make by the publisher of the cartridge. The manual is available here: http://www.ballyalley.com/ml/ml_docs/mlm_docs.pdf The Bally Arcade/Astrocade library of programs is rather unusual. If you find anything that you really like, then be sure to let others in this thread know so that they can try the program too. Also, don't forget that nearly all of the manuals for the programs can be read on: http://www.ballyalley.com/ Does anyone who owns the cart have a listing/matrix of the DIP switch settings for Ver 2.00? Ken sent me the DIP Switch listing for version 2.00 of the cartridge this morning. I've posted it to Bally Alley for those that might need it: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/multicarts/multicart_%28GaMBITS%29/UltiMulti_Version_2_00.pdf Have fun with your new Multicart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazball Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Thanks BallyAlley! I got the same pdf from Ken also and was going to post it in this thread, but your site is a much better place for it! (btw, while I have you ear, I LOVE your site. Please never take it down.) On the same page I see you have the instructions (for 1.5.1) which I didn't receive but answers a lot of questions I will certainly be spending a lot more time with my UltiMulti and hopefully once my budget allows, I'd like to pick up one of Ken's Lil White RAMs to see the rest of the programs on the cart. I've only owned my Bally Arcade for about 2 years, so I still feel like a Bally newbie in many ways. But finally seeing all these obscure games and programs really makes me happy. I feel like an archaeologist of sorts! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I LOVE your site [ballyAlley.com]. Please never take it down. Thanks for the compliment! I don't plan to take down BallyAlley.com. It has been online since the turn of the century-- fifteen years! The earliest dated piece of news is from October 22, 2000, but the site was up earlier in the year (maybe since June of 2000). My work on Bally Alley waxes and wanes with people's interest in the site. Comments usually equals more uploads to the site because it sparks my interest in the Astrocade again. I've only owned my Bally Arcade for about 2 years, so I still feel like a Bally newbie in many ways. But finally seeing all these obscure games and programs really makes me happy. I feel like an archaeologist of sorts! I'm glad that a "newbie" found an interest in the system. Using a multicart, as you've discovered, is easily the best way to play most of the programs. As you also said, you can't use all of the programs due to not having expansion memory (which was, and continues to be) quite rare. Using the multicart, even without expanded memory, you will be able to see the programs that most Astrocade users had access to in the late 70s and early 80s. Make sure to try some of the programs that were written in "Bally BASIC" and "AstroBASIC." Most of these were only available on tape and were never converted for use with the cartridges, and thus are not on the multicart and, as of now, can't be run under emultion (as the MESS emulator only supports carts; it doesn't support the tape interface). These tape programs are easy to load onto real Bally Arcade hardware using your computer because all of the archived tape files on Bally Alley are available as plain WAV files that can be output through your speaker. Be sure to tune in to the soon-to-be-released Bally Alley Astrocast podcast: http://ballyalleyastrocast.libsyn.com/ Have fun with your Astrocade, and if you have any other questions, then feel free to post them here because I "watch" this thread. Also, you'll find that posting questions or comments to the Bally Alley Yahoo group is useful because there are several hundred people that may read your post and be able to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff20 Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Do you think a menu driven Astrocade Multicart is technically possible? I enjoy my dip switch cart. Just wondering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Do you think a menu driven Astrocade Multicart is technically possible? A menu-driven multicart is possible. I've given this some thought before, and in some ways, there is a hardware product that exists already that might be useful as a jumping-off point for an Astrocade multicart with a menu system. On December 18, 2015, I archived the Atarimax Maxflash Astrocade Cartridge website (formerly known as bally128k.com or "Bally/Astrocade Maxflash Files") to BallyAlley.com. This website was previously for owners, users and developers of the prototype flash cartridge for the Bally Arcade/ Astrocade. Even though this cartridge has not been released (yet?), all of the documentation and programs have been archived for reference for anyone that is interested in knowing more about this project. You can view the archived website here: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/bally128k-com/maxflash/maxflash.htm It's possible that someone could use the above information as a jumping-off point to create an Astrocade flashcart with a menu system. Understand that the above cart wasn't created with that idea in mind, but since it does allows automatic bankswitching, then perhaps this could be achieved? Back In 2002, Ward Shrake made the first modern multicart for the Astrocade (I say "modern multicart," as homebrew multicarts for the Astrocade had been kicking around since the 1980s). Ward's multicart looks like this: (I took these two pictures of the above multi back in 2004. For this reason, the resolution is low. The next time I have my Astrocade handy, I think that I'll take some better pictures of this cart and replace the current ones on BallyAlley.com) Ward's Astrocade multicart is the only cartridge for the system that has a label on the front and the back. All of the Astrocade first-party cartridges (released by Bally or Astrovision) have a place for a label on the back, but it was never used. Ward thought it would be clever to show what the inside of the multicart would look like if it was a clear cartridge. I still love that idea-- he executed it very well. Another good use for the back-label would be to list, in very tiny print, all (or, more realistically, some) of the dip-switch positions to select programs on a multicart. When Ward created the Bally Astrocade cart we'd known each other for a few year. I had hoped that the dip-switch position of all zeros would bring up this picture: Alas, using all zeros brings up the utility program "TESTS." This is my own fault, as I suggested that it would be useful to have that utility in position 0 rather than "Wizard of Wor" (Ward's favorite game on the system). I can't recall why my special multicart title screen didn't make it onto Ward's multicart, but the code wasn't lost. If you're interested in viewing the multicart title screen under emulation (or on real hardware, if you burn the ROM to an EPROM), then you can download the binary (and source code), here: http://www.ballyalley.com/ml/ml_homebrew/titledis.zip I'd love to hear from someone who is more technically minded about how feasible a menu system is for an Astrocade multicart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I'd love to return to work on this stuff. The BAVE engine was off to a great start. If someone was able to modify MESS or another emulator to be able to emulate the bankswitched cart then development would go a lot faster. As for now I'm in no position to be able to work on the bankswitched games. I wish I could, as the potential for amazing Astrocade games is there. I still hold out hope for the future that I can return to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I have my Astrocade and mulit-cart on display at MGC every year if someone wants to come and check it out in person. It usually has Wizard of Wor running though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ward Shrake Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Adam ("BallyAlley") just pointed me to this thread. I've read it all, top to bottom. Coolness, seeing people still playing with this stuff. As for that bottom label: if memory serves, that only made it onto the first (few?) batches of carts, because I was using the Bally-made cart cases at first; but then, due to shortages in those, had to switch case types. Off-hand, I don't recall how many of the "double label" ones went out to various people who bought one of those carts that I once made. (But no longer make: sorry!) If that info is stored or written down, anywhere, it'd probably be that ridiculously long FAQ I once wrote. Adam's site probably has a copy of it, "somewhere". I should mention -- (for no major reason, other than General Nerdiness or "information completism" I suppose?) -- that the bottom side of the carts that did have that second label, aren't showing a totally completed circuit board. What's shown, through the "cracks" as it were, is a somewhat un-stuffed or only-partially-assembled circuit board. That is, it looks like some of the jumper wires and such, which had to be there for it to operate, and that had to be there or it wouldn't work, aren't yet soldered on. I suppose that makes that image sort of a glimpse at the process of making those carts, by hand -- in that the image shows it partly, but not completely, "done". As for that cool-looking multi-cart screen: Adam, maybe my memory of such things is just mush right now, but I don't recall that one. Are you 100% sure it was ready to go, when I first made those carts? It seems like something I would have thought was very cool, and would have wanted to include -- so I'm at a loss myself, to understanding why that wasn't on the carts I once made, those dozen or whatever years ago, now? I could be mistaken, but the only reason that jumps to mind is that, maybe, the screen was done later? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 If someone was able to modify MESS or another emulator to be able to emulate the bankswitched cart then development would go a lot faster. The Astrocade emulation under MESS works okay for most carts, but it doesn't support loading any of the hundreds of games from tape. For that matter, saving to tape isn't supported either. BASIC is quite functional under MESS emulation using a keyboard setup with stickers like this: This keyboard might look tough to use, but it's just as functional as using a real Astrocade. If you want to try this yourself, then read about how to do it here: http://www.ballyalley.com/emulation/MESS/mess.html#AstrocadeMESSBASICKeypadOverlay As RiffRaff said, when he has the time (and circumstances) for him to continue to make homebrew games like "Crazy Climber" or "War" for the Astrocade, then the MESS emulator needs to support bankswitched carts... or else 8K is the upper limit for Astrocade games. Not that 8K is utterly stifling (just look at, for example, "Wizard of Wor). The MESS emulator also needs to support the switching of carts while the system is on-- as many Astrocade cartridges require this. Without the ability to live-switch carts under MESS, then many games do not work at all. I have my Astrocade and mulit-cart on display at MGC every year if someone wants to come and check it out in person. It usually has Wizard of Wor running though. There is nothing wrong with introducing people to the Astrocade via "Wizard of Wor." If your multicart has RiffRaff's two homebrew games, then get a four-player round of "War" going at MGC. Also, two multiplayer games many people overlook are "Pirate's Chase" and "Dogpatch." These both play great-- it's a shame that they both happen to have some of the worst graphics on the system! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ward Shrake Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 It usually has Wizard of Wor running though. I can't resist saying this: "good for you!" (But don't take that as a bad thing, against any of the other games!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ward Shrake Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 There is nothing wrong with introducing people to the Astrocade via "Wizard of Wor." If your multicart has RiffRaff's two homebrew games, then get a four-player round of "War" going at MGC. What he said! That ("War") game wasn't around, back when I was making my multi-carts, or it would have been probably been something like the "dips all set to zero, or all set to one" mode ... with maybe WoW as the other. But I always liked that system's version of Space Invaders, too ... and there are other cool ones that were fun to play. In the end, I relied in large part on Adam ("BallyAlley") and Mike (White), to suggest what programs were on there, in those two major or no-brainer "dip positions". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballyalley Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Adam ("BallyAlley") just pointed me to this thread. Although I pointed Ward to this thread, I didn't expect him to post here in the forum. He's been away from the Bally Arcade (and most other game systems-- especially the Arcadia 2001 and the Vic-20!) for quite some time: he has found other interesting hobbies that keep him busy. So, to me, it's a special privilege to see him post here. I don't recall how many of the "double label" ones went out to various people [...] If that info is stored or written down, anywhere, it'd probably be that ridiculously long FAQ I once wrote. Ward is referring "Ward's Multicart FAQ for his 'Bally Astrocade' and 'Emerson Arcadia 2001' multi-carts." I think that the last version of the Multicart FAQ is from January 25, 2002-- at least that is the one that is archived on BallyAlley.com: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/multicarts/multicart_(shrake)/docs_html/multifaq.htm I don't think that Ward originally meant to create a time-capsule of his multicart work, but over the years, that is what his FAQ has become to us. For more pictures of Ward's Astrocade multicart, see here: http://www.ballyalley.com/pics/cartridge_pics/Carts_(Multicarts)/multicart_(shrake)/multicart_(shrake).html Loads of documentation on Ward's Astrocade multicart is here: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/multicarts/multicart_(shrake)/multicart_(shrake).html Ward doesn't make multicarts anymore, but if you're in the market for a multicart that is similar to it, then you may be able to find one of the five multicarts (that have been made for the Bally Arcade system over the years) available on Ebay. They do pop up every once in a while, and when they do, they are quite reasonably priced. Not familiar with the five multicarts that were made? You can see pictures of them all here: http://www.ballyalley.com/pics/cartridge_pics/Carts_(Multicarts)/Carts_(Multicarts).html You can read the documentation and instructions for the multicarts here: http://www.ballyalley.com/documentation/multicarts/multicarts.html As for that cool-looking multi-cart screen: Adam, maybe my memory of such things is just mush right now, but I don't recall that one. Are you 100% sure it was ready to go, when I first made those carts? I'm pretty-sure that the 4K ROM image for the Astrocade multicart title screen (properly called, according to the source code, "Title - Bitmap Display") was ready when Ward was still selling his multicarts. The last version of the title screen's source code is for version 1.2 of the ROM (dated March 25, 2002). However that was the last version-- I'm pretty sure version 1.0 was done long before-- in time to have been included on the multicart. Since it didn't do anything except display the image-- it wasn't very exciting (and it still isn't). Later, I made a version that had a ball that bounced in front of the title screen. I borrowed some code from a fellow homebrewer named Lance to do this, but that version wouldn't have been done before Ward stopped producing his multicarts. It feel like I haven't thought about some of this stuff in a long time. How do classic game programmers (from the late 70s and early 80s), who are interviewed now, keep the memories straight in their minds? If someone asks me questions about this stuff in twenty years, then my best answer might be drool dripping down my chin... (How many people reading this thread already own an Astrocade multicart-- or even more than one?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128Kgames Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I'd love to return to work on this stuff. The BAVE engine was off to a great start. If someone was able to modify MESS or another emulator to be able to emulate the bankswitched cart then development would go a lot faster. As for now I'm in no position to be able to work on the bankswitched games. I wish I could, as the potential for amazing Astrocade games is there. I still hold out hope for the future that I can return to this. And I'll be right there with you buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
128Kgames Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 (How many people reading this thread already own an Astrocade multicart-- or even more than one?) Me me me! (That was the little kid in me answering you) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff20 Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I'm just so happy to see Ward again. Come to our VIC 20 forum; your well remembered there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ward Shrake Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I'll totally trust Adam's memory on the "why wasn't that title screen visible, front-and-center," on that m'cart I once made. I'm just so happy to see Ward again. Come to our VIC 20 forum; your well remembered there. Where at, Mr. Jeff? Point the way, and I'll see if I can't pop in from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff20 Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) I'll totally trust Adam's memory on the "why wasn't that title screen visible, front-and-center," on that m'cart I once made. Where at, Mr. Jeff? Point the way, and I'll see if I can't pop in from time to time. sleepingelephant.com/denial/ So good to hear from you again. Edited January 9, 2016 by jeff20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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