doctorclu Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 And I want to thank everyone that's helped modify the ROMs. I almost didn't buy the FBP. I only did so because of the SD card support and (okay I admit it) the 20% off coupon at BBB. Now, I can't stop playing the darn thing, especially since I travel a lot for work. Yeh it is a blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 From what I have heard AT Games will be going with new hardware which may result in a new platform emulator. Sure, but I can't picture them putting forth the effort of making the emulation more accurate when it's only a small handful of games that are glitchy. As someone else mentioned, even the Flashback 2.0 can't run every game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Sure, but I can't picture them putting forth the effort of making the emulation more accurate when it's only a small handful of games that are glitchy. As someone else mentioned, even the Flashback 2.0 can't run every game. Maybe they come up with a good enough emulator, they could start licensing 2600 homebrew, like how Piko Interactive is in bed with Retrobit. Only problem much Atari homebrew is built on infringing arcade IP. Piko changed the graphics and audio in Classic Kong to be non-Infringing and renamed it Thor Quest. I'll admit I own both and it doesn't bring the same joy when I play it, even though the mechanics are the same. Still there's enough good homebrew games not based on arcade IP or significantly altered (Pesco?), that it might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Thanks to Nukey Shay, we have a fully working Defender 2 where the difficulty buttons activate Inviso and Hyperspace and Select activates the Smart Bomb here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/259166-flashback-portable-needed-controller-hacks/page-5?do=findComment&comment=3669405 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 I'm going to drive myself crazy going back over these threads looking for all the fixed games. Seriously, where do I send the thank-you beer? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Thanks to Nukey Shay, we have a fully working Defender 2 where the difficulty buttons activate Inviso and Hyperspace and Select activates the Smart Bomb here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/259166-flashback-portable-needed-controller-hacks/page-5?do=findComment&comment=3669405 2600 likes for this! Even though I prefer Stargate. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) It's all embedded in a glop-top, so there's fat chance of anyone getting at it, if anyone actually wanted to. Glop-tops can be decapitated, too, just like the many custom chips and roms have been for MAME. And once that is done, rom and other microcode can be dumped. Edited January 12, 2017 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arenafoot Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 2600 likes for this! Even though I prefer Stargate. There's no difference in the two .......except for the title.....right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 There's no difference in the two .......except for the title.....right?The much better title that matched the arcade game, right! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iesposta Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Sure, but I can't picture them putting forth the effort of making the emulation more accurate when it's only a small handful of games that are glitchy. As someone else mentioned, even the Flashback 2.0 can't run every game. I can't picture them making it more accurate either, but they will be asked, at least I hope so by Bill Loguidice. The Flashback 2 CAN run almost every game. I think it doesn't have a few undocumented opcodes, so those few games would fail. Other than that, it IS an Atari on a chip. The DIY cartridge hookup pads were botched by the manufacturing company, NOT the designers. Something like external A12 line doesn't work properly causing carts with RAM to fail, and bank switching that uses A12 to trigger the switch to fail on external cartridges. The build-in Millipede is 16K with Superchip "Sara" RAM — that runs perfect! But put in the real Millipede cartridge and it is unplayable. There are Flashback 2 boards with the built-in games and the menu software on a daughter board with soldered pins. My Flashback 2+ has this. Maybe replace it with our own multi-game chip? Or Piggyback a cartridge port from there? The designer mentioned there was a spot for a "soft reset" switch that would go from the game back to the menu without a restart. That was found!. He went on to say that he was surprised nobody probed the daughter board pins, and hinted more could be done there with the Flashback 2. He has never given any more hints. I have asked very nicely 2 or 3 times to give us more information, but that's my limit for bothering somebody, and I did not get any replies. I wish a hardware guru would AT LEAST figure out if there is a place where the proper A12 signal could be picked up. I'm sure Kevtris or CPUWIZ could find that out, I don't think the Atari on a chip needs to be de-globbed ( that's a toxic and dangerous endeavor). The proper signal might be on the built-in games "blob on a board" because Millipede runs from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Glop-tops can be decapitated, too, just like the many custom chips and roms have been for MAME. And once that is done, rom and other microcode can be dumped. Again I ask: who's going to actually want to do that? =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 No one that I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillLoguidice Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 The emulator is going to be more accurate/better as a result of the new batch of games that will be included in the 8 series and Portable (I obviously can't say what they are, but they'll be major additions). None of that will break any of the included games, but again, there's no guarantee that it won't possibly break some non-included game. Certainly there will be additional testing outside of the included games, but nothing comprehensive. Anyway, the point is, I consider the possibility of the improved emulator breaking anything remote, but it's still certainly possible. If things continue the way they are, I'll say that the console 8's will almost certainly be the best Flashbacks ever, including over the 2 series, and have lots of much requested features implemented. About the only thing that won't be one-upped (and in fact will be missing entirely) over the 2's is the ability to hack in a cartridge port. And for those asking, no, no cartridge port or SD card slot is planned for this year on the Atari consoles, but the latter option is on the table for 2018. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Why continual feature changes? Why not stabilize the product a little more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillLoguidice Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Why continual feature changes? Why not stabilize the product a little more? Stabilize what product? The consoles are overdue for a major refresh and there are some minor tweaks needed to be done to the portable. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 I got my portable in the mail yesterday but I may have to return it. It only seems to happen with demons to diamonds so far but when after playing , hitting the menu button seems to crash the thing and I have to turn it off and on again. So far it's just demons to diamonds but I haven't tried every game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Now I'm getting a freeze on the main screen and it only shows 4 games from the first page. This thing is glitchy as hell. I'm sending it back. Build quality of this thing seems like junk. I won't replace it. I'll spend that money on homebrews here at the AA store instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) The emulator is going to be more accurate/better as a result of the new batch of games that will be included in the 8 series and Portable (I obviously can't say what they are, but they'll be major additions). None of that will break any of the included games, but again, there's no guarantee that it won't possibly break some non-included game. Certainly there will be additional testing outside of the included games, but nothing comprehensive. Anyway, the point is, I consider the possibility of the improved emulator breaking anything remote, but it's still certainly possible. If things continue the way they are, I'll say that the console 8's will almost certainly be the best Flashbacks ever, including over the 2 series, and have lots of much requested features implemented. About the only thing that won't be one-upped (and in fact will be missing entirely) over the 2's is the ability to hack in a cartridge port. And for those asking, no, no cartridge port or SD card slot is planned for this year on the Atari consoles, but the latter option is on the table for 2018. An SD card slot on the regular flashbacks and the ability to plug in your own 2600 controllers would get me to buy one. HDMI would be a great bonus too. As I mentioned above, I'm not sold on the quality of the portable. Yes I could get a replacement but sorry, it feels cheap and I'm not a fan of the D-pad. Paddle games are my favorite and they're beyond useless without proper paddle controls. Edited January 12, 2017 by AtariLeaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckafka99 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The emulator is going to be more accurate/better as a result of the new batch of games that will be included in the 8 series and Portable (I obviously can't say what they are, but they'll be major additions). None of that will break any of the included games, but again, there's no guarantee that it won't possibly break some non-included game. Certainly there will be additional testing outside of the included games, but nothing comprehensive. Anyway, the point is, I consider the possibility of the improved emulator breaking anything remote, but it's still certainly possible. If things continue the way they are, I'll say that the console 8's will almost certainly be the best Flashbacks ever, including over the 2 series, and have lots of much requested features implemented. About the only thing that won't be one-upped (and in fact will be missing entirely) over the 2's is the ability to hack in a cartridge port. And for those asking, no, no cartridge port or SD card slot is planned for this year on the Atari consoles, but the latter option is on the table for 2018. Why is the SD card feature in this year's portable being removed for 2017? Or did I misunderstand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillLoguidice Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Why is the SD card feature in this year's portable being removed for 2017? Or did I misunderstand? Misunderstood. All units will have the same ability to play cartridges or ROMs as in 2016. I was just referring to the possibility of the upcoming Atari consoles (i.e., not Portable) playing cartridges or ROMs. I said that was not on the table for 2017, but might be possible in 2018, at least when it comes to SD card support. Anyway, the point is, this is a year of big upgrades/refreshes to the hardware line-up, although it's looking like the Sega and Atari portables will receive the smallest amount of changes. I'll keep everyone informed as I'm able, though, as we still have a few months to go before everything gets locked down for production (I was just at the AtGames' offices for a few days earlier in the week, by the way). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckafka99 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Misunderstood. All units will have the same ability to play cartridges or ROMs as in 2016. I was just referring to the possibility of the upcoming Atari consoles (i.e., not Portable) playing cartridges or ROMs. I said that was not on the table for 2017, but might be possible in 2018, at least when it comes to SD card support. Anyway, the point is, this is a year of big upgrades/refreshes to the hardware line-up, although it's looking like the Sega and Atari portables will receive the smallest amount of changes. I'll keep everyone informed as I'm able, though, as we still have a few months to go before everything gets locked down for production (I was just at the AtGames' offices for a few days earlier in the week, by the way). Thanks for the clarification. Already looking forward to the 2017 models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 An SD card slot on the regular flashbacks and the ability to plug in your own 2600 controllers would get me to buy one. The current Flashback consoles already let you plug in your own 2600 controllers. Or am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariLeaf Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The current Flashback consoles already let you plug in your own 2600 controllers. Or am I missing something? They do, I just meant having both an SD slot AND using your own controllers would make me buy it, not just one of the two. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillLoguidice Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 They do, I just meant having both an SD slot AND using your own controllers would make me buy it, not just one of the two. Well, you can't please everyone, of course. Maybe in 2018 all of that will happen. The new additions in 2017 are definitely cool, though, and, I think, outside of perhaps yourself, will probably excite a lot more people around here than in the past. Even I'm really into the new stuff, and I'm rather numb to it all after all these years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Well, you can't please everyone, of course. Maybe in 2018 all of that will happen. The new additions in 2017 are definitely cool, though, and, I think, outside of perhaps yourself, will probably excite a lot more people around here than in the past. Even I'm really into the new stuff, and I'm rather numb to it all after all these years. Tease! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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