5200 Asteroids - can a better version of it (excluding Meteorites) be done?

[BIGHMW]

For all the purists out there (like myself) who own the 5200 reproduction prototype cart of Asteroids, can someone actually grace us with a fully finished version of it, much like Keithen did with Tempest? Although I also own Meteorites, which is a better version of it, period, I just wondered if Asteroids could be finished at least to the point where it plays and acts similar to the 400/800/XL (8-bit) version does???

 

Here is what the original 400/800/XL (8-bit) version looks like:

 

 

Simple task, get it to where when I move my stick that it stops when I let go or center it, the kind of stick response on the 5200 version is almost unwanted, too sensitive and a little off-center

 

Who else also owns a 5200 repro of this timeless classic???

[+Allan]

5200 was finished. They just never had someone to get the controls working right. Since the 8-bit Asteroids came out before the 5200 did, we know that the 5200 version is just a simple conversion. All the other 5200 games that had early 8-bit versions all were updated with better graphics, etc.

 

I agree that 5200 Asteroids controls could be adjusted to make it more playable. Hopefully somebody will give it a shot one day.

 

Allan

[+DrVenkman]

5200 was finished. They just never had someone to get the controls working right. Since the 8-bit Asteroids came out before the 5200 did, we know that the 5200 version is just a simple conversion. All the other 5200 games that had early 8-bit versions all were updated with better graphics, etc.

 

I agree that 5200 Asteroids controls could be adjusted to make it more playable. Hopefully somebody will give it a shot one day.

 

Allan

 

Someone should produce a modern "Starplex-like" controller with the 5200 DB15 connector, with the buttons mapped to several keypad buttons, along with a hack/rewrite of Asteroids to read those button inputs for directions, thrust, fire and shield/hyperspace. It could be awesome. The same controller could be used with a similar rewrite of Defender/Stargate and any other button-masher.

[+Allan]

 

Someone should produce a modern "Starplex-like" controller with the 5200 DB15 connector, with the buttons mapped to several keypad buttons, along with a hack/rewrite of Asteroids to read those button inputs for directions, thrust, fire and shield/hyperspace. It could be awesome. The same controller could be used with a similar rewrite of Defender/Stargate and any other button-masher.

Maybe Aladdin controllers can ad that feature into their forth-coming 5200 controller. You would just need a modded version of 5200 Asteroids to have the controls re-routed to some of the keypad code and have the Aladdin controller be able use arcade style buttons physically connected to the keypad wires. The only issue is that 5200 Asteroids speed is different than the arcade so that might be harder. Atari did try it with a prototype controller but for some reason didn't follow throw with it.

 

Allan

[ledzep]

 

Someone should produce a modern "Starplex-like" controller with the 5200 DB15 connector, with the buttons mapped to several keypad buttons, along with a hack/rewrite of Asteroids to read those button inputs for directions, thrust, fire and shield/hyperspace. It could be awesome. The same controller could be used with a similar rewrite of Defender/Stargate and any other button-masher.

 

Wouldn't it be more straightforward to have each button be a voltage reading (or however the analog stick is read) for full left, right, up and down? And then with both fire buttons? That way any game with Asteroids/Space Invaders type controls would work perfectly (5200 versions of Rip Off and Star Castle would be fantastic). What are the values for those directions, anyway? And either it would plug into a Masterplay or Wico y-cable keypad or it would have to have a keypad built into it, too. I assume it would be kind of clunky to have the keyboard built in, perhaps just having the Start/Pause/Reset buttons would be good enough but I'm guessing some game selections would require the keypad so better to do the Masterplay combo.

[+DrVenkman]

 

Wouldn't it be more straightforward to have each button be a voltage reading (or however the analog stick is read) for full left, right, up and down? And then with both fire buttons? That way any game with Asteroids/Space Invaders type controls would work perfectly (5200 versions of Rip Off and Star Castle would be fantastic). What are the values for those directions, anyway? And either it would plug into a Masterplay or Wico y-cable keypad or it would have to have a keypad built into it, too. I assume it would be kind of clunky to have the keyboard built in, perhaps just having the Start/Pause/Reset buttons would be good enough but I'm guessing some game selections would require the keypad so better to do the Masterplay combo.

 

Why would you need a full keypad to do game selection? Take a look at how Darrell Spice did it in Space Rocks. You can select everything you need from the menu with a four-way stick and one fire button. Surely whatever button controller you rig up could play a "proper" 5200 Asteroids title with basic controls. You just have to put some thought into the menue.

[Wrathchild]

Would a 5200 version of the Asteroids Emulator be good?

[ledzep]

 

Why would you need a full keypad to do game selection? Take a look at how Darrell Spice did it in Space Rocks. You can select everything you need from the menu with a four-way stick and one fire button. Surely whatever button controller you rig up could play a "proper" 5200 Asteroids title with basic controls. You just have to put some thought into the menue.

 

I was assuming to be compatible with already existing games. Some of them have overlays for certain selections, I would expect that the keypad would need to be there in order to select them. Now, maybe it wouldn't be too hard to build into the controller a way to use a direction button sequence to mimic the keypad choices but I'd think that adding a keypad (or just connecting the controller to a Masterplay or a Wico keypad) would do the same thing easier. I would also assume that this 5200 Starplex idea would come with its own y-cable (or 15-pin port) in order to connect a stock 5200 joystick in order to utilize that controller's keypad.

 

But, again, the main need would be having each direction button spit out the correct value for left, right, up and down, along with the 2 fire buttons. What are those values?

[Dutchman2000]

I'd love to have the asteroids emulator on the 5200!

[bohoki]

it would be neat if someone could make control options

 

i would like an analog 360 like gyruss you rotate the stick around and the ship matches your angle fire button 1 thrust button 2 any key for teleport

 

but for trackball just have left and right roll spin the ship buttons as above

 

maybe also have a keypad option like frogger button 4 roll counter 5 teleport 6 roll clockwise 1 fire 2 thrust