AtGames 2018 speculation thread

[beetch18]

 

It works but too slow to be playable.

This has been my experience as well

[ComputerSpaceFan]

hmmmm good break down of the paddle problem:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlgmtUDozdU&t=6s

Edited December 9, 2018 by ComputerSpaceFan

[AtariLeaf]

No one told me there'd be math involved. Is there a test after?

[JBerel]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Pi.

 

[Greg2600]

So the paddles could simply be fixed via firmware? Not that I expect At Games to ever do it.

[AtariLeaf]

They've been silent on the paddles for a long time. They're having problems getting them working at all is my guess because if they were working good enough for the "casual gamer" they'd have released them.

[AtariLeaf]

 

I wouldn't do that if I were you. I have the FB9 Gold and it plays all the original Atari 2600 roms from what I have seen. It also plays most homebrews. I haven't tried things like Scramble or Super Cobra knowing you need Stella 5+ for it to work. The cordless joysticks work great. The only downfall is no paddle support....yet! Hopefully ATGames will come through with this early next year. Seeing the R77 inconsistencies with cart play, makes it an instant pass for me. We won't even talk about their joysticks!

 

Its been updated to play homebrews, like Draconian, that the flashback can't. The cart slot doesn't matter I'd just use the SD card slot anyway which makes it essentially the same. The cart dumper is a fake anyway, you're not really playing the cart anyway. So the bottom line is which system is the most updated to play the latest possible version of Stella and so far it's the 77. The joystick issue is not an issue for me. I'll never even use the Retron 77's joystick.

 

I don't know how well the Retron 77 plays with paddle controllers so that's a factor I'd have to look into.

Edited December 10, 2018 by AtariLeaf

[atarifan88]

 

So the bottom line is which system is the most updated to play the latest possible version of Stella and so far it's the 77.

 

I thought they were both playing V3.9?

[+stephena]

The latest community update contains 3.9.4. The (4) adds CDF support as its major feature, which allows Mappy, Super Cobra Arcade, WoW, etc to run. The code is available here; it should be easily portable to run on the AtGames device.

[Atari Nut]

The latest community update contains 3.9.4. The (4) adds CDF support as its major feature, which allows Mappy, Super Cobra Arcade, WoW, etc to run. The code is available here; it should be easily portable to run on the AtGames device.

 

Who would be able to convert this to a firmware that can be installed on the FB9?

[atarifan88]

 

Who would be able to convert this to a firmware that can be installed on the FB9?

 

That's a million dollar question! I'm hoping our resident "firmware fairy" will have the answer. Flojomojo?...

[Merowech]

 

We don't have them out yet. Sorry.

Hi Bill

 

Do you know if these new paddles will be available at retailers in Europe as well? Because if not AtGames might loose many EU customers in the future ... 99€ for a console (FB9 Gold) with many bad playable paddle games is way too expensive.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Merowech

[mrlefty]

So the paddles could simply be fixed via firmware? Not that I expect At Games to ever do it.

I'm the one who posted the Flashback 9 Paddle video on YouTube that River Patroller shared several posts above. Thank you, BTW. The idea that the paddle issue could be fixed with firmware was speculation on my part. When I uploaded this video, I was unaware that a custom paddle controller was in the works for the Flashback 9. The claim of compatibility is not only printed in the manual that came with my unit, it is still on the pdf that you can download from their site. AtGames should publicly own up to this error, and perhaps compensate or offer a discount on the custom paddles for folks who bought this unit with the expectation of being able to play the paddle games with the original controller.

[phoenixdownita]

... AtGames should publicly own up to this error, and perhaps compensate or offer a discount on the custom paddles for folks who bought this unit with the expectation of being able to play the paddle games with the original controller.

LOL!!!

 

This year alone we had Namco blast arcade/non-arcade, FB9 HD/SD, this paddlegate here, FB arcade jailbrake FW with Genny only(why?), "new" GennyFB HD better than previous year but in the old box (me thinks they got caught with their pants down when Sega kick them) and god knows what else.

 

In no case they owned up to any of it, it was always the customer fault, or a misunderstanding or "the wrong audience" or this or that or the other.

You can always return it or contact them to see what they tell you (aka "return it and get a refund")

[mrlefty]

...You can always return it or contact them to see what they tell you (aka "return it and get a refund")

I contacted them last Sunday night. In the Email, I made no mention of my video, just their error in their documentation. No response yet. If I get one, I'll share it here.

 

My sister gave this to me as a gift. She provided the receipt, so I could return it, but I like the FB9 for the joystick games and handy HDMI out, and the SD card slot is a cool feature, so I'll probably keep it, even after throwing my temper tantrum about the paddles!

Edited December 12, 2018 by mrlefty

[TF14]

I'm the one who posted the Flashback 9 Paddle video on YouTube that River Patroller shared several posts above. Thank you, BTW. The idea that the paddle issue could be fixed with firmware was speculation on my part. When I uploaded this video, I was unaware that a custom paddle controller was in the works for the Flashback 9. The claim of compatibility is not only printed in the manual that came with my unit, it is still on the pdf that you can download from their site. AtGames should publicly own up to this error, and perhaps compensate or offer a discount on the custom paddles for folks who bought this unit with the expectation of being able to play the paddle games with the original controller.

 

Thanks for creating the video about the paddles! The Flashback 9 delivered on the SD card promise + Stella but at this point, its looking like a solid paddle experience is a hope for the 2019 release (FB10).

[JBerel]

I'm sure they'll have this down to a science by Flashback 1427. Coincidentally, they'll be competing against ataris new console that year.

[mrlefty]

Here's the response I got from AtGames regarding my paddle problems with the Flashback 9:

Hello William,
This is Dustin from AtGames Sales and Marketing team.

Thank you for your inquiry.
The Atari Flashback 9 system is compatible with the Atari 2600 controllers and previous AtGames controllers.
The Atari Flashback 9 Boom, however, is only compatible with this year's paddles and joysticks. The reason for this is because the new controllers are using a different technology than their predecessors.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions and I will be happy to help.

Here was my response:
I don't see "Boom" written anywhere on my box. The UPC is 818858029636 and it came from Dollar General. Is it a Flashback 9 or a Flashback 9 Boom? If it is a Flashback 9, then I need warranty service because original Atari paddles do not work correctly.

[Atariboy]

Does the system output via HDMI or composite?

 

If it's the former, it's what they're calling the "Flashback 9 Boom". This HD iteration only supports legacy wired joysticks and doesn't support traditional paddle controllers, older AtGames IR wireless joysticks, or the FB8's wireless joysticks.

 

If it's the latter, it's the old AtGames platform/emulator and works with traditional Atari paddles (And possibly the IR Atari joysticks? I owned the SD FB9 briefly but didn't open it to test it). I have only personally seen this iteration in Family Dollar while Walgreens and Wal-Mart stock the HDMI version (Dollar General after years of being the only local retailer to reliably find AtGames products at, suddenly stopped stocking them with last year's releases around these parts).

 

Assuming your video is the one that ComputerSpaceFan posted, it's the HD system and thus isn't designed to be compatible with traditional Atari paddle controllers, including the AtGames clone versions. The menu screen on the display shown at the start of the video even says "Atari Flashback 9 Boom".

 

Unfortunate that the documentation states that it's compatible with original Atari paddles. This mistake was noticed here at AtariAge in the FCC upload of the manual documentation around these parts after Bill Loguidice clarified that it doesn't support original paddle controllers, but evidently still snuck through on production units (Or perhaps was noticed just too late to rectify the mistake).

 

On the bright side, if you're posting at AtariAge, you probably didn't go out and buy paddles just for this purchase. And hopefully this annoyance yields something superior when/if AtGames comes through with their FB9 dedicated paddle controllers.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Atariboy

[mrlefty]

...Assuming your video is the one that ComputerSpaceFan posted, it's the HD system and thus isn't designed to be compatible with traditional Atari paddle controllers, including the AtGames clone versions. The menu screen on the display shown at the start of the video even says "Atari Flashback 9 Boom". ...

Now I feel silly! There's the boom right there on the menu screen of my vid... Just nowhere on the box or the documentation.

I'm a brand newbie here at AtariAge, and I'm working my way through the extensive posts on this and similar topics right now. I should have done this homework BEFORE posting my vid, but regardless, I came to the accurate conclusion that the potentiometer sensor settings on the FB9 are way to sensitive for paddle games to be playable.

 

No, I did not go out and buy new paddles. I have a big box of old Atari gear, including many sets of paddles that I have collected from garage sales, thift stores, flea markets, etc... But I only have ONE working 2600 console, and I wanted something a bit more modern to hook up to the living room TV. That's why I asked my sister for the FB9 for Christmas. I was also considering the Retron77, but that's another can of worms.

[Greg2600]

I would NOT feel ashamed, as all of this is confusing as hell. 2018 has been a year of egg on the face for AtGames. Welcome!

[Tanooki]

I know it's a bit off the mark here, but it's active. Last weekend I found for just five dollars one of those atgames genesis things in the box, the sonic 25th model. The dating on it is just a couple years back, was this like the last of the SD units offered alone or along side of the first HD one? Audio isn't great obviously, but the wireless controller doesn't seem so bad.

[AtariLeaf]

 

I don't see "Boom" written anywhere on my box.

 

 

I'm guessing he meant to say "Bust". Maybe he was an economics major before giving up on life and joining AtGames where for some inexplicable reason they made him change his name to Dustin.

[bmadgames]

It looks like the Flashback 9 Gold is on sale for $59.99 at Gamestop right now... that's the lowest I've seen it

[gsmith601]

I have now seen the Flashback Portable and Flashback 9 Gold Version at a couple local Targets. Still looking for Flashback Classics Volume 3 for Xbox One.