Scramble (5200)

[playsoft]

This is my attempt at Scramble on the 5200.

 

Press a trigger or start and you'll see the options screen.

 

Press the numeric key of the option to step through the different settings.

 

1. Difficulty - select between Normal and Easy.

 

2. Tunnels - select between Wide and Normal.

 

By default Wide is selected which makes the tunnel section possible with the 5200 non-centering joystick.

 

If you play with a digital (or centering) joystick then you should select Normal tunnels.

 

3. Ship size - (usually...) selects between Normal and Small.

 

4. Rockets - select between Normal and Fast.

 

5. Autofire - select between Off, Fast and Slow.

 

6. Trigger 1 - select between Missiles and Both.

 

This allows you to play with a single button joystick. If you select both then the (main) trigger will both fire a missile and drop a bomb.

 

7. Lives - select between 3, 4 and 5.

 

8. Scroll - select between Normal and Fast.

 

Thanks to kiwilove for his help with the graphics.

Also to PacManPlus for making the level data available and to CyranoJ for explaining it!

 

scramble.bin

Edited July 30, 2018 by playsoft

[Omega-TI]

This is my attempt at Scramble on the 5200.

 

Freaking AWESOME! Even if I could not get past the second level on my first attempt.

[Swami]

This is my attempt at Scramble on the 5200.

 

Press a trigger or start and you'll see the options screen.

 

Pr

Also to PacManPlus for making the level data available and to CyranoJ for explaining it!

 

 

Wow! This looks and plays great! I just played it with a digital joystick in MAME on my laptop as I am not home, but it was really fun. It will be interesting to see what it works like with analog on the 5200. Its good to see new games being made for the 5200.

 

BTW, some of us were looking for a hack of pole position for the 5200 that uses analog up/down for gas/brake and the buttons for high/low gear, so we could use old 15 pin PC racing wheels with it (with adapter), if this is fairly easy for someone who knows what they're doing. No assumptions, just an idea to throw out there.

[Keatah]

Yes. This is looking good!

[Atari Nut]

Great job. Thank you!

[playsoft]

Thanks for the nice comments, I was pleased how it turned out.

[playsoft]

 

Wow! This looks and plays great! I just played it with a digital joystick in MAME on my laptop as I am not home, but it was really fun. It will be interesting to see what it works like with analog on the 5200. Its good to see new games being made for the 5200.

 

BTW, some of us were looking for a hack of pole position for the 5200 that uses analog up/down for gas/brake and the buttons for high/low gear, so we could use old 15 pin PC racing wheels with it (with adapter), if this is fairly easy for someone who knows what they're doing. No assumptions, just an idea to throw out there.

 

Changing the logic in a game is difficult. You might be lucky and find that the accelerator/brake button presses affect some variables that you could manipulate with the joystick position instead... but this is unlikely.

 

Keeping the game logic the same but changing the inputs is easier. You could use the joystick position to effectively determine how many times the accelerator/brake buttons are pressed over a certain number of frames.

 

This would be similar to how the joystick functions in Scramble. There is a dead zone in the middle and four zones either side. Depending on the zone the ship is moved 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 frames out of 4 frames. I don't know whether this would give you the functionality you require with the racing wheel.

 

I won't promise anything but I will take a look at it when I have some time.

[+TrekMD]

Very nice!

[Swami]

 

Changing the logic in a game is difficult. You might be lucky and find that the accelerator/brake button presses affect some variables that you could manipulate with the joystick position instead... but this is unlikely.

 

Keeping the game logic the same but changing the inputs is easier. You could use the joystick position to effectively determine how many times the accelerator/brake buttons are pressed over a certain number of frames.

 

This would be similar to how the joystick functions in Scramble. There is a dead zone in the middle and four zones either side. Depending on the zone the ship is moved 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 frames out of 4 frames. I don't know whether this would give you the functionality you require with the racing wheel.

 

I won't promise anything but I will take a look at it when I have some time.

Okay thanks for the consideration and topic tangent. Only if it sounds like something interesting to you. I might get to it eventually but Im still a novice and I havent gotten through enough 6502 to do much of anything yet for any system.

[BIGHMW]

Terrific work! Just like I remembered it in the Arcades 35+ years ago, THIS (and others) is why I bought an Atarimax SD multicart last year, and I'm glad I did, I'll just need to take some time alone and practice on all the games so I can reclaim my place in my old days in High School (Erikson Center, Tarzana, CA, Class of 1984, Honor Roll graduate) as the Atari King, I was the ULTIMATE Atarian back then and could even roll over (turn back to zero due to lack of infinite scoring) scoreboards on some of my games, I've gotta just stick with them and not give up after just 2 plays because I failed on them then (I myself am a little rusty).

[+sramirez2008]

Can't wait to try this when I get home this weekend.

[Aking]

thanks for another gem!

[Omega-TI]

162 downloads in 2 & 1/2 days!!!!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

[playsoft]

Credit is due to whoever it was at Konami that designed Scramble. Every element of the game is so simple but they really work well together.

[mmervine]

Got home from a business trip, put this on my Atarimax cart, and played this for about half an hour. Wow...this is awesome...thanks so much! I hope you are thinking about a cart/manual/box release!!!

[+Philsan]

Another Playsoft's masterpiece!

[Rybags]

I just saw this.

 

Nice job, better than I would have expected for our hardware. And please port to the computer.

Leaves Super Cobra in the dust.

 

13,840 - Got creamed at the start of the meteor part, and annoyingly had to start back at the wobbly attacker part.

[Mclaneinc]

We in the computer forum got linked to this and its just superb, plays like a dream..

 

Thank you Playsoft, as Rybags said, maybe a computer port too?

 

And a hint for the Altirra emulator in 5200 mode users, set the joystick to absolute mode to fix the j/s movement....Keyboard settings are fine..

 

Paul..

Edited August 2, 2018 by Mclaneinc

[playsoft]

13,840 - Got creamed at the start of the meteor part, and annoyingly had to start back at the wobbly attacker part.

 

After a few months of dedicated practice you'll get better:

 

[playsoft]

162 downloads in 2 & 1/2 days!!!!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

 

I'm a veggie

[playsoft]

I wasn't planning an A8 release as I thought the game was a better fit for the 5200. The biggest issue would be getting the level of difficulty correct for PAL as the slower frame rate does make it a lot easier.

Edited August 2, 2018 by playsoft

[mmervine]

Played this some more this evening. All I can say is wow!!! Good thing my 5200 doesn't require quarters...I'd be broke by now!

[+darryl1970]

This is great on so many levels!

 

I love that the 5200 is getting some love.

The scrolling is smooth as silk. It's CRAZY FAST when set to fast.

The animations are great. I appreciate the attention to detail and all of the options.

 

Super Cobra was one of the first games I got for my 5200.

For being developed in the 80's it was pretty solid. This game feels more arcade-like and smooth.

 

It seems to take advantage of the analog controls. When I was trying to get a screenshot, I noticed that the stick a little off center, and it was descending very slightly.

This really plays to the 5200 advantages.

 

Thanks for this great release!

[playsoft]

It seems to take advantage of the analog controls. When I was trying to get a screenshot, I noticed that the stick a little off center, and it was descending very slightly.

 

Yes there are 4 speeds of movement spread over 4 frames. At the slowest speed you move 1 frame in 4, at the fastest 4 frames in 4. Most of the time you are moving fast but it does make a subtle change to control.

[Rybags]

Changing keys for emulation helps a lot. Using CTRL and Shift directly above for bombs is an annoying control method and Altirra doesn't allow Alt.

So, Z/X for bomb/fire makes it a bunch easier.

 

I got entirely through and back to the meteors again - nice Easter Egg once you loop through. Though I was using easier settings like Easy, small ship, autofire fast and 5 lives but I did have a few left once I finished the game.

 

I'm not sure if it's arcade Scramble or Super Cobra (or maybe both?) - probably SC actually but I seem to remember there being a part of the game where you had to get every single fuel or you'd just die.