2600 Gearbox for Racing Games

[Eduardo]

This is a first draft on How to implement a Gearbox for Racing Games: http://groups.msn.com/ATARI2600UNACONSOLAU...oto&PhotoID=419

 

There are enough signals (using both joystick ports) to add 4 gears & clutch, imagine that compared to the same ol'tired Hi&low gears in Pole Position!

[Viso]

If you're going to insist on a full manual gearshift instead of up/down like in most other console games (not hi/low) then this is a good start. I have a few suggestions to make it even better.

 

Use a modified driving/steering controller on the left port. Use controller lines 3 and 4, normally left and right, for digital accellerator and breaks. Or use the paddle lines for analog control, but that might not be a great idea.

 

Use a gearshift controller as detailed on the link, but use the two paddle lines for switches (not analog control) that are for 5th gear and reverse.

 

Of cousre, someone still has to make the controller and make or modify the games.

[Eduardo]

heh reading your suggestions If I use the Paddle lines I might be able to get away with a Handbrake too to make the car "fishtail" to the side when applied, talking to Russ yesterday he suggested to use Driving controllers instead of the "digital wheel", I'm not so sure if I want to use the paddle lines for a 5th gear or Reverse because I was thinking to make a controller that would resemble the average Arcade gearbox, that comes with 4 speeds, a clutch, brake and accel, no reverse nor 5th and it's really fun to drive in that game, maybe if the VCS had more power I might feel inclined to create a more realistic gearbox to make it feel almost like a Simulator but in my concept I just want to make the VCS feel more Arcade like when it comes to Racing games. Anyway feel free to propose your own design with your own upgrades, it's always nice to see ideas where we push the VCS to the limits.

[Rob Mitchell]

I think that all the elements exist for this concept to be made.

 

One port would have the driving controller and the foot petal controller setup together. Driving controller uses pins 1/2, Gas Brake and Clutch would be on pins 3,4,6.

 

The other port would have a joystick mounted at 45 degree angle for LU, LD, RU, RD "shifting". A shift ball could be mounted on top of the stick for the shift knob.

 

Another concept: Slap Stick. Slap to the left is downshifting, right is upshifting.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA