Programming tools/hardware in the 70's/80's for the 2600?

[LatchKeyKid]

I was curious after watching some youtube interviews with classic programmers how advanced the development tools were in the heyday of the 2600.   What were the platforms that developers used to program/compile 2600 games as well as the hardware used to "flash" (correct term?) the test cartridges?   How long did the compiling take?  Could it be done on typical home computers of the day like the Apple II, VIC-20, and C64?  Just curious as I don't recall ever seeing a description of what the original coders had to work with.

 

[tschak909]

I tried to describe this, as best I could, a few years ago:

-Thom

[+Al_Nafuur]

Garry Kitchen build 1982 his own hardware for developing "Donkey Kong" on the Apple II

 

https://medium.com/swlh/how-i-spent-my-summer-of-1982-59638293f358

 

[tschak909]

I have been wanting to see this card for many years.

 

4 1K static RAMs, some bus enable logic, a bus transciever on each end... are those two white packages pull-up resistor packs? all gloriously wire wrapped, to fit nice and neatly into the language card area of an Apple ][ 

 

-Thom

 

[LatchKeyKid]

4 hours ago, tschak909 said:

I tried to describe this, as best I could, a few years ago:

-Thom

Thanks for the detailed rundown!  That sounds very complicated.   I had hoped the description of the Apple II setup for Donkey Kong had been the baseline but I guess I was too optimistic in that regard! 

[+Al_Nafuur]

2 hours ago, tschak909 said:

... are those two white packages pull-up resistor packs?

I think it is a cement resistor

 

looks like 1 Ohm 10% 1W when zoomed in.

 

 

[tschak909]

28 minutes ago, Al_Nafuur said:

I think it is a cement resistor

 

looks like 1 Ohm 10% 1W when zoomed in.

 

 

indeed, you're right. I wonder if that's what he had laying around? probably. I can't think of anything that would be high current enough to require them...