The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[Blinky]

Haven't fully catched up to this thread and maybe it has been mentioned before but I think a good way to access a 'hidden' UI would be when no cart inserted and the Loading Game failed message is displayed.  A press of the fire button and/or select switch could then trigger the UI.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

20 minutes ago, Blinky said:

Haven't fully catched up to this thread and maybe it has been mentioned before but I think a good way to access a 'hidden' UI would be when no cart inserted and the Loading Game failed message is displayed.  A press of the fire button and/or select switch could then trigger the UI.

That won't work, because the UI is (also) there for the current game loaded (e.g. PAL-60 or phosphor effect)

[Blinky]

I was thinking a custom UI where a user can select custom (configuration) settings that are passed on to the relevant emulator (through arguments or config file) and not the emulators UI

[JetmanUK]

I think the following would be a good way of accessing a UI:

 

When in game switch the 16:9/4:3 switch. This switch acts as a pause for all games on 2600 and 7800 too.  To continue you can either press fire to continue play in the alternative aspect ratio, or flick it back to the other setting and press fire to continue. 

Whilst paused if you press reset you get a UI. 

 

The UI could include:

 

Save states

3 slots, load and save here 

 

Video

Resolution setting

Scan lines - a couple of options

Smoothing/other filters

Boarder art for 4:3 ratio

Colours - Select the pallete 

PAL/NTSC settings

50/60hz settings 

 

USB 😱😱😱

Load a ROM from a USB stick or SD card which is attached to the USB C port with the relevant cable.

 

There's a lot added there is going away from the pure experience, and I'm not sure I'd want all that, but others may. Just some thoughts. 

[Brad_from_the_80s]

I think people are saying the same thing, but it's fairly simple.  Right now you can treat and operate the 2600+ as if it were an original 4-switch VCS, and that needs to be preserved.  Anything that is the normal operation of a 2600 should never unintentionally cause us to be confronted with a UI. 

 

HDMI and 7800 support are totally great, but UIs and save states are modern paradigms that disrupt the experience.  One reviewer called the device "stubbornly retro", and believe it or not, that is its special appeal. 

 

If you deliver QOL stuff non-intrusively or optionally enabled then all well and good, but those things are already available on multiple other solutions from Atari and others.  Yet somehow this device seems to have caught fire like no other since the 2600 itself, and I don't think it is only down to aesthetics.  There was a silly argument about whether this was just another Flashback or RetroN77, and going too far down the rabbit hole could turn it into one.

[JetmanUK]

1 minute ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

I think people are saying the same thing, but it's fairly simple.  Right now you can treat and operate the 2600+ as if it were an original 4-switch VCS, and that needs to be preserved.  Anything that is the normal operation of a 2600 should never unintentionally cause us to be confronted with a UI. 

 

HDMI and 7800 support are totally great, but UIs and save states are modern paradigms that disrupt the experience.  One reviewer called the device "stubbornly retro", and believe it or not, that is its special appeal. 

 

If you deliver QOL stuff non-intrusively or optionally enabled then all well and good, but those things are already available on multiple other solutions from Atari and others.  Yet somehow this device seems to have caught fire like no other since the 2600 itself, and I don't think it is only down to aesthetics.  There was a silly argument about whether this was just another Flashback or RetroN77, and going too far down the rabbit hole could turn it into one.

I agree with this. I have immensely enjoyed my analogue time machine. It's been really wonderful, a nostalgia box that has taken me back to simpler times. But I don't mind a hidden UI accessed on the only new button on the console (as per my suggestion above). I would only touch it very occasionally, Mr Run and Jump comes to mind. 

 

I feel that the 2600 Plus is so unique that I even purchased the Gamestion Pro too. I am treating that as something I'd play Atari carts that are too expensive or hard to get hold of machine, and as a general emu box. It's also a nice bit of kit, but completely separate to the 2600 Plus. It's got a lovely Atari vibe with it's styling though, oh, and the joysticks are way better than many reviews had lead me to believe. 

[scifidude79]

5 minutes ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

I think people are saying the same thing, but it's fairly simple.  Right now you can treat and operate the 2600+ as if it were an original 4-switch VCS, and that needs to be preserved.  Anything that is the normal operation of a 2600 should never unintentionally cause us to be confronted with a UI. 

 

HDMI and 7800 support are totally great, but UIs and save states are modern paradigms that disrupt the experience.  One reviewer called the device "stubbornly retro", and believe it or not, that is its special appeal.

I have to agree. Sure, some modern comforts are nice and there are people who like them. But, I think a lot of people want something that looks and acts just like a 2600, and that's what we have now. Aside from a short loading screen, it's a very authentic experience.

 

For my non Atari 8-bit and 16-bit games, I have the glorious Retron 5. That thing is a beast with its 5 console slots that can play 80s, 90s and even some early 2000s Sega and Nintendo games. Obviously, with that many slots, it's not going to be an authentic experience. Then you add in the fact that you have to load into a UI to run your game and you have things like scanline filters, save states, etc. and it takes you away from that authentic experience. But, I'm OK with that because I knew what I was buying. However, if any of those consoles got a faithful re-release that plays games like the original consoles do, like the Atari 2600 did, I would switch to playing the games for that console on it over the Retron 5. That's because it's more than just playing the games, it's the whole immersive experience.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

31 minutes ago, scifidude79 said:

I have to agree. Sure, some modern comforts are nice and there are people who like them. But, I think a lot of people want something that looks and acts just like a 2600, and that's what we have now.

Not exactly. And the UI can help to close some of these gaps.

[scifidude79]

1 minute ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Not exactly. And the UI can help to close some of these gaps.

That's why I didn't say "everyone" wants it that way. (I hate it when people do that) I know there are a sizeable number of people who would love a UI.

 

Though, say they added one later on down the road for the 2600+, I just wouldn't update my console to that firmware version. It's not a modern console with forced updates and will continue to function as it does now if I never update it. In fact, that would actually be a perfect solution because then I could have my console in its classic configuration and those of you who like a UI could have it.

[atariman72]

38 minutes ago, JetmanUK said:

I agree with this. I have immensely enjoyed my analogue time machine. It's been really wonderful, a nostalgia box that has taken me back to simpler times. But I don't mind a hidden UI accessed on the only new button on the console (as per my suggestion above). I would only touch it very occasionally, Mr Run and Jump comes to mind. 

 

I feel that the 2600 Plus is so unique that I even purchased the Gamestion Pro too. I am treating that as something I'd play Atari carts that are too expensive or hard to get hold of machine, and as a general emu box. It's also a nice bit of kit, but completely separate to the 2600 Plus. It's got a lovely Atari vibe with it's styling though, oh, and the joysticks are way better than many reviews had lead me to believe. 

The combination of 2600+ and Gs Pro is great for that very reason.  I love the authenticty of the +, and the Gamestation is excellent for images of carts I don't own as well as playing some other systems on.  Agree about the joysticks as well.

[ukaskew]

Not sure if it's a question of resources but I'd much prefer continued work to make as many games as possible compatible (I say this as a PAL 7800 owner, so currently have drawn the shortest of straws with how many of games are currently not working!)

 

Nice to haves are just that, but I think ultimately the end-game for this device should be that it can play every official release (or as close to that as possible).

[+remowilliams]

As I expected it seems that there will need to be an additional extensive manual added...

 

It will be necessary for teaching people to thoroughly elimate from their minds the mere existence of an unseen UI that they would never know was there unless they did something purposeful to activate it.   😄

[Dbug]

10 minutes ago, remowilliams said:

As I expected it seems that there will need to be an additional extensive manual added...

 

It will be necessary for teaching people to thoroughly elimate from their minds the mere existence of an unseen UI that they would never know was there unless they did something purposeful to activate it.   😄

A manual is already a necessity: The 10 in 1 cartridge has many games which have many variants, if you don't already know the games, how are you supposed to know that Combat has both tank and plane fights, plus plenty of other variants? 

[scifidude79]

11 minutes ago, Dbug said:

A manual is already a necessity: The 10 in 1 cartridge has many games which have many variants, if you don't already know the games, how are you supposed to know that Combat has both tank and plane fights, plus plenty of other variants? 

The 10-in-1 manual exists:

 

https://atari.com/pages/ten

 

The link is on the order page for the 2600+.

[Dbug]

19 minutes ago, scifidude79 said:

The 10-in-1 manual exists:

 

https://atari.com/pages/ten

 

The link is on the order page for the 2600+.

Was that actually indicated anywhere in the actual console packaging?
I did search when I got it, did not find that page 🤔

[Thomas Jentzsch]

22 minutes ago, scifidude79 said:

The 10-in-1 manual exists:

 

https://atari.com/pages/ten

 

The link is on the order page for the 2600+.

Yes, but the game variations are not always described in detail, e.g. Missile Command.

 

I would much prefer this (from the original manual)

over this:

MISSILE COMMAND has 34 game variations. GAMES 1 through 17 are one-player, and GAMES 18 through 34 are two-player games.

 

And the original manual provides much more, detailed information.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Thomas Jentzsch

[scifidude79]

25 minutes ago, Dbug said:

Was that actually indicated anywhere in the actual console packaging?
I did search when I got it, did not find that page 🤔

No, it wasn't. I still have the box for mine and I just took a look. For good measure, I also took a look at the box for the 4-in-1 paddle set and the boxes for Berzerk Enhanced and Mr. Run and Jump and none of them tell you that page exists. You literally have to find it through the Atari.com store. That's kind of odd, when you think about it. Nicely made manuals exist and I'll bet that a lot of people don't know they do.

 

25 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Yes, but the game variations are not always described in detail, e.g. Missile Command.

 

I would much prefer this (from the original manual)

over this:

MISSILE COMMAND has 34 game variations. GAMES 1 through 17 are one-player, and GAMES 18 through 34 are two-player games.

 

And the original manual provides much more, detailed information.

Yes, indeed, it could be better. I noticed some of the games (Combat, for example) have better lists of what the different modes are, while others like Missile Command are more general. I don't know why that is.

[ukaskew]

In terms of manuals (digital or otherwise) I'd never seen those links either. In the UK the only official source of 2600+ stuff is Amazon, so there is no need to go to the Atari site (and searching for the 2600+ within the UK, you're taken to Amazon anyway because Google is clever like that).

 

A URL somewhere on the box would have been useful, there must be the best part of 100 variants on the 4 in 1 cart and we had great fun figuring out which were two player with the family yesterday (I jest).

[protomank]

Some news about the 1.1 beta. Looking good.

 

[Sean_1970]

2 hours ago, ukaskew said:

In terms of manuals (digital or otherwise) I'd never seen those links either. In the UK the only official source of 2600+ stuff is Amazon, so there is no need to go to the Atari site (and searching for the 2600+ within the UK, you're taken to Amazon anyway because Google is clever like that).

 

A URL somewhere on the box would have been useful, there must be the best part of 100 variants on the 4 in 1 cart and we had great fun figuring out which were two player with the family yesterday (I jest).

They also just look like webpages to me. A downloadable PDF option would be nice, but I just downloaded the manuals for individual games to get the game mode details.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:09 PM, Ben from Plaion said:

I'll ask.

Any answer?

[MikeM_]

17 hours ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

I think people are saying the same thing, but it's fairly simple.  Right now you can treat and operate the 2600+ as if it were an original 4-switch VCS, and that needs to be preserved.  Anything that is the normal operation of a 2600 should never unintentionally cause us to be confronted with a UI. 

 

HDMI and 7800 support are totally great, but UIs and save states are modern paradigms that disrupt the experience.  One reviewer called the device "stubbornly retro", and believe it or not, that is its special appeal. 

 

If you deliver QOL stuff non-intrusively or optionally enabled then all well and good, but those things are already available on multiple other solutions from Atari and others.  Yet somehow this device seems to have caught fire like no other since the 2600 itself, and I don't think it is only down to aesthetics.  There was a silly argument about whether this was just another Flashback or RetroN77, and going too far down the rabbit hole could turn it into one.

Brand New on the forum, but long time Atari gamer. 

 

This hits the nail on the head. What makes this system stand out from all the other emulators and 'all in one' collections is its simplicity and similarity to the original 2600/7800 experience. The majority of my carts are working great in the 2600+, and I have stopped using my 7800 as my primary since getting this. I like that the improvements called out in the upcoming FW update are more about compatibility and performance rather than unneeded bells and whistles. 

 

The Atari 50 collection is where modern conveniences live.

If I want to have classic games in a modern package, I grab my Switch and that's where I go.  

 

Keep up the good work Atari. 

[+GoldLeader]

1 hour ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Any answer?

 

Sure @Thomas Jentzsch!  Send me back to page 107 to find out what the question was!  (Sorry folks I already forgot too!  Hehaaa,  Something about audio in STELLA)  😆

[Ben from Plaion]

3 hours ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Any answer?

I checked and never received an answer. I've chased it.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

18 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I checked and never received an answer. I've chased it.

Try again, please. With the default audio settings, the CPU might no be able to handle them.