The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[Ben from Plaion]

12 minutes ago, Atariboy said:

Ben, are your programmers going to look into the reversed button issue with 7800 games?

 

Thanks

Of course. I checked the 7800 buttons on the factory test cart and looks to me that the buttons are firing correctly. So makes me then think the emulator is swapping them around

[Ben from Plaion]

4 hours ago, DEANJIMMY said:

Galaga PAL has been reported to work from quite a few players but lower 20% of the screen are missing.

I remember PAL Commando and Xevious are a kind of stretched too, filling up more of the screen than other games.

Xevious Pal has been reported start with a crashed screen from at least 6 players so far but the cart from Dr Karnov works🤔

 

My Galaga is indeed PAL, has a full screen.

[Defender_2600]

25 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Of course. I checked the 7800 buttons on the factory test cart and looks to me that the buttons are firing correctly. So makes me then think the emulator is swapping them around

IMG_4155.MOV

 

  14 hours ago, Chemical Burrito said:

So is it just me, or does anyone else notice that the two controller buttons are "wired" backwards on the 2600+ as compared to a real 7800? 

"If that is indeed the case, then the source version being utilized may be 1.3a and not 1.3e. 

Backwards/swapped buttons assignments was 'fixed' under v1.3b.

Further, better button behavior overall was not addressed under v1.3d.

A bug was introduced with that and corrected under v1.3d2.

 

I stated recently v1.3e is from 2013.  Sorry, that's 2009 instead, as mentioned earlier in the thread, and where all button issues were finally sorted.

 

In 2015, there were 'unofficial' v1.3f and v1.3g releases. 

The latter is where a couple of accuracy issues started to be addressed, but again the real money is with relatively recent JS7800 updates.

July and August updates from this year are especially killer, though some great updates took place in 2020 and 2021 too.

 

Atari / @Ben from Plaion would be wise to reach out to @RevEng to see if he is even interested to be employed as a hired contractor to tackle improving whatever is currently in place for the 2600+."

 

 

[Ben from Plaion]

1 hour ago, Sean_1970 said:

If it’s just psychological, it’s still working 😂

 

Looks like the Omega Race cart I paid $15 for is dead, but here’s hoping it just needs some cotton swab TLC 🤞

Mountain King, Omega Race, Tunnel Runner are CBS RAM Plus games and are on a thread  here https://forums.atariage.com/topic/357096-atari-2600-related-test-results-not-7800/#comment-5352342 detailing reprted none working carts. Thomas has provided advice on this and its been passed to the developer, looks like dumper code needs tweaking, I will post any developments here. Your cart is probably fine. Just keep a look out here for an update 

 

[Ben from Plaion]

3 minutes ago, Defender_2600 said:

 

 

 

I read this,  I dont know what to make of it as its unlikely the developer would inform me its 1.3E when its 1.3A. It will be looked at and I will report back.

[Chemical Burrito]

29 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Of course. I checked the 7800 buttons on the factory test cart and looks to me that the buttons are firing correctly. So makes me then think the emulator is swapping them around

 

Out of curiosity, I installed the 7800 core (ProSystem 1.3e) into RetroArch on my Retroid RP3+ handheld to check out how the buttons were mapped by default there.  The default button arrangement maps "A" to button 1 and "B" to button 2.  Of course, the buttons are arranged in the Nintendo way on the RP3+ (and a lot of other retro handhelds), so that means that the buttons are actually reversed by default on the RP3+ ... since "A" is physically to the right of "B" on Nintendo systems.

 

I wonder if that's why the retrogaming Youtube creators never caught the problem.  They were used to the buttons being backwards!

 

But at least on my RP3+ I can redefine the buttons so that button 1 is the left button and buttons 2 is the right.  On the 2600+, I'm stuck.  On the 2600+, the issue makes it so that at least two quite popular 7800 games (Pole Position II, Asteroids) are unplayable without a two-buttons controller when they are playable on the original hardware.

 

[Ben from Plaion]

1 minute ago, Chemical Burrito said:

 

Out of curiosity, I installed the 7800 core (ProSystem 1.3e) into RetroArch on my Retroid RP3+ handheld to check out how the buttons were mapped by default there.  The default button arrangement maps "A" to button 1 and "B" to button 2.  Of course, the buttons are arranged in the Nintendo way on the RP3+ (and a lot of other retro handhelds), so that means that the buttons are actually reversed by default on the RP3+ ... since "A" is physically to the right of "B" on Nintendo systems.

 

I wonder if that's why the retrogaming Youtube creators never caught the problem.  They were used to the buttons being backwards!

 

But at least on my RP3+ I can redefine the buttons so that button 1 is the left button and buttons 2 is the right.  On the 2600+, I'm stuck.  On the 2600+, the issue makes it so that at least two quite popular 7800 games (Pole Position II, Asteroids) are unplayable without a two-buttons controller when they are playable on the original hardware.

 

Ha nice one, the mystery continues.

[Blinky]

So I noticed at the bottom of the Atari2600+ product where it is mentioned that the 2600+ uses Stella and ProSystem open source projects with links to their respective GitHubs. @Ben from Plaion will the links to the Atari2600+ sources be placed there as well or can we find them somewhere else?

[Chemical Burrito]

8 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Ha nice one, the mystery continues.

One more bit of information to throw onto the pile.  It appears that Asteroids 7800, at least, can tell whether or not you're using a two button controller on a real Atari 7800.  When I plug in the CX40+ onto my real 7800 and boot up Asteroids, the control scheme is that the button fires and hyperspace is controlled by pulling down on the joystick.  When I plug in my 7800 pad or a 7800 ProLine and boot up Asteroids, the left button fires and the right button hyperspaces, but pulling down on the joystick does nothing.

 

On the 2600+, a CX40+ is apparently recognized as a two button controller with the single button mapped as the right button.  Pulling down on the stick doesn't trigger hyperspace as it would when the CX40+ is used on the actual Atari 7800.  This is actually consistent with what RetroArch/ProStation 1.3e does on my RP3+ - there's no option to "use this controller as a one button controller" in any of the emulation options.  So I wonder if Asteroids will still be unplayable (no hyperspace) on a CX40+ on the 2600+ even if the button reversal is corrected because there's another issue in how the emulator interacts with a one button controller.

[DEANJIMMY]

1 hour ago, Ben from Plaion said:

My Galaga is indeed PAL, has a full screen.

Hmm, I can see your stars reach to the top...

But when I start playing, my ship is down at the bottom of the screen and you can't see your extra ships, like in the pic from the internet.

I believe this what the other players meant.

Edited November 20, 2023 by DEANJIMMY

[Ben from Plaion]

13 minutes ago, DEANJIMMY said:

Yes, but when you start playing, your ship is down at the bottom of the screen and you can't see your extra ships, as in the pic from the internet.

Very interesting, on my Galaga there are 3 lines on the bottom right denoting ships left. I wonder if there are different builds of Galaga released on the 7800? Certainly a curiosity I want to solve.

[Ben from Plaion]

33 minutes ago, Blinky said:

So I noticed at the bottom of the Atari2600+ product where it is mentioned that the 2600+ uses Stella and ProSystem open source projects with links to their respective GitHubs. @Ben from Plaion will the links to the Atari2600+ sources be placed there as well or can we find them somewhere else?

I wrote a OSS text file that details more, I'll ask where the link is.

[m.o.terra kaesi]

6 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

when will this be released?

[Ben from Plaion]

23 minutes ago, Chemical Burrito said:

One more bit of information to throw onto the pile.  It appears that Asteroids 7800, at least, can tell whether or not you're using a two button controller on a real Atari 7800.  When I plug in the CX40+ onto my real 7800 and boot up Asteroids, the control scheme is that the button fires and hyperspace is controlled by pulling down on the joystick.  When I plug in my 7800 pad or a 7800 ProLine and boot up Asteroids, the left button fires and the right button hyperspaces, but pulling down on the joystick does nothing.

 

On the 2600+, a CX40+ is apparently recognized as a two button controller with the single button mapped as the right button.  Pulling down on the stick doesn't trigger hyperspace as it would when the CX40+ is used on the actual Atari 7800.  This is actually consistent with what RetroArch/ProStation 1.3e does on my RP3+ - there's no option to "use this controller as a one button controller" in any of the emulation options.  So I wonder if Asteroids will still be unplayable (no hyperspace) on a CX40+ on the 2600+ even if the button reversal is corrected because there's another issue in how the emulator interacts with a one button controller.

Hoo boy these rabbit warrens we're going down!

[Ben from Plaion]

Just now, m.o.terra kaesi said:

when will this be released?

Subscription copies landed today, newstand copies next week.

[Zap1982]

2 hours ago, Dr Karnov said:

I can't rule out that it's NTSC. I bought it with another load of carts earlier this year, and it was advertised as a PAL cart. It does not have the 'P' sticker on, and I can't access my 7800 at the moment to check it

Well it gives me some hope that mine might be NTSC and work then 😂 

[Ben from Plaion]

2 minutes ago, Zap1982 said:

Well it gives me some hope that mine might be NTSC and work then 😂 

And if its PAL Im not going anywhere.  I see the end goal. Its a finite calculation and desire. It has to work.

[+swlovinist]

5 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Hi John,

 

The PR / Marketing department are putting together a sentiment report on the Atari 2600+ launch. I noted that they are classifying your Youtube review as negative because you 'Gave it a Pass' as in pass on it/dont buy it - I didnt take it like that and thought it got a Pass grade, could be improved.

 

What is your defination of a pass?

I gave it a 7.5 overall and still recommend it.   I understand some of the shortcomings but do state rather directly my issues with the product.   I just wanted to be clear on the shortcomings to others so they are not disappointed.   Your understanding of my review is accurate.   

[Ben from Plaion]

20 minutes ago, swlovinist said:

I gave it a 7.5 overall and still recommend it.   I understand some of the shortcomings but do state rather directly my issues with the product.   I just wanted to be clear on the shortcomings to others so they are not disappointed.   Your understanding of my review is accurate.   

Keep on trucking my main man!

 

Put a bit respeck on the name John Hancock. Its going to be all fine in the end!

Edited November 20, 2023 by Ben from Plaion

[Video]

Woo! Mine come in yesterday! Well I'm not going to get to play with it till wednesday, but the console itself is gorgeous. Runs on USB c, so definitely need to make sure the wall wart has the oomph to run the system, I assume most c are the 2 a variety, but I think its the one that also does 3a and 5a.

 

I was unpacking and thinking wtf, no cart? Its packed in with the stick in a sleeve. Pretty cool, I just expected it in the skinny box with the cables.

 

I got a decent pile of 2600 games available, and a few homebrew to put to the test. Once I've tested ill let you know what of mine works. Most originals are more common, but I do have some weird stuff like rampage and Ghostbusters.

[Ben from Plaion]

3 minutes ago, Video said:

Woo! Mine come in yesterday! Well I'm not going to get to play with it till wednesday, but the console itself is gorgeous. Runs on USB c, so definitely need to make sure the wall wart has the oomph to run the system, I assume most c are the 2 a variety, but I think its the one that also does 3a and 5a.

 

I was unpacking and thinking wtf, no cart? Its packed in with the stick in a sleeve. Pretty cool, I just expected it in the skinny box with the cables.

 

I got a decent pile of 2600 games available, and a few homebrew to put to the test. Once I've tested ill let you know what of mine works. Most originals are more common, but I do have some weird stuff like rampage and Ghostbusters.

Just plug it into your TVs USB port, its so conveiniant that way. If you want to plug it into a wall wort it only needs 1A, any old mobile phone plug will work.

 

Just sit back and enjoy the unboxing experience and playing them games again. Saviour it.

[Dionoid]

2 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Very interesting, on my Galaga there are 3 lines on the bottom right denoting ships left. I wonder if there are different builds of Galaga released on the 7800? Certainly a curiosity I want to solve.

I'm sure that's because the bottom 5% of PAL Galaga isn't displayed on the 2600+. If you play your cart on an actual 7800, you'll probably see 3 ships (on the bottom left, not the bottom right). Curiosity solved? 

 

4 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

The Galaga logo should be in the center of your screen. It's hard to see from this picture, but it looks like its shifted to the bottom too much.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Dionoid

[chad5200]

2 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Saviour it.

Savor the saviour!

 

 

[Sean_1970]

6 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Mountain King, Omega Race, Tunnel Runner are CBS RAM Plus games and are on a thread  here https://forums.atariage.com/topic/357096-atari-2600-related-test-results-not-7800/#comment-5352342 detailing reprted none working carts. Thomas has provided advice on this and its been passed to the developer, looks like dumper code needs tweaking, I will post any developments here. Your cart is probably fine. Just keep a look out here for an update 

 

Oh thanks for that, will do!

[Dr Karnov]

22 hours ago, DEANJIMMY said:

Many thanks, I can't test on Xevious.

Do you have Ikari Warriors?

I played my (PAL) Ikari Warriors for a good 20 minutes. Definitely no phantom inputs