When will there be a scheduled firmware update for the 2600+?

[DEANJIMMY]

25 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Omega Race is being worked on right now. I'll post any news on AA soon as its cracked.

 

Robot Tank I'm a bit confused on as my copy works fine, but other people seem to have issues.

If your Robot Tank cart is PAL it should work, as does mine.

I guess for Robot Tank it is the NTSC version which fails?

[Warboss Gegguz]

1 hour ago, DEANJIMMY said:

If your Robot Tank cart is PAL it should work, as does mine.

I guess for Robot Tank it is the NTSC version which fails?

Taking note.

[Warboss Gegguz]

Just tried multiple versions of the PAL roms.

Got the same rolling "Switching to Reserve Tank" error, just pink instead of red.

[Blinky]

On 12/9/2023 at 10:50 AM, karri said:

I rather have a working, well tested update in 2024 than an "almost working" update before Christmas

An later update that fixes a lot more issues will be fine with me too but I can imagine people unboxing their 2600+es on Christmas would appreciate it if they could do an 'improved cart compatibiliy only' update and be able to play more carts then they could with the stock firmware.

[DEANJIMMY]

30 minutes ago, Warboss Gegguz said:

Just tried multiple versions of the PAL roms.

Got the same rolling "Switching to Reserve Tank" error, just pink instead of red.

I played it a couple of days ago

[suspicious_milk]

Star Raiders needs to happen.  It's Atari's most under used IP.

 

A 7800/2600+  newly released MULTIcart would sell loads. Many versions of Star Raiders are there?   Or an exclusive new version.  Either way, it'd sell more pluses.  But we can't even play the 2600 cut on the plus with no touchpad support.  After the "Atari" Flashback 9000th model they've not managed Star Raiders.  They keep putting out paddles &when they're sh!t they release an "update" that still doesn't fix it ... wash rinse repeat for the FB 9001 lol.  People STILL by this sh!t.  The point IS, Atari, we already have AtGames, please avoid being another. It seems they are not going that route, which hopefully stays.

Isn't Star Raiders the best selling Atari property over the years 400/800, 2600, ST, 5200 ...?

 

[SuperZapperRecharge]

11 hours ago, Pinballs said:

I'd like to play my 7800GD cart for 7800 and 2600 games, but as the 2600+ doesn't and likely won't support them I've boxed it up again. I'm now using an original 7800 with the 7800GD, connected to HDMI via RetroTINK 5X Pro. Also works via SCART with an RGC lead. I'm disappointed with the 2600+ frankly. It could have been so much better than this as the definitive way to play 7800 and 2600 games on original-ish hardware (not FPGA, but so be it). Sorry to be negative but this is my honest view, as an Atari fan. 

Well you have your 7800 Game Drive which has an FPGA in it for $160 without a controller! With a Retrotink you can hook it up to an HDMI TV for $325. As long as you buy a cable Genesis 2 to SCART or composite cable. Although the Atari 2600+ does all that in one box for $129. I get it, it's emulation.

Edited December 13, 2023 by SuperZapperRecharge

[Sean_1970]

14 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Omega Race is being worked on right now. I'll post any news on AA soon as its cracked.

 

Robot Tank I'm a bit confused on as my copy works fine, but other people seem to have issues.

That’s the first I’ve heard of Robot Tank working. From other posts I understood that similar to the CBS “RAM Plus” carts it had some kind of extended memory that the dumper wasn’t handling properly? Like others have reported I just get some kind of rolling video elements after loading completes - this is an NTSC cart (purchased in North America, so seems a safe assumption).

Edited December 13, 2023 by Sean_1970

[Tender Boing]

Does anyone know if Burger time will be fixed in the next update? 

 

[Brad_from_the_80s]

4 hours ago, Tender Boing said:

Does anyone know if Burger time will be fixed in the next update? 

 

I think there was a broader issue with M-Network that they are fixing.

[Mickyb83]

I have just completed testing all of my 2600 & 7800 games. Tested 55 Atari 2600 games which all worked. Also tested 13 Atari 7800 games. I am in PAL region (Australia). The games that failed were Xevious, Food Fight, Crossbow, Ms Pac Man, Choplifter & Joust. The games that passed were Alien Brigade, Centipede, Desert Falcon, Dig Dug, Galaga, One on One Basketball & Pole Position II. Also some of the colour palettes on certain PAL games are not as I remember them

[tradyblix]

On 12/12/2023 at 4:30 PM, suspicious_milk said:

Star Raiders needs to happen.  It's Atari's most under used IP.

 

A 7800/2600+  newly released MULTIcart would sell loads. Many versions of Star Raiders are there?   Or an exclusive new version.  Either way, it'd sell more pluses.  But we can't even play the 2600 cut on the plus with no touchpad support.  After the "Atari" Flashback 9000th model they've not managed Star Raiders.  They keep putting out paddles &when they're sh!t they release an "update" that still doesn't fix it ... wash rinse repeat for the FB 9001 lol.  People STILL by this sh!t.  The point IS, Atari, we already have AtGames, please avoid being another. It seems they are not going that route, which hopefully stays.

Isn't Star Raiders the best selling Atari property over the years 400/800, 2600, ST, 5200 ...?

 

They would make more money forgetting about multi-carts and rom side loading completely for this device (it's already doable on many devices including gamestation pro, so people can do that if they want) and focus, on this device, on the physical collector, of which those people also have roms and other devices anyway. They use those devices to determine which games are worth physically collecting. 

 

Instead, they should release single carts as they are doing now but with enhancements like Berzerk. Like better versions of classic games with robot voices where possible and other upgrades to gameplay. That's where the sense is when making this thing and it's software.

Edited December 16, 2023 by tradyblix

[Sean_1970]

13 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

They would make more money forgetting about multi-carts and rom side loading completely for this device (it's already doable on many devices including gamestation pro, so people can do that if they want) and focus, on this device, on the physical collector, of which those people also have roms and other devices anyway. They use those devices to determine which games are worth physically collecting. 

 

Instead, they should release single carts as they are doing now but with enhancements like Berzerk. Like better versions of classic games with robot voices where possible and other upgrades to gameplay. That's where the sense is when making this thing and it's software.

Astro Blaster (Sega?) and Gorf I would totally buy Atari 2600 versions of with voice!

[Warboss Gegguz]

16 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

They would make more money forgetting about multi-carts and rom side loading completely for this device (it's already doable on many devices including gamestation pro, so people can do that if they want) and focus, on this device, on the physical collector, of which those people also have roms and other devices anyway. They use those devices to determine which games are worth physically collecting. 

 

Instead, they should release single carts as they are doing now but with enhancements like Berzerk. Like better versions of classic games with robot voices where possible and other upgrades to gameplay. That's where the sense is when making this thing and it's software.

I mean, according to Ben and everyone working on this thing, cart manufacturing has a razor thin profit margin... so imo it they want good returns they should sell roms to flash-cart owners at a discount while gearing carts towards collectors.

 

The ROI would be WAY higher + game station owners would be able to buy as well.

 

I still dont get the "they'll sell carts and disregard flashcart owners" when the amount of people willing to spend $40+ on a 2600 game that costs like $35+ to make and ship is entirely unsustainable.

 

And at the very least, even if that is the case Batari is working on stuff for the Harmony + it's a simple enough machine to hack to bits, so its inevitable that you WILL be able to at some point.

[Warboss Gegguz]

13 minutes ago, Sean_1970 said:

Astro Blaster (Sega?) and Gorf I would totally buy Atari 2600 versions of with voice!

The issue with Gorf is that it's both a Midway AND Namco game, since it used Galaxian by name. Hence the OG 2600 port is kind of butchered.

[tradyblix]

49 minutes ago, Warboss Gegguz said:

I mean, according to Ben and everyone working on this thing, cart manufacturing has a razor thin profit margin... so imo it they want good returns they should sell roms to flash-cart owners at a discount while gearing carts towards collectors.

 

The ROI would be WAY higher + game station owners would be able to buy as well.

 

I still dont get the "they'll sell carts and disregard flashcart owners" when the amount of people willing to spend $40+ on a 2600 game that costs like $35+ to make and ship is entirely unsustainable.

 

And at the very least, even if that is the case Batari is working on stuff for the Harmony + it's a simple enough machine to hack to bits, so its inevitable that you WILL be able to at some point.

Yeah I know, it was an extremely depressing post to read. Nonetheless they realeased 2 carts already, So it's doable if they make desirable enough carts. 

 

I mean it's all good. If it never happens, it doesn't happen, I already have this system and about 40 games for it that are great. I'm just saying... if they want to try to support it. 

Edited December 16, 2023 by tradyblix

[Warboss Gegguz]

3 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

I mean it's all good. If it never happens, it doesn't happen, I already have this system and about 40 games for it that are great. I'm just saying... if they want to try to support it. 

Cool. But I dont and I preordered this for my dad thinking flash-cart support would be a thing or at least added at a later date.

 

And the audience for this device is WAY smaller without it. Hell, even collectors want this to be a feature.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Warboss Gegguz

[tradyblix]

12 minutes ago, Warboss Gegguz said:

Cool. But I dont and I preordered this for my dad thinking flash-cart support would be a thing or at least added at a later date.

 

And the audience for this device is WAY smaller without it. Hell, even collectors want this to be a feature.

You can always return it, get a gamestation pro instead since it sounds more like that's what you want. 

 

This is honestly intended for cart collection folks. Sorry. 

 

Btw Harmony carts already kinda work with beta firmware. If you have one anyway. So there's that. I can't get mine to work with my computers anymore tho. So I gave up on mine. 

Dragonfly carts work too if you're in an elite group of those who have one lol. 

 

Course, if they release dip switch games I'd be fine, but I can't imagine those would be *cheaper* than normal carts to manufacture. Also I don't really want a lot of redundant or crap games, I'm trying to keep my collection so every cart I insert is worthwhile. 

 

That's part of the issue with Roms. When you have 2000 roms on a device, you have no investment, you don't care about the games as much and you have to wade through shite to get the good stuff alot. 

 

Since I also DO have a device with crap roms on it, I know which carts are worth and and what isn't, since I played them. The ones I come back to out of a list of all the atari roms, are the games that have replay value. Those are worth getting on carts with this thing for the true, OG experience. For me anyway. 

Edited December 16, 2023 by tradyblix

[suspicious_milk]

So for instance ... you can get the new Evercade handhelds (Taito or Capcom) loaded with several ROMs & the ability to use changable carts for $60 usd  ...  but an 8k ROM on a PCB & plastic shell is "razor thin margins"???  That's mearly a single for instance; of many.

 

Somebody should maybe look into another avenue of getting these mass produced than what's currently being used (or somebody is being bullshitted).

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by suspicious_milk
Edit: not to mention, evercade cranks out physical multicarts, for years now @ the same or lower price than Ataris new carts. With cases & instructions booklets. That's their bread & butter. It's doable & sustainable.

[tradyblix]

24 minutes ago, suspicious_milk said:

So for instance ... you can get the new Evercade handhelds (Taito or Capcom) loaded with several ROMs & the ability to use changable carts for $60 usd  ...  but an 8k ROM on a PCB & plastic shell is "razor thin margins"???  That's mearly a single for instance; of many.

 

Somebody should maybe look into another avenue of getting these mass produced than what's currently being used (or somebody is being bullshitted).

 

Well, it just makes you realize how valuable the physical hardware will eventually be if 2023 economics prohibit cart production. Buy em while you can lol

Edited December 16, 2023 by tradyblix

[fluxit]

Seeing as how you can get copyright violating cart only repros, for other systems at consistent prices as low as 4-$5, and full packages for $10, I don't see how a single Atari cart "needs" to be  $30> when mass produced in order to break even. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't think the price of Atari's new carts is bad, by any means, I just don't see how the production needs to be that expensive.

Edited December 16, 2023 by fluxit
typo

[Warboss Gegguz]

2 hours ago, tradyblix said:

You can always return it, get a gamestation pro instead since it sounds more like that's what you want. 

I already bought a harmony cart to go with it, so I'm just gonna wait and hope the community hacks it to shit.

That, or I win the SD PCB giveaway. Lol.

 

I think business wise it would be stupid to not support flashcarts since that cuts off a huge portion of the casual audience that would want this kind of thing (like with the Genesis and Turbografix minis) but Atari isn't one to make the greatest decisions all the time, so I'll just have to hope.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Warboss Gegguz

[MysticSword]

10 minutes ago, Warboss Gegguz said:

I already bought a harmony cart to go with it, so I'm just gonna wait and hope the community hacks it to shit.

That, or I win the SD PCB giveaway. Lol.

 

I think business wise it would be stupid to not support flashcarts since that cuts off a huge portion of the casual audience that would want this kind of thing (like with the Genesis and Turbografix minis) but Atari isn't one to make the greatest decisions all the time, so I'll just have to hope.

There's another thread I've noticed that talks about how to use games on the Harmony Cart to work on the 2600+ console, though you'd need to set it up for one game (of your choice) at a time.

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by MysticSword

[Warboss Gegguz]

3 minutes ago, MysticSword said:

There's another thread I've noticed that talks about how to use games on the Harmony Cart to work on the 2600+ console, though you'd need to set it up for one game (of your choice) at a time.

 

Yeah, I've done it and even pointed others to the arms Batari made... but ya know, would be cool to not have to sit there with my laptop and manually change games every time my dad wants to play something else. And god forbid I'm not here at some point...

[Gamma Ray]

1 hour ago, fluxit said:

Seeing as how you can get copyright violating cart only repros, for other systems at consistent prices as low as 4-$5, and full packages for $10, I don't see how a single Atari cart "needs" to be  $30> when mass produced in order to break even. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't think the price of Atari's new carts is bad, by any means, I just don't see how the production needs to be that expensive.

It's even more ridiculous when you look at it this way. You can get a whole mini arcade cabinet, sometimes with multiple games on it, fully featured with loads of mechanical features like the controls, with a screen and a processor, throw in a speaker, and you can sell it for about 50 bucks, if not less.

 

https://www.amazon.com/My-Arcade-Pac-Man-Micro-Player/dp/B0C63SJG5R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35DFP4VJD8WYM&keywords=my%2Barcade%2Bmicro%2Bplayer%2Bpro&qid=1702772494&sprefix=my%2Barcade%2Bmicro%2Bplayer%2Bpro%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1&th=1

 

On the Atari 2600 game end of things, you're talking about a PCB that's probably already a sunk cost in terms of design, a cartridge shell that's a sunk cost in terms of design (which they're cheaping out with, since the new releases don't have the built in dust shield), a chip that's going to take some work to flash/burn but it's not that much, and some basic labels and boxes, to an extent that being a sunk cost in terms of design, too. Are they paying someone $200 an hour to hand solder the ROM chip onto the PCB? And they're only able to do a couple an hour? I could do dozens an hour, if not more. No dust shield means the shell is easy to assemble. Stickers and boxes, no manuals, that is simply not that big of a deal. Not to mention that as you do more, the more you get back on your investment in the sunk costs. If you have all of this work done overseas in the cheaper labor countries, you're making Scrooge McDuck money on each unit sold at $30 or even more for the $60 for the limited edition stuff. Even if you're doing it in the USA, it's not an insignificant profit.

 

You've got a rich history of homebrewers doing this sort of thing economically. Maybe not easily, but definitely economically. They're homebrewers, not a company, so Atari's ease at which they can get cartridges made improves since they have some modicum of funding to throw at it.

 

I don't buy arguments about razor thin margins on cartridges. I'm getting Tickle Me Elmo vibes, or how it was hard to find a Wii for three years. It sounds to me like corporate value inflation on the idea that making their product more scarce will somehow make their business more valuable. It doesn't. Instead of getting another $60 for a 501st Save Mary cartridge being sold, they're $60 poorer because my email alert about that went to my spam box and I didn't know about it in time. I understand that loads of unsold inventory is also a problem, so I'd say that, for instance, a 20,000 run of Save Mary would have been financial suicide, but there's such a thing as leaving money on the table, too. I bet they could've easily broken the couple thousand mark now that the 2600+ is out and the 2600 market is probably, frankly, hotter than it's been in a while. It got me searching out games at flea markets again, and you bet I'm buying new games that I don't have to jump through hoops to get.