Default model should be the more compatible 800XL instead of 800

[+Philsan]

When you load your own files Atari 800 is the default machine (48KB RAM, OS Rev. B...).

 

Therefore, the first time you load a game you often have to change settings, very boring.

 

Considering the fact that the Atari 800XL is the machine compatible with the great majority of software, IMHO it should be the default one.

[+LS650]

9 hours ago, Philsan said:

When you load your own files Atari 800 is the default machine (48KB RAM, OS Rev. B...).

Therefore, the first time you load a game you often have to change settings, very boring.

Considering the fact that the Atari 800XL is the machine compatible with the great majority of software, IMHO it should be the default one.

Yeah, I'm a bit puzzled by Retro Games choice here.  While there are a small number of older games that will only run on the 400/800, most of the time it is the XL/XE that are most compatible.  Any time I try running a game and it fails, it will almost invariably run with the 800XL as the base.

[+Philsan]

According to manual, "The default is the Atari 800, as a great many programs will run on this model". 😄

[+MrFish]

14 hours ago, Philsan said:

Considering the fact that the Atari 800XL is the machine compatible with the great majority of software, IMHO it should be the default one.

Why not the 130XE? It's more compatible than an 800XL.

 

8 hours ago, LS650 said:

Yeah, I'm a bit puzzled by Retro Games choice here.  While there are a small number of older games that will only run on the 400/800, most of the time it is the XL/XE that are most compatible.

2 hours ago, Philsan said:

According to manual, "The default is the Atari 800, as a great many programs will run on this model". 😄

Apparently they just don't know any better. I guess they're assuming it's more compatible because of all the OS-B only titles, plus the mass of titles that conform to the "48KB minimum memory" standard; but they must not be realizing that its lack of 64KB of XL/XE RAM is the Achilles heel that kills so many more games that were made in the XL/XE era. No amount of OS-B only games (of any interest) can amount to anything near the games that require 64KB (not to mention that the vast majority of OS-B only titles have already been converted for XL/XE compatibility).

 

Short answer: Yes, the 800 is a bad default choice.

 

[+MrFish]

15 hours ago, Philsan said:

Therefore, the first time you load a game you often have to change settings, very boring.

Yeah, have fun loading up a batch of modern homebrews. 

 

[+Philsan]

I agree on the fact 130XE could be used too, I wasn't sure about compatibility because my default emulator setting is XL OS with 320KB RAM and it works most of the times.

[www.atarimania.com]

Pretty apparent the machine was developed by people who knew the basics of the 8-bit line but not enough to avoid the small misfires. Gotta question the quality control on both sides. Was it because there wasn't enough time to fine-tune the system?

 

It's good news the MULE situation was sorted out but found the apology a bit embarrassing. They overdid it and pretty much admitted they had no idea what was going on in the Atari 8-bit world. That's plain bad communication. The fact the faulty game was replaced with another cracked file is telling and isn't a great message to current users in the know.  

 

I would've dropped 5200 support, the games are exactly the same as the computer titles and it unnecessarily complicates everything. For titles on your USB card, it would've been less confusing to just have standard max memory XL/XE compatibility and issue a bypassable warning message suggesting what to switch if a game doesn't work:

- XL/XE or 400/800

- NTSC or PAL

- BASIC disabled or enabled

[+CharlieChaplin]

to quote from Animal Farm...

- the 800XL is equal (to the Atari 800)

- the 130XE is more equal

 

[ErikDavid]

Fixable via a future firmware update? But probably not a high priority for Retro Games.