Astroblast experiment

[JOD-I]

As most who read this may know Astroblast is the 2600 version of Intellivisions Astrosmash.  While the graphics are superior on the Intellivision, I find the gameplay of the 2600 Astroblast more satisfying when using the paddle controllers.  I decided to play the game on my modded 7800, The Atari 2600+, and the stella emulator to compare.  I do have a stelladaptor II so that I could use the same paddles on all 3 tries.  I found that on my 7800 I had the most control.  The stella and the 2600+ were visually more pleasing to look at.  On the 2600+ using the paddle controllers the best way I can describe the movement was "jaggedy".  Now even though it felt this way I still found the game to be playable.  keep in mind that on the Flashback systems using any paddle game was rather disappointing to say the least.  The 2600+ paddle games are playable but just not quite as easy.  Just thought I would share my observation.

[tradyblix]

Yeah we know. It's been discussed ad nauseum on here. Last thing I heard is it can only be fixed by retroarch devs. Which means it won't get fixed.

[MrChickenz]

24 minutes ago, JOD-I said:

As most who read this may know Astroblast is the 2600 version of Intellivisions Astrosmash.  While the graphics are superior on the Intellivision, I find the gameplay of the 2600 Astroblast more satisfying when using the paddle controllers.  I decided to play the game on my modded 7800, The Atari 2600+, and the stella emulator to compare.  I do have a stelladaptor II so that I could use the same paddles on all 3 tries.  I found that on my 7800 I had the most control.  The stella and the 2600+ were visually more pleasing to look at.  On the 2600+ using the paddle controllers the best way I can describe the movement was "jaggedy".  Now even though it felt this way I still found the game to be playable.  keep in mind that on the Flashback systems using any paddle game was rather disappointing to say the least.  The 2600+ paddle games are playable but just not quite as easy.  Just thought I would share my observation.

 

16 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Yeah we know. It's been discussed ad nauseum on here. Last thing I heard is it can only be fixed by retroarch devs. Which means it won't get fixed.

I don’t understand why, I have the latest Firmware and Dumper. I don’t have this issue. Playing Astroblast on my 2600+ works flawlessly, very fast and smooth paddle movement. The only Paddle games I have an issue with are…

Super Breakout (course movement) Playable.

Kaboom (paddle response is slower than on original hardware) Not Playable.

 

@JOD-I What paddles are you using CX30 or CX30+?

 

And do you have a second set of paddles to test on the 2600+? Just to see if you end up with different results.

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:59 PM by MrChickenz

[Ben from Plaion]

26 minutes ago, JOD-I said:

As most who read this may know Astroblast is the 2600 version of Intellivisions Astrosmash.  While the graphics are superior on the Intellivision, I find the gameplay of the 2600 Astroblast more satisfying when using the paddle controllers.  I decided to play the game on my modded 7800, The Atari 2600+, and the stella emulator to compare.  I do have a stelladaptor II so that I could use the same paddles on all 3 tries.  I found that on my 7800 I had the most control.  The stella and the 2600+ were visually more pleasing to look at.  On the 2600+ using the paddle controllers the best way I can describe the movement was "jaggedy".  Now even though it felt this way I still found the game to be playable.  keep in mind that on the Flashback systems using any paddle game was rather disappointing to say the least.  The 2600+ paddle games are playable but just not quite as easy.  Just thought I would share my observation.

I've been playing a lot of Astroblast on the 7800+, as well as other paddle games, yeah its better then 2600+, it has higher resolution and less jitter. 

 

Whilst this is great, straight away I'm struck with what about 2600+ owners. The theory remains the same as it has for a few months, it might be possible to improve the paddle performance on the 2600+, but no practical work has been made.

[Ben from Plaion]

19 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

 

I don’t understand why, I have the latest Firmware and Dumper. I don’t have this issue. Playing Astroblast on my 2600+ works flawlessly, very fast and smooth paddle movement. The only Paddle games I have an issue with are…

Super Breakout (course movement) Playable.

Kaboom (paddle response is slower than on original hardware) Not Playable.

 

I need you to test Kaboom and Super Breakout on a 7800+. I dont have Kaboom here but the factory sent me a video and it looked great.

[John Stamos Mullet]

2 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I need you to test Kaboom and Super Breakout on a 7800+. I dont have Kaboom here but the factory sent me a video and it looked great.

I believe I have a spare extra copy of Kaboom I can send your way if needed.

[Ben from Plaion]

2 minutes ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

I believe I have a spare extra copy of Kaboom I can send your way if needed.

You could but better for me if you test it yourself, want me to send you a prototype machine for you to see for yourself?

[John Stamos Mullet]

1 minute ago, Ben from Plaion said:

You could but better for me if you test it yourself, want me to send you a prototype machine for you to see for yourself?

Sure!

[MrChickenz]

If you have an extra prototype you could send one my way! I have many paddle games.

Edited Tuesday at 08:44 PM by MrChickenz

[Ben from Plaion]

20 minutes ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

Sure!

Ok 

[MrChickenz]

36 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I need you to test Kaboom and Super Breakout on a 7800+. I dont have Kaboom here but the factory sent me a video and it looked great.

I’ll gladly test Kaboom and Super Breakout on a 7800+!

[Ben from Plaion]

9 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

If you have an extra prototype you could send one my way! I have many paddle games.

You're of course youre a VIP here. Lets sort something out when I get back from PGRE.

[tradyblix]

8 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

You're of course youre a VIP here. Lets sort something out when I get back from PGRE.

Is it because he's a chicken ??

 

Man.... this is shocking to hear. It may be time to retire the twenty six hundred plus when I get the seventy eight hundred plus then.

 

It's honestly been difficult to enjoy the paddle games on this system. Not that that matters a hell of a lot to me.Because most of the games I really care about are not paddle games, but even so.....

Edited Tuesday at 09:04 PM by tradyblix

[chad5200]

1 hour ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I've been playing a lot of Astroblast on the 7800+, as well as other paddle games, yeah its better then 2600+, it has higher resolution and less jitter. 

 

Whilst this is great, straight away I'm struck with what about 2600+ owners. The theory remains the same as it has for a few months, it might be possible to improve the paddle performance on the 2600+, but no practical work has been made.

Hmmm... so there is a hardware difference between 2600+ and 7800+?

 

 

[Ben from Plaion]

28 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Is it because he's a chicken ??

 

Man.... this is shocking to hear. It may be time to retire the twenty six hundred plus when I get the seventy eight hundred plus then.

 

It's honestly been difficult to enjoy the paddle games on this system. Not that that matters a hell of a lot to me.Because most of the games I really care about are not paddle games, but even so.....

Nah the position is clear, if advancements can be made we make them. The factory had an opportunity to improve the controller compatibilty (including improving the paddles) with the 7800+ so they did. However underpinning this advancement is a shared desire for a ecosystem between 2600+ and 7800+. The emulation firmware loaded to the 7800+ is basically the latest experimental 2600+ v6 provided by raz0red. I dont want any difference between 2600+ and 7800+, differnces cause problems.

 

However we are where we are and it maybe the case that implementing the changes to paddle resolution and additional compatibilty with controllers made on the 7800+ like the video keypad and driving controller on the 2600+ dont materialise. When I think about such scenarios I think of mitigation, like recent developments on the cart socket, where improvements have been made to the launch 2600+ design are subsequently introduced into the launch 7800+ and recent manufacture runs of the 2600+. Additionally, to pacify launch 2600+ owners Im sending out 40 x PCBs for the 2600+ with the updated cartridge socket for Atari Age posters and maybe we offer these PCBs to purchase in the future on AA.

 

If the advancements made in controller compatibility with the 7800+ arent matched by an update to the 2600+ I'll do something like what I did with the updated cartridge socket, I'll see if a new IO PCB can be made and will give some away, and posssibly offer them for sale.

[+sramirez2008]

9 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I'll see if a new IO PCB can be made and will give some away, and posssibly offer them for sale.

I would buy one.

[MrChickenz]

1 hour ago, sramirez2008 said:

I would buy one.

Ditto!

[DhaemonX]

2 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

If the advancements made in controller compatibility with the 7800+ arent matched by an update to the 2600+ I'll do something like what I did with the updated cartridge socket, I'll see if a new IO PCB can be made and will give some away, and posssibly offer them for sale.

I would buy one as well, the PCB that is, but would love the option of a free one from a giveaway first.

I grew up on the 2600+, not the 7800. 

My original 2600 made way for the NES in our house as a kid and was given away to my younger cousins. Never to be in my hands again until the 2600+, 42 years later.

I won't give up on the 2600+, it's family. I'm all in, fake wood grain, jittery paddles and all. 

 

As was said in a movie..."I can't quit you"!

 

Edited yesterday at 12:12 AM by DhaemonX

[MrChickenz]

2 hours ago, tradyblix said:

It may be time to retire the twenty six hundred plus when I get the seventy eight hundred plus then.

Why? The Atari 2600+ is a great retro gaming console, as I’m sure the 7800+ will be!
 

I remember when I purchased the Retron 77.

I thought it was awesome for the fact that it used original Atari cartridges. But there are many cartridges that won’t load on the 77.

Paddles won’t work at all with the DB9 connector with the latest Firmware update. You need a usb adapter to play paddle games. I was fortunate to purchase one adapter before production was stopped. So I can’t play four player paddle games on the 77.

I liked the look of the Retron 77, that is until the release of the Atari 2600+!

Yes, you can play almost any game off the sd card. But you find yourself not using cartridges anymore and it’s just not the same experience you get with the 2600+. 

I will never retire my 2600+, in just one short year it’s brought back Atari gaming like no other console or emulation! The 2600+ definitely brought back that nostalgia feel like it was yesteryear!

 

I never liked playing Atari games on PC emulation. It just doesn’t work for me.

 

The 2600+ is my go to gaming console since last year. I play Atari more now than ever! My 7800+ is going right next to my 2600+.

I might even buy a second monitor and have Pitfall! Loaded on both machines at once. So when Harry runs to the end of one monitor he can continue on to the other!😄

 

[MrChickenz]

3 hours ago, tradyblix said:

Is it because he's a chicken ??

And it’s Chickenz with a Z! Not a lower case c but a capital C, That’s Mr.Chickenz to you! Let’s show some respect! 😁

Edited yesterday at 12:58 AM by MrChickenz

[Striker667xbl]

2 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

If the advancements made in controller compatibility with the 7800+ arent matched by an update to the 2600+ I'll do something like what I did with the updated cartridge socket, I'll see if a new IO PCB can be made and will give some away, and posssibly offer them for sale.

I'd buy this too. While the 7800 was the first console I bought for myself as a child(at a flea market)... I bought it to replace our broken 2600.. my fist game console.  So I really really like the 2600 style over the 7800. 😁

[Brad_from_the_80s]

14 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

Why? The Atari 2600+ is a great retro gaming console, as I’m sure the 7800+ will be!

 

The 2600+ is my go to gaming console since last year. I play Atari more now than ever! My 7800+ is going right next to my 2600+.

 

Yep.

 

I ❤️ my 2600+

 

I'll love them both equally

[JOD-I]

Everyone just to be clear, I am not complaining.  I simply made an observation.  I used original paddles and this was the result.  I am not mad.  I still love the 2600+ and will eventually still get the 7800+.  Paddle games are still playable just jittery thats all.

[Zonie]

7 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I need you to test Kaboom and Super Breakout on a 7800+. I dont have Kaboom here but the factory sent me a video and it looked great.

You don't have Kaboom???

[MrChickenz]

37 minutes ago, JOD-I said:

Everyone just to be clear, I am not complaining.  I simply made an observation.  I used original paddles and this was the result.  I am not mad.  I still love the 2600+ and will eventually still get the 7800+.  Paddle games are still playable just jittery thats all.

I think it was a good observation. I was just wondering which paddle set you used. Like cartridges, original paddle sets need cleaning as well. I have a few paddle sets that I cleaned some years ago and still to this day have no jitter.