Newbie question: how to load a game

[Senbei Norimaki]

Hi everybody,

I'm new at 8-bit Atari computers, I got an emulator and some game files.

No problem loading games that come in .atr files, but if they are .exe I don't know what to do.

With that other 8-bit computer I used to own when I was a child the command was "LOAD "SOMETHING",8,1"... now I need to discover what's the command for Atari computers.

 

Thanks,

 

Senbei

[Captain Harlock]

Which ATARI emu do you have?

In A800 Win PLus you simply go to file -> load executable, and choose your exe, com or xex file in the file requester (sorry for calling them file requesters, I come from the Amiga world), this should do the trick.

 

On the real ATARI it is similar:

Ataris with built-in BASIC (XL, XE):

To load from cassette, you first boot your machine into BASIC, then wind the tape to the correct position (the tape counter is your friend), then you press PLAY (the tape won't start).

Now you enter:

POKE 580,1

This switches the RESET key from NMI to REBOOT.

Now hold down START and OPTION and press RESET (still hold down Start and Option).

You will hear a buzzer, after that buzzer release START and OPTION, then press an alphanumeric key or RETURN or SPACE.

 

To load from disk:

With your computer turned off, insert the disk, hold down OPTION and then switch it on. Release OPTION when the drive begins working and when you hear "bebebeep-beep-bebebebeep" sounds out of your speaker.

If you are in BASIC, enter POKE 580,1.

Then hold down OPTION and press RESET, when the drive begins working, release OPTION.

 

On Atari 400/800:

First remove all cartridges.

 

To load from tape, hold down START and switch on your computer. You will hear a buzzer. Wind the tape to the correct position (counter is your friend), press PLAY and then an alphanumeric key or RETURN or SPACE.

 

To load from disk, simply insert the disk and turn on the computer.

[Senbei Norimaki]

Which ATARI emu do you have?

I am trying Rainbow, but I've downloaded many others, I'll do as you suggested.

 

Thanks a lot for the explanation, I didn't think that there could be so many steps...

 

Can anybody point me to a good beginner's documentation?

[Goochman]

Senbei,

 

The command you list above is for loading on a Commodore 64 - On the Atari most games boot themselves and dont require you to 'load' them. However when using an emulator you need to 'mount' the virtual disk such that the emu knows what file in is disk 1.

 

You will need to get a .atr file (virtual disk) for the game you want to play. Mount this .atr file as Disk 1 in the emu and reboot. In most cases the game will load by itself. If you get a DOS menu you should be able to press 'L' (for load) and then the filename to start a game. To get a directory listing you'll need to see what DOS menu tells you to get one. Usually it will be by pressing '1' for Drive 1 or in some cases 'A' followed by pressing the ENTER key.

[SviRu]

I have a800 + xc11. I turn the unit on with start pressed, beep sound. Play on tape + spacebar. Tape moves but there is no sound coming out from atari - game not loading. Is XC11 compatibile with A800? It does indeed produce sound on my 800xl.

[TGB1718]

The 800 may not be able to supply enough power to drive the XC11, early tape drives (410) were externally powered for the 800.