Avraham Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 The A52 MaxiCart is in stock and ready to ship. The MaxiCart is an Atari 5200 cartridge fitted with a special circuitry, which allows loading any Atari 5200 game into it's on board flash memory. All you need to do is to connect the MaxiCart to the USB port of your pc and using a loader program which is supplied with the MaxiCart send the game bin file to the MaxiCart, no EPROM writer is needed. For more information visit www.vgwiz.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 This looks pretty cool. Are you going to be selling them at PC5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avraham Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 We will be selling them at PC5 if we have any left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 I think I want one! Much cheaper than a Multi cart! I'll have to poke around the site and see which games are compatible. I'm also curious how long the "loan" time is for each game... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 I think I want one! Much cheaper than a Multi cart! I'll have to poke around the site and see which games are compatible. I'm also curious how long the "loan" time is for each game... Everything should be compatible except Bounty Bob since it is bank-switched. What do you mean 'loan' time? Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnice Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Wowzers! I think I'd like to get one of these. Maybe jetset meant "load time"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Wowzers! I think I'd like to get one of these. Maybe jetset meant "load time"? Yep, load time. Unless......you want to front me a few bucks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Tomlin Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Will there be any support for Linux or OS X? I'd rather not be required to run Microsoft's Active Virus, er I mean Windows to use this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuru Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Will there be any support for Linux or OS X? Bruce, The intention is to complete a Linux version as well. I started porting the software using QtDesign Kit. The required USB drivers are available as well. It may take a while though before we can have a full blown running software. BTW: If you know a Linux C++ programmer that could assist in this task, please let me know. In any case, the hardware will stay the same, regardless to the operating system someone uses. I'm also curious how long the "load" time is for each game... jetset, It really depends on the computer you are using and the size of the game. From our experiments, on a 677MHz P3 PC, it took about 20-25 seconds to complete a download of a 32KB game. This time may vary if other PC applications are running in the background. Please note that while downloading, the software also verifies the content of the Flash - so there is no need to do a verify MaxiCart rightafter. Also note that the more 0xFF are in the code - the faster the download time is (less on-the-fly verification is required). Therefor, the total download time is also "game" dependent. Ronen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 So you can only put one game on the cart at a time? Hmm... Good for homebrewers, but not for me. Is there anything out there for the 5200 where you can load multiple games onto one cart (a make your own multicart type thing)? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie_ Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 One is fine with me. This cart will let us try all these conversions classic is doing (and has done) on a real 5200. Not a lousy emulator. Chaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 So you can only put one game on the cart at a time? Hmm... Good for homebrewers, but not for me. Is there anything out there for the 5200 where you can load multiple games onto one cart (a make your own multicart type thing)? Tempest I think there is definately room for both. The multicart is great because it's quick and full of the majority of the games. The Maxicart is great because you can try any new games and develop ones yourself. I ordered my Maxicart yesterday. Can't wait to get it and play Caverns of Mars on the real thing! Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 So you can only put one game on the cart at a time? Hmm... Good for homebrewers, but not for me. Is there anything out there for the 5200 where you can load multiple games onto one cart (a make your own multicart type thing)? Tempest I think there is definately room for both. The multicart is great because it's quick and full of the majority of the games. The Maxicart is great because you can try any new games and develop ones yourself. I ordered my Maxicart yesterday. Can't wait to get it and play Caverns of Mars on the real thing! Allan Caverns of Mars?!?!?! When, Where, How?!?!?!?!?! I'm buying a maxicart anyway, but I want to try that one for sure!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 So you can only put one game on the cart at a time? Hmm... Good for homebrewers, but not for me. Is there anything out there for the 5200 where you can load multiple games onto one cart (a make your own multicart type thing)? Tempest I think there is definately room for both. The multicart is great because it's quick and full of the majority of the games. The Maxicart is great because you can try any new games and develop ones yourself. I ordered my Maxicart yesterday. Can't wait to get it and play Caverns of Mars on the real thing! Allan Caverns of Mars?!?!?! When, Where, How?!?!?!?!?! I'm buying a maxicart anyway, but I want to try that one for sure!!!!! It was posted here on atariage n one of the other 5200 threads. Allan PS. It works great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 You can find the rom for CoM in this thread. Also links for Maxi and Multi carts. Steve http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44265 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuru Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 [Can't wait to get it and play Caverns of Mars on the real thing! Allan I Played it last night on the MaxiCart. Plays great! Nice game. Ronen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Where's the Cavern of Mars link? I didn't see it in there (maybe I'm just blind?). Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oesii Posted March 6, 2004 Share Posted March 6, 2004 Where's the Cavern of Mars link? I didn't see it in there (maybe I'm just blind?). Tempest It's the 2nd to last post on the second page of the thread, it's attached. this link might work too: http://www.atariage.com/forums/download.php?id=20749 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icbrkr Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 I checked my email today, and found that my wife had ordered me one of these Since there isn't any OS X software for it, I'll let everyone know if it works under VPC (and worst case scenario, I'll just use my XP box.. ugh). Since I haven't touched the programming of my game in a bit (like.. months), this will give me some incentive since it'll be running on real hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetset Posted March 7, 2004 Share Posted March 7, 2004 I just ordered mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriel Posted March 8, 2004 Share Posted March 8, 2004 I sent the check today. Hopefully soon I'll be seeing how the Stargate proto plays on a real 5200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icbrkr Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Got my cart in today! Here's a few things: 1. It works fine with Virtual PC under OS X. I was able to flash it without issues. However, it won't work through the keyboard, only through its own dedicated USB port. 2. "Utopia" works on a real 5200! However, the joystick routine doesn't. I suspected that before, but it's been confirmed. Also, I see my colors are way off - water that on an emulator is blue, is purple on the TV.. doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrizzLee Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Hopefully soon I'll be seeing how the Stargate proto plays on a real 5200. Don't expect too much.... I was rather dissapointed with Stargate -Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Got my cart in today! 2. "Utopia" works on a real 5200! However, the joystick routine doesn't. I suspected that before, but it's been confirmed. Also, I see my colors are way off - water that on an emulator is blue, is purple on the TV.. doh! I'm having a flashback back to my Koffi koding days. The emulator color palettes are either based on a changed XE color plalette or just plain wrong for several values. When I first put Koffi on a real 5200, what looked good on VSS looked really crappy on a TV. Atari800win is more accurate but still not correct with everything. If you download the koffi.bin file which is here on AtariAge, and start a level and press the #5 key, you'll enter the "Koloring Book" feature -- basically a color debugger, showing you the color values as you change them. http://cafeman.www9.50megs.com/atari/5200d...structions.html Some other "Koloring Book" instructions are at that link. Just use the #,*, and 0 keys to increase/decrease values. About the joystick routine, I'd say that if Atari800win works with it, it'll work on the real machine too. When is the ETA for Utopia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icbrkr Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I'm having a flashback back to my Koffi koding days. The emulator color palettes are either based on a changed XE color plalette or just plain wrong for several values. When I first put Koffi on a real 5200, what looked good on VSS looked really crappy on a TV. Atari800win is more accurate but still not correct with everything. Yep, I remember reading the progress on Koffi, so I'm not entirely surprised. Overall though, the color scheme was close. About the joystick routine, I'd say that if Atari800win works with it, it'll work on the real machine too. When is the ETA for Utopia? I have a question about reading the joystick (looking for values) posted under "Programming". ETA? Hrmmf. I decided against those because of my last game that didn't happen. I sorta pressured myself to get it done by that date and it became less "fun" and more of a job. So, I'll say with all certainty, that it'll be done "sometime" As of right now, here's what's done: 1. The island is drawn (hurray! ) 2. On an emulator, you can point and select parts of Island #1 to build on. If you try to build on the secondary island, it won't let you. 3. It keeps accurate count of your cash on-hand. 4. Every item except for "in water" items are "buildable". 5. All of your ships are able to be selected and moved around the screen. I last left off with the IRQ movement of pirate ships. I found out in 5200BAS that using the locate function fails during an VBI so I'm trying to find an easier way to "plot" the pirate ships on the screen. And, well, I haven't been very successful. Honestly, at that part is where I gave up for awhile (11/24/03 was the last time I touched it). Seeing it on the TV gives me a renewed interest though. What needs to be done is this: 1. Pirate ships need to be finished. 2. Weather needs to be implemented. 3. Collision detection with other ships need to be implemented. 4. A timer and "end of round" functions need to be implemented. 5. Scoring. 6. 2nd player routines need to be added in. 7. Fish need to be added in (once I get the pirate ships, the same routine can be used for the movement of fish). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.