MikeStyle Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 Hi, i'd like to know one thing: Why aren't the great programmers out there also doing games for the 7800? I mean, there are new great games for the 2600 and 5200, but nothing new for the 7800. or am i wrong? Is the 5200 better than the 7800? (Sorry but i'm new to these two systems.) Would be great to get an answer to my (hopefully not too stupid ) questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 5200 better than the 7800 - that's a matter of taste, I know what I think Why no games for 7800 (or very few) - is the 7800 a nostalgic system for anyone really? Isn't that why 5200 and 2600 games are still getting made, people loved those systems, grew up with them when they were younger, they embodied Atari in the 80's. The 7800 lacks that appeal. The Atari that finally released the 7800 was not the same one that built the 2600, or the one that dominated the videogaming world - heck they didn't even like video games!!! sTeVE, 80's boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 You got it Jet Boot. Nostalgia. It plays a big role in homebrew development. There are other considerations. The 5200, for example, is the same hardware as the Atari 8bit computer line, so there are already more people familiar with that. The only 7800 info I've seen is what Dan Boris recently put up at his site. As far as which is 'better', the 7800 is more powerful, how much I don't know but one look at its visuals shows its superior ("newer") technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanBoris Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 I think the major reason is that up until very recently there wasn't much information on how to program the 7800. The other problem was the encryption key for the carts. Until late last year there was no way to generate these keys, so there was no way to produce real carts that would run on an un-modified 7800. There are some people doing 7800 development, and I think once people start learning the system, there will be more new games developed for it. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snider-man Posted March 5, 2002 Share Posted March 5, 2002 Also, if you program a game for the 2600, odds are the cart will work on a 7800 as well, but not vice-versa. So, it's also a matter of distribution. More folks can play. Another point is that, odds are, more folks have a 2600. Parts are reasonably easy to fix/replace. But the 7800? Ever try finding a power supply? ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeStyle Posted March 5, 2002 Author Share Posted March 5, 2002 The reason which made me thought about is was that even for the Jaguar there are new games published. And also homebrew games are developed. That made me thought about why nobody seems to develope games for the 7800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 >> The reason which made me thought about is was that even for the Jaguar there are new games published. And also homebrew games are developed. That made me thought about why nobody seems to develope games for the 7800. << The Jaguar probably sold fewer units than the 7800, but the Jaguar being a newer system, it still has people who originally bought it who are still interested in picking up games for it. The 7800 belongs to an older era so the demographic is different. Also, if you took away Carl Forhan there isn't much going on in the Jag domain at all. Songbird is almost solely responsible for keeping the Jag and the Lynx relevant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Snider-man: Also, if you program a game for the 2600, odds are the cart will work on a 7800 as well, but not vice-versa. So, it's also a matter of distribution. More folks can play. Another point is that, odds are, more folks have a 2600. Parts are reasonably easy to fix/replace. But the 7800? Ever try finding a power supply? ugh. I've got three power supplies...and I didn't even try. They aren't rare, just not standard. You have to get one from a (generally online) dealer that carries 7800 line. That's true for anything 7800. It's generally the same few shops that specialize in all things Atari, like Best or B&C and others... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Glenn Saunders: >> The reason which made me thought about is was that even for the Jaguar there are new games published. And also homebrew games are developed. That made me thought about why nobody seems to develope games for the 7800. << The Jaguar probably sold fewer units than the 7800, but the Jaguar being a newer system, it still has people who originally bought it who are still interested in picking up games for it. The 7800 belongs to an older era so the demographic is different. Also, if you took away Carl Forhan there isn't much going on in the Jag domain at all. Songbird is almost solely responsible for keeping the Jag and the Lynx relevant. there are actually a number of developers for both the Jaguar and Lynx, including Carl...Sonbird's just the only PUBLISHER right now, and will likely publish games from some of these other developers, especially with the Jagfree cd coming. But this will also encourage other small time publishers too. I have a feeling that what Telegames and then Songbird have published is just the beginning of things to come...both with "lost" commercial titles and homebrew acheivments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Propane13 Posted March 6, 2002 Share Posted March 6, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dan Boris: The other problem was the encryption key for the carts. Until late last year there was no way to generate these keys, so there was no way to produce real carts that would run on an un-modified 7800. Well, not quite. Eckhard's picklock.bin file was a potential tool that could have been used, and I thought it was a great idea! The only 3 issues with it were 1) possible copyright issues, and 2) 4K of code was already spoken for, and 3) The 3 Vectors were already initialized to some default values. So, development could have been started as early as when that particular dev tool came out. There's also the possibility that some people may be writing for the system, but are staying low-key. Who knows? Some Atari 2600 games appear out of nowhere, never appearing even on the Stella List unless it's a plug at the end to get them sold. -John K. Harvey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 Ok it must have beennn a dream.But i swear i saw something and i think it was on a atariage message board about someone was in the process of starting ton homnebrew an few 7800 games maybe not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin Vinnie Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 I've got two great homerew ideas I would love to gt made. Cousin Vinnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyle Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 The end of my post shoud have said .. STARTING TO HOME BREW A FEW 7800 GAMES MAYBE NOT^.i dont know what it said i cant even make that out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 I'd like to see some classic Atari arcade games on the 78 that were never ported to any of the other game systems. I'd like Liberator, Black Widow, and maybe Return of the Jedi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 and ZOOKEEPER!!!!!!!!!!1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 The 7800 could do a killer Moon Patrol, Elevator Action, Crystal Castles...etc... I would like to see another adventure type game done for the 7800 sorta like Midnight Mutants...but a different theme. Maybe a port of some Sierra classic adventures like Space Quest 1 or King's Quest would be possible? I know there are licensing issues...but I don't mean doing the same games...just games kinda like them. Above all...I would love to see a Moon Patrol or Crystal Castles done on the 7800 as I feel it could pull of near arcade perfect conversions of those two...minus some sound issues. Unless somebody were daring enough to program a pokey into them...hehehe Hey...we can all dream can't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 Funny you should mention Moon Patrol, I know that one was planned as I saw it on a part list. I don't think it ever got started though (along with a bunch of other classic titles). Personally I'd love to see a 7800 version of Cloak & Dagger. Actually my next project will be a C&D style game for the 7800 called Agent X. Of course I need to finish Cypher first... Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 7, 2002 Share Posted March 7, 2002 7800 would also be a good system to program that version of Tron that you and Cafeman still want done. You could handle the tank, spiders, and MCP cone levels using the two joystick approach...only one joystick would act as the rotary knob did on the arcade. But if they could do for Robotron...it could be done for anything. With a Pokey in the cart...you could even recreate the theme music fairly accurately... Oh yeah...we better stop with this...the puddle on my desk from my drool is gonna short something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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