Has anyone had trouble with the new Castle Crisis?

[Bryan]

Hello!

 

As you probably know, I had to recall the 1st version of Castle Crisis because of an issue that affected 2-port machines. To fix the problem, the new version only enables ports 3 and 4 once controllers are detected in those ports.

 

Well, I've just gotten a report of the new version not working properly in a 4-port console and I cannot replicate the problem, so I wanted to ask if anyone else out there with a 4-port has had any problems starting 3 or 4 player games (or starting a 1 player game using only port 3 or 4).

 

I've talked about this before, but here's a synopsis of the change I made in Castle Crisis:

 

The original game looked at all 4 ports (using CONSOL bits) for keypresses. The problem was, that the 2 port console re-reads port 1 when port 3 is selected, and port 2 when port 4 is selected. This makes it look like twice as many controllers are connected and being used.

 

This issue only affects reading keypresses, since all 8 pot (analog stick) inputs can be read regardless of the CONSOL setting. Any unconnected port returns the maximum pot value of 224 for X and Y, so the new version limits the game to ports 1 and 2 until activity (values other than 224) is seen at ports 3 and 4, then it switches to 4-port mode.

 

This has always worked for me, since the median value is about 112, and although the sticks aren't self-centering, any position other than the extreme upper right will return values other than 224.

 

Paddles, on the other hand, can be left in the 224 position, and may not be detected immediately when inserted. However, if the unused (vertical) pot is set to some value other than 224, then there won't be any problem. Anyway, turning the paddle will immediately enable 4-port mode.

 

Anyway, please let me know if anyone else has experienced any problems.

 

-Bry

[Bryan]

Good news! I just got word that the 5200 in question is having trouble with other games as well (that's bad news for the 5200 in question, I guess). Anyway, anyone else had any wierd behavior?

 

-Bry

[Inky]

Anyway, anyone else had any wierd behavior?

 

    -Bry

 

You should've seen this goofball that was walking down the street the other night. He must have gotten drunk, when he decided to go for a late-night consitutional. I have never heard so many screwed-up renditions of Neil Diamond songs in my life.

 

 

Oh, you mean with the game...

 

 

 

Never mind.

[Bryan]

You should've seen this goofball that was walking down the street the other night.  He must have gotten drunk, when he decided to go for a late-night consitutional.   I have never heard so many screwed-up renditions of Neil Diamond songs in my life.

 

Man! And I spent hours trying to fix that!!! See if you can reproduce the problem.

 

-Bry

[Albert]

Man! And I spent hours trying to fix that!!! See if you can reproduce the problem.

 

I've seen that once, but I haven't been able to reproduce it. I'll keep trying.

 

..Al

[Bryan]

Ya'll are so wack.

[CPUWIZ]

Man! And I spent hours trying to fix that!!! See if you can reproduce the problem.

 

I've seen that once, but I haven't been able to reproduce it. I'll keep trying.

 

..Al

 

I know how to reproduce that, walk around the neighboorhood you are in right now.

 

* runs away *