2600 track ball games

[masschamber]

which games are track ball compatible, orignally not the hacks that added track ball support

[Lord Thag]

None. Pretty silly, yes? Fortunately the trackball has the joystick emulation setting....

[shadow460]

Now which games are meant to use the track ball, well, if it's got one in the arcade, it should have one at home.

 

Both 'pede titles, Reactor, Missile Command, etc.

[Lord Thag]

  Now which games are meant to use the track ball, well, if it's got one in the arcade, it should have one at home.

 

Both 'pede titles, Reactor, Missile Command, etc.

 

Hmmm.

 

Crystal Castles is one. Can't think of any others right now.

[A.J. Franzman]

(Apologies in advance for slight thread hijack!)

I got a Wico trackball for the 2600 in a thrift store a few days ago. So far I only tried it briefly with Missile Command, and it doesn't seem to be very usable. I have to roll the ball very fast to get the cursor to track across the screen at the normal rate. Is there something wrong with my trackball, or is this normal? For anyone who has both, is the Atari trackball about the same, speed-wise, as the Wico one?

[+Nathan Strum]

I guess it depends on how you define "compatible". The Atari 2600 Trakball will work with any joystick-controlled game, but not as a true trackball. When you roll the ball, you get a constant speed. You're only really controlling how far you move, not how fast. It still works pretty well, but it depends on the game. I think it's a definite improvement in Centipede and Crystal Castles.

 

There's a switch on the bottom of the Trakball that changes modes between "joystick" and "trackball". (Presumably for use with the Atari computers.)

[BONEMAN]

I always used it to play Vanguard.

[masschamber]

are there any atari computer games that are designed for the track ball?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

are there any atari computer games that are designed for the track ball?

912565[/snapback]

Originals for the 2600? No.

[masschamber]

No, I meant atari computer as in the 400 800 and what not, so are the any 400/800 games that use the track ball?

[+FujiSkunk]

No, I meant atari computer as in the 400 800 and what not, so are the any 400/800 games that use the track ball?

912689[/snapback]

 

Missile Command. I want to say that's it, but I'm not sure.

 

Really, only the 5200 got a decent number of truely track-ball compatible games.

[masschamber]

I'll have to try it then,

[Danno]

There is a hacked version of 2600 Missle Command that works with the Trak-ball, and also a hacked version of 7800 Centipede as well.

 

The 2600 Missle Command TB was still a bit herky-jerky control-wise with the Trak-ball, but better than the original by far.

 

The 7800 Centipede hack is damn near perfect. It even supports 2 player simultaneous with two trak-balls (something even the arcade couldn't do).

 

Unfortunately, the only way to play these is on original hardware with a multi-cart like the Cuttle Cart 2.

 

Though - the 7800 Centipede TB, and some of the other new 7800 homebrews & hacks make the price of a CC2 well worth it. Best video game money I ever spent.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The 2600 Missle Command TB was still a bit herky-jerky control-wise with the Trak-ball, but better than the original by far.

"Herky-jerky"? What do you mean? Are you sure it wasn't your Trak-Ball?

[sku_u]

The 2600 Missle Command TB was still a bit herky-jerky control-wise with the Trak-ball, but better than the original by far.

"Herky-jerky"? What do you mean? Are you sure it wasn't your Trak-Ball?

913872[/snapback]

 

It's probably an issue with his trakball as I didn't notice that at all when using my trakball.

 

What 2600 ports used trakballs in the arcade besides the ones already mentioned?

 

So far we have:

 

Reactor

Missile Command

Centipede

Millipede

Crystal Castles

 

and I'll add Atari Football

 

Bowling would probably be fun with a trakball.

[Rob Mitchell]

I got a Wico trackball for the 2600 in a thrift store a few days ago. So far I only tried it briefly with Missile Command, and it doesn't seem to be very usable. I have to roll the ball very fast to get the cursor to track across the screen at the normal rate. Is there something wrong with my trackball, or is this normal? For anyone who has both, is the Atari trackball about the same, speed-wise, as the Wico one?

912259[/snapback]

 

The red Wico Trakball is a joystick emulation only and does not provide true trakball signals. The Atari trakballs have a switch to select between joystick emualtion and true trakball signals.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[A.J. Franzman]

The red Wico Trakball is a joystick emulation only and does not provide true trakball signals. The Atari trakballs have a switch to select between joystick emualtion and true trakball signals.

914918[/snapback]

I knew that already. No original Atari 2600 cartridges make use of true trakball signal mode anyway, so the point is moot.

 

Can you answer my question? My Wico track ball seems to require very fast rotation in order to output a constant "on" signal in a given direction. If not rotated fast enough, the cursor moves very obviously slower than with a real joystick, as if the direction signal from the track ball is pulsing on and off. I want to know if this pseudo-proportional speed effect is about the same between the Atari trakball and the Wico track ball, or if one is noticeably "faster" than the other, or if perhaps the Atari version in joystick mode does not have this effect at all.

 

With an Atari trakball in joystick mode on a 2600 console, how slow can you roll the ball and still get smooth cursor movement in Missile Command, at full speed compared to what you get with a regular joystick? Does anyone have both a Wico and an Atari track ball to compare?

[Rob Mitchell]

I knew that already.  Can you answer my question?  Does anyone have both a Wico and an Atari track ball to compare?

915106[/snapback]

 

Oh .. ok! I do have both trakballs but I'll have to sit down and compare. The speed at which you spin the ball depends on the resolution of the quadrature signals. For example the Indy 500 driving controller is very low resolution.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[+Mitch]

Decathalon, works great in true trackball mode.

 

Mitch

[NightSprinter]

Hmm.. while this post is a bit off-topic, that bit about the 2600 official trak-ball having a switch for TB and Joystick-emulation modes gave me an idea for this one Amiga game (once I can get a real A500): Marble Madness. The game had the following options: Joystick (turned 45 degrees clockwise, NOT very effective..), Trak-Ball in Port 1 or 2, and Mouse. Apparently Atari had plans on using this for later computers (not just the Amiga, but I'm guessing the ST/TT/Falcon line too) for special games.