DEBRO Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 I posted this on the StellaList too but I thought I'd ask here in case others don't subscribe. How would you feel about using the Game Select switch as a pause button? I know Kool-Aid Man uses the difficulty switch for a pause feature but it can make the player think the game has lock up. Using the Game Select gives the programmer a little more control plus it debounces. I thought about using the B/W switch. Making the player start in the color position and quickly switch to B/W and back to color to do the pause. This would work on the 7800 and even let you use the Pause button but it's awkward for the 2600 player. Anyone have any more ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Since the color/bw switch actually stays in either position, I would be in favor of that switch (that way in the heat of battle...you know for sure that it is paused). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 quote: Originally posted by DEBRO: How would you feel about using the Game Select switch as a pause button? I know Kool-Aid Man uses the difficulty switch for a pause feature but it can make the player think the game has lock up. That's not necessary. Just use a bit to remember the state of the switch when you reset the game. If the state of the switch changes, then pause the game. That's exactly what I did in Thrust+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Some games by Atari, Sega, etc. utilized the TV-Type (Color/BW) switch. It works well, so I'd suggest that, as the others have. CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Atari Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Xenophobe has a pause feature . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 Star Ship has a pause feature, doesn't it? Oh...wait...you mean that's actually how the game's supposed to play? CF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted June 6, 2002 Author Share Posted June 6, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Thomas Jentzsch: That's not necessary. Just use a bit to remember the state of the switch when you reset the game. If the state of the switch changes, then pause the game. That's exactly what I did in Thrust+. Now that seems simple enough Another case of not seeing the forest for the trees. I didn't know Thrust+ had a pause feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbins1940 Posted June 6, 2002 Share Posted June 6, 2002 Super Football has a pause button using the col/bw switch. Switch it to bw and the game pauses. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 2600 Games that have PAUSE feature: Xenophobe, Super Football, Turmoil, Thrust+ use the COLOR/B&W switch. Marble Craze: Pause with the red paddle buttons. Others? Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 2600 Games that have PAUSE feature: Xenophobe, Super Football, Turmoil, Thrust+ use the COLOR/B&W switch. So quickly I forgot to mention Burgertime! How well does the 7800 console pause button work? Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Fast Eddie also uses the BW switch to pause. I'd be in favor of that switch as well since it locks into position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerG Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Pause is a feature I really appreciate on games and it is an extra incentive to me to buy a game (new homebrew/ hack) if it has a pause. Please consider it when programming -- thanks! -- RG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snider-man Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Doesn't Kool-Aid Man have a pause? I'm embarrassed that I know this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witchfynde Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 Return of the Jedi: Death Star Battle does, I think you press Game Select and it'll pause. H. E. R. O. and Kaboom! doesn't start things up until you press a button (or move a control on H. E. R. O.). Ram It won't start until you press the button either. Fathom sort of has a pause, you just move your seagull to the screen where the dolphin is and your points won't decrease. Midnight Magic won't start in between balls until you fire the plunger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 If you have the space to program in a Pause feature, and you're ignoring the black & white switch, I would say use it. I would rather see that than the Select button, plus as you said, it can be made to work with the Pause button on the 7800. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 If you have the space to program in a Pause feature, and you're ignoring the black & white switch, I would say use it. I would rather see that than the Select button, plus as you said, it can be made to work with the Pause button on the 7800. ..Al I thought about using the B&W switch (as noted in the Atari 2600 Game Standards and Procedures document). The problem I have with that is it alienates the 7800 owners. Their pause switch is wired to the B&W switch in 2600 mode but the button depresses like the select button. So their state will always be color, then when they press the button it will switch to black and white, and when they let go it will switch back to color. In the demo of Climber5 I posted I use the select key as a pause feature. I have moved it to the fire button instead since the fire button isn't used in the game and the player won't have to reach the console to pause the action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Doesn't Crazy Climber have a pause? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snider-man Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Halloween doesn't have a "pause" per se, but you can rest in one of the four "safe rooms" at either end of the house forever. Michael doesn't come in here and there is no timer to the game. Drop off a kid and go get a sammich or something. Come back when you're ready to play again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hackmann Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Secret Quest let you pause on the 2600 by toggling the B&W/Color switch twice (i.e. changing it and then putting it back), and 7800 owners could just press the Pause button. You might want to look into how that works -- I'm guessing the Pause button just did the B&W/Color toggle twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Secret Quest let you pause on the 2600 by toggling the B&W/Color switch twice (i.e. changing it and then putting it back), and 7800 owners could just press the Pause button. You might want to look into how that works -- I'm guessing the Pause button just did the B&W/Color toggle twice. Oh, it can definitely be done but it seems a little awkward to me for a 2600 owner to have to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Channel 2 Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Secret Quest let you pause on the 2600 by toggling the B&W/Color switch twice (i.e. changing it and then putting it back), and 7800 owners could just press the Pause button. You might want to look into how that works -- I'm guessing the Pause button just did the B&W/Color toggle twice. Oh, it can definitely be done but it seems a little awkward to me for a 2600 owner to have to do this. How about this? Whenever the state of the BW/C switch changes, toggle the pause mode, then don't count further changes for a second or two afterwards (just be sure to keep track of where the switch is). So just flipping the switch once on the 2600 will turn pause on/off, and hitting the pause button on the 7800 would also toggle pause as long as it's not held down too long (else it will be toggled again when released). It's a little like the << and >> buttons on a CD player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Living Room Arcade Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 21 Years Later Here are the lists so far. Spoiler Color/B&W Switch Climber 5 Cross Force Fast Eddie Secret Quest Super Football Turmoil Xenophobe Difficulty Switch Burger Time Kool-Aide Man Thrust Platinum Fire Button Game Select Switch Star Wars Return of the Jedi Death Star Battle What other Atari 2600 games with a pause feature built in can you think of to add to the list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pitfall Harry Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 If Air Raid has a pause feature, I think they should have called it Men-A-Pause. -Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_Larson Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 I did pause via Color/BW on my Squareraid game a few years back - it was surprisingly tricky to get it working right for both the 2600 and 7800. This thread may be a new world record for necro bumping. 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supergun Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Can’t believe everyone here forgot the first 2600 game I remember having a pause feature. Parker Bros. Super Cobra. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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