Tempest Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Is there a list of games that use the 130XE's 128K? I only know of a handful of games like Bop n Wrestle that would use all 128K if it detected it. I'm trying to decide which 8-bit system I want to have out to play games (an 800Xl, modified 1200XL, or 130XE). To the best of my knowledge only 3 or 4 games and a few demos used the extra memory, and most of those were from Europe. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 Alternate Reality: The Dungeon. It detects memory sizes above 48K and uses the extra RAM as disk cache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracon Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 There are some. If my memory serves correctly, there are following games that supports extra RAM (modified by crackers or original authors): - World Karate Championships - The Goonies - Karateka - Barahir - Artefakt Przodkow - Megablast - Gato - Bop'n Wrestle - Ace of Aces Of course there are more demos than games that utilize an extra RAM (e.g. "Trabant Demo" or "The Top #3"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 I think Tempeset is asking which games use the extra RAM on the 130XE, and not the RAM under the OS that all XL/XE models have. He is trying to decide between an 800XL and a 130XE, not between an 800XL and the older 800. I can't say about all the titles mentioned here. But at least some of them for sure use the RAM under the OS, and not the extra 64K RAM of the 130XE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 And btw, somebody has a list of which titles do NOT run with more than 64k? In other words, which games run on a (unexpanded) 800XL but not on a 130XE? The one I know is Cohen's Tower (original uncracked Datamost version). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracon Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I think Tempeset is asking which games use the extra RAM on the 130XE, and not the RAM under the OS that all XL/XE models have. He is trying to decide between an 800XL and a 130XE, not between an 800XL and the older 800. I can't say about all the titles mentioned here. But at least some of them for sure use the RAM under the OS, and not the extra 64K RAM of the 130XE. Nope, you are completely wrong. I know exactly what TEMPEST asked about. These games I gave are mainly special version of 'normal' games; when extended memory is detected they can load all game data into memory at once (KARATEKA, THE GOONIES) or play extra music (MEGABLAST, ARTEFAKT PRZODKOW), etc. Sometimes original creators make it possible, sometimes crackers enable it afterwards... it depends on the game. If you don't believe, check it out yourself. One example from above list: GATO And by the way, I've just found some more titles for 130XE computer: T-34 the Battle Bug Hunt Destroyer Warship Golf It's easy to get to know, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathy Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Howdy folks IIRC there's a whole section by Charlie Chaplin/Andreas Magenheimer about software, demo's and games that use extended RAM in Michael Currents FAQ. Greetings Mathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 These games I gave are mainly special version of 'normal' games ... Sometimes original creators make it possible, sometimes crackers enable it afterwards... Oh, I see. I missed that you were talking about patched/cracked version in your previous post. Sorry about that. Now, can you please, if you know, point which ones of those use more than 64K of RAM in their original (not cracked, not patched) version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 17, 2006 Author Share Posted July 17, 2006 I was mostly looking for games that used the extra memory for added features or extra sounds/graphics. I doubt there are many games like that since the 130XE was a very small subset of the 8-bit market. Sounds like most games used it to speed up loading times. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataridano Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I was mostly looking for games that used the extra memory for added features or extra sounds/graphics. I doubt there are many games like that since the 130XE was a very small subset of the 8-bit market. Sounds like most games used it to speed up loading times. Tempest It was always my impression that the 130XE's extra memory was mainly used as a RAM disk or similar. I'd take the 130XE or 800XL over the 1200XL if you want to take advantage of the PBI, the 1200XL has a nice keyboard though... Do many games take advantage of high speed drives (hard drive or RAM disk) to load memory pages from disk? This would work with the 130XE's extra memory *and* other Ataris too. Just a thought.... I'm not an expert -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I was mostly looking for games that used the extra memory for added features or extra sounds/graphics. I doubt there are many games like that since the 130XE was a very small subset of the 8-bit market. Sounds like most games used it to speed up loading times. Tempest Quite honestly the best use I ever got out of the 130XEs extra memory is when running AR: The Dungeon - it makes a hell of a difference in loading/swapping And sector copiers that used the extra mem was nice as well, or if you ran a BBS that could take advantage of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikor Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 (edited) Bug Hunt It's easy to get to know, eh? Oryginal version of Bug Hunt (on Cartridge) working fine on Standard 65XE (64KB RAM memory). Edited July 20, 2006 by Sikor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetle Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 (edited) (OT) The 64k Ataris are easily upgraded to get a full 130XE compatible RAM. So if i'd buy an Atari 8-Bit computer, i would make my decision upon other facts, ie. PBI, Keyboard or design. (/OT) Regards, Beetle Edited July 17, 2006 by Beetle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracon Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 (edited) Oh, I see. I missed that you were talking about patched/cracked version in your previous post. Sorry about that. Now, can you please, if you know, point which ones of those use more than 64K of RAM in their original (not cracked, not patched) version? Nope, I was talking about all games that enables using 130XE RAM in general. I can't test and point you out which ones are originally made to use it now, but as far as I am sure those are for real: - MEGABLAST (starts really cool digitized music on the title page and ingame!!!) - ARTEFAKT PRZODKOW (starts nice music on the title page) - BOP'n WRESTLE (speed-up loading time and faster game indeed) - ALTERNATE REALITY (speed-up loading time) Edited July 17, 2006 by Dracon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Fandal_ Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 Dreszcz Gato Getris Absolute Zero Beleagured Castle Canfield Cavepac Citadel C. L. Baker Double or Quit Eagle Destroyer Warship Gaps Golf Klondike Koenigsdiamanten La Belle Lucie Las Vegas Match Minesweeper I Monte Carlo Monte Carlo II Osmosis Selective Canfield Shamrock Streets and Alleys T-34 the Battle Trefoil F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 17, 2006 Author Share Posted July 17, 2006 I was mostly looking for games that used the extra memory for added features or extra sounds/graphics. I doubt there are many games like that since the 130XE was a very small subset of the 8-bit market. Sounds like most games used it to speed up loading times. Tempest It was always my impression that the 130XE's extra memory was mainly used as a RAM disk or similar. I'd take the 130XE or 800XL over the 1200XL if you want to take advantage of the PBI, the 1200XL has a nice keyboard though... Do many games take advantage of high speed drives (hard drive or RAM disk) to load memory pages from disk? This would work with the 130XE's extra memory *and* other Ataris too. Just a thought.... I'm not an expert -Dan I've never had much use for the PBI other than to use my Freezer. The 1200XL keyboard is nice, but the OS mod that I had installed in it has some odd issues such as garbling some score displays in certain games because it is not the official Atari OS, but a compatible one. I'd use my 130XE if it wasn't for those horrid option/select keys, who designed those anyway? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 You peeps also forgot the v. first lemmings clone 'Brundles' on a 130xe it loads in a few extra levels (and 256/512k even a lot more) DOS 2.5 and Dos XE (both use memory under the o/s so you can switch from dos to basic etc without loading dos) and extended xe mem. is used as ramdisk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geosteve Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I'm sure I read that both of LucasFilm's disk games use the extra 130XE memory to speed load times, The Eidolon and Koronis Rift. I have both but not the manuals to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xebec's Demise Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 (edited) Alternate Reality: The City also makes use of the extra RAM. In an 800xl there is more disk loading than in a 130XE. XE's came out in 1985 and so did AR. It's cool it was written to take advantage of the very latest hardware; even though it was written on a suped up Atari 800 and finished the same year. As a result, it may even make use of more RAM than 128k, as I believe the Atari 800 that Philip Price used had 256k, it is listed when you insert one of the disks other than disk 1 side 1. I have MEtalGuy66 upgrading a 600XL to 256k right now, specifically to run AR: The City. While I know AR will use 128k, it will be interesting to see if it does anything with the extra 128k in a 256k Atari. Edited July 19, 2006 by Xebec's Demise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEtalGuy66 Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I'm sure I read that both of LucasFilm's disk games use the extra 130XE memory to speed load times, The Eidolon and Koronis Rift. I have both but not the manuals to them Yeah the loading intro to Ballblazer is so damn kewl.. We used to reboot the sucker and watch that over and over again back when it came out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEtalGuy66 Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 What would really be nice, is a list of demos, apps, or games that actually take advantage of the 130xe's "extended video" banking mode. In otherwords, employ seperate access of the cpu to extended banks of memory, while ANTIC is still looking at the base RAM bank for screen data, or vice versa. These programs will only run correctly on a TRUE 130xe, that still has bit4 of PORTB hooked to ANTIC extended RAM access control. An XL cannot do this without the addtion of quite a bit of extra logic, in addition to the RAM expansion. Also, most XE memory upgrades (the original Scott Petersen one, among others) use this bit to adress additional RAM banks, thus removig this capability.. This is a shame because while not many people have made use of this feature in coding, its one of the kewlest things about a 130xe, and from a graphics memory stadpoint, can potentially expand the capabilities of the machine quite substantially if utilized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 Alternate Reality: The City also makes use of the extra RAM. In an 800xl there is more disk loading than in a 130XE. Huh, I didn't think the City did anything with extra RAM. My 1200XL has a 256K upgrade that's supposed to be 130XE compatible, and it works with all the 130XE stuff except AR: Dungeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ijor Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I'm sure I read that both of LucasFilm's disk games use the extra 130XE memory to speed load times, The Eidolon and Koronis Rift. I have both but not the manuals to them Yeah the loading intro to Ballblazer is so damn kewl.. Ballbalzer’s loader is gorgeous. So much that I think it is almost a crime that it was replaced in an European Activision release. But I don’t think they load faster or use any kind of ramdisk with 128k, do they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almost Rice Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I loved BB. I played many games against my brother and heard it loading many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+CharlieChaplin Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Well, you can find a huge list of games, demos and applications that use eXtra memory in the A8FAQ maintained by Michael Current (subjects 8.13, 8.14 and 8.15 if I remember correctly)... Of course the list is incomplete and I have not listed the cracked/patched game versions there... (just wrote a note about this possibility)... Now, MetalGuy wanted to know about programs that use the 130XE special banking video mode, also known as separate CPU / Antic access. As far as I know there exist only two programs utilizing this: 1) Video Blitz by Helvetica Bold (a nice demo) and 2) The [sparta DOS] Wedge by Ed Bachmann. No other programs seem to use this mode - and remember that many XL/XE RAM upgrades do not even support this mode. Besides, there is a newer version of Video Blitz available (by Tebe/MadTeam) that does not use/require separate Antic access and afaik the Wedge is a sort of file manager program, there are dozens of such programs available that do not require separate Antic access - but if you just wanna test this sep. Antic/CPU access feature, take these two programs... -Andreas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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