Juno First is (lowkey) one of the best shmups ever made. Its obscurity has been criminal up to this point. (I only learned about it thanks to homebrew authors and MAME cabinets.) I'm super excited to finally see an arcade port, and I highly recommend checking out the game on your platform of choice! (The unofficial 2600 port is also pretty awesome!)
The hardware is not quite the same. The 7800+ features a revised cartridge slot, and it has different hardware handling controller input. Try playing Breakout on the 2600+ and then the 7800+ to see the difference. (The Driving Controller is also supported now.) Plaion is still striving for parity between the two but the 7800+ is an upgrade, albeit a minor one. Also, I'm sourcing all of this information from the AtariAge forums where Ben from Plaion posts pretty regularly. (Look through the 2600+ sub-forum.)
I purchased the Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection for PS4 at the beginning of the year.
While I love the collection, I was also bummed it did not include Jurassic Park for the Sega CD or Jurassic Park Interactive for the 3DO. As such, I decided to purchase the original games second hand since I still own both of those systems, and I have other devices which can emulate them.
Thankfully, I was able to find both games at a relatively affordable price over the course of several months. Unfortunately, I am still unable to play Jurassic Park for the Sega CD. "Why?" you ask. Simple, disc rot.
I can not legally play a game I legally own the license to. The only way I can actually experience the product I paid for is to download a pirated copy. That's just stupid (and broken).
The release trailer for the mod is absolute fire! There's also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter egg thrown in at the end that hearkens back to the fact that DOOM 64 was a Midway endeavor.
Oof... well I'm almost thankful for the high price point on LRG's retro releases because it dissuaded me from purchasing their reprints of D and Plumbers Don't Wear Ties.
Maybe they should try reaching out to World of Games Publishing for pointers?
I'm guessing this is why the Atari Lynx collections for the Evercade were discontinued then. Still, it's nice to see some Lynx-exclusive titles reach a wider audience.
I can't even use the stupid thing because my Polymega arrived with botched firmware out of the box. I contacted Playmaji two weeks ago and have yet to receive a response. It also appears I'm not the only one having this issue:
Regarding the game, it's pretty neat. Jumping back and forth between the foreground and the background is more awkward than it should be, though. (You can't jump on logs when you think you can, and there's zero delay between each transition.) Still, both Birdo / Catherine and Mario Clash deserve more love so I applaud Squidoodle's efforts!
I kind of feel like the Atari XP line is targeting the WataGames crowd. There are very few games I'd pay $60 for, let alone 2600 games. That said, I'd rather Atari sell over-priced, limited edition variants of their 2600 library than continue their crypto / Atari X shenanigans.
While I'm not really the audience for this collection, I don't understand why Evercade and/or Delphine didn't opt to include multiple versions of each game. Both Another World and Flashback were ported to nearly every platform available at the time.
Just because companies can send cease and desist letters to fan projects, doesn't mean they should. Nor does every company protect their IP so aggressively. It's frankly baffling to me as to why Interplay paid good money to have this project shut down. They're doing nothing with the IP, which is their right, but that also means projects like Infinite Clayfare are causing them zero financial harm.
I mean... I don't really feel like that person's statement is far off the mark. The last ClayFighter game was released in 1998. We know of at least two projects that fell through since that time, but we're still talking about a seven year gap since anything has been announced. Moreover, Interplay as a whole really hasn't done anything with any of their IP since 2015. They've mostly just been squatting on it in hopes that someone will buy it all as a package deal.
Interplay, it's been 25 years. Either sculpt or throw out the pot.
But seriously, think about how much it cost to pay that lawyer to send a cease and desist versus how much you'd lose on Evercade cartridge sales if you allowed Infinite Clayfare to continue. You just wasted your money and pissed off the fans again.
I totally understand not wanting to attempt a repair for fear of breaking something further. (I've had some bad luck with that myself.) I suppose you can always try to repair your old paddles if the new ones work out well.
As for SCART, I wish I knew of a cheap and decent solution for you. My TV accepts RF and composite but the resulting picture quality on both is pretty lousy. I'd like to purchase some kind of all-in-one retro gaming solution but they're either cost-prohibitive or only support one connection at a time. (And I really don't want to be mucking with cables all of the time.)
@mariteaux
Some of their merchandise does look pretty cool, and it seems like they run sales periodically at least.
Also, it makes happy to hear you got into the 2600 via YouTube. Childhood me would have been amazed by the sheer amount of information out there.
Are your paddles jittery, or is something else going on?
Also, regarding compatibility with original hardware, I wasn't able to find anything about the 10-in-1 cartridge or the new Berzerk release, but the paddle controller bundle mentions both the cartridge and the paddles are compatible with original hardware. (It's mentioned under the Features section.) Mr. Run and Jump also mentions it's compatible with original hardware.
As for video output, the only wired connections I see mentioned are HDMI, USB-C, and the DB9 joystick ports. You may wind up needing an adapter, unfortunately.
@mariteaux
I think a lot of older fans have just become used to being disappointed. Atari and its IP have changed hands several times over the years, and no one has really managed to recapture the same kind of magic the company had 45 years ago. That said, I feel like the people involved now are at least trying to make an effort.
The VCS continues to be supported despite being a financial disaster, Digital Eclipse was given free reign for Atari 50, and new hardware and games are being released for the 2600 again. (In an official capacity, anyway.)
I'm worried about homebrew support, and the company really needs to address how broken some of the Recharged games are, but this is still an exciting time to be an Atari fan, regardless of age. (And I'm probably not as old as you think I am. )
The 2600+ is definitely an emulation-based console. The CPU that powers the device is listed on Atari's website, and it's pretty comparable to what's in the RetroN 77 based on the discussion about the device over on the Atari Age forums. (One of the people that posts there works on the 2600 emulator, Stella, so they're pretty knowledgeable.) That said, the official compatibility list for the 2600+ is concerning because many of the "untested" games use the same bank-switching method. (Think larger cartridge sizes.) There's also the matter of homebrew support. Many homebrew cartridges feature additional chips which can't be dumped into a ROM image. They'll have to be emulated, and it's unclear if that'll happen or even if the device can be updated.
EDIT: Since posting, I've learned about a few promising developments. (Again, all through the discussion on Atari Age.)
1.) The 2600+'s firmware can be updated via the USB-C port.
2.) The device will use the latest version of Stella, v6.7, for 2600 emulation.
3.) The new Berzerk port is a 32K game which means the ROM dumper in the 2600+ is more sophisticated than what's in the RetroN 77.
And I also misspoke on 2600 carts with extra chips. They can't be dumped, and unless the cartridge reader functions like an actual 2600, they can't be emulated either. The RetroN 77 is only able to play them because you can load ROM's from the SD card. I'm hoping the same will be true of the 2600+ with its USB port, but nothing's been announced so far.
I'm excited about this release, especially because I've been wanting to buy a 7800, but I'm also concerned it won't be able to play homebrew games or any games that use less common bank-switching methods. (Many of the "untested" games in the compatibility list use the same bank-switching method.) Newer 2600 titles also have extra chips in them, which would need to be emulated, and we don't know if the 2600+ will support firmware updates or not.
I don't want to hate on this device. It's affordable, and I love what Atari is doing lately. That said, 2600 fans may be better off sticking with the RetroN 77. There's a community firmware update that will enable you to enjoy far more games than the initial offering here. (Well, provided you don't have a unit with faulty RAM, anyway.)
Lastly, you may not care about homebrew support, but you may not realize just how big the homebrew scene is.
Think of any arcade game from the 1980's or earlier. It's probably been ported to the 2600. In fact, the 2600 port of Juno First is the only port of this game that exists!
Like Pac-Man? Look up Bob Decrescenzo. He even ported Baby Pac-Man! (This is also the only port of this game that exists.)
Love Adventure? Check out Adventure II for the 5200. Or browse through the Atari Age forums for some great ROM hacks of the original 2600 game. (You can play on original hardware with a Harmony cartridge.)
Want to play modern ports of existing 2600 titles? The Atari Age community has got you covered here as well. Better ports of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Gorf exist, to name a few.
You can also play de-makes of other games. Princess Rescue if you like Mario or Zippy the Porcupine if you like Sonic. There's even Halo!
And that's not even getting into the original stuff being produced.
So yeah, homebrew is pretty important, and I'd much rather pay $130 for an HDMI-ready, emulation-based console than $200+ for 37-year-old hardware that has to be modded to support composite video.
EDIT: Since posting, I've learned about a few promising developments. (Again, all through the discussion on Atari Age.)
1.) The 2600+'s firmware can be updated via the USB-C port.
2.) The device will use the latest version of Stella, v6.7, for 2600 emulation.
3.) The new Berzerk port is a 32K game which means the ROM dumper in the 2600+ is more sophisticated than what's in the RetroN 77.
And I also misspoke on how the RetroN 77 handles 2600 carts with extra chips. Namely, they can't be dumped. The RetroN 77 is only able to play them because you can load ROM's from the SD card. I'm hoping the same will be true of the 2600+ with its USB port, but nothing's been announced so far.
I'm not trying to prevent anyone from enjoying the game, but the Download button is jumping to a DropBox upload, and the uploaded file is an exe. That's kind of worrisome.
I'm cautiously optimistic. While the VCS seems to be a failed venture, the new CEO seems to be doing a better job at leveraging Atari's back catalogue than anyone else has in decades. Atari 50 was phenomenal, Akka Arrh received the Tempest 2000 treatment, and we now have modern versions of games like Yars' Revenge and Gravitar through the Recharged series. At the very least, the current iteration of Atari seems to recognize the importance of software.
I completely agree. Also, I hope disaster never strikes because a house fire or a flooded basement could easily wipe out his entire collection. And that'd be a tragic loss for everyone, not just the owner.
"You snooze, you lose." is a pretty terrible take, and it makes even less sense when we're talking about digital content that more or less exists in perpetuity.
Are people legally entitled to the games featured on the 3DS and Wii U eShops? No, but did Nintendo force people to buy them? Yes, and that's wrong.
I have a soft spot for both the cartoon and the Sega Genesis game, so I'm really excited to see a follow-up with modern design sensibilities. (Fun fact: The Sega Genesis game uses the same (terrible) sound driver as DOOM 32x.) Also, I second the Kabukiman cameo!
This announcement has made me very concerned about the future of Playmaji and the Polymega. Like, I legitimately want to own a Polymega console, I have for years, and I may finally have enough funds to purchase one come summer of this year. That said, nothing about this announcement inspires hope that the company will survive let alone be able to fulfill my order.
To Playmaji I say this, I genuinely want you all to succeed! I absolutely think there is a place for devices like the Polymega. I am extremely worried about your partners in Myanmar. I want to know how they're doing! (Seriously, keep us posted like Frogwares does!) I know you're trying to make the best out of a bad situation. The Remix seems like a decent solution, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm also getting 32x / Creative 3DO Blaster vibes from it. Keep focusing on the software! Being able to back up and play all of my old games on multiple devices sounds amazing! Lastly, and this will sound disrespectful no matter how I phrase it, try to read the room better. You do not have the same amount of good will built up as other companies do. Every delay and/or new product announcement hurts your credibility. Don't tease a big announcement, and then delay it, when everybody is expecting that announcement to be that you've resolved your supply chain issues, and/or you're now shipping more than 50 units a month.
Edit: I hope I didn't come across as too harsh. I say all of this out of love for what you do and what the Polymega represents. Think of me as being like Cat-Pat before he made his "Burnout" video.
While I'm not trying to refute your point, IDW's run of TMNT has had several cross-overs already. They've done Batman, Ghostbusters, the X-Files, and Power Rangers so far.
I wish we could PM each other. I'm really enjoying our conversation even though it's completely off-topic at this point.
I didn't realize static_cast and the like were relatively new to C++. I already make use of them. I don't like the code bloat but I like the syntax and the vagueness of C-style casts less.
When you refer to dynamic type detection, are you talking about the is_pointer template class and what not? Those do seem pretty handy. Visual Studio 2010 doesn't fully support them. I'd use a newer compiler but I've got a few projects I'm still working that are already set up for VS2010.
Regarding the algorithm library, I know it's powerful but I hate the design of it. I understand why it was built that way but it feels like such a C-style solution to a C++ problem. I shouldn't have to include a separate library to perform simple tasks on the objects inside of a vector. That functionality should have been built into the vector class.
You've probably picked up on this but I don't really like C++'s template syntax. It makes code longer, and I find it hard to read. That said, it's not nearly as offensive to me as pre-processor macros. I understand why people use both but that doesn't mean I like it.
As for the auto declaration, that is something I'm interested in but I don't believe it's fully supported in VS2010 either. (I remember messing around with it a while back and running into trouble.) I also find the syntax for lambda functions hard to read. (Function pointers are confusing enough as is.)
I'll concede that C and C++ are too similar to be considered different languages but I take issue with referring to Assembly as such. That's like saying Python is no different than C just because it was built with it.
I agree that malloc is generally a bad idea. The reason why I use it is to read in a large chunk of data all at once rather than read it in byte-by-byte and then push copies to a vector. I also can't cast an address to a vector of uint8_t's to whatever data type I need it to be. I could use C++'s new operator but that would require me to define a type and the chunk of data I'm reading in may be composed of several. Void pointers just make sense here and that means using malloc which means using C.
As for smart pointers, I haven't used them much. I know I probably should but I don't like the syntax and I enjoy the challenge of managing my own memory. Truth be told, I haven't really messed with Boost or any of the new features added to C++ since 2003 or so. (nullptr is awesome though!)
Lastly, I am out of my depth here but I know both Java and Python have some kind of foreign function interface which allows you to call subroutines written in other languages. I know you can also extend the Python language using C / C++. I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to write a program in Java or Python that uses a library written in something completely different. In Polymega's case, I'm guessing they just wrote some kind of wrapper in C though.
While I do think referring to C as a "low-level" language is somewhat misleading, interpreted languages like Java, Python, and Ruby are becoming more prevalent. Since those are considered "high-level" languages, I can understand why someone would refer to a compiled language like C as "low level."
Regarding writing a program in multiple languages, Visual Studio will absolutely allow you to do this. You can write a C++ program that also includes C and Assembly code.
As for why people still use C, I don't know enough about the differences to give you a definitive answer. I can tell you why I use it though.
C++ is strongly typed and will not allow you to dynamically allocate memory and assign the address to a void pointer. You can get around this by making use of C's malloc function.
I find File I/O in C to be simple and elegant. You've got one data type and several functions you can use to read and write data. File I/O in C++ is needlessly complicated. You've got multiple data types and functions specific to each.
Comments 32
Re: Konami Shoot 'Em Up 'Juno First' Is Heading To Arcade Archives This Week
Juno First is (lowkey) one of the best shmups ever made. Its obscurity has been criminal up to this point. (I only learned about it thanks to homebrew authors and MAME cabinets.) I'm super excited to finally see an arcade port, and I highly recommend checking out the game on your platform of choice! (The unofficial 2600 port is also pretty awesome!)
Re: Someone Is Making New Games For The GBA's Unpopular E-Reader Add-On
I love this idea, and I'll definitely buy a pack if it's in the $20 - $30 range! The e-Reader was such a cool accessory, and it deserves more love!
@RupeeClock
I completely forgot about needing a second system and a link cable to use the cards with other games. That is a definite barrier for entry.
I wonder why Nintendo didn't opt to have some kind of cartridge port built into the device a la the Game Shark / Action Replay.
Re: True "All-In-One" MiSTer FPGA Multisystem 2 Console Is Coming In 2025
Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but I'm not seeing any cartridge slots on this device...
Re: Review: Atari 7800+ - A Welcome Yet Rather Redundant Tribute For The Console That Lost To The NES
@Damo
The hardware is not quite the same. The 7800+ features a revised cartridge slot, and it has different hardware handling controller input. Try playing Breakout on the 2600+ and then the 7800+ to see the difference. (The Driving Controller is also supported now.) Plaion is still striving for parity between the two but the 7800+ is an upgrade, albeit a minor one. Also, I'm sourcing all of this information from the AtariAge forums where Ben from Plaion posts pretty regularly. (Look through the 2600+ sub-forum.)
Re: The US Copyright Office Doesn't Want To Give You Access To Video Game History
Here's a personal anecdote for you all:
I purchased the Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection for PS4 at the beginning of the year.
While I love the collection, I was also bummed it did not include Jurassic Park for the Sega CD or Jurassic Park Interactive for the 3DO. As such, I decided to purchase the original games second hand since I still own both of those systems, and I have other devices which can emulate them.
Thankfully, I was able to find both games at a relatively affordable price over the course of several months. Unfortunately, I am still unable to play Jurassic Park for the Sega CD. "Why?" you ask. Simple, disc rot.
I can not legally play a game I legally own the license to. The only way I can actually experience the product I paid for is to download a pirated copy. That's just stupid (and broken).
Re: Brand New Mod Gives A Doom 64-Style Overhaul To The First Two Games
The release trailer for the mod is absolute fire! There's also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it Easter egg thrown in at the end that hearkens back to the fact that DOOM 64 was a Midway endeavor.
Re: Random: This Is One Device Doom Should Never Have Been Ported To
The DOOM Guy's pain grunts now take on a much different context...
Re: Limited Run Games Apologises For Shipping 3DO Games On CD-Rs
Oof... well I'm almost thankful for the high price point on LRG's retro releases because it dissuaded me from purchasing their reprints of D and Plumbers Don't Wear Ties.
Maybe they should try reaching out to World of Games Publishing for pointers?
Re: 'The Epyx Collection: Handheld' Brings 6 Atari Lynx Games To Switch
I'm guessing this is why the Atari Lynx collections for the Evercade were discontinued then. Still, it's nice to see some Lynx-exclusive titles reach a wider audience.
Re: Polymega's N64 Module Sells Out, New Stock Coming In June
I can't even use the stupid thing because my Polymega arrived with botched firmware out of the box. I contacted Playmaji two weeks ago and have yet to receive a response. It also appears I'm not the only one having this issue:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PolymegaHQ/comments/18xunzz/boot_loop_out_of_the_box/
Re: Atari Is Republishing Three 7800 Classics This May, Along With The CX78 Joypad
One of the representatives from Plaion has confirmed the new 7800 games will include manuals.
Source: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/360316-newish-7800-games-and-accessories-announced-by-atari-and-plaion-compatible-with-the-2600/?do=findComment&comment=5399044
He also mentioned there's another game that has yet to be announced because it is being enhanced a la Berzerk.
Re: Birdo Is The Star In This New 'Super Mario Bros. 2' Christmas-Themed Fangame
@Poodlestargenerica
Nose / mouth. She could be spitting them.
Regarding the game, it's pretty neat. Jumping back and forth between the foreground and the background is more awkward than it should be, though. (You can't jump on logs when you think you can, and there's zero delay between each transition.) Still, both Birdo / Catherine and Mario Clash deserve more love so I applaud Squidoodle's efforts!
Re: Atari Taking Pre-Orders For A $299.99 Limited Edition Cartridge Set
I kind of feel like the Atari XP line is targeting the WataGames crowd. There are very few games I'd pay $60 for, let alone 2600 games. That said, I'd rather Atari sell over-priced, limited edition variants of their 2600 library than continue their crypto / Atari X shenanigans.
Re: Review: Delphine Software Collection 1 - A Meagre Selection, But Hey, It Has Flashback
While I'm not really the audience for this collection, I don't understand why Evercade and/or Delphine didn't opt to include multiple versions of each game. Both Another World and Flashback were ported to nearly every platform available at the time.
Re: Birdo Is The Star In This New 'Super Mario Bros. 2' Christmas-Themed Fangame
@Poodlestargenerica
I mean... Yoshi throws his poop at enemies.
Re: Another Clayfighter Fan Project Has Received A C&D From Interplay
@TransmitHim
Just because companies can send cease and desist letters to fan projects, doesn't mean they should. Nor does every company protect their IP so aggressively. It's frankly baffling to me as to why Interplay paid good money to have this project shut down. They're doing nothing with the IP, which is their right, but that also means projects like Infinite Clayfare are causing them zero financial harm.
Re: Another Clayfighter Fan Project Has Received A C&D From Interplay
@TransmitHim
I mean... I don't really feel like that person's statement is far off the mark. The last ClayFighter game was released in 1998. We know of at least two projects that fell through since that time, but we're still talking about a seven year gap since anything has been announced. Moreover, Interplay as a whole really hasn't done anything with any of their IP since 2015. They've mostly just been squatting on it in hopes that someone will buy it all as a package deal.
Re: Another Clayfighter Fan Project Has Received A C&D From Interplay
Interplay, it's been 25 years. Either sculpt or throw out the pot.
But seriously, think about how much it cost to pay that lawyer to send a cease and desist versus how much you'd lose on Evercade cartridge sales if you allowed Infinite Clayfare to continue. You just wasted your money and pissed off the fans again.
Re: Where To Pre-Order The Atari 2600+
@ralphdibny
I totally understand not wanting to attempt a repair for fear of breaking something further. (I've had some bad luck with that myself.) I suppose you can always try to repair your old paddles if the new ones work out well.
As for SCART, I wish I knew of a cheap and decent solution for you. My TV accepts RF and composite but the resulting picture quality on both is pretty lousy. I'd like to purchase some kind of all-in-one retro gaming solution but they're either cost-prohibitive or only support one connection at a time. (And I really don't want to be mucking with cables all of the time.)
@mariteaux
Some of their merchandise does look pretty cool, and it seems like they run sales periodically at least.
Also, it makes happy to hear you got into the 2600 via YouTube. Childhood me would have been amazed by the sheer amount of information out there.
Re: Where To Pre-Order The Atari 2600+
@ralphdibny
Are your paddles jittery, or is something else going on?
Also, regarding compatibility with original hardware, I wasn't able to find anything about the 10-in-1 cartridge or the new Berzerk release, but the paddle controller bundle mentions both the cartridge and the paddles are compatible with original hardware. (It's mentioned under the Features section.) Mr. Run and Jump also mentions it's compatible with original hardware.
As for video output, the only wired connections I see mentioned are HDMI, USB-C, and the DB9 joystick ports. You may wind up needing an adapter, unfortunately.
@mariteaux
I think a lot of older fans have just become used to being disappointed. Atari and its IP have changed hands several times over the years, and no one has really managed to recapture the same kind of magic the company had 45 years ago. That said, I feel like the people involved now are at least trying to make an effort.
The VCS continues to be supported despite being a financial disaster, Digital Eclipse was given free reign for Atari 50, and new hardware and games are being released for the 2600 again. (In an official capacity, anyway.)
I'm worried about homebrew support, and the company really needs to address how broken some of the Recharged games are, but this is still an exciting time to be an Atari fan, regardless of age. (And I'm probably not as old as you think I am. )
Re: The Atari 2600+ Is A New Way To Play Your 2600 & 7800 Games
The 2600+ is definitely an emulation-based console. The CPU that powers the device is listed on Atari's website, and it's pretty comparable to what's in the RetroN 77 based on the discussion about the device over on the Atari Age forums. (One of the people that posts there works on the 2600 emulator, Stella, so they're pretty knowledgeable.) That said, the official compatibility list for the 2600+ is concerning because many of the "untested" games use the same bank-switching method. (Think larger cartridge sizes.) There's also the matter of homebrew support. Many homebrew cartridges feature additional chips which can't be dumped into a ROM image. They'll have to be emulated, and it's unclear if that'll happen or even if the device can be updated.
EDIT: Since posting, I've learned about a few promising developments. (Again, all through the discussion on Atari Age.)
1.) The 2600+'s firmware can be updated via the USB-C port.
2.) The device will use the latest version of Stella, v6.7, for 2600 emulation.
3.) The new Berzerk port is a 32K game which means the ROM dumper in the 2600+ is more sophisticated than what's in the RetroN 77.
And I also misspoke on 2600 carts with extra chips. They can't be dumped, and unless the cartridge reader functions like an actual 2600, they can't be emulated either. The RetroN 77 is only able to play them because you can load ROM's from the SD card. I'm hoping the same will be true of the 2600+ with its USB port, but nothing's been announced so far.
Re: Where To Pre-Order The Atari 2600+
I'm excited about this release, especially because I've been wanting to buy a 7800, but I'm also concerned it won't be able to play homebrew games or any games that use less common bank-switching methods. (Many of the "untested" games in the compatibility list use the same bank-switching method.) Newer 2600 titles also have extra chips in them, which would need to be emulated, and we don't know if the 2600+ will support firmware updates or not.
I don't want to hate on this device. It's affordable, and I love what Atari is doing lately. That said, 2600 fans may be better off sticking with the RetroN 77. There's a community firmware update that will enable you to enjoy far more games than the initial offering here. (Well, provided you don't have a unit with faulty RAM, anyway.)
Lastly, you may not care about homebrew support, but you may not realize just how big the homebrew scene is.
Think of any arcade game from the 1980's or earlier. It's probably been ported to the 2600. In fact, the 2600 port of Juno First is the only port of this game that exists!
Like Pac-Man? Look up Bob Decrescenzo. He even ported Baby Pac-Man! (This is also the only port of this game that exists.)
Love Adventure? Check out Adventure II for the 5200. Or browse through the Atari Age forums for some great ROM hacks of the original 2600 game. (You can play on original hardware with a Harmony cartridge.)
Want to play modern ports of existing 2600 titles? The Atari Age community has got you covered here as well. Better ports of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Gorf exist, to name a few.
You can also play de-makes of other games. Princess Rescue if you like Mario or Zippy the Porcupine if you like Sonic. There's even Halo!
And that's not even getting into the original stuff being produced.
So yeah, homebrew is pretty important, and I'd much rather pay $130 for an HDMI-ready, emulation-based console than $200+ for 37-year-old hardware that has to be modded to support composite video.
EDIT: Since posting, I've learned about a few promising developments. (Again, all through the discussion on Atari Age.)
1.) The 2600+'s firmware can be updated via the USB-C port.
2.) The device will use the latest version of Stella, v6.7, for 2600 emulation.
3.) The new Berzerk port is a 32K game which means the ROM dumper in the 2600+ is more sophisticated than what's in the RetroN 77.
And I also misspoke on how the RetroN 77 handles 2600 carts with extra chips. Namely, they can't be dumped. The RetroN 77 is only able to play them because you can load ROM's from the SD card. I'm hoping the same will be true of the 2600+ with its USB port, but nothing's been announced so far.
Re: Space Quest III Gets 3D Fan Remake Complete With Voice Acting
I'm not trying to prevent anyone from enjoying the game, but the Download button is jumping to a DropBox upload, and the uploaded file is an exe. That's kind of worrisome.
Re: Atari Buys Rights To Over 100 Retro Games Including Bubsy
I'm cautiously optimistic. While the VCS seems to be a failed venture, the new CEO seems to be doing a better job at leveraging Atari's back catalogue than anyone else has in decades. Atari 50 was phenomenal, Akka Arrh received the Tempest 2000 treatment, and we now have modern versions of games like Yars' Revenge and Gravitar through the Recharged series. At the very least, the current iteration of Atari seems to recognize the importance of software.
Re: Random: Dude Collects 1000 Copies Of Dragon Warrior On NES, And He's Still Not Done
@MetaCrystal
I completely agree. Also, I hope disaster never strikes because a house fire or a flooded basement could easily wipe out his entire collection. And that'd be a tragic loss for everyone, not just the owner.
Re: Now's The Time To Hack Your 3DS
@Tasuki
"You snooze, you lose." is a pretty terrible take, and it makes even less sense when we're talking about digital content that more or less exists in perpetuity.
Are people legally entitled to the games featured on the 3DS and Wii U eShops? No, but did Nintendo force people to buy them? Yes, and that's wrong.
Re: The Toxic Crusaders Are Back In An All-New Beat 'Em Up Adventure
I have a soft spot for both the cartoon and the Sega Genesis game, so I'm really excited to see a follow-up with modern design sensibilities. (Fun fact: The Sega Genesis game uses the same (terrible) sound driver as DOOM 32x.) Also, I second the Kabukiman cameo!
Re: Polymega's Next Trick? Ditching Dedicated Hardware
This announcement has made me very concerned about the future of Playmaji and the Polymega. Like, I legitimately want to own a Polymega console, I have for years, and I may finally have enough funds to purchase one come summer of this year. That said, nothing about this announcement inspires hope that the company will survive let alone be able to fulfill my order.
To Playmaji I say this, I genuinely want you all to succeed! I absolutely think there is a place for devices like the Polymega. I am extremely worried about your partners in Myanmar. I want to know how they're doing! (Seriously, keep us posted like Frogwares does!) I know you're trying to make the best out of a bad situation. The Remix seems like a decent solution, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm also getting 32x / Creative 3DO Blaster vibes from it. Keep focusing on the software! Being able to back up and play all of my old games on multiple devices sounds amazing! Lastly, and this will sound disrespectful no matter how I phrase it, try to read the room better. You do not have the same amount of good will built up as other companies do. Every delay and/or new product announcement hurts your credibility. Don't tease a big announcement, and then delay it, when everybody is expecting that announcement to be that you've resolved your supply chain issues, and/or you're now shipping more than 50 units a month.
Edit: I hope I didn't come across as too harsh. I say all of this out of love for what you do and what the Polymega represents. Think of me as being like Cat-Pat before he made his "Burnout" video.
Re: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles And Street Fighter Clash In New Comic Series
@Ganner
While I'm not trying to refute your point, IDW's run of TMNT has had several cross-overs already. They've done Batman, Ghostbusters, the X-Files, and Power Rangers so far.
Re: Exclusive: Polymega Creator Playmaji On FPGA, Sega Saturn And Dealing With 'Healthy' Scepticism
@Yorumi
I wish we could PM each other. I'm really enjoying our conversation even though it's completely off-topic at this point.
I didn't realize static_cast and the like were relatively new to C++. I already make use of them. I don't like the code bloat but I like the syntax and the vagueness of C-style casts less.
When you refer to dynamic type detection, are you talking about the is_pointer template class and what not? Those do seem pretty handy. Visual Studio 2010 doesn't fully support them. I'd use a newer compiler but I've got a few projects I'm still working that are already set up for VS2010.
Regarding the algorithm library, I know it's powerful but I hate the design of it. I understand why it was built that way but it feels like such a C-style solution to a C++ problem. I shouldn't have to include a separate library to perform simple tasks on the objects inside of a vector. That functionality should have been built into the vector class.
You've probably picked up on this but I don't really like C++'s template syntax. It makes code longer, and I find it hard to read. That said, it's not nearly as offensive to me as pre-processor macros. I understand why people use both but that doesn't mean I like it.
As for the auto declaration, that is something I'm interested in but I don't believe it's fully supported in VS2010 either. (I remember messing around with it a while back and running into trouble.) I also find the syntax for lambda functions hard to read. (Function pointers are confusing enough as is.)
Re: Exclusive: Polymega Creator Playmaji On FPGA, Sega Saturn And Dealing With 'Healthy' Scepticism
@Yorumi
I'll concede that C and C++ are too similar to be considered different languages but I take issue with referring to Assembly as such. That's like saying Python is no different than C just because it was built with it.
I agree that malloc is generally a bad idea. The reason why I use it is to read in a large chunk of data all at once rather than read it in byte-by-byte and then push copies to a vector. I also can't cast an address to a vector of uint8_t's to whatever data type I need it to be. I could use C++'s new operator but that would require me to define a type and the chunk of data I'm reading in may be composed of several. Void pointers just make sense here and that means using malloc which means using C.
As for smart pointers, I haven't used them much. I know I probably should but I don't like the syntax and I enjoy the challenge of managing my own memory. Truth be told, I haven't really messed with Boost or any of the new features added to C++ since 2003 or so. (nullptr is awesome though!)
Lastly, I am out of my depth here but I know both Java and Python have some kind of foreign function interface which allows you to call subroutines written in other languages. I know you can also extend the Python language using C / C++. I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to write a program in Java or Python that uses a library written in something completely different. In Polymega's case, I'm guessing they just wrote some kind of wrapper in C though.
Re: Exclusive: Polymega Creator Playmaji On FPGA, Sega Saturn And Dealing With 'Healthy' Scepticism
@Yorumi
While I do think referring to C as a "low-level" language is somewhat misleading, interpreted languages like Java, Python, and Ruby are becoming more prevalent. Since those are considered "high-level" languages, I can understand why someone would refer to a compiled language like C as "low level."
Regarding writing a program in multiple languages, Visual Studio will absolutely allow you to do this. You can write a C++ program that also includes C and Assembly code.
As for why people still use C, I don't know enough about the differences to give you a definitive answer. I can tell you why I use it though.
C++ is strongly typed and will not allow you to dynamically allocate memory and assign the address to a void pointer. You can get around this by making use of C's malloc function.
I find File I/O in C to be simple and elegant. You've got one data type and several functions you can use to read and write data. File I/O in C++ is needlessly complicated. You've got multiple data types and functions specific to each.