The Summer of Chuff 2016

[Slippyblade]

I've spent the better part of a week learning how to program for the Atari 2600. Fun stuff.

Isn't it basically a dialect of Assembly?  Or are there higher level compilers available now?

[yotsuya]

I've spent the better part of a week learning how to program for the Atari 2600. Fun stuff.

Isn't it basically a dialect of Assembly?  Or are there higher level compilers available now?

I'm using batari Basic. I'm barely at the beginner level.

[ChadTower]

I've spent the better part of a week learning how to program for the Atari 2600. Fun stuff.

Isn't it basically a dialect of Assembly?  Or are there higher level compilers available now?

Yes, though the compiler he's using does bring it one level up from that.  It remains to be seen how well that compiler optimizes and that's a major concern on the 2600.

[yotsuya]

I've spent the better part of a week learning how to program for the Atari 2600. Fun stuff.

Isn't it basically a dialect of Assembly?  Or are there higher level compilers available now?

Yes, though the compiler he's using does bring it one level up from that.  It remains to be seen how well that compiler optimizes and that's a major concern on the 2600.

I'm just farting around with it,  I'm not planning on being the second coming of David Crane...

[Slippyblade]

Did you ever play the Halo demake for 2600?  It was pretty good, actually.

[ChadTower]

I'm just farting around with it,  I'm not planning on being the second coming of David Crane...

True.  I've seen quite a few people saying things like "oh, now I can write that 2600 game I have always dreamed about!"  Then you look at their design description and it's obviously not going to happen they way they think it will.  As you say a compiler isn't going to help them make better games than David Crane. 

[yotsuya]

I'm just farting around with it,  I'm not planning on being the second coming of David Crane...

True.  I've seen quite a few people saying things like "oh, now I can write that 2600 game I have always dreamed about!"  Then you look at their design description and it's obviously not going to happen they way they think it will.  As you say a compiler isn't going to help them make better games than David Crane. 

Yeah, honestly, I'm writing a gag gift for my best friend's birthday, which is in September. A little more than a graphical hack, but nothing too fancy. I'm more excited just writing stuff that actually works on the Atari 2600.

[Ond]

My daughter and I enjoying the hell out of Koh Chang.

[Howard_Casto]

I'm just farting around with it,  I'm not planning on being the second coming of David Crane...

True.  I've seen quite a few people saying things like "oh, now I can write that 2600 game I have always dreamed about!"  Then you look at their design description and it's obviously not going to happen they way they think it will.  As you say a compiler isn't going to help them make better games than David Crane. 

Yeah, honestly, I'm writing a gag gift for my best friend's birthday, which is in September. A little more than a graphical hack, but nothing too fancy. I'm more excited just writing stuff that actually works on the Atari 2600.

I found it quite amazing the amount of high level language that is in Atari basic.  It makes me wonder why we don't have similar fan programming languages for the NES and other 8-bit consoles.  I need to look into how to shift memory locations programmatically.  A open-source 2600 multi-cart should be possible.... the thing that was holding me back was learning how to program on the Atari. 

[Mike A]

I haven't shared much so I guess this is a good place to start. I built a cabinet based on Lusid's design several years ago. I got out of the hobby and now I am back in. I have never posted pics so we will see how this goes.
I just picked up two machines in really good condition. Defender is one of my favorites.

[Le Chuck]

My daughter and I enjoying the hell out of Koh Chang.

Spent a few weeks on Koh Chang a few years ago.  Loved it, have you gone swimming with the elephants yet? 

[Ond]

My daughter and I enjoying the hell out of Koh Chang.

Spent a few weeks on Koh Chang a few years ago.  Loved it, have you gone swimming with the elephants yet?

We spent a couple of hours with the elephants in the jungle yesterday, great fun! Heading down to Bang Bao again tonight for our eldest daughter's 21st birthday.  4

[Le Chuck]

My daughter and I enjoying the hell out of Koh Chang.

Spent a few weeks on Koh Chang a few years ago.  Loved it, have you gone swimming with the elephants yet?

We spent a couple of hours with the elephants in the jungle yesterday, great fun! Heading down to Bang Bao again tonight for our eldest daughter's 21st birthday.  4

If you haven't already, and can find the time, I highly recommend visiting the Badong tribes in the Chaing Mai/Chaing Rai area.  There is also a place in Mai where you can go play with tigers.  Touristy but fun!

[Ond]

My daughter and I enjoying the hell out of Koh Chang.

Spent a few weeks on Koh Chang a few years ago.  Loved it, have you gone swimming with the elephants yet?

We spent a couple of hours with the elephants in the jungle yesterday, great fun! Heading down to Bang Bao again tonight for our eldest daughter's 21st birthday.  4

If you haven't already, and can find the time, I highly recommend visiting the Badong tribes in the Chaing Mai/Chaing Rai area.  There is also a place in Mai where you can go play with tigers.  Touristy but fun!

Thanks for the tips you're a very useful fellow!  I have been to Chiang Mai before ( years ago).  The girls are off to have a spa so I'm going to jump in the Pickup I hired and find something to do.  The beach here:

[HaRuMaN]

2 years after it died, I finally got my truck up and running again.  (It took 1 year to get the flexplate, was hard to find.)

Had to take the exhaust off, drop the driveshaft, take off the transmission, replace the broken flexplate, and then put it all back together again.

Here she is, parked next to my daily driver, moved under her own power.   

[ChadTower]

That's pretty cool.  Gotta love that truck to put all that into keeping it running.   

[yotsuya]

What, I say, what is that Yot working on now....?

[yotsuya]

[HaRuMaN]

A bath to soak those uggo toes in?   

[pbj]

Yeah, he'll soak those feet after he compiles his game and mails those stickers.  So never.

[yotsuya]

Yeah, he'll soak those feet after he compiles his game and mails those stickers.  So never.

Uh, my game is complete and your FREE stickers are in an envelope. Chill.

[pbj]

Did you post the game and I missed it?  Cool, where's the link?

[yotsuya]

Dude is ON FIRE!!!

[BadMouth]

On fire, but Ice Cold?

[yotsuya]

On fire, but Ice Cold?

Good guess,  but no. :-)

[harveybirdman]

It's a trophy display case for all his ZapCon loot.

[yotsuya]

Did you post the game and I missed it?  Cool, where's the link?

Check your PMs, Que-Bert.

[yotsuya]

It's a trophy display case for all his ZapCon loot.

That's on my list!

[Malenko]

Use a round over bit on the edges?

[yotsuya]

Use a round over bit on the edges?

Yep. I love that look. Takes it from homemade to professional looking just like that!

[yotsuya]

The dude is HAWT!!!

[vwalbridge]

Jukebox

[yotsuya]

Jukebox

[nexusmtz]

Does that mean you'll have it done in one day more?

[yotsuya]

Does that mean you'll have it done in one day more?

A gentleman AND a scholar! Bravo!

[yotsuya]

Marquee slot routed.

[Howard_Casto]

I couldn't let Yots have all the fun.  My n64 rgb amp came in the other day so I soldered it on last night.  The picture is great and it was fairly easy to install.  Now I don't have to fiddle with my questionable s-video upscaler anymore. 

Oh and Howard's pro tip:  If your n64 rgb amp comes in and you don't want to solder it on at 2am, don't watch "The Night Before" at midnight.  Seriously they mention the n64 and Goldeneye a dozen times in that flick. 

[yotsuya]

 Good job, Howard!

I actually converted the Light Sixer back to RF since A) the Composite out on the Jr looks better and I'm going to use it 99% of the time and B) I have a few CRTs I can use it on.

 

[Howard_Casto]

Sounds reasonable to me. 

I've got one crt I held on to for lightgun  games, but my space is limited, so it's still in storage.  If I ever hack rgb input into the thing I might bring it back in. 

I'm actually thinking of just picking up a jr. and mod it like you did.... I think the sixers are prettier, but since I'm going to most likely hack it up anyway, I might as well go with the cheapest one.  Heck I might skip the middle man and do a 7800.... I still have all the old 2600 controllers and stuff. 

[yotsuya]

Howard, PM your mailing address,  I'll send you the extra mod kit that I have.