My Video Game Rant

[Stingray]

The Mac version of Stella does have configurable controls and it works like a dream on my cab. Man how I would have killed to have genuine arcade controls on my 2600 back in the day!

-S

[greywolf22]

No kidding, they would have held up better then the original atari joysticks  , although I have to admit they were really sweet at the time.  Probably would have lasted longer if my friends and I hadn't decided to compete in "Decathalon" from Activision  

[Stingray]

I know what you mean there. Along with my ton of 2600 carts, I've got a bag full of Atari joysticks, none of which work in all directions! Those things did have a tendency to stop working.

I actually played Atari Pac-Man on my cab last night. Ah, the memories!  

-S

[colopioneers]

You know, speaking of the old joysticks, I remember the "jittery" paddles.  Come to think of it, I still have three sets of them!  Wish I knew how to hack those and fix them....sure would be nice to "interface" them into my cab!

[Stingray]

Yeah, I've still got a few of those two. You probably could do a mouse hack with one of those of you didn't mind building a few fiddly bits.

-S

[colopioneers]

I don't know Stingray...I guess I'll have to dissect one and see what happens.

Why do I feel bad even thinking about breaking into a genuine piece of Atari equipment???  Would it be considered blasphemy if I interfaced it to a mouse?  Will my childhood memories forever be tainted?  Will my 2600 stop working, just to spite me???

These things are really bothering me!  

[Chris]

Paddles are not mice, they're single-axis joysticks.  An Atary Indy500 controller could probably be mouse-hacked, though...

For instructions on making an adaptor to attacked paddles to a PC game port, see http://stella.sourceforge.net/docs/stella.html#Adaptor .

--Chris

[Stingray]

Chris, I assumed it was a different mechanism. I was thinking of mounting an optical wheel in there in conjunction with one of Oscar's optical boards. Of course with the hacked mouse I guess it wouldn't all fit inside the case. Have to build a custom enclosure.  

-S

[Chris]

Chris, I assumed it was a different mechanism. I was thinking of mounting an optical wheel in there in conjunction with one of Oscar's optical boards. Of course with the hacked mouse I guess it wouldn't all fit inside the case. Have to build a custom enclosure.  

Well, again the answer might be the Indy500 controllers.  These spun all the way around and may be optical:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3077218245&category=41009

[Chris]

Here's some technical info on the Indy 500 controllers if you decide to try to interface them:

http://es.geocities.com/gamemasterquilpue/indy500hack_e.htm

[Stingray]

I keep intending to dismantle a set of paddles at home to see what makes 'em tick. I only think about it when I read this thread though...

-S

[APFelon]

Atari joysticks are pretty simple. All they are is a joy with four actuators on the bottom that press thin metal plates onto contact points. I believe that there is a thin layer of plastic over the contact plates as well. I haven't had one apart in years and years, but I remember opening one up and playing a game "intellivision style" when I was young.

Unless the plates are cracked or broken, you may be able to "fluff" a bent plate which will make it work again. If one of the actuators is broken, replace the stick from another joy and woila, you have a functional stick.

I replaced my 2600 joys with Wico sticks and used them on my C64. They had over ten years of active service, and they still work like new. I always liked those 2600 sticks, though. Maybe I'll pick one up and dink with it for a while.

APf