Atari 2600 games that do not work on the latest core

[SchneiderCPC664]

Stargate
Montezuma’s Revenge
Millipede
Frostbite
Dig Dug
Jr. PacMan

Can you confirm this?

[DanyPPC]

Tested only Montezuma, I confirm it doesn't work.

[DrOG]

This was discussed earlier in another topic:

viewtopic.php?f=115&t=34168

Unfortunately no dedicated developer who could improve this core...

[SchneiderCPC664]

Thank you for testing. So it's probably not my configuration that's faulty.

[slingshot]

Most probably this core would benefit from a CPU update. It's not a hard task, if someone wants to learn some FPGA stuff. I would suggest to use the T65 from the Commodore cores, I think it's very accurate and battle-tested.

[slingshot]

Stargate
Montezuma’s Revenge
Millipede
Frostbite
Dig Dug
Jr. PacMan

Can you confirm this?

Turned out most of these games are using a so-called SuperChip, which is a 128 bytes RAM in the cart. This doubles the RAM of the A2600!
The good news is that the core already implemented this, just there wasn't a way to enable. So I've uploaded a new release with an option to load with SC support.
Montezuma uses another mapper, it still doesn't work.

Here's a list of the known mappers used by games:
http://www.classic-games.com/atari2600/bankswitch.html
Currently supported by the core are: F4, F6, F8 + SuperChip (128 byte)
It wouldn't be terribly hard to enable the others, just need to think about how. Choosing from the OSD is sub-optimal, since you have to choose first, then load. Tons of Load menu options also looks bad, auto-detection would need some kind of cart database, which nobody will maintain, I think.

[DanyPPC]

Good Job Slingshot, now I can play via Component output.

[slingshot]

Uploaded a new release with more mapper support: E0, 3F, FE. FE is buggy, but affects only 2 games, Decathlon and Robot Tank.
Since these are not auto-detected, a bit of work needed to make such roms to work. The specific mapper can be forced by giving the .e0, .3f or .fe extension to the ROM file, e.g. montezuma.e0 or popeye.e0 should work.
F4, F6, F8 still detected from the file size.

Refer to the doc what mapper the specific ROM needs:
http://www.classic-games.com/atari2600/bankswitch.html
The only pratical use is .e0 currently, but the others can be implemented this way.

[DanyPPC]

Thanks Slingshot, always present !

May you give an update to the C64 port regarding the 1541 part ?

[slingshot]

Thanks Slingshot, always present !

May you give an update to the C64 port regarding the 1541 part ?

What should I update there? Do you have a link to a fix or some hints what's wrong?

[DanyPPC]

2 days ago I bought the game Aviator Arcade 2 (https://rgcddev.itch.io/aviator-arcade-ii) but the game does not load after the introduction screen. I saw a video on Youtube of NML32 who successfully tested the game on MiSTer, where the core is probably more up-to-dated, especially for the 1541 part.

Is it possibile to have this update on MiST too ?
I play more on MiST even if I like to switch on the original machines from time to time.

Always thanks for your support to MiST community.

[slingshot]

Is it possibile to have this update on MiST too ?
I play more on MiST even if I like to switch on the original machines from time to time.

Always thanks for your support to MiST community.

The MiSTer C64 repo actually contains a previous 1541, which pre-dates the switch to the T65 CPU. Maybe that CPU is still better, but have to test.

[SchneiderCPC664]

Thanks very much slingshot! I changed the extension from Montezuma to .e0 and it works.
But the other listed games have the same problems as before. I have not to change the extension to .F6 right?

[Lane]

Slingshot - with the latest updates (both yesterday's and today's), F9/F10 to reset/select no longer work for me. The previous builds do. Any idea what's going on?

[Higgy]

Slingshot - your 2600 Core's TV centering is much better than the previous one. So your TV signal works is not too bad
I will get around to taking pictures off my CRT comparing actual hardware vs MiST. Actual hardware can be a pain, my Amstrad CPC 6128's are off to the left via RGB. But then again they were supposed to be connected via an Amstrad manufactured monitor or a TV via RF.

[slingshot]

Slingshot - with the latest updates (both yesterday's and today's), F9/F10 to reset/select no longer work for me. The previous builds do. Any idea what's going on?

I didn't even know there's an F9 and F10 shortcut key
Start work for me using the "Start" controller button (or joy emulation).

But the other listed games have the same problems as before. I have not to change the extension to .F6 right?

What other games? I already wrote the others on your list needs SuperChip, which you can activate loading with the second OSD option.

[slingshot]

Slingshot - your 2600 Core's TV centering is much better than the previous one. So your TV signal works is not too bad
I will get around to taking pictures off my CRT comparing actual hardware vs MiST. Actual hardware can be a pain, my Amstrad CPC 6128's are off to the left via RGB. But then again they were supposed to be connected via an Amstrad manufactured monitor or a TV via RF.

The problem is that modern LCD TVs are usually centers differently than the old ones, using the scandoubler also changes things, so achieving perfect centering on every device is nearly impossible. Amstrad and some other machines even allows to set the display parameters via CRTC regs, so the game/app itself can (mis)adjust the centering.

[SchneiderCPC664]

I didn't saw the new menu item!
Stargate, Montezuma’s Revenge, Millipede, Dig Dug and Jr. PacMan run fine. Absolute great!!!
Frostbite's ice floes unfortunately are still flickering.

[Chris23235]

Thanks for your work on the core. I noticed that the screen in Desert Falcon is constantly shaking, no other game has this problem.

[slingshot]

Thanks for your work on the core. I noticed that the screen in Desert Falcon is constantly shaking, no other game has this problem.

Since the VSYNC is totally software controlled on this console, maybe the game itself does some funky things with it.

[Lane]

Slingshot - with the latest updates (both yesterday's and today's), F9/F10 to reset/select no longer work for me. The previous builds do. Any idea what's going on?

I didn't even know there's an F9 and F10 shortcut key
Start work for me using the "Start" controller button (or joy emulation).

Hm. That doesn't work either.

[Neuro]

Another bug persist in "combat" game.
Its a simple 2k rom, but dont work ok.
When you start a game (somentimes in the demo screen too) the fire shot of both tank are running on the screen allways.
If you move the tank, the fire moves too (likes original) but the fire never ends.

Btw, you can use the a2600 uno cart to see the rom type or see if uses superchip. Its the same methot that stella emu uses.

https://github.com/robinhedwards/UnoCar ... src/main.c

Thanx for the update, that core needed some love.

[slingshot]

Btw, you can use the a2600 uno cart to see the rom type or see if uses superchip. Its the same methot that stella emu uses.

I saw the Stella emu auto-detection, but implementing arbitrary string searches in hardware are much more demanding than implementing it in CPU.

[Neuro]

I was thinkong searching it in the load rom module.
If i found somenthing i will post it here.

[DrOG]

Good Job Slingshot, now I can play via Component output.

Very nice improvements! Not only ROM compatibility, but component video out is a nice addon as well! Pictures are centered, no compatibility issues with my picky Samsung TV...

Thank you slingshot!