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Games that use the TRAK-BALL


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As Millipede is the current game in the HSC (see link below) and I have made the effort to dig out the TRAK-BALL from the Atari cupboard :D I was wondering what other games make use of it?

 

The AtariFAQ has the following:

 

- Catch 88 by Simon Trew, 1991 - Supports Multi-Mouse Trakball Driver by Simon Trew

- Hardwaretester/Peripheral Test 2.0 by Florian Dingler, 2008

- Kriss Kross by Simon Trew, 1992 - Supports Multi-Mouse Trakball Driver by Simon Trew

- Knight Quest by Simon Trew, 1991 - Supports Multi-Mouse Trakball Driver by Simon Trew

- Missile Command by Atari ([CTRL+T] for trackball mode)

- Missile Command+ by Paul Lee, 2005 ([CTRL+T] for trackball mode)

- Multi-Mouse Trakball Driver by Simon Trew for New Atari User #42 1990

- Othello by Simon Trew, 1991 - Supports Multi-Mouse Trakball Driver by Simon Trew

- Slime by Steve Hales for Synapse, 1982 (press [T] for trackball mode)

 

I knew about Missile Command, but looking on Atari Mania Final Legacy has support for TB too... wow, must play that again after all these years!

 

Anyone know of any others :?: :)

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Well,

I do not have a trackball, but can anyone confirm that:

 

- Centipede

- Millipede

- Final Legacy

 

really really work with a trackball - in trackball mode...?!?

 

I have read several times they do and also read several times they don`t. Maybe these games work with a trackball, but only in joystick mode (if so, I would not count them as trackball games)... Want some attachments ? Alright, here are the trackball games I have... Note that Slime and Missile Command (also Missile Command +) are missing in my collection... just visit Fandal`s site to download them. -Andreas Koch.

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Millipede only works with the track-ball in joystick mode, and badly at that.

Can anyone hack these games to add TB support?

I would really like to use the TB for something other than Missile Command

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Does Millipede really not work in true TB mode? That's really sad. I was looking forward to playing it with my Trakball this weekend for the HSC. :(

well unless I am doing something wrong, no it dont work in true TB mode :x , also, slightly off topic, all the ATR and XEX images out there are for the prototype 1983 version, not the released 1984 version.

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Does Millipede really not work in true TB mode? That's really sad. I was looking forward to playing it with my Trakball this weekend for the HSC. :(

well unless I am doing something wrong, no it dont work in true TB mode :x , also, slightly off topic, all the ATR and XEX images out there are for the prototype 1983 version, not the released 1984 version.

 

I have it boxed somewhere. I'll have a look tonight if I get time thought I'm not suggesting you're wrong ;-) Just disappointed as I was really looking forward to a good trackball blast.

Edited by spookt
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Well everyone was right about Millipede but it is kind of playable with the TB in joystick mode. Why on earth did Atari bother producing the Trackball if they didn't support it with games that really cried out for it ?

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Well everyone was right about Millipede but it is kind of playable with the TB in joystick mode. Why on earth did Atari bother producing the Trackball if they didn't support it with games that really cried out for it ?

Anyone got any thoughts on what sort of game ideas could make use of this :?: I guess all paddle games could be converted, and some sort of head-on flying game where you see first person or are in the craft maybe, if you can visualise what I mean!

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maybe we should look at the 2600 library?

 

Doh there weren't any on that either :roll:

 

I think a Crystal Castles type game would be cool with a TB, and maybe Gyruss and Tempest

Edited by mimo
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  • 1 year later...

Well everyone was right about Millipede but it is kind of playable with the TB in joystick mode. Why on earth did Atari bother producing the Trackball if they didn't support it with games that really cried out for it ?

 

Looks like Atari 5200 got a lot more support for Trackball than Atari 400/800/XL/XE. On Atari 5200, you got trackball games like Galaxian, Space Invaders, Pole Position, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Centipede, Millipede, etc. Even Defender works with a trackball and it states on the box of that game "trackball supported" and it's autodetected for all of the games mentioned. Now, why anyone would play Defender with a trackball I can't explain but at least Miner 2049er doesn't support trackball (as far as I can tell).

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Well everyone was right about Millipede but it is kind of playable with the TB in joystick mode. Why on earth did Atari bother producing the Trackball if they didn't support it with games that really cried out for it ?

 

Looks like Atari 5200 got a lot more support for Trackball than Atari 400/800/XL/XE. On Atari 5200, you got trackball games like Galaxian, Space Invaders, Pole Position, Missile Command, Super Breakout, Centipede, Millipede, etc. Even Defender works with a trackball and it states on the box of that game "trackball supported" and it's autodetected for all of the games mentioned. Now, why anyone would play Defender with a trackball I can't explain but at least Miner 2049er doesn't support trackball (as far as I can tell).

I recently discovered that 5200 Atari Basketball was ported to A8 (by Homesoft I think). Wish the port supported a trackball (or mouse).

 

Haven't played it yet but it looks far superior to the official Atari Basketball.

 

p.s. After taking the time (not much though) of converting an old PC mouse for A8 use (trakball mode only) I was disappointed to find so so few games for it

 

-Steve

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p.s. After taking the time (not much though) of converting an old PC mouse for A8 use (trakball mode only) I was disappointed to find so so few games for it

 

-Steve

All is not lost, check out this thread on trak ball games I suggested a few others that play really well with the trak-ball (though in joystick mode) especially blaster ;)

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p.s. After taking the time (not much though) of converting an old PC mouse for A8 use (trakball mode only) I was disappointed to find so so few games for it

 

-Steve

All is not lost, check out this thread on trak ball games I suggested a few others that play really well with the trak-ball (though in joystick mode) especially blaster ;)

Thanks but my hacked mouse works only in trak-ball mode :(

 

I've been wondering what it would take to adapt the A8 port of the 5200 version of Realsports Basketball for true trak-ball (or mouse) use.

 

Wondering is about all I can do. Don't think I have the coding chops to make it work.

 

-Steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

Been playing Centipede and Millipede with my Wico trackball lately and it seems to work great with those games. Missle Command and Arkanoid both did not play very well with the Wico TB.

Probably because the Wico Trackball is not a true trackball and works like the Atari trac ball in JOYSTICK mode, so you will probably find that it works better with missile command in standard mode.

Yup, I was disappointed when I got a Wico too :roll:

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Funny this gets brought up but I was playing XL Missile Command the other day and made a video for the Atari trakball. Its a real shame they didn't fully utilize the potential of it. It is a great little piece of hardware and I can't imagine playing missile command any other way. And although games like centipede and millipede play fine in joystick mode, it still doesn't have that same feel that a trakball game should.

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Funny this gets brought up but I was playing XL Missile Command the other day and made a video for the Atari trakball. Its a real shame they didn't fully utilize the potential of it. It is a great little piece of hardware and I can't imagine playing missile command any other way. And although games like centipede and millipede play fine in joystick mode, it still doesn't have that same feel that a trakball game should.

Did you checkout the two different centipede hacks with true Trak-Ball support? possibly on these threads somewhere!

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Funny this gets brought up but I was playing XL Missile Command the other day and made a video for the Atari trakball. Its a real shame they didn't fully utilize the potential of it. It is a great little piece of hardware and I can't imagine playing missile command any other way. And although games like centipede and millipede play fine in joystick mode, it still doesn't have that same feel that a trakball game should.

Did you checkout the two different centipede hacks with true Trak-Ball support? possibly on these threads somewhere!

 

 

We Did a TRUE TrakBall Version of the 5200 Centipede for the 8-bit.

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