21 replies to this topic

[trucker_monkey]

Till I came onto these forums I didn't even know that there were Trackballs for the Atari 2600.

Other than the Hack Missile Command TB are there any games that use the Trackball?

[Videogamecollector123]

well I don't think the trackball was officially made for the 2600, it's an accessory for Atari's computer line. It's like the Atari lightgun, was made for the XE computer, but has games for the 7800 and 2600, but no one took advantage of the trackball for the 2600

[mimo]

It was hardly taken advantage of for the Home Computers either:(

[seanhq]

Centipede and Millipede can also use the trackball.

[Underball]

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 8:57 AM, said:

Centipede and Millipede can also use the trackball.

Only in "Joystick Mode" like every other game.

There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

[seanhq]

Underball, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:30 AM, said:

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 8:57 AM, said:

Centipede and Millipede can also use the trackball.

Only in "Joystick Mode" like every other game.

There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

I just tried both Centipede and Millipede using my WICO Command Control trackball and the games played fine. I didn't have to change any settings. I'm not familiar with a "Joystick Mode" setting.

Edited by seanhq, Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:38 AM.

[seanhq]

I've tested the games again and both Millipede and Centipede work with my trackball. I guess each persons mileage may vary on this.

Edited by seanhq, Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:50 AM.

[Buzbard]

Videogamecollector123, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 5:54 AM, said:

well I don't think the trackball was officially made for the 2600, it's an accessory for Atari's computer line. It's like the Atari lightgun, was made for the XE computer, but has games for the 7800 and 2600, but no one took advantage of the trackball for the 2600

Really? 2600 Trackball

I have one of these and it has a switch on the bottom to select either Trackball mode or Joystick mode.

[Underball]

Buzbard, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 10:55 AM, said:

Videogamecollector123, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 5:54 AM, said:

well I don't think the trackball was officially made for the 2600, it's an accessory for Atari's computer line. It's like the Atari lightgun, was made for the XE computer, but has games for the 7800 and 2600, but no one took advantage of the trackball for the 2600

Really? 2600 Trackball

I have one of these and it has a switch on the bottom to select either Trackball mode or Joystick mode.

This. the CX80 and CX22 both had the switch on the bottom, although their circuitry was a bit different.

Teh only games that work with "Trak-Ball Mode" are Tom J. 's Missle Command 2600 hack, Ken Sider's 7800 Centipede TB hack, and a few Atari 800 games. Atari originally planned to release a few games to work with it, but never got around to it before the Crash/Tramiel travesty.

[Mitch]

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:37 AM, said:

Underball, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:30 AM, said:

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 8:57 AM, said:

Centipede and Millipede can also use the trackball.

Only in "Joystick Mode" like every other game.

There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

I just tried both Centipede and Millipede using my WICO Command Control trackball and the games played fine. I didn't have to change any settings. I'm not familiar with a "Joystick Mode" setting.

The Wico trackball doesn't have a true trackball mode. It's hard wired to joystick mode.

I also enjoy 2600 decathlon in trackball mode.

Mitch

[seanhq]

Mitch, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 2:14 PM, said:

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:37 AM, said:

Underball, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:30 AM, said:

seanhq, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 8:57 AM, said:

Centipede and Millipede can also use the trackball.

Only in "Joystick Mode" like every other game.

There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

I just tried both Centipede and Millipede using my WICO Command Control trackball and the games played fine. I didn't have to change any settings. I'm not familiar with a "Joystick Mode" setting.

The Wico trackball doesn't have a true trackball mode. It's hard wired to joystick mode.

I also enjoy 2600 decathlon in trackball mode.

Mitch

Well that would explain why I can play both games. I had no idea that the WICO was hardwired for joystick mode. I learn something new everyday

[godzillajoe]

You can play ANY game that uses the joystick with the Wico trackball

But the 2600 trackball has two modes (there is a switch on the underside)

In Joystick mode, just like the Wico, any game will work, but you can spin as fast as you want and it makes no difference

In trackball mode, with the hacked games, they behave depending on the speed of the ball and are very cool to play that way.

Now if only someone would do Centipede, Millipede and Crystal Castles for the 2600 as well.

Edited by godzillajoe, Tue Nov 3, 2009 6:00 PM.

[Godzilla]

atari advertised millipede and crystal castles as supporting their new trackball in trackball mode... and it was a 2600 item, i bought one from the atari store from their magazine back in the day, expecting to be able to use it in trackball mode in millipede and cc, which I had also bought from them. i've always wondered wtf happened there. there's gotta be a proto rom somewhere...

[shadow460]

Games I can recall that used a track ball in the arcade:

Centipede
Millipede
Missile Command
Crystal Castles
Reactor (use position A for slightly faster movement)

Of course, you have to put the Trak-Ball into Joystick mode for these on the 2600.

Game that was never meant to be used with a Trak-Ball:

Decathlon, just like Mitch says! It's actually easier to move the ball back and forth a little bit than it is to wiggle the joystick. Of course, for that to work, you have to have it on "Joystick mode". I can score close to 20,000 points in Decathlon using a track ball, but boy does that movement ever wear my fingers out!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Godzilla, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 8:11 PM, said:

there's gotta be a proto rom somewhere...

I don't think so.

Reading a Trak-Ball requires a lot more CPU time during the kernel than e.g. reading a paddle (and even that hurts the possible visuals). Unlike the Missile Command kernel, the Centipede, Millipede and Crystal Castles kernels are very busy with drawing graphics, so I doubt the Trak-Ball was even a planned option ever.

[Lord Helmet]

Doesn't the 8-bit computer version of Centipede have an analog mode too? I know we're talking 2600 games, but the trakball works with the computers too.

[horseboy]

Lord Helmet, on Wed Nov 4, 2009 8:29 AM, said:

Doesn't the 8-bit computer version of Centipede have an analog mode too? I know we're talking 2600 games, but the trakball works with the computers too.

The trakball is not analog.

[Mitch]

shadow460, on Wed Nov 4, 2009 1:04 AM, said:

Game that was never meant to be used with a Trak-Ball:

Decathlon, just like Mitch says! It's actually easier to move the ball back and forth a little bit than it is to wiggle the joystick. Of course, for that to work, you have to have it on "Joystick mode". I can score close to 20,000 points in Decathlon using a track ball, but boy does that movement ever wear my fingers out!

Nah, put it into trackball mode and just spin the trackball smoothly either right or left (but not both), much easier that way.

Mitch

[Zach]

Underball, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:30 AM, said:

There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

Do you need a Cuttle Cart 2 to run that? I'm still hoping for Centipede/Millipede TB for the 2600, although I understand the limitations that do not make it easy.

[Godzilla]

http://www.atariage....1&CurrentPage=7

'and if you have a trackball, the game becomes even better!' or smthn.

[Underball]

Zach, on Wed Nov 4, 2009 12:56 PM, said:

Underball, on Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:30 AM, said:

that's one way. You could also ask some one of the folks in the 7800 forum who make homebrew carts to burn you one for a nominal fee.
There is a hacked 7800 Centipede version that works in TB mode, and it's fantastic.

Do you need a Cuttle Cart 2 to run that? I'm still hoping for Centipede/Millipede TB for the 2600, although I understand the limitations that do not make it easy.

[Lord Helmet]

horseboy, on Wed Nov 4, 2009 9:24 AM, said:

Lord Helmet, on Wed Nov 4, 2009 8:29 AM, said:

Doesn't the 8-bit computer version of Centipede have an analog mode too? I know we're talking 2600 games, but the trakball works with the computers too.

The trakball is not analog.

Maybe I should clarify...I meant trackball mode...

Looked around and discovered that it was Missile Command, not Centipede on the 8-bit computers that has true track ball support. You hit CTRL-T to enable it.