27 replies to this topic

[FND]

Just finished checking some new 5200 prototypes I recently purchased. If anyone is interested I can post some screen shots

Mico-Gammon SB I have is an Earlier Version that has the Color display rather then Black and White like the last Version.

Tennis Says THE ATARI OPEN on the title screen Instead of TENNIS

Miniature Golf Looks to be the Final Version but still checking

Dates
Vanguard 084 (3-25-83)
MicroGammon 7-11-83
Golf 2-10-83
Berzerk 212-08 (7-31-83)
Qix 305-01 (11-01-83)
Tennis 11-19
Pengo 8-29
BaseBall 7-26
PacMan (No Dates or Numbers)
Missile Command (No Dates or Numbers) Mis Cmd

[Allan]

Yes, I'm interested. Maybe you could dump these or get someone like Tempest to dump them for you. I'd love to at least see Micro-Gammon.

Allan

[Tempest]

Microgammon always had color. The emulator just doesn't show it properly. Look at the first picture on this page, it shows what the color looks like (kinda, it's still messed up).

http://www.atariprot...ammon/81583.htm

I'd love to see some pictures of that Tennis proto.

Your Mini-Golf is the final version.

Tempest

[FND]

Quote

Microgammon always had color. The emulator just doesn't show it properly. Look at the first picture on this page, it shows what the color looks like (kinda, it's still messed up).

http://www.atariprot...ammon/81583.htm

I'd love to see some pictures of that Tennis proto.

Your Mini-Golf is the final version.

Tempest

Oh I misunderstood the mico-gammon information page BTW the one I have has a pink boarder not blue.

I will get some screen pictures posted later today of the Micro-gammon
and the Tennis title screen

[FND]

O.K Here are the screen shots, I wish I still had my TV card installed on
my computer so I could capture Better shots but since I dont these will
have to do

BTW the Mico-Gammon board only has two EPROMS









If anyone wants to see other screens or Board scans just let me know.

[Tempest]

Interesting. So other than the title screen, is Tennis any different? I've never heard of it being reffered to as The Atari Open, I wonder if the programmer was just screwing around or if this was a special version?

Is Microgammon any different? Might be hard to tell...

Tempest

[FND]

Tempest said:

Interesting.  So other than the title screen, is Tennis any different?  I've never heard of it being reffered to as The Atari Open, I wonder if the programmer was just screwing around or if this was a special version?

Is Microgammon any different?  Might be hard to tell...

Tempest

The Tennis does not have the "sean special mode" and other then some
color differences like the net I don't see anything noticeably different.

No differences on the Mico-Gammon other then the color

BTW These all came from a guy named Scott that was a game tester for
Atari you may have seen them listed on ebay about a week ago they
all got pulled but luckily I had emailed him earlier with my phone number.

[Tempest]

Quote

BTW These all came from a guy named Scott that was a game tester for
Atari you may have seen them listed on ebay about a week ago they
all got pulled but luckily I had emailed him earlier with my phone number.

Yeah I was watching those...

Tempest

[Kr0tki]

FND said:

Oh I misunderstood the mico-gammon information page BTW the one I have has a pink boarder not blue.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ROM ist different. Colors in Microgammon are created using artifacing technique, which can produce different colors on different Atari models.

[FND]

Kr0tki said:

FND said:

Oh I misunderstood the mico-gammon information page BTW the one I have has a pink boarder not blue.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ROM ist different. Colors in Microgammon are created using artifacing technique, which can produce different colors on different Atari models.

Interesting, Since I do not have much knowledge in this area could you
please explain how this works, when you say different Atari Models do you
mean there is a possibility of a different color for any 5200 game system?
is it random or is there some way of predicting the result?

[Tempest]

Quote

Kr0tki wrote:  
FND wrote:  
Oh I misunderstood the mico-gammon information page BTW the one I have has a pink boarder not blue.  

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ROM ist different. Colors in Microgammon are created using artifacing technique, which can produce different colors on different Atari models.  


Interesting, Since I do not have much knowledge in this area could you  
please explain how this works, when you say different Atari Models do you  
mean there is a possibility of a different color for any 5200 game system?  
is it random or is there some way of predicting the result?

Artifacting can produce different colors on different revisions of Atari hardware (400/800 artifacting is different from XL artifacting which is different than XE artifacting, etc.). However to the best of my knowledge the 5200 is basically an Atari 400 so the artifacting should be standard across all 5200's.

Keep in mind that the picture on my website was made with an emulator which didn't do artifacting well. I'll plug in my real Microgammon proto tonight and see what colors come up. However I seem to remember blue and not red.

Tempest

[Dutchman2000]

Actually 5200 Tennis had yet another name:

Vic Braden's Tennis

Looks like Atari was trying to get a license to use Vic's name.

[Tempest]

Quote

Actually 5200 Tennis had yet another name:  

Vic Braden's Tennis  

Looks like Atari was trying to get a license to use Vic's name.  

Vic who?

Tempest

[Dutchman2000]

Funny.

I didn't know thw name either until I researched it:

http://www.vicbradentennis.com/

[video game addict]

Connors & McEnroe were too busy winning?

[sku_u]

So they tried to get a license to use some no name who's not well known and failed? That's hilarious.

BTW, does that mean John Madden Football for the 5200 wasn't just a rumor, but rather an earlier revision of RS Football?

[FND]

Tempest said:

Quote

Kr0tki wrote:  
FND wrote:  
Oh I misunderstood the mico-gammon information page BTW the one I have has a pink boarder not blue.  

That doesn't necessarily mean that the ROM ist different. Colors in Microgammon are created using artifacing technique, which can produce different colors on different Atari models.  


Interesting, Since I do not have much knowledge in this area could you  
please explain how this works, when you say different Atari Models do you  
mean there is a possibility of a different color for any 5200 game system?  
is it random or is there some way of predicting the result?

Artifacting can produce different colors on different revisions of Atari hardware (400/800 artifacting is different from XL artifacting which is different than XE artifacting, etc.). However to the best of my knowledge the 5200 is basically an Atari 400 so the artifacting should be standard across all 5200's.

Keep in mind that the picture on my website was made with an emulator which didn't do artifacting well. I'll plug in my real Microgammon proto tonight and see what colors come up. However I seem to remember blue and not red.

Tempest

I pulled out my 2 port 5200 and loaded up the Mico-gammon and the
color is still the same color (red/pink) so its the same on both my
4 port and 2 port model. Also the code has got to have some differances
considering it only has two EPROMS and Matts has three.

After looking at Matts screen shoots again I see the screen shoot with the
blue board has some information in the middle of the board mine does not
have this screen my version has the same title screen as the one above
except it says Micro-Gammon SB instead of the atari open

[FND]

I have been checking the MicoGammon SB some more today and
have noticed something interesting the board color can be changed
by pressing the 0 button to Choose any of 17 different color schemes

Background board colors are Blue,Green or Black
Boarder Colors are Orange, Red or Purple
with different combinations like
Black,Red,White and Green or
Blue, Purple, white and Light Blue or
Orange, Green, Yellow and Red
Each color Scheme also has like five different shades to choose from

Also this version only has one computer opponent level, there is no way to
choose any IQ setting the game board starts after the title screen with no
way to choose a level

The title screen does say MICROGAMMON SB so I assume that is the level
being played

[FND]

Since I was checking Prototypes most of the day I thought I would
take some pictures of another interesting Rescue On Fractalus Version

I guess this was before they decided what to name it as there is no
Title to be found on the title screens. The cart label only refers to it
as #3.

Also wanted to ask if the LUCASFILM screen is on the released cart ?

[Kr0tki]

Tempest said:

Artifacting can produce different colors on different revisions of Atari hardware (400/800 artifacting is different from XL artifacting which is different than XE artifacting, etc.).  However to the best of my knowledge the 5200 is basically an Atari 400 so the artifacting should be standard across all 5200's.  
Tempest

Well then, sorry for creating confusion; I've forgotten it's a 5200 game we're talking about

Also, congratulations FND for finding such great items

[Tempest]

Wow! The RoF proto pre-dates several Behind Jaggi Lines protos I've seen by about a month. So you're probably right in suggesting that they hadn't finalized a name yet (It may still have been called Rescue Mission at that point). Notice how the label just says #3?

You've got quite an interesting lot of prototypes there, I'm jealous! I'm looking forward to reviewing them when you finally get them dumped (if you decide to release the roms).

Keep up the good detective work! It's kinda fun isn't it?

Tempest

[FND]

Tempest said:

I'm looking forward to reviewing them when you finally get them dumped (if you decide to release the roms).

I am still trying to find someone local to dump these for me as I don't
feel comfortable mailing them off and relying on the Post Office.

Definitely no problem releasing these roms the more people that can enjoy them the better.

Since I have not found anyone yet I will ask here if there is anyone in
the San Francisco Bay Area that can dump 5200 games
(without desoldering the roms) and don't mind helping us out I would be
most appreciative. If not maybe there is someone here who will be going
to CGE this year that could help?

[CPUWIZ]

FND said:

(without desoldering the roms)

I am telling you dude, they aren't soldered into the board, they have indivual IC leg sockets (ultra low profile), you can just pop them out. Trust me, I've done it to a lot of them in the past.

[FND]

CPUWIZ said:

FND said:

(without desoldering the roms)

I am telling you dude, they aren't soldered into the board, they have indivual IC leg sockets (ultra low profile), you can just pop them out. Trust me, I've done it to a lot of them in the past.

I am sometimes quite stuborn but finaly after being told by you and others I finally tried and just as you said they are not soldered and
can easily be removed.

Now that I finally accepted this information I will not be needing anyone
to dump the eproms as I can now do it myself.

Thanks again
FND

[Kr0tki]

FND said:

The cart label only refers to it as #3.

That makes me wonder, what were the games #1 and #2?

FND said:

Also wanted to ask if the LUCASFILM screen is on the released cart ?

Yes, it is.