Re: [stella] Light gun/pen

Subject: Re: [stella] Light gun/pen
From: Lee Seitz <lkseitz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 1997 12:41:45 -0500 (CDT)
Glenn Saunders boldly stated:
>
>I think it's more than that with Atari systems at least, otherwise light
>pens would not work as paint programs or pointing devices.  Such a system
>as you describe is far too crude for anything but the early pong systems
>and you wouldn't be able to differentiate between hitting one object or
>another, etc....

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that.  Of course, the original Magnavox
Odyssey only detected on or off.  (They mention in the manual that you
shouldn't point it at a lamp or it will register a hit.)  But then, I
think it only had one "object" on the screen at a time.  Yet I'm
pretty sure I've aimed my NES gun at a light bulb and had Duck Hunt
register a hit.  How *did* it decide which one was hit?

>Other than Atari systems like the XEGS, 7800, or the unused capability in
>the 5200, the only other systems I know of that supported a light pen/gun
>were the Astrocade [...] and the Vectrex [...].

I'm confused as to whether you meant to leave the 2600 off that list
or not.  You do know about Sentinel, right?  Anybody want to try to
disassemble it?  (16k, ouch!)

Slightly more off topic, I got my first Jaguar cartridge this weekend
(brand new for $3.50), even though I don't have a Jaguar console yet.
I was quite surprised to see a *licensing agreement* on the plastic
surrounding the cartridge!  It, of course, includes a "no
disassembly/reverse engineering" clause.  I guess it's a good thing
they didn't do such things in the days of the 2600, or this list might
not exist.

ObProgramming:  How long do you think it would take someone who has
only had one 8086 assembly language course about five years ago to
catch on to the 6507?

-- 
   Lee K. Seitz * lkseitz@xxxxxxxxxx * http://fly.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/
Classic Video Games Nexus Maintainer (fly.hiwaay.net/~lkseitz/cvg/nexus/)
   Dare to be stupid.  Do the Donkey Kong.  O-  Finger for Geek Code.
  Live long and prosper.  May the Force be with you.  Up, up, and away!

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