Re: [stella] Driving controller multitap

Subject: Re: [stella] Driving controller multitap
From: KirkIsrael@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 25 Feb 2004 13:01:13 -0000
> I'm just saying that the Atari 2600 console has the capacity to support 4 
> driving controllers with all the buttons active.  There are enough signals 
> for that.  Whether that is economically viable is another matter.

But you're still suggesting a hardware hack to plug 'em all in, right?

> >Maybe an "intelligent flicker
> >routine" would be worth it, but w/ 4 objects, that becomes a very
> >difficult problem.
> 
> No worse than Ms Pac Man.

I'll have to look at that. (Actually I should look at a bunch of games
and play the old "how'd they do that" game, now that I have more of an 
idea of what an atari program looks from the inside.)
 
> >I've had some side conversations about this; while a lot of the people on 
> >stella are hardcore kernal wizards...
> 
> The idea is to use as much of Indy 500 as possible, right?

Not neccesarily. It's mostly a matter of trying to match that game's
look and feel. Maybe not even that....
 
> Reading paddles involves some major surgery to the kernel.  You'd actually 
> be able to preserve more of the existing Indy 500 kernel if you did 4 
> driving controllers because all the controller code could stay between 
> frames.

How much time does paddle reading take out of the kernal?  How 
often do you have to check?  I had forgotten that it happened 
during the kernal...I guess there's no way to do it during VBLANK?


-- 
KirkIsrael@xxxxxxxxxxxxx    http://kisrael.com
   "Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back." --Gladiator 


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