| |
| |
|
|
| |
Below
are all the
hacks I've done to date and the links to the AtariAge
forum threads where they were originally posted. Since I
started using
batariBasic I stopped working on hacks for the most
part. You can download an
archive of all of my hacks
as well.
Below are some screenshots of a
few of the hacks I've made.
Some are simple graphic and
color hacks (like my Drag Race
hack of Activision's Dragster).
Some hacks were made using
commented disassemblies that
allow more advanced changes,
like my Yars' Revenge hacks that
changes the number of lives,
change the neutral zone, and
change the speed of the game.
|
Hack |
|
Released |
|
Link |
|
Description |
|
Space Race
[hack of Activision's Freeway] |
|
6/3/2005 |
|
Link |
|
Freeway hacked into Space Race |
|
SpyBob
[hack of Activision's Kabobber] |
|
12/3/2003 |
|
Link |
|
James Bond version of Kabobber |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Hacking Adventure is a great way
to get your feet wet in
assembly. The adventure
source code is extremely well
commented and many extensive
hacks have been done over the
years to help you learn by
example. Here are some
great resources on hacking
Adventure, posted on AtariAge from Nukey Shay. The threads on
which these binaries are posted give detailed
explanations of the code changes he made to make these
hacks:
[Thread
1 |
Thread 2 |
Thread 3 |
Thread 4]
Adventure Plus was my first real hack
(back in 2003!) and it's what really got me interested
in modifying/creating my own Atari Games. Nukey's hacks
below greatly expand on my original hack, and are great fun to
play around with.
|
Hacking Adventure |
|
Description |
|
4k_8kassemblies.zip |
|
4k build includes the signature,
unshares all the screen GFX, and has 5 custom
screens, but I did share the castle GFX again. The
4k version still has half a page of memory free, but
more can be reclaimed by removing the signature
bitmap and sharing screens (or even upper/lower
lines of screens). |
|
adventure_4k_504free.zip |
|
I shared all the bitmap data as it
was in the original optimized code (which had 313
bytes free)...and now it's up to 504 . |
|
Adventure_hell.zip |
|
So you can get an idea of how all
these changes affect the game, here's a copy of it.
This last little step filled in all available ROM
space in the 4k image...so I'm going to have to use
a new file for the examples anyway
7 dragons. One is orange (to make it harder to see
in the catacombs), and one is grey (to make it
invisible against the background).
7 gates...using 2 keys. The black key will only open
black gates...and the flashing key opens flashing
gates and secret wall panels There are 4 regular
black gates, 1 flashing gate, and 2 wall panels. The
gates are on castle bitmaps...so there's 5 castles
in all.
The magnet and the dot must be used together at one
of the panels to get the chalice...and when you do,
the dragons will resurrect themselves (so high-tail
it out of there!).
I'm not sure if game #3 is winnable (because I
didn't test all of the random variations)...but game
#2 definitely is. |
|
adventure_timed.zip |
|
Here's the binary that uses a
timer...now you can see how long it takes you to get
the chalice back (so long as the inside of the
yellow castle is displayed
when you win)
|
|
adventure4k_timed.zip |
|
The timer idea just came to me...so I
figured I'd throw it out there. It does miscount by
4/60 seconds though...so it's not perfect as written
(since it's using bit 6 of the framecounter to
decide when to bump up the seconds counter). |
|
adventure5levels.zip |
|
Here's the binary that adds 2 more
levels. Even-numbered levels feature random
objects... |
|
adventure_tough_dragons.zip |
|
Other ideas for using this new hit counter would be
to have it "heal" over time (by checking the HiCnt
and bumping UP the hit counter if it's less than
"healthy")...or having random values for the number
of hits...or moving the dragon slower (it's Y delta
number) if the hit counter is halfway dea |
|
6dragons.zip |
|
6 dragon version:
- 3 additional dragons.
- Erratic bat behavior added.
- 1 additional key/gate...added key looks like
glasses.
- The glasses also work as x-ray specs...turning all
dark rooms visible.
- Skeleton bitmaps when player uses the x-ray specs.
- Additional signature screen...accessed by using an
existing game object to open the LEFT panels.
- More added secret rooms.
- Up to 128 screens in regular 40x7 bitmap
resolution.
- A title bitmap for the game select screen.
- All game graphics can be unique.
- The player can become "cursed", which destroys all
castles. |
|
a8k_xray.zip |
|
4 dragon version:
- Additional dragon
- Additional bat
- 2 additional keys/gates (though only one currently
has a castle assigned to it...you'll find it above
the original Easter Egg screen on game 2/3). The
second added key looks like glasses...and will open
an additional gate.
- The glasses also work as x-ray specs...turning all
dark rooms visible.
- Additional signature screen...this is accessed by
using an existing game object to open the LEFT
panels. Careful not to get stuck!
- More added secret rooms.
- Up to 64 screens using 40x14 bitmaps
- A title bitmap for the game select screen.
- All game graphics can be unique.
- Skeleton bitmaps when player uses the x-ray specs
|
|
adbatfix.zip |
|
This version corrects the original game's
quirk of allowing the bat to be "trained" to fly in
a specific direction. A carried object is always
carried 1 pixel below the bat's vertical coordinate,
and when one is picked up the bat's flightpath is
also changed (via EOR). It's a little more challenging
since you can't keep the bat anywhere (unless you
lock him up) |
|
addrop.zip |
|
uses this also, and in addition
the bat will drop objects as soon as it's "fed up"
with them and fly at least a screen before choosing
another. So it will scramble up the object locations
pretty effectively if you aren't tending to them.
The bat can snatch your object and leave you with
nothing...for example. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Here are some extras for my
Adventure Plus hack. I've
got all of the old development
ROMs, a map, the source code,
instruction manual, and color
chart.
| |
|
Adventure
Plus Hack-O-Matic Color Chart |
|
Adventure
Plus Map |
|
 |
|
 |
| |
| Adventure
Plus Instruction Manual |
Below is the
Adventure Plus instruction manual that I created
to go along with the hack. It uses the
same text as the original manual from atari,
however I've updated the graphics to reflect the
new graphics in the hack. It was never
professionally printed or distributed with the
hack on cartridge.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Here is a collection of Supercharger conversion hacks from Nukey Shay, all have been modified to run on a standard
supercharger. All zip files contain source and
binaries. Nukey Shay has added many more, my
list is no longer complete.
You can find them all posted in
this
original AA thread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
The only hardware hack
I've done personally is
creating an Atari 7800
compatible two button
CX-40, which is what I
detailed below. If
you're good at soldering
and have no fear of
breaking your old Atari
hardware, there are many
other cool mods and
hacks you can do on your
2600. I've linked
to a few below. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Two
button modified CX-40
for a 7800 |
This is a
project I posted on AtariAge
back in August of 2002. I
modified a CX-40 joystick with
two buttons on the back so it
could be used with Atari 7800
games that require two buttons
(like One-on-One). Below
are the instructions that I just
copied from my original post in
'02. There are pics and a
wiring schematic at the bottom.
| |
Note: My
hack below results in a
CX-40 joystick that will
work just like a Proline
stick from a 7800, and
is meant to be used only
on a 7800. It does not
add two button
compatibility when used
on a 2600. Mark
Taylor from AtariAge (aka
'nems') wrote an
excellent guide on
how to build a CX-40
with two buttons to
support the
many 2600 two button
hacks. [Download
the 2600 Two button
guide] |
|
My
hack:
If all goes well, after you
finish this project your
joystick should have 3 working
buttons. The wiring was designed
so that the original button on
the CX40 will emulate pressing
both 7800 buttons at the same
time, and the two new buttons
would emulate the left and right
buttons on the 7800 Proline
joystick. I haven't tested it
with very many games yet, but it
appears to be fully functional.
Equipment I used for this
project:
1 Donor Atari 7800 Proline
joystick (used main cable &
resistors from it)
1 Atari CX40
2 Small Momentary-switch buttons
from Radio Shack
Tools I Used for this project:
Soldering Iron
Drill
Wire cutters
Electrical Tape
Getting Started...Prepare the
donor parts:
1. Disassemble the Proline
Joystick. Carefully remove all
wiring from the circuit board,
and remove the main cable. This
cable will be used in the CX40.
2. Remove the Resistors from the
Proline circuit board. These
will be re-used in the CX40. I
simply clipped them off with
wire snippers. You can also buy
new resistors from Radio Shack
if you prefer, they’re 520 Ohm.
Prepare the CX40:
1. Disassemble the CX40.
Carefully put aside the fire
button and the spring underneath
the fire button, that spring is
really easy to lose.
2. Remove all the wiring from
the circuit board (just slide
the clips off).
3. Remove the existing main
cable from the CX40, you won’t
be needing it anymore. After you
remove it, install the main
cable from the 7800 Proline in
it’s place. The cable from the
Proline joystick has the extra
wiring we’ll need to install the
2 extra buttons.
4. Remove the screw cylinder
from the top left of the base
(In this case, “remove” really
means “break it off ”). This
needs to be removed in order to
make room for the new buttons. I
removed it by latching on to it
with a pair of locking pliers,
and twisted it until it finally
popped off. Nothing scientific
there!
5. Drill holes for the two
switches. I positioned them
based on the placement of my
hand. The switch farthest to the
right should rest comfortably
under the tip of your left index
finger.
6. Cut the circuit board. Be
VERY careful doing this! This
step is necessary to make room
for the buttons. See the picture
at http://www.stevesfil...m/joystick1.jpg
(or just look at the bottom of
this post) to get an idea of how
I did this.
7. Install the buttons. Place
them in the holes you drilled
and secure them in place.
8. Based on the wiring diagram
at http://www.stevesfil...ringdiagram.jpg
(also posted below), connect all
of the wires (using the main
cable pirated from the 7800
stick) to the circuit board. You
will need to solder in the
resistors, as seen in the
diagram.
Putting it all back together:
1. After you have installed all
of the wiring, carefully place
the circuit board back in to the
base unit. In my joystick, it
was a very tight fit along the
top of the circuit board, where
I had cut the board to make room
for the back of the buttons. You
may have to twist the buttons to
position the wires just right.
2. Put the firing button and the
spring back in, and carefully
place the top of the joystick
back on.
3. Hold it tight, flip it over,
and put the screws back in. It
will only take 3 instead of four
now, as we removed one of the
screw cylinders.
4. Test it!
Now, sit back, and enjoy all of
your 7800 games the way they
were meant to be played. With a
CX40 Joystick!
|
Pictures
(Click for lager image) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Here is a collection of
two button hacks done by
AtariAge Members. These
hacks add two button support for
many Atari 2600 game using the
Sega Genesis controller.
The B and C buttons are both
compatible with the 2600, You
can read about each specific
game and the changes made in the
original AtariAge thread.
Each game has a specific
function assigned to the extra
button. As an example, you
can now use the C button on the
controller for smart bombs in
Defender.
Make sure you're using the
latest Harmony firmware and
hold down the genesis "B" button
while you turn the Atari on, or
the Harmony cart will recognize
the genesis controller as a
paddle and you won't be able to
navigate the menu.
|
Ghostbusters |
|
Button C exits menu,
baits marshmallow man by holding down when he
appears |
|
|
|
HERO |
|
Button C drops
dynamite |
|
|
|
Kangaroo |
|
Button C will drop a
smart bomb |
|
|
|
Star
Trek |
|
Button C for warp,
Button B for phaser |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Here is a small collection
of some of my favorite hacks
done by other people. I've
wasted quite a bit of time on
these!
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
