Hatari version 1.0.0 released
Version 1.0.0 of the Atari ST, STE, TT and Falcon emulator Hatari has been released. A lot of things have been changed this time:
- The user's configuration files are now located in the directory ~/.hatari/
instead of the $HOME directory itself.
- Improved VDI resolution mode (resolution can now be change in small
steps).
- The 'Frame Skip 8' option can now be correctly selected, too.
- Fixed some bugs/problems in the GEMDOS HD emulation (with Fopen & Fcreate).
- Keyboard shortcuts for saving and restoring memory snapshots.
- Hatari can now be compiled with CeGCC, too.
- Fixed some problems with the FPU emulation. NeoN Grafix renders now
right.
- Writing to floppy disk images works now also with TOS 4.0x.
- A lot of source code clean-up and beautification.
- Monochrome mode now runs in 71 Hz, and 60 Hz color mode now also really
runs with 60 Hz refresh rate.
- Fixed memory snapshot files (some important data has not been saved
before).
- It is now possible to automatically load/save memory snapshots at start/exit.
- Fixed some bugs in the file selection dialog.
- Some minor improvements in the GUI: Improved text edit fields, "Cancel"
buttons can now be activated by pressing the ESC key, and Hatari
asks the user before resetting and quitting the emulator.
- The Hatari executable is now relocatable (so the RPM can be relocated,
too).
- It's now possible to enable special trace output with the "--trace"
option.
- The size of the borders can now be specified in the hatari.cfg file.
- Fixed Spec512 screen plotting on big endian machines.
- Native screen conversion functions for 32 bpp host display mode.
- Reworked the command line options.
- Added missing read for "clr" in 68000 CPU mode.
- Cycle correct MULU/MULS/DIVU/DIVS in 68000 CPU mode.
- Support for 68000 instructions pairing
- Better emulation of exception stack frame (bus/address error), used
in some protections.
- Don't change illegal 68000 opcodes $8, $a and $c if no cartridge is
inserted.
- Ensure ACIA has consistent values when reset.
- More precise interrupt handling, allowing to mix CPU cycles and MFP
cycles with greater precision.
- Various improvements in MFP emulation (stop/start timer without writing
to data register, reading data register, handle pending cycles when
timer "wraps" (i.e. data register reaches 0), ...). Supports programs
using some very "fast" timers (Overscan Demos, ULM Demos) and requiring
nearly cycle exact synchronisation with the 68000.
- Mostly correct wait states when accessing sound registers (add wait
state for $ff8801/ff8803 when needed).
- Correct values of cycle counters read & write accesses for the most
common cases used for fullscreen/hardscroll.
- Correct values for Video_CalculateAddress, taking into account frequency
and left/right borders' state, needed for correct synchronisation
between video and cpu.
- Improve top/bottom border removal, including 60 Hz bottom border, as
well as "short" 50 Hz screen (171 lines)
- Support for all left/right border removal, including 0 byte lines.
- Support for hardscroll on STF, including the most recent ones using
4/5 lines.
- Support for 4 pixels horizontal hardscroll on STF (ST Connexion in Punish
Your Machine)
- Small adjustements in cycle precise color handling (spec512.c)
Link: http://hatari.sourceforge.net/
From: http://www.atari-users.net/
Rainbow for Atari Falcon Is Now Freeware
Our Atari Falcon exclusive program Rainbow II Multimedia was used for creating pixel-based drawings/paintings, retouched photos, animated sprites, sound effects and slideshows. It was first published in December 1993, as Rainbow. A much improved version called Rainbow II Multimedia was released in May 1995 and received an ST Format Gold 96% rating.
Link: http://www.rainbowpainter.com/about/rainbow2multimedia.html
From: http://www.atari-users.net/
Ice Hockey: 1981 TV Ad for Atari 2600
Now here’s a blast from the past - Activision’s 1981 advertisement for Ice Hockey on the Atari 2600. With state-of-the-art graphics and gameplay that designer Alan Miller says, "My Activision Ice Hockey includes many of the features and much of the speed of real ice hockey."
Link: http://www.videogamingblog.net/2008/03/21/ice-hockey-1981-tv-ad-for...
Neat Atari Print Ads
I'm not clear on the purpose of these ads, but they're cool!
Link: http://superpunch.blogspot.com/2008/03/neat-atari-print-ads.html
Atari Breakout Art
I’ve been wanting to do an Atari piece for quite some time but wasn’t sure which avenue to take. The multicolor blocks from Breakout lent themselves quite well, so I used them in a cosmic design style much the same as the previous piece, Protostar Cosmique.
Link: http://blog.signalnoise.com/?p=150
Atari Lynx Marlboro Go
Not the best video on YouTube, I know, but still a rather interesting look at the unreleased Marlboro Go game for the Atari Lynx. Oh, and should you care to actually give it a try, you could download the prototype ROM from Atari Age and grab a free copy of the Handy Lynx emulator to run it.
Link: http://pocketgaming.blogspot.com/2008/03/atari-lynx-marlboro-go.html
My first computer...the Atari 800XL
Some Computerworld bloggers have been telling tales of their first computers. I figured I'd throw mine into the pool here...
The year was 1984, I was 11 years old and baseball cards were rapidly fading as my hobby of choice as I was entering the world of electronics. My friend had an Atari 800 which he was doing some really cool basic programming with. He had also just got a modem which totally blew me away...
At school we were being taught some really basic computer skills with a Apple ][e. It really didn't seem that interesting at the time, partially because no one had been trained on how to use it. The Macintosh was a few years away for me, though I remember thinking how nice and portable it was. Commodore 64 was the big platform at the time - but my first experiences with the VIC-20 we negative. Also, our local library had a Radio Shack TRS-80 which was pretty weak. I could even beat the chess game at the highest level. Again - this was all perception to an 11 year old.
Link: http://blogs.computerworld.com/my_first_computer_the_atari_800xl
Nintendo, Atari, and retro couches...oh my!
When I first stepped into Chatterbox, I couldn't decide if I was stepping into a restaurant or a friend's basement. The main dining room was filled with retro couches, classic gaming systems, and loud but not obnoxious music. As I took my seat in one of the large, black booths that were fit more for a party of six than my party of two, I knew I was at the perfect place for a late afternoon lunch.
Chatterbox Pub, located on Cleveland Avenue behind Blockbuster offers more than just a meal, it offers an atmosphere that makes you want to stay long after you've devoured food from their delicious menu of gourmet sandwiches, pizza and burgers.
Voted the "Best Neighborhood Bar, Minneapolis" from 2003 to 2006 in City Pages' Reader's Choice Awards, the St. Paul location offers the same energy and entertainment as the Minneapolis location, but conveniently closer to campus.
The restaurant's décor of colored walls, random pieces of art and fun lamps add to its relaxed mood, bringing the eccentric and classic together under one roof.
After being seated, my dining partner and I decided to take advantage of the full line of classic board games Chatterbox offers free of charge to their customers. After a quick go at "Operation," our server, who was dressed more like a hipster heading to a concert than someone working in the food industry, took our order.
While waiting for our order to arrive, we continued with the board game theme, opting this time for checkers. Other patrons choose to take advantage of the Sega Genesis, Nintendo and Atari systems by renting games such as Super Mario Bros and Frogger for one to two dollars per game.
Link: http://media.www.themacweekly.com/media/storage/paper1230/news/2008...
Museum of Computing gets uprooted
The Swindon based Museum of Computing is looking for a new site, following its scheduled eviction once the University of Bath moves out of its Oakfield campus in July.
The museum, which is sponsored by Intel, has over 2,000 hardware exhibits and 2,500 software items from various eras in computing history – examples of which are the Magnavox Odyssey 1, the first TV video game, and the Atari 2600.
It is looking for a new location with 75 square meters of exhibition space and 100 square meters of storage space.
Link: http://www.pcretailmag.com/news/29603/Museum-of-Computing-gets-upro...
Atari 2600 Cake
We were pretty excited to see this Atari 2600 cake show up in our Cake Tips line, showing off a proof of concept of the icing advancements shown at the recent Cake Developers Conference. Sure, you're probably aware of our distaste for black icing, but the iced texture tech from the developers at Cakes By The Pound have made us forget about the black toothed cake party hangover that we hate so much. The team is more of a casual cake dev, but it's clear they've got hardcore appeal. Thanks to Jeff and Gabriel for the heads up!
Link: http://kotaku.com/374298/atari-2600-icing-tech-demo-proves-normal-f...
