Thanks for putting out this video. I was toying with the Atari Dev Kit in Visual Studio Code but wasn’t aware of the git repo you mentioned. I’m off to the races now 😊
Are there any other Atari Programming IDE's that I don't know about? Please let me know so I can check them out! Any details that are inaccurate? Please send me details and if it checks out I'll add a correction to the video description. Thanks for checking out the video, I really appreciate the support!
In the 90s as a programming student, I was very aware that these games were programmed in assembly for exactly the reasons you listed. You just had to learn the assembly or you weren’t writing for that primitive of a system. This was very common in the 70s.
Assembly is pretty awesome imo, it's incredibly powerful having access to such basic instructions. The hardest part of the 2600 is keeping up with the crt beam!
I agree, post-punk mixed with electronic avant garde, interesting combination for a show. The poster is a repro a friend gave me. A local printer has pressed a batch a couple of years ago.
Hi. New to the scene. Looking forward to learn from your videos. The Atari Dev Studio looks pretty amazing. Stuck on a simple setup item, linking Stella to the 'Compile Source Code & Launch' button. I have working stella on my PC, but the function in Atari Dev Studio doesnt launch the app. I can manually run the .bin - but what fun is that? ;)
Welcome! The Atari Dev Studio will also come with dasm and stella installed for you, but you can also use a different version of each if you want. I have had a couple of issues in the past with VS Code similar to yours as well. I think I had to remove the Atari Dev Studio extension entirely and re-install to get it working. Also resetting the configuration back to the default. A few times the file type in the bottom right of VS Code changed to something other than DASM and I had to set it back again. I hope you're able to solve it soon!
dammit there was a guy that programed dragon warrior for the intellivision! and it looks and plays great even the sound is perfect!! i wish someone would do this for our atari!
I'm currently using the Atari Dev Studio and learning 7800 basic. I am curious if you're interested in making any tutorial video for 7800 basic? There's far less videos on TH-cam for 7800 coding over 2600
I have some plans to move through the different Atari systems at some point, but I won't be moving on from the 2600 for quite some time now. There's still so much to cover. I may be a fairly short series on the 5200 and then the 7800. However, I'll probably stick with Assembly language for the episodes. I'll be doing an episode on batari basic for the 2600, but just an introduction.
I've had relatively better luck with Visual bB and a simple text editor. Followed the VSC/ADS setup instructions to the letter. Set the correct paths to the assembler and emulator. They just would not work for me, even after having checked the setup numerous times. For me, VSC has just functionally been an overblown Notepad.
I've had my issues with vscode as well. Especially with the tab settings getting screwed up randomly. Same with the file type. It's stabilized for me recently so no complaints at the moment.
As a longtime lover of the 2600, the Jr was my first system bay in the late 80s. I always wanted to make a game. But I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I've been jotting ideas down for gamed I'd like to try to make. Now we only have 1 home computer which my wife uses most the time. Would I be ale tonstill do this on a laptop computer?
Hi, sorry for the REALLY late reply, I hope this finds it's way back to you! You can certainly use a laptop computer to make games for the ATARI 2600. It doesn't need to be fancy or fast, and everything you need is free. Including all the example code I've provided for each episode in my GitHub repository. As you work through the episode you'll start gaining a better idea and appreciation for what's actually possible on the 2600 and figure out how to craft your game in a way that would work. Assembly language looks intimidating, but once you start working with it, it all starts to make perfect logical sense. Have fun! :)
Hi Hector, I'm not sure if the 2021 VCS allows ROM's to be loaded on to it. If so, anything you create with the Atari Dev Studio, and dasm should be compatible as I believe their Vault just loads original ROMs in an emulator.
After the Atari Dev Studio is installed you can check a couple things that might interfere. 1) make sure the file type is set to dash in the lower right corner. 2) make sure you're clicking the little rocket icon which will compile the code and launch Stella. 3) make sure there are no compiler errors stopping the launch of Stella. 4) check the atari dev studio extension setting to make sure the path to the Stella executable is correct.
Do you have to somehow enable the Stella emulator? I followed all the steps and click on the rocket using one of your github files compiled successfully but nothing happens when I try to use the emulator from within Visual Studio.
I haven't had any difficulty launching it right after installing the Atari Dev Studio on a few different systems. Perhaps yours needed a reboot? You can contact the publisher on their plugin page (marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=chunkypixel.atari-dev-studio) to see if there is a problem, or check out this thread where they are very active. (atariage.com/forums/topic/290365-atari-dev-studio-for-homebrew-development-release/)
The Atari Dev Studio doesn't include any run time or debugging capabilities. For this you'll have to use the debugging features within the emulator you're using. In Stella, you can enter debugging mode by clicking ` on your keyboard. I'll be creating a video on debugging in an upcoming video. Probably next month.
Excellent vid as ever. I'll download and feed back.
Awesome, glad you liked it!
Really enjoying the episodes, thanks for putting them together. 👍
Thanks Martine, really appreciate it!
Thanks for putting out this video. I was toying with the Atari Dev Kit in Visual Studio Code but wasn’t aware of the git repo you mentioned. I’m off to the races now 😊
Wonderful, I hope you continue to find value in all the episodes!
Are there any other Atari Programming IDE's that I don't know about? Please let me know so I can check them out! Any details that are inaccurate? Please send me details and if it checks out I'll add a correction to the video description. Thanks for checking out the video, I really appreciate the support!
This is an awesome video! Very interested in making some games for this console. Thanks for sharing! Subbed.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you liked it! Would love to see anything you make!
In the 90s as a programming student, I was very aware that these games were programmed in assembly for exactly the reasons you listed. You just had to learn the assembly or you weren’t writing for that primitive of a system. This was very common in the 70s.
Assembly is pretty awesome imo, it's incredibly powerful having access to such basic instructions. The hardest part of the 2600 is keeping up with the crt beam!
thanks a lot for this great video!!
You're very welcome!
It is great stuff!
Thank you!
Wow, Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire on the same bill. Must have been a hell of a gig.
I agree, post-punk mixed with electronic avant garde, interesting combination for a show. The poster is a repro a friend gave me. A local printer has pressed a batch a couple of years ago.
This is incredible! Thanks for all of this! It looks like my Atari dev days are looking easier.
I'm glad you found it interesting and hope you continue to find each episode useful on your Atari journey!
love this. I've been trying to find useful info to learn atari dev. Easy sub. Also ringing the bell for the stylish hair
Welcome aboard!
Well I tried Doing all this and I had some trouble at first. Then I figured it out its really nice!
That's great!
Hi. New to the scene. Looking forward to learn from your videos. The Atari Dev Studio looks pretty amazing. Stuck on a simple setup item, linking Stella to the 'Compile Source Code & Launch' button. I have working stella on my PC, but the function in Atari Dev Studio doesnt launch the app. I can manually run the .bin - but what fun is that? ;)
Welcome! The Atari Dev Studio will also come with dasm and stella installed for you, but you can also use a different version of each if you want. I have had a couple of issues in the past with VS Code similar to yours as well. I think I had to remove the Atari Dev Studio extension entirely and re-install to get it working. Also resetting the configuration back to the default. A few times the file type in the bottom right of VS Code changed to something other than DASM and I had to set it back again. I hope you're able to solve it soon!
go go go
I wanna make a game!! That would be amazing
I want you to make a game! I hope my video series helps you along the way!
dammit there was a guy that programed dragon warrior for the intellivision! and it looks and plays great even the sound is perfect!! i wish someone would do this for our atari!
I'm currently using the Atari Dev Studio and learning 7800 basic. I am curious if you're interested in making any tutorial video for 7800 basic? There's far less videos on TH-cam for 7800 coding over 2600
I have some plans to move through the different Atari systems at some point, but I won't be moving on from the 2600 for quite some time now. There's still so much to cover. I may be a fairly short series on the 5200 and then the 7800. However, I'll probably stick with Assembly language for the episodes. I'll be doing an episode on batari basic for the 2600, but just an introduction.
I downloaded the Code program but "Clone Git Repository" isn't showing up. Anything I can check for?
I've had relatively better luck with Visual bB and a simple text editor. Followed the VSC/ADS setup instructions to the letter. Set the correct paths to the assembler and emulator. They just would not work for me, even after having checked the setup numerous times. For me, VSC has just functionally been an overblown Notepad.
I've had my issues with vscode as well. Especially with the tab settings getting screwed up randomly. Same with the file type. It's stabilized for me recently so no complaints at the moment.
As a longtime lover of the 2600, the Jr was my first system bay in the late 80s. I always wanted to make a game. But I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. I've been jotting ideas down for gamed I'd like to try to make. Now we only have 1 home computer which my wife uses most the time. Would I be ale tonstill do this on a laptop computer?
Hi, sorry for the REALLY late reply, I hope this finds it's way back to you! You can certainly use a laptop computer to make games for the ATARI 2600. It doesn't need to be fancy or fast, and everything you need is free. Including all the example code I've provided for each episode in my GitHub repository. As you work through the episode you'll start gaining a better idea and appreciation for what's actually possible on the 2600 and figure out how to craft your game in a way that would work. Assembly language looks intimidating, but once you start working with it, it all starts to make perfect logical sense. Have fun! :)
No worries, I'm very happy that I can try to do this for the system I love the best.
Will you make more videos about 2600 game programming? Thank you.
For sure I'll be making all new videos throughout the new year!
@@8Blit Super! Happy new year!
Works for the new mini PC, VCS from 2021?
Hi Hector, I'm not sure if the 2021 VCS allows ROM's to be loaded on to it. If so, anything you create with the Atari Dev Studio, and dasm should be compatible as I believe their Vault just loads original ROMs in an emulator.
hi, I can't connect visual studio code to Stella. Some advice?
After the Atari Dev Studio is installed you can check a couple things that might interfere. 1) make sure the file type is set to dash in the lower right corner. 2) make sure you're clicking the little rocket icon which will compile the code and launch Stella. 3) make sure there are no compiler errors stopping the launch of Stella. 4) check the atari dev studio extension setting to make sure the path to the Stella executable is correct.
Do you have to somehow enable the Stella emulator? I followed all the steps and click on the rocket using one of your github files compiled successfully but nothing happens when I try to use the emulator from within Visual Studio.
I haven't had any difficulty launching it right after installing the Atari Dev Studio on a few different systems. Perhaps yours needed a reboot? You can contact the publisher on their plugin page (marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=chunkypixel.atari-dev-studio) to see if there is a problem, or check out this thread where they are very active. (atariage.com/forums/topic/290365-atari-dev-studio-for-homebrew-development-release/)
It's just not the same as writing assemble in notepad though 😜
Debugger?
The Atari Dev Studio doesn't include any run time or debugging capabilities. For this you'll have to use the debugging features within the emulator you're using. In Stella, you can enter debugging mode by clicking ` on your keyboard. I'll be creating a video on debugging in an upcoming video. Probably next month.
are you on twitter or have an email? wanted to send you a message with a cool link regarding making Atari 2600 games!
You can send emails to 8blit0@gmail.com