Task: Read the Book “Atari BASIC” Needed: Atari Basic by Albrecht et al. (1979) Time: 1-2 Hours Introduction My first two books were Your Atari Computer and Atari BASIC. They are still a great way to get familiar with the Atari 400 and 800 if
Read moreExplore KSquiggle’s Atari 8-bit Programming Shrine (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore KSquiggle’s Atari 8-bit Programming Shrine Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction Bill Lange pointed me to this awesome Atari 8-bit programming resource developed and maintained by Kevin Chase (aka KSquiggle). I had seen this before but it was great to get it on
Read moreFun With The Atari Touch Tablet (15-30 mins)
Task: Fun With The Atari Touch Tablet Needed: Atari Touch Tablet Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I got an Atari Touch Tablet along with the Atariartist cartridge for Christmas back in the early 1980s. This was one of my favorite Atari gifts ever. I had so
Read moreTry Player-Missile Graphics in BASIC (30-60 mins)
Task: Try Player-Missile Graphics in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction Player-missile (PM) graphics helped make the Atari the premier arcade and graphics machine in its day. A key feature of PM graphics is the ability to draw players and missiles on the screen
Read moreCompile Assembly Code for the Atari 2600 (10-15 mins)
Task: Compile Assembly Code for the Atari 2600 Needed: DASM cross-compiler, assembly code Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I had an Atari 2600 in the late 1970s before we got our first Atari 400 and 800 computers. I recall standing in line at Sears to purchase
Read moreLearn About Display List Interrupts in BASIC (1-2 hours)
Task: Learn About Display List Interrupts in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 1-2 hours Introduction Atari was far ahead of its competitors when it was released with superior graphics. This was largely due to the ANTIC chip that served as a graphics processor with its own
Read moreRead the Book “De Re Atari” (3-6 hours)
Task: Read the Book “De Re Atari” Needed: De Re Atari Time: 3-6 hours Introduction When the Atari 400 and 800 computers were released in 1979 they were a closed system. That is, only Atari personnel knew the details of the hardware that were necessary
Read moreCelebrate Halloween with Atari BASIC (10-15 mins)
Task: Celebrate Halloween with Atari BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction When Halloween was approaching I went on to the web to see if there were some fun BASIC programs designed specifically for the haunted day. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any. There are a
Read moreTry BASIC Programs from a Micro Adventure Book (1-2 hours)
Task: Try BASIC Programs from a Micro Adventure Book Needed: BASIC, Micro Adventure Book #2 Time: 1-2 hours Introduction When I was a kid I loved the ‘choose your own adventure books‘. It was really fun to participate in how the story took shape. I didn’t
Read moreCreate a Custom Display List in BASIC (30-60 mins)
Task: Create a Custom Display List in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 mins Introduction When the Atari 400 and 800 were released in 1979 they were far ahead of their competitors in terms of computer graphics and sound. The advanced graphics were the result of
Read moreSave an ATR File from Altirra to Your PC (10-15 mins)
Task: Save an ATR File from Altirra to Your PC Needed: Altirra emulator Time: 10-15 mins Introduction When I first started using the Altirra 8-bit emulator I decided I wanted make ATR floppy disk images that I could then save to my hard disk for
Read moreTry GTIA Graphics Modes in BASIC (30-60 mins)
Task: Try GTIA Graphics Modes in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 mins Introduction When the Atari 400 and 800 first shipped they included the Color Television Interface Adaptor or CTIA chip that creates the signal that goes to the television for display. The CTIA is
Read moreMake a Playfield in BASIC Using Character Sets (30-60 mins)
Task: Make a Playfield in BASIC Using Character Sets Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I programmed a game called Gene Medic in assembly language for the Atari 2600 in 2017 and am interested in porting it to the Atari 800. I am starting this
Read moreMad Magazine BASIC Program (10-15 mins)
Task: Load and Run a BASIC Program from Mad Magazine (1985) Needed: BASIC, ATR File, Altirra Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction I remember reading Mad Magazine as a kid as many did during that time. What I didn’t know until recently is that there was a
Read moreRead the Book “Racing the Beam” by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost (3-6 Hours)
Task: Read the Book “Racing the Beam” by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost (3-6 Hours) Needed: The book Time: 3-6 hours Introduction I had an Atari Video Computer System (VCS) or 2600 before I owned an Atari 400 and then 800 computer. The 2600 was
Read moreSound Effects in BASIC (30-60 mins)
Task: Program Sound Effects in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction The Atari 8-bit computers had a pretty decent sound chip called the POKEY. POKEY is an acronym for Pot Keyboard Integrated Circuit. The POKEY generated four-voice sound and had some other functions such
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