Print Page - How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?

Title: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: Otto on 08:50, 14 March 19

The emulator has all needed bios files:

mame -verfiyroms a800xlp
romset a800xlp [a800xl] is good
1 romsets found, 1 were OK.

And it runs:

Code Select

mame a800xlp
... showing the BASIC prompt.

How do I start or boot a game from a disc image in ".atr" format, say Sea-Dragon from Atarimania? I insert the game disc, reset the emulator to boot the disc image, but the emulated Atari system says: Remove Cartridge!

So I insert a DOS disc instead and boot it, which works (no "Remove Cartridge" message). I again get the BASIC prompt and can enter the BASIC command "DOS" to enter the DOS menu. Then I insert the game disc to list its contents (when I booted DOS1 or DOS2 before, and it shows different results, whereas DOS3 says "wrong disc format"). So, DOS1 and DOS2: how do I start the game then?

Title: Re: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: Otto on 08:12, 15 March 19

So for the Sea-Dragon game from Atarimania (http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-sea-dragon_4559.html), when booting a Dos1 disc, then entering the "DOS" command and then inserting the game disc, I get the file catalogue as shown in attachment 1, and when booting Dos2 I got the attachment 2.

What do I do next?

Title: Re: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: robcfg on 10:42, 15 March 19

Have you tried

Code Select

RUN"D:AARONGAM02" ?

Also you can find the relevant manuals here (http://www.atarimania.com/documents-atari-400-800-xl-xe-manuals_2_8.html).

Title: Re: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: Otto on 12:02, 15 March 19

Thanks for the hints.

Unfortunately it doesn't work so far.

I think there may be a problem with this disc image (Seadragon.atr), since your linked
manual says file names can only have 8 chars (plus 3 for extension) but the first file on this image has more than 8 chars.

Title: Re: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: Otto on 10:12, 20 March 19

...

Title: Re: How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?
Post by: Otto on 12:04, 20 March 19

Yes, the Seadragon disk image ".atr" file from Atarimania (http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-sea-dragon_4559.html) isn't working.That's why it won't boot directly but also can't be loaded with the LOAD command when booting a DOS disk first.

Finding another image file, like here on Abandonware (https://www.myabandonware.com/game/sea-dragon-2v#Atari%208-bit), works fine however: just insert the disk image file and boot:

Code Select

mame a800xlp -flop1 seadragon.atr

P.S. Cartridge image files (.car or .rom) for the Atari 800 XL also work fine!

Case closed.

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General Category => Other retro => Topic started by: Otto on 08:50, 14 March 19