How to run Atari 800XL games in MAME?

[Otto]

The emulator has all needed bios files:

Code Select Expand

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

And it runs:

Code Select Expand

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?

[Otto]

So for the Sea-Dragon game from Atarimania, 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?

[robcfg]

Have you tried

Code Select Expand

RUN"D:AARONGAM02" ?


Also you can find the relevant manuals here.

[Otto]

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.

[Otto]

...

[Otto]

Yes, the Seadragon disk image ".atr" file from Atarimania 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, works fine however: just insert the disk image file and boot:

Code Select Expand

mame a800xlp -flop1 seadragon.atr


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

Case closed.