TROTTER'S 
FAQ PAGE
Here is a preliminary FAQ page to answer some of basics about Trotter and his journey, which I will add to next update. After that, this page will be updated periodically as needed.
Last updated: May 5, 2006
Q: What is the Globetrotter World Tour and what is "Trotter"?
A: Globetrotter, or "Trotter" for short, is making a journey across the world. He's a huge fan of classic gaming and wants to visit as many fellow fans as possible. He especially loves Atari because, after all, he's an Atari cartridge ... personified!
Trotter is a homebrew demo, programmed in assembler language used for the Atari 2600 that I had installed inside a cartridge to work on a real 2600 console. My idea was to send this object around to different places around the world, one person at a time, similiar to penpals sending letters or small items to one another across great distances. I started the Tour by mailing the cart with a "suitcase" and a mock passport here in Utah, then it began to move to other states in the US among Atari fans and hobbyists and has snowballed into something bigger since then.
Q: What is a "homebrew" and what is a "hack"?
A: In the classic gaming/collecting community, a homebrew refers to a game or other program written and produced in cart form or distributed in bin format to play using an emulator for console system no longer supported by corporate entities with deep pockets. A hack can be a previously released game that has been modified by changing the graphics or functionality of gameplay, to give it a fresh look or theme. Changes can range from slight to complete overhauls of the program kernal that displays the game elements. New homebrews and hacks are still being developed due to the support of others in the community who beta test the games and purchase the finished games in cartridge form to play on their old console at home or through computer emulation.
Q: How do I sign up? What do I do with Trotter?
A: You can send me a message using Trotter's e-mail on the contact page. I'll respond as soon as I am able.
I will contact you when Trotter's path will take him near your location. I provide your address info only to the host befoe you, so they can send the Trotter package to you( In some cases, they may be able to deliver Trotter in person ). Each host has about 1 week with Trotter, enough time to snap a photo or two near an interesting landmark near where you live. Taking photos is optional, but recommended. You can e-mail me or snailmail me your photos when they are ready, and I will post the best ones to the website and update the maps accordingly.
The length of Trotter visit may vary, depending on if you are taking Trotter with you on a trip or other instance. Generally though, Trotter should be mailed to the next person after one week( I will provide you with the next host's info ).
Q: I'm going on a trip to ___. I'm leaving on ___ date. I live in ____. Can Trotter join me?
A: This will all depend on where Trotter is in the world at the time, and how many days or weeks notice you can give about your plans. Trotter may not be able to arrange to get to you in time, but feel free to let me know your schedule and we'll try to make it happen, especially if Trotter has not yet visited that place. Every trip Trotter is informed of will be considered.
More questions and answers will be added soon. If you have a question you don't see answered here, jump to the Contact Page and send Trotter a message. :-)
Many thanks for your support of this project! Have a VCS day™!