Tempest Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 I always loved Gateway to Apshai on my Atari 400, it was a good mix of RPG and action. One thing that always bothered me was that you had to use the Start, Select, and Option button to cycle through all the actions (I died numerious times trying to get to the right option with a monster on my tail). I was thinking that the 5200 with it's built-in keypad would make this much easier. Has anyone give thought to trying to hack GTA to work on the 5200? Maybe some sort of sequel? If I ever get around to my next game I want to try something like GTA. Something with a little guy and a sword slashing at monsters. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel D. Park Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 Offtopic, but have you ever played the Commodore 64 Version?? It's fantastic :-) and uses function keys for the options. LAter, Joel D. PArk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 I loved the Gateway to Apshai series on the Atari 8-bit. I don't remember too many specifics, except that it was yet another Rogue-like game. Might have to boot 'em up on an 8-bit again someday. Never did play the C64 version. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Hi there! I just thought to bring up this old topic again. I'm planing on porting this game to the 2600 as my next project and I think it'd be cool to team up with someone being able to partially reverse-engineer the 8-Bit version. If as a little milestone result of this a 5200 port could be created, it'd be even better. I know DEBRO already showed signs of interest in the project, but I thought the more help the better. Attached is my first efforts so far, basically I DIS6502ed it to the best of my (little) 8-Bit knowledge and already started IDing some stuff. Any further reverse-engineering would help, so if someone feels like doing that, please have a look and share the results Greetings, Manuel gtarev.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmileyDude Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Nice -- I was actually contemplating a GBA port of GTA awhile back. I'm too busy right now to actually take it up, but having something like this might spur me to start working on it For a first pass, I was thinking of doing pretty much a straight port, with the original graphics. The second pass would be to update the graphics, sounds, menus, etc, for the GBA I spent sooo much time playing GTA as a kid... that and Jumpman Junior. Mostly because those were both cart based, and my lowly 400 with the 410 was just too slow Ahh, those were the days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Hi there! Nice -- I was actually contemplating a GBA port of GTA awhile back. I'm too busy right now to actually take it up, but having something like this might spur me to start working on it Cool. GTA for the GBA would be excellent! I hope to fully start this project right after AGE. My first milestone is reverse-engineering how the dungeons are created and to see how I can get them displayed on the VCS. Since I don't know much about the 8-Bitters, I still hope someone will join this project and help me a little. If someone could ID the game-loop and sort it into functional blocks for example, that'd be a great help. If I'd know which is the display code and which is the data displayed would be another excellent thing. Such little steps. I'm not asking for someone commenting it line by line For a first pass, I was thinking of doing pretty much a straight port, with the original graphics. The second pass would be to update the graphics, sounds, menus, etc, for the GBA Cool stuff! I'd keep both versions in the cartridge, if possible. Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted August 3, 2003 Share Posted August 3, 2003 Hi there! So, I already managed to reverse-engineer the first 2 pages out of 64! (That is the first two introductory screens of the game) And I already tried to find out how the dungeon is created, with some little success (It does generate a seed value out of your level selection and the current dungeon depth) I'm currently a bit undecided wether I should switch to the C64 version, since I'm way more familiar with that hardware. Reverse-engineering a game for a computer where I've never programmed anything at all is not that easy, since I've not only to examine the code (which is hard enough in itself), but also need to learn how the machine works... Took me quite an hour or two to understand how that DLI stuff works... :wink: Nevertheless, here's an updated source ZIP. Any further help with this is appreciated. Greetings, Manuel gtarev.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 So, I already managed to reverse-engineer the first 2 pages out of 64! (That is the first two introductory screens of the game) Very cool, although I guess the introductory screens are probably pretty simple relative to the actual game itself. It's been a long time since I programmed the Atari 8-bit computers in assembly, so I probably wouldn't be of much help in this case. I just want to offer up words of encouragement since I'm a big fan of the Apshai games. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharky Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 Yes always an excellent classic Gateway to Asphai is, as I played the C64 Version (Never knew there was a Atari 400 and Colecovision version until I started emulation). It was like an introduction to Role-Playing games, and lead to path for so many more. Only thing that ended up bugging was that there was no end to it, but hundreds off dungeons to explore though, every time you played it, it was a different game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 Hi there! So, I already managed to reverse-engineer the first 2 pages out of 64! (That is the first two introductory screens of the game)... Nevertheless, here's an updated source ZIP. Any further help with this is appreciated. Greetings, Manuel Count me in! I don't know how much help I can offer but I will certainly take some time if I can soon and look at the code. Maybe I will get lucky and be able to help you make sense of some of it. Also, If you need help with any of the design, animation or graphic elements of the game, I'm your man! Gateway To Apshai is my #1 favorite game on the Atari 8-bit and I can't wait for the 2600 version! ( But then, you already knew that. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Hi there! So I managed to make some good progress the last two nights. The display of the status screen is now analysed as well. And this little snippet is the offending bits that force you into the eternal level 8 loop: LDA Level CMP #$09 ; Loop level 8 endlessly BNE L82D2 DEC Level L82D2 :wink: Thanks for all the moral support in this thread so far. Again, anyone interested in this project is invited to join the task Greetings, Manuel gtarev.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 I've got some ideas of what to include in Level 9! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 A titty bar? Hey, even adventurers take vacations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Hi there! I've got some ideas of what to include in Level 9! I'm not yet sure how the level progression in the 2600 version will be. It might be due to its RAM and cycles shortage, that I'll have to precompute the levels. So it'll end up with the level progresion, but you won't be able to choose the dungeon (There's no way to put 128 precalculated GTA levels into a carttridge). Then the # of total levels will depend on the available ROM only. Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Be a first and make a multi-cartridge game. Or a double-ender on which you can only access the other end with a passcode that you receive when you finish one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Yeah...just be sure to include a unique byte in the program code so that it's less likely that you can obtain the passcode from somebody else A feature that is sadly lacking in other games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Hi there! Be a first and make a multi-cartridge game. Hehe: "Buy the complete set of 16 cartridges for $$$ only" Well, I can say more about this, when I know how the levels are generated. If an unpacked level fits in 2K, I might get it going with a normal extra RAM cartridge. Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Be a first and make a multi-cartridge game. Or a double-ender on which you can only access the other end with a passcode that you receive when you finish one side. Hey, that was my idea! @ Manuel: So if you keep it to just one cart, are you thinking it could be 16K, or 32K... maybe bigger? Also, I believe you could still make the game enjoyable even with one dungeon per level, that would combine all the elements found in that level and maybe a few surprises thrown in! ( like Star Fire ) I can help you design the new dungeons! ( Until I get a lot better at 2600 programming... ) I'm getting ahead of myself here and realize there is still a bunch of testing and dungeon-generating algorhythmns or whatever that you need to do first. Also, this is your project first, but I want to contribute if I can. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted September 19, 2003 Author Share Posted September 19, 2003 Posted: 18 Sep 2003 22:26 Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there! So I managed to make some good progress the last two nights. The display of the status screen is now analysed as well. And this little snippet is the offending bits that force you into the eternal level 8 loop: Code: LDA Level CMP #$09 ; Loop level 8 endlessly BNE L82D2 DEC Level L82D2 Those BASTARDS! I can remember playing through all the levels and thinking that I was missing something that would give me an ending. I was always looking for a "secret exit" or something. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmutzpuppe Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Those BASTARDS! I can remember playing through all the levels and thinking that I was missing something that would give me an ending. I was always looking for a "secret exit" or something. Loooool....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kisrael Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Someone was mentioning a 2600 port, weren't they, on stella? Anyway, I humbly suggest that you make your preferred abbreviation "GtA" or better yet "G2A", to avoid a mixup with a current game that is, probably, much more popular than Gateway to Apshai was, even in its heyday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Someone was mentioning a 2600 port, weren't they, on stella? That was Manuel Rotschkar (was: Polik) himself (aka Cybergoth). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kisrael Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Someone was mentioning a 2600 port, weren't they, on stella? That was Manuel Polik himself (aka Cybergoth). Yeah, I thought so--the trouble was I skimmed through these notes and mostly thought it was talking about the 5200 version. See, I'm not just an idiot at 6507 assembly, i'm also an idiot on the messageboards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Hi there! Yeah, I thought so--the trouble was I skimmed through these notes and mostly thought it was talking about the 5200 version. It is - sort of. Since I'm reverse engineering the 8-Bit version anyway, doing a 5200 port on the way should be trivial. It's not my major task though, just a little milestone down the road Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted September 19, 2003 Share Posted September 19, 2003 Hi there! So if you keep it to just one cart, are you thinking it could be 16K, or 32K... maybe bigger? Since the 8-Bit version is 16K, I assume this is the minimum size of the 2600 version as well. Interesting enough: As it seems having no graphics RAM turns out to be a plus on the VCS, since you're saving tons of data movement. On the VCS you just access it right where it is Also, I believe you could still make the game enjoyable even with one dungeon per level, that would combine all the elements found in that level and maybe a few surprises thrown in! ( like Star Fire ) Well, even with only one dungeon per level, it might still end up with with more then 8 levels then... And I'm all for surprises - where possible. I can help you design the new dungeons! ( Until I get a lot better at 2600 programming... ) Thanks for the offer! I'll keep that in mind! And at times I'll certainly need people playtesting the game. I'm getting ahead of myself here and realize there is still a bunch of testing and dungeon-generating algorhythmns or whatever that you need to do first. Also, this is your project first, but I want to contribute if I can. I'm fine with that. Thanks again. But you're right, unfortunately, at the moment there's not much a non-programmer can help. Other info: While I don't know yet how/where I can enhance the game, I already know two things I need to downgrade: - Doors. I can't display them, so there won't be any. To learn more about the GTA doors, read this article: Gateway to Apshai - Flicker. The 8-bit version displays all stuff lying around in the dungeon with charactes. The VCS doesn't have any, so I'm using sprites. BTW: Since I decided to not do my own webpage this time, I'm using the services of the Videobrewery. I also started writing a little diary there. BTW²: Here is another interesting page I found during recent research: Gateway Maps. From what I can tell the maps should be 3*2 8-Bit screens tall. Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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