143 replies to this topic

[Lendorien]

Hey Philsan,

Could you point out a manual from the archives that you wanted to emulate? I started putting together a mockup, using Space Invaders as a template, but would you prefer something else? Did you have anything made in other languages?

Also, perhaps with the asteroid, you could slow down its current speed in early levels and then speed it up to its speed over several levels? Another thought is to tie extra lives with score. Giving an extra life every two levels seems a bit too generous.

Plus, how does the scoring work in the game? Is it based on fuel use?

Edited by Lendorien, Mon Aug 2, 2010 10:32 AM.

[Philsan]

Lendorien, on Mon Aug 2, 2010 2:45 AM, said:

Could you point out a manual from the archives that you wanted to emulate? I started putting together a mockup, using Space Invaders as a template, but would you prefer something else? Did you have anything made in other languages?

Also, perhaps with the asteroid, you could slow down its current speed in early levels and then speed it up to its speed over several levels? Another thought is to tie extra lives with score. Giving an extra life every two levels seems a bit too generous.

Plus, how does the scoring work in the game? Is it based on fuel use?

1 I think Marc (http://www.freelance...om/atari-us.php) will produce the box.
For the front I would like something like this Defender (but with a black or grey background) and for the rear something like this Defender.
I think Albert will produce the cart and the manual but I don't know what kind of manual he will make. Perhaps a single sheet would suffice.
I would like to reproduce also the language's style of old Atari manuals.
For example for the box's back I've written:
As commander of the Lunar Excursion Module, your mission is to land safely on the Moon's surface. You have only a limited amount of fuel. Watch out for asteroids!
I have already designed the label:


2 Yes, I could try to slow down asteroids speed.
Extra life is only after the first two succesfull landings.
To tie extra lives with score I would need another variable (IF SCORE>XXXX THEN... seems to not work - SCORE it's not a variable but a bB keyword),

3 Yes, the scoring is based on fuel (you start with 248 units):
if fuel>217 then score=score+5000:return
if fuel>186 then score=score+4000:return
if fuel>155 then score=score+3000:return
if fuel>124 then score=score+1000:return
if fuel>93 then score=score+800:return
if fuel>62 then score=score+600:return
if fuel>31 then score=score+400:return
if fuel>0 then score=score+200:return
if fuel=0 then score=score+100:return

[RevEng]

To access "score" as a variable, you just need to access the 3 component bytes with different variable names...

 dim sc0=score
 dim sc1=score+1
 dim sc2=score+2

 rem to check score is 1000...
 if sc0=$00 && sc1=$10 && sc2=$00 then ...

The dollar signs are important, as the score is held as binary coded decimal.

[Philsan]

RevEng, on Wed Aug 4, 2010 10:10 PM, said:

To access "score" as a variable, you just need to access the 3 component bytes with different variable names...

dim sc0=score
dim sc1=score+1
dim sc2=score+2

rem to check score is 1000...
if sc0=$00 && sc1=$10 && sc2=$00 then ...

The dollar signs are important, as the score is held as binary coded decimal.

Thank you!
Months ago I read this on Duane's manual but I had problems.
Obviously I must have done something wrong.

[ls650]

If I could offer a criticism of the label, I think it is very dark with the black background on an already black label.
Could I suggest putting something in the background, such as the moon's surface? Or maybe some not-very-accurate but never the less colorful nebulae?

[Philsan]

ls650, on Fri Aug 6, 2010 8:44 AM, said:

If I could offer a criticism of the label, I think it is very dark with the black background on an already black label.
Could I suggest putting something in the background, such as the moon's surface? Or maybe some not-very-accurate but never the less colorful nebulae?

I agree, I noticed this problem too.
In fact, as I have written in my reply to Lendorien, I think I will make a grey box instead of black.
I should make a grey label too.
Unless someone finds another beautiful photo...

[ls650]

Why not have a contest to make a label? Some of the labels people have dreamt up in previous contests have been superb!

[Lendorien]

ls650, on Sat Aug 7, 2010 1:18 PM, said:

Why not have a contest to make a label? Some of the labels people have dreamt up in previous contests have been superb!

I agree with LS650, a label contest could really come up with some neat labels. Just take a look at the Failsafe contest from 6 to 8 months ago.

[Ethaniel]

this new version is excellent
i'm also in for a label contest

[Philsan]

Regarding label (and box cover), I love the NASA original image I found (it is not copyrighted and I plan to sell the game for collectors at cost price) and I would like to use it.
But if someone can make a label that I prefer, with my NASA image or other images (not copyrighted), I would gladly use it and reward the author with a cartridge (and obviously credit him in the manual).
So feel free to post your masterpieces!

Edited by Philsan, Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:17 PM.

[RevEng]

Close enough for a contest to me.

Here are my entries. The source images are also from NASA, and under the usual terms...





If you don't use the text one, I'd still suggest you reproduce that plaque somewhere in your instructions, as it's too cool.

[Philsan]

Excellent work!
I think I prefer your first label but the second is definitely original and has style.
I don't know what kind of manual will be produced (one or many pages) but it would be nice to insert the plaque.
I forgot to mention that all people helping me will be credited in the manual.

Do you think your titlescreen kernel could be added to this game?
If yes, with which image?

[RevEng]

Philsan, on Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:10 PM, said:

Do you think your titlescreen kernel could be added to this game?
If yes, with which image?

You're presently using 2 banks. Really I'd recommend that you mostly dedicate most of a bank to the titlescreen, so you might need to go to 4 banks... if this isn't a problem, then a titlescreen is doable.

Nothing comes to mind initially for images. I'll mull it over.

The other thing you need to figure out what else you want in the layout - what text do you want displayed, if you want the score displayed, game selection (probably not, based on your code so far), do you want scrolling text, etc.

[simonsunnyboy]

Where can I download the current version?

[Lendorien]

Hey Philsan, I'd suggest sending a message to Al and actually setting up a real contest for the label. Not only is it a great way to get potential labels, but it is also a great way to drum up interest in your game and increase possible sales. Contests seem to get a great response around here.

I've got a partial manual mock-up done which I'm including with this post. I have paused on finishing it as I wasn't sure what further changes you were going to make to the game. The manual will have to contain a minimum of 8 pages including the covers. If we wanted more graphics and such, we'd have to move to 12.

Also, in my research I find that NASA referred to the L.E.M. as the Lunar Lander. the L.E.M. designation was an earlier one that was later changed.

Attached Files

•  Lem manual mockup.pdf   437.26K   111 downloads

Edited by Lendorien, Mon Aug 16, 2010 11:54 AM.

[Ethaniel]

Lendorien, on Mon Aug 16, 2010 10:42 AM, said:

Hey Philsan, I'd suggest sending a message to Al and actually setting up a real contest for the label. Not only is it a great way to get potential labels, but it is also a great way to drum up interest in your game and increase possible sales. Contests seem to get a great response around here.

I've got a partial manual mock-up done which I'm including with this post. I have paused on finishing it as I wasn't sure what further changes you were going to make to the game. The manual will have to contain a minimum of 8 pages including the covers. If we wanted more graphics and such, we'd have to move to 12.

Also, in my research I find that NASA referred to the L.E.M. as the Lunar Lander. the L.E.M. designation was an earlier one that was later changed.

Lem manual mockup.pdf

it looks really nice buddy good job there

[Philsan]

Simon,
you can always download the latest version in the first post.

Lendorien,
excellent work!
My idea was to make a multilangual box with a simple one page cardboard multilangual manual (obviously with only few lines of instructions in 5 languages) but let's wait Albert reply to my PM to know manual's number of pages and size and decide what to do.

You are right, LEM was the old designation.
When I discovered it, I decided to go on with this name because Lunar Lander is a common name for this genre's games.
Lunar Excursion Module is original.

[RevEng]

Philsan, I had a thought on how you could use "no_blank_lines", use whatever color you want on the meteor, and still achieve a side thrust effect...



If you increase the shading a bit on the upper module, I think you can get away with adding a "blank" line between the upper and lower module. This would be colored red and have no data. Then you just change your sprite data when the thrust is turned on.

"A" represents the easy way to do it with your present 7-pixel wide sprite. If you get a bit more fancy, you can do "B" with an 8-pixel wide sprite. In this case you'd need to mirror the sprite and temporarily re-adjust its position depending on which side the thrust is on.

[simonsunnyboy]

Philsan, on Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:20 PM, said:

Simon,
you can always download the latest version in the first post.

Got it now! Thanks for pointing out - I didn't realize that it was added there!

[Philsan]

RevEng, on Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:57 AM, said:

Philsan, I had a thought on how you could use "no_blank_lines", use whatever color you want on the meteor, and still achieve a side thrust effect...

LEM-fire.png

If you increase the shading a bit on the upper module, I think you can get away with adding a "blank" line between the upper and lower module. This would be colored red and have no data. Then you just change your sprite data when the thrust is turned on.

"A" represents the easy way to do it with your present 7-pixel wide sprite. If you get a bit more fancy, you can do "B" with an 8-pixel wide sprite. In this case you'd need to mirror the sprite and temporarily re-adjust its position depending on which side the thrust is on.

Very smart idea but I have a problem.
I think I cannot use pfheights together with no_blank_lines so Moon's rows must be 8 pixels tall instead of 5 (or less thanks to your new title screen): not very beautiful.

EDIT
Your idea could be still useful to have a free missile.

[RevEng]

So near, yet so far.

Carry on.

[Godzilla]

looks good wonder how it comapres to flashback one

[nems]

The game manual could offer a fictitious high score patch based upon the original design by NASA.

Who's good with photoshop? Just replace "APOLLO 11" with "ATARI", replace "1969" with "2600", and drop the "5" from "LEM 5".

It would be so cool if the cart release could include a patch, but that would probably double the cost.

Edited by nems, Wed Aug 18, 2010 7:52 PM.

[Philsan]

Very nice!
Is there someone on Internet that could make a real patch like this?
I would write: "Atari VCS", "L.E.M." and "2010".

[sandmountainslim]

Philsan, on Thu Aug 19, 2010 7:15 AM, said:

Very nice!
Is there someone on Internet that could make a real patch like this?
I would write: "Atari VCS", "L.E.M." and "2010".

Ya know patch or no.....THAT would be a great looking label whether it is a patch or not!

Wp