4 replies to this topic

[retroclouds]

Hi colecovision friends,

I'd like to point your attention to Magellan. Magellan is a map editor targeting the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A home computer or more generally speaking the TMS9918 VDP.
Codex (the programmer) did a great job and Magellan already sports some nice features in the current version.

There is no specific colecovision output format at this time, that is why I'm hoping someone could chime in to help with the specs for that.
However, Magellan is already able to export binary files. The file format is documented, so a Z80 player could easily be written, I hope

Check here for the details.

Please note this is still a work in progress.

The TI-99/4A and Colecovision communities aren't that large, that is why a joined effort could make sense.
We can always use some more ideas for new features, etc.

[Opry99er]

Hey--- I'm a TI-99 user and this program has really intensified my ability to create maps at a good pace. The features are brilliant and the export for the 9918 works brilliantly. I hope you guys over here on the Coleco side give it a good go. I have used it extensively on my "Legend of Beryl Reichardt" CRPG for the TI-99/4a. Check it out at the link below!

http://www.atariage....eryl-reichardt/

on the first post there is an embedded video where you can see my Magellan map scrolling. Thanks to Codex for his brilliant program!

[newcoleco]

It seems to be like my software ICVGM for Windows (but without RLE compression and sprites support) with the possibility to make multiple screens (32x24 chars) instead of just one which is a nice feature for a multiple screens games like "Ghosts and Zombies".

[The Codex]

Thanks for spreading the word retroclouds! Any ColecoVision folks who would like to suggest changes or output formats are encouraged to post their suggestions in the main Magellan thread. I'd love for this tool to be useful to this community as well as the TI 99ers!

[retroclouds]

newcoleco, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 2:51 PM, said:

It seems to be like my software ICVGM for Windows (but without RLE compression and sprites support) with the possibility to make multiple screens (32x24 chars) instead of just one which is a nice feature for a multiple screens games like "Ghosts and Zombies".

You can make screens in custom sizes as well, e.g. (120x80) by overwriting the W: and H: input values.
Ofcourse the Z80 player code that displays the screen would then need to support a "viewport" (perhaps with scrolling).