10 replies to this topic

[RevEng]

Here's my update on 2600 Q*bert. Changes from stock Q*bert rom include:

• replaced the lives remaining graphic with a mini Q*bert
  
• colored the lives same as the player
  
• added a title screen. In attract mode the display alternates between the title screen and the pyramid.
  
• added AtariVox support. Q*bert falling and Q*bert getting hit now have voice effects.
  
• updated the font
  
• converted to F8 bankswitching.

Enjoy...

 qbert-arcade.20110325.zip   24.58K   146 downloads

[TrekMD]

Cool. Thanks for sharing. I like the additions you've made.

[NE146]

Wow that looks great! I'll have to try this out as soon as I get the chance.

[RevEng]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

[KevinMos3]

I love it! Those touches took it from good to great.

edit: I especially love the blinking eyes on the title screen.

Edited by KevinMos3, Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:38 PM.

[Nukey Shay]

Nice job

BTW I added a few touches to the game in the Supercharger thread (to flicker the upper lines at 30hz when characters are up there so the score/reserve lives do not disappear). You can use that if you want to.

[RevEng]

KevinMos3, on Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:37 PM, said:

I love it! Those touches took it from good to great.

edit: I especially love the blinking eyes on the title screen.

Thanks KevinMos3!

As a youth I was supremely impressed when Sonic the Hedgehog would cross his arms and tap his foot when you didn't press the controller after a while. I love the little details.

Nukey Shay, on Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:37 PM, said:

Nice job

BTW I added a few touches to the game in the Supercharger thread (to flicker the upper lines at 30hz when characters are up there so the score/reserve lives do not disappear). You can use that if you want to.

Ah, before I started this hack I did a forum search, but didn't find anything. Hah, funny that we both decided to color the reserve lives.

Thanks for the offer... I'll take a look!

[Nukey Shay]

The flicker code I used is incomplete, but the remaining issues could probably be ironed out quickly by looking at better-commented disassemblies.

This is what I did...I used the unused ram location $FC as a framecounter (I never bothered to track down the real one). The edit only required 14 bytes, which could have been shorter using LSR and branching on carry status instead.

LB106:
       INC    $FC                     ;5 added line

       LDA    $C3                     ;3 existing line
       CMP    #$37                    ;2 ""
;       BCC    LB170                   ;2 ""
       BCS    LB171                   ;2 altered line

;added lines...
       LDA    $FC                     ;3
       AND    #$01                    ;2
       BNE    LB170                   ;2
LB171:

;added lines...
       LDA    $FC                     ;3
       AND    #$01                    ;2
       BEQ    LB1D3                   ;2

       LDX    #$15                    ;2 existing line
LB1A6:

[roadrunner]

RevEng, on Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:13 PM, said:

Here's my update on 2600 Q*bert. Changes from stock Q*bert rom include:

• replaced the lives remaining graphic with a mini Q*bert
  
• colored the lives same as the player
  
• added a title screen. In attract mode the display alternates between the title screen and the pyramid.
  
• added AtariVox support. Q*bert falling and Q*bert getting hit now have voice effects.
  
• updated the font
  
• converted to F8 bankswitching.

Enjoy...

Great hack!

[Corby]

great job Rev!!

[RevEng]

Thanks Corby & roadrunner! Nukey, that should make it easier, for sure - thanks!

At some point I'm going to try to come up with a general savekey/atarivox high-score table routine... this hack will definitely be the place I try it out first.