109 replies to this topic

[Mitch]

Pretty sure. I do need to solder a socket into it though.

Mitch

[Goochman]

I have a 130XE 320k, 130xe normal, 800XL, XEGS, 800, and 400 - Id be willing to test if you want on a real system.

I also am in the camp of limited time though

[Mitch]

I just tested it on an 800xl and xegs and I can't get it to go past the AtariAge screen.

Mitch

[Cafeman]

Mitch, on Sat Dec 10, 2011 12:54 PM, said:

I just tested it on an 800xl and xegs and I can't get it to go past the AtariAge screen.

Mitch

Yeah, I don't think it works with any configuration except Bryan's 64k "XE" style board. The banks are opposite of what your flash cart is expecting. Or are you using an Eprom - if so, are you using a 64K eprom? Still, I doubt it'll work unless you use the correct pcb. Tep is going to help me configure it both ways soon, so we can put it to cart yet also offer playable file on flash cart.

Edited by Cafeman, Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:52 PM.

[Mitch]

It's a 128K EPROM cart, I doubled up the ROM to put it on the larger size chip. This usually works but I guess if the game is hitting one of the hot spots for a bank that doesn't exist it could make the game crash.

Mitch

[Cafeman]

Back at it. Hiding dem dots and optimizing stuff.

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[accousticguitar]

Cafeman, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:44 PM, said:

Back at it. Hiding dem dots and optimizing stuff.

[wood_jl]

Cafeman, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:44 PM, said:

Back at it. Hiding dem dots and optimizing stuff.

Looks fantastic!! Very excited about this!

[Cafeman]

I'm getting more excited about it too. Some of the game's careful timing seems to have changed ( gotten worse!) since the 5200 version. Its not a game-crasher or anything, but some of the DLI's are obviously performed too late now because colors get out of whack on a couple busy screens. So I've been spending time that I didn't expect to, trying to optimize and re-code a few things. There's always a way to do something faster & better.

I forgot how !@#$ aggressive I made those dragons. Sheesh. Even with some cheats turned on, sometimes they make mincemeat of me.

[Shannon]

And I thought it was just me and the usual age related reflex slip.. (In regards to the dragons kicking my ass).

[Heaven/TQA]

caveman. Maybe your code is screwed up because you have not switched off the OS? I suspect that the 5200 does not have many services running in background compared to the 800?

[Cafeman]

caveman??

[Rybags]

PMSL.

Altirra's debugger can help a lot with timing issues. Use the built in help for the breakpoint set commands.

e.g. BA R 200 is useful to trap DLIs.

One major difference would be VBlank NMI duration. The computer does a fair amount relative to 5200 although it probably only amounts to several scanlines.
The thing to remember with the computer is don't have long-running Immediate VBlank routines (vector $222). If the deferred VBlank processing is delayed too long, then register updates will occur onscreen. The major one being the DList pointers - if the DList is already active, then resetting the pointers will corrupt the screen.

[Cafeman]

Rybags, I don't know what "PMSL" means. I also never used Altirra whatever that is - but I can look into it. I have historically used Atari800win. It isn't the best debugger though. For 5200 dev, Alan Davis' virtual super system debugger was excellent, I could run line-by-line . The problem with that emulator though, is its timing isn't as accurate as Atari800win's timing which seems about 100% perfect to me.

The obvious problem is I have always had too much stuff going on in my vertical blank code, even in the 5200 version of AdvII. 5200 version had a deferred VBI, A8 version is immediate as I understand what Tep's work was. I have a lot of sprite processing in VBI - too much when big characters and flickering is going on. To fix various bugs, I kept addiing statments and I those , although necessary to fix the sprite bugs, slow down the loops. Also, the code changes converting AdvII to A8 with bank switching must be pushing the VBI code over the edge - it doesn't finish in time to activate the first top-screen color-changing DLI.

Anyway, I will be looking at optimizing my old sprite draw routines over this weekend. I was an amateur at A8/5200 ASM coding when I first created my AdvII sprite routines - I coded it assuming I had more cycles than I did! So I did go back in the 5200 days and put as much pre-processing into the MAIN code as I could. It worked and I was so tired of the subject, I left it as is. But its come back to haunt me now evidently!

[Ransom]

Cafeman, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:57 AM, said:

It worked and I was so tired of the subject, I left it as is. But its come back to haunt me now evidently!

In programming, it usually does.

[MrFish]

Heaven/TQA, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:37 AM, said:

caveman. Maybe your code...

Cafeman, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:42 AM, said:

caveman??

Rybags, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:14 AM, said:

PMSL.

Cafeman, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:57 AM, said:

Rybags, I don't know what "PMSL" means.

It means "pissing myself laughing". hahaha...

Is it because programming on the Atari XL/XE series of computers is so easy, that a caveman can do it?:

Geico Caveman

[Cafeman]

[tep392]

Cafeman, on Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:57 AM, said:

5200 version had a deferred VBI, A8 version is immediate as I understand what Tep's work was.

Yes, the OS has been disabled. The whole vertical blank interval is available for your code.

[Rybags]

I'd suggest check your VBlank code still.

Make sure all the shadow register stuff for colours, DList pointer (especially) is done pretty early on. Also disable any IRQs you don't need active.
By default, keyboard and Break key are active, you can still do keyboard processing if you disable the IRQ and just read the keycode/status direct (just involves a bit more programming).

If you need the IRQs, probably a good idea to not CLI during the early VBlank processing.

[DracIsBack]

Cafeman, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:44 PM, said:

Back at it. Hiding dem dots and optimizing stuff.

Man - Christmas really is extended this year! WOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!

[wood_jl]

DracIsBack, on Tue Jan 3, 2012 9:26 PM, said:

Cafeman, on Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:44 PM, said:

Back at it. Hiding dem dots and optimizing stuff.

Man - Christmas really is extended this year! WOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!!!

YESSAH! When Cafeman finishes this, it will indeed feel like Christmas again.

[phonedork]

Hows it going Cafeman? I keep coming back here every week to see if there is an update.

[Cafeman]

phonedork, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 12:57 AM, said:

Hows it going Cafeman? I keep coming back here every week to see if there is an update.

Lookit you, all duded up in your new Avatar pic!

I won't abandon it, I worked on the game last night a bit more. "how's it going" posts remind me/motivate me about the project.

Edited by Cafeman, Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:16 AM.

[wood_jl]

Cafeman, on Thu Feb 9, 2012 9:00 PM, said:

I won't abandon it, I worked on the game last night a bit more. "how's it going" posts remind me/motivate me about the project.

Well, I hope I can provide some such motivation.

I'm certainly not wealthy, as I've gone back to school as an old man.

But I'd like to buy at least 2 - possibly 3 of these, depending upon price. I hope to repatriate some ex-A8 friends, with this.

As a long-time Atari enthusiast - after 2600 came out, when 400/800 were new, but BEFORE 5200 came out, I always sort of looked on the A400 as the "next gen" 2600. When I got my first A400, I was immediately disappointed that it wouldn't play 2600 (called "VCS" then) carts. Later, when the 5200 came out, I thought it was something "new" until I went over to a kid's house who had one. Here was a bastardization of my beloved 400 that wouldn't play the same games, despite an *obvious* similarity in hardware (and games; that was the same Pacman). And the controllers! UGH!!!!! As a result, I always felt that the A400 (and progeny) were the true successor to the 2600, since they were directly after the 2600, and the 5200 was obviously a botched derivative OF THEM. While the 400 wouldn't play the 2600 games, it was different hardware (not intentional that it was different) , and that was understandable. But the 5200 wouldn't play the same games (as the 400) and it [almost] *was* the same hardware; this was intentional!!!

To be able to play Adventure 2 on the Atari 400 - THE TRUE DESCENDENT OF THE 2600 (by virtue of true technological descendancy and not arbitrary creation through obfuscation) - is sort of a "destiny done right" kind of move. I have been wishing for this for YEARS. It didn't exist, but a couple of years ago, I saw this for 5200 and have been awestruck, ever since. I also submit that Atari 400/800/XL/XE market penetration/fanbase/even current fanbase is GREATER than 5200 fanbase, so it's quite likely a worthwhile endeavor.

I think there will be MANY more people interested in this than the 5200 version. Quite simply, one can use ubiquitous (cheap) joysticks to get their game on. They can hook up to S-video (or at least composite) with a $10 cable from 8-bit classics. You could get a 5200. That ALONE cost about as much as a 400/800/XL/XE. You could rebuild the controllers (which YOU **WILL** NEED TO DO) with parts from Best Electronics, and that operation ALONE will cost you about what another 400/800/XL/XE machine cost you. You could buy an A/V mod for the 5200, and that operation ALONE would cost you about as much as a 3rd 800/XL/XE (outright) if you can even find a mod for sale, and either solder it in yourself or pay someone else, which might buy a 4th 400/800/XL/XE. Or, you could Ebay a used 800XL and 3 copies of Adventure 2 and give to your friends for gift, and everybody can kick ass. The point is, aside from the fact that it's really cool to see Adventure 2 on the true 2600 successor, I think the fact that a 400/800/XL/XE with functioning controllers and flawless S-video is a FRACTION of the price.......could blow the market open for Adventure 2. Well, this is retro stuff, so I don't want to sound to exaggerated, but I hope you get my drift.

Adventure 2 for 400/800/XL/XE is going to be a huge hit!!!! It is eagerly anticipated!!! IT WILL BE WRITTEN ABOUT!!! THE WRITING WILL BE EAGERLY CONSUMED!!!!! THE GAME ITSELF WILL BE EAGERLY CONSUMED!!!

Edited by wood_jl, Fri Feb 10, 2012 7:37 PM.

[accousticguitar]

I want one.