3 replies to this topic

[newcoleco]

For those who wanted news from me, this is part of the news...

Hello,

It's been a while I've really coded ColecoVision stuff... difficult to go back coding but I did.

Reccently, I've not only uploaded my ColecoVision devkit source code to a SVN server, but also I'm experimenting to add back SuperAction controllers support. Why this support was removed in the first place? because I wanted to save previous cpu time and bytes in the ROM file needed to catch the spinner ticks and decode the 3rd and 4th fire buttons.

Dale Wick is hosting the SVN server at adamcon.org and he will confirm if the modified version works with a SuperAction project of his own in a playable alpha state I will say... that he plans to show me this saturday (August 27, 2011) at the CCJVQ meeting. Luc Miron (Pixelboy) will be at this meeting too selling ColecoVision homebrew games and answering questions... a kind of Coleco party in perspective!

While back into the devkit codes, I've cleaned up a little bit the source code and modified at least one thing : screen_mode_2_text() and screen_mode_2_bitmap() no more set screen ON by default (Why? because programmers including me tend to update the VRAM (Video RAM) right after calling these methods and it's a bad idea to massively update VRAM while the screen is ON).

Homebrewers ColecoVision who are using this devkit you have 2 options from (not) now : accessing the SVN server (as a guest or even an official contributor), or waiting my Coleco web site to update.

[Pixelboy]

I'm looking forward to seing you and Dale at the meeting on Saturday!

[newcoleco]

Ok, I've just seen a potential disaster which involve my devkit and CCI2.

The generated ROM file when compiling with a not proper CCI2.EXE (which is the case if you've downloaded my devkit during the last year or so) generates an empty zone filled with zeros from $8021 to $8047 which means that every time the NMI is executed, a bunch of NOP instructions is executed before the real NMI function, slowing down artificailly the execution of your codes.

I'm fixing that by adding a jump call in CRTCV.S file, the case of the improper CCI2 will not be resolved anytime soon I'm afraid. In fact, I'm planning to program CCI3 which will not only resolve this issue but allow using the full potential of the SDCC compiler and a little bonus if I've time.

So, if you are reading this message and still using my devkit dated year 2010 with an improper CCI2.EXE program, you should immediatly check my Coleco web site to download an updated version (build # should start by 2011) that will at least fix this issue.

It's because of stupid errors like that that my devkit version is still beta.

Edited by newcoleco, Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:46 PM.

[newcoleco]

2 September, 2011

I've optimized the libraries in my devkit and... I've calculated an overall 40-50 bytes save. I'm planning to test a little more and then upload a new zip file in my web site.