45 replies to this topic

[Lodmot]

I didn't notice any lag.... o.o
Thank you for the tip though. That's definitely a good idea. ^^

EDIT: I see what you're talking about. It happens on the emulator, but on the real console it actually plays smoothly. Not sure why.

I also just noticed a problem where the screen goes black when you beat a level, which I just fixed. It was due to the multiple banks the game now has.

Meantime, I should probably optimize the code a bit so that it runs a bit faster, especially for all the stuff I have planned for the game.

Edited by Lodmot, Tue Jan 31, 2012 10:23 AM.

[Lodmot]

xD Sure, no problem. ^^

Just so you know, for security's sake, I will eventually have to stop posting my updated source code. This is an original game of mine, and I don't really want people stealing it. Perhaps later on I could just PM it to you?

Basically what the memory banks are for is to allow the game to be bigger than 4k. Usually your game starts out being 4k in size, but if that's not enough, you can extend it to 8k, or in this case, 16k. But because the Atari 2600 can only address 4k at once, you have to do what's called "bank switching".

[Lodmot]

o.o;;
I'm not sure I like that idea right now... I'm used to just making games by myself.
Also, have you done any kind of programming in general before? If you're just learning how to program for the first time, it may not help me very much. >.<
I'm sorry if I offended you. :/

Edited by Lodmot, Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:48 AM.

[Lodmot]

xDDDDDDDDDD
Alright.
Yeah, you can help. :3
And it's okay that you act young. I do too! 8D
HUAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
So anyhoo, yeah. ^^

Just so you know though, this is gonna be my biggiest project I ever done so far.
I hope to have a titlescreen, sound effects, 4 music tracks (two of which are ready), a menu select, and 2P mode. O:
Also, I presume you know the objective in the game by this point.

I was thinking about it like 5 minutes ago, and I'm thinking I'm gonna have to bump up the game to 32k, which is the max you can make your games in Batari Basic. LOL!
The two music tracks I made for the game are so intricate that they take up almost 4K each. And I still need that extra space for programming everything else in.

And ontop of that, the game is already getting laggy! X_X

Edited by Lodmot, Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:11 PM.

[Random Terrain]

reo, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:25 PM, said:

Sounds good. I was wondering - what exactly is going on with this code:

__Main_Loop
drawscreen
rem Game/Player Drawing Functions
NUSIZ0=$30 : NUSIZ1=$30 : CTRLPF=$31 : COLUP0=$00 : COLUP1=$82
if l=1 then REFP0=8
if l=0 then REFP0=0
if i=0 then REFP1=0
if i=1 then REFP1=8


I am a bit confused about these NUSIZ and COLUP things. Apparently this draws the squares? Can you explain how to me? Sorry if you don't have time just ignore me... XD XD XD

Have you looked at the batari Basic page? Related links:

NUSIZ

REFP0

CTRLPF

COLUP0

[Lodmot]

reo, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:45 PM, said:

uggu! uggu! uggu! I finally understand missiles! Thank you for the webpage, R.T.!!! Soon I will be programming masterpieces! \

uuuuuuuuggggggggggggguuuuuuuuuuuuu11111111111111111

EDIT EDIT EDIT HHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA EDIT EDIT

Lodmot, we are going to have an incredible adventure I can feel it!!!!!!!!!! I am awaiting your PM with the latest code. I learned so much today I'm so overjoyed - I know I'll be able to simplify tons of code and everything will be running smoothly!!!

LOL!!!!!!! You crazy person 8D! Me likes. o;
Check the first post! ^^

[Lodmot]

Okay.. o.o
As long as the gameplay itself doesn't get changed, I can let you try and make it less laggy. I'm sure there's a way to program it more efficiently.
I just don't want the actual gameplay design to have to change because of it, because how it works now is how I'd like to keep it.

I don't know about the resizing thing. There's not much space left in the main bank to add much more code to it.

[Random Terrain]

Are you sure all of that code needs to be in the last bank? Have you tried only having the drawscreen in that bank just to see if that's all that is needed (as an experiment)?

[Lodmot]

Random Terrain, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:59 PM, said:

Are you sure all of that code needs to be in the last bank? Have you tried only having the drawscreen in that bank just to see if that's all that is needed (as an experiment)?

Yeah, unfortunately it does, in order for the playerscores kernel to work properly.
I tried numerous times to keep the playerscores kernel in the last bank while having the main game code in the first bank, and it just caused the weird screenshot that I posted earlier.

[Random Terrain]

reo, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:55 PM, said:

We need to study the effect of "rand" . overlappings thereof.

Speaking of rand, I noticed that reboot is being used in the program and that can mess up random numbers:

http://www.randomter...nds.html#reboot

[Lodmot]

Random Terrain, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:12 PM, said:

reo, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 5:55 PM, said:

We need to study the effect of "rand" . overlappings thereof.

Speaking of rand, I noticed that reboot is being used in the program and that can mess up random numbers:

http://www.randomter...nds.html#reboot

I totally forgot about that... >.<
Thank you!

[Lodmot]

reo, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 9:17 AM, said:

Oh boy this is looking good! Can't wait to play later when i get home. :3 :3

Uguuuu!!!!

Hey Reo, did you want to do the other two songs? I'm putting 4 songs in the game total, but only two are done.
Lemme know if you'd be interested. ^^

[esplonky]

How did you get such good graphics??

[Lodmot]

esplonky, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 12:32 PM, said:

How did you get such good graphics??

Well, I used modified bullet sprites for the games (colored flying boxes) and the player sprites are used by the player and AI persons. By doing that I was able to avoid graphics flickering. And the rest is just basic movements and color commands.

As for the titlescreen, I actually used the titlescreen kernel to allow for higher resolution graphics. And the menu select screen is done by using a playfield block and the two player sprites for the "1P" and "2P" text.

Unless you have a clear understanding of how the Atari works, what I said will probably sound like greek to you, but technically that's how I pulled it off. There are definitely other games for the 2600 that have way better graphics than this.

[esplonky]

i know what youre saying. im not a total noob

[Lodmot]

"Unless you have a clear understanding of how the Atari works, what I said will probably sound like greek to you"

As in, I didn't assume you were.

[Lodmot]

By the way everyone, I'm now taking suggestions, so feel free to post any kind of feedback. :3

[CaptainBreakout]

Nifty, I'll give this a try.

[Lodmot]

Any suggestions or small ideas for the game? 0:

[Random Terrain]

Lodmot, on Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:52 AM, said:

Any suggestions or small ideas for the game? 0:

Does the game play by itself if the title screen sits there for a while?

Can the player choose to start the game using the fire button or the reset switch?

Is there a two-second pause at the end of the game, and after that, can the player play again by pressing the fire button?

Has the fire button and reset switch been debounced?

[Lodmot]

Random Terrain, on Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:06 PM, said:

Lodmot, on Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:52 AM, said:

Any suggestions or small ideas for the game? 0:

Does the game play by itself if the title screen sits there for a while?

Can the player choose to start the game using the fire button or the reset switch?

Is there a two-second pause at the end of the game, and after that, can the player play again by pressing the fire button?

Has the fire button and reset switch been debounced?

Well, the way it works as of now is this:

-- There isn't a pre-recorded or automated game demo if you sit at the titlescreen for a while. It just stays at the titlescreen and loops the music.

-- At the titlescreen, you press the Fire button to go to the player mode select menu, which from there will take you to the game.

-- At any time during a game (1P or 2P), pressing the reset switch will bring the game back to the titlescreen, clearing all variables, etc.

-- At the Game Over loop, (when the frowny face is shown), a timer is set which will send you back to the titlescreen. You cannot press
buttons to skip this, you have to wait for the timer. I had to make it like this so the fire button doesn't cause the titlescreen to be skipped
immediately after the Game Over loop.

-- When you beat a level, you get a green smiley face, which runs on a timer, and then the game will automatically bring you to the next level.

-- After each match in a 2P VS game, it starts a new match. The 2P mode will go on forever until the players decide to stop playing. XD

Edited by Lodmot, Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:17 PM.