17 replies to this topic

[moulinaie]

Hi,

With the help and "energy" of Rocky007, I had to optimize MLC:

- compiles directly from the DATA lines, much faster and no VDP ram is used for strings arrays
- has a DEBUG feature to watch from 1 to six variables with several options
- can separate the sprite patterns from the characters to have either 256 new sprite patterns (keeping the 112 characters) or 256 new characters (keeping the 112 sprite patterns): looks like my choices don't disturb the XB.
- tortured my brain to free some bytes to keep working on it. The last time I modified it, only 36 bytes were left in Low expansion Ram. Now, more than 200.

I simplified my pages and put everything into a single ZIP for download (this is version 1.20)

http://gtello.pagesp...ge.fr/mlc_f.htm (français)
http://gtello.pagesp...ge.fr/mlc_e.htm (english)

And made a new video on "how to program with the PreCompiler":



Guillaume.

[RXB]

Very well done.

[Ksarul]

Merci beaucoup! Thanks a lot, Guillaume!

[unhuman]

Well, I'm probably never going to learn assembly, this project is probably the way I can best stay active. I have been inspirationally floundering lately. I need an idea....

[moulinaie]

unhuman, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 6:42 PM, said:

Well, I'm probably never going to learn assembly, this project is probably the way I can best stay active. I have been inspirationally floundering lately. I need an idea....

Please do!
The work of Rocky007 is a great motivation for me. Then, when he thinks that MLC lacks something, I try to improve my tool. The more that use MLC, the better!

Guillaume.

An idea.... A TETRIS !...

[rocky007]

thanks moulinaie but it's a fact : guillaume give me an incredible support for my new games, updating his MLC nearly everyday for me ! I can't tell more now, but i think everyobdy here will be surprised of the power of MLC !

unhuman, it's also my case : no time to study assembler and but want to keep active.. unfortunally there arn't good XB compilator, so MLC is a very good alternative to create fast & playable games.

..you'll see soon...

Edited by rocky007, Fri Feb 3, 2012 5:14 PM.

[moulinaie]

rocky007, on Fri Feb 3, 2012 5:13 PM, said:

thanks moulinaie but it's a fact : guillaume give me an incredible support for my new games, updating his MLC nearly everyday for me !

Yes, every day! I can't sleep anymore, I suffer from hallucinations, my brain produces coffee...

Quote

unhuman, it's also my case : no time to study assembler and but want to keep active.. unfortunally there arn't good XB compilator, so MLC is a very good alternative to create fast & playable games.

On this forum, someone asked me to use my MLC to show what I was able to do in programmaing games. But, I must admit that I'm not good at that. I love to program compilers, don't ask me why...
I remember, long time ago, I wrote a kind of TI-57 simulator for the TI-99. That was my first "compiler" in a way.
Then, I wrote a TI-58C simulator for the Atari ST with a hardware part! The // port of the ATari was linked to an electronic interface that I designed directly connected to the keyboard pins of the 58C: so the Atari could program the calculator very rapidely!
Then came my "FORTH" era: I wrote an editor, interpreter, compiler for the Atari ST/TT/Falcon.
Then the TI-Compiler in X86-assembly language to turn a high level language into TI-59 codes.
And last, the MLC!

I must say that I don't use a lot my compilers, but I really love to build them.
And having an active user helps me a lot to understand the lacks and to motivate me to improve it.
So I let Rocky007 deal with patterns, sounds, collisions, sprites, beautiful screens, animations etc..! He loves that!

Guillaume.

Edited by moulinaie, Sat Feb 4, 2012 2:13 AM.

[InsaneMultitasker]

I had been skipping this thread because of the subject name - wow, I'm glad I finally took a look. Very nice!!!!!!!

[moulinaie]

InsaneMultitasker, on Sat Feb 4, 2012 2:27 AM, said:

I had been skipping this thread because of the subject name - wow, I'm glad I finally took a look. Very nice!!!!!!!

You want to program a game ???
Welcome !
Guillaume.

[unhuman]

Yeah... Hrmmm.... Maybe I could use this to get back into my game that I was doing when I created my icon (tardis)... Just need to wake up inspired. I haven't written anything here in a long time. Any idea how big games can be made with the compiler?

[moulinaie]

unhuman, on Sat Feb 4, 2012 5:20 PM, said:

Yeah... Hrmmm.... Maybe I could use this to get back into my game that I was doing when I created my icon (tardis)... Just need to wake up inspired. I haven't written anything here in a long time. Any idea how big games can be made with the compiler?

My first idea was to produce little games, with the MLC running only the core of the action.
But, Rocky007 started to write everything with MLC, and it's not a bad idea as screen changes are really fast with the compiler. So I had to adapt MLC to him and now everything is written with MLC and it's a really big program.

Guillaume.

[rocky007]

a lot of limits with XB are pushed with MLC and for me, i don't see any interested in XB anymore.
MLC is really confortable to create a games from A to Z... to give idea, my source is actually +- 1500 lines long, so yes, you can create BIG games without problem.

[moulinaie]

rocky007, on Sun Feb 5, 2012 10:13 AM, said:

a lot of limits with XB are pushed with MLC and for me, i don't see any interested in XB anymore.
MLC is really confortable to create a games from A to Z... to give idea, my source is actually +- 1500 lines long, so yes, you can create BIG games without problem.

New in MLC/PreCompiler V1.21:

As the DATA are compiled into the assembly routine, a directive $DEL can be inserted to remove the DATA blocs, thus freeing memory during compilation. The assembly replacing step by step the DATA. With the program of Rocky007, there were only 1398 bytes left between assembly and BASIC, and now close to 10KB can be used for future expansions of the game!

Talking about speed, between "RUN" and the first game screen of Rocky's game, only 9 seconds with Classic99 (in normal mode), this includes:
- XB parses the source
- the 7KB of the compiler are fast loaded
- the DATA lines are all compiled, the source is updated twice (two blocs deleted with $DEL)
- CALL LINK is executed!

Your routine can exit from CALL LINK and return to the program. The integrity of the BASIC is not touched, every pointer has been updated to manage this shorter source code. (well, I hope so...) So you can still have BASIC parts executing and several calls to CALL LINK.

Guillaume.

[sharapos]

I downloaded the mlc.zip file but when i unzip i obtain only a single file and no pdf,source code etc as described on your page http://gtello.pagesp...ge.fr/mlc_f.htm .
Guillaume can you help me to obtain these files . I want to use precompiler with windows. Thanks in advance

[moulinaie]

sharapos, on Tue Feb 7, 2012 1:26 PM, said:

I downloaded the mlc.zip file but when i unzip i obtain only a single file and no pdf,source code etc as described on your page http://gtello.pagesp...ge.fr/mlc_f.htm .
Guillaume can you help me to obtain these files . I want to use precompiler with windows. Thanks in advance

I've had problems downloading my own ZIP using InternetExplorer. Is that your browser?
If so, can you try Opera/Firefox or else?
If you can't, I will send you the files directly.
My address is on my page, send me a mail!

Guillaume.

[sharapos]

I PM you tonight. I can't try to download mlc.zip with another browser. I use Internet explorer and when I unzip the archive I have only one file!
Thanks you in advance.

[moulinaie]

sharapos, on Wed Feb 8, 2012 2:30 PM, said:

I PM you tonight. I can't try to download mlc.zip with another browser. I use Internet explorer and when I unzip the archive I have only one file!
Thanks you in advance.

Files are on their way to your mailbox.
Don't hesitate to ask for help about MLC. I have daily contacts with Rocky007, and it lokks like our cooperation helps improving both his game and MLC.

Guillaume.

[sharapos]

_{Thanks Guillaume I receive all the files!}