Remake of those old Loading screens

[Tezz]

..the Draconus remake to fit on the 3changes at 1st scanline of a charline later

ok, I've got the game itself prepared now this morning so I'm ready to begin writing the loader when you've completed your picture.

 

.. Spellbound was more easy because I already had it with just Bitmap Mode 4colours and each PMG used only one time

I've got your attachment. I'll look into Spellbound later on.

[Synthpopalooza]

OK, I did some more experimenting. Say for instance, someone ever ports Gauntlet to the 8-bit. I found this 16-bit screen capture ...

 

 

And with some experimentation, I made four ICE font pic renders:

 

MIN mode (12+9):

 

gauntlet-min.obx

 

PCIN mode (12+10, no color palette changes except COLBAK)

 

gauntlet-pcin.obx

 

RIP mode (9+10 color):

 

gauntlet-rip.obx

 

HIP mode (9+10 monochrome):

 

gauntlet-hip.obx

 

All of these using only charset DLI's, 7 per screen.

 

Each mode has advantages and disadvantages. PCIN has less flicker and more color definition, but fewer luminances. MIN lets you use the 16 lumas, but it flickers more and has few colors. RIP allows the most color combinations but the picture looks fuzzier. HIP is monochrome only, but has low flicker.

 

I've included source files and .G2F's, below:

 

gauntlet sources.zip

 

The real question I have is: Would it be possible to modify any of these to include PMG overlays and DLI color changes? I know how to do it from G2F, but the trick is incorporating it into the .asm code I have for the ICE modes I used above. I know the MIN render would look a lot better with more of the green for the letters, and the teal blue on the shields, could be included on the GR9 g2f render somehow. And also maybe some color shading to make the background less grey.

[José Pereira]

But we already have Gauntlet and with that screen.

But not possible in this way because that picture is inside the 1st part of the game with more screens where you choose the number of players and wich of them you want to play.

It's the official U.S.Gold release at the same time as all the other versions.

You can found the file in all of the A8 sites.

[José Pereira]

Synth as I said any A8 site have files of Gauntlet, there's even an A8 U.S. version (probably NTSC) by Mindscape.

 

The game loads first part with a GR.2 1colour letters just saying 'GAUNTLET' and then it shows for some seconds that screen with an also just seconds sound by Ben Dauglish (the game versions were done by Gremlin) and it then goes to a second screen where you have the PMGs glove to select one or two players and wich of them.

These two screens are just Bitmap GR.15 where the first has a nice scrolling shades DLI Rainbow on the Logo letters on one of the colours registers (seems PMGs underlays) and the second the Multicolour PMGs on the glove.

 

It could be good to change these screens but here the programmer have to enter on these part of the program. It seems to me different than what we are doing here: just change one section of the loading (although, probably not worth of because the game is all done also in just 4colours Bitmap GR.15 with just the two players=2PMGs Multicolour or one Player then using just one PMG Multicolour (and bottom Hi-Resolution Status Area with PMGs underlays).

The game was a large two sides tape with lots of stages to load (each stage=one load) and the nice (at least the tape version) where you can jump/load any level, even going to the last one.

 

And there's no last one because they lately released Deeper Dungeons where you have lots of more always the same levels.

Edited February 26, 2013 by José Pereira

[José Pereira]

O.k. the Draconus with the rules of maximum 3changes done in the 'Badlines' is now O.K.:

DRACONUS ANTIC4.zip

[Tezz]

Great stuff Jose!

 

It's not an easy one to rework, I've tackled the Draconus picture with various approaches myself over the years with the goal of having Drac, the monster and the pillars in separate independent colours. This one I've attached was the way I decided on the last time I worked on it. There was some more work to do adding further colours. One of the many pictures in the incomplete folder

 

I'll have a look at your attached files now.

[Tezz]

ok, I've run through your attached file now, I've just moved the logo down and tweaked the colours somewhat. Before breaking this down and writing the loader, one thing I've seen is if I reorder the pmgs in the middle of the pic it should be possible to gain additional colours for Dracs flame as in the attached file.

[+Stephen]

Now this is a killer combination - Jose's artwork and the XBIOS loader Thanks for sticking through all the negative comments (some from me as well - uhh, sorry).

[emkay]

ok, I've run through your attached file now, I've just moved the logo down and tweaked the colours somewhat. Before breaking this down and writing the loader, one thing I've seen is if I reorder the pmgs in the middle of the pic it should be possible to gain additional colours for Dracs flame as in the attached file.

 

Looks good so far. But the ground needs a different colour. Either a neutral gray, or some colour that reflects the "yellow/red" of all that flamery

It should be possible due to the low colourusage there. Some of the C64 picture could be adopted.

Edited February 27, 2013 by emkay

[xxl]

tutorial how use the basic functions of xB and control loading and saving files process without DOS.

 

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1310

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1327

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1345

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1372

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1394

 

sample use of NMI,RLE on the fly and byte counter during "binary load"

 

[Tezz]

tutorial how use the basic functions of xB and control loading and saving files process without DOS.

Hopefully with the tutorials and examples many game and other devs will make full use of it.

[Tezz]

Looks good so far. But the ground needs a different colour. Either a neutral gray, or some colour that reflects the "yellow/red" of all that flamery

It should be possible due to the low colourusage there. Some of the C64 picture could be adopted.

I've coded the loader last night and this morning, just awaiting confirmation to ensure all is well on real hw as my xe is not connected at the moment. I can add in a change for the ground (see attached) but the other shades on the ground should really be set too with the legs then sorted with overlays. This would need a rewrite of everything though.

[Creature XL]

Hopefully with the tutorials and examples many game and other devs will make full use of it.

 

Yeah, I started even without the tutorial already. Used the Google translation of the xBIOS site.

i am already able to save a memory area to teh file which is available when the file is loaded the next time.

When I have time, my plan is to make a special version of "HAR'em" which loads the levels from disk. That way many more attack waves / levels are possible

 

 

Wanted to make a feature request to xxl in private, but can as well do it here to see if I am the only who would like to have it

 

Is it possible to have a light xBIOS which can be used in front of a XEX file and needs not to be loaded from the boot sectors?

The only functions is should support are "load/save from the SAME file". So it would be possible to load level data and/or be able to save a game.

 

I guess when xBIOS needs a certain disk layout than it is not possible.

 

In case teh answer is no simple "Yes/ No" maybe another thread should be opened?

[Tezz]

When I have time, my plan is to make a special version of "HAR'em" which loads the levels from disk. That way many more attack waves / levels are possible

That'll be excellent A couple of my game projects are multi load. It's helpful that xxl has created this minimal dos so we can write these multi level load games without needing to also write our own custom sio.

 

Is it possible to have a light xBIOS which can be used in front of a XEX file and needs not to be loaded from the boot sectors?

The only functions is should support are "load/save from the SAME file". So it would be possible to load level data and/or be able to save a game.

I think you mean to have the xbios system/libraries resident in your exe so you can build your own disk/layout and use it like a custom sio? I'll let xxl answer that one but that should be possible.

[Creature XL]

I think you mean to have the xbios system/libraries resident in your exe so you can build your own disk/layout and use it like a custom sio? I'll let xxl answer that one but that should be possible.

 

Not sure

I do not need my own disk layout. I am pretty fine with accessing the file with byte offsets thru xBIOS.

What I do not like is to make and distribute the programs as ATRs. At least for me, files are more convenient.

 

I have only basic knowledge of SIO and that stuff. What I hope should be possible, is:

 

Load "mini xBIOS" as first segment in a XEX and jump thru INITAD to a routine in "mini xBIOS" which does the rest of all the file loading and keeps the routines to load/save to the file in memory. As they are already. I am not sure if and how it is possible for the "mini xBIOS" to figure out where the rest of the file resides on the disk - damn! that is hard to explain

[Xuel]

That seems hard since you don't know what kind of DOS has loaded the first part of the executable or even which device the rest of the executable is stored on. Even if you could detect that for a number of existing DOS'es it would break on new DOS'es.

[Tezz]

The game is now completed and attached. It's not been tested on real hw yet however but all should be ok.

xbios.atr

[emkay]

tutorial how use the basic functions of xB and control loading and saving files process without DOS.

 

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1310

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1327

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1345

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1372

http://xxl.atari.pl/?p=1394

 

sample use of NMI,RLE on the fly and byte counter during "binary load"

 

 

All nice work. Really. The biggest hit would be to have something like "Softsynth" running, when loading stuff.

[xxl]

What I do not like is to make and distribute the programs as ATRs. At least for me, files are more convenient.

 

try file bars-simple.obx ... but you must run it with xB.

 

 

> Is it possible to have a light xBIOS which can be used in front of a XEX file and needs not to be loaded from the boot sectors?

 

xB it's a file. loaded by init (or even dos). you can run it from any (SIO) drive e.g. D5: and for your game d5: (through xB) will by seen as primary device, if you don't want SIO device, in "menu" press "select" for OS. now xB can load/save to any OS device, but OS has many limitations.

bars-simple.obx

nmi_counter_rle.atr

[Tezz]

I thought it would be a good idea last week to create and code loaders for a couple of Zeppelin games so I've created a new complete loader now for Blinky's Scary School with a more complex picture including a similar c64 sequence during loading. I've written a tighter nmi process now so it's possible to make many more register changes during loading.

 

Whilst play testing the game initially I noticed that there were a number of coding issues with the game by the original programmer so as it requires somewhat of a disassembly of these games to write the loaders I went a bit further during the process and fixed them. The issues were with incorrect handling of the player missiles during the game procedures. If you've played the game before you might have noticed that when exiting a room Blinky appeared at his new position before the screen has actually changed for example.

 

Next up was Zybex. There was just one small issue that I noticed with this one with incorrect procedures causing screen garbage for a frame during the intermission and game over screen which I've now fixed also. Existing loading pictures for the game for other platforms were not great so I've drawn a new picture with the game and company logo instead.

 

The disk image is attached.

xbios_zeppelin.atr

[Tezz]

I saw this morning on the AOL forum that Zybex crashed with the latest Altirra build so I've identified the cause and fixed it.

 

New disk image is attached.

xbios_zeppelin.atr

[+CharlieChaplin]

Not sure

I do not need my own disk layout. I am pretty fine with accessing the file with byte offsets thru xBIOS.

What I do not like is to make and distribute the programs as ATRs. At least for me, files are more convenient.

 

I have only basic knowledge of SIO and that stuff. What I hope should be possible, is:

 

Load "mini xBIOS" as first segment in a XEX and jump thru INITAD to a routine in "mini xBIOS" which does the rest of all the file loading and keeps the routines to load/save to the file in memory. As they are already. I am not sure if and how it is possible for the "mini xBIOS" to figure out where the rest of the file resides on the disk - damn! that is hard to explain

 

Well,

 

I guess I know what you mean, you want XBIOS *and* your program as a single/stand-alone file, which means the first part of the XEX file would be Xbios which starts with an init adress and then comes your program which may have more init adresses and ends with a RUN adress. Last year I asked Homesoft if he could make a single/stand-alone file of Mazezam and he did. I am not sure, if he changed Mazezam so it works without Xbios or if he simply fitted/appended Xbios and Mazezam into one single file. Maybe someone can check this here: http://www.mushca.co...ndex.php?dl=393

 

I really like this idea, because the way Xbios is used now, it kinda works like a gamedos: Xbios boots the disk and then you have a menu where you choose your file(s) from. Even if you put only one file onto the disk, you either have to choose it from a menu or you have to name it XAUTORUN to start automatically. It would be nice to have some kind of Xbios creator or installer, which a) puts Xbios as a *.XEX file onto a disk and then b) appends almost any ML program to it. But maybe this does not work as a single/stand-alone file and one has to use a bootdisk therefore (without DIR, where Xbios acts as the bootloader and loads your program automatically). If it would only work with a bootdisk, one could of course also use a non-DOS bootformat, like Multiboot, Howfen-DOS and others (they emulate tape loading from disk, thus saving/loading works with tape save/load commands, but from disk instead; the OS is therefore patched or completely bypassed) ...

 

-Andreas Koch.

Edited March 12, 2013 by CharlieChaplin

[xxl]

> Last year I asked Homesoft if he could make a single/stand-alone file of Mazezam and he did. I am not sure, if he changed Mazezam so it works without Xbios or if he simply fitted/appended Xbios and Mazezam into one single file.

 

this version has no music during loading and can't save/load HSC.

 

> It would be nice to have some kind of Xbios creator or installer, which a) puts Xbios as a *.XEX file onto a disk and then b) appends almost any ML program to it.

 

copy any programs and xbios.com to disk and run xbios from e.g boot or dos or game dos... or download from:

http://xxl.atari.pl/download/xbios.atr - xbios on atr disk

or

http://xxl.atari.pl/download/xbios.com - xbios.com - copy it to disk

here boots: http://xxl.atari.pl/...oad/boot128.obx for SD sector or http://xxl.atari.pl/...oad/boot256.obx for 256b sector & prepare own atr up to 16MB with catalogs.

 

---

example of use all zeropage, RLE where source is I/O stream not memory, byte counter, NMI and music during I/O

 

Edited March 12, 2013 by xxl

[Tezz]

My real XE is disconnected at the moment so xxl has kindly tested the disks on real hardware today and the original disk image I posted last night worked ok so can I flag up this as an issue with Altirra? I checked the disks with Altirra build 2.10 (final) and upwards to the current beta and each one does crash at the end of loading Zybex. I altered the dli to avoid the issue in the fixed disk that I posted.

[+CharlieChaplin]

 

copy any programs and xbios.com to disk and run xbios from e.g boot or dos or game dos... or download from:

http://xxl.atari.pl/download/xbios.atr - xbios on atr disk

or

http://xxl.atari.pl/download/xbios.com - xbios.com - copy it to disk

here boots: http://xxl.atari.pl/...oad/boot128.obx for SD sector or http://xxl.atari.pl/...oad/boot256.obx for 256b sector & prepare own atr up to 16MB with catalogs.

 

---

 

 

Well,

 

but then you have a minimum of 2 files on the disk: XBIOS.COM and the program of your choice (and you also require a loader). What CreatureXL and I would like to have is XBIOS+Game program as one single file (e.g. appended together). I know this does not work yet, but I just tried it here anyways: 1) changed the RUN adress of XBIOS into an Init adress, 2) appended Pole Position X to it and 3) put a Basic off, coldstart routine and black screen routine in front of Xbios. The goal I wanted to reach was that Xbios loads and inits, then Pole Position X gets loaded and runs (just as an example program, could have been any other game program). Alas, its like I thought, Xbios still shows the menu screen and does not execute the appended program...

 

Check this (non-working) example to see what I mean:

test.zip

 

It would be very cool, if Xbios could work as a mini-Xbios *without* the menu screen, just loading and executing one (or more) appended file(s)... -Andreas Koch.