147 replies to this topic

[Paul Slocum]

vb_master said:

When I set PCAE to run it as a SuperChip (16k), It crashed. Do you want a screenshot of where Homestar is when I run rpgdemo2.bin on PCAE?

Set it to 16K standard (not SuperChip). Still didn't work for me in PCAEWin, tho.

-paul

[hhwolfman]

Thats the coolest thing in the world. Sign me up. Email Email I hope its from a female.

[vb_master]

Paul Slocum said:

vb_master said:

When I set PCAE to run it as a SuperChip (16k), It crashed. Do you want a screenshot of where Homestar is when I run rpgdemo2.bin on PCAE?

Set it to 16K standard (not SuperChip). Still didn't work for me in PCAEWin, tho.

-paul

Nope I set it to the 16k (Standard) and when I press ok and green, it still didn't run properly.

[Adrian M]

StanJr said:

this game will be worth EVERY dime of that $45.

I just spent the last half hour running around the HUGE map and just chillin' to the wicked pissa soundtrack.  Dear lord, Paul what have you done?  Are you sure this is going to be for the 2600?  I've seen SNES games that aren't this good.

The music alone is reason to crave this game.  The sheer size of the world and incredible graphics are unlike anything on the VCS.  Amazing.  Simply amazing.  I await this with as much anticipation as I have ANY homebrew.

Amazing.  

Seconded.
The May 2004 release date can't come soon enough. I still can't come to grips with the fact that this is VCS code! It's more reminscient of a C64 RPG game than anything on I've seen on a 2600 before!

Definitely go with a box for this game...I have a feeling that the Homestar Runner RPG will become one of those special all-time great VCS Homebrews, easily on par with Thrust+.

[Spirantho]

Paul Slocum said:

Not sure why it won't work on some emulators.  Could be the bankswitching scheme (needs F6 with no SuperChip) or maybe illegal opcodes.

It's because of the assumptions you've made of the CX registers, I think.
For instance, if the emulator is expecting the low 7 bits of CXP0FB to stay zero, then your code will break as you're expecting 0x12. Same with CXM0P - if the emulator has the wrong value, you end up in a pond, like PCAE. However, setting CXM0P to 0x10 by default fixes this - I *think*. I'm still working through the other assumptions.

Where did you get these values from? I can't find this documentated anywhere yet....

[Eckhard Stolberg]

Spirantho said:

Where did you get these values from? I can't find this documentated anywhere yet....

For the read registers the TIA only drives the topmost two bits. The lower six bits stay at whatever value the data bus currently is. Usually the last thing transferred over the data bus before the read of a zeropage register is the address of that register. So that's what the lower six bits of the collision register will usually be like on a real VCS.


Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

[Goochman]

:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o:o

Wow,

I just ran this - that is really cool - Ultima I on the 2600 - who'd a thunk?

[Spirantho]

Eckhard Stolberg said:

For the read registers the TIA only drives the topmost two bits. The lower six bits stay at whatever value the data bus currently is. Usually the last thing transferred over the data bus before the read of a zeropage register is the address of that register. So that's what the lower six bits of the collision register will usually be like on a real VCS.

Ah! That explains it!

Could you possibly also explain please why the code at $1480 works (Not sure which bank)? This occurs at the end of the scanline, which may be relevant...
STA HMCLR (A should be irrelevant, right?)
STX HMM0 (X=$80)
TYA
STA HMOVE
As I read this, the missile should move 8 pixels right, the rest should stay the same! But what actually happens is everything moves left 8 pixels except the missile which doesn't move!
If I find anything else weird like this I'll post to the programming forum, I reckon..

But to be on-topic briefly - this really does look like a killer game....

[Eckhard Stolberg]

The important part in this code is when the STA HMOVE gets executed. At certain cycles it will not cause the usual 8 pixel black stripe on the left border of the screen. This bar actually is supposed to delay the object counters by 8 pixels and therefore allow shifting objects in both directions. (HMOVE can only shift to the left.) So without the black bar the objects don't get adjusted to the right which is why they seem to be shifting to the left.


Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

[Paul Slocum]

I posted the source for the demo on Stella if it'll help to look at it.

-paul

[Blackwolf]

One of the places that surprised me is that it runs almost fine on PocketVCS on my PocketPC - the sound kinda stutters and the new demo is a little bit more flickery than the old demo, but it's still nice.

It's great to be able to pull my PocketPC out and show my H*R fan friends that there's a 2600 game being made, and they don't believe me. :>

[Stingray]

Personally I'd rather save $10 and get a copy without a box. $45 is pretty hefty and I'm not a box collector, I just like to play the games.

-S

[Shortly]

How do you play it? I found acastle with a couple treasure chests, but can't open them. I found some houses out on the main map, but can't get into them...

Pressing the button brings up an inventory screen. That's about all I can do.

Still, it is VERY impressive !

[bjk7382]

Shortly said:

How do you play it?  I found acastle with a couple  treasure  chests, but can't open them.  I found some houses out on the  main map, but can't get into them...

Pressing the button brings up an inventory screen.  That's about all I can do.

Still, it is VERY impressive !

I think it is still a non-playable demo.

[Shortly]

bjk7382 said:

Shortly said:

How do you play it?  I found acastle with a couple  treasure  chests, but can't open them.  I found some houses out on the  main map, but can't get into them...

Pressing the button brings up an inventory screen.  That's about all I can do.

Still, it is VERY impressive !

I think it is still a non-playable demo.

Ahh.

Still, what's there is cool!

[StanJr]

Yeah, its only a partial demo, there is lots to explore and see, but not much to do, yet. At least that I can figure out.

[vb_master]

For some reason, the demo ends 30 seconds after starting on the sea? Strange!

[Cassidy Nolen]

Congratulations,

I am blown away. It is by far the most amazing 'field' I think I have ever seen on the 2600. As a kid, I would have done anything to have a game like this. Music is PERFECT for the game, outstanding graphics, love the text, very Gauntlet (arcade) feel to the castle, very nice touches.

Count me in for one. If you need money ahead of time, to offset production costs, let me know. Boxes and manuals, PLEASE!! This game looks HOT!

I only hope we can burninate the peasants with Trogdor. Love me some burninating
Cassidy

[Starman]

I tried running it under Stella for OS X. When I pressed the fire button key, the game locked up .

I'll try it with a different emulator.

Mike

[Spirantho]

vb_master said:

For some reason, the demo ends 30 seconds after starting on the sea? Strange!

You're using an emulator that's not quite accurate then (like PCAE)... use Z26.

If you're interested, it's probably because it's clearing the lower bits on the data bus when reading the collision registers, which only affect the top bits - the lower bits should be the same as the last data read (I think! )

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

Paul Slocum said:

I think part of it is that the people making games are no longer in competition, so tricks and tips are openly shared between everyone.

Yup!

I'd say that [Stella] makes a major difference today. You can almost instantly tell wether a homebrew was done within this community or if it was done by the "lone wolf".

Within [Stella] you get instant feedback on every stage of your project and you'll get any support and encouragement required to have your project jumping over the next hurdle.

Greetings,
Manuel

[Spirantho]

Plus on [Stella] of course you get to know all the tricks and tips...

... and looking at the source for Homestar Runner, Paul knows a lot of 'em.

I love the way he did the frame for the map, for instance! Hopefully the [Stella] archives will have updated with the source by now - couldn't find it yesterday.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Spirantho said:

Hopefully the [Stella] archives will have updated with the source by now - couldn't find it yesterday.

Paul had posted the source at 3/24, so it should be available now.

[Spirantho]

Thomas Jentzsch said:

Paul had posted the source at 3/24, so it should be available now.

Oh, my mistake.

Silly me was looking through but didn't twig.. I searched for Homestar and got nothing.. but the thread is called H*R RPG Demo - so of course it didn't pick it up.
Ta for that.

[Goochman]

Can I make 1 request - Im not a Trogdor fan and know nothign about it. Having the characters in the game sounds fun but please dont make the puzzles all Trogdor related!