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Pac-man Update for Atari 8-bit


tep392

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I've played around with the colors a bit recently. Will post NTSC and PAL Altirra screen shots later. One comment on pinky. The arcade version is much less saturated than either of the examples above. Keeping it saturated helps to keep the eyes distinct in this version. Otherwise they tend to blend in when viewed on a monitor.

Edited by tep392
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You don't get much choice with saturation - it's sort of a reverse product of luminence on the A8, ie low/mid values have decent saturation but then the yellow will be more brownish with high saturation.

 

Not to mention the end difference between emulation and real machine and between Pal/Ntsc.

Edited by Rybags
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These are NTSC and PAL, respectively, screen grabs of the lastest version using Altirra. In the PAL screen grabs of V8 posted earlier, I had left the color codes for PAL the same as for NTSC, so they were way off.

 

 

post-24519-0-44597000-1334347460_thumb.jpgpost-24519-0-55969900-1334347468_thumb.jpg

Edited by tep392
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...But in the 5200 version they'd kill you if you just touched a corner of it.

 

This isn't true at all.

 

Allright allright, not as bad as 2600 Pacman where a corner touch is insta-kill, but definitely a lot less forgiving than the arcade game. :)

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...But in the 5200 version they'd kill you if you just touched a corner of it.

 

This isn't true at all.

 

Allright allright, not as bad as 2600 Pacman where a corner touch is insta-kill, but definitely a lot less forgiving than the arcade game. :)

 

The pixel resolution is coarser on the 5200/8-Bits than the arcade machine, so movement and collision detection are naturally going to be as coarse.

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The pixel resolution is coarser on the 5200/8-Bits than the arcade machine, so movement and collision detection are naturally going to be as coarse.

 

Not necessarily, you could move any object in steps lower than "one pixel size" and base the speed of the object and the collision methods in this "decimal" steps. Of course for our 2:1 pixels the movement is going to look coarse in the horizontal directions, but the collision precision can be the same one that in the arcade version.. and that one is "char" based by the way (that's the reason of the "bug" where you can go through a ghost sometimes.. both objects change their "tile" position at the same time).

 

All this info is in the Pac Man dossier:

http://home.comcast....mandossier.html

 

I have the original ghost behaviors, the collision methods and the pacman movement (with the classic speed up when taking corners, to outrun the ghosts) implemented according to that info.. maybe someday I will have the time to add the rest of the logic to put "arcade pac man" in some new mazes x)

 

post-11240-0-47076400-1334509304_thumb.png

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The pixel resolution is coarser on the 5200/8-Bits than the arcade machine, so movement and collision detection are naturally going to be as coarse.

 

Not necessarily, you could move any object in steps lower than "one pixel size" and base the speed of the object and the collision methods in this "decimal" steps. Of course for our 2:1 pixels the movement is going to look coarse in the horizontal directions, but the collision precision can be the same one that in the arcade version.. and that one is "char" based by the way (that's the reason of the "bug" where you can go through a ghost sometimes.. both objects change their "tile" position at the same time).

 

All this info is in the Pac Man dossier:

http://home.comcast....mandossier.html

 

I have the original ghost behaviors, the collision methods and the pacman movement (with the classic speed up when taking corners, to outrun the ghosts) implemented according to that info.. maybe someday I will have the time to add the rest of the logic to put "arcade pac man" in some new mazes x)

 

post-11240-0-47076400-1334509304_thumb.png

 

Sure, you can have virtual movement and collision. I doubt they used it in the first Atari 8-bit version of Pac-Man though. Even though possible, I don't know how much closer that would bring you to the arcade's play mechanics, since it's always going to be highly affected by the actual resolution. I'd be glad to be proven wrong with your new version though. ;)

 

I also think part of the problem with the play mechanics on these A8 versions is due to the lack of joystick movement responsiveness. They're hardly forgiving to 180 degree direction changes.

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...

I have the original ghost behaviors, the collision methods and the pacman movement (with the classic speed up when taking corners, to outrun the ghosts) implemented according to that info.. maybe someday I will have the time to add the rest of the logic to put "arcade pac man" in some new mazes x)

Just some ideas for a future pac-man - Perhaps we could have selectable ghost difficulty levels - with different ghost graphics - super ghosts or something - maybe they could have a power pill randomly appear in the maze (occasionally) and they go for it - if they get it before pac-man they power up ;)

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...

I have the original ghost behaviors, the collision methods and the pacman movement (with the classic speed up when taking corners, to outrun the ghosts) implemented according to that info.. maybe someday I will have the time to add the rest of the logic to put "arcade pac man" in some new mazes x)

Just some ideas for a future pac-man - Perhaps we could have selectable ghost difficulty levels - with different ghost graphics - super ghosts or something - maybe they could have a power pill randomly appear in the maze (occasionally) and they go for it - if they get it before pac-man they power up ;)

 

And also maybe a 2 player game where you both compete at the same time. Each one adding to there score for each dot and then If one player eats a power dot then both players can eat the ghosts, the last ghost ate by a player could be worth 1600 points to his score.

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All this info is in the Pac Man dossier:

http://home.comcast....mandossier.html

 

I have the original ghost behaviors, the collision methods and the pacman movement (with the classic speed up when taking corners, to outrun the ghosts) implemented according to that info.. maybe someday I will have the time to add the rest of the logic to put "arcade pac man" in some new mazes x)

 

post-11240-0-47076400-1334509304_thumb.png

That is one of the best write ups I have read in a very long time. I would love to have something similar for Star Raiders.

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  • 1 month later...

I kept a list of all my changes/updates/bug fixes at the top of my source code. I was reading through the list today and had forgotten how much work actually went into this. I though some of the programers here might find this interesting, so I decided to post it. It basically documents the cronology of my work starting just after I updated the maze from Ms. Pac-man to Pac-man.

 

TEP392

 

; Final Version - Atarimax with Intro screen

; * maze 2 seems better - 204 dots, 4 engergizers

; * fix blinking dots

; * make sure sprites exit/enter at correct location 40-BF 7F JUMP - look at 7800 tunnel code

; * need to move fruit start and make stationary - update fruit times

; - DOES RED GET BORED while in cruise elroy mode?

; * update fruit fonts, check point values, move pacfrtsl to maze2 for space, move monster scores for

space

; * update sprites

; * update monster movement logic

; * bored targets

; * chase targets

; - red - targets pac

; - pink - targets pac loc + 4 tiles in direction of movement, + 4 tiles left if up

; - blue - exits pen after 30 dots. target is vector calc from red to pac+2

; - gold - exit after 1/3 dots.

; * distance calcs

; * tunnel speed / zone

; * invisiwalls

; * monst and pac speeds

; * reverse times

; * check why pink leaves too soon after pac deth

; * add multispeed siren

; * fix font for pen and put in code

; * fix colors for everything

; * adjust sound volume to match 8bit

; * update intro screen

; * update intermissions *Ani1 done *Ani2 done *ANI3 DONE

; * CHECK IF NORMALIZE NEEDS TO BE UPDATED FOR MAZE GEOMETRY DIFFERENCE FROM PMC

; * CHECK IF PAL SPEED ADJUSTMENT IS WORKING CORRECTLY

; * NEED TO CLEAR NEW VARS M0SLOW

; * UPDATED BORED MOVEMENT and pacflip FROM pmc

; * FIX FRUIT AT LOWER CONER AFTER GAME ENDS

; * SHORTEN DELAY DURING PAC DETH, MAKE MONSTER SHEETS FLAP JUST AFTER DETH

; * add special 20 pix high sprites

; * update writes to 1400,1600 (only when animating)

; * copy 20 byte sprites to 500 when using slots 7 and 9

; * update code that clears 1400,1600 (only when animating)

; * ani1 - 0pac,3mon,7,9doublepac,3mon

; * ani2 - 0pac,3mon,0pac,3mon,5ripsheet, nail about 5 pixels high, top pix at same row as

; seg1 pac comes out first

; seg2 followed by red(eyes left)

; seg3 red ripping(eyes left), torn sheet

; seg4 red(eyes up), torn sheet, leg

; seg5 red(eyes looking at leg), torn sheet, leg.bottom pix of monster, nail is yellow,

rips looks up, pause, looks down, pause. rips as pac leaves screen.

; 2nd verse start when torn

; * ani3 - 3mon,5leg - review 7800 version and arcade

; - sewn mon sprite - let eyes white show through 2 sprites

; - dragging sheet - 2 sprites

; - nakd mon - 2 sprites

; - eyes 1 sprite

; * add character to font for nail in ani2

; * update animation tune

; * add screen flash after being cleared - COMPARE TO ARCADE

; * APPLE DIPSPLAYED ON KEY SCREEN

; * fixes - bear monster speeds not smooth, sprite bug on big pac#<(maybe), added button start

; * MSPM BUG - found bug with deathflg. should be set after pac dies so monster

; release logic is correct and uses global counter instead of monster dot counters

; * MSPM BUG - found bug in "interested" logic. Use diroffz2 for column calc instead

; of diroffc2.

; * MSPM BUG - Sound didn't change tempo correctly for PAL machines.

; * fixed bug with corrupted pac deth seuence. missing # ARG!!!

; * fixed no munch sound and delay with energizer

; * updated pac and fruit sprites to be more like arcade

; * updated colors for fruit. still need to tweak

; * fixe bug with lockup at end of two player game

; * implemented high score in game screen with mode 2 font

; * used Mrfish text fonts

; * added high score and 1/2 player selection in menu screen

; * fixed dot color

; * Pac is now shifted to left of corridor in both up and down.

; * Update ready!, player1&2, game over text and colors

; * fix attract colors for top two lines

; * look for area's to save rom space FOUND 104 BYTES

; * trap reset

; * tweak pac stamp

; * add button start from attract mode

; * add joystick setting changes.

; * some glitches in pen after player dies

; * remember to fix jmp -> jsr and rts after txtclr write

; * look into details of RACK variable. where is it used and updated.

; * added new menu fonts. Menu displays font as temporary test.

; * updated menu - game flow. Game returns to menu after game over. Menu stays in attract mode.

; * screen shuts off during HSC updates or resets.

; * fixed txtclr dli's

; * keep scores in display line when exiting game to menu

; * stop flashing maze in attract mode

; * track bug that flickers top of pac in top row

; * comment out animation debug - spacebar

; * correct PAL reverse times

; * change ghost eyes, eyes to pen and move score in one byte, score stamps.

; * get a flash of pac pointing right on left side of screen at start of menu

; * add intro screenpac animation

; * update intro big pac, monster looking down

; * update fruit score color

; * fix pause so stick or botton doesn't drop to menu. button unpauses

; * added pal specific blue times. adjusted times down 15%. reduce flashes to 3 at high levels.

; * UPDATED FRUIT STAMPS AND PAC COUNTER

; * bug fixes, 1st inter moved super pac up, fruit line glitch, wrong fruit at key level

; * bug fixes, game slow down at high levels, game over color glitch

; * fix new fruit glitch - lower line doesn't erase - lowered fruit 2 lines, in game and intro

; * clear 90 - 9f at boot only - do it in intro

; * Pac deth sound has been revamped

; * reduced siren and eyes volume one click

; * changed fruit score color

; * joystick right/left will change start level up/down respectively

; * fix eat monster sound so channel 1 isn't interuppted

Edited by tep392
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(...)

 

I was reading through the list today and had forgotten how much work actually went into this.

 

(...)

 

 

...No need to mention it.

 

Just forgot to THANK YOU for the FINEST PacMan that I ever recall coded / "reloaded" for the A8 Line-up. It oozes quality in every step of the way, plus it looks SLEEK in my home-theater setup with a touch of "scan-lines".

 

The fact that I have a hard time choosing between firing yours, or my PS3 Namco Essentials or Mame's already speak volumes.

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I hooked my 800 up to the big TV to enjoy some pac-man goodness this afternoon.

 

You did an awesome job with this. It looks and plays awesome and the high score save is an awesome feature. (Are you getting that I think this is awesome? :) )

 

I actually thought that I busted the high score feature on my first round of playing back when this first arrived. Annoyed at dying, I quickly killed the power (apparently during the save) and my high score was set to a string of U's and 0's. Fortunately a score reset worked.

Edited by labrat
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As instructed, I sent a note to Albert indicating my interest in buying a cartridge, but I have not heard anything back from him.

 

Anything I need to do to be able one? If possible, any idea when that might be?

 

He's probably just busy right now. I hear he's responded to others, so I'm sure he will get back to you.

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I actually thought that I busted the high score feature on my first round of playing back when this first arrived. Annoyed at dying, I quickly killed the power (apparently during the save) and my high score was set to a string of U's and 0's. Fortunately a score reset worked.

 

Yike's. That shouldn't hurt the cart, but best not to do that. Reset will always zero it out so it's no problem if the score gets corrupted.

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(...)

 

I was reading through the list today and had forgotten how much work actually went into this.

 

(...)

 

 

...No need to mention it.

 

Just forgot to THANK YOU for the FINEST PacMan that I ever recall coded / "reloaded" for the A8 Line-up. It oozes quality in every step of the way, plus it looks SLEEK in my home-theater setup with a touch of "scan-lines".

 

The fact that I have a hard time choosing between firing yours, or my PS3 Namco Essentials or Mame's already speak volumes.

 

Wow. That's quite a compliment. Thanks! :)

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A lot of changes .. what did you keep from the original then? :)

 

The name ;)

 

Any thing that you still miss from the arcade original?

 

Regards.

 

I think I have the game play replicated well. The only reason the arcade patterns won't work is because the maze size is different and that throws off the route timing. I thought of changing the fruit code so they would line up along the bottom but decided it was time to release it. I would have to change from using players for the fruit to using character mode.

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Any thing that you still miss from the arcade original?

 

Well unless it was put in recently, it didn't have the "tap a direction before you hit a wall, and pacman faces that direction) little trick I mentioned earlier. But that's an inconsequential thing. :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

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