45 replies to this topic

[Lodmot]

Here's my next project. Stepping it up a bit. It's called Game Catcher 2600.

Back in 2004, I made a game for the computer called Game Catcher. It involved the player collecting games that were flying around, and they had to collect 100 games before the picky customers, while avoiding running out of cash. It's an original game of mine, and I decided I'd try and port it to the 2600.



High-Res Title Screen:



Working 1P/2P Menu:



Gameplay with smooth, colorful graphics:



In case you're curious, this is the original game: http://megatoxic.com...e%20Catcher.exe
I think this could be very faithful to my original game.

Updates - 2/5:

Alright, well so far I've had little to no suggestions from people, so I'm going to assume everyone likes the game the way it is and call this game finalized.
I'm still open for suggestions though, just in case someone wants to post something. I know the rom file is still called "beta", but I don't really have time to change it at the moment because I have work soon. >.<

So, hope you guys like the game! ^^

Status: Game is finalized!


Let me know what you guys think.

Attached Files

•  game_catcher_finalbuild_033012.bas.bin   32K   51 downloads

Edited by Lodmot, Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:32 PM.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:34 PM, said:

I don't have time this second but I will download and play soon enough and get back to you.  :3

Yay! :3
I think you're like my biggest fan right now. XD
Keep in mind, it's still very early in development, so there's no way to lose or win. Right now, you're just picking up items and that's it. It's merely a graphical demo of what it's going to be.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:04 PM, said:

Just imagine this chorus whenever you see my replies :3

XDDDD You're great! 8D
That song is sooooo 80's! o;

[Lodmot]

Ehh... I'm having problems making this game...
It appears that some of my loops cannot reach to other loops because of the distance...
I'm stumped, I don't know what to do, and it's driving me crazy..
Unless I figure something out or get help from somewhere, I don't know if this game can be finished... :/

EDIT: Nevermind! I arranged sections of the code in a way that somehow works! 8D YAY! xD

Edited by Lodmot, Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:48 PM.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:03 PM, said:

Does this resolve the issue of the green rectangles getting stuck on the screen? :3

Yes it does! :3
You may want to re-download it because I just re-uploaded it like a minute ago. xD

Edited by Lodmot, Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:10 PM.

[Random Terrain]

Lodmot, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:42 PM, said:

Ehh... I'm having problems making this game...
It appears that some of my loops cannot reach to other loops because of the distance...
I'm stumped, I don't know what to do, and it's driving me crazy..
Unless I figure something out or get help from somewhere, I don't know if this game can be finished... :/

EDIT: Nevermind! I arranged sections of the code in a way that somehow works! 8D YAY! xD

I had a similar problem even when using smartbranching, so I stopped using smartbranching and just use goto all of the time like this:

if _Monkey_Fart = 5 then goto __Giraffe_Candlestick

[Lodmot]

Random Terrain, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 4:57 AM, said:

Lodmot, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:42 PM, said:

Ehh... I'm having problems making this game...
It appears that some of my loops cannot reach to other loops because of the distance...
I'm stumped, I don't know what to do, and it's driving me crazy..
Unless I figure something out or get help from somewhere, I don't know if this game can be finished... :/

EDIT: Nevermind! I arranged sections of the code in a way that somehow works! 8D YAY! xD

I had a similar problem even when using smartbranching, so I stopped using smartbranching and just use goto all of the time like this:

if _Monkey_Fart = 5 then goto __Giraffe_Candlestick

Well, now my code isn't working at all... I try to add another label for setting up the next stage of the game, and when I compile, it gives me an unexpected error....
I think I have too many labels in the game now or something, because there's no errors in my code. The game has gotten very big, and I'm sure there's probably a more efficient way I could've made the game, or at least some way I could somehow split the code into chunks so it's easier for the console to read, but I'm still pretty new at this. When I run the game, it still plays quite nicely, even on the real console the game runs flawlessly.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:37 AM.

[Random Terrain]

Lodmot, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:36 AM, said:

Random Terrain, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 4:57 AM, said:

Lodmot, on Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:42 PM, said:

Ehh... I'm having problems making this game...
It appears that some of my loops cannot reach to other loops because of the distance...
I'm stumped, I don't know what to do, and it's driving me crazy..
Unless I figure something out or get help from somewhere, I don't know if this game can be finished... :/

EDIT: Nevermind! I arranged sections of the code in a way that somehow works! 8D YAY! xD

I had a similar problem even when using smartbranching, so I stopped using smartbranching and just use goto all of the time like this:

if _Monkey_Fart = 5 then goto __Giraffe_Candlestick

Well, now my code isn't working at all... I try to add another label for setting up the next stage of the game, and when I compile, it gives me an unexpected error....
I think I have too many labels in the game now or something, because there's no errors in my code. The game has gotten very big, and I'm sure there's probably a more efficient way I could've made the game, or at least some way I could somehow split the code into chunks so it's easier for the console to read, but I'm still pretty new at this. When I run the game, it still plays quite nicely, even on the real console the game runs flawlessly.

If you post your latest code, I can look at it to see if I can find the problem. You can have a ton of labels, so that's not the problem (unless you are using a "known keyword or any labels internal to bB" and that can be fixed by starting your labels with an underscore). I start my labels with two underscores and my variable aliases with one underscore so I don't have to worry about anything.

[Lodmot]

Quote

If you post your latest code, I can look at it to see if I can find the problem. You can have a ton of labels, so that's not the problem (unless you are using a "known keyword or any labels internal to bB" and that can be fixed by starting your labels with an underscore). I start my labels with two underscores and my variable aliases with one underscore so I don't havedo this, so thank you very much. :3 to worry about anything.

Id greatly appreciate that.

I usually try not to ask people to look at my code because I don't want to seem noobish, but at the same time Im still learning how to do this, so thank you very much.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:36 AM.

[Lodmot]

Thank you for your kind words. :3

Well, I'm having problems again... I thought I got it working, but now it's doing the same thing it did last night. >.<
I'm gonna put up my up-to-date code for Random Terrain to look at. It just won't compile correctly for some reason.

If all goes well, I'm hoping to actually make this a full-fledged game, with music, a titlescreen and 2-player mode and everything.
But I gotta figure this stuff out first and find out why the playerscore kernel doesn't like bank-switching games.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:40 AM.

[Lodmot]

Well, I just uploaded the updated source code. It has everything I did up to the error that I'm stuck at. >.<
I also included the ill-compiled version of the game for no reason at all. xD

[Lodmot]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 11:52 AM, said:

Well, you've tempted me long enough.  I'm diving into your code - probably some of your simpler games first, to try to get myself somewhere close to your level of batari basic programming X3 X3.  Here comes reo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugguuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!

XDDDDDDD Awesome dude! :3
I hope you learn a lot from my sources.

I didn't even look at many example games actually, I watched a youtube video that explained the different functions as he was making the example game.
It was pretty good. ^^

[Lodmot]

Technically I don't, but it's easy for me to make. Right now I'm in the middle of College Algebra homework, so I'll have it up in like 15 minutes or so. xD

[Random Terrain]

I don't get any errors when I run this:

 game_catcher_2012y_01m_30d_1306t.bas   5.76K   69 downloads

 game_catcher_2012y_01m_30d_1306t.bin   4K   48 downloads


I fixed a few things and used the following tip from SeaGtGruff in case it might help:

http://www.atariage....47#entry1493047

[Lodmot]

@Random Terrain:
Wow, I really like what you did with the code. It's a lot easier for me to read it now. I even picked up a variable that I initiated but never used in the game! XDD Thank you for helping me. :3

@reo
LOL! Yeah, I see it too. That's quite easy to fix, it's just a NUSIZ issue.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 1:16 PM.

[Lodmot]

Actually, I discovered that the glitch with the boxes looking like lines was my fault. XDDD
But I got it fixed now. Also, I was able to incorporate the use of actual stages! The game has 15 stages of gameplay that you can do. They get harder as you go.
There's actually a bug that I have to fix where periodically the game won't notice if you or the CPU player collected the specific amount of games. I believe that's
some kind of timing issue and is easily fixable. But anyway, I'm gonna upload this new version when I get home. I'm using my school's computer right now. xDDD!!!
I brought my laptop, but the wireless sucks here so bad, I can't connect anywhere! D8

Anyway, that's all for now. Next I have to figure out how to get the playerscore minikernel to work with bankswitching, which is more of a pain than I thought it'd be.. Right now, the base game code just BARELY fits onto the default 4K rom size, but I need to increase that to at least 16KB in order to add more stuff to it, like music and 2P mode and an actual titlescreen.

I'm gonna change the first post to list the other things I hope to get working.

In the meantime, TATA FOR NOW! 8D

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:22 PM.

[Random Terrain]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:38 PM, said:

Hellllllllloooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  How can I load bass?

Do you mean a batari Basic .bas file? One way is to use Visual batari Basic. That's what I use:

http://www.randomter...-basic-vbb.html

[Lodmot]

Alright... Kinda ran into another problem...

I was planning on putting a bunch of other stuff in the game (title screen, 2P mode, music, etc), but in order to do that, I have to make the rom size 16k.
Now the game will start, but when you touch one of the squares, this happens...



It has something to do with the playerscores.asm kernel, but I don't see what I'm doing wrong...

Here's what the code looks like in the beginning:

   set romsize 16k
   set optimization inlinerand
   rem Titlescreen Code will go here.
__Start_Stage
   COLUPF=$d2
   player0x=50 : player0y = 60
   player1x=(rand&127)+1 : player1y=(rand&63)+1
.... and so on.

And here is how the game's code ends:

............
   %01111110
end
   if s > 99 then v=v+1 : goto __Start_Stage
   goto __Win
   bank 2
   bank 3
   bank 4
   inline bcd_math.asm
   inline playerscores.asm

All I did was add the first two lines at the top of the code, and these last 5 lines indicating the different banks (which have nothing in them because that's where the music and titlescreen would go), and two asm files. Based on the instructions for both Batari Basic and the playerscores kernel, I'm pretty sure this is a glitch in the playerscores kernel of some kind rather than my own code...

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:34 PM.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:38 PM, said:

@ Lodmot:  I promise to download a .bas file from you asap, once provided.  I cannot open .bas.bin, just .bas like in game_catcher.bas, do not need bin at this moment, I can compile on my own.

Uploaded!

By the way, the source file I put up is the 16kb dump, so it has that weird error that I mentioned in my post above. You'll have to revert the rom back over to 4KB and get rid of the bank indicators in order to get the game to play correctly.

Also, would you guys like me to credit you both for helping me on my first really ambitious project?
I really appreciate the support, so the least I could do is mention you at the top page, or somewhere in the game maybe.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:50 PM.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:53 PM, said:

this thread is evidence enough of what went on XD.  Thank you SOOOOOOOO much for sending me the code.  It's not ever yet I thought ??? ?

Alright. XD

If you ever want me to credit you for helping, let me know.
I don't feel right asking people for help and not at least acknowledging them when I release the game.

Edited by Lodmot, Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:56 PM.

[Lodmot]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:59 PM, said:

I didn't help you LOOOOLLLL XDXD  I'm Reo...I am trying to learn off you   tytytyt :3333333

xDDDDDD

[Lodmot]

UPDATE:
I got the playerscore.asm kernel to work with the 16k rom size! The weird thing though, is that I actually had to put the main game loops into the 4th bank in order for it to work. It seems to me like in order for the playerscores kernel to work properly, the entire game code (or most of it at least) needs to be in the same bank as the "inline playerscores.asm" commands, or else it messes up like in the picture above. That makes sense I guess, but now I think I've ran out of space in the 4th bank, because when I compile, the message looks like this:

Quote

Compile started at 1/30/2012 9:56:57 PM
Compiling C:\Documents and Settings\Win2K\My Documents\My Atari Games\Game Catcher\Game Catcher\game_catcher_2012y_01m_30d_1306t.bas
2600 Basic compilation completed.
DASM V2.20.07, Macro Assembler ©1988-2003
  bytes of ROM space left in bank 1
  bytes of ROM space left in bank 2
  bytes of ROM space left in bank 3
  bytes of ROM space left in bank 4
Possible duplicate label: L012 90ad   
  3309 bytes of ROM space left in bank 1
  4052 bytes of ROM space left in bank 2
  4052 bytes of ROM space left in bank 3
Compilation completed at 1/30/2012 9:56:58 PM
view output file:///C:/Documents and Settings/Win2K/My Documents/My Atari Games/Game Catcher/Game Catcher/bin
Post compilation files deleted

As you could see, where it lists the amount of bytes in each bank, bank 4 is not there. That makes me think bank 4 was entirely used up, and the compiler had to resort to moving some of the game code to the first bank? I'm not sure... I'm just guessing.

But yeah, so that's what's up. :3

[Lodmot]

reo, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:52 PM, said:

hi Lodmot,

I have to get to bed, I'm getting sleepy.  I will check out your code and games as soon as I wake up tomorrow.  Goodnight an good luck in all your life's endeavors.  X3

Okii. ^^

Good night Reo. I have Tuesday off completely, so I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow.

[Lodmot]

xDDDDDD Very well ^^.
I'm actually surprised I was able to fix it. Had I not, then I probably would've had to put the project on hold.

[Random Terrain]

When I work on a program, I use Save As every time I make a major change and use this style of software versioning:

http://www.atariage....are-versioning/

Random Terrain, on Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:53 AM, said:

If you're never exactly sure how many numbers and periods to use with the software versioning that most programmers seem to be devoted to, this tip might save you some time and energy.

Every time I make a significant change to a program I'm working on, I save it as a new file so I can go back to a previous working version if I mess something up. I don't have time to figure out what version number it should be (1.2.0.1? Huh?), so I simply put the year, month, day, and military time. Here's an example:

kasploder_2011y_04m_28d_0940t.bas

I changed the system clock on my computer to military time, so all I have to do is look down in the corner. No more complicated version numbers, just the fast and easy date and time.

To be clear, I have the program name, 4 digits + y for the year, 2 digits + m for the month, 2 digits + d for the day, 4 digits + t for the time, and use underscores to separate each part. Doing it this way also makes all of the files line up in the proper order in my folders.



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