52 replies to this topic

[rocky007]

Hi everybody... here it is my new project on TI99 :   H.E.R.O. ( Activision )

Considered by many to be one of the finest games for the 2600, H.E.R.O. was released in 1984, the year of the great videogame crash. For that reason, it wasn't able to reach the same large audience as that of Activision's earlier masterpieces. The gameplay involves guiding R. Hero through caverns filled with flying critters, tentacles, moving walls, and other dangers. He's equipped with a jetpack, laser beam, and a limited supply of dynamite, all of which will be needed to negotiate a path to his ultimate goal, the trapped miners. Control is perfect, the concept is quite unique, and the gameplay is highly addictive. The game was originally programmed by John Van Ryzin.  ( Atariage )

I want to thanks 1 billions times Guillaume Tello for his help in modifying & upgrading nearly everyday his MLC for me   Without his help and his fantastic compiler, this game could'nt be done  (..by me ).
I hope this game will arouse your curiosity and give a little kick for those who hesitate to code a game

Graphics & game design are converted from the Coleco version.  Sprites are converted from the C64 version.

Actually, sounds are really basic, so sorry me..more to come soon !

Here it is my little baby with the help of the powerfull MLC  

Edited by rocky007, Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:34 PM.

[moulinaie]

Hi Rocky!!

Looks like there is a mistake in the video, it's not at all your version !!!
Yours is far better..!!
Please change the link..

Guillaume.

[Mad Hatter]

H.E.R.O. is one of my favorite games on the ColecoVision.  Looking forward to this.

[rocky007]

oooooh yes guillaume    sorry everybody, i put the video of my level editor... and here it is the 12 first screens of H.E.R.O.

Edited by rocky007, Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:13 PM.

[Tursi]

Looking damn sharp!

[retroclouds]

Wow, rocky! I'm impressed. Your H.E.R.O. version is looking mighty cool. I very much like the movement of the water.
This is one of my favourite games, really hope to see how this further develops.

Keep it up man!

[ti99userclub]

WOW !!! ... Great Work.... ! with MLC ? it's impressive !..
i already imagine the cover for the manual !!   hihihihi    

.....but how much game we could porting on TI99 ? oh my god... coud be done a "Prince 99 Persia" too ? :-)

[sometimes99er]

Very nice. One to cross out on my list.

Guess the demo is not CPU Overdrive. Very impressed with loading and compile time (considering the size of graphics, maps etc.). Also good and fast room-to-room drawing.

You're saying something about sprites graphics from the C64 version. Why not go for the graphics used in the MSX and ColecoVision ?

Just tried out different versions. Never played the 2600 version. It went under my radar back in 1984, but sure is absolutely wonderful (considering the year and platform). Played the C64 back then. The SG-1000/3000 version uses the 9918a but has all different graphics - not better in my opinion, but interesting. The ZX Spectrum/Timex version is more like the 2600, but then less color and sound.

[rocky007]

Thanks everybody

Yes, it's 99,9% of pure MLC..   If you have good idea for cover, don't hesitate

Prince of Persia...figures you i thought a lot about a port of this game, and there is no real problem, just need to reduce the quality of animation & graphics to fit in 32ko.
( this game was incredibly ported on C64 ! ) For me, the biggest problem of TI99 is the limitation of 4 sprites on same line..it's killing many possibilities.

[ti99userclub]

sometimes99er, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:40 AM, said:

Just tried out different versions. Never played the 2600 version. It went under my radar back in 1984, but sure is absolutely wonderful (considering the year and platform). Played the C64 back then. The SG-1000/3000 version uses the 9918a but has all different graphics - not better in my opinion, but interesting. The ZX Spectrum/Timex version is more like the 2600, but then less color and sound.

In this link there are screenshot of all platform... now... we must ask to add the TI99 Version ?!

http://www.mobygames...ero/screenshots

[ti99userclub]

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

Thanks everybody
Yes, it's 99,9% of pure MLC..   If you have good idea for cover, don't hesitate

I Will

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

Prince of Persia...figures you i thought a lot about a port of this game, and there is no real problem, just need to reduce the quality of animation & graphics to fit in 32ko.
( this game was incredibly ported on C64 ! ) For me, the biggest problem of TI99 is the limitation of 4 sprites on same line..it's killing many possibilities.

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated.
if i remember good there was a software add-on in XB named "The Missing Link" that help about the 4 sprite on same line limitation and give up a lot of other functions... maybe i wrong ?

when i saw the C64 version of Prince of Persia, i thought about the Pitfall Conversion for TI99 by Retroclouds and told myself "could be converted for TI99 ?"
now with your H.E.R.O. i asked it myself again... maybe ... a day..

[rocky007]

sometimes99er, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:40 AM, said:

Very nice. One to cross out on my list.

Guess the demo is not CPU Overdrive. Very impressed with loading and compile time (considering the size of graphics, maps etc.). Also good and fast room-to-room drawing.

You're saying something about sprites graphics from the C64 version. Why not go for the graphics used in the MSX and ColecoVision ?

Just tried out different versions. Never played the 2600 version. It went under my radar back in 1984, but sure is absolutely wonderful (considering the year and platform). Played the C64 back then. The SG-1000/3000 version uses the 9918a but has all different graphics - not better in my opinion, but interesting. The ZX Spectrum/Timex version is more like the 2600, but then less color and sound.

Of course the demo is not CPU overdrive

The original HERO was on 2600.  So, i started to convert the C64 sprites & graphics because it's the improved version of Atari 2600.  But after some test, converting the 320x200 of C64 to 256x192 taking too much tiles.
so i finally converted the Coleco graphics using a some emulator screenshots.  For sprites, it was already ripped from C64 ROM, i didn't wanted to restart the work with Coleco.
I didn't found a graphic ripper for Coleco and catch all sprites movements by screenshot is really to difficult ( i have 64 * 4 char sprites definitions !).  I didn't thought about the MSX version. I suppose it exist a graphic ripper for it, so
i can have a look on that if communauty prefer the MSX graphics. We can vote :  C64/2600/ATARI sprite version or Coleco/MSX sprite version  

I also checked the SG-1000 version, i liked especially because more easy to convert than the coleco/msx one.  But i wanted to keep the "soul" of the original Atari 2600/C64 version.

[rocky007]

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:57 AM, said:

sometimes99er, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:40 AM, said:

Just tried out different versions. Never played the 2600 version. It went under my radar back in 1984, but sure is absolutely wonderful (considering the year and platform). Played the C64 back then. The SG-1000/3000 version uses the 9918a but has all different graphics - not better in my opinion, but interesting. The ZX Spectrum/Timex version is more like the 2600, but then less color and sound.

In this link there are screenshot of all platform... now... we must ask to add the TI99 Version ?! http://www.mobygames...ero/screenshots

it's an interesting link to compare the graphics... finally, my C64 sprites with coleco graphics is not so shocking
i think mobygames wont accept a non official port

[rocky007]

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:06 AM, said:

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

Thanks everybody Yes, it's 99,9% of pure MLC.. If you have good idea for cover, don't hesitate

I Will

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

Prince of Persia...figures you i thought a lot about a port of this game, and there is no real problem, just need to reduce the quality of animation & graphics to fit in 32ko. ( this game was incredibly ported on C64 ! ) For me, the biggest problem of TI99 is the limitation of 4 sprites on same line..it's killing many possibilities.

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated. if i remember good there was a software add-on in XB named "The Missing Link" that help about the 4 sprite on same line limitation and give up a lot of other functions... maybe i wrong ? when i saw the C64 version of Prince of Persia, i thought about the Pitfall Conversion for TI99 by Retroclouds and told myself "could be converted for TI99 ?" now with your H.E.R.O. i asked it myself again... maybe ... a day..

It's possible to display more than 4 sprites on same line with sprites rotation...it's working but with blinking effect.  exceptionnaly in game it could be acceptable, but not all time ( like a horizontal shoot'm up per exemple ).

[Tursi]

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:06 AM, said:

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated.
if i remember good there was a software add-on in XB named "The Missing Link" that help about the 4 sprite on same line limitation and give up a lot of other functions... maybe i wrong ?

Nah, Missing Link didn't help with sprites, it gave you bitmapped graphics in XB (the enhanced sprite commands let you move multiple sprites as a single block and such)

But you have the speed now... maybe you can just implement a flicker routine? How does MLC handle the sprite table?

[sometimes99er]

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:06 AM, said:

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

For me, the biggest problem of TI99 is the limitation of 4 sprites on same line..it's killing many possibilities.

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated.

I see it more like a challenge than a problem. Part of the fun.

I note the different hardware modifications and expansions with interest, but I'd rather stick with the original limitations. - I could expand my TI-99/4A and have a PC as a slave - within a box. Sending a message from the TI telling the PC to run Skyrim, and then slightly convincing myself, that this set is how the TI should have been in the first place. Okay, I took it to an extreme, but you see, I like the limits. Back in the day and still to this day, it's basically only time and imagination that prevents us from further exploring and "pushing the limits" - within the original hardware and in software. Whatever, I guess it's all down to a "what if" for all camps.

[TEXAS_JOE]

When we have a machine that has limited capabilities, it is much more fruitful and rewarding to push that machine to it's extremes.  Today we have modern computers that can far exceed anything previously possible, it's all too easy to do things with them.

The real challenge is to make the TI do things we did'nt think possible before, within it's capabilities.  I myself like the idea of original hardware, many of my games previously had no relevance to the 4-sprite-in-a-line limit.  Matthew180 was the person who made me aware of the limit, and today I work around that limit.  As Sometimes99er says, it is all part of the fun, the extra challenge.

[Willsy]

This is looking really cool! It does have a very American, Commodore 64 type feel to it! Liking it very much! Good work to both of you!

[moulinaie]

Tursi, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:45 AM, said:

But you have the speed now... maybe you can just implement a flicker routine? How does MLC handle the sprite table?

I manage it as the XB does: all 28 sprites exist but are hidden (with coordinates outside), the 29th has a >D0 byte to say "end of table".
The idea is to keep a maximal compatibility with XB to be able to use both worlds in the same program.

Guillaume.

[moulinaie]

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:13 AM, said:

Of course the demo is not CPU overdrive

The first versions were not playable as the hero moved too fast !

Quote

i have 64 * 4 char sprites definitions !

256 sprite defs + 112 characters for the background. That's what MLC allows moving some tables in VDP.
Or if you prefer: 256 chars for the background and 112 for the sprites.

Guillaume.

[moulinaie]

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

Prince of Persia...figures you i thought a lot about a port of this game, and there is no real problem, just need to reduce the quality of animation & graphics to fit in 32ko.

With the large program H.E.R.O. I had to make a smart memory management in MLC:
- lines of BASIC containing the program to be compiled can be removed by blocks as they are compiled: so this frees the memory
- the char definitions are directly sent to their location in VDP ram and removed then (if it's a static definition) to free again memory

The XB program takes more than 17KB and at the end, there are more than 16KB of assembler and data, everything fitting into 24KB..!!

Guillaume.

[rocky007]

sometimes99er, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:28 AM, said:

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:06 AM, said:

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 AM, said:

For me, the biggest problem of TI99 is the limitation of 4 sprites on same line..it's killing many possibilities.

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated.

I see it more like a challenge than a problem. Part of the fun.

I note the different hardware modifications and expansions with interest, but I'd rather stick with the original limitations. - I could expand my TI-99/4A and have a PC as a slave - within a box. Sending a message from the TI telling the PC to run Skyrim, and then slightly convincing myself, that this set is how the TI should have been in the first place. Okay, I took it to an extreme, but you see, I like the limits. Back in the day and still to this day, it's basically only time and imagination that prevents us from further exploring and "pushing the limits" - within the original hardware and in software. Whatever, I guess it's all down to a "what if" for all camps.

i agree totally... i prefer also original hardware for two reasons :

1st :  All Ti99 users don't have special special hardware like CF7 or F18A, so for me, a game must run on stock Ti99.
2nd : the pleasure the see discover something pushing the limit.  When i discovered Pitfall on TI99, i was felt like 8 years old little child in supermarket  discovering a new game  for TI99.

for sure, i'm also very impatient to see the future "F18A" only game & applications...

[rocky007]

Tursi, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:45 AM, said:

ti99userclub, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:06 AM, said:

Yes, 4 sprite on same line is a big limitation, with F18A this problem should be eliminated.
if i remember good there was a software add-on in XB named "The Missing Link" that help about the 4 sprite on same line limitation and give up a lot of other functions... maybe i wrong ?

Nah, Missing Link didn't help with sprites, it gave you bitmapped graphics in XB (the enhanced sprite commands let you move multiple sprites as a single block and such)

But you have the speed now... maybe you can just implement a flicker routine? How does MLC handle the sprite table?

HERO hopefully don't need flicker routine...ok, some sprite have less colors than the coleco version... but i think it's better to have less color but not flicking everytime.  the man to rescue is only 1 color instead of 2 so it's really shocking.....

[sometimes99er]

rocky007, on Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:05 AM, said:

HERO hopefully don't need flicker routine...ok, some sprite have less colors than the coleco version... but i think it's better to have less color but not flicking everytime.  the man to rescue is only 1 color instead of 2 so it's really shocking.....

"Stacking" of sprites can make a man or butterfly have more/many colors. No surprise there.

Now if you limit the use of colors to one per scanline, then the hole construction (the man or a butterfly made up of many sprites) only occupies 1 sprite of the 4 available (correct me if I'm wrong). A "trick" that should not be forgotten. Doesn't the MSX/Coleco version in fact utilise just that ?

The first object uses 1 sprite. The second and third uses 2 sprites, but only occupy 1 sprite of the 4 available on a scanline. The last uses 2 sprites, and occupy 2 sprites on most scanlines of the 4 available.



EDIT: NOT SO !

Edited by sometimes99er, Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:12 PM.

[rocky007]

i did'nt knew this...it's really interesting.