PArsec for 2600

[+hloberg]

been asked by some people to post an update on my progress of a TI-99 Parsec for the 2600. I'm programming it in multi-sprite kernel. started with DPC+ but kept running into problems. probably because i was trying to do too much at once. my revisit the DPC version later.

What I have below is the urbite, dramite module. single attack ships. it's really not too finished and if anyone has some suggestions, feel free.

no, the ground does not move, too many cycles for that.

changes from the TI-99 version, timer instead of re-fuel cave (no scrolling ground) and overheat your laser does not blow up your ship you just have to wait till the laser cools to shot again. (I always hated that feature in the game. I mean really, who would build a ship to blow up if your over heat your laser).

I working on the meteor module, swooper module and the backwards ship module to but they are very unfinshed. will have each module in a separate bank when doneX2.basX2.bas.bin.

[+Gemintronic]

My ship got shot up before I could figure out what was happening. Also, I thought that the game froze up since the reset button didn't do anything. I realize this is a very early demonstration. Major points for venturing into the old multi-sprite kernel.

[+hloberg]

My ship got shot up before I could figure out what was happening. Also, I thought that the game froze up since the reset button didn't do anything. I realize this is a very early demonstration. Major points for venturing into the old multi-sprite kernel.

thanks for the comments. the bad-guy is a bit over zealous for sure. I was worried that the game wouldn't be tough enough. found that it's a very fine balance between you just sit there blowing the enemy away without him shooting and him firing so fast that you never get a shot.

One thing I didn't mention that may had you think it locked up. you get 3 shots then your ship turns red cause the laser over heats. you have to wait till the ship turns back to green to shot again. I'm working on making this more variable with more shots in lower levels. the real TI-99 laser over heat at higher levels was awful.you would get 2 quick shots then your laser would over heat and the ship would blow up. add to that the ships moved at an ungodly speed and I never got above the 5th level (although some people have essentially rolled the game over).

I will dial it down when I do the levels. haven't set the reset yet. actually hadn't thought about thanks.

next post will be with levels.

Edited January 1, 2017 by hloberg

[Yosikuma]

Man, this brought back some memories. My first computer was a TI and I immediately recognised the enemy ship!!

[SoftTango]

I had a thread on here a while ago about my remake. I did a little "digital archaeology" and found some speech that was in the ROM but never used:

 

"Laser Overheated " : http://picosong.com/hHDT/

 

Then after I got the source code, I found several more bits of speech data that were in the source code but commented out (therefore never made it to the ROM).

 

So I reconstructed the binary LPC speech data from the text of the source code and a hitherto lost bit of speech came back to life - "Game Over" : http://picosong.com/hrng/

 

Pity you won't have the scrolling ground... Parsec without the fuel tunnels won't be quite the same...

 

What about if the ground scrolls only for refueling? Nothing else to animate at that time?

[+hloberg]

Man, this brought back some memories. My first computer was a TI and I immediately recognised the enemy ship!!

the highest of complements!

[+hloberg]

I had a thread on here a while ago about my remake. I did a little "digital archaeology" and found some speech that was in the ROM but never used:

 

"Laser Overheated " : http://picosong.com/hHDT/

 

Then after I got the source code, I found several more bits of speech data that were in the source code but commented out (therefore never made it to the ROM).

 

So I reconstructed the binary LPC speech data from the text of the source code and a hitherto lost bit of speech came back to life - "Game Over" : http://picosong.com/hrng/

 

Pity you won't have the scrolling ground... Parsec without the fuel tunnels won't be quite the same...

 

What about if the ground scrolls only for refueling? Nothing else to animate at that time?

cool on finding more speech. i wonder why they clipped it?

on the 2600 the way the multisprite kernal works is that the left of the playfield is mirrored to the right. so scrolling is impossible. I had it just pop-up but it just didn't look right to me.

I have a DPC+ kernel version I started that DID have scrolling ground but it had other issues that made me give it up for now. I might revisit the DPC+ kernel after I get this version going. I could do a much closer version but it's more complex to work with.

for those not in the know, bAtari has different kernels with different capabilities. The basic kernel, the multisprite (that I'm using) and the co-processor assisted DPC+ (and I think some other kernels?) here is a description of the DPC+ http://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#dpcplus

attached is the DPC+ version with scrolling ground, smaller multicolor ships. issues i still have is with firing and collisions.

 

C-1E-DLC-p2600.bas.binC-1E-DLC-p2600.bas

[SoftTango]

My guess is that they removed the speech due to lack of space. Also, it was supposed to be the ship speaking to you. I guess if it was destroyed, it couldn't say "Game Over"

 

If you search on here, the Parsec source code is published. This might have some useful info in there for you.. You could also extract the sprite paths for the alien attack patterns from here.

 

Collisions were a real pain for me too. The problem is, on iOS of course it's a 3D graphics chip not a classic bitmap 2D screen like the old 8 and 16 bit micros. I ended up doing it using an in-memory bit-plain that had the ground and ship on and moved in conjuction with the on-screen versions and then collision detection was 100% pixel-perfect. Also this meant ensuring everything on-screen only moved in whole TI sized pixels, which is the authentic look I wanted anyway.

 

What would I need to use the BAS and BIN files you attached?

Edited January 4, 2017 by SoftTango

[Mountain King]

I remember playing this at a fiends house when I was a kid. I hated the TI-99 joystick so I didn't do very well. The game definitely needs to scroll to give it life. I hope you keep up with this project. It's a good start.

[+hloberg]

My guess is that they removed the speech due to lack of space. Also, it was supposed to be the ship speaking to you. I guess if it was destroyed, it couldn't say "Game Over"

 

If you search on here, the Parsec source code is published. This might have some useful info in there for you.. You could also extract the sprite paths for the alien attack patterns from here.

 

Collisions were a real pain for me too. The problem is, on iOS of course it's a 3D graphics chip not a classic bitmap 2D screen like the old 8 and 16 bit micros. I ended up doing it using an in-memory bit-plain that had the ground and ship on and moved in conjuction with the on-screen versions and then collision detection was 100% pixel-perfect. Also this meant ensuring everything on-screen only moved in whole TI sized pixels, which is the authentic look I wanted anyway.

 

What would I need to use the BAS and BIN files you attached?

make sense about the voice. still nice to see easter eggs in code like that.

to play the .bin just download Stella 2600 emulator. to look at the code or modify it you will have to download the bAtari package (see 1st thread on how to setup bAtari with VisualB).

Note: well, I was going to try and upload my bAtari dir but for some reason it won't upload. Might be I doing this at a coffee shop and bandwidth is limited. Will try later.

[+hloberg]

I remember playing this at a fiends house when I was a kid. I hated the TI-99 joystick so I didn't do very well. The game definitely needs to scroll to give it life. I hope you keep up with this project. It's a good start.

OMG! don't get me started about the TI-99/4a joysticks. I have theorized that the designer of the TI joystick was a masochist who really, really hated children. Those were the WORST joysticks I ever used. They were actually painful to use. the beveled edge dug into your hand after prolonged use. Plus, they were very inaccurate and the internals were just two metalized pieces of tape that wore out in no time flat. As soon as I discovered you could make an adapter to use an Atari joysticks on the TI I put those torture devices in the back of a filing cabinet in a unused lavatory in a basement with no light with a sign marked 'beware of Leopard' on the door and never used them again.

[+hloberg]

My guess is that they removed the speech due to lack of space. Also, it was supposed to be the ship speaking to you. I guess if it was destroyed, it couldn't say "Game Over"

 

If you search on here, the Parsec source code is published. This might have some useful info in there for you.. You could also extract the sprite paths for the alien attack patterns from here.

 

Collisions were a real pain for me too. The problem is, on iOS of course it's a 3D graphics chip not a classic bitmap 2D screen like the old 8 and 16 bit micros. I ended up doing it using an in-memory bit-plain that had the ground and ship on and moved in conjuction with the on-screen versions and then collision detection was 100% pixel-perfect. Also this meant ensuring everything on-screen only moved in whole TI sized pixels, which is the authentic look I wanted anyway.

 

What would I need to use the BAS and BIN files you attached?

 

OMG! don't get me started about the TI-99/4a joysticks. I have theorized that the designer of the TI joystick was a masochist who really, really hated children. Those were the WORST joysticks I ever used. They were actually painful to use. the beveled edge dug into your hand after prolonged use. Plus, they were very inaccurate and the internals were just two metalized pieces of tape that wore out in no time flat. As soon as I discovered you could make an adapter to use an Atari joysticks on the TI I put those torture devices in the back of a filing cabinet in a unused lavatory in a basement with no light with a sign marked 'beware of Leopard' on the door and never used them again.

 

make sense about the voice. still nice to see easter eggs in code like that.

to play the .bin just download Stella 2600 emulator. to look at the code or modify it you will have to download the bAtari package (see 1st thread on how to setup bAtari with VisualB).

Note: well, I was going to try and upload my bAtari dir but for some reason it won't upload. Might be I doing this at a coffee shop and bandwidth is limited. Will try later.

sent you (softtango) my BA dir to simply setup. also just noticed you said you were on Atariage a while back so ignore welcome note.

[Omega-TI]

For those of us without Atari 2600's, it would sure be nice to see a few screen shots so we can see and follow along. As an avid TI'er I'd like to see what you have so far.

[+hloberg]

For those of us without Atari 2600's, it would sure be nice to see a few screen shots so we can see and follow along. As an avid TI'er I'd like to see what you have so far.

good suggestion, will do.

[+hloberg]

Just a reminder to all, soft tango has a Iphone version of Parsec. I don't have an iphone but I'm sure it's good. check it out.

soft tango, ever thought about an Andriod version? (java supports 2D, from what I remember).

[+hloberg]

1st attempt at posting pics of the game. will post more later.

remember, I'm shoehorning a V-8 into a Pinto doing Parsec on the 2600.

Also, the DPC version ground scrolls (wish I knew how to do animated gifs).

Edited January 4, 2017 by hloberg

[Omega-TI]

(wish I knew how to do animated gifs).

If you can PM me with about 15 seconds of video (no camera shake) I'll make you one.

[+Lewis2907]

Hloberg,

 

I fixed your DPC+ code it works now. I moved a few things around and added the bank 4-6 and the DPC drawscreen. I hope you can finish the DPC+ version. I like DPC over the other kernels personally. I did learn a new trick from you on moving the playfield with on and off and the internal counter for 32 the width of the playfield. That will help with the "The Quest" I am working on. Hope this helps, thanks.

C-1E-DLC.txt

C-1E-DLC-p2600.bas.bin

[+hloberg]

Hloberg,

 

I fixed your DPC+ code it works now. I moved a few things around and added the bank 4-6 and the DPC drawscreen. I hope you can finish the DPC+ version. I like DPC over the other kernels personally. I did learn a new trick from you on moving the playfield with on and off and the internal counter for 32 the width of the playfield. That will help with the "The Quest" I am working on. Hope this helps, thanks.

Oh, wow! I check into it after work and let you know. the reason I gave up the DPC+ was all the glitches I kept running in to, thanks.

might be asking you a few questions, if you don't mind.

[+hloberg]

If you can PM me with about 15 seconds of video (no camera shake) I'll make you one.

thanks for the offer, I really should learn how to make animated GIFs so I'm going to try and make some myself just been lazy. But, I may be posting you a question if I run into some issues, if you don't mind.

[+Lewis2907]

Oh, wow! I check into it after work and let you know. the reason I gave up the DPC+ was all the glitches I kept running in to, thanks.

might be asking you a few questions, if you don't mind.

I will try my best but the others like RT, Bogax, Mountain King, RevEng and the other code I found here in the forum is what got me going for DPC. I have only been using Bb since Nov 2015.

[+hloberg]

I will try my best but the others like RT, Bogax, Mountain King, RevEng and the other code I found here in the forum is what got me going for DPC. I have only been using Bb since Nov 2015.

thanks. I'll talk to them too. Or I'll just post the question. I have started to implement some of the fixes, thanks. And I'll pursue the DPC version since more people seem to like it.

[+hloberg]

Since I am almost finished with the multi-sprite version I'm going to finish it and give it away for free. then I'm going to pursue the DPC+ version to be a more exact replica of the TI Parsec. If it's good enough, then I'll put it to cartridge, else, I'll give it away free too.

[SoftTango]

Just a reminder to all, soft tango has a Iphone version of Parsec. I don't have an iphone but I'm sure it's good. check it out.

soft tango, ever thought about an Andriod version? (java supports 2D, from what I remember).

 

I'd love to do an Android version

 

Time is against me at the moment, as can happen to us hobbyist programmers... If anyone wants to volunteer I'd be glad to impart what I've learned plus all the assets etc...

[+hloberg]

Changed my mind, going straight to the DPC+ version and not finish the multisprite.

QUESTION:

When my Player0 fires it's missile0 along the X axis, I can only see the missile when the player is at the same X axis as the missile. The missile0 will vanish when I move the Player0 up or down but collision will still work for the invisible missile0.

attached is code:

 

UPDATE: fixed the problem.

I never gave the missile0 an initial color so the m0 just took the color of the player0 while on the same line then defaulted to black otherwise.

COLUM0 = $FE : COLUM1 = $AC

added and problem fixed. Pays to read the manual more closely.

Edited January 19, 2017 by hloberg