NTSC Color Constants and Instant PAL-60 Conversion

[+Random Terrain]

The main reason to use NTSC color constants is so you can quickly and easily swap them out for PAL colors. Some people might do what I do and select colors that go best together from the Color Compatibility Tool that works on a real Atari 2600 or the free online Atari 2600 Color Compatibility Tool on my web site. I just click until I find the color I want and look at the number that is displayed. If I would use constant names such as amaranthine, azure, beryl, bisque, carmine, celeste, chartreuse, fuchsia, malachite, mauve, obsidian, periwinkle, puce, taupe, teal, titian, and vermilion, it would take longer for me to find the name of the color in the const list than just simply using the number. Below is an NTSC const list and a PAL const list that you can swap out when you want to make a PAL-60 version of your NTSC game.

   ;****************************************************************
   ;
   ;  NTSC colors. Use these constants so you can quickly and
   ;  easily swap them out for PAL-60 colors.
   ;
   const _00 = $00
   const _02 = $02
   const _04 = $04
   const _06 = $06
   const _08 = $08
   const _0A = $0A
   const _0C = $0C
   const _0E = $0E
   const _10 = $10
   const _12 = $12
   const _14 = $14
   const _16 = $16
   const _18 = $18
   const _1A = $1A
   const _1C = $1C
   const _1E = $1E
   const _20 = $20
   const _22 = $22
   const _24 = $24
   const _26 = $26
   const _28 = $28
   const _2A = $2A
   const _2C = $2C
   const _2E = $2E
   const _30 = $30
   const _32 = $32
   const _34 = $34
   const _36 = $36
   const _38 = $38
   const _3A = $3A
   const _3C = $3C
   const _3E = $3E
   const _40 = $40
   const _42 = $42
   const _44 = $44
   const _46 = $46
   const _48 = $48
   const _4A = $4A
   const _4C = $4C
   const _4E = $4E
   const _50 = $50
   const _52 = $52
   const _54 = $54
   const _56 = $56
   const _58 = $58
   const _5A = $5A
   const _5C = $5C
   const _5E = $5E
   const _60 = $60
   const _62 = $62
   const _64 = $64
   const _66 = $66
   const _68 = $68
   const _6A = $6A
   const _6C = $6C
   const _6E = $6E
   const _70 = $70
   const _72 = $72
   const _74 = $74
   const _76 = $76
   const _78 = $78
   const _7A = $7A
   const _7C = $7C
   const _7E = $7E
   const _80 = $80
   const _82 = $82
   const _84 = $84
   const _86 = $86
   const _88 = $88
   const _8A = $8A
   const _8C = $8C
   const _8E = $8E
   const _90 = $90
   const _92 = $92
   const _94 = $94
   const _96 = $96
   const _98 = $98
   const _9A = $9A
   const _9C = $9C
   const _9E = $9E
   const _A0 = $A0
   const _A2 = $A2
   const _A4 = $A4
   const _A6 = $A6
   const _A8 = $A8
   const _AA = $AA
   const _AC = $AC
   const _AE = $AE
   const _B0 = $B0
   const _B2 = $B2
   const _B4 = $B4
   const _B6 = $B6
   const _B8 = $B8
   const _BA = $BA
   const _BC = $BC
   const _BE = $BE
   const _C0 = $C0
   const _C2 = $C2
   const _C4 = $C4
   const _C6 = $C6
   const _C8 = $C8
   const _CA = $CA
   const _CC = $CC
   const _CE = $CE
   const _D0 = $D0
   const _D2 = $D2
   const _D4 = $D4
   const _D6 = $D6
   const _D8 = $D8
   const _DA = $DA
   const _DC = $DC
   const _DE = $DE
   const _E0 = $E0
   const _E2 = $E2
   const _E4 = $E4
   const _E6 = $E6
   const _E8 = $E8
   const _EA = $EA
   const _EC = $EC
   const _EE = $EE
   const _F0 = $F0
   const _F2 = $F2
   const _F4 = $F4
   const _F6 = $F6
   const _F8 = $F8
   const _FA = $FA
   const _FC = $FC
   const _FE = $FE

---

   ;****************************************************************
   ;
   ;  PAL colors. Use this when you want to automatically convert
   ;  your NTSC colors to PAL-60 (if you were already using the
   ;  NTSC constants).
   ;
   const _00 = $00
   const _02 = $02
   const _04 = $04
   const _06 = $06
   const _08 = $08
   const _0A = $0A
   const _0C = $0C
   const _0E = $0E
   const _10 = $20
   const _12 = $22
   const _14 = $24
   const _16 = $26
   const _18 = $28
   const _1A = $2A
   const _1C = $2C
   const _1E = $2E
   const _20 = $20
   const _22 = $22
   const _24 = $24
   const _26 = $26
   const _28 = $28
   const _2A = $2A
   const _2C = $2C
   const _2E = $2E
   const _30 = $40
   const _32 = $42
   const _34 = $44
   const _36 = $46
   const _38 = $48
   const _3A = $4A
   const _3C = $4C
   const _3E = $4E
   const _40 = $60
   const _42 = $62
   const _44 = $64
   const _46 = $66
   const _48 = $68
   const _4A = $6A
   const _4C = $6C
   const _4E = $6E
   const _50 = $80
   const _52 = $82
   const _54 = $84
   const _56 = $86
   const _58 = $88
   const _5A = $8A
   const _5C = $8C
   const _5E = $8E
   const _60 = $A0
   const _62 = $A2
   const _64 = $A4
   const _66 = $A6
   const _68 = $A8
   const _6A = $AA
   const _6C = $AC
   const _6E = $AE
   const _70 = $C0
   const _72 = $C2
   const _74 = $C4
   const _76 = $C6
   const _78 = $C8
   const _7A = $CA
   const _7C = $CC
   const _7E = $CE
   const _80 = $D0
   const _82 = $D2
   const _84 = $D4
   const _86 = $D6
   const _88 = $D8
   const _8A = $DA
   const _8C = $DC
   const _8E = $DE
   const _90 = $B0
   const _92 = $B2
   const _94 = $B4
   const _96 = $B6
   const _98 = $B8
   const _9A = $BA
   const _9C = $BC
   const _9E = $BE
   const _A0 = $90
   const _A2 = $92
   const _A4 = $94
   const _A6 = $96
   const _A8 = $98
   const _AA = $9A
   const _AC = $9C
   const _AE = $9E
   const _B0 = $70
   const _B2 = $72
   const _B4 = $74
   const _B6 = $76
   const _B8 = $78
   const _BA = $7A
   const _BC = $7C
   const _BE = $7E
   const _C0 = $50
   const _C2 = $52
   const _C4 = $54
   const _C6 = $56
   const _C8 = $58
   const _CA = $5A
   const _CC = $5C
   const _CE = $5E
   const _D0 = $30
   const _D2 = $32
   const _D4 = $34
   const _D6 = $36
   const _D8 = $38
   const _DA = $3A
   const _DC = $3C
   const _DE = $3E
   const _E0 = $20
   const _E2 = $22
   const _E4 = $24
   const _E6 = $26
   const _E8 = $28
   const _EA = $2A
   const _EC = $2C
   const _EE = $2E
   const _F0 = $20
   const _F2 = $22
   const _F4 = $24
   const _F6 = $26
   const _F8 = $28
   const _FA = $2A
   const _FC = $2C
   const _FE = $2E

---

I got the PAL colors from the NTSC/PAL Color Conversion Tool.

If you already have NTSC colors in your game without using constants, all you have to do is replace the dollar sign with an underscore, but make sure you only do that to colors, not things like CTRLPF and NUSIZ.

So this:

---

   COLUPF = $2C

---

becomes this:

---

   COLUPF = _2C

---

And this:

---

   player1color:
   $06
   $04
   $08
   $0A
   $0C
end

---

becomes this:

---

   player1color:
   _06
   _04
   _08
   _0A
   _0C
end

---

[jeffry]

Is it possible to have a bataribasic includes file? Seems like include files would be perfect for this...

[+Gemintronic]

I think I confused at least one person in another topic with named color constants like _teal and _fuchsia. But, I think _white is easier to remember than _0E. _purple is easier than _66.

 

I think for people like us with BEX hex color values hardwired into our head this is perfect. I think basic crayon color constant names have a place too. I just overdid it with teal, fuchsia and those others you mentioned.

 

All a matter of style, I guess

[+Random Terrain]

Is it possible to have a bataribasic includes file? Seems like include files would be perfect for this...

 

I guess you could if you can figure it out:

 

randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#includesfile

 

It tells you how to create your own includes file, but I never messed with it.

 

 

 

But, I think _white is easier to remember than _0E. _purple is easier than _66.

I always try to select the perfect color that I need from the free online Atari 2600 Color Compatibility Tool on my web site, so there is no need to try to remember anything. You just click on colors until you find the right one, get the number and go.