EricBall's Tech Projects

I really like how the numbers look (8x8 font ripped from the WinXP Command Prompt), although I didn't realize that they'd look so huge in comparison with the grid & sprites. I have the full A-Z,0-9 for doing the end of level scoring and maybe even a high score table. But first I need to get the level timer working normally and add in the rest of the game-state logic. I've also been spending time working on the web-based level editor. I'm hoping to announce that RSN.

I really like how the numbers look (8x8 font ripped from the WinXP Command Prompt), although I didn't realize that they'd look so huge in comparison with the grid & sprites.

 

They do look a little large, IMHO. The rest of the screen "feels" more like a 40-column game. I wonder how smaller score digits would look?

They do look a little large, IMHO. The rest of the screen "feels" more like a 40-column game. I wonder how smaller score digits would look?

The problem is I can't make the digits any smaller. (Well, I could make them shorter, but I'm not sure that would be any better.) i'm using the classic six-sprite/48 pixel routine. So each digit is one 8 bit sprite. Even if I make them narrower, the spacing will remain the same. So I'm kinda stuck with what I have.

If you want to, you can use the score font from Crazy Balloon, it's significantly thinner.

If you want to, you can use the score font from Crazy Balloon, it's significantly thinner.

Thanks for the offer. Looking at the Crazy Balloon screenshots, I suspect your font would have the same issue - namely the digits are almost 8 pixels wide while the player sprites are only 4 pixels wide.

True yes. It just wouldn't look so dominating

Why don't you use a 4-pixel-wide font?

Why don't you use a 4-pixel-wide font?

space & speed (what other reason is there on the 2600?)

 

With the current configuration I can easily map each digit to an address pointer, then use the standard 6 character routine & (zp),y to display the time (or score, or text labels).

 

Going away from that I'd either need to have a massive ROM table for all 2 digit possibilities (although it would map nicely to my BCD storage), or generate the digits in SC-RAM as a 48 pixel bitmap. And I've learned my lesson with SC-RAM and blits - takes too much time.

 

Maybe once everything else gets done and I still have ROM space, I'll revisit the possibility.

Why don't you use a 4-pixel-wide font?

space & speed (what other reason is there on the 2600?)

 

With the current configuration I can easily map each digit to an address pointer, then use the standard 6 character routine & (zp),y to display the time (or score, or text labels).

 

Going away from that I'd either need to have a massive ROM table for all 2 digit possibilities (although it would map nicely to my BCD storage), or generate the digits in SC-RAM as a 48 pixel bitmap. And I've learned my lesson with SC-RAM and blits - takes too much time.

 

Maybe once everything else gets done and I still have ROM space, I'll revisit the possibility.

Makes sense. I assume you are out of ZP RAM?

 

But...I just realized - if you want only a 6-digit display then you only need a 24 pixel bitmap. Probably still too much SC RAM to modify (Or? Only about 15 bytes.) so...

 

Another possibility would be to have two copies of the score font, for left-side and right-side numbers, and then OR them together. Since you only need to write to GRPx three times (for six digits, 24 pixels) you could probably still do it with (),Y addressing:

   lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP0;+13
  lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP1;+13
  lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP0;+13

Another possibility would be to have two copies of the score font, for left-side and right-side numbers, and then OR them together. Since you only need to write to GRPx three times (for six digits, 24 pixels) you could probably still do it with (),Y addressing:

   lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP0;+13
  lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP1;+13
  lda (),Y
  ora (),Y
  sta GRP0;+13

 

Bob Whitehead generated nine little digits on each scan line almost 30 years ago in a 2K cart

Bob Whitehead generated nine little digits on each scan line almost 30 years ago in a 2K cart

Is that an insult?

Bob Whitehead generated nine little digits on each scan line almost 30 years ago in a 2K cart

Is that an insult?

 

Merely a statement that generating a 6- or even 8-digit score display using little digits should be doable without needing too much space.

Stupid question, but where is the current release? I could only find a bin from Jan 8.

 

Thanks,

 

vern

Use the level creator http://ericball.atariage.com/lepedit.html