Planet Bob

SWCHB, bit 4 is used to switch between different scanline numbers.

It has 290 scanlines in attract mode, but now I'm wondering if it's not bad programming, but instead the second RIOT's timers are being used and returning improper values?

 

I'll have a look into this tonight, your quick job on a Stella version sure is a big motivation to work on the code!

 

So, right now the next big milestone seems to be getting completely rid of the second Riot. A smaller milestone on the way getting there seems to be analysing/removing all code dealing with coins.

 

I think I'll try getting SWCHA usage straight for a first task. It seems the Arcade has the paddle trigger layout different from the 2600 and hardwiring all other usage to defaults probably makes not only sense, but should also significantly shrink the ROM usage.

 

Anyone objecting against hardwiring these settings:

 

Replay Level: 400 points

Language: English

Coinage: Mode H

 

I assume "Replay Level" effectivly just means "Extra Live At".

 

"Coinage" is still dubious. But we'll try getting rid of it anyway, so removing the code might be more effective than analysing it

So, right now the next big milestone seems to be getting completely rid of the second Riot. A smaller milestone on the way getting there seems to be analysing/removing all code dealing with coins.

I just did send you my latest disassembly.

 

I assume "Replay Level" effectivly just means "Extra Live At".

I suppose it means "Extra Credits At". Not sure if we should keep it at all.

 

"Coinage" is still dubious. But we'll try getting rid of it anyway, so removing the code might be more effective than analysing it

The coinage defines how many credits you get for a coin.

I just did send you my latest disassembly.

 

Cool, added!

 

I assume "Replay Level" effectivly just means "Extra Live At".

I suppose it means "Extra Credits At". Not sure if we should keep it at all.

 

If you're right, remove it. If I'm right, keep it

 

The coinage defines how many credits you get for a coin.

 

I meant more like what differences the various modes make. But I found the documentation:

http://www.arcadedocs.com/vidmanuals/T/TournamentTable.pdf (Warning: 8MB!)

 

See pages 17/18 for the modes. All useless for the 2600, so let's just remove it completely.

Thanks for the manual.

 

It seems that $0500 is the 8 dip switch and the lower bits of SWCHA handle the 4 dip switch.

The two branches at L0801 and L1901 seem to determine wether the game is running in the service mode that batari is experiencing. I just wonder why he sees it tough, because it should be high active and he said he's returning zeros. Or doesn't that work for BIT?

So, I attached source + binary that IMO should have the service mode completely removed.

 

That frees almost 2 pages of ROM already, but I can't make assumptions on wether this broke the display kernel or the positioning code now.

 

I tagged all changed passages with MR, if someone wants to verify it

 

It sure should have an impact on what you're getting to see batari?

The two branches at L0801 and L1901 seem to determine wether the game is running in the service mode that batari is experiencing. I just wonder why he sees it tough, because it should be high active and he said he's returning zeros. Or doesn't that work for BIT?

I did manage to get out of service mode with the old binary when I coded the second RIOT to correctly return zeros. Regardless, the new binary works as well. I still can't play though...

 

I'm trying to build the Stella hack with Visual C++ so others can use it, but it's giving me lots of grief Maybe I'll try again later today.

Regardless, the new binary works as well. I still can't play though...

 

Thanks for confirming

 

Things it should possibly already do now are:

 

- Register a coin insert on RESET

- Eventually tilt(reset?) on SELECT

- Cycle through the game variants with one of the difficulty switches.

- Register a coin insert on RESET

Why care for coins at all?

I'm just describing what the binary should do right now. I'll try removing all coin code next

Regardless, the new binary works as well. I still can't play though...

 

Thanks for confirming

 

Things it should possibly already do now are:

 

- Register a coin insert on RESET

- Eventually tilt(reset?) on SELECT

- Cycle through the game variants with one of the difficulty switches.

I couldn't get either to work, even though it seems like they should

 

Anyway, after hours of aggravation, I finally built my Stella hack for Windows. It might be screwy, as I had to change s few source files just to get it to build, but it does seem to run TT, more or less. The bottom of the screen is cut off, so you need to change the display height to 240 lines in the game properties->display dialog.

 

Here's a link to the Stella hack:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...ach&id=1992

I'm a bit out of the loop of recent Stella development, but does it really require the .Net framework nowadays?

I'm a bit out of the loop of recent Stella development, but does it really require the .Net framework nowadays?

I'd say maybe. Stella comes with a .vcproj file in the Win32 directory, so Visual C++ is probably the easiest way. However, I suppose it's possible that Stella might build under Cygwin using the UNIX configuration files. I wasn't brave enough to try that

A well, got it running without installing .NET, by throwing a couple of "missing" DLLs from dubious sources into the directory :D

 

Ok, I attached a new version, that removes the language dependency. Only string I kept is "Game Over", since the 2600 version don't needs the "Credits" Tag either.

 

I also identified the Credits variable and already disabled all code that would increase or decrease it.

 

I have two problems right now:

 

1. I tried a few things to get the game running, but whenever I got it running, it would flicker between the game and the status screen.

 

2. SELECT _should_ work I think. I don't get why it doesn't.

 

Any help on these two subjects would be cool

A well, got it running without installing .NET, by throwing a couple of "missing" DLLs from dubious sources into the directory :D

 

Ok, I attached a new version, that removes the language dependency. Only string I kept is "Game Over", since the 2600 version don't needs the "Credits" Tag either.

 

I also identified the Credits variable and already disabled all code that would increase or decrease it.

 

I have two problems right now:

 

1. I tried a few things to get the game running, but whenever I got it running, it would flicker between the game and the status screen.

 

2. SELECT _should_ work I think. I don't get why it doesn't.

 

Any help on these two subjects would be cool

Oh, I misunderstood what you meant about .NET. It didn't occur to me that Stella would need extra DLLs.

 

The new binary works much the same as the old for me, though it's now dropped to 270 scanlines Also, I can't get the game running at all. What did you do?

 

Anyway, one thing I noticed that might be important is that there is a STA $0516 in the code, which I think is the second RIOT's TIM64T.

The new binary works much the same as the old for me, though it's now dropped to 270 scanlines Also, I can't get the game running at all. What did you do?

 

Oh, in the emulator it looks all the same still. I tried a few things to get it running, but didn't find the proper solution yet.

 

The scanline thing is interesting, I couldn't think of a change of mine having that effect. Unless it came just from page faults, because stuff got moved around.

 

Anyway, one thing I noticed that might be important is that there is a STA $0516 in the code, which I think is the second RIOT's TIM64T.

 

Oha... I hope the code doesn't rely on two different timers at the same time

Added TJs next iteration of his reverse-engineering. Top Stuff!

Would the game have been wired to allow the screen to be drawn in reverse order

 

Plain software solution, it is programmed to swap sides for paddle and bricks.

I just attached another reverse-engineering update from TJ!

Did this ever get completely converted to work on the 2600?

I don't think so. You want to continue where the others dropped the ball?