shawnb Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 on the fourth cavern- the desent down never ends-you never land on the bomb and escape from the cavern. is that how it is suppose to be, or is that some kind of bug? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LS650 Posted December 27, 2005 Share Posted December 27, 2005 A different Caverns of Mars question: I've never played the original 8-bit CoM game. How similar is the FB2 game to the 8-bit version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+johnnywc Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 on the fourth cavern- the desent down never ends-you never land on the bomb and escape from the cavern. is that how it is suppose to be, or is that some kind of bug? thanks 989678[/snapback] In the 800 version, this does not happen, so I can only assume this is a bug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+johnnywc Posted December 28, 2005 Share Posted December 28, 2005 A different Caverns of Mars question:I've never played the original 8-bit CoM game. How similar is the FB2 game to the 8-bit version? 989832[/snapback] Gameplay-wise, the versions are similar. The FB2 version has 3 of the 5 levels (the space mine and maze level are not there). The 3rd level (laser gates) plays a bit different in that you can shoot the laser gates in the FB2 version; on the 800 version, you must avoid them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 A different Caverns of Mars question:I've never played the original 8-bit CoM game. How similar is the FB2 game to the 8-bit version? The computer version doesn't suck. Look at that. It's the original computer version. That display could have been almost perfectly reproduced on the 2600 with only minor loss of color and horizontal resolution on the cavern walls. After all, it's basically just upside-down River Raid. But instead we got this ugly, flickering botch job. Curt should have axed 2600 CoM the moment he saw how it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 and replaced it with what? There's an old saying, somethings are worth the wait... I've had an exceptionally talented individual working on a replacement CoM game, will show you the screenshots tomorrow. Another programmer has been very hard at work on Yars' Return and some other games are being worked on. If the licensing deal is officially signed, this summer everyone will see a new line of LCD and CRT TV's containing the Flashback 2 console built in with updated FB2 new release games as well as some other new titles... Curt A different Caverns of Mars question:I've never played the original 8-bit CoM game. How similar is the FB2 game to the 8-bit version? The computer version doesn't suck. Look at that. It's the original computer version. That display could have been almost perfectly reproduced on the 2600 with only minor loss of color and horizontal resolution on the cavern walls. After all, it's basically just upside-down River Raid. But instead we got this ugly, flickering botch job. Curt should have axed 2600 CoM the moment he saw how it turned out. 994082[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I've had an exceptionally talented individual working on a replacement CoM game, will show you the screenshots tomorrow. Another programmer has been very hard at work on Yars' Return and some other games are being worked on. Now this is encouraging news! Can't wait to see what they've come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnb Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 i like caverns of mars on the fb2-i just didnt know if the 4rth level was supposed to do that.i ordered it for the 800xl the other day so ill check it out when it arrives. i also like yars return- i play it quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 i like caverns of mars on the fb2-i just didnt know if the 4rth level was supposed to do that.i ordered it for the 800xl the other day so ill check it out when it arrives. i also like yars return- i play it quite a bit. 994447[/snapback] Having Caverns of Mars on the Flashback was a nice tip of the hat to the talk of how Caverns of Mars was supposed to be ported for the computer add-on module for the Atari 2600. On the Atari 800 the game rocks. On the Flashback, it is a shadow of the 800 game. But then, the Atari 800 simply rocked as a computer, so this is understandable. You'll love the computer game. I think that, Miner 2049er, & Choplifter were my introduction to the Atari 800. I simply fell in love with how fun those games were and haven't been the same since. (I think that was about 1982 or so) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LS650 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Another programmer has been very hard at work on Yars' Return and some other games are being worked on. Sounds great. I understand not being able to use non-Atari games like Space Invaders or Pacman, but I was a bit surprised there weren't more of the "Atari legacy" games. I would have thought that sports games like basketball, football, etc. wouldn't need copyright permissions... If the licensing deal is officially signed, this summer everyone will see a new line of LCD and CRT TV's containing the Flashback 2 console built in with updated FB2 new release games as well as some other new titles... Does that mean we might be able to buy an "Atari brand" TV, that functions like a regular TV set but has 2600 system and games built-in as a bonus..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 New Title Screen: First Level Descent: Second Level Wave: Third Level Descent: Activate Bomb: Ending Screen with Score: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi there! Wow, looking good! The programer of this must be a real champ! Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctorclu Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi there! Wow, looking good! The programer of this must be a real champ! Greetings, Manuel 994498[/snapback] Looks very good! Ok, now I'm mad that the Flashback 2 version is such crap. (I passed it off as the 2600 "doing the best it can") Oh well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 (edited) Wow. That... is bloody awesome. Great attention to detail, right down to the faux GRAPHICS 2 text on the score screen. How the heck did the programmer manage a nonreflected playfield with midscreen sprite repositioning? I didn't think that was even technically possible. Edited January 5, 2006 by ZylonBane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 How the heck did the programmer manage a nonreflected playfield with midscreen sprite repositioning? I didn't think that was even technically possible. And no HMOVE lines either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vdub_bobby Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 (edited) Looks to me like: Reflected PF PF0 contains %11100000 or something similar at all times (which "hides" the HMOVE lines and cuts down on the processing time to write the asym PF). [EDIT: This is incorrect, I counted the pixels. PF0 contains $F0 at all times. So the lack of HMOVE lines is...interesting. Possibly: HMOVE hit at cycle ~73, which may be what is happening. This would only allow left-ward movements, though (without >8 scanlines between objects). Or this could be screenshots from hardware that doesn't display HMOVE lines. ] PF1 and PF2 are asymmetrical Repositioning sprites during asym PF display is pretty impressive, my guess is that it's hitting HMOVE on every line and it uses that to move the sprites during the kernel, loading HMPx values from a table. The impressive thing to me is the screens where the PF color is being changed midscreen, you can tell on the "Activate Bomb" screen especially*. That looks like a completely different kernel, with no asym PF but midscreen COLUPF changes. *You can see that it isn't possible to get a symmetrical PF color change; on the right the color change comes 1 color clock too late. Still looks good, though! EDIT: I've had an exceptionally talented individual working on a replacement CoM game Wow, looking good! The programer of this must be a real champ! And no HMOVE lines either Will this masked man be revealed? Edited January 5, 2006 by vdub_bobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Will these updated games be going in the FB2 Rev C, or the FB3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atwwong Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 EDIT: I've had an exceptionally talented individual working on a replacement CoM game Wow, looking good! The programer of this must be a real champ! And no HMOVE lines either Will this masked man be revealed? 994567[/snapback] Hmmm... Is he behind door number 1, 2, or 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Possibly: HMOVE hit at cycle ~73, which may be what is happening. This would only allow left-ward movements, though (without >8 scanlines between objects). Or this could be screenshots from hardware that doesn't display HMOVE lines. ] I can assure you the FB2 is not hiding the HMOVE lines here. I'll leave the magic explanation to "Programmer X". Also, just to be clear, there is no flicker in this game. Hmmm... Is he behind door number 1, 2, or 3 So far "Programmer X" has not surfaced on this subject. Curt has him locked in the basement coding in 6502ASM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Like someone previously mentioned, the mystery coder is a real champ when it comes to programming :-) Curt Possibly: HMOVE hit at cycle ~73, which may be what is happening. This would only allow left-ward movements, though (without >8 scanlines between objects). Or this could be screenshots from hardware that doesn't display HMOVE lines. ] I can assure you the FB2 is not hiding the HMOVE lines here. I'll leave the magic explanation to "Programmer X". Also, just to be clear, there is no flicker in this game. Hmmm... Is he behind door number 1, 2, or 3 So far "Programmer X" has not surfaced on this subject. Curt has him locked in the basement coding in 6502ASM 994996[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 How the heck did the programmer manage a nonreflected playfield with midscreen sprite repositioning? I didn't think that was even technically possible. 994517[/snapback] What's the difficulty? There's plenty of time within the drawing of the playfield to stick in a RESPx. Simply use five different versions of the 'draw a scanline' code with RESPx around positions 0, 32, 64, 96, 128, and then use HMOVEs on the next two scanlines to nudge the sprite to its proper place. Changing color registers mid-scan-line is nice, but again nothing particularly magical. Save Mary changes COLUPF and COLUP1 twice per line; Strat-O-Gems writes COLUP0 and COLUP1 three times per line. BTW, I wonder if Atari needs a new Lunar Lander? My LL demo might become something interesting given 16K and a Superchip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+batari Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Will this masked man be revealed? 994567[/snapback] ... disguised as Bob Montgomery, mild-mannered programmer ... Might as well take off the glasses, Bob, you're not fooling anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feralstorm Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 At least visually, especially is there's no flicker as claimed, it's two metric tons of improvement. Gotta keep my eyes open for whichever Flashback model gets the updated game(s) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 This is the real deal. It's too bad it couldn't have come out this way to begin with. I do wonder what kind of PR this creates for the 2600 to have the compromised titles on FB2. I'm concerned that the general public could very well just blame the flickering on the 2600 itself and lose their nostalgia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+LS650 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I do wonder what kind of PR this creates for the 2600 to have the compromised titles on FB2. I'm concerned that the general public could very well just blame the flickering on the 2600 itself and lose their nostalgia. Oh brother... The "general public" doesn't have a clue. I've shown my FB2.0 to several members of the "general public", and the response has been along the lines of "Oh wow, that's so-o-o cool!" Certainly no one said "look at all the flickering in Caverns of Mars - forget that man! I've lost my nostalgia!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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