PlusCart(+) + SD

[PlusCart(+) + SD]

1 minute ago, Andrew Davie said:

I have yet to ship your cart (sorry) I'm a bit under the pump with no transportation and 3 assignments due Friday.

The good news is it is all ready. The other good news is if you want me to switch to this SD pluscart (guaranteed to work, and with special idiosyncratic "get it working" additions) then you're welcome to swap for the one you had chosen before. Honestly, it's a perfectly functional cartridge with the addition of the SD capability. Your choice.

I believe it's already possible to have an autorun file on the pluscart, that will run on startup.

 

Thank you for the update!

 

Yes, I'd love a switch-er-roo to the SD model.  I'd love to play around with all the features local, PlusCart cloud and SD storage!

[PlusCart(+) + SD]

On 2/11/2021 at 2:39 AM, Andrew Davie said:

..We're currently discussing what actual need/use there is for a SD card on a PlusCart, because most/all use-cases appear to be covered by the Offline ROMs functionality. I happen to think having a SD card also is pretty cool, but there does not seem to be much justification for one. ..

 

I'd love a PlusCart SD that recognizes the ROM name autorun.bin from the SD card and automatically boots the 2600 with it.  This would make the PlusCart a single game with online features.  Maybe fever dreamed concepts like an RPG that queries world data from a server.  Or, LAN party style action games.

[bB:New Tool for creating PF + 48 px title screens (functional WIP)]

5 hours ago, kisrael said:

Is "offline use" an important ability for people? I could emphasize it more in the UI...

I feel I'm in a "friendly rivalry" with all other similar atari dev tools (some of which are windows-only local apps) to make the friendliest and most powerful tools so anything that helps broaden the appeal (and is easy to do) helps!

 

I find that either I'm in a place without Internet or my own service poops itself.  So, I make local copies of web based tools.

 

So, at least try and keep the ability to run locally a thing if you could.  I suspect it would also make it easy to include in someones full IDE just by launching a local copy.

[JagStudio]

On 2/13/2021 at 3:00 PM, Lavalamp said:

Would be nice to have Visual Studio Code integration like the awesome  Atari Dev Studio for 7800 Basic.

 

mksmith was kind enough to entertain my questions about this:

On 2/16/2021 at 9:48 PM, mksmith said:

Hi @Gemintronic! That certainly could be a consideration but previously looking at other languages (compilers and emulators) to include the size of this extension becomes unwieldly big - way bigger than what really is intended.  The ADS core code could definitely be used to start a separate extension if that's something the team is interested in. 

 

So, it's up to the community to figure out how to hack/mod Visual Studio extensions and make a JagStudio specific option.  Unfortunately,  the people who are keen for an integrated IDE are exactly the same people who do not have the skills to take a stab at it..  at least not yet!  Gives me something to aim for.

 

[Atari Dev Studio for Homebrew Development [Release]]

Not sure if this is already a feature.  But, there's a new title screen editor out for Atari 2600 called Splash-O-Matic.  Any chance for integration?

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/318350-bb-new-tool-for-creating-48-pixel-title-screens-functional-wip/#comments

 

I think with the extra built in utilities VisualbB users are used to present they might convert faster to modern, jawesome tools

[bB:New Tool for creating PF + 48 px title screens (functional WIP)]

For those who would like to have access to this wonderful tool even without Internet you're in luck:

 

Download the source and extract the folder to somewhere useful on your hard drive.  Usually you can click on the index.html contained within and your default web browser will pop up with your now local copy of Splash-O-Matic!

 

https://github.com/kirkjerk/splash-o-matic

[PlusCart connect to local NextCloud]

I appreciate the sanity check Andrew Davie!

 

Re-reading the original question I realize it was more complicated than I thought.  Sounds like TNFS is a feature request (which I conflated into not being able to host locally at all.)

[2021 BASIC for Classic Consoles List]

Here is my 2021 list of BASIC-like compilers for consoles.

 

Active indicates a compiler with developers that respond to queries and update their work on a regular basis. Inactive means the project is effectively unmaintained.

 

 

ACTIVE

 

Atari 2600

batariBASIC https://github.com/batari-Basic/batari-Basic/releases

SuperCharger BASIC http://relationalframework.com/Atari2600gamesonline.htm

 

Atari 7800

7800bas http://7800.8bitdev.org/index.php/7800basic

 

Atari Jaguar

JagStudio https://reboot-games.com/jagstudio/

 

Sega Genesis

SecondBASIC Studio https://www.sbasic.net/

 

Intellivision

IntyBASIC https://nanochess.org/intybasic.html

 

 

ABANDONED AND/OR INACTIVE

 

Atari 5200

5200bas ABANDONED (This site has archived copy for download) http://sebastianmihai.com/atari-5200-shooting-gallery.html

 

Gameboy Advance

DragonBASIC INACTIVE https://github.com/uli/dragonbasic

 

Nintendo DS

DS Game Maker (Site that leads to archived copy) https://gbatemp.net/threads/ds-game-maker-free-version-download.429755/

 

Sega Master System

ZX BASIC PORT https://www.smspower.org/forums/12902-ZXBasicForSegaMasterSystem

 

SegaCD

BasiEgaXorz (256k games easy. Full games pretty complicated) http://devster.monkeeh.com/sega/basiegaxorz/

 

Vectrex

Galactic Studios BASIC (Requires Vectrex32 cart available via special request) https://vectrex32.com/

 

Playstation

PSX Chipmunk BASIC (Does not create discs or run on unmodded PSX) https://sourceforge.net/projects/psxbasic/files/

 

 

MULTI SYSTEM

 

NES, Atari 2600, Gameboy – All consoles require assembly and support is incomplete

TRSE https://lemonspawn.com/turbo-rascal-syntax-error-expected-but-begin/downloads/

 

PSP, Playstation 2, Dreamcast, XBOX

BennuGD (Forum link with sub-sections for console ports) https://forum.bennugd.org/index.php/board,80.0.html

[Team Pixelboy News Bulletin - January 1st 2021]

What's the status of BasicVision?   I try to keep a list of BASIC or BASIC-like compilers for consoles.  Thought I should ask as it has been awhile.

 

UPDATE:  Answered.  Thank you for the scoop!

[PlusCart connect to local NextCloud]

I thought there was the capability to set up your own nextCloud for local use.  Could have sworn I read Andrew Davie saying it was a thing people could do.

 

Not complaining.  Just confused.  I too would really, really like to use this locally as well as participate in the PlusCart cloud.

[Score, variables and mathematics question]

You can think of the CPU as an artist with a small set of crayons labeled player0, player1, missile0, missile1, ball and playfield.  The artist can only draw by dragging a crayon line by line across the paper.  When he reaches the far end of the page he can go down a row and start draggin' those crayons again.  To further constrain him each crayon can only be dragged so far.  So, if he runs out of player0 crayon he must choose another available crayon for a longer run.  Any other action by the artist makes the crayon stop dragging BUT the next place he could draw still moves across the page.  That includes the thought process to switch crayons.  The bB score kernel switches between player0 and player1 to get 6 digits.  It also needs to start drawing the score as close to the center as possible.  All this requires the CPUs full attention before even trying to process game logic.

 

This is a bad explanation by someone who doesn't understand what he's talking about.  Should check out this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Racing-Beam-Computer-Platform-Studies/dp/026201257X

 

More accurate description here:

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/32481-session-21-sprites/

 

[Visual bB 1.0 - a new IDE for batari Basic]

There are still tools inside the VisualbB IDE that Atari Dev Studio doesn't yet have.  So, I keep finding ways to run VisualbB.

 

Running through WINE is possible but a pain in the ASCII.  You might try Virtualbox.  Make a virtual Windows 7 machine and dedicate it to VisualbB and Stella.  There's a seamless mode that makes it look like VisualbB is running like any other app.

 

I realize it's yet another thing to learn how to use.. but, it's the only working solution now and in the future. 

 

https://www.virtualbox.org/

[Best Electronics]

I don't get it.  Same compliments.  Same complaints.  Website from the 90's.

 

We all know this and still get into Internet fights over it.

[Score, variables and mathematics question]

2 minutes ago, freshbrood said:

Thanks. Also I noticed in batari only 7 pixels of the score numbers display, at least in the first number on the right. The editor allows for changing all 8 pixels but the furthest left column doesn't display. 

 

Is there any way to get all 8 pixels of the score # to show in batari? 

The far left and right columns of the score font can sometimes bleed into other digits.  It's a safety padding thing

[Score, variables and mathematics question]

To be safe I always keep my score related math to: "score = score + var"  or "score = score - var".  Basically, perform your more complicated math on var beforehand.

 

 

 

 

[State of Jaguar Emulation in 2021?]

I just revisited the English patched Phoenix and it's faster and less crashy than in previous years.

 

That being said, Virtual Jaguar is the standard in Jag emulation. 

[Why can't you purchase roms for new games??]

I wouldn't mind a PaperCart that actually loads the ROM into your real 2600.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk6jVk7t4i4

 

Digital download would be taking a photo of a QR code.

 

Or, even neater: buying a pack of trading cards with games on them

[Atari Jaguar vs Sega Saturn hardware power]

//** FAKTS **/

 

RCA Studio II is better than both Jaguar and Saturn:

 

* 1802 is greater than 64 or 32

* More buttons on the console than Jaguar or Saturn joysticks

* CPU is rated at 1.78megabtyes which when multiplied by 8 is another number.

* Combined 512 memory for both display and cloud computing.

* Hard coded to only work with RCA TVs. None of this PAL60 nonsense!

* Impossible to pirate with time tested “security through obscurity” technology

[MiSTer FPGA - 7800 Core]

THANK YOU very much for your work.  I'd very much like to use my MiSTer with 7800bas.  My PC and MiSTer are literally a matter of feet from eachother!

[Why can't you purchase roms for new games??]

9 minutes ago, youxia said:

Also, piracy is nothing like it was in the past. Sure, some people would still do that, though that could be those who won't buy anyway, and I'm convinced the majority would make a purchase. We're mostly old farts with some income, not broke-ass teens like back in the day.

 

There are people who take pirating very seriously. Also, repro makers who think less than zero about a developers effort: they think they are performing some sort of justice by selling others work.

 

Even this month I've had people contact me trying to get digital copies of small, limited release titles.  These aren't normal retro enthusiasts.  These are people who want their "crew" to be the first with the most r4r3 releases.

 

From there unaware people buy eBay repros and wander random download sites to find games never meant to be published in such a way.

[Why can't you purchase roms for new games??]

5 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

IMO, who is here for the money is wasting his time.

 

I think that goes for game dev in general.  Unless you want to sell your soul to EA or Zynga types.

[Atari Jaguar Emulation when will it improve]

I guess the real question is:  how do you incentivize a developer to enhance existing emulators or make a new one?

[Why can't you purchase roms for new games??]

2 minutes ago, zzip said:

Another option is to sell digital versions in the packaged versions of games.    You could get low-capacity SD or USB sticks cheap in bulk and include the rom and digital versions of the manuals on them.    But you still get the packaging and physical manuals..    Or maybe even include both the cart and SD card in the same package!

 

Collectors hate digital because you typically don't get the physical goods,  but I often wonder why it has to be either/or.   I'm sure there are some people who both want the freedom of digital AND something to display on their shelf

Probably back to the piracy issue.  I've tried to convince Paulo to add encryption to Javatari but I'm my charisma stat is busted

 

My "party favors" are on Itch:  https://theloon.itch.io/

 

..and, I agree.  I think most retro enthusiasts purchase digital downloads as a "thank you".  Since many of my games are already in ROM packs I know it's entirely optional.

[Using the STANDARD kernel, NO SUPERCHIP, what is the highest PF resolution possible?]

The compromise is to use the pfheights kernel option to shrink and grow playfield row heights.  So, you can use smaller rows for text and larger rows for areas that don't need detail like buildings or the sky.

 

[Why can't you purchase roms for new games??]

My experience with digital downloads is that they are a very hard sell even at $2.00.  Digital downloads also kill sales of physical carts.

 

I am trying digital downloads for small games that don't take 6 months to make.   Maybe small steps are needed for both developers and retro gamers.