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playsoft

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Posts posted by playsoft

  1. Posted

     

    That looks excellent - you are going to have a fun time working in GTIA 9. Good luck in the competition.

     

    Like the buses, you wait 30 years for a GTIA 9 vertical scroller and then two arrive at the same time! Actually mine won't arrive any time soon though and it doesn't look like we're doing exactly the same thing. I'll post a work in progress demo shortly - should be a GTIABlast! thread.

     

    Paul

  2. Posted

    Having recently come back to the 8-bit I was thinking how nice it would be to use a modern controller with lots of buttons.

     

    Would it be feasible to develop an adapter which allowed an existing multi button joypad to be connected to two joystick ports?

     

    The d-pad and one button would go to port 1 for compatibility with existing software. The other buttons go to port 2, which can be made use of by new software.

  5. Posted · Edited by playsoft

    How would we get on A8 (Hardware Priors cannot get it) when the guy enter those Bars and it's suspended (see on the video at about 0:40) where he is at the some time above the 'backs' gfxs but 'masked by some of the Metalic Bars:

     

    In the PM graphics data, the frames for swinging from the bars could have those horizontal sections left blank (and hence transparent), that way the bars would appear to be in front.

     

    That might be how it's done above, since it's only the horizontal bar which appears in front - the vertical bar supports appear behind the player.

  6. Posted

    I have vague memories of the TCR stores as I'd only visit a few times a year with my uncle. I'd forgotten Mike's Computer Store and Pilot Software but they ring bells now. I do remember on one such trip going to Pizzahut for the very first time - they must have been fairly new to the UK back then. We were hungry and both ordered large pizzas - the waitress asked if we were sure we both wanted large but we said yes, we were hungry. Suffice to say there was a lot of pizza left over.

     

    We'd also occasionally visit Southend for the arcades, the scalextric shop and a look in Maplins on the way home. I think that's where I saw the A8 for the first time and where I ended up buying my 400. When I could afford a disk drive I thought I'd try the local Dixons instead of TCR or Southend. I remember asking the assistant if they sold disk drives for the Atari computers and his exact words were "A disk what?".

  7. Posted

    If I can remember how after all these years (some is familiar...) then I aim to write something this year. I did have the seed of an idea but I am not sure where I am going with it next. The demo is very basic and completely pointless, use the joystick to enclose an area and it will fill with red. Scrolls at half speed by default, press the trigger to toggle between full speed scrolling.

    - Paul

    PL080112.XEX

    • Like 1

  9. Posted

    Nice to see you on here Paul, Spent many a happy hour typing in and playing some of your games in P6/NAU :)

     

    Thanks NuY, I had a lot of fun learning to program on the 8-bit and it was always great when Les would publish something. A chance visit here a couple of months ago and I was blown away by what is being done nowadays and it has inspired me to get my Atari down from the loft.

  10. Posted

    ActionScript's encoding is not that complicated. See for example here: http://cvlib.googlec...tor/amf/AMF3.as

     

    Of course, a simpler format not based on ActionScript's encoding is always welcome.

     

    The first 4 bytes are a file version identifier and for version 1 they are 0x08 0x55 0x70 0x19. You have seen the original ActionScript save routine so with your encoding information you should be able to work out the binary format if you want to support the original file format.

     

    The new format has file version identifier bytes of 0x9a 0xf8 0x39 0x21 and this is a marked up dump of mwalk.apl.

     

    0 : 0x9a 0xf8 0x39 0x21 - file version identifier
4 : 0x04 - number of frames
5 : 0x1d - height
6 : 0x00 - gap
7 : 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 - P0 colour, frames 1..16
15 : 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14 0x14
23 : 0x14 - P0 colour, copy buffer
24 : 0x28 0x28 0x28 0x28 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18 - P1 colour, frames 1..16
32 : 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x18
40 : 0x28 - P1 colour, copy buffer
41 : 0x00 - background colour
42 : 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x2a 0x5e 0x40 0x9f 0xbc - P0 data, frame 1 (48 bytes)
50 : 0x68 0x7c 0xfc 0xff 0x7f 0x1c 0x00 0x3e
58 : 0x47 0x52 0x53 0x62 0x77 0x3f 0x26 0x24
66 : 0x24 0x24 0x24 0x38 0x3c 0x00 0x00 0x00
74 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
82 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
90 : 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x2a 0x5e 0x40 0x9f 0xbc - P0 data, frame 2 (48 bytes)
98 : 0x68 0x7c 0xfc 0xff 0x7f 0x1c 0x00 0x3e
106 : 0x47 0x52 0x53 0x62 0x77 0x3f 0x22 0x30
114 : 0x70 0x78 0xf0 0xe6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
122 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
130 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
138 : 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x2a 0x5e 0x40 0x9f 0xbc - P0 data, frame 3 (48 bytes)
146 : 0x7c 0x7c 0xe8 0xff 0x7f 0x1c 0x00 0x3e
154 : 0x47 0x52 0x4b 0x2a 0x3f 0x3f 0x26 0x24
162 : 0x24 0x24 0x24 0x38 0x3c 0x00 0x00 0x00
170 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
178 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
186 : 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x2a 0x5e 0x40 0x9f 0xbc - P0 data, frame 4 (48 bytes)
194 : 0x7c 0x7c 0xe8 0xff 0x7f 0x1c 0x00 0x3e
202 : 0x47 0x52 0x4b 0x2a 0x3f 0x3f 0x62 0x46
210 : 0x4e 0x8e 0x96 0xe6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
218 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
226 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
234 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 5 (48 bytes)
242 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
250 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
258 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
266 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
274 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
282 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 6 (48 bytes)
290 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
298 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
306 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
314 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
322 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
330 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 7 (48 bytes)
338 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
346 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
354 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
362 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
370 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
378 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 8 (48 bytes)
386 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
394 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
402 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
410 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
418 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
426 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 9 (48 bytes)
434 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
442 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
450 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
458 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
466 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
474 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 10 (48 bytes)
482 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
490 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
498 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
506 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
514 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
522 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 11 (48 bytes)
530 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
538 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
546 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
554 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
562 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
570 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 12 (48 bytes)
578 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
586 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
594 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
602 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
610 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
618 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 13 (48 bytes)
626 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
634 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
642 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
650 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
658 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
666 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 14 (48 bytes)
674 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
682 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
690 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
698 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
706 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
714 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 15 (48 bytes)
722 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
730 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
738 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
746 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
754 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
762 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P0 data, frame 16 (48 bytes)
770 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
778 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
786 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
794 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
802 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
810 : 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x2a 0x5e 0x40 0x9f 0xbc - P0 data, copy buffer (48 bytes)
818 : 0x68 0x7c 0xfc 0xff 0x7f 0x1c 0x00 0x3e
826 : 0x47 0x52 0x53 0x62 0x77 0x3f 0x22 0x30
834 : 0x70 0x78 0xf8 0xe6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
842 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
850 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
858 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x3c 0x3f 0x60 0x5c - P1 data, frame 1 (48 bytes)
866 : 0x3c 0x28 0x68 0x5f 0x0f 0x20 0x3c 0x00
874 : 0x38 0x2d 0x2c 0x3d 0x38 0x30 0x18 0x18
882 : 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x1c 0x1e 0x00 0x00 0x00
890 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
898 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
906 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x3c 0x3f 0x60 0x5c - P1 data, frame 2 (48 bytes)
914 : 0x3c 0x28 0x68 0x5f 0x0f 0x20 0x3c 0x00
922 : 0x38 0x2d 0x2c 0x3d 0x38 0x30 0x1c 0x0e
930 : 0x0e 0x06 0x06 0xc6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
938 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
946 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
954 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x3c 0x3f 0x60 0x5c - P1 data, frame 3 (48 bytes)
962 : 0x28 0x28 0x7c 0x5f 0x0f 0x20 0x3c 0x00
970 : 0x38 0x2d 0x34 0x1d 0x0c 0x0c 0x18 0x18
978 : 0x18 0x18 0x18 0x1c 0x1e 0x00 0x00 0x00
986 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
994 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1002 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x3c 0x3f 0x60 0x5c - P1 data, frame 4 (48 bytes)
1010 : 0x28 0x28 0x7c 0x5f 0x0f 0x20 0x3c 0x00
1018 : 0x38 0x2d 0x34 0x1d 0x0c 0x0c 0x1c 0x38
1026 : 0x30 0x70 0x60 0xc6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
1034 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1042 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1050 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 5 (48 bytes)
1058 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1066 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1074 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1082 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1090 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1098 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 6 (48 bytes)
1106 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1114 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1122 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1130 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1138 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1146 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 7 (48 bytes)
1154 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1162 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1170 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1178 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1186 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1194 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 8 (48 bytes)
1202 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1210 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1218 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1226 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1234 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1242 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 9 (48 bytes)
1250 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1258 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1266 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1274 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1282 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1290 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 10 (48 bytes)
1298 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1306 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1314 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1322 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1330 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1338 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 11 (48 bytes)
1346 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1354 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1362 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1370 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1378 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1386 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 12 (48 bytes)
1394 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1402 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1410 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1418 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1426 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1434 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 13 (48 bytes)
1442 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1450 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1458 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1466 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1474 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1482 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 14 (48 bytes)
1490 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1498 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1506 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1514 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1522 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1530 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 15 (48 bytes)
1538 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1546 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1554 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1562 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1570 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1578 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 - P1 data, frame 16 (48 bytes)
1586 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1594 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1602 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1610 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1618 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1626 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x1c 0x3c 0x3f 0x60 0x5c - P1 data, copy buffer (48 bytes)
1634 : 0x3c 0x28 0x68 0x5f 0x0f 0x20 0x3c 0x00
1642 : 0x38 0x2d 0x2c 0x3d 0x38 0x30 0x1c 0x0e
1650 : 0x0e 0x06 0x06 0xc6 0x63 0x00 0x00 0x00
1658 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1666 : 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
1674 : 0x01 - selected frame
1675 : 0x03 - pen colour
1676 : 0x04 - animation rate

  11. Posted

    I have just uploaded a new version of the editor (0.6) which saves the .apl file in a new format. I don't have time to document it this evening, will do so tomorrow. The editor remains backwards compatible with the old format which it will continue to load.

     

    -Paul

  12. Posted

    The .apl format is a binary format for the editor only

    Why? I'd be happy to add it to http://fail.sourceforge.net/ but I need documentation.

     

    Because the tool doesn't trouble itself with the low level format of the file, it let's ActionScript take care of that:

     

    private static function browseForSaveFile ():void
{
 printString (50, 8, "SAVE", true);

 fileRef = new FileReference ();

 fileRef.addEventListener (Event.CANCEL, saveComplete);
 fileRef.addEventListener (Event.COMPLETE, saveComplete);

 var data:ByteArray = new ByteArray();

 data.writeInt (FILE_VERSION);
 data.writeInt (frames);
 data.writeInt (height);
 data.writeInt (gap);
 data.writeObject (p0Colour);
 data.writeObject (p1Colour);
 data.writeInt (bgColour);
 data.writeObject (p0Data);
 data.writeObject (p1Data);
 data.writeInt (frame);
 data.writeInt (penColour);
 data.writeInt (anim_rate);

 fileRef.save (data);

 inhibitPress = true;
}

     

    If you hex view a .apl file, writeInt() simply generates a 32-bit integer value but writeObject() generates all the information it needs in order to be able to reinstantiate that object when it is read back, i.e. it needs type information, not just the data values.

     

    Above p0Colour and p1Colour are single dimensional arrays with 17 elements (maximum number of frames + 1 for the copy buffer); p0Data and p1Data are two dimensional arrays (actually an array of arrays), the first dimension is 17 again, the second dimension is 48 (the maximum height).

     

    Interestingly although the full set of data is saved each time (i.e. 16 frames and the copy buffer at maxium height, regardless of what is actually being used in the design) the size of the resulting .apl file varies. Hence it appears that the ActionScript encoding is affected by the data values too.

     

    When I implemented the file routines I made them as simple as possible because I did not envisage any attempt to use them outside of the editor. I could modify the code to save the data byte at a time in order to achieve a well known format which is not reliant on ActionScript encoding. I already have a file version in there which means I can maintain backwards compatibility with the existing format. This shouldn't be too complicated if there is value in doing it?

     

    -Paul

  13. Posted

    Dual Display Utility which overlays a normal text mode screen over a graphics screen (as mentioned previously, I'm no expert programmer so all I know is that it's flipping the two displays via a DLI/VBI :)).

     

    That brings back some wonderful memories, the sheer thrill at having my first program published in a magazine. I had written it on my uncle's Atari 800 and sent it off to PCW. I think they acknowledged intention to publish but quite a few issues went by with no sign of it. I had just started college and one day I picked up the latest copy of the magazine to read on the train and there it was - not only published but progam of the month as well. I was paid £50 per published page plus £150 for program of the month - fantastic for a student and it brought me an Atari 400 of my own. I ended up getting royalties when they published it in the Best Of book, for publishing in some foriegn magazines (I never knew which magazines) and even when they got someone to write a C64 version. Fun times.

     

    - Paul

    • Like 1

  14. Posted · Edited by playsoft

    The latest version of the editor (0.5) now outputs both BASIC listings.

     

    Drelbs was my first effort at programming in ActionScript and I am pleased with how it turned out. I learnt a lot from doing it and it made me appreciate how well programmed the original 8-bit version was.

     

    Paul

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    I've modified the editor so that when you LIST the data it saves C, BASIC and Assembler source code - all to the same file, just use the section you require. I've only tested the C code. Philsan, please let me know if there's anything I should change in the BASIC source code. This is the LIST output generated from mwalk.apl.

     

     

     

    Bob, I have squeezed the display together so it now fits on a 928x630 pixel canvas and is still able to display everything when the maximum settings are reached (16 frames, 48 pixels high, 8 pixel gap). I tested it at 1024x768 and it was ok in IE9. I will put a page together where you can open it in a pop up window as that will make a little more vertical space available.

     

    Ken, alas with the squished display there's no longer room for the 7800 button :)

     

    Paul

  18. Posted

    The .apl format is a binary format for the editor only, but if you click on LIST it will output the data to a text file for incorporating into your source code.

     

    At the moment I have ouput the player data as hexadecimal prefixed with 0x since I am working in C. For Basic it would be better in decimal (and for assembler hexadecimal prefixed with $). I will modify LIST so that it outputs all 3 types.

     

    I have also noticed that Notepad has trouble with the newlines in the LIST output, although my text editor (I am using Borland CodeWright) is ok with it. Please let me know if you encounter any problems with the newlines in the LIST output.

     

    Paul

  19. Posted

    You are welcome Allan. It is over 20 years since I last did any A8 programming so I am sure there must be other tools out there, but I googled and could not easily find anything. I have been quite pleased with how my graphics are coming along given the low number of pixels and colours by today's standards.

     

    I have just updated the editor so that if you hold down alt, ctrl or shift and click on a pixel, the pen colour is taken from that pixel. I'd have rather have done this with a right mouse click, but that is not available under Flash. It is available if I build it as an Air application though, so I will do that and make it available.

     

    Paul

  20. Posted · Edited by playsoft

    Not sure if this will be useful to anyone else, but I've put together a player editor for designing animated multicolour players. It's written in ActionScript using Flex so it runs as Flash in a browser.

     

    The editor is here: http://www.playsoft.co.uk/aplayed.html

     

    There are instructions here: http://www.playsoft....structions.html

     

    There is an example design here: http://www.playsoft.co.uk/mwalk.apl which you can load and play about with in the editor.

     

    And finally there is a little test .xex file here: http://www.playsoft.co.uk/test.xex which uses the above design. It requires 48k, not that it's big it's just how I've laid out memory.

    • Like 5

  21. Posted

    I wanted to try my hand at writing something in Adobe Flex and thought Drelbs was a good program to start with.

     

    You can play it here: http://www.playsoft.co.uk

     

    I have fond memories of Electrician too if I ever decide to do another.

    Will check it out :cool:

    Playsoft hmm must be Paul Lay :thumbsup: Let's have a new a8 game ;-)

     

    That would be an interesting thing to try some time. 2009 being the 30th anniversary of the A8 would have been the time to do it... maybe 2019 then, that will give me a bit of time to read up on all the stuff I've forgotten.

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