frankodragon

Coding with the use of banks have been a bitch. I've been getting errors ever since I had to change from 48k to a size higher like 128 or 256k. It's possibly my coding, but as I added more graphics, that's when I had to choose a higher rom size and then all the errors started happening. But there's one thing that saved my butt: a backup. I've been making a practice of making a backup of the files just in case things start going nuts- and they did. It's also a good idea to keep it on a USB stick. It could also be a possibility the file could of got corrupted-but I have no idea. So I've reverted back to a recent 48k version just so I can get back on track, but as I keep adding to Draker Quest, I'm going to have to change the rom size and that means dealing with those dreaded banks. One other thing is that I greatly appreciate the help by RevEng's been doing even though I'm still new at this and I don't have the mind of a mathemetician. This demo has been updated with more enemies and such. Don't expect anything to be perfect as this is still very early in development. More screenshots: draker_quest_demo.bas.bin

There's the Splatterhouse series. There's also the translated Famicom game, Sweet Home (a precursor to Resident Evil). I don't know if Alien Brigade for Atari 7800 could fit in as a Halloween game but you could try that too playing in the dark.

After re-reading my previous post, I'm going to take my lumps. I can't be too sure, but I remember the console and games re-listed for $500 after my max bid for around $200. But yeah, I should stop complaining as there will be other auctions.

It's those kind that constantly outbid your bid, pulling out all their dirty little tricks, until they win the auction. Then they list it themselves a few weeks later for an outrageous price. It happened to me once when I wanted to get an Arcadia 2001 with games.

No such luck around here either. Though a trip to the local Wal-Mart, they now have the Genesis and the Atari Flashback 5. I took a look on the DG website and it must be a typo...they mention 3D Tic-Tac-Toe. http://www.dollargeneral.com/product/index.jsp?productId=43753776

So now I have two banks: one for the world map and the other for the dungeon map. I get an "graphics overrun error" in bank #1 which tells me I have to declare another (a 3rd?) bank?

Do dim arrays also need to be put into other banks? I get label mismatch errors when compiling in 128K.

It looks like I'll have to expand to 128k. I tried that bankswitch example but I think I still need some help with it.

I had to tweak the code but it does work: if sc01=$025 && boxcollision(xpos,ypos,16,16,orange_x,orange_y,16,16) then orange_x=200:orange_y=200: score0=score0-2500: score1=score1+15:store_bought=1 I changed the points counter back to three digits, but had to use 2500 instead of 25, otherwise it only takes 2 off the points score.

I've got a question about comparing using score0 as a 'points' counter and using IF...THEN statements. I have set up a shop where the player buys something and if he has enough points, the item should disappear, score0 should reduce by 25 and score1 should increase. So I reduced score0 to four digits meaning that if something is 100, it's actually 1. So what about using two digit numbers like 25? For instance... if score0=0025 && boxcollision(xpos,ypos,16,16,orange_x,orange_y,16,16) then orange_x=200:orange_y=200: score0=score0-0025: score1=score1+0015:store_response=1 So far, the code above doesn't work. I'm wondering if I need to use BCD for something like this?

Nope. I haven't heard from AM whether or not it's okay but I'm still working on the game.

Nothing is more frustrating when you're making a game and you have to "find" the error when the compiler gives an "error" message. I used notepad to write code and now I wish I knew about other text editors which have number lines as references. So I downloaded an application called Notepad ++ which is free and has reference line numbers. I had errors caused by misspelling, forgetting to add a "rem" to a line or even forgetting to add a colon. Using original notepad was a pain because trying to search for the error through a thousand lines of code was usually looking for a needle in a haystack. Then using Notepad ++ was so much easier finding the error in a line of code. When compiling in 7800 Basic, you may get an error like this: First look in the Command Prompt for the error. It will be a number in parenthesis followed by an "ERROR" The error I made (which I put in there on purpose) was in line 1708; I forgot to add a remark. If you're still using a text editor without reference numbers, do yourself a favor and get one that does. It will save you a headache.

A 2003 Ford Focus.

No luck at Dollar General where I live. Then I checked Walgreens and Family Dollar: none. There's a Toys R Us on the north side of Milwaukee that has them but the area is full of crime. I figured the heck with it and ordered it online. From what I pay for gas to drive roundtrip, 30 miles, that's around $10-12, plus $40 for the flashback that's around $50-60 total. That's about what you'd pay for online.

This quote from the description is hilarious.... So that means his/her daughters were born in a thrift store? Or were they just a bunch of daughters up for sale and the person bought them at the second hand store???

Update- I contacted Moneygram and it turns out the the money order wasn't cashed. So I filed a claim to have it cancelled. Because I have to pay a $15 processing fee, I'll get a little more than half than what I paid for the order. At least it won't be going to some scumbag.

I did ask at the local Wal-Mart if they will be getting the CF's, but they have no idea if they're even getting any. Whatever comes in those trucks, the associates are left in the dark.

Any other updates will be moved to my blogs. http://atariage.com/forums/blog/474/entry-11361-wip-draker-quest-a-working-title/

Instead of posting on the 7800 forums, I've decided to blog about the next project I'm working on: Draker Quest. The original concept is the Zelda example by Atarius Maximus. Although I've been trying to reach him through PM's I cannot. If you're out there, AM, I just wanted to ask, with your permission, is it okay to use your Zelda programming code for my game? Another member I have to give kudos to is RevEng for helping with other code and any questions I've had. Although there were times when I felt like I was annoying him for help. Just a side story; I was a stupid kid back then when taking industrial arts class and I kept asking the teacher, "Is this okay?" I don't want to be like that ever again. As for DQ, I'm still working on a solution of getting the player out on a specific screen like if the player was in a cave, then goes back out again. There are 128 screens or rooms so I'd figure to program something like: __endDungeon xpos=15 room=move_east[room]50:xpos=70:ypos=80 return:goto __mainloop__endendDungeon Don't even bother with the code above; it doesn't work. So let's say I'm trying to "warp" to room 50, a room within the overworld. The variable [room] originally transports the player to the next screen whatever which way he goes. I'm already confused.

Here's a few more screenshots. One of them is a bug I don't why it happens but it could be the emulator or my programming-I don't know. This is the first dungeon. It does have a few enemies and a door that can be unlocked with key: I have to remember to use "gosub" and "return" instead of "goto" when it comes to going back to the overworld. Here's the "bug" I get when exiting the dungeon: I've also added an "HP" counter for collisions with enemies. I still have to figure out how to get the player to a certain overworld "room". I've tried something like "if room>(room #) && room<(room#) then room#[room]" but wouldn't that declare that room be that number. So far the only thing that does happen is the player starts near the beginning point.

My camera isn't great but it shows Shatneroids works pretty well on an emulator for the original Xbox.

Kids, this is why you need to go to school. eBay Auction -- Item Number: 131200988086

Just a quick update: I was able to get the dungeon code working by copy/pasting code like player movement, etc within the __dungeonA label but the labels needed to be changed within that code otherwise compiling it will give off errors. For example the label "mainloop" was changed to "mainloop_dun." The same was for changing the names of the data strings ie. "data_move_west_dun." You don't change the names of the variables though. One other thing is when using the alphachars for designing the rooms- I put just the room code used for the dungeon tiles under the _dungeonA as well.

I performed a test (instead of getting to the ladder icon all the time) so that the player warps to the dungeon. Well it sort of works. I had to copy and paste most of the code from the overworld and put it under the "__dungeonA" label. Only I get this: My player can't move, only shoot, and those "blocks" around the room are supposed to be pillars. I'll keep working on it to find a solution.

Following Atarius Maximus' Zelda example, I wanted to program another Zelda-esque adventure game with characters of my graphic novels. The player controls a dragon-like creature I call a Draker that shoots fireballs at enemies. So programming on how to get the player from the overworld map to a cave or dungeon has been driving me crazy. I started using labels but the game would crash when programming the player colliding with a ladder icon to goto a dungeon. For instance: I've been trying to make it work by moving around the room data statements, corresponding screen maps, etc under the label "dungeon_a". I wonder if the dungeon maps need to be put into another memory location instead? Here's a demo of the program. All you can do is explore and shoot fireballs at enemies. You can also talk to other drakers. For those of you just stumbling around here for the first time, the newest build is now updated here. test5.bas test5.bas.a78 gfx.zip