ColecoFan1981

I want to submit a palette revision for this emulator, please. What I did was to change the color saturation to 51 percent so none of the RGB voltage values go beyond 1.00 (255). Please see attachment for exact details. Thank you, Benjamin "Ben" Edge

Yes, old threads sometimes are sources of discovering new facts about something I already know. . . ~Ben

I also wonder if any Mexican and Puerto Rican DK carts were marketed that way. . . ~Ben

Like digress says, press the "*" button to replay the same skill level, or "#" to select a new skill level. But, there is a flaw on the early 24K ROM version: whenever you lose your last life on a Skill 1 game (start with 5 lives), replaying the same skill level only starts you with 3 lives. It was corrected on the 16K ROM version. I wish I knew how to correct this and other flaws that the 24K ROM version had. ~Ben

Does anyone know what the recommended saturation level should be regarding the TMS9928A VDP as used on the ColecoVision? I have played around with various values like 0.47 (same as the value used for the R-Y and B-Y values of the neutral colors and which makes the TMS9928A colors have similar values as the TMS9918A), 0.53 and 0.8 (the maximum luminance figure seen in the TMS9928A datasheet). Thank you, Benjamin "Ben" Edge

There are also several other differences between the ColecoVision port and both the prototype and final arcade versions: MUSIC: Intermission jingle on the prototype (as heard on the screen you see after you complete three levels in a row, as well as the "Wonderful!" screen seen after every 10 scenes) is different than in the final version; the ColecoVision port never had these two intermission screens. The lose-a-life jingle on the CV version is from Yukidaruma. The level complete (and pause) jingle on the CV version is just the name entry jingle from the arcade version; both arcade versions used the "Charge" fanfare when this occurred. SOUND EFFECTS: The apple crushing sound heard when it also crushes any enemy is different than the crushing sound heard when the apple lands on its own; the ColecoVision port uses the apple-only crushing sound in both cases. INTERMISSION SCREENS: Different music between the Yukidaruma and final versions (the "VERY GOOD" screen seen after every three scenes before the 10th; and the "WONDERFUL!" screen seen after every 10 scenes; both of these list the time it took to complete each scene and the points scored in each scene). The CV port never had these two screens included. After spelling E-X-T-R-A in the arcade versions, we are treated to a short movie of either Yukidaruma or Mr. Do! hitting a Badguy with his power ball, in response waving a white flag and dropping an extra Mr. Do!, to the strains of a song resembling the Astro Boy theme song (same in both versions); the CV port only had a bland green screen with the words: "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WIN AN EXTRA MR. DO!" and a completely different jingle. As Nebulon had pointed out before, these other differences were: When you collect a treat, on the CV the Alphamonster and Chompers appear only when any of the letters in E-X-T-R-A are white; otherwise, doing so will trigger the short jingle from Yukidaruma and the Badguys won't move for the duration of that jingle. Yukidaruma never had the Chompers; while grabbing the treat on the final arcade release allowed both the Alphamonster and Chompers to appear regardless of whether or not you collected any of the letters in E-X-T-R-A. Additionally, the CV version never has the Alphamonster or Chompers be turned into Apples when destroyed; rather, when the Alphamonster is destroyed, in addition to scoring 500 points for that enemy you also get an additional 500 points for every remaining Chomper (1000 points for an Alphamonster crushed with an Apple + 500 for a Chomper * 3 = 1,500 = 2,500 total points). Further, the Chompers eat almost anything in the CV version as if they were goats; the final arcade version only has them traversing the paths you made. I can only wonder how the programmers at Coleco or its hired hands (such as Nuvatec) managed to gain access to Yukidaruma? ~Ben

Thank you, that last one worked for sure! ~Ben

BUMP I wonder what code I should type into Extended Basic to fill an entire background with an 8x8 sprite and requested colors? Thank you, Ben

May I please have your opinion on these background styles before you consider adopting them (see attachment)? From left to right: scenes 1, 2, 3; down, scenes 4, 5, 6; further down, scenes 7, 8 and 9; and finally, scene 10. ~Ben

Thank you, that is a better representation! ~Ben

I'd also like to be able to select my own colors among these routines, without having to rewrite the whole CALL SCREEN and CALL COLOR routines. COLOR1 (foreground) and COLOR2 (background) would be of more usefulness. This would also mean altering certain line numbers to accept these codes. I'd also like to be able fill the entire background (as the SCREEN COLOR represents) with this "shorthand" code. ~Ben

I've taught myself to do pattern codes using TI Basic. But, what I want to do is add color to this existing code: 5 INPUT "SHORTHAND?":A$ 10 CALL CLEAR 20 CALL CHAR(33,A$) 30 FOR I=1 TO 4 40 CALL VCHAR(12,I+3,33,4) 50 NEXT I 60 GOTO 5 The question is: how would I add such routines like COLOR CODE and SCREEN COLOR to the appropriate places in this existing code? Thank you! ~Ben

Matthew, I am sorry for not responding to this thread when it was active, but I could suggest these values for future MESS and Classic99 emulation: 1 - Black (#000000) 2 - Medium Green (#46B83C) 3 - Light Green (#7CCF70) 4 - Dark Blue (#5D4DFF) 5 - Light Blue (#7F71FF) 6 - Dark Red (#B66247) 7 - Cyan (#5CC7EE) 8 - Medium Red (#D86B48) 9 - Light Red (#FB8F6C) 10 (A) - Dark Yellow (#C3CE42) 11 (B) - Light Yellow (#D3DB77) 12 (C ) - Dark Green (#3EA030) 13 (D) - Magenta (#B664C6) 14 (E) - Gray (#CDCDCD) 15 (F) - White (#FFFFFF) The TMS9928A colors are as follows (0.47 saturation level) 1 - Black (#000000) 2 - Medium Green (#44B54E) 3 - Light Green (#79CEEA) 4 - Dark Blue (#5B56D7) 5 - Light Blue (#8178EA) 6 - Dark Red (#B56054) 7 - Cyan (#6CDAEC) 8 - Medium Red (#D5685D) 9 - Light Red (#F98C81) 10 (A) - Dark Yellow (#CCC366) 11 (B) - Light Yellow (#DED18D) 12 (C ) - Dark Green (#3F9F45) 13 (D) - Magenta (#B469B2) 14 (E) - Gray (#CDCDCD) 15 (F) - White (#FFFFFF) ~Ben

It is approximate because I honestly don't know for sure. The instruction book revision overlaps: some early 16K ROM carts had the 78214A guide while later ones had the 78214B version. Same with the original 24K ROM issue: some copies had an early 78214 manual, but most had the 78214A version. ~Ben

I'm wondering what the proper formula might be in regards to converting a given color phase angle to the signals I and Q that I could then convert to RGB along with Y' (luminance)? For example, Medium Green as represented by the Texas Instruments TMS9918A VDP has a luminance value of 0.47 (Y') and a phase angle of 204 (actually 237, but minus 33 degrees). What I want to know is how to obtain I and Q from the 204. The TMS9118/9128/9129 datasheet does list additional information like A' which refers to the square root of the sum of the squares of E'I and E'Q, both of which represent gamma-corrected I and Q signals, which respectively are the orange-cyan and magenta-green axis signals placed 33 degrees ahead of the E'R and E'Y (orange-cyan) and E'B and E'Y (magenta-green) signals. Thank you, Ben

I've been running Virtual Adam 1.03 but when I try to load any cartridge ROMs all I get is the "TURN GAME OFF" notice after boot. What do I do next? Do I need to relocate the BIOS ROM? ~Ben

I'm currently running Windows 7 64-bit on my PC, and therefore having similar issues as the original poster; thus, I would like help as to how to run V1.0.3 of Virtual Adam. What should I do to have the most error-free experience? Thank you, Ben Edge

There are 30 different variations of colored backgrounds per level in the arcade version (scene 31 is exactly the same as scene 1; scene 32=2, etc.), but the ColecoVision only has 10 variations before cycling back to the level 1 design and background. I really don't know if the CV port, at 24K, could accept all 30 of these background designs. Scenes 1 and 2 (and 31 & 32, 61 & 62, 91 & 92, etc.) are respectively the same colors/patterns in both versions (yellow short horizontal lines over light green for 1 and light blue diagonal vertical lines over dark blue for 2), but scene 3 in the CV version has a different color background (diagonal green plaid over yellow; whereas the arcade version had this as diagonal purple plaid over light blue). Scene 4 (34, 64, 94, etc.) on the CV is like scene 1 except magenta background/purple lines (arcade was like scene 3 but had yellow plaid over magenta). Scene 5 (35, 65, 95, etc.) on the CV is vertical yellow waves over light blue (arcade was like scene 3 but had light blue plaid over yellow). Scene 6 (36, 66, 96, etc.) on the CV is like scene 3 but with diagonal light red plaid over yellow (arcade: same colors as scene 3) Scene 7 (37, 67, 97, etc.) on the CV is like scene 5 except horizontal light green waves over darker green background (arcade: orange horizontal waves over yellow) Scene 8 (38, 68, 98, etc.) on the CV is like scene 1 except light blue background/dark blue lines (arcade: gray horizontal waves over light green) Scene 9 (39, 69, 99, etc.) on the CV is like scene 3 but diagonal yellow plaid over dark blue (arcade: yellow horizontal waves over gray) Scene 10 (40, 70, etc.) on the CV is like scene 5 but with magenta waves over medium green (arcade: like scene 8 on the CV version) Arcade version only: Scene 11: like scene 4 Scene 12: like scene 5 Scene 13: like scene 3 Scene 14: like scene 7 Scene 15: like scene 8 Scene 16: like scene 9 Scene 17: like scene 2 except diagonal horizontal dark blue lines over green Scene 18: like scene 2 Scene 19: like scene 2 except diagonal horizontal light green lines over dark green Scene 20: like scene 1 Scene 21: like scene 7 Scene 22: like scene 8 Scene 23: like scene 9 Scene 24: like scene 17 Scene 25: like scene 8 Scene 26: like scene 19 Scene 27: like scene 4 Scene 28: like scene 5 Scene 29: like scene 3 Scene 30: like scene 1 except brown background with red short horizontal lines Sounds very complicated, doesn't it? ~Ben

What should be resolved in this project should relate to when the ROM for Donkey Kong went from 24K to 16K. I want to think the 16K ROMs were first used around date code 8240 (40th week of calendar-year 1982). ~Ben

Does anyone know if Mr. Do! for the Intellivision (Coleco catalog #2674) had ever been started but not finished? I mean, has anyone attempted to make a playable version of that unreleased title? ~Ben

I forgot to include this video in my last reply: (MSX version) ~Ben

To prove my points in the original post, I am going to post links to the following videos: Mr. Do! (Yukidaruma prototype): Mr. Do! (final): ColecoVision version: Tomy Tutor version: ~Ben

The final level (sector x.5) is, therefore which of the six screens was missing? ~Ben

Did Coleco ever have voice synthesis in their tentative plans when originally designing the ColecoVision console before its July/August 1982 release? BTW, this clever invention you did just might mean the following homebrews could be possible: Pole Position Pole Position II Space Fury Berzerk Frenzy Gorf Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator ~Ben

I still hope somebody can find a prototype ROM for the ColecoVision Pole Position (cat. no. 70010). Thank you, Ben