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Aloan

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Posts posted by Aloan

  3. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Update: turbo drawing now possible using W,A,S,D... use arrow keys to turbo move the cursor around as well as fast delete after pressing Z.. instructions in the zip...

    Next update.... graphical user color palette menu for faster color picking!!!!! the last and best feature imo :D - press c to call the color table! use the mouse to pick the color

  4. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    scanline per scanline coloring rule limitation is in!!!!! download above

     

    Now I guess the last thing to do is to find a faster and better way to visibly pick from the 128 colors palette! as for now pressing > or < shifts through the colors when drawing the playfield or player

     

    Picture above is composed of:

     

    sky, sea and grass: background

    clouds and palms: mirrored playfield

    player: double wide player

  5. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Mirrored and repeated playfield possible now! 2x (double stretched) and 4x (quad stretched) player drawing possible now!!!!

    instructions are in the zip, but here are some:

     

    press 1 to draw the background one scanline coloring at a time

    press 2 to draw the playfield (mirror mode)

    press 3 to draw the playfield (repeated mode)

    press 4 to draw the player (normal size)

    extpl.png

    press 5 to draw the player (double size)

    press 6 to draw the player (quad size)

     

    Features coming soon:

    scanline per scanline coloring rule limitation (when drawing the playfield and the player)

    player 8 color clocks width limitation (when drawing the player)

     

    Obs: I guess the ball and the missiles can be drawn using the player cursor as well, so I may not create a drawing brush just for them (no need)

    • Like 1

  6. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Hi friends, I just made a simple Atari 2600 graphics maker (drawing) app which allows you to draw the background, the playfield and even the player without worrying about all the math and aspect ratio (double stretch effect)

    I wonder why nobody has ever come up with such thing... I am always open for corrections or suggestions... I could not wait another hour to share, but I do plan to have repeated playfield capability (mirrored is the only one so far) - instructions and executable are inside the zip file... app was made using Fusion 2.5 and only works on windows or linux pcs

    here you go scroll down to get: The Atari 2600 graphics maker

  7. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    I wish I could edit and delete all my posts. Best news is I will make an atari 2600ish separate version so as to alter all graphics and sounds. If it is well applauded then I will delete the other version. I bet I will have q lot of fun working on the original sprites :-D I would call it the super atari 2600 which is a fictional console that has more memory and so it is flicker free. Limitations such as the band coloring will continue. the only plus is you can have more sprites on the screen and no flicker. background limitation will continue. Will talk more about it on my atari page: aloan.site90.com/atari_graphics_simplified.html

    • Like 1

  8. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Hi Zap! don't worry. It is that I don't come here very often. I know... I forget!... well, good news, the game's webpage is here now... http://aloan.site90.com/cliffall.html

    It is now a merged Pitfall 3 in the sense that the resolution mimics that of an Atari 2600 (double wide pixels) I know, color clocks! 160x192 (actually 320x192)...

    Someone recently has shown interest in Cliffall lately and has even donated. i feel inclined to continue to polish it more. So my next step will be to convert its colors to the Atari 2600 palette!

    How is that for great news! also, I plan to slowly bring the graphics, sprites an tiles more down to Atari 2600ish (one color per scanline) but no flickering and less sprite clutter...

    Songs are not mine...

     

    Someone mentioned something about a white bat that comes out of nowhere! (mmm) that happens on the Akeni game (updated 320x224 resolution commercial version) Did you buy Akeni and is wondering about the white bat? if so

    Because as far as I can remember, I only did the "white bat" thing in that game, not in Cliffall.

    The white bat comes out when you stay in one place for too long and will come suck all your blood, but if you move away it will then flee from you. It just appears so you can get moving! (the kind of thing that happened in games from Arcade cabinets)

    Akeni (which is a Super arcade like Cliffall but with another character) can be found here: https://aloan.itch.io/akeni

    • Like 1

  9. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    ak2.gif

    Let the Drums roll.... so years have passed and I decided to upgrade Cliffall to an M.A.M.E.-like game! yes! Coin operated Arcade-like!!!!! The game has gotten the treatment it deserved (double the resolution horizontally and arcade vertical resolution 224 pixels) and countless months of math to reposition everything + redrawing all the sprites and at the same time transforming them to a brand new game called Akeni.... This is a one-man did it all over 3 years game! It can be seen here: http://aloan.site90.com/akeni.html

    and you can download the demo, full playable 1st level - direct download here: http://aloan.site90.com/akeni_demo.zip

    By the way I also teach what I do here: http://aloan.site90.com/retrofun.html

    • Like 3

  11. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Hey all - the make Atari like games without programming in assembly has moved to here: https://aloan.000webhostapp.com/atari_graphics_simplified.html

    I was reading this old post again and I must say I agree with all the critics and purists!

    You are all right and I still wish I could change the title but I can not find any buttons to do so...

    All i am looking for is to get people excited to make (as faithful as possible) Atari-like games if they do not know how to program and are (let's say) artists like me who know how to draw and or make midi music which will then be eventually converted to atari 2600-like bleeps and noises by using specific software that can do such a thing!

  12. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    To be honest, here is what I believe (and I could be wrong) BUT,

    for example: Atari (I guess Atari) released or allowed the release of the flashback... ok great! awesome! But....

    why the hell did they not allow the little console to accept incoming homebrew or new developments? it was supposed to be Atari 2600 reborn!

    In my opinion it should be an alternative in this future day and age! an alternative to anyone who would like to play an Atari 2600...

    Let it be alive.. let it have new games let it continue to survive, just let it be the eternal Atari 2600...

    but no, they limit it...

    Same thing should have happened to Intellivision, Colecovision, NES, SNES, GENESIS and the mighty NEO GEO!

    anyway: I like to leave this link: http://aloan.site90.net/atari_graphics_simplified.html

  14. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    wow this post is close to 6 years old... but hey, all things Atari 2600 never get old I say..
    I went on Google and entered this on the search: I love atari 2600 graphics (which is true to my case) and this post came right up at number one!

    I read a couple of pages and noticed no one said what I'd like to say here (even though it is not aimed at the poster, just my own thought)

    With that said:

     

    I guess I'm forever in love with Atari 2600 graphics and sound (in a way many don't?) well I think it is iconic (yes) but even in a more literal form!

    sprites are more like icons that represent. And that's an appeal (imo) that a few systems had (specially the Atari 2600) back in the day!

    I even like the blocky 48 color clocks by 192 scan lines playfield! it's just unique in its art form! try making something out of it and you have my respect!

    I like the blocky graphics because each block can be distinguished and even counted!

    The colors are awesome too... I also like its unique way to color things by scan line!

    I like its limitations on sound, I like its flicker when more than its intended 2 players are on the same horizontal level... you see.. I love the Atari 2600 for what it is and so I appreciate all it showcases its own way.. So yeah I am happy to see some folks squeeze into it to get a bit more "high res"? heheheh!

    the only thing I frown upon is the flat Square player in Adventure... I mean, a square as the player? well.. I will accept it as unique too...

    to finish up... see my support to the Atari 2600 way of graphics and easy (no programming) game making here: http://aloan.site90.net

    • Like 1

  17. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    The use of VDELP0 and VDELP1 enable shadow registers for player graphics, which makes it possible to update each copy of the players to show a different 8 bit value. This is how they came up with the 6 digit score routine, and a moving version of it was used for Dragster:

    Thanks for the response! now: in the Atari 2600 M.A.S.H. game it is the first time ever that I was in disbelief as I (using stella's Alt+B) discovered that the trees in the playfield were made using a ball!!!!

    m_a_s_h.png

    I noticed that the trees were single color...

    But what is intriguing is how the ball made those pine trees!

    My thought is it made a trail of paint!

    but then again I have to ask, so the ball can also be used to make another player sprite (at least stationary) and maybe it can even have varying colors per scan line as is the case with colorful stars like in Moon Patrol!

  18. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Sorry if this is a bit off topic and I understand this topic itself is from 2015?! but my question is in regards to succeeding players (6 total) trick to make a title!

     

    Well, how is it that the title has 2 players0 and 2 players1, each different from each other on the same scanline? I thought they had to be duplicates?! (like space invaders)

    Does this mean that I can have this set up going on even in game play?

     

    meaning I can have a sort of "high resolution" game as long as I keep the 6 players limit going down the top to the bottom of the screen! that's a lot of player sprites!

    a similar multiplying thing, I saw done with balls and missiles! which can be used for colorful stars!

     

    as always I am more of a mock up guy! http://aloan.site90.net/atari_graphics_simplified.html

  20. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    (very noobie question alert)

    So I have a curiosity question that I guess only in here will I find the answer!

     

    Is the black color necessary on the Atari 2600? if there is no color then isn't the screen black in itself without the need for color?

     

    I have read somewhere that when the tv beam is off (no code entered), it does not produce a color (why that is obvious) so why is there a black color (on its NTSC palette), if black is not even writing a color (or turning on a color)? :D

  21. Posted · Edited by Aloan

     

     

    Yeah I'd like to see a .bin file for stella of this title too!

    I'm sorry to say that this is just an excited me playing Atari 2600 love/respect and nostalgia mixed together with a game maker called Multimedia Fusion which makes games without the need for writing a single line of code. it is a drag and drop + event driven software (I know how to draw and make music, but don't know how to code). So there can be no bin for Stella. It only outputs exe files and (if I had bought the exporter from the company "Clickteam" who makes it) flash files to play on a browser...

    more on this thing here on my page: http://aloan.site90.net/atari_graphics_simplified.html

    Believe me, I love the graphics of the Atari 2600 :D - The blocky pixels (the blockier the merrier) and its retro colors + mono noise sounds just put a smile on my face (nostalgia trip)! So this litle "game" is a very faithful homage! (but no flicker, to make the gameplay smooth and solid)

  22. Posted

    Loading data from RAM to COLUPF 3 times in a line and then load #$80 to COLUPF to make it blue again.

     

    Bring up the debugger menu by pushing ~ button. Keep hitting scan until you see colors being draw in the mini box. Click the zoom in box and you can move the picture with the arrow key. And when the cube is being drawn, you can hit the step key to look at the code on the bottom right corner to see what it is doing. You can see how "Racing the Beam" works for Atari 2600 step by step.

    wow that was an amazing revelation for me because I don't know how to work with the debugger much, lol! thanks a ton!

  23. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    so if I understood correctly one line for each at their corresponding 0,0 coordinate!

    if a "sprite" moves up or down, so does its line!

     

    But Dang! I decided to cut from it (it was going to give me some headaches) so i just used 144 color clocks (black borders on both sides to "cover up")

    just uploaded it!

     

    another thing if I may:

    cube.png

     

    This is atari cube: I've only enabled its playfield! Look ma! 3 colors in one scanline!!!!

    how did they do that?

  24. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    Updated screenshots above to include code lines (forgot to include them) as i am using the full 160 color clocks! some code lines need to be shown and it adds to the realism of playing a real Atari 2600 game! I have noticed most games actually display on a 144 "res" instead of the full 160 in order to hide those lines! I'll make sure to either show them on all my faithful tries and include this note on my teaching page as well as note to the people that it is good to have a 1280x768 resolution on the monitor (with black lines on the border) to further enhance the full screen resize of the game!

    time permitting I will update the game itself to also include the lines!

  25. Posted · Edited by Aloan

    The house in Smurfs: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle is a 4x sized player1.

     

    I don't know what you mean by vertical tuning/narrowing/cropping.

    oh ok! I guess you answered my question without realizing it! the stretch happens only horizontally, so you can indeed tweak how many scanlines (change aspect ratio) of its height! what I thought was that the player would get proportionally stretched (all stretches are horizontal only then)

    If I still don't make sense:

    Notice that the horizontal clocks are the same for the house!

    this isn't so for its vertical scanlines!

    If the house was drawn inside the 8 bit (8 color clocks limit, which it was indeed) then I thought that when stretching it, it would be so both horizontally (like it is now) and vertically... So I guess the developer is free to do how he pleases with bringing the size down vertically as you can use up to the max of 192 scanlines total!

    This can be done with the playfield, but it is the first time I see it being done with a player!

    Btw, my Pigeon pooper take on an "faithful" Atari-esque game (I guess it's actually a demo)

    has been updated just now!: http://aloan.site90.net/PgPooper.zip

    Windows Exe format only! :(

    Just like in Stella, F2 restarts the game!

    Arrow moves, Ctrl shoots!

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