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Paul Slocum

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Posts posted by Paul Slocum

  4. Posted · Edited by Paul Slocum

    Anybody have any suggestions for updates to my Minidig website? New disassemblies that I don't have? New programming tricks? Tools, documentation, or other links I'm missing?

     

    I think I'll add that wavy text trick. Definitely need a link to 2600 Basic.

     

    http://www.qotile.net/minidig/

     

    Also, if anyone has anything to add to my advanced 2600 programming guide, feel free to write it up.

     

    http://www.qotile.net/minidig/docs/2600_ad..._prog_guide.txt

     

    -paul

  6. Posted

    I managed to get the first release of the C64 Cynthcart put together, and it's in the Atariage store now. It lets you play the C64 like a synthesizer, and works with the common piano keyboard overlay that you see on Ebay all the time. I've been using various versions of this program with my band for about 2 years. Has portmento, filter cutoff control via the paddle, vibrato, etc.

     

    -paul

  8. Posted

    I meant if you removed the graphic data and used a text system instead. You can do a small font in well under 256 bytes, especially if you remove less common characters. Still probably wouldn't be enough space though, and it probably wouldn't look as nice. Just would be really amazing to have 3 games, menu, AND basic game instructions in 4k.

     

    -paul

  9. Posted

    I wonder if you could put the instructions for the games into the menu 1k segment? Probably not enough space, and you'd almost certainly have to make your menu all the same font, but it would be a challenge. ;)

     

    -paul

  10. Posted · Edited by Paul Slocum

    I think you may have A & B reversed. Z26 starts up with random platforms on, and it normally starts in novice/B.

  11. Posted

    Is the first level for splatform supposed to change? It didn't when I played the demo at VGExpo. I prefer it with static levels personally.

     

    -paul

  14. Posted

    The show definitely had some problems, but I had a blast anyway. Probably the main issue was that it was supposed to be a tech expo but was changed to some sort of non-tech expo. They had a some fun stuff (rock climbing, awesome remote control airplanes, poker tables, free cookies) but a tech expo would have been a much better fit and attracted the right kind of people.

     

    There were tons of systems set up with cool games, but the arcade guy and LAN guys didn't show up. And I always like seeing a classic gaming/computing museum.

     

    I was there several hours on both days. Ixion is awesome, and I was blown away by Eduardo's Colecovision Ms. Pac Man port! And I spent a lot of time at the Taiko Drum Master and Splatform setups. Also, I found out I'm not very good at rock climbing.

     

    -paul

  20. Posted

    Are you going for an Arkanoid port? Personally I always though it would be better to do an Arkanoid-like game since some features will probably be impossible to port to the 2600.

     

    If you don't stick to an Arkanoid port, then you can maybe come up with some new features/levels that are easier to do within the limits of the 2600 to make up for the missing original Arkanoid features.

     

    What about a pill available on some levels that flips the board? Or a board that changes over time? How about a pill that lets you nudge the ball while it's moving (kinda like Video Pinball)? Some sort of bonus round would be cool.

     

    I do like the unbreakable and multi-hit blocks. Maybe you could have an alternate kernel mode for levels that require them which reduces the number of blocks that can be displayed (every other line, or chop some lines off the top or bottom).

     

    -paul

  21. Posted

    I'm doing it to save space for air travel. I found out the cybertech has a separate set of holes for the Junior. So you actually need to either ask to have the sockets installed in the Junior setup when you buy it, or you'll have to purchase another wire wrap socket and install it yourself (what I'm doing). I'm going to try to install it tonight.

  22. Posted

    Has anybody done this? Chris has done it and sent me pictures, but I was wondering if anyone else has any tips? My main question is: how does it work when the TIA/socket is rotated 180 degrees? Is the pin-out on the Junior version of the TIA rotated 180 degrees? Seems like it must be, but I'd like to verify this before I desolder the TIA.

     

    Also, if anybody's done this mode, how did you get the thick wire wrap pins through the board? Seems like that's going to be difficult since they're thicker than standard IC pins.

     

    -paul

  23. Posted

    Yeah, but you just don't have very many pitches available on the 2600 (it only has 5-bit divisors). All things considered, the tune is pretty good.

     

    This latest version is a softsynth program so it has more better pitch resolution than normal 2600 music (16bit I think).

     

    I think it sounds good, just needs a little tweaking. If possible, it sounds like the decay/release needs to be set a little faster.

     

    -paul

  24. Posted · Edited by Paul Slocum

    The real state of the art would be softsynth combined with normal Atari sounds for drums and such. Seems like this would be possible.

     

    Of course the problem with this is you could never use a soft synth in-game, but it's good for title screens.

     

    btw: that softsynth version sounds great.

     

    -paul

  25. Posted

    I think that a good title screen could be made that works with the softsynth. And for the Boulderdash tune it sounds like only two voices are used. Probably one of those softsynth voices could be removed for more screen kernel time.

     

    Maybe the tune could be retuned to work without a softsynth, but I know a lot about porting music to the 2600, and it sounds like there are too many notes that are too close together. I really think the softsynth is the better way. It's not really been used in a homebrew before anyway, so it would be cool to get it working.

     

    My main problem with the original Boulderdash tune is that it's pretty boring IMO, which is why I'm not very motivated to mess with it. Although I definitely understand the motivation to make the port as close as possible to the original.

     

    -paul

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