José Pereira

Ok. When I I said direct ports, probably it will not have to be LAST NINJA. Some games will be better to do in new ways. Others don't... You can get many a8 versions from others, and probably they will look awfull. But some some kind of games, you don't have any other possible way... In the LAST NINJA case you cannot change the facts. The idea and code it's there. Even nowadays it's the C64 version you see on WII. It is a part of the computer games history... What I'm trying to tell to you it's one thing. A simple thing. I'm not a progammer, but many of you are... Will it possible to create some kind of an ENGINE? Even on the past you had engines: Molecule Man, KE SOFT'S PROGRAMMERS WORKSHOP (only with Software sprites but use DLIs. and VBIs.). But the main reason about this trhead it's the possibiltys... If we talk some years ago about emulators... You don´t think, me either, about the possibility of emulating APPLE2, ZX or BBC on A8. Ok., The emulation doesn't go much further as 10/15% of real harware nn this emulated machines. But this comes to another question: Why I want a ZX game on A8? Direct port on A8, it is monochrome. No other way possible. But if you use this great emulator idea and change beetween background and playfield, withn sprites overlaped? You could get the ZX game, ZX code, no players or enemy sprites, just simple char obj.. But, all the collisions detections via the emulator. One ancient game game that will look great on A8 it's SABOTEUR from Durell. And this technics, you could por, for example, almost directly get Dizzy from Darling Brothers (Codemasters). ZX emulator on A8 could be great!... But, you have "to have" the possibility to create more colours with the technics we all know. Why "Load" Zx emulator on A8? I only get 10/15% of the speed and 2 monochrome colours, without sprites and DLIs.? This questions about Engines and sprites/graphics creation take me to another idea, another question: ZX or other 8bit emulators are useless. It´s here you see that direct ports don't work. Why I want them?. ZX emulator + Sprite overlapped - G R E A T !... But others? Why? If I want to play Zx games I simple download on my PC the Zx emulator (I will get ZX colours and speed, as nearly as possible). José Pereira.

I remember some games (G2f technic in the past). - ACE OF ACES - The loading (with the airplane) - the pilot inside the airplane. - DRUID - At the top - the status area - Fire, Golem and other objects - Pfs. in Hi.Resol. with Pms. - GAUNTLET and HARDBALL - at the bottom, the status area - Gr.0 with 2/3 different background colours - I'm not certain, but, diferent colour squares are what? Probably Pms at Quaduple Lenght. José Pereira.

Thanks Steve The ideas and some code exist. Who wants to follow? José Pereira.

Horizontal and vertical games could have very good versions on A8. I disagree with Oky. With 4 colours you can create good games. You have possibility to increase the number (sprites overlaped, DLIs., rasters). One game that shows this it's Shadow of the Beast. If it will be ended, it will be the the best 8bit version. If you go to Youtube and see the video with all the versions of this game, the best are the ones with different blue colours sky lines (like A8 - with that DLIs.). The C64 it's horrible (I think). This game have, in my opinion, the best looking colour graphics. Will this ever be ended? And why? Simply because the programmers do all the job with the A8 technical solutions. Now, imagine they do a simple port from C64. Once again we were talking of only 3/4 colours and only 1 multicolour real hardware sprite. Great, great job in Shadow of the Beast. I think it's one, if not the best, to show us all, what could or can be done on A8. Some other games, like the ones with static screens, coul be done with better use of A8 capabilities. World Soccer and Kenny Dauglish, for example, with a simple sprites overlaped with PFs. could create different colours in each of the squares at top and bottom of the screen, And the football player (in World) with other colours, more like reality and with use of PMs. will be like C64 screens. In this kind of game it will not decrease the speed of the game. Simply like we do now with G2f. And with this, I have a question. Why no one in the past use Gprior0? Do you know of some game that uses this possibility in that time? I don´t remember of anyone? Scrooling games, with different sprites, 1 for each line don´t affect the game. But what woul the possible number using interrupt in each line, without affect much of the speed (in a game as much as possible like Armalyte)? Answers welcome!... José Pereira.

I´ve been waiting for some ideas, solutions... Please say something. Only some words. José Pereira.

As you all know I am really interested in an A8 version. I have maps from LN1 & 2. Videos of all, objects, fonts... But, what it´s trully amazing it´s on "lastninja.lemon64.com". I went to it many, many times in the last years, but never went to LAST NINJA ENGINE by "Soa". And it's amazing. You have two versions of a LAST NINJA construct editor with the LN1 objects and players. They even have a totally new game done with the engine. I download all the files and what a surprise!... They have all the objects, player and enemy shapes, moving objects (like watterfalls...), and one by one. They have, for example, all the combination of the diferrent tracks. You can get them and put the trees, buda, tracks and others. One by one. They have all the screens from LN1 (I only don´t find level 1, but I have it on my maps). You can even create new Ninja movements (fall from the rocks, for example). Create totally new screens (new walls, even a sea). With this I can create the LN1 game with the objects in places I can use Displays Lists and Sprites to have more colours on an Atari version. My idea is to use sprites on objects in some part of the screen (In top and/or bottom), leaving the center of the screen to use 2 sprites for the enemy body (and half of the screens doesn't have enemys). Of course, this will limit the enemy movement but I think it will be a good solution. The other two sprites will be to our Ninja. The enemy clothes and face have to be a software sprite. With Missiles on foot and hands you can get the collisions. So the idea is to use the Ln engine, try to do the things if I was on a real A8. Then port to G2f to do the DLIs. and Sprite Overlaps. But, if someone, take the source code from LN engine and create a A8 LN engine. It could (have to) be the Engine with the functions of G2f. It's a project for a long, long time, but we can get it! It's possible. ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE (Like in the "3 Mosqueteers" by Alexandre Dumas). Go there and see the LN ENGINE. You will see what I said. IT's amazing. I´m really crazy now!... Waiting for your suggestions and what could or not could be done with it... José Pereira.

I cannot believe!... When I wrote the other mail I don´t know anything about the bomb. It was my feelings and a joke. Someone explains this (some psicologist)? (Human mind things...) José Pereira.

No, I didn't visit OCEAN. I always hate OCEAN. Why go there? They never care about A8! If went there it would probably to "put a bomb"!... Just kidding. Probably, if I went there to give my A8 ideas and needs, probably they would not care about. If on that time we had Internet, probably, if we send to this software houses large amounts of mails could result in more games or not abandoned ones. In Manchester, I went only to a games store. I remember it was down from Atariworld. I remember to see a Cadbury factory, and it was down from there. Here, It was the first time I saw the Hi-Tec games. I bought them all!... (And what a disapointment - by the way: PAL developments produce almost all the latest A8(budget) games - for Mastertronic and Hi-Tec, programmed Anthony Wilson and others - all were rubbish, I think. I always wonder if they know anything about A8, probably only 6502 coding and then direct port to A8. No DLI, sprite use... Bye, José Pereira.

Forget the promise. Sometimes I think I do so many questions... But, my life as an ATARI 8BIT user began around 86. On that time, here in Portugal the Spectrums were the kings (and were 1 or 2 years old here - they were the first computer I remember here). We also have a factory that produce TIMEX 2048/2068 (That you plug a microdive and turns to ZX compability - I think it was also popular on Eastern Europe - I read something about model 1000). But on that time we didn´t have software laws, so, all the stores sell copy games. The market was all around games. But, around 86, I think, some stores began to sell ATARI 800XL. The games were also copies, but it had some graphic/utilities and the the disc-drive (a great new, we only know diskettes from PC, and this was only in the offices). The Atari machine price was more than 30.000$00 with XC11 cassette recorder and (something like todays 150€) and the ZX48K only 2/3 of that with a simple cassette-recorder. The games were also more cheap on ZX (half the price - 1€ - 200$00). The ATARI games begin with 300$00/400$00 but the price was as high as the size of cassete time it needs. For multiload games, you could pay 600/700/800$00. I remember to see Syncalc and other utility program at 3/4/5000$00 and more, but photocopied instructions. And talking about covers, the Spectrum games had photocopy papers in colour from the originals. Our Atari only a piece of paper with the instruction: "Press OPTION+START..." and the name of the store. As you can see, it was very difficult to ATARI. I saw all my friends with computers and it took more than a year to convince my fathers of buying me a computer. In the store I went from a chinese guys, I remember they also have an MSX and SHARP MZ700. I didn´t know anything about computers, only ZX games and Load"" ENTER. I also don´t remember why I choose ATARI 800XL, but it was because of the professional keyboard. I didn´t even know about systems compability. It was very sad when I began to understand that I was completely alone. I cannot change or save games to my friends. But, a now defunct newspaper called DIARIO POPULAR began to had an enormous section of computers on Fridays (with many pages). There I found programs, revues and adresses of users. Also on stores we began to have Crashs, Your Sinclairs, from spain Micro-Hoby for ZX. But multi-format magazines also appear at that time: C&VG and MicroMania from spain. With this magazines I started to see game advertisers from U.S.GOLD and ATARI 8bit releases and general informations. Sometimes programs to introduce (I remember a German magazine with "Grisu" and "Dragon's Lair" listing games and to other machines). Then, I started to write and phone to other ATARI users. I started to know all the news from England (one of us had the father in a Hotel on England in the Jersey island). This friend was the only one who had all the games as originals). I start to have the idea of doing an INTER-RAIL. I never join money, but when I start my first job in July 1990 I finally have the possibility. And exactly 2 years later, on July 1992 I went to many countries in Europe. But the most important reason was ATARI. At this time I subscribe PAGE 6 and had seen ATARIUSERs from a friend, We had sometimes ANTIC,ATARIANS on stores. I know all the adresses, companies, rumours, releases, names of programmers. But I never learned how to program. I had many books, assemblers... but no one to help me or change ideas. All my friends only wants to play games, and in 90s all changed to ST and AMIGAS. My first city was Paris. But I change from a station to another and take the train to Calais. What I wanted: ENGLAND. I spent more than a week there. Is stores: SUNARO, SILICA, MILES BETTER SOFTWARE and others, on PAGE6 in Stafford and I will never forgot 11 Fennel Street in Manchester. This was the adress from RED RAT SOFTWARE. It has a street name but I remember it was in a big place. At that time i thought software companies were big places. But no, RED RAT was only a very, very small place, you enter, then you had some stairs and a minimum place with 3/4/5 computers. Not more than 6/7 people could be inside it, as I remember. I spent something like 200.000$00 (1.000€) in games and magazines. And until 1994 I buy almost all games developed for ATARI 8bit. Nowadays I´m said, because I didn´t know in 1992 nothing about Eastern Europe. I didn´t went to Poland or Czech. Then i got married, change town, and leave alone my ATARI 800XL here in Lisbon. Only on the 21st century with internet that I ressurect my "great,great love of my life". Now I know many things about ATARI and other computers. THE INTERNET IT'S REALLY AMAZING; STUPENDOUS. But I never forgot the past: the rumours, unrelease games (something that Atarians know very well), I know almost all the names of companies, programers (coding, lyrics, grapics). Some of this days I will sent you a list of all the games inted to ATARI 8BIT that never see the daylight (probably some are new to you...). The only, but the greatest sad thing it is: I´m not a programmer. I have now the knowledge that could give me some oportunities in the past, even If I was alone. But it´s to late, I think!... I´m trying to do something on ATARI 8bit (some game screens - like LAST NINJA and/or others) and probably, someone will do the code. I want to be a part of ATARI HISTORY. And I think all of you want the same. Thanks to all. José Agostinho Lopes Pereira Godinho. (Long, long name, isn´t it? It´s like this letter... Bye)

Thanks guys. Now I understand (it was time!...). I promise I will not bother you today. (Ok. probably not!...) José Pereira

I understand the idea behind 5th colour (I think) Let's try this: A normal 8 pixels high character: 00 11 10 01 00 11 01 10 00 01 11 01 00 10 01 11 11 01 10 11 10 11 11 11 01 10 11 00 11 11 11 11 So, I think on the first four lines, the (711) comes from 710, the 5th and 8th line from 711 and 6th line from 711. But here comes the question: the 7th b. on line7 is 0, but on bit pair it's an ocupied cell. In this line 11 get 710 or 711? Using 711 in g2f: I first take a picture and then? Do it all as 4colour mode? And finally try to enter 5th colour? Please go to Lemon64.com and on Last Ninja screens, for example, in the lions one, how to use here the 5th colour (of course you put various DLIs and various 5th colours). Another example: On youtube.com the "Pacmania NES video": here you see playing area with Lego pieces (3 colours), 1 for the group and black for background (5 colours). In this example is it possible in someway get the 5th colour. Once again, thanks. José Pereira.

Anyone knows any news of Out Run (or other Atlantis - Lost Classics..) And, by the way, in the past someone was doing (or intended) World Class Leaderboard. Who was he? Some screens, coding,... ? Greetings José Pereira.

It's possible. Allmost all is possible. For Jet Boot Jack: In your site Menace's screens: If you do put ship as player-missile1 and overlap with PF0 and PF1. All the enemys with P2/P3/P4 overlaped with the correpondant PFs, eachone will have different colours. And, with DLIs, above 3 colours+1 for background at the top, on middle 3+1 backgr. and bottom more 3 and 1 for backgr. ( and you can put players overlap playfiels in top and bottom to get more colours). Another example: R-Type and Armalyte, with this technic you can put for example, 4 lines of enemys (3 in eachone) with Players and your ship beeing the other player (all this overlaped with the correspondant PFs), the other player ship can be PF0/PF1 with PF3 without overlap. Top 3 enemys and more 3 on bottom. And the same to top and bottom ground area. When enemys change line, just turn on/off the correspondant player number on the same line. I can put 89 colours on same screen with this example. Go to lemon64.com and visit this games. You understand what I'm saying. José Pereira.

I wake up this morning with this on my head. I think it´s not silly, but someone will have the answers... - 1st QUESTION: PM0 overlap with PF0/1 you get 2 new colours (PM0/PF0 overlap colour and PM0/PF1 overlap colour). Now, as an example, your player it´s PF0 (a software sprite). And the question is: If the software sprite pass over PM0/PF0 overlap colour, what colour he gets in that area? - 2nd QUESTION: PM0 overlap with PF0/1 like above. You get 2 new colours. About colision registers, this 2 new colour cells, are what (PF0, PF1, PM0, new...)? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. José Pereira.

23 colours it's possible. Overlap PM0 with PM1(you get 3 colours) and PM2 with PM3(another 3 colours) In a same line put PF0/PF1/PF2/PF3, overlap PF0 with PM0/1 and PF1 with PM0/1. Do the same with PM2/3 and PF2/3. In final you have on the same line: PM0/1 - (by their own - 3COLOURS), PF0/PM0/(3rd sprite colour)/PM1 - (3COLOURS), PF1/PM0/(3rd sprite colour)/PM1 - (3COLOURS) = 9 colours. On the same line, the same for PF2/PF3 and PM2/3, you get more 9COLOURS. PF0/PF1/PF2/PF3 by their own - 4COLOURS. Background colour - 1COLOUR. CONCLUSION: 9+9+4+10= 23COLOURS. Simple (If they done this on the past?...) José Pereira.

Now I understand the 23 colours on one line (PMs with PFs overlap with 3rd colour using multicolour PMs). But, as I said to you, I'v been studying "G2F" and in "Sprite priorities" instructions about "Druid" example, it says something about put priority number 0. What I understand from what is written, it´s the overlap technic between PMs and PFs. But it is written that it doesn´t work on a real machine. So, is this technic, a only emulator technic (I don´t think, accordind to POKE 623 with the correspondent values - you can see how to do that in some Atari 8bit books, just go to "ATARI ARCHIVES")? Another thing: if I use PM0/1 in multicolour mode to interact with PF0/1, I have a 3 rd colour in each one of PMs colour in the overlap place, right? But, if I have P0 alone of P1 (side by side, they don't overlap eachother). In this situation I don´t get 3rd sprite colour but if each player interact with playfield, will I get 3rd colour on PM/PF overlap. And a last question: If I use 2 PM in a screen, using "G2F" and save that screen, is there a possibity to use that screen and the other 2 sprites as player and enemy in a game, with the correspondent PFs/PMs priorities and collisions? Thanks, José Pereira.

My Atari 800xl doesn´t work. I have, for example, Mega Magazine from ANG, issue 7 and it had a program: UNAR24, that you use to open some of the other files on the diskette, as I remember. I see the Mega magazines on internet, includind this one, they are on arc files. I need to open some of "arc" Atari 8bit files, using atari800win plus, as I was on a real Atari 800XL computer. So what I want it's "UNARC24" program (the real Atari 8bit). Thanks. José Pereira

Hello. Need to find a ARC/UNARC program to use in atari800win. Someone can send it? Thanks. José Pereira.

Sorry for the interruption, but here I am again. First another question aboutt G2F: All the screens I get from c64 and/or others I get the screen 48 bytes wide and if I try to put in 40, it cuts 8 on the left side. How can I get 40bytes (c64=A8 - 40 bytes wide)? Now the ideas: - C64 way - SIFE program - Put some colours in a screen and another colours on others (SIFE 0.0 you can get 3 screens). For example: Light green (the floor - PF3), Light gray(the way-PF0), Green(trees and plants - PF1), Brown (other colour on plants - PF2). One screen. 2 Grays for rest of rocks/walls colours on another screen. I get other colours in the 2nd and the third screens. - G2F - The 3/4 colours for the background, with some display lists (one fot the bottom for the energy/weapons place). Other display lists are almost impossible in playing area (see some screens). The only way is "Rasters", but I completely stucked, as I said on the last Mail. - The sprites - Because no one send ideas of how to innterrupt with other screen to create the players in Hi-Resol. and will design them in normal way. Enemy - Takes the 3 sprites (2 multicoloured + 1 normal), 1 missile for one hand and 1 missile for the front foot (because of the colision registers - When foot take pf of Light green it not pass, and to create diferent loss of energy on player if he gets with hand or with foot). Ninja - software sprite for the black body, 1 sprite (hands, eyes and 1 foot) and the correspondent missile for the front foot (The same reason of enemys - colisions). Objects on the ground - 1 sprite - try to pur it in a place that the enemy don´t go and a missile ( When front hand of Ninja took it, it takes the object). Weapons - All with software sprites (immpossible with hardware sprites because of the size of some of them and ninja can have one and player another - replace black colour to Dark gray, one of pf(s). All the1 colisions can be set by this way. - Hi-Resolution - All the sprites/pf overlap to get more colours on screen. 1 Player and correpondent missile for Ninja and other for enemy (don´t forget the front foot, because of the colision) for the clothes. Some other ideas: Objects - Interrupt sprite colors - Nice show. Enemy - why don´t a friend have the possibility to control in on that screen, or play in normal way. More to come tomorrow. Send your ideas, conributions and what you think. Best regards.. José Pereira.

Hello to all. I move from my old house to a family one. I only have some spare time at night. I've been studying "g2F". I made some changes in my original ideas. I have the idea of using more than 1 screen and display lists to obtain more colours. Now I see G2f and the "rasters" possibilty. But I´m Blocked. I don´t understand it very well. The instructions are a little difficult to understand. Someone give me some instructions? I also study in High resolution, it´s a good possibility. I have to go by now. I think I can give you more details today. Obrigado. José Pereira.

Could you send to [email protected] or to here an ".gif" picture (I don't have my Atari things these days. I'm using a public computer. Thanks. José Pereira.

Hello. Here I am again. I spent all day thinking about this topic. I spent more than two hours reading all the instructions from g2f. See many more times screens and videos from Last Ninja c64 version (even an NES)... That technic of Hi-Resol. for a game like Last Ninja I think that would not give the game's feeling (and the problem of collisions and priorities). The major performance of C64 it's the colours. The only way of doing a good port/conversion is creating colourful screens. In what I have in mind, and with all the the sprites design, with cooperation between Players, missiles and playfields to have the priorities/collisions the only way it's using G2f with GED or GED by itself. The idea will be creating some screens with the changes in the lines to get more colours. In this part I will not use sprites because I need them for the game. But, If I can find some way of put the Ninja/Enemy/weapons in Hi-resol. with sprites on it on colourful screens I will be happy... If not I create them in the normal Player/Missiles way. One method or the other will be the same in the colision/priority registers (Hi-Resol. software sprite+(Players+Missiles-for eyes,hands,foot or some clothes)=Player/Missiles only). I saw in g2f the idea between changes in pf1/pf2 and sprites with brightness, is it the way to create that 2 Last Ninja screens? But that screens are wonderful, I think, for example in games like Molecule Man, Amaroute, Head over Heels or ULTIMATE game ports. Someone wants to do something on this games? Even a few screens show? Obrigado(Português), Gracias(Espanol), Thanks (English), Merci(Francais), Origato (Japanese). Anyone know in any other language? Bye. José Pereira.

Thanks for your help. For the first mail can you explain me better the changes beetwen screens (sometimes you can not translate directly the meaning of a word - what you understand as field?). And you change 1 screen gr.8 then other 15 and so on. But to get more colours, I need 1 or 2 more screen gr.15 (Is this the idea behind creating field 1 and 2?).The best way is to change: gr.8/15/8/15/8/15(3screen gr.15 - 9 colours) or 8/15/15/15? On the second mail, I must say I was impressed, very impressed. But, can you explain better what you have done? Where are the 8DLIS on screen1? How do you get the yellow on the lamps and is it possible to create more colours on more objects? How do you get so many colours on the status screen and the Ninja's Face? Is it possible to add another colour to Enemy clothe like they do on c64? Do you use any hardware sprites? My idea is that I can do the collision and priorities using combinations beetwen players, missiles and/or playfields. In Hi-Resol. I only have one screen graphic Pf, so how will I do that? (How they do that, for example in Spectrum or Amstrad versions of Last Ninja II?) And at the end you said about being better than c64(with midline graphic change modes), how you do it? What program you use to get this screens (from c64 and change to Atari)? Can you explain more about the possibities of the programs and other screen possibilities? Sorry for so many questions, but I never saw any Atari screens on Hi-Resol. with so many colours. It could be a new begining to Atari screen design, if you can explain better to me and I think, to many more around there? A stupendous, enormous, spectacular,... work!... Why don't you send more examples (other games, title screens,etc...) using this technics? "God bless you all"!... José Pereira.

Programs like SIFE and others do the combinations between Antic4 screens. With this you get 4 colours on eachone and the paper colour. I think that the best way to reduce flickering is to put the same paper in all of the screens, isn´t it? The SIFE program, for example, it's like old programs, you create a character, then you have to join them to create an object, and so on. On the final you put all the objects on screen. And here it is, a screen game, for example. But there is any program, like g2f that I can take various screens of a game map from other computer, and create screen by screen in this system of more than 1 screen to get aditional colours. Do you imagine how it will be cut all the screen of Last Ninja in thousand of pieces to get single characters? And anyone knows if it's possible to have 1screen Gr.8, and then interrupt with Antic4 2 or 3 screens. This is because I have the idea to get the software sprites in Hi-res and do the cobination with player missiles, do the movements of them and finally interrupt them with the Antic4 screens to get the playfield colours. I think that this will not have interference with any of PF1 colours on Antic4 screens (Hi-res. modes uses text in PF1, 709). What this will do in PF1 colours on Antic 4 screens? This is because I have all the screen maps from Last Ninja I/II, see all the sprites, designe some of the sprites shapes, I know all the diferent priorities and collisions, and how to do them on our Atari (I even have a new idea to do on Atari version). But all of this without the sprites in Hi-resolution. They will be 2 Multicoloured sprire for enemys and software sprites for the Ninja and weapons. But I never give up of having the Ninja/enemys and weaponary in Hi-Resolution. So, I spent this last weekend study this and I can say to you that I can mix the sprites and the Hi-Resol. software sprites and also get the priorities and collisions. How? Simple, I think. The players and missiles as I read in some place, don't have nothing to do with the various screens interrupt, they are in all. So, I can create them, join them, and do the movement (Joystick and computer enemy's), touch the objects to pick them. I think that the only thing I cannot do is the movement on Antic4 screen, because if this happens the sprites from Hi-Resol. PF1 wil turn into 3 flicker low resolutional in the 3 Antic4 screens. Someone knows if this low and Hi-resol. screens be possibal and what interference will have with the speed of the program/game and also the colours (flicker) and if I put the Black in pf1 Hi-Resol. screen thn Antic 4 could be other PF1s colours? Anyone know some program,demos or know how and can show or do this for me? And a last thing. This change between screens is also possible in scrolling games? I Think I understand that Sheddy do that in is Space Harrier conversion to get aditional colours!... Sorry for so many mails today. I'm not the only one here, but I have this free day. Many thanks to you all. Very important notification: Gracias a ATARIWARE por lo Mail. Non hablo espanol, que tal Muito Obrigado em português. Nosotros/Nós nos entendemos. Um abraço. José Pereira.

In your forum on the c64vsAtari someone show the combinations between players, players and playfield, players and playfields by their own. That was translated from one of that old atari programming books. The author said all the combinations will give 23 colours, but even he don't know how to explain. I read this part of the book many many times and I don't understand how? You can do combinations with them? You can. But on one line you can only have 4sprites and missiles at once (or 2 multicoloured sprites and the 4missiles or 4missiles together as the 5th sprite). Someone can explain if this is true and how it works? And the third colour on Multicoloured sprites where I get it? With 2 multicoloured sprites, I get 1 or 2 third colour (in games like Mirax or Guardian you get 2)? And in this games they are diferent from any of the playfield colours, I think (I know that 5th sprite colour is from 711, the PF3, I think that 3rd colour it isn´t). Thanks again. José Pereira.