Pac-man Update for Atari 8-bit

[AtariGuru]

I love this Pac-Man,finally after 30 years we will get arcade like version.

I was playing it on Atari 800 PAL and noticed problem with cut scenes animations, sometimes big pac-man sprite while chasing the ghost was not completed(missing uper or lower part of "jaw"). In "bear" level ghosts are not moving smoothly.

 

i noticed that too. but it dosent do it every time.

Edited December 2, 2011 by AtariGuru

[tep392]

I love this Pac-Man,finally after 30 years we will get arcade like version.

I was playing it on Atari 800 PAL and noticed problem with cut scenes animations, sometimes big pac-man sprite while chasing the ghost was not completed(missing uper or lower part of "jaw"). In "bear" level ghosts are not moving smoothly.

 

I'll see if I can figure out what is going on. Unfortunately I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to do much play testing. The graphics engine was limited to 8x10 sprites so I had to do a little hacking to make the double height pac in the intermission. I should be able to figure it out.

 

Something that might surprise people is that it appears 7800 Ms. Pacman was built directly off of this version. I've been able to use the 7800 source code to help me figure out the how the 8-bit version works. While the graphics code is completely different, the game engine, monster logic, etc. is about 95%, line by line identical. The variable tables are also virtually the same.

[+therealbountybob]

Just played on my PAL 800XL, wow! this is much tougher!!

 

Same comments as above plus when you are caught I think theres a bit of pacman debris before the death sequence. Also doesn't return to title screen after your go & the hi-scores are not displayed?

 

Was that pause after killing the ghosts the same length as the arcade ver? - might seem a tad long but perhaps it gives the player a quick rest!

 

That bear mode feature is kinda neat - the ghosts move in surges, maybe this would be make a separate copy of the game?!

 

Keep up the great work

[tep392]

Just played on my PAL 800XL, wow! this is much tougher!!

Ms. Pac-man did adjust the sound and colors for PAL but didn't adjust the speeds. I fixed it.

 

Was that pause after killing the ghosts the same length as the arcade ver? - might seem a tad long but perhaps it gives the player a quick rest!

 

The delay should be reasonably close to the arcade. I used MAME as a reference but didn't do any precise timing so I'm sure it's off. I'll tweak some of those things after I finish the bigger changes.

[tep392]

Thanks for the compliments! I really appreciate it.

 

With version 2 I've fixed a few bugs and added joystick button start. The uneven monster movement on the bear level was a mistake I made with the speed constants. It should look smoother now. I also found a typo in the program which may be the cause of the corrupted sprites you see occasionally. I havn't seem them myself, so I don't know if it's really fixed. Please let me know if it's still happening.

 

Perry

pacmanv2.xex

[JamesD]

In the second case "eating":

 

 

 

And for the first time in my life, I have Pac Man fever!

[Shannon]

Interesting about the 7800 connection there.

[snicklin]

Hi Perry, just to say, unfortunately, the corruption of the sprites is still there.

[tep392]

Hi Perry, just to say, unfortunately, the corruption of the sprites is still there.

 

Does it happen consistently? It would help me a lot if you could tell me the conditions when it happens. Thanks.

[Gunstar]

Left out a frame in the first two examples I posted.

 

 

 

That second one just doesn't look right, Pacman looks like a pestacio nut being opened.

[snicklin]

Hi Perry,

 

I see the corruption in the animations between levels, with the large pac-man having characters missing. It happens every time that I get to the animation.

 

If it makes any difference, I'm using Atari800win.

[firestorm]

In my case, I just played first round on loaded from sio2sd Pac-Man, end there was corruption of "big" Pac-Man sprite on first intermission. I'm using Atari 800XL PAL. From time to time there is no problem with this, but mostly is.

[AtariGuru]

i see the mess up in the little cartoon after the second level and when i die there is a little mess up in the pacman dying graphic.

[+MrFish]

Left out a frame in the first two examples I posted.

 

 

 

That second one just doesn't look right, Pacman looks like a pestacio nut being opened.

 

So, there should be something green inside?

[tep392]

I think I fixed the bug with big Pac. Try this one out.

pacmanv3.xex

[AtariGuru]

I think I fixed the bug with big Pac. Try this one out.

 

i took this picture with my camera. here is what i see when i die before pac man starts to melt.

brenda

[+MrFish]

I worked up the beginnings of a title screen last week. The artwork is derived from the original cabinet. I didn't use too many color changes, as I wanted to stick to the original simple color scheme. You're welcome to use it for your version if you like.

 

[José Pereira]

Interesting the story that it was originally called Puck-Man in Japan and why they changed the name into Pac-Man:

http://www.pinkgorillagames.com/retro_reviews/pacman_inside_the_arcade.php

[tep392]

I think I fixed the bug with big Pac. Try this one out.

 

i took this picture with my camera. here is what i see when i die before pac man starts to melt.

brenda

 

That helps a lot. It shouldn't be hard to track that one down. Thanks.

[tep392]

Ok, I should have the bug fixed with the Pac death sequence. Just a typo. Hate it when I leave out a # out of an immediate mode instruction. Next step is to get the High Score added.

pacmanv4.xex

Edited December 10, 2011 by tep392

[tep392]

I worked up the beginnings of a title screen last week. The artwork is derived from the original cabinet. I didn't use too many color changes, as I wanted to stick to the original simple color scheme. You're welcome to use it for your version if you like.

 

 

Looks nice MrFish, but I'm trying to go for arcade original, like this. No title needed. That would work nice on a cartridge label.

 

[+MrFish]

I worked up the beginnings of a title screen last week. The artwork is derived from the original cabinet. I didn't use too many color changes, as I wanted to stick to the original simple color scheme. You're welcome to use it for your version if you like.

 

 

Looks nice MrFish, but I'm trying to go for arcade original, like this. No title needed. That would work nice on a cartridge label.

 

 

Thanks. Yea, I figured you were going to be using that screen, as I would too. This is more like a preloading screen or an intro type of screen (think Bomb Jack), which would come before that screen. I can just release it as an executable. That way anyone who's interested can tack in onto the front of the binary (or any Pac-Man binary) using "Integrator".

[José Pereira]

I worked up the beginnings of a title screen last week. The artwork is derived from the original cabinet. I didn't use too many color changes, as I wanted to stick to the original simple color scheme. You're welcome to use it for your version if you like.

 

 

Looks nice MrFish, but I'm trying to go for arcade original, like this. No title needed. That would work nice on a cartridge label.

 

 

Seeing this Arcade picture and as you're adding White for the Eyes you could also add the Blue and get them exactly like Arcade.

[firestorm]

Hi, I played Pac-Man v4 and had intermission animation after cleaning first board.

[+MrFish]

I worked up the beginnings of a title screen last week. The artwork is derived from the original cabinet. I didn't use too many color changes, as I wanted to stick to the original simple color scheme. You're welcome to use it for your version if you like.

 

 

Looks nice MrFish, but I'm trying to go for arcade original, like this. No title needed. That would work nice on a cartridge label.

 

 

How about this?

 

Edited December 10, 2011 by MrFish