SIO99 Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 (edited) A bit off topic, but just a starter hint for SIO99 on keypresses, if you haven't got them yet... 10 K=PEEK(764):IF K=255 THEN GOTO 10 20 PRINT K:POKE 764,255:GOTO 10 No, this is wrong! By using PEEKs and POKEs you're descending to the level of the Commodore 64! The way of scanning the keyboard in Atari BASIC isn't by using INKEY$ , but by using GET, as well as a particular syntax involving the use of # and devices which each end in a colon. The listings I read for other BASICs all tried to read keypresses from the keyboard instead of using a joystick, which may not have been supplied with the computer. I think that all Atari computers may have come with a joystick, though. The Atari BASIC editor accepted the statement A$=INKEY$, but it seems that only meant it thought that INKEY$ was a variable. I don't fully understand the command for doing this at the moment, but I'll post it here as soon as I do! The orignal listing I converted even worked on the Sinclair ZX81, so this shows you how crap the Commodore 64 was! Edited May 18, 2012 by SIO99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Willy Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Docking is easy, sneak up on the starbase with it near the centre of screen, reduce to 0 velocity once the distance <=4 Don't forget to turn off the shields! You cannot dock while the shields are up. I can't tell you how many times I always forgot that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I can't recall having to lower shields - maybe that was changed in a later version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Willy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I can't recall having to lower shields - maybe that was changed in a later version. I got the cart (8K) in 82. I was ALWAYS forgetting to turn the damn shields off and the stupid thing wouldn't dock. I even died once because I turned off the shields, started to dock, and got hit by an asteroid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundGammon Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I really liked the "steering" of your ship in the 5200 version, if you moved the joystick lightly, you would turn slowly, but if you moved it hard, your ship turned harder or faster. That's a plus for those negative controllers! Wished Activision would have released an updated version of their Skiing game from the 2600 and with a Robotron dual-controller holder and that would have been great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 No, this is wrong! By using PEEKs and POKEs you're descending to the level of the Commodore 64! The way of scanning the keyboard in Atari BASIC isn't by using INKEY$ , but by using GET, as well as a particular syntax involving the use of # and devices which each end in a colon. The listings I read for other BASICs all tried to read keypresses from the keyboard instead of using a joystick, which may not have been supplied with the computer. I think that all Atari computers may have come with a joystick, though. The Atari BASIC editor accepted the statement A$=INKEY$, but it seems that only meant it thought that INKEY$ was a variable. I don't fully understand the command for doing this at the moment, but I'll post it here as soon as I do! The orignal listing I converted even worked on the Sinclair ZX81, so this shows you how crap the Commodore 64 was! Don't drink and post. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Shields on docking works fine, even in higher levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Willy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Shields on docking works fine, even in higher levels. Very strange... I'm pretty sure I'm not crazy and turned shields off for no reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesmond Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 (edited) To SIO99... (1) Steady! PEEKs and POKEs are part of the job on pretty much all computers like ours, otherwise you can't get to the "special" things they do. Without it, you won't get any of Atari's goodies - player-missile graphics, redefined characters, or for this example, keyboard scanning. It's just the way it is; Atari BASIC doesn't do these things. "Mapping the Atari" is the book that I reckon most of us will have heard of, if not read, that describes how the Atari is mapped out, and what memory addresses serve which purposes. (2) The syntax you're talking about is this: 10 OPEN #1,4,0,"K:":GET #1,K K is then the ASCII value of the you pressed, whereas in the earlier case, K is a keyboard scan code. But this doesn't "scan" for a keypress, it stops what BASIC is doing and waits until you press one. If that's what you want then great, but that's not called scanning the keyboard, it's more like "demanding" a keypress. There isn't a way in Atari Basic to "scan" the keyboard using the IO channels; the way to do that is my earlier example. We should really relocate or start up a more programming-oriented thread if you like to keep topic etiquette. Very happy to help, but, er, please relax a bit! W. Edited May 19, 2012 by wesmond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almost Rice Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Very strange... I'm pretty sure I'm not crazy and turned shields off for no reason. Not no reason lowers power usage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 It's a valid strategy to maximize your rank. Even turning off the computer helps. I don't think asteroids will even appear if the station is onscreen. 3 players for the station at biggest size + 2 torpedos = all PMGs in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Willy Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 It's a valid strategy to maximize your rank. Even turning off the computer helps. Maybe that's what it was. I remember even turning off the computer after starting a hyperspace jump to save power. If you turned it off too soon after starting, you'd miss your target. It took some experimenting to get the timing right. I don't think asteroids will even appear if the station is onscreen.3 players for the station at biggest size + 2 torpedos = all PMGs in use. It was before it was larger than one player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLund1 Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 I did not know that that the 5200 version of SR was 'updated' What were those updates? Is there a rom image we can use in an emulator? XTAL looks good, bye the way.. Lots of good discussion here about this. Well done all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 5200 version had "updated" icons for starbases, etc on the chart. Had analog joystick support which was necessary for 5200. My 5200 I had when I was a kid had a wico analog stick and some kinda funky Y cable and a trakball which I used for numeric input. I never had the non-centering stock controller so I get a little confused when people complain.... to me it was just an Atari 8-bit with some neat big cartridges, no keyboard and analog joysticks. I miss the analog controller support though.... it really was nice for targeting those bastards at a distance and a bit less jumpy feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatta Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 5200 version had "updated" icons for starbases, etc on the chart. Had analog joystick support which was necessary for 5200. My 5200 I had when I was a kid had a wico analog stick and some kinda funky Y cable and a trakball which I used for numeric input. That's about the nicest 5200 setup you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 5200 version had "updated" icons for starbases, etc on the chart. Had analog joystick support which was necessary for 5200. My 5200 I had when I was a kid had a wico analog stick and some kinda funky Y cable and a trakball which I used for numeric input. That's about the nicest 5200 setup you can get. Yeah, wish I had kept it, that joystick and trakball setup really was nice. Very durable too. I absolutely RULED at Star Raiders on that rig when I was like 7. My dad scrounged up the coolest stuff when I was a kid. I got my own 130XE a couple years later and kinda forgot about the 5200. Are those sticks tough to find now? I thought about trying to put together a 5200 but I would loathe the standard joysticks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIKON Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Ahh Star Raiders... THE reason I got an Atari 800 XL...and now on to the post...FIX IT??? WHY? it works as is. You HAVE to understand that at the time Doug programmed this game he had limited resources and limited hardware to work with. I give Doug props for turning out a game as complex as Star Raiders. Given the time of release (1979) he put together a game that has stood the test of time and is still selling to this day. I can't think of any game program that can say that...like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers still doing it with the ORIGINAL members that they started out with. ( I know I know Howie and they other background dude) But you get my point. I really really like that pic of the modern day Star Raiders....could call the game Star Raiders in the 21st Century...and that IPad version is sweet. Would love a PC version of that. My idea would be to have updated weapons...and different weapons for different scenarios..keep the torpedoes..but also have quantum torpedoes and a lazer (really a phazer) I know Star Trek.. sue me..lol.. but I have played the Armada Games and the Freespace games but I ALWAYS come back to Star Raiders because nothing compares to this game. So lets just keep the game the way it is...lag and all...it is it's personality if you will. **************************************************** Solaris...overrated??? LMAOF....man I spent many hours on that game...and I finally beat it after many years of playing...I consider that game a classic as well. Now I do not care for Radar Lock all that much...I find that game a tad bit boring. Not one of Doug's best efforts to say the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckybuck Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hi together! When going through a Commander Mission, the shields have to be down all the time! A very good Galactic Chart has to be choosen first and fire to the 2nd enemy, while the 1st one is going into pixels... The result should look like this here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr1.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr2.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr3.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr4.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr5.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr6.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr7.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr8.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr9.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr10.tif https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17508311/sr/sr11.tif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roland p Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 He went on to design the overrated Solaris for the 2600, of course; but Star Raiders is the daddy of windshield shooters. Can you imagine some guy designing a revolutionary microchip and a revolutionary game in the climate of the industry now? I like that line in this article better: He went on to design the incredible Solaris for the 2600, of course; but Star Raiders is the daddy of windshield shooters. Can you imagine some guy designing a revolutionary microchip and a revolutionary game in the climate of the industry in the '90s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) (Double post) Edited January 30, 2013 by Chris++ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris++ Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I like that line in this article better: DAMN, I'm consistent. Thanks for the compliment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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