Abstract Assembly Development Kit

[Mr SQL]

ASDK Gold Edition, Version 2.0

 

 

REFRESHER:

The Abstract Assembly SDK is a free programming Framework for the Atari VCS similar to the bAtari BASIC Framework that allows games to be written rapidly using Abstract Assembly. You can also use the bB compiler if you prefer.

 

The ASDK features a virtual world 10x the size of the screen, tile mapped sprites with off screen collision detection, a CAM object and simple x,y positioning to either the playfield or the virtual world.

 

ABOUT THIS RELEASE:

 

This release has been improved and crunched into a much smaller memory footprint with faster performance, additional high level functions like Typecasting, more phantom hardware to support vertical sprite flipping and a slew of new features like the software RAM doubler and controversial artifact colour support (artifact colour performance varies from best on four switch models, to vanishing completely on PAL and Composite Mods).

 

RUN GAMES EVERYWHERE ON ANYTHING:

 

ASDK bankswitched games can now run anywhere on all Atari VCS platforms with any media format!

 

Games will run in Emulators and on the real hardware on Harmony/Melody Cartridge media or on Tape or CD media for use with the SuperCharger and compatible flashcarts.

 

DEVELOPER CHOICE:

 

Like it should be

 

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABSTRACT ASSEMBLY

 

Here is a programming reference you can use to learn it literally overnight. As an added benefit, once you've learned to code asm to abstraction it then becomes much simpler to drill down to the minutia and esoteric ideosyncracies of hardcore low level Assembly because you will already be familiar with the concepts - the abstraction layers for the phantom hardware (screen buffer, camera object, etc) will drop away and you will see the Matrix like Neo.

 

NO VISUAL IDE ... YET

 

Visual IDE's are awesome tools, and there have been a few requests for a visual ASDK. The large virtual world graphics and sprite definitions are WYSIWYG abstracted inline in the code just like the playfields and sprite definitions are in bB code but a Visual front end on top of the ASDK to further streamline and speed development would be a welcome addition if anyone wishes to create one!

DOWNLOAD

Download the latest version of the ASDK here, comes with draw program/marquee demo code in the gameloop and an example of sprite flipping: the four images in the rotating sprite come from just a single sprite definition flipped four different ways!

ASDK_20.asm ASDK MANUAL.pdf

 

EXAMPLES OF GAMES BUILT WITH THE ASDK

 

Here are some examples of fun games and playable demos written with successive versions of the ASDK that illustrate some of the possibilities:

KCMM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3IlUdxMbJo

 

DODGE IT PANORAMIC ADVENTURE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHpJjvHjmH0

 

SCROLLOUT FOLLOW THE BALL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXLrt-YYh4

 

SCROLLOUT 4-WAY PLAYABLE DEMO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXnMYlf6Sc0