Donkey Kong XM Pre-order and demo

[ColecoGemini]

Ok, I know this shouldn't effect regular game play, but much the same as the pressing the jump button while climbing ladders. If you press the jump button while using the hammer, you get the same stutter steps. It's probably the same code fix as the ladders, so should be pretty simple if you want to include it. Sorry if it upsets ColecoGemini, but these little things all add up and make the difference between a very good release and a great release.

 

Bob

 

 

Nobody is upset. Just laughing at some of the fairly ridiculous things people find that can cause games to glitch. This game is pretty damned awesome now.

[Trebor]

This game is pretty damned awesome now.

 

I'm going to have to agree with ColecoGemini on this one. Actually, I'll say it was pretty damn awesome a few months back. What has been tweaked at this point is making a game as close to "not one glitch present even under the most extreme circumstances" as possible. The game was A+++ before any of these last few, very minor tweaks. Now it's A++++.

 

Implying these "little things" have taken the game from a "very good release" status to "a great release" status is a bit much. It was made great by Perry a while ago.

 

[bfollett]

I guess we'll have to just disagree on this one. At least a few of the issues really should have been fixed before release. No game should crash because you happen to do a stray button press during an animation sequence(rivets screen bug). The stutter step while climbing ladders should also have been fixed because it's quite plausible to want to start button mashing as you approach the top of a ladder if you know a barrel is going to be there at nearly the same time, the slow down from the bug almost insured the barrel gets there first. There was also the issue of trying to start a game while the demo was running and it ignoring the screen order you selected because of that. Add all the other graphical fixes and I think I was justified in saying it went from a "very good" to "great" release, but again, it's just a matter of opinion. Anyway, I think all agree... it's great now.

 

Bob

[7800]

OMG... A lot of nit picking with this game. It's friggin' perfect, even with some minor glitches and bugs. This can't get to my doorstep fast enough.

 

However, I'm glad to see that steps are being taken to make it the best it can be... much appreciated.

[+Defender_2600]

With all due respect to the modest summary Perry has provided, I have compiled a more extensive listing of many updates and fixes that have taken place. While better than a "Cliff's notes" version, this is by no means exhaustive. Even just one of these points could mean hours upon hours, and days upon days of work.

 

If you see a point that may appear to be duplicated, the fact is it is probably one of many items that went through several revisions. Perry was/is determined to get so many things as "arcade perfect" as possible, it is mind blowing.

 

It is clear this labor of love has entailed an incredible amount of work:

 

- POKEY sound borrowed heavily from the 8-bit version.

- Created the tunes that play at the end of the rivet screen. Both versions are there and alternates like the arcade.

- You can also now hear Kong beat his chest as you try to save Pauline.

- "How High Can You Get?" screen is present and accounted for.

- Intro animations - Kong starts the game climbing the building with Pauline, hops across the girders and finishes with a laugh at Mario.

- End of board animations - He will escape with Pauline at the end of the Girder, Cement and Elevator levels.

- Cement (Pie) factory! Includes Kong moving across the top conveyor as Mario works his way up the screen while avoiding the fire balls and cement containers.

- Graphics have been updated on all screens.

- New menu and score line. Sprites have been made more like the arcade thanks to Defender_2600.

- AI for firefoxes and fireballs has been updated. It is now arcade perfect on Cement and Rivet screens.

- Barrel tossing on Girder screen and Bouncer patterns on elevator screen have been updated to replicate the arcade as well.

- Modded colors to be a more like the arcade, thanks to KevinMos3 and Trebor's help.

- HSC support has been added!

- Added Pauline "standing" pose after being saved

- Updated Kong's climbing sprites to look more like arcade

- When Mario stops walking, he maintains his current pose instead of going back to standing pose.

- Fixed barrel logic with Japanese screen order. Mario now has to have hand above top rung of ladder for barrels to not go down ladder.

- Tweaked platforms on Cement screen so it is not too difficult to jump. Close to arcade now.

- Adjusted positions of blue poles supporting Pauline's platform on Rivet screen.

- Tweaked rivet sprites.

- Hammer didn't clear if Mario is killed while holding it.

- Changed Menu screen colors and added flashing affect to "Donkey Kong" graphic.

- Both the US and Japanese screen orders available - Controlled with the difficulty switch.

- Kong can now throw the blue barrels as in the arcade.

- On the cement screen, I've fixed the ladder code so it will pull Mario down if he isn't at the top when the ladder starts to move.

- The middle conveyor direction is now dependent on Mario's vertical position, same as the arcade version.

- Mario can rebound off wall to escape barrels at the end of the ramps

- Fireballs turn blue when the hammer is grabbed

- Fireball can climb to higher levels.

- The 1st blue barrel that gets tossed at the start of the screen now behaves correctly for each level.

- Level 22 kill screen.

- Fixed the color issue with the fireball's on the 1st screen.

- Updated the hammer graphics and added the skidding graphic that appears briefly at the end of jumps and falls.

- Hat, purse and umbrella point values vary with level.

- Hammering regular barrel is 100 pts. Blue barrels, firefoxes, fireballs, pies are random value of 300, 500 or 800 using same probability as arcade version.

- Changed the object jumping code to mimic the arcade.

- Barrel logic will follows the arcade.

- Position A will cause Kong to throw barrels at the same rate as the arcade version, while position B will use the original slower 7800 rates.

- Firefoxes and Fireballs use the same AI as the arcade game.

- Probabilities for going up/down ladders is replicated.

- The change in enemy speed as the bonus timer counts down and levels increase has been replicated. This includes the difference in speed going up and down ladders.

- The fire enemies bounce correctly as they move.

- Timing/AI for direction changes are replicated.

- Enemies on the rivet/cement screen will pause at the top of ladders randomly.

- Firefox graphics have been improved.

- Barrels on Girder screen start to disappear when bonus timer drops below 400

- Updated elevator speeds to match arcade.

- Made window for checking if Mario is above or below a ladder 40% wider to make it easier to climb/descend.

- Elevators: New graphics and added a color

- Girders: added a color

- Fireballs: new graphics and new colors

- Stairs: changed the color

- Donkey Kong: new color for the fur (more towards the red)

- The girder between the elevators has a different length respect to the girder that follows

- Elevator level - finished moving the platform and aligning the ladders.

- Bounding boxes follow same pattern as the arcade machine.

- Jump next to Donkey Kong, pulled away, and got 100pts on Rivets level (Arcade behavior)

- The smashed object graphic is correctly animated and multicolored.

- The elevator bouncer uses correct colors.

- Added "HELP!" graphic to Pauline's animation.

- Hammer duration matches arcade and color changes at 50% time left.

- Fixed bug so Pauline is erased when DK grabs here.

- Adjusted bouncer position and collision boundary.

- Tweaked Mario's speeds up/down ladders

- Jump distance was adjusted to be more arcade like.

- Cement container speeds were slowed down a bit to match the arcade as well.

- For the Japanese screen order option I modified the barrel logic so they don't go down a ladder when Mario is on it.

- Clear objects when Mario completes a level or dies.

- 3rd fireball on ramp screen bounces now.

- Updated oil can fire pallet to match fires.

- Updated Kong sprites.

 

That was the short version - I kid you not...

THANK YOU PERRY!!!

 

 

The game was A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++!!!!!!!

[bfollett]

I'm aware of that, but will not be making any change. It's actually more involved than the ladder climbing change. I don't see any real benefit in gameplay, so will leave it be. But thanks for the suggestion.

That's perfectly fine on this one. Unlike the ladder climb where there's a valid instance where you might be trying to press the jump as you approached the top of a ladder. There's very little reason to press the jump button while you have the hammer, (unless maybe you were anticipating it's disappearing while a barrel was approaching and you hope that if the hammer disappears you might still jump an oncoming barrel) . LOL, I think you better release the game soon anyways, the natives are getting restless!

 

Bob

[Trebor]

That's perfectly fine on this one. Unlike the ladder climb where there's a valid instance where you might be trying to press the jump as you approached the top of a ladder. There's very little reason to press the jump button while you have the hammer, (unless maybe you were anticipating it's disappearing while a barrel was approaching and you hope that if the hammer disappears you might still jump an oncoming barrel) . LOL, I think you better release the game soon anyways, the natives are getting restless!

 

Bob

If you are anticipating the hammer disappearing while a barrel is approaching and you're hoping to still be able to jump that oncoming barrel, it would make more sense to be standing still rather than moving about if you were looking to best time jumping the barrel.

 

If you are moving about, then your jump is better timed as soon as the hammer disappears and not 'button mashing' while hammer is in hand or else you can lose valuable moments if one of your button presses during the 'mash fest' took place just a moment before the hammer disappeared, instead of right after it disappears.

 

As far as game release, the game plan has already been posted.

[Trebor]

The game was A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++!!!!!!!

According to bfollett's reasoning, that (incomplete) improvement and upgrade list from the original retail release only made a 'very good' game.

 

It wasn't until the stuff he pointed out was tweaked is when the game became great. Good thing bfollett is here to point out how to make a only 'very good' game, a 'great' game.

 

Thanks, bfollett.

[bfollett]

Didn't mean to cause so much turmoil, but sometimes all those graphics tweaks can add that final polish to a game for some people and not others. I mean at one point Mario was fighting with what looked more like a mushroom than a hammer. I thought the whole idea of this update was to bring it as close to Arcade original as possible, not just as close as Trebor saw fit. Plus I think the author was more waiting on his XM arriving than my suggestions being implemented. So if he was able to squeeze in a few extra fixes to add that polish, I'd think you'd be happy.

Bob

[Trebor]

 

Didn't mean to cause so much turmoil, but sometimes all those graphics tweaks can add that final polish to a game for some people and not others. I mean at one point Mario was fighting with what looked more like a mushroom than a hammer. I thought the whole idea of this update was to bring it as close to Arcade original as possible, not just as close as Trebor saw fit. Plus I think the author was more waiting on his XM arriving than my suggestions being implemented. So if he was able to squeeze in a few extra fixes to add that polish, I'd think you'd be happy.

Bob

 

No turmoil here. I would think the idea is for the game to be as close to the Arcade as Perry sees fit. What is being mentioned is not disputing the idea of bringing the game to arcade likeness; rather, the label of it being only a "very good" release as opposed to a "great" release and what determines that.

 

As listed and mentioned, the things Perry had coded prior to these last couple of tweaks already made a game beyond great. As you already stated, guess we will just have to disagree; especially on what made and determined this game "great".

 

IMHO, if Perry would have just released a POKEY sound update to the original Donkey Kong, that would have been "great". What he has done beyond that is simply amazing and magnificent.

[tep392]

Thanks for the compliments Trebor. I really appreciate it. I was originally quite happy with the POKEY sound update and intermissions, but once I started adding the cement screen, I became obsessed with getting all the gameplay elements right. Then you and Marco started helping with all the graphics updates/gameplay details and that is what perfected it. I couldn't have done it without the two of you.

 

Bob. I appreciate your comments as well. The couple of legitimate bugs you pointed out were important. Unexpected lockup's are never good.

[Jinks]

Great work everyone!! Thanks for going WAY beyond a pokey update!!

[bfollett]

I almost fear posting this... But I'm going to anyway. In prosystem, I changed the screen order to Japan, but did not hit start until the high score screen was displayed. This resulted in the screen order incorrectly changing to US.

 

Sorry,

 

Bob

[tep392]

Demos are updated.

[ChuckH]

Fantastic!

[tep392]

Testing on the XM unit Curt sent me has gone great! I couldn't find any bugs and the POKEY sound is awsome.

 

I also built my first finished cart! This one is a demonstrator for Al to take to PRGE. I had to disable HSC support in this copy because it's disabled in the demo XM unit Al will be using.

 

[+swlovinist]

Wow, the cart looks awesome!

[7800]

Just a quick ridiculous, stupid question for this evening...

 

What happens if I put an XM cart into a standard 7800... will anything happen?

[mmervine]

Just a quick ridiculous, stupid question for this evening...

 

What happens if I put an XM cart into a standard 7800... will anything happen?

It will depend on the game. In this case, there will be no sound or high score keeping

[7800]

It will depend on the game. In this case, there will be no sound or high score keeping

But the game would work, only with no sound? That's kinda cool.

[mmervine]

Correct!

[Trebor]

Have a little Arcade Ambience playing in the background until the XM Expansion Module is in hand:

 

http://arcade.hofle.com/downloads.htm

 

Naturally, 1981 or 1983 sounds would be ideal

 

It will feel (even more) like you're in the Arcade while playing Donkey Kong XM on your 7800.

[7800]

Nice, That would be cool if one had a personal arcade, like in their basement... and they wanted it to sound like an arcade. Just loop it and pipe it into a receiver connected to various speakers spread throughout the basement.

[Pbrook67]

I've just uploaded the final demo's. Game is complete and bug free, as far as I can tell. I'm anxiously waiting for the proto XM unit from Curt. I'm hoping to have it in a week and ship the carts the 1st week of September.

 

THANKS!

 

Pre-order for 1st batch. 66 of 66 carts are sold/paid for. Thank you.

Taking orders for 2nd batch. I still have plenty of parts left for additional orders.

 

1 NML32 Paid

2 Trebor Paid - 2 carts

3 iesposta Paid

4 twoquickcapri Paid

5 waggie Paid

6 allpaul Paid

7 corby Paid

8 trekmd Paid

9 gambler172 Paid

10 nuclear pacman Paid

11 Gandor Paid

12 eddhead Paid

13 Mitch Paid

14 cfn Paid

15 gorfcadet Paid

16 JonnyBritish Paid

17 Mayhem Paid

18 atarinerd Paid

19 jeffgamer Paid

20 streps Paid

21 thursday83 Paid

22 swlovinist Paid

23 MetalGhost Paid

24 keitaro Paid

25 moon patrol Paid

26 HammR25 Paid

27 ckirkman Paid

28 edweird13 Paid

29 evg2000 Paid

30 cmart604 Paid

31 jwierer Paid

32 kman Paid

33 AtariBrian Paid

34 atarinut76 Paid

35,36 lucifershalo Paid 2 carts

37 ntavio Paid

38 retrogmr Paid

39 smagnotta Paid

40 marc oberhauser Paid

41 mmervine Paid

42 furor Paid

43 zodiacprime Paid

44 san-d-2000 Paid

45 jinks Paid

46 Atariappleman Paid

47 bizarrostormy Paid

48 bennybingo Paid

49 fandal Paid

50 mimo Paid

51 potzrebie Paid

52 psw Paid

53 chris leach Paid

54 romeoteknik Paid

55 toymailman Paid

56 Defender_2600 Paid

57 purenergy Paid

58 kevinmos3 Paid

59 shaky Paid

60 bcprs1 Paid

61 7800 emucoder Paid

62 Bill Loguidice Paid

63 revolutionika Paid

64 madaracs Paid

65 Justin42 Paid

66 chocotaco Paid

 

2nd batch

1 Liduario Paid

2 Jaybird3rd Paid

3 phattyboombatty Paid

4 7800 Paid

5 atariLBC Paid

6 mckafka99 Paid

7 TMOSteel Paid

8 atarian63 Paid

9 atomickneedrop Paid

10 YANDMAN Paid

11 uberarcade Paid

12 Ianoid Paid

13 MAC-42 Paid

14 Pacmanplus Paid

15 diggs130 Paid

16 retrogc Paid

17 coleco Paid

18 Mckie1 Paid

19 skosh Paid

20 imstarryeyed Paid

21 rdemming Paid

22 jdheins Paid

23 pmpddytim Paid

24 Allan Paid

25 sdrake Paid

 

 

I've been working on this off/on for a while but I think its time to get things rolling since the XM seems to be around the corner. Initially I was only adding the POKEY sound since I couldn't stand the original TIA stuff. But with the XM taking longer than expected, I found myself making a mod to add the "How High Can You Get?" screen. I still had space left in the 48k rom, so I decided to add the animation of Kong climbing the ladder and bouncing across the screen at the start of the game as well as him escaping with Pauline betweenlevels. After that, the knowledge that I gained about the original code gave me confidence that I could add the missing "Pie factory" screen, so I got to work on that. It's worked out and is almost ready to release for testing. The only problem was that I had to change to a bank switched cart due to lack of memory. These carts are not available new, so I will be making these from donor carts.

 

So here are the enhancements to the game.

 

- POKEY sound! I borrowed heavily from the 8-bit version. I had to create the tunes that play at the end of the rivet screen. Both versions are there and the game alternates between them as you progress through the levels. You can also now hear Kong beat his chest as you try to save Pauline.- "How High Can You Get?" screen is present and accounted for.

- Intro and between level animations. Kong starts the game climbing the building with Pauline, hops across the girders and finishes with a laugh at Mario. He will escape with Pauline at the end of the Girder, Cement and Elevator levels.

- Cement (Pie) factory! This screen has turned out pretty good. Kong moves across the top conveyor as Mario works his way up the screen while avoiding the fire balls and cement containers.

- Graphics have been updated on all screens. New menu and score line. Sprites have been made more like the arcade thanks to Defender_2600.

- AI for firefoxes and fireballs has been updated. It is now arcade perfect on Cement and Rivet screens. Barrel tossing on Girder screen and Bouncer patterns on elevator screen have been updated to replicate the arcade as well.

- Modded colors to be a more like the arcade, thanks to KevinMos3 and Trebor's help.

- HSC support has been added!

 

I will be building the carts using Jinks donor carts and they will have a high quality die cut label. I won't be making manuals or boxes for this release. It will be cart only. Price is $30 plus shipping. Both Marc Oberhauser and Yandman have designed some nice boxes that can be found in this thread. PM them if you are interested.

 

If you would like to order a cart, send me a PM with your mailing address and I'll get back to you with a total and put you on the list for the next batch. I normally ship USPS Priority in the US at $5.80 and USPS 1st class outside the US. The cost is about $6 to Canada and $8 to Europe. USPS prices have gone up a lot since I took orders for the 1st batch. Including shipping supplies, it's now $10 for Canada and $15 for UK.

 

Regards,

TEP392

 

DEMO - Final Version - 5Sept13

This is it! The final version. That is, unless Robert or Marco dig up another bug. I don't there there are any catastrophic bugs left though.

 

Binary's

These two files only work on Prosystem and include HSC emulation.

dkxm_final_demo_ntsc_hsc.a78

dkxm_final_demo_pal_hsc.a78

 

These two files will work in Prosystem or MESS but don't have HSC emulation.

dkxm_final_demo_ntsc.a78

dkxm_final_demo_pal.a78

 

And finally, the binary.

dkxm_final_demo.bin

 

DKXM_label.jpg

dk7800_pokey_00.pngdk7800_hsc.png

dk7800_pokey_01.pngdk7800_pokey_02.png

dk7800_pokey_03.pngdk7800_pokey_04.png

dk7800_pokey_05.pngdk7800_pokey_06.png

dk7800_pokey_07.pngdk7800_pokey_08.png

Is it possible to just purchase the ROM?

[Pbrook67]

Is it possible to just buy the rom?