Line Count Issues?

[satyrsfaction]

I'm working on this game, a sequel to Text Adventure --- it works fine on Stella, but I'm told it has line count issues on real hardware. Any pointers on how to clean up the code?

text_adventure2.bas text_adventure2.bas.bin

[+stephena]

Not that the following info will help you fix the issues you have, but there is a setting in Stella that will allow you to see what happens on real hardware.

• Press Alt+L to see scanline counts.  It's then obvious that the counts are varying each time you move and/or collide with a wall.
• Go to Options -> Developer -> Video, and then turn on Jitter/roll effect.  This will simulate the roll you would see on a real TV.

As I said, it won't fix your issues, but at least you will see them right away, before you have to test on real hardware.

[RaymanC]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2020 at 3:47 PM, satyrsfaction said:

I'm working on this game, a sequel to Text Adventure --- it works fine on Stella, but I'm told it has line count issues on real hardware. Any pointers on how to clean up the code?

text_adventure2.bas 66.11 kB · 12 downloads text_adventure2.bas.bin 32 kB · 14 downloads

Hello,

 

To fix line count issues you need to have more flow control of your program using the goto command.

 

For example, the following lines in your program...

 

z = rand

if z < 50 then y = 1

if z > 49 && z < 100 then y = 2

if z > 109 && z < 150 then y = 3

if z > 149 && z < 200 then y = 4

if z > 199 && z < 250 then y = 5

if z > 249 then y = 6

 

should be like this....

 

z = rand

if z > 249 then y = 6 : goto _z_y_defined

if z > 199 then y = 5 : goto _z_y_defined

if z > 149 then y = 4 : goto _z_y_defined

if z > 109 then y = 3 : goto _z_y_defined

if z > 49 then y = 2 : goto _z_y_defined

y = 1

 

_z_y_defined

......program continues

 

Let's say that z turns out to be 200 then instead of executing all 7 lines, it will execute only 3 lines and then goto to the next label.

Also try not to use AND (&&) and your program will be faster.

 

There are also a few others changes that could be done so let me know if you are still having problems.

 

Carlos

 

 

 

 

[bogax]

there's a gap 100..109 where y doesn't get set

[RaymanC]

4 hours ago, bogax said:

there's a gap 100..109 where y doesn't get set

Yes, I think that is an error in his program. I believe that 109 should be replaced with 99

[Lillapojkenpåön]

Haven't looked at the code, and don't know if rand&5 works, but maybe you can use it elsewhere instead of alot of if...thens

 

 temp5 = rand&5  ;get random value between 0 - 5, might not work

 y = yTable[temp5]  ;use it as index

 

data yTable

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

end

[bogax]

1 hour ago, Lillapojkenpåön said:

Haven't looked at the code, and don't know if rand&5 works, but maybe you can use it elsewhere instead of alot of if...thens

 

 temp5 = rand&5  ;get random value between 0 - 5, might not work

 y = yTable[temp5]  ;use it as index

 

data yTable

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

end

it wont work

 

but I like your thinking

 

but I also don't think look up tables will be faster than only a few if statements

 

and is 1 & 1 = 1

         0 & 1 = 0

         1 & 0 = 0

         0 & 0 = 0

 

5 is %00000101

bit wise & is like so (corresponding bits are ANDed)

%00000101 & %11111111 = %00000101

where there's a 0 in either, the result will have a 0

 

so rand & 5 can produce only 4 possibilities %00000000, %00000001, %00000100, %00000101

 

I think this will give you 0..5

temp1 = rand/2 : y = (temp1/2 + temp1)/32

 

look up tables would have a more consistent timing and probably use less code

 

in the given example there may not be enough if statements to make it worth while

but it looks like there may be several other places in the code where it would

 

here's some table code (the data statements would have ot be moved out of the way)

a table look up uses the x register as an index, since x doesn't change here

it doesn't need to keep being loaded so the macro loads the variable

without reloading the x register with the value it already contains

 

  set optimization noinlinedata

  dim ptr = temp1

  def mov_in = callmacro mvim

  macro mvim
  asm
  lda {2},x
  sta {1}
end
end


  ptr = rand/2
  if ptr > 106 then skip_rand_5
  ptr = (ptr/2 + ptr)/32

  g = g_dat[ptr]
  mov_in k k_dat
  mov_in t t_dat
  mov_in w w_dat
  mov_in x x_dat
  mov_in var3 v3_dat
  mov_in var5 v5_dat
  mov_in var6 v6_dat
  mov_in var7 v7_dat
  mov_in var8 v8_dat


  data g_dat
  21, 21, 21, 12, 21
end

  data k_dat
  14,  7, 14,  7, 16
end

  data t_dat
   7,  5,  5, 17,  4
end

  data w_dat
   6, 14,  7, 14, 11
end

  data x_dat
  17, 23,  8, 21,  7
end

  data v3_dat
   1, 14, 15,  2, 23
end

  data v5_dat
   6,  6,  7, 16,  9
end

  data v6_dat
  16,  7, 16,  9,  7
end

  data v7_dat
  12, 12,  6, 15, 14
end

  data v8_dat
   4,  5, 23,  4,  5
end

 

 

on gosub and on goto also use table lookups

[bogax]

speed wise this is (almost) the best I came up with
(the bank switch code is in one spot which I then goto
it adds 3 cycles but saves a bunch of code)

this is somewhat faster than the tables
maybe 5..6 if statments, half a scan line or so (on average, around 40 cycles)

I tried to make the intervals even

y doesn't get set. looks like it gets set to 0 in bank three anyway

spreading the if statements out keeps the branches short enough that the target labels

are in range so you don't have to use goto's

 z = rand
 if z > 127 then gt_127

 if z > 85  then set_3
 if z > 42  then set_2

set_1
 g = 21 : x = 17 : w = 6 : k = 14 : rem flame, shield, lyre, key room  
 var5 = 6 : rem gorgon room
 var3 = 1 : var1 = 5 : rem troll room 
 var8 = 4 : var0 = 15 : rem snake room 
 var6 = 16 : var7 = 12 : t = 7 : rem hero, seer, theif room
 goto go_bnk3

set_2
 g = 21 : x = 23 : w = 14 : k = 7 : rem flame, shield, lyre, key room  
 var5 = 6 : rem gorgon room
 var3 = 14 : var1 = 4 : rem troll room 
 var8 = 5 : var0 = 7 : rem snake room 
 var6 = 7 : var7 = 12 : t = 5 : rem hero, seer, theif room
 goto go_bnk3

gt_127
 if z < 171 then set_4
 if z < 213 then set_5

go_bnk3
  goto _start bank3

set_3
 g = 21 : x = 8 : w = 7 : k = 14 : rem flame, shield, lyre, key room  
 var5 = 7 : rem gorgon room
 var3 = 15 : var1 = 6 : rem troll room 
 var8 = 23 : var0 = 4 : rem snake room 
 var6 = 16 : var7 = 6 : t = 5 : rem hero, seer, theif room
 goto go_bnk3

set_4
 g = 12 : x = 21 : w = 14 : k = 7 : rem flame, shield, lyre, key room  
 var5 = 16 : rem gorgon room
 var3 = 2 : var1 = 5 : rem troll room 
 var8 = 4 : var0 = 7 : rem snake room 
 var6 = 9 : var7 = 15 : t = 17 : rem hero, seer, theif room
 goto go_bnk3

set_5
 g = 21 : x = 7 : w = 11 : k = 16 : rem flame, shield, lyre, key room  
 var5 = 9 : rem gorgon room
 var3 = 23 : var1 = 12 : rem troll room 
 var8 = 5 : var0 = 15 : rem snake room 
 var6 = 7 : var7 = 14 : t = 4 : rem hero, seer, theif room
 goto go_bnk3

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by bogax
goofed the code, additional info

[Lillapojkenpåön]

On 5/15/2020 at 2:22 AM, Lillapojkenpåön said:

Haven't looked at the code, and don't know if rand&5 works, but maybe you can use it elsewhere instead of alot of if...thens

 

 temp5 = rand&5  ;get random value between 0 - 5, might not work

 y = yTable[temp5]  ;use it as index

 

data yTable

 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

end

Haha, just realized something ridiculous, if this would have worked why wouldn't you just do

 

y = rand&5 + 1