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IntyBASIC Programming Contest 2020 Rules


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2 hours ago, Zendocon said:

There must be a way to add code to autodetect the extra GRAM and compensate for both cases.  I was planning a game that would do just that (as an actual release, not for the contest), the same way that my multiplayer games autodetect the ECS.

 Yes, there is and happily it is trivial.  All you need to do is write a value to one of the GRAM alias addresses (e.g. $3c00) and then read from the equivalent base GRAM address (in this case $3800).  If you can see the data you wrote there is no additional GRAM.  If you want to be super careful you clear the base GRAM address first.  So something like:

wait
poke $3800, $00
poke $3c00, $aa

if (peek($3800) = $aa) then
	' No additional GRAM :(
else
	' Party on dude! :)
end if

This is what I did when implementing the "Tutorvision" mode of Studiovision (I should note that StudioVision was written in CP1610 assembler rather than IntyBASIC so the actual code is not exactly the same, but the principle is).

 

 

Here is StudioVision running on a stock Inty:

 

 

And it running on a "Tutorvision" within JzIntv:

 

 

Same ROM image, just a JzIntv flag change.

 

 

Edited by decle
clarifications
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I can't help thinking of when the UK software company Bug-Byte posted advice for programmers looking to get published through them:

 

Quote

... and some free advice for would-be programmers

1. Make it an original - not arcade copies please.
2. Make it in machine code. (not applicable in the IntyBASIC contest :) )
3. Lots of different screens if arcade game - variety keeps the game interesting.
4. Pictures & animation if adventure - lots of screens again.
5. Make it for, in order of preference: Commodore 64, Spectrum, BBC/Electron, Atari (wut? they didn't publish Intellivision games?!)
6. Give it a pretty title screen.
7. Take time to get all the bugs out.
8. Don't make it for an obscure hardware set up (VIC-20 with 3K expansion & light pen) - it cuts down the market too much.
9. Take time to put in "professional" touches which aren't really necessary to play the game - pretty backgrounds to the screen, well designed characters, really smooth & flicker-free animation, good sound effects etc.
10. Send it in, you have nothing to lose - the reviewing service is totally free. At worst, your cassette will be returned to you with rating of its worth and suggestions for improvement. If Bug-Byte likes the program, you are under no obligation, until agreement has been reached over payment for it.

 

Edited by carlsson
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4 hours ago, Zendocon said:

I think it would be only "or" and not "and".  I'm pretty sure the Tutorvision and ECS can't coexist, at least on real hardware.

That would be a shame. How about Intellivoice?  I left that one out... We haven't implemented it yet ;-)

 

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14 hours ago, bhall408 said:

That would be a shame. How about Intellivoice?  I left that one out... We haven't implemented it yet ;-)

IntelliVoice should be fine, but I know very little about its inner workings.  I've always been more interested in the ECS.

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  • 3 weeks later...
32 minutes ago, digress said:

I am thinking of entering My mr turtle project that is partially finished already if that would be fine. Still needs work so it would give me motivation to finish it.

 

 

There's no problem as it hasn't been released comercially.

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37 minutes ago, digress said:

I am thinking of entering My mr turtle project that is partially finished already if that would be fine. Still needs work so it would give me motivation to finish it.

 

4 minutes ago, nanochess said:

There's no problem as it hasn't been released comercially.

Exactly.  It may not be new to you, but it is new to us, so good luck

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  • 1 month later...
3 hours ago, eddhell said:

does this include the Constants.bas file? or is this pertaining to the startup splash screen, etc...?

I wrote my entire game without using the standard constants file.

Not a problem.

 

I'm talking of the intybasic_prologue.asm and intybasic_epilogue.asm files that are the machine code support library for each IntyBASIC program. No modifications allowed here because that would be advantageous assembler code.

 

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  • 2 months later...

Just a friendly reminder:

 

The deadline for submissions is 00:00 GMT on the Sunday 31st of January 2021 (midnight on the 31st of January)!

 

Don't forget to send your entry to the email address per instructions in the GAME ENTRY section in the first post!

Edited by nanochess
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Greetings my friends. Remember me?

 

Yeah, I know, I haven't been around much, but still love IntyBASIC, and still watch, and am always interested in, what you guys are up to.

 

How are you guys? ? I do sincerely hope you are all safe and healthy during these times.

 

I was actually wondering, why is the contest only 5 instead of 6 months this time? No, not tooling or scratching for an extension, but just curious.

Edited by PuzZLeR
Double sentence by accident.
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20 minutes ago, PuzZLeR said:

Greetings my friends. Remember me?

 

Yeah, I know, I haven't been around much, but still love IntyBASIC, and still watch, and am always interested in, what you guys are up to.

 

How are you guys? ? I do sincerely hope you are all safe and healthy during these times.

 

I was actually wondering, why is the contest only 5 instead of 6 months this time? No, not tooling or scratching for an extension, but just curious.

Just because life complications. It started one month late, it ends the same as the previous contest.

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Hi Nonochess! ?

 

I think you meant that the last contest began, not ended, at the same time. ? (It began Feb 1st and ended late summer. Six months + a little extension.)

 

Interesting on the life complications. Not making any excuses, but in all three contests I've had to deal with a death of a close one (a close friend, my Dad, and now my close friend's sister who I was also close with). IntyBASIC contests have been trying for me (through NO FAULT of the Community, just my bad luck).

 

Anyway, I will try and submit something, particularly from some older stuff I've been working on, but no promises. I'm not sure I have enough time, but am FASCINATED and SUPER IMPRESSED with what is being presented here in this one.

 

Anyway, if you need a sixth entry, I will submit something just to have the contest be a contest. ?

 

 

Edited by PuzZLeR
Darn grammar.
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On the topic of enough number of entries, I'm afraid this past fall hasn't turned out as I wished. I find myself mentally drained once it comes to evenings after work, and on the weekends I try to catch up on everything I have put aside in the week. Indeed I have made a few smaller C64 entries in the mean time that I felt were less work (despite working in assembler) but beyond that not even the extended days around Christmas and New Year were enough for me to put any focus into programming. Things are looking bleak for the remainder of January, so expect that I'll not submit anything for the contest this time around. ? That isn't to say my entry is dead, it just needs far more time to even get something resembling a prototype of a game.

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1 hour ago, carlsson said:

On the topic of enough number of entries, I'm afraid this past fall hasn't turned out as I wished. I find myself mentally drained once it comes to evenings after work, and on the weekends I try to catch up on everything I have put aside in the week. Indeed I have made a few smaller C64 entries in the mean time that I felt were less work (despite working in assembler) but beyond that not even the extended days around Christmas and New Year were enough for me to put any focus into programming. Things are looking bleak for the remainder of January, so expect that I'll not submit anything for the contest this time around. ? That isn't to say my entry is dead, it just needs far more time to even get something resembling a prototype of a game.

Hi Carlsson. I feel the same way as you. I work some 70+/wk, and when I get home I just end up having a bite, some tea, or even a beer, and that's it. I'm out. Coding a masterpiece doesn't seem likely these days unless I can do it in bits.

 

And, yeah, then comes bills, family obligations, etc, etc, that I lay out for the weekends. January doesn't look like it'll be productive for me either. Maybe February as I will have a tiny break then, but not now. (A March 1st deadline would've been nice, but it's not up to me.)

 

I do have something, but it's something that I've been working on for months, again, bit by bit, and not worthy of any victory as of yet. It sucks that I too may have to opt out of this contest.

 

And, is it me? I feel this pandemic has had an effect on my concentration levels. Maybe it's just my imagination, but something is off.

 

Cheers my friend.

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14 minutes ago, PuzZLeR said:

I do have something, but it's something that I've been working on for months, again, bit by bit, and not worthy of any victory as of yet. It sucks that I too may have to opt out of this contest.

 

Just do what you can, but don't give up.  There are plenty of people here willing to assist if you need help.

 

The more entries we get, the better!  It also serves to motivate others in the future.  Some of the projects this year are of superb quality, amd there is always room for more!

 

Quote

And, is it me? I feel this pandemic has had an effect on my concentration levels. Maybe it's just my imagination, but something is off.


 

 

No, it's definitely not you.  It seems "working from home" during lockdown actually means "working all the time."  Lots of people are burning out.  I myself took almost an entire month off from work during December to recover from almost an entire year of working 12 to 18 hour days without break since mid-March.

 

I was dreaming of all the things I was going to do in my free time, but then, like you and @carlsson, I just couldn't get motivated for a few weeks.  By the time I started doing something, I had about a week left.

 

Needless to say, none of my projects got completed.  Now I'm back to work and the whole thing is starting again.  :(


Hey, at least I got my job, my health, and my family (said he, as he knocked heartily on the wooden table) -- even if no motivation to do absolutely anything -- so I count my blessings.

 

   dZ.

Edited by DZ-Jay
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17 hours ago, PuzZLeR said:

Hi Nonochess! ?

 

I think you meant that the last contest began, not ended, at the same time. ? (It began Feb 1st and ended late summer. Six months + a little extension.)

 

Interesting on the life complications. Not making any excuses, but in all three contests I've had to deal with a death of a close one (a close friend, my Dad, and now my close friend's sister who I was also close with). IntyBASIC contests have been trying for me (through NO FAULT of the Community, just my bad luck).

 

Anyway, I will try and submit something, particularly from some older stuff I've been working on, but no promises. I'm not sure I have enough time, but am FASCINATED and SUPER IMPRESSED with what is being presented here in this one.

 

Anyway, if you need a sixth entry, I will submit something just to have the contest be a contest. ?

 

 

 

My condolences for your deceased ones.

 

13 hours ago, carlsson said:

On the topic of enough number of entries, I'm afraid this past fall hasn't turned out as I wished. I find myself mentally drained once it comes to evenings after work, and on the weekends I try to catch up on everything I have put aside in the week. Indeed I have made a few smaller C64 entries in the mean time that I felt were less work (despite working in assembler) but beyond that not even the extended days around Christmas and New Year were enough for me to put any focus into programming. Things are looking bleak for the remainder of January, so expect that I'll not submit anything for the contest this time around. ? That isn't to say my entry is dead, it just needs far more time to even get something resembling a prototype of a game.

 

I hope you can find some hours to complete your entry. It looks interesting!

 

6 hours ago, digress said:

i count 8 entries. I think the turnout has been good. Put up screen shots or partial rom. Mine won't be finished either.

 

Don't forget to send your entry, even if isn't finished. Just round up the last level with a message, and it makes it a complete game.

 

 

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On 1/19/2021 at 5:34 AM, DZ-Jay said:

No, it's definitely not you.  It seems "working from home" during lockdown actually means "working all the time."  Lots of people are burning out.  I myself took almost an entire month off from work during December to recover from almost an entire year of working 12 to 18 hour days without break since mid-March.

 

I was dreaming of all the things I was going to do in my free time, but then, like you and @carlsson, I just couldn't get motivated for a few weeks.  By the time I started doing something, I had about a week left.

 

Needless to say, none of my projects got completed.  Now I'm back to work and the whole thing is starting again.  :(


Hey, at least I got my job, my health, and my family (said he, as he knocked heartily on the wooden table) -- even if no motivation to do absolutely anything -- so I count my blessings.

I too took work home, and it's not the "paradise" people think it is at face value. Outside is terrible too. At work, you can't take a decent break, no microwaves accessible, washing your hands before this, reduced teamwork, etc, etc. Even grocery shopping is a tension that you feel everywhere - that dude is coming too close, that woman's nose is exposed. It's a fight waiting to happen every day! When I'm visiting Mom, I still stay away from her the whole time. This sucks. I love my Mom. I've stayed away from everybody that I've loved this whole time. And, even coming home is a ritual, where to put your clothes, washing yourself, spray bottles everywhere with alcohol. And, after all this, when you have a chance to relax, you have nothing left.

 

I could go on, and on, but, yes, we are in a global bio-war now and MILLIONS of things, big and small, have changed.  I think you nailed it when I probably didn't realize it. Burnout and stress indeed! Rereading Carlsson's comment makes me think he too has the same problem.

 

But, like you, I too feel blessed that I still have work and health.

 

On 1/19/2021 at 5:34 AM, DZ-Jay said:

 

Just do what you can, but don't give up.  There are plenty of people here willing to assist if you need help.

 

The more entries we get, the better!  It also serves to motivate others in the future.  Some of the projects this year are of superb quality, amd there is always room for more!

 

Encouraging words!? My motivations levels have just increased. I don't want to make any promises of submition, but I do PROMISE that I will NOT GIVE UP. Thank you for this. ?

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On 1/19/2021 at 10:27 AM, digress said:

i count 8 entries. I think the turnout has been good. Put up screen shots or partial rom. Mine won't be finished either.

Ha ha. Well, finished or not is by YOUR standards my friend. All I see is an AMAZING game that will still fool people into thinking it's done. ?

 

Terrific work BTW. ?

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