Hellway, an Atari 2600 homebrew with love

[Prizrak]

Multiple attempts with my phone to recognize the QR code and it wouldn't work. Tried different angles to avoid light reflection and my camera app (samsung note 9) usually works. Now that most restaurants are contactless and they have you use your phone to scan a code and look at the menu so I know it works. Hmmmm

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[Prizrak]

Tried a QR code app from the play store and wouldn't work either.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[ComputerSpaceFan]

I just tried it and although the QR code with a white background didn't work, the one with the black background did .... not sure why

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Hello,

 

First of all, thanks for testing! I took some vacation days and this posts I am doing from my fone, so I will not be able to do any code change for the next days.

 

I am impressed that the dark qr code worked better somehow, this is not the standard, and is not recommended, but since I had success with most readers, I decided to keep it in order to not blind dark mode users of my game with a white screen of death.

 

CRT is trick. I had 100% success with non CRT monitors. And I know the code is fine. My phone even detect the QR posted by @Prizrak after a color inversion (see attached image)... Making it more weird that it does not work.

 

I am posting a 25 by 25 qr code with more error correction. If anyone can send it to a CRT tv somehow and scan I appreciate, since I can only rely on the community to test this at the moment. Also, more tests in the one in the game is also desired if possible.

 

The 25 by 25 qr code would be almost touching the bottom and upper edges on a CRT tv (so you can resize properly).

 

If I can maximize CRT compatibility, for other monitors compatibility should be granted.

 

Thanks again for the help!

 

 

[alfredtdk]

Testing and...

Voila!!

 

[Arenafoot]

On 4/1/2021 at 3:24 PM, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

 

 

It worked for me - sent me to your github webpage! Now if you could put the game program into the QR code, that would be awesome!

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/282667-play-atari-2600-games-using-qr-codes/

 

 

 

 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

30 minutes ago, Arenafoot said:

It worked for me - sent me to your github webpage! Now if you could put the game program into the QR code, that would be awesome!

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/282667-play-atari-2600-games-using-qr-codes/

Programming a QR code program that takes you to the code for a QR program?   <mind melts>

 

- James

[vitoco]

2 minutes ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

Programming a QR code program that takes you to the code for a QR program?   <mind melts>

I recall an old script to create stereograms using its own source code as patterns, and, of course, you could "run" the image to create another one... with its source!!!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

On 4/1/2021 at 2:03 PM, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

What I really want to know is if C. Convoy adds information on the fly to the QR code. Displaying a qr code is not very hard, but generating one is!

 

If they did manage to do that they are even more amazing and the grand timeless masters, this would give new possibilities to the homebrew community.

 

I imagined the possibility of a common community manteined system, where with the proper URL in the QR code, you can submit all kinds of achievements, and have a high score table. You don't even need a custom ID per ROM, since the user phone can keep you logged in. You don't need special hardware or emulators to have a online functionalities, and this is a revolution!

I am currently investing into generating a QR code using a 6507 on-the-fly too. And have to agree with everything you said above about the complexity. The Reed-Solomon error correction alone is pretty hefty.

 

If Audacity would be part of the community we could ask them for sharing the impressive code. But it seems like we have to develop it ourselves.

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

45 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

I am currently investing into generating a QR code using a 6507 on-the-fly too.

Thanks for the confirmation, so it is indeed dynamic!

CRTs are trick for QR codes, I did not find any more answers, only that several people experience problems. Due to the nature of CRTs, I do expect very different results among different TV and phones, and we have a very limited number of samples to work with. 

I tried to use a version 1 QR code (21 by 21) for several reasons:
 - 3 bytes per lines (63 bytes in ROM)
 - Bleeding space (recommended)
 - Plain Beauty 

 

But I will change to a 25 by 25, so I can boost error correction to 25% and I will ask the same people to test it again... My instincts tell me it should be better, our at least should not be worse. (Again, for other types of monitors, everything works fine...)

@Thomas Jentzsch, my suggestion is to start a topic only about QR codes, and share all our common discoveries. I can contribute with a summary of my findings about the best QR code format, and the description of my quick method to put it into the ROM. I would love to hear what you can tell us about your research and the experience of the community with the subject.

PS: I will provide a version update soon (with the 25 by 25 QR), thanks for all your testing

 

9 hours ago, Arenafoot said:

It worked for me - sent me to your github webpage! Now if you could put the game program into the QR code, that would be awesome!

I have seen this article, I will investigate how to do it after I have a physical release.

 

8 hours ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

Programming a QR code program that takes you to the code for a QR program? 

I know it was a joke, but with the playfield resolution and the fact that QR codes should be squares, this is impossible.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

9 minutes ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

@Thomas Jentzsch, my suggestion is to start a topic only about QR codes, and share all our common discoveries. I can contribute with a summary of my findings about the best QR code format, and the description of my quick method to put it into the ROM. I would love to hear what you can tell us about your research and the experience of the community with the subject.

Done here.

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Version update 1.21:

 

Updates the QR code to a 25x25 with 25% error correction.

 

@Prizrak, @ComputerSpaceFan, @Arenafoot, @alfredtdk , and everyone... Can you please test again on CRTs?

For me it works much faster on a computer monitor, should be better on CRTs too.

This wastes 7 bits per line :(

[vitoco]

2 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

Can you please test again on CRTs?

I could read it many times on my CRT, using different orientations and angles, with a reflection of a lamp over my shoulders...

 

Also with a partial QR (the Harmony card was in front of the screen):

 

 

(I press the shutter as soon as the code was read and displayed)

 

But I couldn't read the one with a black background.

[Prizrak]

@vitoco I'll check it out when I get home later. Updated the new release to PlusCart as well.

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[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

6 minutes ago, vitoco said:

But I couldn't read the one with a black background.

Black background is non standard, I expect less compatibility. I am leaving since it was more compatible to one person, and also don't blind dark mode users... Maybe I will not do this color inversion if it does not work for many people.

I am so glad it works fine and the error correction is working!

 

=============================

 

Version Update: 1.22

 

Car graphics update (see snapshot)

 

This is not my design! This was made by @KevinMos3. The first person to hack my game. Thanks man, really liked!

The only down size is that makes the game a little more hard, since the bottom lines are wider... but looks much better!

Edited April 7, 2021 by Octavio Pinho Bokel

[TIX]

Hey man, really love your game !

since you accept ideas for the car, here is mine  ?

 

 

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Thanks for the suggestion, but this looks less like a regular car.

 

I do like my original design, and the collision box was perfect, but I does not look like a regular traffic car, more like a f1 car.

 

@KevinMos3looks more like a regular car than my original design. Yours look like a dragster, and even further to a regular car.

 

I am glad you liked my game, and I am glad you took your time to make a suggestion and even modified the code to do so.

 

Thanks!

 

[Arenafoot]

5 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

Version update 1.21:

 

Updates the QR code to a 25x25 with 25% error correction.

 

@Prizrak, @ComputerSpaceFan, @Arenafoot, @alfredtdk , and everyone... Can you please test again on CRTs?

For me it works much faster on a computer monitor, should be better on CRTs too.

This wastes 7 bits per line :(

I'm scanning it with my phone from my PC screen and it works!

[Prizrak]

It worked for me this time. When I go to the restaurants and use my phone camera it finds the imbedded link quick. This QR I need to take a pic, go to my gallery and use Bixby (galaxy phone) and then it works. Glad you got it working

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[TIX]

12 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

Thanks for the suggestion, but this looks less like a regular car.

.

.

Thanks!

 

ok, last try on a regular car

 

[Leonardons]

17 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

Black background is non standard, I expect less compatibility. I am leaving since it was more compatible to one person, and also don't blind dark mode users... Maybe I will not do this color inversion if it does not work for many people.

I am so glad it works fine and the error correction is working!

 

=============================

 

Version Update: 1.22

 

Car graphics update (see snapshot)

 

This is not my design! This was made by @KevinMos3. The first person to hack my game. Thanks man, really liked!

The only down size is that makes the game a little more hard, since the bottom lines are wider... but looks much better!

I really love it!!! Thank's! ?

[Leonardons]

15 hours ago, TIX said:

Hey man, really love your game !

since you accept ideas for the car, here is mine  ?

 

 

Nice design! ?

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Hello, @Leonardons is the creator of the game art! All paper stuff (manual, box, etc...) he is the mastermind. 

Version Update: 1.30

 

I was able to incorporate all 4 cars into the game. ( @TIX and @KevinMos3 suggestions, also my original ). I also documented your names in the game source code as comments above the sprites. Thanks for the contribution.

In the next version, each car will handle differently, with different constants. Since I use hardware collisions, this is already affecting gameplay, and as such, the version string shows the car used, so each score can be properly compared.

 

From the game docs:

 

Game Reset: Restarts the current game mode and applies the difficulty switches. If the game is stopped and there is no changes to the difficulty switches, it will cycle through the cars.

Car 0 - Car with spoiler.

Car 1 - Hatchback.

Car 2 - Sedan.

Car 3 - Dragster.

 

Last line is a unique identifier of the version of the game and the configuration played, making it easier to to compare scores among friends and online, and also for archiving your scores, it reads like this: GameMode (0 to F), Car Type, Difficulty Switch 1 (B - A), Difficulty Switch 2 (B - A), | Game Version. Example: E2AB|1.30

 

Thank you all!

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Different handling??? DUDE you're like an Atari wizard or something! I can't wait for the next version!

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Version Update 1.35:

 

Each car has a unique personality and handling now (From the manual):

 

Car 0 - Car with spoiler:

Max Speed: * * *
Handling: * * *
Acceleration: * *
Gliding: * *

Car 1 - Hatchback:

Max Speed: * *
Handling: * * *
Acceleration: * * *
Gliding: * *

Car 2 - Sedan:

Max Speed: * * *
Handling: * * *
Acceleration: *
Gliding: * * *

Car 3 - Dragster:

Max Speed: * * *
Handling: *
Acceleration: * * *
Gliding: * *

@ComputerSpaceFan, thanks for the complement, I hope you like it!