Question Playfield Height in visual batari basic

[billyj1285]

Good evening everyone. I hope everyone is having a great night.

 

I am working with visual batari basic. In the playfield editor what are the limits. Can the screen be made taller, instead of using the standard 10 or 11 pixels? How can you change the height in visual batari basic?

 

Thank you all for your help.

 

Thanks,

Bj

 

[+Random Terrain]

Have you looked here:

 

https://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-vbb.html#playfielded

 

You can right click and make it any size you want, but it probably won't work on an Atari 2600.

[+Karl G]

As far as displaying more than 11 rows on the screen goes, the Multisprite kernel and the DPC+ kernel can do this. As far as the standard kernel goes, to get more than 11 rows you have to make use of Superchip RAM.

[KevKelley]

If you use the standard kernel, there is also the option of using pfheights. Like in Crossdock I wanted square shaped playfield pixels on the bottom of the screen and I needed one skinny one near the top. Since the middle was black, I used a really long pixel in the middle. 

 

Otherwise I would go the DPC+ route, but depending on your skill there is a curve.

[billyj1285]

Thanks for the replies. I know this is a dumb question however let’s just take a game like pitfall or something like that. How many pixels width and height are those? Is that the DPC kernel? I am new and just trying to understand the basics. I can see older games being 11 high, however how do the other games get more detail?

 

Thanks,

Bj

[+Karl G]

31 minutes ago, billyj1285 said:

Thanks for the replies. I know this is a dumb question however let’s just take a game like pitfall or something like that. How many pixels width and height are those? Is that the DPC kernel? I am new and just trying to understand the basics. I can see older games being 11 high, however how do the other games get more detail?

 

Thanks,

Bj

Using batari Basic does not give all of the options that would be available to you if you were using assembly code. The 11 rows of playfield pixels aren't a hardware limitation, but due to the design of the batari Basic standard kernel. Basically you are trading flexibility for ease of programming with batari Basic.

[billyj1285]

Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it. 
 

Thanks,

Bj

 

[billyj1285]

Can batati basic do 8 x 16 multi color sprites or solid color?

[+Random Terrain]

5 minutes ago, billyj1285 said:

Can batati basic do 8 x 16 multi color sprites or solid color?

 

Both:

 

https://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#objects