New 2600 demo file

[Simon]

Hello,

 

after moving houses and settling down I restarted VCS-programming after some months again.

 

My new game "A-VCS-tec Challenge" still needs some work, but I had this idea of a small demo-sequence and prefered coding it before finishing AC...

 

Please find attached the binary of the demo - the routine can scroll the individual letters very flexible (stretching is possible aswell). I really like the result and hope that you enjoy it, too.

 

Best regards,

Simon

 

http://www.quernhorst.de/atari/

demo_sq.zip

[Albert]

Hi Simon!

 

Just tried out the demo, looks very nice. I like the nice reflection effect you're using, although I had to switch into PAL mode to get the water the correct color (blue, as opposed to green).

 

..Al

[Simon]

Just tried out the demo, looks very nice.  I like the nice reflection effect you're using, although I had to switch into PAL mode to get the water the correct color (blue, as opposed to green).

 

Yes, it's a PAL-demo: using the PAL-colors and 312 lines.

 

My Z26 starts the file directly as PAL-cart (it's depending on the amount of lines) - no need to toggle TV-mode manually...

 

Later,

Simon

[Simon]

Hi,

 

please find attached the current version of my Atari VCS demo. Some things were added and the fadings optimized.

 

I plan to include some more effects, graphics and a music. I'd also like to create a raster-bars part like in oldschool c64 demos...

 

The demo has to be finished until october as I've been enivited to a big arts event in austria - the final demo will be first-presented there.

 

Please let me know what you think of the current file.

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Simon]

The file ....

12grzprv.zip

[Tom]

nice, but definitely needs music =)

 

i'm going to release a little intro at a demo party next week end. it's just a onescreener with a few effects, including rasterbars =)

[Simon]

i'm going to release a little intro at a demo party next week end. it's just a onescreener with a few effects, including rasterbars =)

Well, to be honest: rasterbars are one of the simplest to achieve effects, as they only effect one register. Moving rasters and especially moving rastersplits make the effect more beautiful.

 

BTW: the playfield of "Mental Kombat" is completely drawn as rastersplits - meaning that the background color is changed eight times each scanline to show the tiles...

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Thomas Jentzsch]

BTW: the playfield of "Mental Kombat" is completely drawn as rastersplits - meaning that the background color is changed eight times each scanline to show the tiles...

Really? Wouldn't it have been much easier (and time consuming) to use a PF-pattern instead?

[DEBRO]

Please let me know what you think of the current file.

Looks nice

 

Does anyone post to [stella] anymore? I almost missed this post

[Simon]

Really? Wouldn't it have been much easier (and time consuming) to use a PF-pattern instead?

I started using PF and background but came to know that using one of them would be sufficient. And so I decided to use COLUBK only, as setting PF0/1/2/COLUPF would've meant use of more bytes - setting four registers instead of only one.

 

The PC5-version of MK makes additional use of PF-pattern (board-matrix).

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I started using PF and background but came to know that using one of them would be sufficient. And so I decided to use COLUBK only, as setting PF0/1/2/COLUPF would've meant use of more bytes - setting four registers instead of only one.

Yes, but you have to set COLUBK seven(?) times each row, where you would have to set PF0/1/2 only twice each row (COLUPF once a frame), which makes only 6 writes/row.

 

Hm, but mayby loading the values would have lasted longer than with your approach.

[Simon]

Yes, but you have to set COLUBK seven(?) times each row, where you would have to set PF0/1/2 only twice each row (COLUPF once a frame), which makes only 6 writes/row.

Not exactly, as the board does not consist of only the two colors; there is also the cursor to be set. This makes three colors total (player 1, player 2 and flashing cursor).

 

If only the two colors would've been set, I agree that the PF-solution would've been working easily, too.

 

Did you see pictures of the PC5-version with the black PF usage?

 

BTW: COLUBK is changed EIGHT times per line, seven color-tiles per row plus the final black at the right border of the board.

 

Hm, but mayby loading the values would have lasted longer than with your approach.

The tiles from my routine are the size I wanted them to be and the timing of the kernel works perfect - so I'm very happy with the result.

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Not exactly, as the board does not consist of only the two colors; there is also the cursor to be set. This makes three colors total (player 1, player 2 and flashing cursor).

I see. I thought you did use a player object for the cursor.

 

Did you see pictures of the PC5-version with the black PF usage?

Nope.

 

BTW: COLUBK is changed EIGHT times per line, seven color-tiles per row plus the final black at the right border of the board.

Makes sense.

 

The tiles from my routine are the size I wanted them to be and the timing of the kernel works perfect - so I'm very happy with the result.

Sure you are. I am just trying to understand your code without having access to it (or the ROM). I am a very curious person, you know?

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

please find attached the updated version of the demo-file. The raster-part is included now - I hope that you'll enjoy it...

 

Next thing to be implemented is the music.

 

Later,

Simon

23grzdmo.zip

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The (foot?)ball physics don't look right to me and some parts should IMO run faster. So some speed variation would be nice, just too prove the 2600 isn't slow there at all .

 

But everything else looks really good.

 

BTW: Have you though about some "water movement". E.g the reflections could get slightly distorted when the ball bumps the letters into the water.

[Tom]

The (foot?)ball physics don't look right to me

 

looks a bit like a |sin(x)| to me

 

nice rasterbars, simon. have you seen mine ?

(http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=56220)

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

The (foot?)ball physics don't look right to me and some parts should IMO run faster. So some speed variation would be nice, just too prove the 2600 isn't slow there at all .

Nearly every routine is running with brakes pushed, so that possible graphic-bugs are more recognizable in the development stage.

 

As soon as I sat up the real VCS with Supercharger and TV for testing on real hardware, I'll adjust the framecounters for increased speed on the water-routine.

 

BTW: Have you though about some "water movement". E.g the reflections could get slightly distorted when the ball bumps the letters into the water.

Yes, I have thought about it, but that's it for the moment. Unfortunately I don't have too much time left, but a lot of more ideas. So the next game or demo will make use of some of them...

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

please find attached the current version of the demo-file. The music is included now and some routines are faster now.

 

Thanks to Manuel Rotschkar for the player and song-conversion.

 

The restart of the demo has to be coded properly (without scanline differences) and as there is still some space left, I consider of implementing some more graphics... we'll see.

 

Best regards,

Simon

25grzprv.zip

[Simon]

Hello pals,

 

as most things of my collection are still packed away in boxes (we moved houses some months ago), I'm not able to find my SuperCharger right now. I'm only able to test my new demo-file using z26 on my PC and I really hope that it'll work without problems on a real machine, too.

 

Can you please try the current version of the demo-file on real hardware (VCS or 2600 with Supercharger or CuttleCart) for me? As the file is PAL only, I especially ask PAL-dudes for help. The following things are of interest to me:

 

- Is the appearance stable (no jumping scanlines)?

- Are all lines visible?

- Are the colors okay?

- Is anything not running smooth?

- Is the music running fluently?

 

Fast answers are highly appreciated as I have to finish the demo-file within the next ten days...

 

Thanks and best regards,

Simon

[+kisrael]

Heh...I know I'm coming in to this way too late to be useful, but if you ever come back to this demo, you might want to use some sub-pixel positioning (i.e. keeping track of the position smaller than you can display) to make it look more like the letters are bobbing up and down rather than just sliding...

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

the demo file was created as cartridge now and will be presented on oct, 16th in Graz, Austria on real hardware.

 

I try to make some pictures of the presentation and post them here afterwards along with the final version of the file.

 

Thanks for your feedback and help.

 

Best regards,

Simon

[4ever2600]

I hope you 'final version' also includes an NTSC version... I'd like to play this on real 2600 hardware myself, and in just pal mode, flips my tv screen... AND NO, I don't have a horizonal control knob! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make the b/w switch toggle pal/ntsc like some of the other demos... : ( - D

[Simon]

I hope you 'final version' also includes an NTSC version... I'd like to play this on real 2600 hardware myself, and in just pal mode, flips my tv screen... AND NO, I don't have a horizonal control knob!  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make the b/w switch toggle pal/ntsc like some of the other demos... : (    - D

The differences are the colors and that the display shows 312 lines. The demo is PAL only right now - as it is presented on a european festival of art and the time to finish the demo was short enough.

 

BTW: We created 10 official demo-carts with labels, serialnumber and signature. I try to sell them on the event, but I doubt that many of the visitors would want to purchase a cartridge. Therefore I'll offer the remaining carts in this forum after the show. If anybody is interested in such a cart (PAL) we can arrange a trade/sale then.

 

Best regards,

Simon

[Simon]

Hi everybody,

 

please find the final version of the demo (PAL) attached to this post.

 

The event is over and the VCS and C64 presentations went very well: a lot of visitors showed up and were very interested in homebrewing and demo-scene stuff.

 

Some photographs and newspapers were there. An austrian radio-station also made an interview, they'll let me know when it gets broadcasted. The austrian fanzine Lotek64 is going to report about the event, too. I'm also going to create a small webpage about the presentation... soon.

 

I sold 4 of the 10 VCS demo carts made, so if you are interested in a copy of the labeled, numbered and signed cartridge, please pm me.

 

Best regards,

Simon

graz2004.zip