SWOOPS!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

This is the first release candidate of SWOOPS!, a collection of my three minigames.

 

The menu is not the cool zooming version I had in my mind, but I suppose this one is better, because it fits better into the remaining 1k and leaves enough space for other stuff (e.g. the rotating cart name).

 

You need a joystick in the left port and a pair of paddles in the right one. Splatform works with the joystick, Crash 'n' Dive requires the paddle and Cave1K can be played with both.

 

For selecting the games use the joystick (up & down) or the SELECT switch. To start, use RESET or press fire either on the joystick or the paddle. For returning to the menu, use SELECT.

 

When you select "3-Athlon" mode you cycle through all three games. After one game is over, use SELECT to go back to the menu. There automatically the next game is selected.

 

Please enjoy the games and report any bugs you find. Thanks!

Swoops_.zip

Edited August 24, 2005 by Thomas Jentzsch

[Zach]

Thanks Thomas! I'm having fun with it right now.

[vdub_bobby]

Please enjoy the games and report any bugs you find. Thanks!

Thanks; fun stuff!

 

The documentation for Crash 'n' Dive lists incorrect command line switches for z26.

 

Should be

 

-(PC -M1 -m2 -r60

 

[Kroko]

Very nice menu

[Thomas Jentzsch]

The documentation for Crash 'n' Dive lists incorrect command line switches for z26.

 

Should be

 

-(PC -M1 -m2 -r60

Ahh, thanks. I changed the port for the compilation and forgot to update the docs.

[Curt Vendel]

I loved seeing Swoops and the other mini games, the selection menu was very cool and I really thought the games were impressive for their size! I played Swoops! and I played Knight Rider (though with the motorcycle, it should've been called Street Hawk)

 

 

 

Curt

[Paul Slocum]

Is the first level for splatform supposed to change? It didn't when I played the demo at VGExpo. I prefer it with static levels personally.

 

-paul

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Is the first level for splatform supposed to change?  It didn't when I played the demo at VGExpo.  I prefer it with static levels personally.

Depends on the difficulty switches (RTFM! ).

[vdub_bobby]

(RTFM! ).

[Paul Slocum]

I think you may have A & B reversed. Z26 starts up with random platforms on, and it normally starts in novice/B.

Edited August 24, 2005 by Paul Slocum

[+batari]

I loved seeing Swoops and the other mini games, the selection menu was very cool and I really thought the games were impressive for their size!  I played Swoops! and I played Knight Rider (though with the motorcycle, it should've been called Street Hawk)

917951[/snapback]

It's Night Rider, actually... No resemblance meant to a certain show about a talking Trans-Am driven by a a hairy American who is inexplicably famous in Germany. Or a certain game that will never see the light of day despite the Hardwork of a certain crack team of Kinko's paper jockeys.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I think you may have A & B reversed.  Z26 starts up with random platforms on, and it normally starts in novice/B.

Thanks, I'll check that tonight.

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

No resemblance meant to a certain show about a talking Trans-Am driven by a a hairy American who is inexplicably famous in Germany.

 

Well, you must know, besides bringing us Boobwatch, he also reunited Germany

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[+Nathan Strum]

Well, you must know, besides bringing us Boobwatch

 

When I read that, my first thought was, "is that something new from Fossil, and where do I buy one?"

 

Then I got what you meant.

 

Now I'm disappointed.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Changes:

- fixed the left difficulty switch errors (Splatform and Cave 1K)

- updated the document for Crash'n'Dive (though the manuals need a complete rewrite for SWOOPS!).

 

Still Missing: A batch file for z26 and a property file for Stella, any volunteers?

Swoops___v0.95_.zip

[vdub_bobby]

Still Missing: A batch file for z26 and a property file for Stella, any volunteers?

Here's the property entry for Stella:

"Cartridge.MD5" "2316be4955c6407265af531e2ed30a88"
"Cartridge.Name" "Swoops! (v0.95) (Thomas Jentzsch)"
"Cartridge.Note" "Uses the Joystick (L) and Paddle (R) Controllers"
"Controller.Left" "Joystick"
"Controller.Right" "Paddles"
"Display.Format" "NTSC"
"Display.YStart" "28"
""

 

I think that is correct...if YStart is left as the default, the top of some of the games are cut off.

 

Also, you have to manually assign the mouse to paddle2 (CTRL+2), hide the mouse cursor (CTRL+h), and grab the mouse (CTRL+g) once stella is running.

Edited August 25, 2005 by vdub_bobby

[Paul Slocum]

I wonder if you could put the instructions for the games into the menu 1k segment? Probably not enough space, and you'd almost certainly have to make your menu all the same font, but it would be a challenge.

 

-paul

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I wonder if you could put the instructions for the games into the menu 1k segment?  Probably not enough space, and you'd almost certainly have to make your menu all the same font, but it would be a challenge. 

You are kidding, right? The menu is 1K too and after some heavy optimizing there are 3 bytes free now.

[Paul Slocum]

I meant if you removed the graphic data and used a text system instead. You can do a small font in well under 256 bytes, especially if you remove less common characters. Still probably wouldn't be enough space though, and it probably wouldn't look as nice. Just would be really amazing to have 3 games, menu, AND basic game instructions in 4k.

 

-paul

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Just would be really amazing to have games, menu, AND basic game instructions in 4k.

Well, I think I'll leave that final challenge for you.

[Paul Slocum]

Haha! Maybe I'll try.

[Albert]

I wonder if you could put the instructions for the games into the menu 1k segment?  Probably not enough space, and you'd almost certainly have to make your menu all the same font, but it would be a challenge. 

You are kidding, right? The menu is 1K too and after some heavy optimizing there are 3 bytes free now.

918537[/snapback]

Well, you know, you could always make it an 8K cart. *ducks*

 

..Al

[vdub_bobby]

Well, I hope I don't step on anybody's toes here, but I started working before reading this:

Haha! Maybe I'll try.

Anyway, here is a working menu + instructions.

 

Issues:

It is rather ugly.

It doesn't quite fit in 1K as it is, and you'd probably want more room for instructions anyway - so it needs a bit of optimization.

The visible display is about 9 scanlines too tall (NTSC). I shortened the overscan so it is a stable 262 scanlines altogether.

 

I think most of those problems could be fixed with a little effort.

 

EDIT: Probably the easiest way to get it under 1K is to write the instructions and then delete all the unused characters from the character set.

 

The character set is a little large anyway, what with all the goofy punctuation.

TinyMenuWithInstructions.zip

Edited August 25, 2005 by vdub_bobby

[retrocon]

Well, I hope I don't step on anybody's toes here, but I started working before reading this:

 

 

I will bet you had T.J. at "...it needs a bit of optimization."

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Well, you know, you could always make it an 8K cart.   *ducks*

 

Might be a good idea. So the games can all be polished up a little as well. IIRC there were a lot of good ideas that had to go to force each into 1K

 

Greetings,

Manuel