6 digit limit

[ForceInfinity]

This one question's always been bugging me since I owned the 2600. I've yet to encoutner a 2600 game that showed a 7 digit score. Is there a technical reason behind the 6 digit thing or why there's never been a game with 7 digit scores?

[+batari]

This one question's always been bugging me since I owned the 2600.  I've yet to encoutner a 2600 game that showed a 7 digit score.  Is there a technical reason behind the 6 digit thing or why there's never been a game with 7 digit scores?

969844[/snapback]

Yes - the hardware has two sprites, and can display triple copies of each. There is just enough time in the display kernel to change the copies on the fly to make them appear as 6 separate digits.

 

However, at least one game I know (a homebrew) has a static zero at the end for 7 digits. And I've seen a demo that gives 8 digits, but requires lots of RAM.

[supercat]

Yes - the hardware has two sprites, and can display triple copies of each.  There is just enough time in the display kernel to change the copies on the fly to make them appear as 6 separate digits.

 

The six-digit display kernel works out quite nicely; it takes about 14 bytes of temp. RAM storage, and it's pretty simple and straightforward.

 

However, at least one game I know (a homebrew) has a static zero at the end for 7 digits.  And I've seen a demo that gives 8 digits, but requires lots of RAM.

969849[/snapback]

 

There are a number of games which show more than six digits. Marble Craze and Space Invaders both do 4+4 (the latter using venetian blinds; the former not). And here's a fun little demo that does sixteen (takes about 36 bytes of temp storage, though I could probably pare that down a little bit). Use the joystick to move the cursor and press fire to change the digit there.

score16.bin

[+batari]

here's a fun little demo that does sixteen (takes about 36 bytes of temp storage, though I could probably pare that down a little bit).  Use the joystick to move the cursor and press fire to change the digit there.

970610[/snapback]

Wow... I was expecting a flicker-fest, but there is none. Are you going to post the source?

[supercat]

here's a fun little demo that does sixteen (takes about 36 bytes of temp storage, though I could probably pare that down a little bit).  Use the joystick to move the cursor and press fire to change the digit there.

970610[/snapback]

Wow... I was expecting a flicker-fest, but there is none. Are you going to post the source?

970624[/snapback]

 

Maybe. I'm curious if anyone can guess how it works first, though.

[vdub_bobby]

M-4 does 4-2-4

 

Uses a lot of RAM, though.

[supercat]

M-4 does 4-2-4

 

Uses a lot of RAM, though.

973100[/snapback]

 

Blackjack (1977) does 3+3+3