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Atari 2600 GUI


Dragnerok X

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Thanks for all the nice comments everyone. Actually it appears I'm days ahead of schedule because I just finished. Check it out! :D

Very nice! My only request is, can you double or quadruple size the sprite(s)? It's kind of tiny right now. :)

 

Maybe, I guess so. I did it with the Atari OS logo why can't I do it with this? O.K. :)

 

I've already got started on this and am not sure if I should do this because, I've already started to enlarge it, and it's beginning to look kind of blocky and undetailed. As of right now personally I think the smaller one looks better. For me it's either quit now or continue on a possibly risky front.... :roll:

Edited by Dragnerok X
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\For me it's either quit now or continue on a possibly risky front.... :roll:

You have a backup, right? If not, make one, then try the larger version. If the larger version doesn't appeal to you, you can throw it away and use the backup. :)

 

If that happens, then you might consider adding a bit of movement to the logo. e.g. Have it occasionally bounce around the screen or somesuch. Maybe horizontally duplicate it 2 or three times every so often. Go wild with it, and see what you can do. ;)

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I've been thinking for a while on how I could impliment this, setting up a timer and such when it hit me. I think I've found a use for the color b/w switch! After the startup logo in Atari OS, if the switch is set to b/w then you'd get the screensaver. This way I won't have to worry about setting up a timer for a specific time. Also you'd just be able to flick the switch to black and white and walk off. Simple as that. In a way the "screensaver" would be more like the r.c.d. (rapid color deployment) screens which early games like combat used to prevent burn-in. I kind of like the idea. Check out this rom to see what I mean.

 

3d_vectari.bas.bin

 

Note: In case you haven't already noticed, you have to switch the color/black & white switch to black & white if you want the screensaver to display.

Edited by Dragnerok X
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Sorry it's been a while. Apparently school + hobbies = not much free time. Oh well. I've managed to start work on implementing the screensaver only to discover a frightening error message, basically telling me it was taking up more space then I had. Have a look. (compile it)

 

Atari_OS_version_1.0.bas

 

So that just means I have 2 options, either of which are really difficult or just not good. Also before you read note that this will HAVE to be 4k, can't do bankswitching. So with out further adu....

 

A: Find some way to tightly compress my code. :evil:

 

or

 

B: Be done with it all together. :sad:

 

You see, this is a really hard decision, so bear with me, and if at all possible i'd like your opinions/advice.

 

:)

 

--Dragnerok X

Edited by Dragnerok X
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Lemme see here. After a compile, I find you need 383 bytes to fit it. Your graphics consists of 12 frames of 2 sprites per frame. Each frame has 16 lines. With a bit of math we find:

 

12 * 2 * 16 = 384 bytes

 

Sorry, dude. You're screwed. :(

 

It doesn't look like you had the space to begin with. Unless I'm missing something. :ponder:

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So that just means I have 2 options, either of which are really difficult or just not good. Also before you read note that this will HAVE to be 4k, can't do bankswitching. So with out further adu....

 

A: Find some way to tightly compress my code. :evil:

I see a number of places where you could squeeze some code together, so you might be able to optimize your code and regain enough space for it to compile. I'll consolidate a few things for you and repost the code, but I don't know if I'll be able to get enough space, certainly not tonight anyway, and I'll be visiting a friend in the hospital tomorrow night.

 

MR

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I see a number of places where you could squeeze some code together

Well, I got it squeezed down a bunch, but you should be able to squeeze it even more. When I started with your code, it compiled with -327 bytes free (I'm using different includes that have a few more bytes in them than yours). After I finished optimizing, it now compiles with 70 bytes free on my bB installation-- so I saved you 397 bytes. But when I ran it, the score is garbled in Pong, so I don't know if I messed something up, or if it's a problem with the userscore modifications I made, or what. It may run correctly for you, but I don't know. As for saving even more bytes, some of the spinning fuji sprites should be the same as each other, except for being mirror images, so you should be able to use the same sprites for those frames, except swap the player0x and player1x positions, and turn on the player reflect modes, if you see what I mean. And I suspect there may be other places that you can save bytes by moving similar sections of code into subroutines.

 

MR

Atari_OS_version_1.0a.bas

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I see a number of places where you could squeeze some code together

Well, I got it squeezed down a bunch, but you should be able to squeeze it even more. When I started with your code, it compiled with -327 bytes free (I'm using different includes that have a few more bytes in them than yours). After I finished optimizing, it now compiles with 70 bytes free on my bB installation-- so I saved you 397 bytes. But when I ran it, the score is garbled in Pong, so I don't know if I messed something up, or if it's a problem with the userscore modifications I made, or what. It may run correctly for you, but I don't know. As for saving even more bytes, some of the spinning fuji sprites should be the same as each other, except for being mirror images, so you should be able to use the same sprites for those frames, except swap the player0x and player1x positions, and turn on the player reflect modes, if you see what I mean. And I suspect there may be other places that you can save bytes by moving similar sections of code into subroutines.

 

MR

 

Yes I do admit, this is quite buggy. I've noticed another bug myself. Try switching to "screensaver" mode with the /bw switch. It goes insane! I thought I'd like to post something that will help you, however. Here's the source for the screensaver so you can better understand how I put it together.

That should help.

 

;)

 

3d_vectari.bas

--Dragnerok X

Edited by Dragnerok X
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Yes I do admit, this is quite buggy. I've noticed another bug myself. Try switching to "screensaver" mode with the /bw switch. It goes insane! I thought I'd like to post something that will help you, however. Here's the source for the screensaver so you can better understand how I put it together.

That should help.

So, were these bugs already there, or did I create them when I squeezed the code?

 

MR

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So, were these bugs already there, or did I create them when I squeezed the code?

 

MR

 

The score, as I remember right, was fine and unaffected. The screensaver is a different story. Since I never gotten to compiling my original code before your fix, I'm not entirely sure about it. Probably just setting all object colors (ball, playfield, etc) except the players to black would take care of most of it I presume... :ponder:

 

--Dragnerok X

Edited by Dragnerok X
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So.........

Sorry, I thought you were going to take it from there. :)

 

Okay, I realized that you were using a modified score_graphics.asm with "digit $A" defined as a space, so I recompiled it with that includes, and the score isn't garbled anymore.

 

The craziness with the screensaver was caused by a bad goto, plus not clearing the screen and moving the missiles and ball offscreen, so I fixed that.

 

I also added color-cycling to the screensaver, but if you don't like it, you can remove it.

 

And there's a problem when you turn off the screensaver, because the player positions and such aren't being restored to their previous values, so I just changed it to goto 1, as a sort of restart. I'm pretty sure that isn't the way you intended for it to work, so you'll need to figure out how to restore everything and then goto 21 or wherever.

 

Anyway, it's less broken than it was, so now you can take over again! :)

 

MR

Atari_OS_version_1.0a.bas

Atari_OS_version_1.0a.bas.bin

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So.........

Sorry, I thought you were going to take it from there. :)

 

Okay, I realized that you were using a modified score_graphics.asm with "digit $A" defined as a space, so I recompiled it with that includes, and the score isn't garbled anymore.

 

The craziness with the screensaver was caused by a bad goto, plus not clearing the screen and moving the missiles and ball offscreen, so I fixed that.

 

I also added color-cycling to the screensaver, but if you don't like it, you can remove it.

 

And there's a problem when you turn off the screensaver, because the player positions and such aren't being restored to their previous values, so I just changed it to goto 1, as a sort of restart. I'm pretty sure that isn't the way you intended for it to work, so you'll need to figure out how to restore everything and then goto 21 or wherever.

 

Anyway, it's less broken than it was, so now you can take over again! :)

 

MR

 

I guess so. :)

 

I have a new idea/direction I was thinking about taking which would be a lot easier and quite a bit better. The plan was that I should start back from my newest "old" release (9306 I think) and tweak out every bug I can find (I've already found one.) and work with it until I have the most polished, stable product as possible. As for the "screensaver" I was thinking I could set up a seperate download for that, and have them seperate in order to conserve as much space as possible for any bugfixes. Does that sound good?

 

P.S. If you want to know what the bug is, play pong for a few (5 or so) muinites (on atari os 9306) and it will become aparant.

 

Hope to get this done!

 

--Dragerok X

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another sidenote:

 

If you find a bug (besides this one) post it here in this format...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hi, Dragnerok X! Here's a bug!

 

[Lamens description of said bug]

 

[possible fixes] (optional)

 

Thanks!

 

[your name here]

Edited by Dragnerok X
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  • 4 weeks later...
Sorry it's been a while. Apparently school + hobbies = not much free time. Oh well. I've managed to start work on implementing the screensaver only to discover a frightening error message, basically telling me it was taking up more space then I had. Have a look. (compile it)

 

Atari_OS_version_1.0.bas

 

So that just means I have 2 options, either of which are really difficult or just not good. Also before you read note that this will HAVE to be 4k, can't do bankswitching. So with out further adu....

 

A: Find some way to tightly compress my code. :evil:

 

or

 

B: Be done with it all together. :sad:

 

You see, this is a really hard decision, so bear with me, and if at all possible i'd like your opinions/advice.

 

:)

 

--Dragnerok X

 

Or you can make it bigger and only runnable in an emulator. Or slap it on a 32K cartridge with a copule of SARA chips wired to it.

Edited by A_Username
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It seems that your Atari Operating System is a big hit. Some of us want it for the PC.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=95429

 

I'm confused, which version is the most updated? Which should I download?

 

Well I guess since it has been a while and I want to get this out of my system I'll post this once and for all.

 

The newest, most stable and probably final release is this one.

 

Atari_OS_9306.bin

 

There you have it. :D

 

--Dragnerok X

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It seems that your Atari Operating System is a big hit. Some of us want it for the PC.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=95429

 

I'm confused, which version is the most updated? Which should I download?

 

Well I guess since it has been a while and I want to get this out of my system I'll post this once and for all.

 

The newest, most stable and probably final release is this one.

 

Atari_OS_9306.bin

 

There you have it. :D

 

--Dragnerok X

 

Thanks, would it be possible to put this on a cartridge?

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8BitClassics also offers single or small runs of vanity carts for $15 with a label. You can use your own artwork, the label I posted (I want photos of the final product! ;)), or the B&W label that Dragnerok X posted earlier. (Sorry, I don't have a link to his label.) If you go with the label I created, the printable version is the PNG in the ZIP file. You'll still need an end label, but those are pretty easy to whip up.

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8BitClassics also offers single or small runs of vanity carts for $15 with a label. You can use your own artwork, the label I posted (I want photos of the final product! ;) ), or the B&W label that Dragnerok X posted earlier. (Sorry, I don't have a link to his label.) If you go with the label I created, the printable version is the PNG in the ZIP file. You'll still need an end label, but those are pretty easy to whip up.

 

Can you give me a link to the 8bitclassic page? I can't seem to find it on their site. I downloaded the label, I think I small vanity run would be great, make like 10 carts and after their all gone, auction the last one off and donate it to the red cross or something.

 

A_Username

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