AtariVCS101's Blog

Are you using assembly language or batari Basic?

batari Basic

What sort of games do you like playing? Start there.

Here are two videos for you to get a feel of what the 2600 is capable of:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBT1OK6VAIU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNyebnxV9R8

I'm thinking of making a Pac-Man Atari game that is like the one in the arcade.

Arcade-like Pac Man is tricky. To start with the arcade used a vertical monitor, so anything you do will be out of proportion. The 2600 also has limited graphics abilities - a 40 monochrome pixel playfield and two 8 monochrome pixel sprites per line.

 

Rather than trying to duplicate an existing game with the Atari - why not come up with something unique? bB also has restrictions on what graphics it is capable of. So it's probably better to start with what can be done easily rather than setting a goal which might only be possible with a lot of effort & compromises.

You may wish to take a look at what's already be done, such as DEBRO's Pac-Man 4K.

Good luck:

 

www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#maze_32x23

My recommendation is, be creative with current gaming options. Have you heard about "demaking" in homebrew game design? Try to envision how "Plants vs. Zombies" would look in the VCS, for example, or maybe something ambitious like Metal Gear or Resident Evil. And don't be scared about those huge blockbuster titles! You could try a very simple, yet playable, version of something huge, like Ed Fries' "Halo 2600", an excellent example of demaking a very bug and complex modern game.

 

Of course, the other option is "hacking", which I personally only would advise on newcomers into the homebrew developing world, and only as a means of trying and experimenting different graphic options, sounds, etc., out ofd already proven games. Naturally, be careful with the licenses! You don't want to hack a licensed game. Fortunately, there're several free options out there for you to use.

 

And once you've got the hang of it all, you could try something completely original! A new "you" version of some kind of game that you have in mind, after seeing all that's out there! Frequently, those ideas come to us during a demaking: we start with versioning a modern game for the 2600, and end up with something entirely new and original. Inspiration over all! I concur with several members here with starting new ideas with bBasic for its simplicity; after that, and when you (inevitably) reach the batari BASIC limitations, you can jump into DASM, and enhance what you've already started with the good ol' bBasic. And again, experiment, experiment a lot with the samples already existent, download their .BIN files and play them with your favorite emilator, and keep a notebook handy. If you have a grid notebook, better (for sketching your sprites, scenery, etc), and if you have millimeter graph paper - available in any Office Depot or such - even better! Keep on it, ask a lot, research a lot, and eventually you will have your game. :-)

My advice is to start with an RPG or Knight Rider theme and then slowly work your way down to reality.

 

Only crass fools would start by downloading batari BASIC, Visual bB and then play around with the code examples in this topic:

http://atariage.com/...r-bb-beginners/