OldGuru

Okay, so here it is... "Castle Blast" web page Go to the Demo Versions section and download Ver0.3... Some basic instructions (controls) are described on the web page... Note that this is a demo verion only! Not all the features are there yet... Also, just make sure to set -limit when you run VSS to ensure the correct speed... Enjoy, O.G. [ 02-14-2002: Message edited by: OldGuru ]

quote Yes, we will... O.G.

quote I have a "to-do" list that never gets shorter , I plan to share it on my web site soon... Currently I keep it in the source code of the game itself... When will it be ready? I hope (and try) to shoot for CGE 2K2, in which, I plan to attend this year... quote I just did it 2 days ago. The previous (free)server prevented downloading of the example code and added some more restrictions that forced me to look for something else... quote Agreed. This is why I did it this way. Personally, I like shooter games and like it even more when I (an average- player) can make nice progress through the game in a reasonable time frame. If desired, I could post the demo version on my site so you guys could try it out on your emulators (VSS 0.7 works for me, have no idea about others). Anybody interested? Thanks, O.G.

It has been a while since I last posted in this matter... The game now supports 5 levels (see description on web page) with some additional features (Castle beam - Level 5 etc.)... Some picture are available here: "Castle Blast" web page Also, note that the tutorial page works fine and all files can be downloaded as well... This www is located on a different server than the original one... No more ads. and annoying restrictions for now... O.G.

Very Nice! Would like to see a mode where an ASM code comes out of this utility. This ASM code can be later just included in any ASM/BAS file and just get enabled when the music is needed... Also, the output can be used on NTSC consoles only? Is there a mode to select between NTSC vs. PAL? Any inention to support drums in the future? One thing I can tell you for sure is that I'm going to use it from now on... Any idea where can I find MIDI samples of shooting sounds, laser guns, etc. ? Thanks, O.G.

Looks great! The more programming support (languages/tools) there are, the more new people will try to create new programs/games for it... When is the C compiler for the 5200 is coming out? O.G.

The readme file that comes with VSS mentions the unsupported games and/or some issues with "special cases"... You may find some information about how to make (some of) them run in that file. O.G.

You may want to check in "De Re Atari" as well, they have a very good description of that. Also note, that the address may change based on the missile mode you have set... O.G.

Has anybody used the feature to remove the automatic ATRACT mode? I need it disabled as the gameplay becomes longer and longer... I've been looking into the BIOS code, and it seems to me that if the main loop ensures that the value in the ATRACT address ($04) is positive ( >=0 ) this mode will be disabled. Based on that, I set address $04 each and every VBI to $01 until the game is over... It seems to work as expected but I'm not sure that this is the way it was supposed to be done... Any idea? Thanks, OldGuru.

I'm using the Pocket Programmer and their EPROM emulator - Pocket Programmer Link Generally speaking it is a good product. The biggest disadvantage of it is the old DOS program that operates it... BTW: Another approach that works just fine for the Vectrex guys is to create a non-voletile SRAM based cartridge (aka VECRAM). On one side it hooks up to the PC via the parallel port, on the other side it has the pinout of a cartridge. Once a BIN file has been downloaded into the SRAM it will stay there till a new file overwrites it. The VECRAM costs no more than $100... Although it can be directly used, it could be a nice idea to implement for any other cartridge based console... O.G. [ 01-10-2002: Message edited by: OldGuru ]

Burning an EPROM takes up to 1/2 a minute (depending how big is your code)... Downloading the code the an emulator take a few seconds - works great for me, in that case I burn my EPROMs only when going away from my computer... O.G.

OK, It was my console! I got a new one last weekend (my old one is completely out of order) and had a chnace to test the upper fire button code. Both known (to me) ways did work: 1. The VBRK interrupt is taking place when the upper fire button is pressed. 2. Checking bit D3 (If I remember correctly) of SKSTAT does reflect the status of the upper fire button. I use this method in my game now... Hope that clears some confusion in respect to this matter. DEBRO - Thanks for your help on that one. O.G.

A wild guess... You may write the HITCLR register too early in some cases... this clears all the collision bits and you may miss some of them that way... I'd make sure the the write to this register is taking place in only one place throught the whole program (no matter how many collision you are trying to detect)... Hope it helps, OldGuru.

I've been trying to use the upper fire button without success so far... I tried the "SHIFT" approach (SKSTAT reading)- that works on the emulator but not on the real console (tried with 2 different controllers)... Then, I tried to use the VBRK interrupt to handle that but again without success (it seems that my interrupt routine was never called although I eneabled it...) Does anybody has any idea? Any hidden register's bit I need to set/clear somewhere? Any help is appreciated, Thanks, OldGuru.

There is a mistake in Jay's description on his web site. However, I can't remember exactly where... I also tried it and it did not work... I had to make 2 changes for his design... one was to hook OE of the EPROM to GND, I can't remember the second change though... I'll try to look in my notes and see if I find something... Alan Davis sent me once text format instructions but I lost them somehow...

I completed all the examples on my tutorial page and they are available for download now. Feel free to use them as needed and start creating your own games now... Moderator Edit: Ronens page is located here: http://members.bellatlantic.net/vze2j83t/

Ok, So to that we'll need a long nosed plier and a large flat dcrewdriver. Grab the metal piece beteen the black rubber and the plastic handle. Then, instert the screwdriver between the plier and the plastic handle. Next, rotate the scredriver in an effort to remove the plastic handle... In my case the whole stick came out, the plastic handle was still attached to the metal piece. Now, replace the black rubber and put everything back to its original place. Hope you can figure out what was I trying to say...

I've received the replacement parts for the 5200 controller from Best Electronics. My question is: How should I replace the black rubber that is located at the bottom of the stick? Thanks, OldGuru.

quote It is Winter Games - Decathlon. I'm also using one of the Compy (can't remember the full name) peices as well. OldGuru.

quote: As you probably have noticed yourself, the files in the SAP archive have been taken from PAL games, where the frame rate is 50 Hz. If you use one of these songs in your game, how do you prevent it from running too fast on your NTSC 5200? This is correct. Basically, I have not done anything to address that issue. The music is just a bit quicker than the original peice but, still it sounds great when coming out of the TV speakers... OldGuru.

Alan and all, Thanks for nice words for Castle Blast. There is still a long way to go before this game is complete... I got some new ideas from Joe Santulli and John Hardie which will make it to the final game... ...and always: feedback is welcome! Thanks, OldGuru.

I've put some info about the extraction of these type of music... The utility I wrote (including its source files) is also available. Goto the bottom of the following page and look for Advanced music: Moderator Edit: Ronens page is located here: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2j83t/

quote Question about the test cart: I tried to implement Jay Tilton's proposal that uses a single 32K EPROM and an AND gate on a modified existing 5200 game... However that did not work for me... What do you use?

Alan, I think that your idea should work. If the only change you make is for the years (20 instead of 19), then you still have to keep the name of the game and the rest starting at the $BFE8 address... To be sure about that, we'll have to take a look at the BIOS disassembled code...

I'm not sure, but I think that to do that there is a need to hack the BIOS since the "19" characters are predefined already... To do that, you'll have to use the disassembled BIOS code, modify these values, compile, burn a new EPROM and replace the one in your console... However, the modified BIOS code (5200.bin) can be used by the emulator and you could see the effect right away... Just my opinion...