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gorf68

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Everything posted by gorf68

  1. gorf68

    VecFever

    gorf68 replied to TomSon's topic in Vectrex

    So I got a VecFlash around 7 years ago, and I think it's getting a bit flakey now. How much does a VecFever go for straight from the maker (if they are ever available again)? And is this the one that lets you push a bin directly to the Vectrex from your dev PC? I'm not paying around £1000 for it on ebay! I assume these are 'collectors' that will never use it rather than devs that will eventually break it! Sorry if these are obvious questions, but I don't know much about the newer Vectrex hardware!
  2. gorf68

    I'm an old Software Dev to trade. Desperately trying to be an Ex Software Dev, and still earn decent money. I actually managed in in my current post for Three and a bit years! But now it looks like I'm a software dev again :(

    1. Show previous comments  4 more
    2. CPUWIZ

      CPUWIZ

      I've been programming games for 35 years, no way I would want to do anything else.

    3. Jinroh

      Jinroh

      I got burned out by modern coding being no fun, compared to the low level fun things with flight simulators and robotics I used to do. Everyone started wanting web developers and whatever trendy things. I lasted a while at companies handling their legacy systems, but those dried up too.

       

      I ended up getting certified in CNC Machining. I get to code still, and make badass physical things, from a cutter at 5000 RPM rending pieces of metals at 30 rockwell for Aerospace. Though my father has been a machinist for 40 years so I may be a bit biased as well.

       

      It pays well and there is a need for machinists. Plus it beats the hell out of sitting at a desk, you get fit pretty quick. ;)

    4. gorf68

      gorf68

      Yes, I got burned out as well. But now I've been learning new methodologies again. Because you simply have to do it this way now. Through the full and part time commercial programming rolls I've had iv'e been doing this stuff since around 1995. And I know the new best methodologies will go like the rest and be replaced by a new, new 'best method' and that's probably the thing that put me off the most. I think it depends on what you are programming, which is probably why I started programming in assembly for a 1980s console as a hobby!

  3. gorf68
    Well I got myself an UnoCart, that I'm happy with. And I looked at converting one of my Vectrex programs to the Atari 2600... Meh, that ain't going to happen! Going from writing vectors to, well, what the 2600 hasn't got! Is a step too far for me right now. Still want to do something on the VCS though. Just don't know what. This is the game I was going to redo the original Vectrex source for: Bit if I do a version of this it would probably be best to start from scratch. P.s. And I get the joke on the post above now ? The 2600 has a very, interesting, way of writing a screen ?
  4. gorf68
    Thanks for the replies. I haven't had any time to work on this so far, but still want to try. Just getting around to soldering the chip sockets on to the cartridge boards. I hate soldering! It's a necessary evil, not part of my hobby
  5. gorf68
    I decided to buy some pre-made PCBs, and have ordered a few cases from Sean Kelly. I've burnt my 'Trapped' game to a M27C256B EPROM and it appears to play fine. So next I need to solder the EPROM on to one of the cartridge PCBs and make a box. What I'm looking for are any links to sites that give you templates that match the original Vectrex games cartridge box? I'm not planning on selling this version of the game as it's a proof of concept game that I've already released the bin for. I'm doing this because I'm thinking or releasing the full version of this on cartridge, if I ever get it finished, as some people seemed to like this POC version. So right now I'm doing this to see if I can produce a professional standard product.
  6. gorf68
    I keep an off-line Windows XP machine for Vectrex programming, as I find a lot of what I want to use doesn't like Windows 10. Maybe you could build a VM with Windows XP or Windows 7?
  7. gorf68
    Hello funknflow5200, Did you ever find the time to have a look at this? I've got my eproms, and my cartridge pcb's now. Just waiting for the burner and going to have a go at printing a cartridge and making a box for a one-off full build of the Trapped game. This is all test work for my bigger game. It would be nice to have an overlay as well, not sure I can pull this off on my own!
  8. gorf68
    The binary can be downloaded from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15La6gtLFfWDaJH9MLtBNOL_S6Dgl9tt-/view?usp=sharing
  9. gorf68
    I'm ok with burning an eprom, but what I'm not sure of are the legalities of making the actual physical cartridge for a Vectrex. First off are there PCB designs already available that I can use to ether make a PCB myself, or get a bunch made from a third party? Secondly is it Ok to just copy the dimensions of an original Vectrex cartridge and 3D Print a case myself? If so is this generally considered to do robust enough? Or are there already 3D printer patterns made, or other options. I know somebody still owns the copyright to the original cartridge, butam not sure what am I allowed and not allowed to do? I looked at buying all this stuff a few years ago but it was going to get pretty expensive fairly quickly! I now have: TL866II Eprom programmer, and the chips used by the Vectrex seem fairly cheep on Ebay. I also have a 3D printer, not the best but I'm sure I can knock up a cartridge box if needed. IWhat need: a PCB design, or because of copy-write do I have to go through the pain of designing my own? (I have designed and produced custom PCBs before. but it isn't exactly my favorite thing to do!)
  10. gorf68
    Yes, I'm the author. The version you see is just a test program for the main thing. I've been working on a much larger version of this with improved mechanics and expanded game-play. How much would it be to run of one to start with, for a test copy of the game?
  11. gorf68
    Would you be able to make a (dreary looking) haunted house overlay for this: Playable link: https://drsnuggles.github.io/jsvecx/?rom=Trapped
  12. gorf68
    Nibbler for the VIC 20 must be up there with the best!
  13. gorf68
    Thanks, but I would need something that showed the whole back wheel in order to make a copy. Still wouldn't be an original wheel, but better than nothing I suppose.
  14. gorf68
    I have everything else that originally came in the First edition big-Box PC floppy disk version of Monkey Island, but recently discovered that I seem to have lost the Pirate wheel. I don't suppose anybody has one spare? Message me if you have one. No idea what the cost would be for this...
  15. gorf68
    So after a quick check it looks like it's generally between £50 to £100 pounds for one of the Harmony or UnoCart cartradges from Ebay. Still cheaper than I thought it may be! Are they still sold direct?
  16. gorf68
    Thanks Andrew, I've now got a PDF of that, and it looks like a very good start. Seems like timing cycles is even more important for the VCS that it is for the Vectrex! I don't want to muck around with pre-made languages so much. I've wrote a few games in Assembly for the Vectrex in the past (most of which can be found on Vectrex multicart) and was really just looking for an explanation of the VCS memory and any useful ROM routines etc. (if any). As I said I'm completely new to VCS systems programming. Is there a best 'test' cartridge, or other method, that I can use to write to for testing on the actual VCS hardware? Writing for the Vectrex has taught me NEVER to trust emulators for anything other than simple debugging.
  17. gorf68
    So I got my sparkly new ATARI 2600 yesterday (yes it really is in very good condition, I was impressed) and wan't tto try and write something for it. I was thinking of converting a relatively small game (called Trapped) I wrote for the Vectrex a few years ago. I think most of the assemble commands should translate fine. The only thing I will really need to learn about is how to write to the 2600 screen memory. So I was looking for any suggestions for good reference materials, and links to any good utilities and emulators that you use. I don't need anything that tells me the basics of Assembly language ect. but I'm not familiar with the structure of the VCS, so any good info on that would be much appreciated. Thanks,
  18. gorf68
    Thanks to everyone who replied. I'm going to try and have a look at this on the weekend.
  19. gorf68
    Ah, ok. I had it in my head that it banked to use different RAM when in 3, 8 or 16K mode was used. But it's been a long time since I've used it! So swapping and socketed ROM and RAM chips, one at a time, from my good VIC may show me what (if any) chip is at fault then?
  20. gorf68
    The ROM is socketed. Unfortunately I don't have an E-Prom programmer just now (used to) but I do have other VIC-20's, so I can try swapping the chips. If it's RAM maybe using my 16K RAM expansion cart would work, as it would be switched to a new bank location!? I'll give these a go.
  21. gorf68
    Hello, I just tried one of my old VIC-20s and it freezes when trying to boot up into basic. It will however play all cartridges that don't boot to the prompt. So all games appear fine except for adventure games that start with the cursor prompt. Any idea what has went wrong? Is this likely a memory thing, or something wrong with the ROM? Is this a common issue? Any help would be appreciated.
  22. gorf68
    Let me know if I can do anything to help with a Vectrex version. Although using the 'normal' ROM object drawing routines I was pushing it to make Vec Wars and Circus Vectrex! But I did manage to do Spike and the argry Vortex Bird by mostly drawing lines directly to the screen, and not using the object draw routines. The grid lines constantly move forwards in this, and the walls and diamonds also move towards the front of the grid, making a pseudo 3D effect. All these are drawn to the screen using direct lines, with the Spike character using the draw object ROM routine.
  23. gorf68
    Just wanted to say I've stopped working on the initial version of 'Vec Wars,' and 'Spike and the angry vortex bird (thing)' now, but thay are still available from my blog page. If anybody is looking at making another Vectrex multi-cart please feel free to add these if you like them. They are now both full games that can be played through compleatly, with no glaring game-play bugs that I have found. http://garrysgamingblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/programming-projects.html
  24. gorf68
    Yes, I'm from the UK. As I said this isn't so much a collection as what I have left over from when I bought them as new. We had a lot of budget 8Bit Atari titles in the UK. With most full priced software coming from the states. I think Draconus was a full priced UK game though, although I could be wrong. I also found 4 8Bit cartridges (StarTrek, Missile Command, Star Raiders, and Super Breakout - all unboxed), and also a bunch of UK Atari User, Page 6, and the later Page 6 Atari User magazines. Around 40 in total - most in good condition. I will have a look in the market place, thanks.
  25. gorf68
    But I did find these in a box in the loft. Unfortunately I haven't had any machine to play them on for a lot of years. I sold all my disk software, and quite a lot of tapes, a while ago, but completely forgot about these: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdpunpuuq157kml/2013-06-26%2017.48.04.jpg?dl=0 Is there anything interesting there?
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