I have questions, please point me in the right direction

[warmachine]

Alright, so I know absolutly nothing about coding or whatever,

but I would like to get started and I need a little help figuring out

which direction I need to go in.

 

Basicly I would like to lern how to make games for the vectrex.

 

Can someone tell me how I can get started.

[raindog]

Well, there are "how to program the Vectrex" documents out there, but they're pretty much aimed at intermediate to expert programmers. You're gonna need to learn how to write code first, and then how to write code for the 6809 (the CPU in the Vectrex). If you have no coding experience at all, I don't think I would start with 6809 assembler, but I also wouldn't suggest an object-oriented language like VB, Java or Actionscript/Javascript.

 

Maybe have a look at Batari BASIC... I know you're more interested in the Vectrex, but you need to have experience in an environment that isn't event driven, but relies on really tight timing. In some ways it's even more important on the Vectrex than the 2600. Writing games in C, Pascal or assembler for DOS (not Windows or Linux or anything else that multitasks) should also help you prepare for the kind of coding you'll do for older video game platforms.

 

When you finally do get to the Vectrex, realize that programming it is pretty different than programming other consoles of the era, because you're constantly drawing to avoid flicker. (You're almost constantly drawing on the 2600 as well, but it's really different because on the 2600, you're struggling to just keep up with the TV's scan rate, whereas on the Vectrex you have more leeway but much more opportunity to mess up and introduce eye-torturing flicker.... or damage the Vectrex by leaving the electron gun switched on in one place for too long or make it scan outside the screen area, though I gather this can be avoided if you use its BIOS to handle the gun.)

 

Anyway, I don't mean to say this to discourage you, just to get you to realize there's a long way from having no coding experience to writing a working Vectrex game.

[VilleK]

I agree with everything raindog says.

 

Also you can check my page with source code for the game Vectrex Thrust.

[warmachine]

Alright, thanks for the advice.

I understand about 85% of what you just typed, but I get the gist of it.

I guess I have some reading to do. Thanks.

[Bruce Tomlin]

Basically, you don't go straight from knowing zero about programming to doing not just embedded (most video game programming) but embedded real-time (the 2600 and Vectrex in particular have tight timing requirements) programming.

 

That would be like having never ridden a bike before, then doing a BMX competition and the Tour de France at the same time.

[warmachine]

Basically, you don't go straight from knowing zero about programming to doing not just embedded (most video game programming) but embedded real-time (the 2600 and Vectrex in particular have tight timing requirements) programming.

 

That would be like having never ridden a bike before, then doing a BMX competition and the Tour de France at the same time.

 

I wasn't expecting it to be easy or anything.

I knew that I had to learn and apply myself in other areas before I could even

think about learning somthing of this calibur.

 

I just wanted a basic idea of how to progress through the various stages of learning

so that I could set goals for myself.