Wrathchild Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 yes atarimania and fandal are the same. Great - that was me too Actually I felt I really should fix the keyboard problem, so I just have And, as in the meantime I'd brought the sources on a little bit since that demo was produced... Here's an XEGS ROM image of the same thing (OK, so no really progress except I control where things are layed out in memory) Actually I think it now means the game could run in 32K RAM, but I may need to confirm that. Can someone tell me why in all the huge space of the Internet is no rendition of "the blue danube" in MOD format available. Or , at least, a clean 3 channel SID to MOD converted track ... When analyzing how the tunes were coded in the C64 game my feeling was that it odd in that the note frequencies didn't really tally to the standard charts you'd find (bit like Pantera!). Details can be found in Post #170 on another thread. and if it will really come alive... there must be room to do at least double buffering... should be not a big deal on A8 and a custom VBL? On another old-old thread this was touched upon (Post #28). I'd still want to get the C64 port working 'as-is' first, then add the buffering. Finally, for giggles (and completness), look here for Elite related talk. (now I seriously must get back to reviewing my wife's University assignment!!!) elite_xegs.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) Good evening! Replacement keyboard routine, to the most part, has been worked out and a few remaps have been made so that I can get more parts running on my PC under emulation. Some oddities I'll need to look into later on, for example, on the 'Press space or fire, commander.' view, a keypress stops the animation but the next screen doesn't draw. To get around that, just: + Press one of the number keys '4' to '9' to see a view. + Galactic Chart ('4') and Short Range Chart ('5') can both use cursor keys (on my PC at least) to move the crosshair. + 'D' - selects and gives distance to the planet closest to the crosshair. + 'O' - set the crosshair back to your 'origin', i.e. current planet. - 'F' - Find Planet doesn't work. + with another planet select get the 'Data On' using '6'. + docked planet 'Market Prices' can be seen with '7'. + Commander status is shown using '8'. + your Inventory can be accessed with '9'. - 'Launch' ('0') doesn't do anything... reason being is that BBC version loads an overlay of code for this part of the game. - This means I'm still to disassemble that + 'Buy Cargo' items ('1'), 'Sell Cargo' items ('2') and 'Equip Ship' ('3') can also be accessed. Not sure if they work correctly yet though. - The file menu accessed by pressing 'Y' on the title screen seems to do no harm. Enjoy, Mark elitebbc2.zip Edited September 3, 2009 by Wrathchild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Oddities fixed. The code was simulating a pressing of function keys F8 & F9 to bring the correct screen up. As I had remapped the F-Keys to just '0-9' for the A8, these simulated 'press' key-codes also needed updating. elitebbc3.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Can someone tell me why in all the huge space of the Internet is no rendition of "the blue danube" in MOD format available. Or , at least, a clean 3 channel SID to MOD converted track ... When analyzing how the tunes were coded in the C64 game my feeling was that it odd in that the note frequencies didn't really tally to the standard charts you'd find (bit like Pantera!). Details can be found in Post #170 on another thread. Depending on a MIDI file I am trying to put into RMT, I realized that the "simple" melody is using more than 7 octaves. So we can forget to have it for 4ch. We also can forget to do some sawtooth there. Using "hardsynth" means to switch between 15 and 64kHz, and gen 2 at 1.79MHz and/or sawtooth could be used for the attending voice(s). The crazy stuff is to put the notes across all channels, to take advantage of the different clockings and to reach all needed octaves. This would result in an "almost" 4ch tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 (edited) I don't know if anyone looked into it but this does run on NTSC systems Edited September 8, 2009 by walter_J64bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 8, 2009 Author Share Posted September 8, 2009 Thanks for confirming that Only a small update (actually made last Friday). I spotted a mistake in the Digrams table used to build the planet names, so this fixes that (see attached screenshots). I also took the opportunity to see what white on black looks like. At the weekend I got the required files I needed so I'm progressing with incorporating the 'flying' code. Not sure if I'll get enough ready by the end of this week for a 'progress' release though. Best wishes, Mark elitebbc4.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 What a project, wishing you all the best with this one! There are some pretty well optimised versions of 6502 based coded examples of Elite you should really try to look at though instead of the standard BBC B version. For example if you make it a 130XE only game maybe you can use the faster BBC Master (128k) versions of the code. Or you could try using a non split screen version like the C128 or C64 code which is already optimised due to a slower CPU. There is even a hacked version of the standard 32K BBC B version with the code disassembled and reassembled for added efficiency. Ian Bell's Elite webpage The BBC had a high resolution of 640x256 for those wondering, not bad for a 1980/81 machine considering 320x256/200 was the norm for 'hi-res' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emc Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 How do you run this on a real machine? I've tried running it from Mydos and 2.0S - no luck. Mydos just stops loading and Dos 2.0S gives error 164. I I think running from the PC mirror via ape was the same as Mydos. I guess I'm not familiar with an xex file - what is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 I guess I'm not familiar with an xex file - what is it? This is simply an Atari binary executable, what you'd normally see as COM or EXE on a DOS listing. The problem you're seeing is due to this binary having parts that will load over the DOS you are running. Try this ATR instead. elitebbc4atr.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emc Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 I guess I'm not familiar with an xex file - what is it? This is simply an Atari binary executable, what you'd normally see as COM or EXE on a DOS listing. The problem you're seeing is due to this binary having parts that will load over the DOS you are running. Try this ATR instead. Ahhh yes, working now - thx. I'm using a 1200xl with an 800xl os. Shutting down Eve Online so I can check this out Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyBritish Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Can someone tell me why in all the huge space of the Internet is no rendition of "the blue danube" in MOD format available. Or , at least, a clean 3 channel SID to MOD converted track ... This site provides decent MIDI version of exactly what you mentioned. Wrathchild: Great job! Just got this running on an Atari 800 (not xl). Amazing to see a computer from 1981 running Elite from a BBC..just cannot wait to hit the lunch key :-) question though..weren't the BBC joysticks analog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyBritish Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Can someone tell me why in all the huge space of the Internet is no rendition of "the blue danube" in MOD format available. Or , at least, a clean 3 channel SID to MOD converted track ... This site provides decent MIDI version of exactly what you mentioned. Wrathchild: Great job! Just got this running on an Atari 800 (not xl). Amazing to see a computer from 1981 running Elite from a BBC..just cannot wait to hit the lunch key :-) question though..weren't the BBC joysticks analog? Also if elite can be done on the atari maybe Aviator from Acornsoft could be next :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) Just got this running on an Atari 800 (not xl). Amazing to see a computer from 1981 running Elite from a BBC..just cannot wait to hit the lunch key :-) OK, so not such an exciting release as I'd like, but not so bad When hitting '0' for launch there is a little delay whilst the code decompresses but then the launch effect is shown and you're then in space facing the planet Lave! Sadly your lasers are 'locked' on full blast and so overheat quite quickly causing you to explode... tough break! After the quaint 'Game Over' screen you'll need to reboot to see it all again. an question though..weren't the BBC joysticks analog? Yes, this gives two speeds from what I see, effectively a -2,-1,0,1,2 span across the X/Y axis. I'll need the check what the C64 did about this... 5200 version anyone? Also if elite can be done on the atari maybe Aviator from Acornsoft could be next :-) It could be possible being a simple mono game (not that there is much 'simple' in Geoff Crammond code). But I'll either be back to the C64 port of Elite or continue with Ataxx next. Best wishes, Mark elitebbc5atr.zip Edited September 15, 2009 by Wrathchild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 ... 5200 version anyone? Yes please. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 ... 5200 version anyone? Yes please. I have a suspicion that the working RAM required for the screen and game data should squeeze into < 16K, but I'll reserve the right to confirm that in the future. Obviously it would take some shuffling around of the code & data in memory but CA65/LD65 make that simpler, plus I've done the basis of the cart modelling in the C64 port - so a 5200 version isn't out of the question - although would the number of keys on the controller cover things? (I imagine 5200 owning Elite fans have contemplated that in past ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 A small but useful update this week. I've moved the code into an AtariMax flash-cart image which simply puts the existing routines in the right place as is starts. This now handles the overlays for the space station / flight code without the need for compression. So the same trouble of blowing up soon after launching still happens, but at least your launch is more instant . I hope to get to the bottom of the short-lived flight next week, but after going back to the BBC version I've realized I missed porting the loading page and so I may sneak that in for the next installment. Regards, Mark EliteBBC_v6_AtariMax_FlashRom.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 cool stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 How is this going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Slow . Last week I was hampered by flu but I have managed to integrate a G2F screen and an RMT tune The tune is one Kjmann had a go at for me quite a while ago now (and is on this site too). The g2f screen I'd battled through from scratch the week before last (having tried and aborted a few times before) but required some welcome help from Tezz to fix up a couple of issues for me - thanks Kjmann & Tezz! OK... so this doesn't go with the BBC port and I'll lift it over to the C64 port at some point... Enjoy, Mark EliteBBC_v7_AtariMax_FlashRom.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Oh, forgot to add, the tune sounds to me like it should be played at 60HZ, so choose NTSC under emulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Great to see this gem finally come alive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 OK, its been a long time since a progress update. Due to a few recent breakthroughs I'm happy to show where I'm at currently. Still many things to fix, but it is semi-playable. Basic keys are as found in in the BBC version: 'S'-up 'X'-down ',/.'-roll left/right 'space'-increase speed '/'-decrease speed 'H'-hyperdrive 'P'-Pause ('delete'-unpause when paused) However the F0-F9 keys I've remapped to 1,2..9,0 Quick Start 1) space bar 3 times (title screen, y/n screen, space or fire screen) 2) Use key '1' (was F0) then to launch. Need to dash to do the school run. Any questions I can answer them later. Regards, Mark EliteBBC_v8_AtariMax_FlashRom.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 Oops, forgot to add... you can use 'SELECT' to turn the console on and 'OPTION' to remove it. Next thing to fix up is the objects on the scanner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Works OK in Altirra but for some reason doesn't work in Atari800Win+ 4.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 (edited) Odd, that's what I'm developing it with. Try the emulator executable found here. (need to be registered to see attachements) Edited March 24, 2010 by Wrathchild Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.