Tursi Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 (edited) We need a name for the combined version. In the meantime, here's some proof I've worked on it. TI Farmer runs (ZomBXB is not started yet, don't bother running it, it's just some KSCAN test code). I don't think the random events are coming up, and it's not erasing text from the lines correctly, but it doesn't crash and that's a lot of code today. It took about 3 hours to port to assembly, another 3-4 hours writing the subroutines and probably 4-5 hrs in debugging so far. ZomBXB should go faster since I know that code and the XB replacement code is done and tested for the most part. Find attached source code and a runnable cartridge image. As I noted, this version has some notable bugs, but it's how far I got so far. TIFARMERASM.zip (OLD VERSION - NEWER ONE BELOW) No screenshot - it looks exactly like the BASIC one. I think, too, it loses a little charm when the crops grow so quickly. But first we'll get it working, then we'll tune. Edited May 28, 2010 by Tursi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 How awesome is that? Super cool Tursi, I'm looking forward to giving this a spin tonight! Let me know if I can clear up any of my superdense code, and can't wait to see the zombie-blasting integrated in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Thanks, Codex! I have a pretty good idea what it all does, I admire your tricks to reduce the size of string prints! At times the dense code made for easier assembly! The big issue that bit me was the option base 1, of all things. I decided when I did the port to go ahead and honor that, and reduce all the array indexes by 1, but I didn't remember to actually do that in all the formulas that used arrays, so I've been fixing bugs in that. That, and the double pointer dereference used for the string variables, I sometimes forgot about, hehe. Still - was nice to see it come up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 Heh heh, yeah, I'm not a big fan of arrays starting at 1 (that part of XB messed me up big time when I moved to other computers), but for the competition it turned out to be handy. My code is no oil painting at the best of times, but I'm afraid my 30-line stuff is about on par with crayon sketches done using only the feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 So--- I'm thinking the name "Zombie McOwen's TI Farm" might not sound all that cool, but the anagram... "Zombie MOTIF" <jk> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 Ha, I actually like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Backstory--- Farmer McOwen was assimilated into the Zombie collective--- he then subsequently escaped with the help of the Harmless Lion.... Put into the witness protection program, Farmer...ahem... Zombie McOwen is relocated to Iowa where he starts a new farm... Strangely, the FBI forgot to give McOwen a new name--- so on a quick Google search, the zombie collective found Farmer McOwen's new location, and THEY'RE PISSED!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 (laughs) I think I can use that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Zombie M.O.T.I.F.--- the biggest and baddest Zombie Farming game EVER released in cartridge form on the TI-99/4a home computer. hahaha seriously, you don't have to use this-- I was just having a bit of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 25, 2010 Author Share Posted May 25, 2010 Special bonus level, destroy the source of the zombie plague - the Meadow of Mad Cows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Hahaha!!! Mad cows. You should have to fight zombie cows to win the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 hehe.. no escape, the name and storyline are MINE now! Mad Cows... well. Let me get it WORKING first, then we'll see about enhancements. I have to keep my time to a minimum, but I like the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 26, 2010 Author Share Posted May 26, 2010 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDW Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 ^^^^^ Absolutely hilarious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 Codex you crazy son of a gun!!!! That's PERFECT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 (LAUGHS!) That is bloody AWESOME! Okay... I have some work to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 26, 2010 Author Share Posted May 26, 2010 Thanks folks! I'd love for that to be an actual manual cover, though I'd need to get permission to reuse the art from the artist first. Glad you all like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 (edited) I wonder if we should ask Okay, here's a new version, I think I have all the bugs out and everything is working more or less as per the XB version. TIFARMERASM.zip OLD VERSION, SEE NEWER ONE BELOW I've also added a lot of comments to help me remember what each part was for, hehe, and I've tested every event. Still not very sure about the random number generator, but it seems to be working better now - events come up at least! Next task is to get ZomBXB up and running, too. I wonder if we should ask the guy. I guess it's not like we'll build a real manual but that is pretty sweet. Edited May 31, 2010 by Tursi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Codex Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Great work man, I'll give this a play over the weekend! And I can ping the artist about using his work, at least in an electronic document form at minimum. Never hurts to ask, a lot of web folks are happy to share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Tursi-- I tried to DL twice and my server is not letting me DL it... Crazy Internet tethering down here in the Keys--- sometimes you don't know what you're gonna get. Ill try again tomorrow. good stuff!!!! Cart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 D'oh... hopefully you'll be able to grab it. Else I can throw it on my server for you. Yes, coding it to run from cart. Okay so far, I have 24 bytes of scratchpad RAM left and 2k of ROM or so... so it should fit in a standard 8k ROM. I got ZomBXB ported last night so today is the (much longer) debugging phase. I also updated TI Farmer to remove the string variables (like MS$) and have them point direct to ROM instead, that saved a lot of much-needed scratchpad. ZomBXB has a few additional challenges since my code doesn't support the console interrupt routine - the title screen is static (that's okay since it will go away when I combine the two), and also I need a way to emulate the time countdown for CALL SOUND (but I have a plan for that). ZomBXB also had no delay code at all, and desperately needs it (the title screen vanishes instantly, and you are usually dead pretty much instantly when it doesn't crash ). With a little luck and dedication, I can post that version tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 (edited) Here's the working version of the cart with both TI Farmer and ZomBXB working.. gameplay on both is comparable to the Extended BASIC versions (but much faster), so this version of the cart is probably worth holding onto just for that. There may be a bug still in ZomBXB.. I occasionally had the screen go white on me, but I didn't capture the bug when it happened and couldn't reproduce when I went back to it. If anyone notices it happen in Classic99, let me know what direction you were going (if you know), and if you can open the debugger before you get killed, let me know the value of VDP Register 7 (then I can set a breakpoint for that value myself ). TIFARMERASM.zip (obsolete, look further down) Source included, of course. Edited June 7, 2010 by Tursi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Ha!!! This is sweet!!! Excellent job my man---- Looking at other people's source code is fascinating. I look at mine side by side with Pitfall and such.... I feel like I'm drawing in crayon!!! Hahaha!!! Thanks for posting this Tursi. TI Faire cart demo??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 (edited) It's not finished yet. Just need to merge the two now. You'll find most of this code is pretty primitive -- in order to reduce the number of new bugs I introduced, most of the time I opted to port the Extended BASIC code instruction by instruction, without much concern for the overall intention. Only in a few places, and mostly to save RAM, or if it was more trouble than it was worth to do exactly in asm, did I restructure the code. Edited May 31, 2010 by Tursi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Very glad to see how you converted from XB to asm. Very very sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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