[WIP] Adventure of Link

[rpgfaker]

Well the text question got my gears grinding and 3 hours later...lol

 

 

zelda.bas

zelda.bin

 

 

No mirroring or collision just a look at what might be possible

Edited April 16, 2010 by rpgfaker

[yuppicide]

Should post a .bin so we don't have to compile ourselves.

[yuppicide]

I updated this to have a graphic of Link moving left and right when you press that joystick direction. I didn't do anything for up or down since I can't draw that well. BTW, nice drawing work.

 

 

Also I don't think there is such color as $0F.. I think it only goes up to $0E.. I've changed the color to brown and removed the blank lines between playfield.

zelda_002.bas

zelda_002.bas.bin

Edited April 16, 2010 by yuppicide

[Wickeycolumbus]

Also I don't think there is such color as $0F.. I think it only goes up to $0E.. I've changed the color to brown and removed the blank lines between playfield.

 

The first bit (D0) is ignored, so $0F and $0E are the same color

[rpgfaker]

Nice yuppicide! If anyone else want to mess around with the code we can make this a fun community effort.

[yuppicide]

Wonder if I should download a map of the original Zelda's Overworld and recreate the screens from it and "link" (no pun intended) them together, so you can walk through everything.

[yuppicide]

Here's the latest source code and binary.

 

I fully commented everything I did.

 

So far here's the new changes:

 

- Added a crappy title screen.. I called it "A Link to Pixels Past" (it's a Zelda and AtariAge pun all in one)! --- Hit Reset to start the game

 

- Made the screen you start off on look like the one from the original Zelda

 

- Collision detection is in place so right now you can't go into walls or off the screen. Unfortunately this is not that great, as you can still get stuck. This collision detection I made will be modified for the future so it'll know when you've reached the edge of a screen and it will know to load a new screen.

 

- If you hit FIRE at the same time as left or right you can put up a shield. I forget if you can shield and move at the same time in the original Zelda? If so, this is easy to implement.

 

- I haven't tried to work in a sword yet. Well, I did, but have no time right now, so I removed it and added a shield real quick and well here I am. Hi, Mom.

 

- The colors for the screens do not need to be in the loop, so they're defined when the playfield is defined. This way we'll be able to change colors in the future.. ie: you can have green/brown combination for trees similar to how original Zelda started off, then brown/brown combo for mountains, and blue for water.

 

- I have it so you will be able to define more screens, it will set a variable so it knows what screen you are on and it will know which screen you are traveling to if you reach the edge of a map.

 

- I started work on a second screen, but you can't travel off the first one yet. The playfield is very limiting due to Link's size. Thus, I was unable to create the screen to the left of the first one, although I started work on it and it's in the code. I know there is a way to double or quadruple the size of a sprite using NUSIZ register, but is there a way to shrink him?

 

Other things on my mind:

 

- How can we do the "caves" or should we leave them out? Should I just make indents in the land and people will have to know to go in them? Should we do with another sprite and flicker?

 

Here's a video on YouTube, but unfortunately I didn't take a video with the shield. I have to run to a free concert at the record store, so I'll be back later or tomorrow with more progress maybe.

 

[media]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=G8F7s2QJAcM[/media]

a_link_to_pixels_past_v101.bas

a_link_to_pixels_past_v101.bas.bin

Edited April 17, 2010 by yuppicide

[jrok]

 

- If you hit FIRE at the same time as left or right you can put up a shield. I forget if you can shield and move at the same time in the original Zelda? If so, this is easy to implement.

 

I'm pretty sure that in the original Zelda, not pressing anything at all (joystick or buttons) was what activated the shield. I think you were vulnerable to missiles when you were moving or swinging your sword, but could block most of them as long as you were facing towards them and not pressing anything.

[Player 3]

- If you hit FIRE at the same time as left or right you can put up a shield. I forget if you can shield and move at the same time in the original Zelda? If so, this is easy to implement.

 

I'm pretty sure that in the original Zelda, not pressing anything at all (joystick or buttons) was what activated the shield. I think you were vulnerable to missiles when you were moving or swinging your sword, but could block most of them as long as you were facing towards them and not pressing anything.

 

 

I don't think you had to stay still to keep it up. Last time I played it, I could move towards an Octorok and live all because of that shield. It's probably directional-based.

[rpgfaker]

Yeah, it's direction based I just played it the small shield can block anything head on except fireballs from Zora.

 

 

I did a sprite of Link using the Flute just the player info.link uses flute.txt

 

I'm taking a look at Tone Toy to see if I can recreate the flute tune.

Edited April 18, 2010 by rpgfaker

[yuppicide]

I think you're right.

 

- If you hit FIRE at the same time as left or right you can put up a shield. I forget if you can shield and move at the same time in the original Zelda? If so, this is easy to implement.

 

I'm pretty sure that in the original Zelda, not pressing anything at all (joystick or buttons) was what activated the shield. I think you were vulnerable to missiles when you were moving or swinging your sword, but could block most of them as long as you were facing towards them and not pressing anything.

[yuppicide]

I will have an update posted tomorrow of my code.

 

Actually, in the original game you don't start out with the shield, correct? I should remove that for now.

 

I've got a bunch more screens included that you can walk through. I haven't really worked on anything else so far, except the code that let's you travel from one screen to another and the addition of new screens. The way it currently is setup is just really to display the two screens, but for the future the screens are laid out as such:

 

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15

.. etc etc.. whatever.. that's just an example.

 

This way the code from one screen to the next will be easy.. if a player reaches the left side of the screen then

 

screen = screen - 1

 

Traveling right?

 

screen = screen + 1

 

Traveling up or down? In the example above I can - 5 or + 5.

[Player 3]

Actually, in the original game you don't start out with the shield, correct?

 

 

No, it is not. You start with the shield. It's the sword that you need to acquire.

[johnon]

Actually, in the original game you don't start out with the shield, correct?

 

 

No, it is not. You start with the shield. It's the sword that you need to acquire.

You start with a wooden sword in the original game...

[Player 3]

Actually, in the original game you don't start out with the shield, correct?

 

 

No, it is not. You start with the shield. It's the sword that you need to acquire.

You start with a wooden sword in the original game...

 

 

No, you GET the wooden sword in the cave in the first screen. Your shield is on the character, so therefore, is included in the assembly code.

[rpgfaker]

Actually, in the original game you don't start out with the shield, correct?

 

 

No, it is not. You start with the shield. It's the sword that you need to acquire.

You start with a wooden sword in the original game...

 

your fired

[yuppicide]

Sorry no new build yet with the new screens. My Girlfriend was arguing with me around midnight (when I was about to finish whatever work I was doing for the day) about a toe operation, an indentation in the top of her shoe, and me opening a can of Lays Stax potato chips.

 

Longer story then I care to get into, but I didn't get to eat any chips.

[Player 3]

This game being a community effort sounds good. I might get started.

Besides, if FIRE activates a shield, what does a sword? Will FIRE be used to pick up/drop items?

 

 

[+grafixbmp]

I had once thought about this very thing and figured it would work best to staying with the classic formula as follows: The shield WAS originally automatic upon receiving it, this is true. However, since the Atari naturally has a lack of buttons, some compromises would need to be made. With just a single button, it could work one item at a time and the first A-B switch could activate a sub-menu that could be navigated through for weapons, items, accessories and a detailed map. When the A-B is switched back the game resumes with the changes from the menu. So what do ya think? Simple? Elegant?...

 

edit: As far as picking up items, simply touching them could acquire them. As far as interacting with objects, this usually could only happen when an item obtained could allow it. It just was automatic when activated with another button. So I guess only that action can happen when the item is selected from the menu.

 

This would mean that at any given time, the button could do the following:

 

Interact with objects

Be a form of weapon

Be an item appears on screen when used to interact with objects in a special manner.

 

 

The only automatic features to have would be weapon upgrading items. Or other changes in behavior.

 

ex: traverse a location without the activation (button press) being necessary.

Or other forms of special reactions to being at a specific location or collision of a specific object.

 

OK I am shutting up now. :!

Edited April 24, 2010 by grafixbmp

[yuppicide]

Someone could also modify a special joystick to use two buttons and it would be sold if a final product is ever made.

[Player 3]

Someone could also modify a special joystick to use two buttons and it would be sold if a final product is ever made.

 

Copyrights will be a big issue with this game if it was ever sold.

And there was some article on Sega Master System controllers being used on an Atari 2600. I'd look into that if I were you.

[RevEng]

There's sample bB code for sega controller support here

 

3rd party sega controllers can be had for $5 shipped from Deal Extreme. You can get more info on them in the 2-button hacks link in my signature.

[MrBeefy]

what about using the keypad controller for items and such?

[jrok]

A few ideas:

 

• 
   
  
• Use one hardware sprite for link, rather then two. Link was quite small in the original "Legend game", and it seems heavy-handed to use both hardware sprites to draw him.
  
• Use the resized ball for wielding the sword in four directions. Set CTRLPF to $31 and set the ballheight to "1" for when link is faced sideways to get a 8x2 sword, and set CTRLPF to $01 and ballheight to "7" for when he is faced vertically. No need to use a shield button, since the shield was automatic. Also, use a bitest to determine individual button presses. In other words, the sword shouldn't be in use constantly while the player holds the fire button, but rather appear for a second and then disappear until the player has released the fire button and pressed it again.
  
• If you're going with the standard kernal, employ 30hz flicker to get four free moving sprites onto the screen.
  
• If you're going to use the playfield to draw the walls/barriers of the areas, you might want to employ the Superchip, then store the shape data for one of the player sprites in RAM (whichever player sprite isn't used to draw link would be ideal, so you can maximize the number of enemy shapes.) You can also achieve higher resolution playfields this way.
  
• With the Superchip in use, you can add fixed point movement to both Link and his enemies with the zero page RAM without worry. This way, some monsters can travel slower/faster than others without extreme differences.
  
• For collisions, the native collision detection isn't so hot. Might want to consider tracking playfield position instead for smoother collision detection.

 

Honestly though, wasn't "Secret Quest" supposed to be the Atari answer to Zelda? Creating an original adventure from scratch might be the way to go here. Attempting to sell something as iconic as Zelda could result in hordes of angry lawyers (the blue variant Lawyers, who I've heard are impervious to fire and the toughest to beat.)

Edited April 29, 2010 by jrok

[rpgfaker]

How about using the overworld sprite from Zelda 2? That might fit in as a single player.