HSC7 Game 20: Pole Position

[Marius]

I am so PROUD

 

After one night practicing...

 

And one morning playing... playing... and playing AGAIN

 

I now managed to cross the finish... while some space BEFORE finish my timer went down to ZERO ... while slowing down ALMOST to zero (44MPH!) I crossed the finishline

 

This is in NTSC - RACE F - 8 laps Atari GP.

 

With an almost incredible score of 106450. I am really proud and excited... and to be honest... i feel like a junk I AM SHAKING!!!! aargh...

 

 

 

Who is gonna beat that!?

 

Greetz

Marius

[Fres]

Nice one, Marius!

[Mister VCS]

team name

Mister VCS (P)

goochman (N)

phaxda (N)

 

 

team name = The Aging Racers

 

first score: Race D Namco Speedway 4 laps on a PAL 600XL with CX-40 joystick

 

57,800

 

 

Edited December 12, 2010 by Mister VCS

[Marius]

Hi folks,

 

I'm working on a PAL version with a different timer.

 

the biggest problem is that the PAL counter runs on 83.33333% of the NTSC speed.

 

The start amount of a race 1 is 75 ... so on PAL systems you should have only 62.4999 seconds. I'd say: 63 seconds.

 

It is not so hard to change that.

 

Another thing:

 

After each completed lap you get 56 seconds extra time. So on PAL systems this should be 'only' 46.66666 I'd say: 47 seconds.

 

I am not able to change the rest of the program. But the problem with the timer is fixed then.

 

Also the Qualify race timer should be altered. But I think that is not so important since I guess no one will continue racing when he could not start at pole position.

 

Agreed?

 

I'm going to alter the game anyway, but i'm curious if someone is interested in this altered version (not finished yet!)

 

Greetz

M.

 

EDIT

I found out not each race is +56 seconds. There is a list of time to add on $9049 - $9052

But ok, when I change all these values to 83.333% of their original it is ok.

[+therealbountybob]

Hi folks,

 

I'm working on a PAL version with a different timer.

 

the biggest problem is that the PAL counter runs on 83.33333% of the NTSC speed.

 

The start amount of a race 1 is 75 ... so on PAL systems you should have only 62.4999 seconds. I'd say: 63 seconds.

 

It is not so hard to change that.

 

Another thing:

 

After each completed lap you get 56 seconds extra time. So on PAL systems this should be 'only' 46.66666 I'd say: 47 seconds.

 

I am not able to change the rest of the program. But the problem with the timer is fixed then.

 

Also the Qualify race timer should be altered. But I think that is not so important since I guess no one will continue racing when he could not start at pole position.

 

Agreed?

 

I'm going to alter the game anyway, but i'm curious if someone is interested in this altered version (not finished yet!)

 

Greetz

M.

That's fantastic Marius I've just played on NTSC using altirra for the first time, the game is much faster and much more fun, really hard to crash and make the lap in time. I think a harder PAL version re the lap times is an excellent idea for playing on PAL Ataris (would make this optional for this competition though as some PAL players could do with the easier version, yes team GOPE!) If you could tweak the qualifying timer too that would be cool.

 

Race F - I'm going to have to do better for the there and backsters, first go qualified 7th and didn't make 2 laps. 2nd go qualified 2nd and made 43,050. I found Race D comfortable so if you struggle with race E littleman we can swap over

 

example team summary:

There and Back

A lj (N)

B sloop (N)

C sloop (N)

D trbb (N) 55,050

E lj (N)

F trbb (N) 43,050

G sloop (N)

Total points 98,100

 

Post 67 has team details, still time to join in folks

[Marius]

Hi folks,

 

This is PolePosition with NEW TIMER SETTINGS special for PAL systems.

 

There is a ROM version (special for emulator, or for those who can burn carts)

 

And there is a XEX version. BEWARE: the XEX version has the "finish flag bug" but that is not my fault. That is the fault of the BINARY VERSION. If someone has an XEX version for me without this finish-flag bug, I'm glad to change that one too. This bug is that the FINISH-flag is garbaged (not a nice flag!) But this does not affect the game.

 

Play this version ONLY on PAL systems. It is 100% the same game, so it is still EASIER than the NTSC version, but... the amount of time is 83% of the original. (PAL is around 83% of NTSC Vertical Blank (clock) speed)

 

I hope this is more fair with the points. Another thing... when you post your scores, please write with the score if this is the adapted version or not. Perhaps I should give this version another sky color (purple or someting hehe)

 

Have fun with it.

Marius

[Marius]

By the way...

 

The NTSC games are going faste too... I'm wondering if my timer settings are not TOO hard now in PAL, Since it also takes longer to complete a lap (the game in NTSC itself is also faster), So i hope you still have enough time to finish laps (if it is STILL possible i mean) hehe.

 

Let me know how it is going.

 

Marius

[4Ks]

Finally finished Race D! Now I just have to win without crashing.

[atariksi]

Hi folks,

 

This is PolePosition with NEW TIMER SETTINGS special for PAL systems.

 

There is a ROM version (special for emulator, or for those who can burn carts)

 

And there is a XEX version. BEWARE: the XEX version has the "finish flag bug" but that is not my fault. That is the fault of the BINARY VERSION. If someone has an XEX version for me without this finish-flag bug, I'm glad to change that one too. This bug is that the FINISH-flag is garbaged (not a nice flag!) But this does not affect the game.

 

Play this version ONLY on PAL systems. It is 100% the same game, so it is still EASIER than the NTSC version, but... the amount of time is 83% of the original. (PAL is around 83% of NTSC Vertical Blank (clock) speed)

 

I hope this is more fair with the points. Another thing... when you post your scores, please write with the score if this is the adapted version or not. Perhaps I should give this version another sky color (purple or someting hehe)

 

Have fun with it.

Marius

 

I didn't know you were a hacker. And I doubt it's written in C++ or some bloated crap like that.

[Marius]

I didn't know you were a hacker. And I doubt it's written in C++ or some bloated crap like that.

 

Hehe... well I have a moderate experience in 6502 coding and debugging. It was not so hard to do this one. Except for the fact that the SPEED is programmed in 6502 Decimal modus. I was searching for Hexadecimal values hehe.

 

But I noticed after playing a bit that my values are TOO low. Now the PAL version is harder than NTSC. It is too hard, and hardly impossible to finish more than 3 laps. Even on practice run it is too hard.

 

So I'll bring it back to about 90% of the original values in stead of 83% ... i think that is better.

 

Stay tuned for that... not today anymore... but tomorrow perhaps.

 

Greetz

Marius

[+therealbountybob]

M.

The ATR version doesn't have the corrupted flags, changing the sky colour is a good idea

[roadrunner]

Race G Datasoft 500 NTSC 42,650

I was doing alot better on PAL.

[Marius]

M.

The ATR version doesn't have the corrupted flags, changing the sky colour is a good idea

 

That's right, but the ATR is protected. The data is scrambled on the disk, so I can not easily 'hack' the right values.

 

At least I tried with two sector editors and it failed.

 

Greetz

M.

 

p.s. I'll try to change to sky color. Hehe another thing to find in the code hehe. It is cool.

[Marius]

Ok here it is...

 

Only XEX this time, since that works on emulator too right away.

 

It has PURPLE screen

And the word LAP is changed into PAL to be SURE therealbountybob can recognise someone used this special adapted PAL version

Timer is 90% of NTSC ... it feels right for me... Now PAL version is harder and cooler.

 

I hope you like it!

 

AND ofcourse the filename is PALposition hehehehe.

Greetz

Marius

[Marius]

I think the last one i post does a pretty good job on the score...

 

Here I did for a test RACE A. Emulator is set to PAL ofcourse.

 

I did try my best on it, but I think i could have raced better. I scored now 27300 which is a decent 'good' score on 1 lap Malibu "ntsc" ... but now played on PAL. So I think it is rather the same ...

 

The only thing I think should be done is the times for Qualify.

 

Normally you get poleposition around 58"50 and lower. But when you race with pal and play on your fastest you race it in around 52"50...

 

So I think these values for positions should be altered too in the so called "PAL" version.

 

It is not so important for our HSC, but for the gameplay it would be better to change that too. Let me look into that later...

 

I am not racing RACE A for my team. This was just for testing purpouse! 4ks is driving race A for our team!

Greetz

Marius

[+therealbountybob]

Hi Marius, I only tested on the emulator using PAL, it looks a bit too tough I think managed pole on atari GP twice (23 seconds left) but even 1 crash meant not making lap 1, best I managed was lap 3... ended lap 1 with 6 seconds it then gave me 56 seconds for lap 2 (another go 7 and 59?). Will test some more tomorrow and play some more NTSC for comparison. Liking the purple sky. If anyone has a file or unprotected ATR version with uncorrupted flag graphics please post

 

p.s. atarionline.pl have lots of versions but not tested them yet!

[Marius]

Ok here really final version (for now)

 

The qualification in original game is:

 

58"50 = pos. 1

60"00 = pos. 2

62"00 = pos. 3

64"00 = pos. 4

66"00 = pos. 5

68"00 = pos. 6

70"00 = pos. 7

73"00 = pos. 8

 

In PAL these values are TOO easy to obtain. So ... like the timer setting I changed these values to 90% of their original value.

 

52"50 = pos. 1

54"00 = pos. 2

56"00 = pos. 3

58"00 = pos. 4

60"00 = pos. 5

61"00 = pos. 6

63"00 = pos. 7

66"00 = pos. 8

 

I know... it is not perfect because I don't have a "point" and have to fool around a bit with the numbers. But now the game (except for a bit of speed IN the game) feel almost the same as on NTSC.

 

Next step is that I put a detector in it, which sets these settings by default (so you don't need a different version fo PAL or NTSC). But that is another story and not for now.

 

Have fun with this adapted version. And PLEASE use this one!

 

Thanks

Marius

 

p.s. I delete all other versions.

[Marius]

Hi Marius, I only tested on the emulator using PAL, it looks a bit too tough I think managed pole on atari GP twice (23 seconds left) but even 1 crash meant not making lap 1, best I managed was lap 3... ended lap 1 with 6 seconds it then gave me 56 seconds for lap 2 (another go 7 and 59?). Will test some more tomorrow and play some more NTSC for comparison. Liking the purple sky. If anyone has a file or unprotected ATR version with uncorrupted flag graphics please post

 

Ok... let's play and test more with the latest version I uploaded. (I deleted all others) ... perhaps it needs some more tweaking.

 

Don't forget you might be used to the way cars drive on NTSC now. On PAL the game feels different. I had to practice again on PAL first. Now I'm doing better and it feels great. On real hardware...

 

But let's test more... perhaps my settings are toooo hard.

 

Purple looks great indeed.

 

Hey I am of to bed. I'm tired of all this coding and searching for data in this game.

 

Greetz

Marius

[Marius]

I tested it on practice run... and I think you are right...

 

There must be a little more time added. Perhaps 90% is still nog enough. So I'll make all the values 91% in the next version.

 

It is a bit tweaking, but we'll get a decent "pal" version.

 

It's for the next release, and next day. I'm of to bed now.

 

Greetz

Marius

[+therealbountybob]

Ahh, looks good, made 2nd on qualifing (Atari GP) after a few goes, think I can maybe get pole! Still think it's harder than the NTSC version but will test tomorrow. Good Work

 

If anyone is confused - don't worry just play! This version can be used by PAL (european) users on real Atari's if they find the original version of Pole Position too easy

[atariron82]

Okay, I'll take Roadrunner and Atariron since I know them from A5200 HSC. If they agree.

 

Suggest a team name; maybe the "Drift kids".

 

Wow! It looks like all of the fun is happening over here(you can nearly hear a pin drop over in 5200-land where I've been brushing up on BBSB).

 

Thanks for the invite Divya, but I've been immersed in Cellular Biology finals over at the Uni .

This is is not my best game though and Zylon may be the better pick.

 

Well, I'm here now but alas the loner. I'll take a cue from Mr.Amiga and call myself the "Road Warrior". If two more members join (like atarianna..) and hopefully Mr.Amiga, then we'll be 'The Road Warriors'. Motto: "live to ride, ride to live".

 

I'm gonna get started on races B, D, and F--(NTSC). Off to the track...

[Divya16]

Ahh, looks good, made 2nd on qualifing (Atari GP) after a few goes, think I can maybe get pole! Still think it's harder than the NTSC version but will test tomorrow. Good Work

 

If anyone is confused - don't worry just play! This version can be used by PAL (european) users on real Atari's if they find the original version of Pole Position too easy

 

I think it's time to make it clear whether PAL version should be played at all since now we have multiple PAl versions as well. My team is doing better with PAL so you want us to drop those scores and do NTSC?

[Divya16]

Okay, I'll take Roadrunner and Atariron since I know them from A5200 HSC. If they agree.

 

Suggest a team name; maybe the "Drift kids".

 

Wow! It looks like all of the fun is happening over here(you can nearly hear a pin drop over in 5200-land where I've been brushing up on BBSB).

 

Thanks for the invite Divya, but I've been immersed in Cellular Biology finals over at the Uni .

This is is not my best game though and Zylon may be the better pick.

 

Well, I'm here now but alas the loner. I'll take a cue from Mr.Amiga and call myself the "Road Warrior". If two more members join (like atarianna..) and hopefully Mr.Amiga, then we'll be 'The Road Warriors'. Motto: "live to ride, ride to live".

 

I'm gonna get started on races B, D, and F--(NTSC). Off to the track...

 

There were other people looking for teammates in this thread and I'm not sure they all found them. So you can try to contact them or others who have participated in this HSC before like Detacher.

[sloopy]

i think officialninja needs a team... send him an IM... tell him sloopy said he is not allowed to sit this one out...

 

sloopy.

[a8isa1]

35,650 for Race B (NTSC). Hope this isn't embarrassingly bad.