Atari_Falcon Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 There's a very nice platformer for the Atari XL/XE computer series: Crownland... as it is a younger homebrew, maybe a port to 7800 is doable? What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Ghost Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Wow, that looks great! Perhaps a new XM title??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Its certainly possible to do a version on the 7800 and you can probably make it more colourful too . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 There's a very nice platformer for the Atari XL/XE computer series: Crownland... as it is a younger homebrew, maybe a port to 7800 is doable? What do you think? Isn't that game something else? I'm wondering if it's on a cart somewhere. I think the programmer did a GREAT JOB on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari_Falcon Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Wow, that looks great! Perhaps a new XM title??? I'd second that, AFAIK the XE version of crownland needs 128 K RAM. Maybe with some tricks it is possible on a stock 7800, too... Btw the video is just the "demo" version, the full version has a little stripped down graphics (at least framerate), but it's available and finally a decent "Mario" on Atari... a 7800 version would rock... I will try to find out who wrote it (ABBUC software contest), maybe he is willing to write a port or at least spreading the sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armonigann Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Man, that is nice! I can see it now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I will try to find out who wrote it (ABBUC software contest), maybe he is willing to write a port or at least spreading the sources. Porting from the strengths of of the A8 to the strengths of the 7800 is not going to be an easy task. For example, when I adapted Tempest from the BBC micro to the 7800 it needed a linear frame buffer (the 7800 doesn't have one) and all the Beeb OS calls needed replacing (line drawing, keyboard input etc.). That came after reverse engineering (from a disk image), getting past its "unpacking" stages and then finding and working around the self modifying code as well as converting the code to execute on a ROM/RAM machine instead of a pure RAM machine. Even now there are still some severe bugs remaining in the game that need to be tracked down and fixed. First and foremost to progress with the A8 port you'd need to find a programmer to champion the 7800 cause. I'm sad to say that without a programmer the project is pretty much dead in the water in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 That looks very nice indeed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Ghost Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 First and foremost to progress with the A8 port you'd need to find a programmer to champion the 7800 cause. I'm sad to say that without a programmer the project is pretty much dead in the water in my opinion. When you say 'champion the 7800 cause', do you mean a programmer to do all the things you mentioned regarding your work on Tempest? Or something 'more' than that (i.e. big picture A8/7800 toolkits, etc.)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
life_is_pleach Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Looks really great. Especially for a xl/xe game. Is it a disk version or a cart version? Cart would be better for xegs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 When you say 'champion the 7800 cause', do you mean a programmer to do all the things you mentioned regarding your work on Tempest? Or something 'more' than that (i.e. big picture A8/7800 toolkits, etc.)? Any programmer . Crownland is most definitely playing to the strengths of the A8. Its hard enough if its an "over the wall" port. By that I mean its a "here's the source code go off on your merry way and no support from me" deal. You might also have to factor in that the comments are in a different language (if there are any) and also the architectural differences between the machines. Reading books and data sheets will get you so far in understanding the code (if you aren't already familiar) but you also have to understand the techniques and principles of what makes a game work on the insides e.g. being able to spot sprite multiplexers (in the case of the A8), sprite bounding box checks etc. To be honest, in my mind, a better approach would be to code the game's style from scratch. If you are going to take the 7800 to the next level in platformers you want to have done it off your own back and not a port. Just my 2p . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Ghost Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 If you are going to take the 7800 to the next level in platformers you want to have done it off your own back and not a port. Just my 2p . Now that even I can understand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARI7800fan Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 (edited) Wow, that looks great! Perhaps a new XM title??? exactly, if they made two games like this for the XM I would buy it in no time, it would only take two of this quality, and side scrolling. Edited January 18, 2011 by ATARI7800fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Looks really great. Especially for a xl/xe game. Is it a disk version or a cart version? Cart would be better for xegs. I think it's only on disk and only on the 130XE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kool kitty89 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Wow, that looks great! Perhaps a new XM title??? I'd second that, AFAIK the XE version of crownland needs 128 K RAM. Maybe with some tricks it is possible on a stock 7800, too... Btw the video is just the "demo" version, the full version has a little stripped down graphics (at least framerate), but it's available and finally a decent "Mario" on Atari... a 7800 version would rock... I will try to find out who wrote it (ABBUC software contest), maybe he is willing to write a port or at least spreading the sources. That's only because it's a disk game iirc, it could have been done with much less RAM with a cartridge, though I'm not sure just how much work RAM is needed and how much is just program/data memory. (depending on what's actually being done -especially bitmap mode stuff using full framebuffers- it might be possible on the 5200/16k 400/600XL and 128k ROM, with more heavy use of framebuffer stuff it might need 32k or more -7800 would be a different set of tradeoffs entirely and MARIA should have a lot more options -but also not facilitate a simple port as such) I don't know much on the specifics for Crownland, but I'm sure others around here do. 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.