sometimes99er Posted February 7, 2015 Author Share Posted February 7, 2015 (edited) Hmm, gotta get back on track and do some work on this Restless II. Titles visited lately are, Snake II, War, Bomb, Get Through, Parallax, Thrust, Minecraft and Planet Patrol. Here's the animation frames for the explosion: Edited May 4 by sometimes99er 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted February 10, 2015 Author Share Posted February 10, 2015 (edited) Here's the alien and the explosion when hit. Delays between frames will probably be tuned. Edited May 4 by sometimes99er 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMole Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Here's the alien and the explosion when hit. Delays between frames will probably be tuned. Looks very good. The delay looks fine for me, I kind off like the agitated impression that the alien gives off at this animation speed. The explosion is cool as well, at first I thought it might look better when played back a little bit slower but I think it's fine as-is. Just don't speed it up though . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 It's incredible how many games, Munchman for instance, are ruining their animations by running them too fast when all it takes is a single shift instruction to fix it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 So I've actually spent some time on this beast here and there. I’m afraid it only amounts to a few hours, but it’s looking good anyway.All resources are loaded (font, colors, graphics, animations and sounds). And maybe about a quarter of the code has been written. We're at 39% of the 8K cartridge space.The most interesting thing is how bad the sprite flickering will be, when the action gets hot in later levels.Oh, and you'll get a trophy (on screen) if you make it to the end. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Nice progress report! I'm glad this one is still moving forward. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 It's not that many hours I get to sit down and code. There's the usual diversion and distraction, - and then a few new number one priorities, including loosing my best friend ... But also, when you want to let you mind go, and escape whatever, then a bit of TI nostalgia, programming and game design is a relief. I'm at about 54% of the 8K cartridge space, and low on Scratch-pad, but I think we'll be okay. The last update were missing the sprite patterns and that might have taken 5%. I haven't really used indexed (and symbolic) addressing (EA page 59) versus register indirect (EA page 58). I'm thinking if one runs low on registers in a routine, that the first might be handy. But then it might also be a bit slower. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Keep on hacking! And sorry to hear of your recent loss. best Mark 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 I found in practice that the initial seed isn't always enough -- it's just a number that is steadily incremented on the master title page. Back in the day, I found that I hit a key so quickly and so predictably there that my number was frequently very close (if not the same - probably just close because back then I divided down). What helps with that, is I continue incrementing the seed on my own title page in any app I build, that helps improve the randomness. I'm getting that too - to some extent. I expect the built-in GPL startup to poll any key (violently) and get good seeds, but, or, - well, I'm hitting the same "series" of random numbers from time to time. Maybe not one startup after the other, but warm boot the game 10 times, and I'm sure to see the exact same pattern emerge (alien starting positions, directions and velocities). And that's what you get when you dive into a series a random numbers. Maybe I should keep the possible two seeds separate ? The result will be predictable too, but maybe I could go from 16 to 32 bit seed accuracy ? 01AC : RAND >FF Random number in >8378 01AE : SCAN 01AF : BR GROM@>01AC Wait for pressed key At the splash screen, I think I will poll and secure that Enter is up while increasing the seed, then do the same the other way around (poll Enter for being hit). Much as suggested. The first part so that the Enter is not pressed when the GPL has finally cleared 15K (takes a relatively long time). Apparently doing so moving bytes from VDP to VDP. 034B : MOVE @>8300 TO VDP@>1000 FROM VDP@>0FFF Clear VDP On the other hand, you're really not supposed to, or expected to, warm boot over and over, just to get the same pattern. While I'm at it, I'll add a human distortion factor during game, - adding joystick state to the seed. Also, I guess it's about time to have my old trusty random routine tested properly. It looks like 3 times 16 bits and the 8K ROM as a pool to try and mix things up, - whatever, "as is" it doesn't "beat" the initial seed >8378 (>83C0). 65,536 possible starting points !? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) The RXB Source used this similar to XB code. [1413] 6919 BF,80,C0 DST >3567,@>83C0 Initialize random number generator [1618] 6AAC 86,79 CLR @TIMER blink [1619] * RXB PATCH CODE FOR USER ***** [1620] * G6AAE SCAN Scan for a character [1621] * RAND 99 Force randomize to be random [1622] 6AAE 06,7C,B2 G6AAE CALL DUSER USER from EDIT mode [1623] 6AB1 6A,CC BS READZ2 Found one!!!! [3705] 7CB2 8E,A3,BB DUSER CZ V@CONFLG RECALL FLAG? [3706] 7CB5 7D,29 BS NOUSER [3745] 7D29 03 NOUSER SCAN [3746] 7D2A 02,63 RAND 99 [3747] 7D2C 01 RTNC As you can see TI used RAND 99 Not RAND >FF Anyway hope it helps .... Rich Edited June 9, 2015 by RXB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 The RXB Source used this similar to XB code. [1413] 6919 BF,80,C0 DST >3567,@>83C0 Initialize random number generator [1618] 6AAC 86,79 CLR @TIMER blink [1619] * RXB PATCH CODE FOR USER ***** [1620] * G6AAE SCAN Scan for a character [1621] * RAND 99 Force randomize to be random [1622] 6AAE 06,7C,B2 G6AAE CALL DUSER USER from EDIT mode [1623] 6AB1 6A,CC BS READZ2 Found one!!!! [3705] 7CB2 8E,A3,BB DUSER CZ V@CONFLG RECALL FLAG? [3706] 7CB5 7D,29 BS NOUSER [3745] 7D29 03 NOUSER SCAN [3746] 7D2A 02,63 RAND 99 [3747] 7D2C 01 RTNC As you can see TI used RAND 99 Not RAND >FF Anyway hope it helps .... Rich These are different cases. @sometimes99er is doing it for a single byte and wants to use the entire byte to allow for the largest possible, 1-byte number. Your quoted XB code will call RAND 100 seven times, once for each of the seven Radix-100 digits for the largest possible XB floating-point integer, which can contain 14 radix-10 (decimal) digits. Though probably obvious, the reason that the RAND call in XB is limited to 100 is that a radix-100 digit cannot exceed 99 decimal. ...lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Thanks. Well, the boot provides a random seed at >8378 or >83C0. This is then being used in a game written in assembler. Just pondering about how to avoid running into the exact same attack patterns. - And I think it may very well be about my random routine and how I get a number into a certain range. And I managed to get the same seed booting 14 times and quickly selecting the game. Seems as if >83C0 is in fact way better for a random seed !? There's even different numbers for try 1 and 14. >8378 >83C0 1 >FF30 >A57C 2 >FFD7 >5A94 3 >FF34 >9804 4 >FF33 >4E92 5 >FF3E >CFA3 6 >FF2E >1475 7 >FF2F >9E27 8 >FF3A >F8BD 9 >FF1B >9CBC 10 >FF2A >D0F3 11 >FF28 >0B55 12 >FF22 >A9CC 13 >FF27 >94E3 14 >FF30 >9A63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Thanks. Well, the boot provides a random seed at >8378 or >83C0. This is then being used in a game written in assembler. Just pondering about how to avoid running into the exact same attack patterns. - And I think it may very well be about my random routine and how I get a number into a certain range. And I managed to get the same seed booting 14 times and quickly selecting the game. Seems as if >83C0 is in fact way better for a random seed !? There's even different numbers for try 1 and 14. ... The 16-bit value at >83C0 – >83C1 which is initialized at power-up and thereafter only gets updated by GPL’s RAND and other languages’ pseudo-random-number generators. The byte at >8378 is not guaranteed to change. It is used by the GPL RAND routine to store its result. It is used by other routines as a flag. The byte at >8379 is, of course, the VDP Interrupt Timer, so it changes every 1/60 second. That is probably why your samplings of the full word at >8378 have the first byte unchanging. You could try using the byte at >8379 twice to make up a full 16-bit word to see whether that gives enough variation. ...lee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 The byte at >8378 is not guaranteed to change. It is used by the GPL RAND routine to store its result. It is used by other routines as a flag. Oh yes, apparently. Looked good, as a word, and somewhat in sync with >83C0, - but then when the game cartridge is selected, the byte at >8378 seems to always be set to >FF. And it wasn't due to me being quick at selecting the game. Nice one. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) Thanks. Well, the boot provides a random seed at >8378 or >83C0. This is then being used in a game written in assembler. Just pondering about how to avoid running into the exact same attack patterns. - And I think it may very well be about my random routine and how I get a number into a certain range. And I managed to get the same seed booting 14 times and quickly selecting the game. Seems as if >83C0 is in fact way better for a random seed !? There's even different numbers for try 1 and 14. >8378 >83C0 1 >FF30 >A57C 2 >FFD7 >5A94 3 >FF34 >9804 4 >FF33 >4E92 5 >FF3E >CFA3 6 >FF2E >1475 7 >FF2F >9E27 8 >FF3A >F8BD 9 >FF1B >9CBC 10 >FF2A >D0F3 11 >FF28 >0B55 12 >FF22 >A9CC 13 >FF27 >94E3 14 >FF30 >9A63 Hmmmm this is why XB calls a RANDOM value from >8378 twice if you need a 16 bit number vs a 8 bit number. Also as it is called twice this value will be much more random. To make it even more random have it RANDOMLY flip a coin on which byte is top and bottom. Edited June 10, 2015 by RXB 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) A nice random number routine I got years ago and have used ever since is here. It has two nice features - one is that a seed that's off by even one with give you a very different sequence - which is good for the numbers we tend to have. The second is that it guarantees to produce every number from 1-65535 exactly once before repeating, in a pseudo random order (note that 0 is not included). Another thing I like to do is instead of just incrementing the key, I'll often call the random function. I'm not sure if one is better than the other, offhand. *RND RETURN RANDOM NUMBER IN R0 RMASK DATA >B400 * mask for 16 bit random numbers RND MOV @RNDSED,R0 * Get seed SRL R0,1 * shift down JNC RAND01 * jump if 1 not shifted out XOR @RMASK,R0 * XOR the top half RAND01 MOV R0,@RNDSED * Save this number for next time B *R11 (edit: sorry, removed the 'inc @zmquad' - that was obviously part of the Zombie MOTIF game ) Edited June 10, 2015 by Tursi 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) <double> ? Edited June 10, 2015 by sometimes99er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Excellent. Using >83c0 instead of >8378 solved the repeating pattern. And the short and sweet random number generator above seems to work fine in the game. Adding joystick state or other tricks could potentially mess up the long repeat, so I won't do that. I have reserved r9 for the seed, so it ends up like this, ;********************************************************************************* ; make a random number rand srl r9,1 ; shift down jnc rand1 ; jump if 1 not shifted out xor @rmask,r9 ; xor the top half rand1 rt rmask data >b400 * mask for 16 bit random numbers 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mizapf Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 The discussion reminds me of this: http://xkcd.com/221/ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphb Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 The discussion reminds me of this: http://xkcd.com/221/ Or this: http://dilbert.com/strip/2001-10-25 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 (edited) Oops, been a month without any coding on this one (Restless II). Anyways, got a few ideas for moving forward. Occasionally visiting other projects like Snake II, Destroyer, Planet Patrol, Mine Sweeper, Nonogram, a shooter, a few XB effect demos and other experimental stuff. Yesterday I spent a few hours on porting a relatively short tunnel raycaster but ran into too many obstacles (challenges) with speed being the biggest excuse for scrapping it. Edited July 11, 2015 by sometimes99er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted August 27, 2015 Author Share Posted August 27, 2015 (edited) Version 0.1 Program name: REST File and program name: REST Important note: Only demo - and not playable ! InstructionsThe object of the game is to defend your spaceship, maneuvering it left and right as alien saucers dodge and dive in a relentless attack.You get past the splash screen pressing Enter. Instantly, alien invaders begin to sweep about the screen. The invaders always keep moving in their current direction until they hit a screen boundary, then they rebound. Meanwhile, you move your ship left and right using the joystick to evade the erratic dives and swoops of the aliens.Fortunately, you have your super plasma gun. Simply press the fire button on the joystick to unleash a bolt of this incredible power. The particle ray continues until it hits an alien, atomizing it, or until it reaches the top of the screen. If you hold down the fire button, the bolt continually repeats. Edited January 11, 2016 by sometimes99er 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMole Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 Looks great, as usual. But in my test on js99er, only one out of three aliens moves around, and the particle ray doesn't collide with the aliens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted August 28, 2015 Share Posted August 28, 2015 Same results on Classic99 here with the C.BIN version. Looks great though! Nice use of character and sprite graphics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted August 28, 2015 Author Share Posted August 28, 2015 (edited) Yep, it's only version 0.1 and the instructions are more of an appetizer / setting the atmosphere. Sorry if I let you on to believe it was functional. The number of aliens will increase with each level, starting out with 3 aliens. The aliens are hardware sprites. Ship, plasma and stars are software sprites (background graphics) - that's why I temporarily let "created by" be there (on screen). Presently I've run low on ScratchPad and have at least two things I have to restructure. Edited August 28, 2015 by sometimes99er 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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