+SpiceWare Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 When the Atari is turned on, the DPC+ code does an init, part of which includes copying the contents of Display Data (DD) ROM to DD RAM. The small & medium asteroids and the ship images are stored in DD ROM, so they end up in DD RAM. During Space Rock's init routine, it runs a vectorize routine that converts the DD RAM copies of the images into vector images, this let me save a lot of ROM (about 1K). The way the routine works is by doing an XOR to flip interior bits off. Hitting reset doesn't cause the cartridge to reset (as the reset line doesn't propagate out to the cartridge port) so the DD RAM images are vectorized - however, when the Atari resets it runs the vectorize routine again. When the XOR is run a second time it flips those bits back on, which results in the original image being restored. It should occur no matter which reset you hit - however, if the vectorize routine is run a 3rd time you'll get back the vector images. I suspect the reset is occurring multiple times based on how long you hold down the reset button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 Wow this looking great, but I dont like the click-click soundtrack, (Im using Stella 3.7.4) Thanks. Stella's not 100% accurate with the sound effects. Check over pages 5 and 6 in this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveD Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 When the Atari is turned on, the DPC+ code does an init... That's some impressive detective work right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 I figured that out a while back as Stella used to run the init twice when it was trying to determine if the game was NTSC or PAL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stephena Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Thanks. Stella's not 100% accurate with the sound effects. Check over pages 5 and 6 in this topic. I'm still working out some minor issues, but it looks like the new sound code (which will be in the 3.8 release) is working much better with this game. In particular, you can now clearly hear the 'heartbeart'. Was this the only Stella-related sound issue for this game?? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 (edited) Stella and the homebrew scene are like fine booze, gets better with age. Edited January 4, 2013 by Keatah 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 I'm still working out some minor issues, but it looks like the new sound code (which will be in the 3.8 release) is working much better with this game. In particular, you can now clearly hear the 'heartbeart'. Was this the only Stella-related sound issue for this game?? Great! The explosions were also off in Stella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stephena Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I will post some test builds when I get a chance. To me, it sounds much better than before, but I've only tested in Linux and OSX so far. I've also tested in a Windows virtual machine, but that isn't the same thing as real hardware. I can't test Windows properly until next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+stephena Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 OK, here are 32/64-bit builds for Windows. Let me know if it improves the sound (it does for me in Linux and OSX, but I can't personally test in Windows until sometime tomorrow). http://minbar.org/Stella-3.8_pre1-windows.zip 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariMagic! Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) can't believe this is the 2600... Edited January 9, 2013 by AtariMagic! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 ... each row of the sprite can be shifted left or right to make the 2X sprites look smoother (like the dolphin and squid in Dolphin, and the dragon in Medieval Mayhem). I was playing Stampede last night when I realized it also uses the sprite shifting technique. Based on the copyright in the manuals, it looks like Stampede (1981) predates Dolphin (1983) by a couple years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Teaser from the manual: Al's still awaiting new Melody boards. Space Rocks will be available soon after he's replenished his stock. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trent Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 They used it for the shark in Fishing Derby too, 1980. I was playing Stampede last night when I realized it also uses the sprite shifting technique. Based on the copyright in the manuals, it looks like Stampede (1981) predates Dolphin (1983) by a couple years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 They used it for the shark in Fishing Derby too, 1980. So they did! though they used a 4x sprite instead of a 2x sprite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Darrel, Retro Gamer magazine talks about Space Rocks in its homebrew section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Darrel, Retro Gamer magazine talks about Space Rocks in its homebrew section. Cool! Which issue? I'll see if I can't track down a copy. I've picked it up before, but that was at the now defunct Borders. Micro Center and Issues used to carry it, so I'll check with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Darrel, Retro Gamer magazine talks about Space Rocks in its homebrew section. Cool! Which issue? I'll see if I can't track down a copy. I've picked it up before, but that was at the now defunct Borders. Micro Center and Issues used to carry it, so I'll check with them. Retro Gamer issue 111, the current issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Thanks! As I recall, the issues take a while to get over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+McCallister Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Been following much of this development and really looking forward to this game. Is this one ready to go and waiting on hardware, or are there still some tweaks? Thanks for all your hard work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SpiceWare Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Been following much of this development and really looking forward to this game. Is this one ready to go and waiting on hardware, or are there still some tweaks? Thanks for all your hard work! Thanks! It's done, just waiting on AtariAge to receive a new supply of Melody boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csonicgo Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 There is something I wanted to bring up and I wanted to know if it's just me. Sometimes on a small asteroid, I cannot manage to hit it. That is, the bullets seem to pass through on the top side of the asteroid. on some of the higher levels when they're everywhere, I noticed this about twice. only once has it ended up in me dying (since I didn't have hyper on) but it's just something odd. I guess it's the fixed set of angles the ship can rotate, but I really don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Are you sure the bullets really path through the asteroid? Or are they maybe just running very close besides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Csonicgo Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Are you sure the bullets really path through the asteroid? Or are they maybe just running very close besides? that might be what's going on. now that I make sure I shoot clear through the thing, I'm having no problem. Perhaps that is what I should do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBillTX Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) I will post some test builds when I get a chance. To me, it sounds much better than before, but I've only tested in Linux and OSX so far. I've also tested in a Windows virtual machine, but that isn't the same thing as real hardware. I can't test Windows properly until next week. Thanks, that helped a little. I also lowered the volume on Stella. I upgraded my PC from XP to 7 last year and my trusty Soundblaster Audigy 2ZX wouldn't work with the new OS, and SB's Win 7 drivers for it are incomplete. So I'm using the Motherboard's Realtek audio for now which can clip and distort easily if overdriven by games or a mp3 player like Winamp.. (BTW If anyone has a suggestion for a PCI soundcard that has better sound and works great for Windows 7 please PM me) The game looks and plays great! I cant think of any other suggestions. PS great choice for the label. And BTW Is the lack of Melody boards the same reason why Chetiry is out of stock too? Just curious. Edited January 20, 2013 by WildBillTX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 And BTW Is the lack of Harmony boards the same reason why Chetiry is out of stock too? Just curious. Yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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