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Get Lost!


Propane13

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@Atarifever - maybe I should change the title of this thread to "Get Lost! A Pitfall-style 7800 game" or something. I didn't even think about how people might miss it; I just posted very excitedly.

 

Couldn't hurt. But then, there are four pages here so far, a map of the game, and a pre-order list, so people seem to be finding it eventually anyway. :)

 

Good luck with the plastering etc. I hate that part. We're having a large renovation done and the contractor is handling that this time, thank goodness.

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  • 1 month later...

Hello all.

 

Not much of an update, but I want to try something.

The "black screen" really took the wind out of my sails on this project. That, and a welcome break were definitely needed.

 

Recently, I've been thinking about the black screen a little more.

My thought is that there is one of 2 things happening:

1) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is somehow getting stuck in an endless loop, or

2) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is flying off the handle and corrupting memory.

 

Based on what I saw, the screen went black, but moving the joystick caused the sync to change a little bit.

This makes me think that 1) is unlikely. Reactions to the joystick (even if it's just a slight change to the sync) make me think that the code is still being traversed, and therefore puts it in favor of a memory issue. Additionally, I don't think that 1) will cause a problem on real hardware anyway after a screen is drawn; the DMA will draw the screen regardless UNLESS I willfully turn DMA off (which doesn't happen often).

 

So... based on this, I checked some code today that I haven't dusted off in months, and I want to try something.

My "reset" code doesn't do a full reset; it leaves the DLL's, palette definitions, and other things the same.

 

So, if they're getting corrupted, they're going to stay corrupted.

 

So, I have a bin I'd like to ask for help with. It's not a "release candidate" bin; instead, a reset takes you back to the initial splash screen.

But, this will ensure that I'm trying to reset everything, and it'll prove that it's a memory corruption issue instead of something else.

I'd like to try to know if I can recover somehow. If I can, then I can maybe work backwards.

 

So, here's a binary:

 

getlost.bin

 

I'd like to request that:

1) Someone try this on a cuttle cart

2) Reproduce the black screen issue

3) Hit reset. Let me know if it "recovers" or stays dark, or is something in between.

 

I'm hoping this line of thinking gets me out of this rut.

 

Thanks in advance for the help, if anyone can.

 

-John

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Oh; I just saw a side-effect; the game resets completely every time you die.

 

However, I don't think that should matter too much; gambler172 had said that he was able to reproduce the issue by just standing still.

Maybe that's the test needed (of course, standing still away from bats).

 

-John

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In as much as I would love to help you.. I am not a 7800 programmer...BUT

 

THIS GAME ROCKS!!!!

 

I am amazed at what you have done with this game...this has all the elements I love in a game

 

1. Simple intuitive controls

2. Puzzle that makes me have to figure out how to complete the objective

3. non repetitive screens

 

I was thinking about mapping the game..but I see someone has already started that..however I think I may do it anyway for myself just to be able to get through the game itself.

 

I commend you on your work..this is refreshing in that I don't have to pound my fire button and have to time my shots...I had to laugh when you mentioned that Pitfall Harry didn't have a gun.

 

I wish I had a physical console to play 7800 on but I just don't have the cheddar to do that right now.

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The "black screen" really took the wind out of my sails on this project. That, and a welcome break were definitely needed.

 

Ha! I recently had a black screen incident with my Sega Genesis project. It was caused by a single line of code. It wasn't even a typo - just too much memory was attempting to be allocated.

 

Black screen errors can bite me dingus.

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In as much as I would love to help you.. I am not a 7800 programmer...BUT

 

THIS GAME ROCKS!!!!

 

I am amazed at what you have done with this game...this has all the elements I love in a game

 

1. Simple intuitive controls

2. Puzzle that makes me have to figure out how to complete the objective

3. non repetitive screens

 

I was thinking about mapping the game..but I see someone has already started that..however I think I may do it anyway for myself just to be able to get through the game itself.

 

I commend you on your work..this is refreshing in that I don't have to pound my fire button and have to time my shots...I had to laugh when you mentioned that Pitfall Harry didn't have a gun.

 

I wish I had a physical console to play 7800 on but I just don't have the cheddar to do that right now.

 

Thank you for the kind words.

And, I'm glad to hear that you're interested in making your own map.

 

When I purchased Battlekid for the NES, I heard that there was a map online, but at some point, I thought it would be more fun to make my own, like I did when I was a kid. Surprisingly, it was totally worth it. :)

 

Glad you're having fun with it; feel free to share your high score at any time.

 

 

Cart for me as well! :)

 

For anyone who has posted here and sent me a PM, if you've noted an interest in the cart, I'll contact you whenever we get to that point. :)

Thanks for letting me know.

 

 

Ha! I recently had a black screen incident with my Sega Genesis project. It was caused by a single line of code. It wasn't even a typo - just too much memory was attempting to be allocated.

 

Black screen errors can bite me dingus.

 

I think that when I find the answer to this problem, it'll be a great moment of satisfaction. Having never encountered this issue on the emulator (hardware only), it's nightmarish to try to figure out what's going on. I've got some hope that maybe with a few test binaries and some willing folks with Cuttle Cart 2's, I may be able to trace the problem and destroy it. Hopefully, there's only one problem of that nature. :)

 

My hat goes off to you for figuring out your issue-- it's comforting to know that some folks have had similar problems in the past and got through them.

 

-John

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Hello all.

 

Not much of an update, but I want to try something.

The "black screen" really took the wind out of my sails on this project. That, and a welcome break were definitely needed.

 

Recently, I've been thinking about the black screen a little more.

My thought is that there is one of 2 things happening:

1) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is somehow getting stuck in an endless loop, or

2) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is flying off the handle and corrupting memory.

 

Based on what I saw, the screen went black, but moving the joystick caused the sync to change a little bit.

This makes me think that 1) is unlikely. Reactions to the joystick (even if it's just a slight change to the sync) make me think that the code is still being traversed, and therefore puts it in favor of a memory issue. Additionally, I don't think that 1) will cause a problem on real hardware anyway after a screen is drawn; the DMA will draw the screen regardless UNLESS I willfully turn DMA off (which doesn't happen often).

 

So... based on this, I checked some code today that I haven't dusted off in months, and I want to try something.

My "reset" code doesn't do a full reset; it leaves the DLL's, palette definitions, and other things the same.

 

So, if they're getting corrupted, they're going to stay corrupted.

 

So, I have a bin I'd like to ask for help with. It's not a "release candidate" bin; instead, a reset takes you back to the initial splash screen.

But, this will ensure that I'm trying to reset everything, and it'll prove that it's a memory corruption issue instead of something else.

I'd like to try to know if I can recover somehow. If I can, then I can maybe work backwards.

 

So, here's a binary:

 

getlost.bin

 

I'd like to request that:

1) Someone try this on a cuttle cart

2) Reproduce the black screen issue

3) Hit reset. Let me know if it "recovers" or stays dark, or is something in between.

 

I'm hoping this line of thinking gets me out of this rut.

 

Thanks in advance for the help, if anyone can.

 

-John

 

trying on CC2, will let you know

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Hello all.

 

Not much of an update, but I want to try something.

The "black screen" really took the wind out of my sails on this project. That, and a welcome break were definitely needed.

 

Recently, I've been thinking about the black screen a little more.

My thought is that there is one of 2 things happening:

1) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is somehow getting stuck in an endless loop, or

2) some routine of mine, through some crazy condition, is flying off the handle and corrupting memory.

 

Based on what I saw, the screen went black, but moving the joystick caused the sync to change a little bit.

This makes me think that 1) is unlikely. Reactions to the joystick (even if it's just a slight change to the sync) make me think that the code is still being traversed, and therefore puts it in favor of a memory issue. Additionally, I don't think that 1) will cause a problem on real hardware anyway after a screen is drawn; the DMA will draw the screen regardless UNLESS I willfully turn DMA off (which doesn't happen often).

 

So... based on this, I checked some code today that I haven't dusted off in months, and I want to try something.

My "reset" code doesn't do a full reset; it leaves the DLL's, palette definitions, and other things the same.

 

So, if they're getting corrupted, they're going to stay corrupted.

 

So, I have a bin I'd like to ask for help with. It's not a "release candidate" bin; instead, a reset takes you back to the initial splash screen.

But, this will ensure that I'm trying to reset everything, and it'll prove that it's a memory corruption issue instead of something else.

I'd like to try to know if I can recover somehow. If I can, then I can maybe work backwards.

 

So, here's a binary:

 

getlost.bin

 

I'd like to request that:

1) Someone try this on a cuttle cart

2) Reproduce the black screen issue

3) Hit reset. Let me know if it "recovers" or stays dark, or is something in between.

 

I'm hoping this line of thinking gets me out of this rut.

 

Thanks in advance for the help, if anyone can.

 

-John

 

 

haven't found the black screen on the real thing, although it's more difficult to

test the game now,

 

as every enemy's touch gets you to the tittle screen...

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haven't found the black screen on the real thing, although it's more difficult to

test the game now,

 

as every enemy's touch gets you to the tittle screen...

 

Ok; good point-- I will make it less cumbersome in a small release tonight, so it's still playable, with the same functionality.

Shouldn't be too painful to do.

 

Hi John

will check and let you know,what happens.

greetings Walter

 

Thanks!

 

-John

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Hi John

Got no black screen.Tried the same,like last time.Started the game and did not move........But after 100 minutes,no black screen :)

When hitting reset,i start in the 1st screen again.But when loosing a life,i get the titlescreen and must start from the beginning :(

Hope this is helpful.I will wait now for some time.........If i do not post again......there was no black screen:)

greetings Walter

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Here's the new bin:

- reset does a "full hard reset"

- dying doesn't do a "full hard reset"

getlost.bin

 

For the freeze-up, that could be a slightly different problem to delve into.

Sounds like I may have some major annoyances to find in rare situations-- we'll see what I can do.

With the help of a few people that are ok testing stuff, I hope to at least get somewhere. :)

 

-John

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Your code is writing to the ROM (in all binaries posted). When you go up the ladder and off the screen (so the next part of the level is drawn) the instruction "sta ($50, x) at address $E8E0 is writing $D0 to address $FF01. I suspect that this is a bug because the tables at $235A (+2 -> $50) and $FE25 (-> $51) are both accessed with an index register Y value of $FF. If it isn't a bug then writing to the ROM on carts that aren't bank switched is not good coding practice.

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Hi John

Bad news.

After more than 3 hours of playing,i stopped playing for a few moments.When i came back,i got the BLACK SCREEN :(

So,i can say,playing for many hours is ok....But i cannot say,if the BLACK SCREEN would have happened,during moving my joystick :(

Hope this is helpful......

greetings Walter

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  • 2 months later...

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