mariuszw Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Hi all, After 20 years since I last coded anything on 8bit Atari, I decided to try again to play with some 6502 assembly. The result you will find in attachment - a WIP of Great Escape game ported to Atari 8bit from C64. Game seems to be quite playable, but there are still various issues, so it is considered "alpha" now. I am going to work on this port to finish it someday, but I need some help. 1. I need sound effects for the game. It looks that there are not many, but roll call is definitely required. Since I am not musician or sfx composer, I need somebody with proper skills to get the job done. 2. Music for the game. The problem is that there is only 4KB of RAM free and there is not much time in frame left for player (actually there is no time, as game is pretty slow, but still faster than on C64) but music may improve the gameplay. 3. Loading picture. C64 picture would be probably easy to convert, but it doesn't look good in my opinion. ZX-Spectrum title screen is much better, but my preferred one is here: http://speccy-live.untergrund.net/2013/02/the-great-escape-new-loading-screen-by-craig-stevenson/. Not sure if it is possible on Atari. 4. Hints on possible optimizations and bugfixes are also welcome! Game screen will be also improved to follow C64 look. Hopefully PMG coloring on inverse hires will do the job. If you have some better ideas, please let me know. Attached ge.obx will work only on Altirra, as it loads directly under OS ROM in current form, so it will not work on real Atari. This issue will be addressed later. Enjoy Great Escape! Mariusz. ge.obx 15 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 (edited) Thank you, if its the game I think it is its one game I really enjoyed on the C64 If its not then its still a thank you for adding to our games EDIT: Yup its that game.. Thank you so much... Edited June 7, 2015 by Mclaneinc Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3252918 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 (edited) I can't load it now. Anyone can post some screens? Thanks. Edited June 7, 2015 by José Pereira Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3252924 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 (edited) Load it under Altirra Jose..Works as is...(it does say you need Altirra anyway) Edited June 7, 2015 by Mclaneinc Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3252944 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 (edited) I'm only with a phone and can't run an emulator. Edited June 7, 2015 by José Pereira Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3252964 Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Superb! This is one of those games that I always wished was on the Atari as I've admired it from afar. The one thing that gets me with this game though is that I've never had a clue what I was doing. On release, would an overview guide be possible? Which compiler are you using? Could you produce two binaries? One binary with illegal opcodes if required to speed the game up. And the other (slower) version which maintains 6502 compatibility. This should keep everyone happy. Please everyone else, lets not start an endless discussion on this. I'd avoid music if you have no CPU time left. Perhaps you could have a separately loaded title screen which has music? I'd worry about that later though, the game being most important. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3252993 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poison Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 wow! I love this game:) please, when will be xex for real atari? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253236 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 3. Loading picture. (There is still a lot room for improvements, esp. when going to hand optimized G2F.) tge.xex 3 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253259 Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 As for optimisations, it's hard to comment when we haven't got access to the code. But could there be some compression within the game, maybe loading the individual "levels" as required? That would then give you more space for other things. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253302 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philsan Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Awesome conversion, thank you very much! Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253440 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 As for optimisations, it's hard to comment when we haven't got access to the code. But could there be some compression within the game, maybe loading the individual "levels" as required? That would then give you more space for other things. Code for Atari version is attached - see ge.asm. To build it, MADS is required and memmory dump of original C64 game. I also attached disassembly of C64 version done with Infltrator. Disassembly is partially commented, but only in areas I needed to make changes for Atari (so accessing video registers and video bitmap, reading I/O). About the structure: C64 version maintains internal framebuffer at $CF40-$DBFF where all drawing takes place. (I had to move this on Atari to $C200 to avoid collision with I/O registers). Every frame game is copying this internal framebuffer to screen. You may check "blitter" subroutine which performs this task. There is one more case with scrolling - game performs soft scrolling when hero is moving. This is "blitter_scrolled" subroutine. These are now faster than C64 counterparts because of linear screen organization on Atari. The other slow subroutines seem to be sprites - these were not touched by me at all in Atari version. The perform all drawing on internal framebuffer at $CF40. Mariusz. ge.asm gec64.asm 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253489 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 (There is still a lot room for improvements, esp. when going to hand optimized G2F.) Thanks, this looks very nice. Mariusz. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253491 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) Hi and thanks for your work. I am right now seeing C64's and A8 and because of the software scrolling it is a little bit slow like you said. But if you want my opinion, even with the linear bitmap of A8 you can even speed it up/more available cycles/cpu and probably have more free RAM to use, for example, on music and sound fxs: -> On A8 you don't need all the 200scanlines of the C64 version. I think they are about 184 in use (including playing area field borders and text) soo put all others as blank; -> Set screen into Narrow 32Bytes wide mode (from the C64 version you only have to move the left side text 2 or 3chars to the right; Maybe something more can be done but as you all know I'm not a coder and justed wanted to say what at a first looking seems a 'way to' . Greetings. Edited June 8, 2015 by José Pereira Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253518 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 In the soft sprites I don't know much about but maybe C64 have the frames in chars boundaries and more chars for the shifting then maybe on A8 linear bitmap GR.8 and at least for their up and down movement you only need one scanline more for the shifting may help... Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253529 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Hi and thanks for your work. I am right now seeing C64's and A8 and because of the software scrolling it is a little bit slow like you said. But if you want my opinion, even with the linear bitmap of A8 you can even speed it up/more available cycles/cpu and probably have more free RAM to use, for example, on music and sound fxs: -> On A8 you don't need all the 200scanlines of the C64 version. I think they are about 184 in use (including playing area field borders and text) soo put all others as blank; -> Set screen into Narrow 32Bytes wide mode (from the C64 version you only have to move the left side text 2 or 3chars to the right; Maybe something more can be done but as you all know I'm not a coder and justed wanted to say what at a first looking seems a 'way to' . Greetings. C64 version of the game is a port from Spectrum, so it actually uses 256 x 192 pixels screen. I am using the same screen size in Atari version. Mariusz. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253540 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I was only saying that because C64 has always a screen size of 320x200 and ZXs a 256x192. Yes I understand that what moves here in software is what is inside and that is the same size on the two but because A8 has three possible screen widths: 32, 40 and 48 set the screen to 32Bytes frees cycles and Screen RAM, what I don't know and was asking is if this will help in anything 'speed related' when the inside the field is the same size on the three versions. But have you already put it in 32Bytes wide? At least for the screen you have about 8KBs for a 40Bytes wide screen that would decrease to an about 6KBs one, isn't it? P.s.- Do you see any techinal explanation other than maybe the guy(s) behind the C64's version taste to didn't include the flag on the left side? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253560 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 I was only saying that because C64 has always a screen size of 320x200 and ZXs a 256x192. Yes I understand that what moves here in software is what is inside and that is the same size on the two but because A8 has three possible screen widths: 32, 40 and 48 set the screen to 32Bytes frees cycles and Screen RAM, what I don't know and was asking is if this will help in anything 'speed related' when the inside the field is the same size on the three versions. But have you already put it in 32Bytes wide? At least for the screen you have about 8KBs for a 40Bytes wide screen that would decrease to an about 6KBs one, isn't it? P.s.- Do you see any techinal explanation other than maybe the guy(s) behind the C64's version taste to didn't include the flag on the left side? Yes, the screen is 32 bytes wide. And it needs 6KB RAM for display. I am not sure why flag is missing. It is not missing RAM, as C64 version still has some free RAM left. I think either it made game even slower so they didn't accept it, or just author missed the deadline for delivering the game, so he had to cut some features. "Score" in Spectrum version appears to be expressed in medals and not simple numerical value like C64 version does. BTW: I know you are doing lots of graphics for Atari, could you please make left and right ornament for playfield (vertical bars in yellow in C64 version) as PM/G graphics for Atari? This would allow me to have yellow for whole ornament like C64 has. Mariusz. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253587 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philsan Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 3. Loading picture. C64 picture would be probably easy to convert, but it doesn't look good in my opinion. ZX-Spectrum title screen is much better, but my preferred one is here: http://speccy-live.untergrund.net/2013/02/the-great-escape-new-loading-screen-by-craig-stevenson/. Not sure if it is possible on Atari. If you like that image, I think Rastaconverter could make a good conversion. The best result theoretically achievable is something like that: I will try the conversion in a few days; my netbook have not the necessary power and I am away from home. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253599 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 (edited) Thanks Mariuszw I will send you a personal message here on AA by tomorrow morning Europe time, I thought in it during the day and will do it in the night when I'll be back home. Edited June 8, 2015 by José Pereira Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253610 Share on other sites More sharing options...
José Pereira Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Philsan great you can take it because I'm not a good one with pictures. Could you, if Mariuszw agree and because it's out of the main game file to add a nice logo letters into the top of that picture. In my opinion is what is missing there, maybe with the A8 possibility to have more scanlines available... Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253619 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 If you like that image, I think Rastaconverter could make a good conversion. The best result theoretically achievable is something like that: output.png-dst.png I will try the conversion in a few days; my netbook have not the necessary power and I am away from home. Philsan - if you send me the parameters you usually use, I can run the conversion. I have an i7 4770k with 16GB RAM and I run it 24/7. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3253675 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) 4. Hints on possible optimizations and bugfixes are also welcome! Might be counter productive regarding your memory footprint, but there is some potential by loop unrolling, loop unrolling and loop unrolling...: (Examined only the hot-spots) $6C26 LDX #$A0 $6C28 LDA #$FF $6C2A STA $035F, X $6C2D DEX => $6C26 LDX #$50 $6C28 LDA #$FF $6C2A STA $035F, X STA $03AF, X DEX --- Blitter functions for the 4 directions: ($89A5, $8A07, $8A61, $8AAE) like $8A04 LDX #$0C $8A06 DEY $8A07 LDA $CF40,Y ; OK $8A0A STA $CF41,Y $8A0D DEY $8A0E BNE L_BRS_($8A07)_($8A0E) OK $8A10 DEY $8A11 LDA $CF40 ; OK $8A14 STA $CF41 $8A17 DEC $8A09 $8A1A DEC $8A13 $8A1D DEC $8A0C $8A20 DEC $8A16 => $8A04 LDX #$0C $8A06 DEY SMCA: LDA $CF40,Y ; (here is some potential left, if you can avoid the page boundary crossing SMCB: STA $CF41,Y ; for the load - by start address/init adaptations...) DEY SMCC: LDA $CF40,Y SMCD: STA $CF41,Y DEY BNE SMCA DEY SMCE: LDA $CF40 SMCF: STA $CF41 DEC SMCA+2 LDA SMCA+2 STA SMCB+2 STA SMCC+2 STA SMCD+2 STA SMCE+2 STA SMCF+2 --- Of course you could create a version for memory upgraded machines where you fully unroll the 4 moves with absolute addressing... I also notice sometimes the following corruption of the graphics (seems to be self-healing): Edited June 10, 2015 by Irgendwer 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3255017 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+therealbountybob Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 nice that people are helping out with this project, looks an interesting game Good work Mariusz Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3255081 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Might be counter productive regarding your memory footprint, but there is some potential by loop unrolling, loop unrolling and loop unrolling...: (Examined only the hot-spots) $6C26 LDX #$A0 $6C28 LDA #$FF $6C2A STA $035F, X $6C2D DEX => $6C26 LDX #$50 $6C28 LDA #$FF $6C2A STA $035F, X STA $03AF, X DEX --- Blitter functions for the 4 directions: ($89A5, $8A07, $8A61, $8AAE) like $8A04 LDX #$0C $8A06 DEY $8A07 LDA $CF40,Y ; OK $8A0A STA $CF41,Y $8A0D DEY $8A0E BNE L_BRS_($8A07)_($8A0E) OK $8A10 DEY $8A11 LDA $CF40 ; OK $8A14 STA $CF41 $8A17 DEC $8A09 $8A1A DEC $8A13 $8A1D DEC $8A0C $8A20 DEC $8A16 => $8A04 LDX #$0C $8A06 DEY SMCA: LDA $CF40,Y ; (here is some potential left, if you can avoid the page boundary crossing SMCB: STA $CF41,Y ; for the load - by start address/init adaptations...) DEY SMCC: LDA $CF40,Y SMCD: STA $CF41,Y DEY BNE SMCA DEY SMCE: LDA $CF40 SMCF: STA $CF41 DEC SMCA+2 LDA SMCA+2 STA SMCB+2 STA SMCC+2 STA SMCD+2 STA SMCE+2 STA SMCF+2 --- Of course you could create a version for memory upgraded machines where you fully unroll the 4 moves with absolute addressing... I also notice sometimes the following corruption of the graphics (seems to be self-healing): Thanks for the hints about performance. I discovered Altirra awesome profiler in the meantime and found all that wisdom . There is still some space left for the code, so I may try to unroll most expensive loops. The problem you mentioned turned out to be a bug in patching C64 routines, now fixed, thanks for report. Mariusz. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3255125 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariuszw Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 New version of The Great Escape attached. This version has fixed loading and it is supposed to work on real Atari. 64KB RAM required. If you run it on real Atari, please let me know the result. Also, graphical bugs are fixed. ge.xex 11 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/239167-new-game-great-escape/#findComment-3257134 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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