Creating games in BASIC

[tacha]

Creating games in BASIC

Well, it gets a little frustrating. First the problem to compile with win xp, solved the SETX. I've compiled without problems, .bin that I can download from this forum, attaching seamlessly .png ... loading all in an EPROM and direct console 7800. All divine. When I try to load a PNG either the compiler does not accept it. I tried to modify some existing .png but I have not had satisfactory results.
I spent about two hours trying to run the emulator of 7800 until the end I got it. The biggest problem is that I can not load the .BIN generated by the BASIC-compilator in the emulator, I fails, the file is not recognized. While I can reload the original .bin (MsPACMAN.bin for example).

Could you tell me which program I use to make my .PNGs so that the compiler will accept me?
What could make the emulator to load the .bin generated by the BASIC-compiler?

I appreciate all the help you can give me. I hope to make my humble contribution programming new ideas to the beloved 7800.

 

Sorry for my poor english, i´ve used google translate.

 

(Creacion de juegos en BASIC

Bueno, ésto se torna un poco frustrante. Primero el problema para compilar con win xp, solucionado el SETX. He compilado sin problema los .bin que puedo descargar desde éste foro, adjuntando sin problemas los .png... (valga la redundancia) cargando todo en una EPROM y directo a la consola 7800. Todo divino. Cuando intento cargar un PNG cualquiera el compilador no lo acepta. He intentado modificar algun .png ya existente pero tampoco he tenido resultados satisfactorios.
Estuve cerca de dos horas intentando hacer funcionar el emulador de 7800 hasta que final lo consegui. EL problema mayor es que no puedo cargar los .BIN que genera el BASIC-Compilator en el emulador, me da error, que el archivo no es reconocido. Mientras que puedo cargar los .bin originales (MsPACMAN.bin, GALAGA.bin, etc... por ejemplo).

¿podrían decirme que programa debo utilizar para hacer mis .PNGs para que el compilador me los acepte?

¿que podría hacer en el emulador para poder cargar los .bin generados por el BASIC-compilador?

Les agradezco toda la ayuda que puedan darme. Espero poder hacer mi humilde aporte programando nuevos ideas para la amada 7800.)

[Mord]

One thing to do is to make sure your pngs have the correct number of colors (or less) for the graphics mode you're using. For instance if you're using 160A, it should have no more than 4 colors used in the image. For 160B, it should have no more than 13. Sometimes a program might try to save the png with a larger palette than it originally had (for instance saving it as 256 colors!)

 

Perhaps you can try to make a small demo program and attach it here for us to look at (the .bin, .a78, and perhaps the .bas so we can try compiling it ourselves) - also including your .png if possible so we can check to see what's wrong with it.

 

There's only so much we can do to help when we only have a general idea what the problem is.

[MobiusAqua]

I would also add that you might want to try the .a78 file that 7800basic generates in an emulator, rather than the .bin file, because most 7800 emulators (like MESS and ProSystem) use that file.

 

When you use 7800basic to compile your game, it should make a bunch of files. Like, if your game is called MsPACMAN.bas (using your example), when 7800basic compiles it, it should make a few more files, like MsPACMAN.bas.bin, MsPACMAN.bas.a78, MsPACMAN.bas.asm, and so on. The .bin file is what you put onto an EPROM or EEPROM, so you can play it on an actual 7800 console, while an emulator can use the .a78 file, as that tells it how to set up your game (like, how big is the ROM, does it have a POKEY chip, is there extra RAM in the cartridge, and all sorts of other technical stuff).

 

Hope that helps.