Asmusr Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 My game doesn't rely on any startup configuration, so no problem for me either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senior_falcon Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 (edited) Here is the loader to load 4K into the minimemory from TI BASIC. Use Classic99 and the E/A cartridge to make and load the assembly program. Classic99 has cartrige RAM from >6000 to >7FFF so you can load and test your program there. In the source code start with: DEF SLOAD DEF SFIRST DEF SLAST AORG >7000 Then the program, and at the end: SLAST AORG >A004 plugs the last address into R2 DATA SLAST END >7000 is the starting address of the program. There is a test program in the folder called MINIMEMTST.TXT and MINIMEMTST.OBJ which does nothing but get into an endless loop at >7000 and fills the memory with >FFFF, but with the debugger you can see that the proper bytes are saved and loaded. Assemble the usual way, then get into TI BASIC and type: CALL INIT CALL LOAD("DSK3.SNSLOADER.OBJ") *load the loader 1st CALL LOAD("DSK3.MINIMEMTST.OBJ") * then your program CALL LOAD(-31804,160) *Resist the urge to use CALL LINK which writes a couple of bogus bytes into the program and will make it crash! Now the code at >7000 is embedded in a TI BASIC program. Save to disk or cassette. You can run it with a supercart like you just did in Classic99 or else insert the MiniMemory cartridge and type: OLD DSK1. or OLD CS1 and RUN. When the program starts the TI is almost the same as when running an EA5 program: WKSP is >83E0 large and small characters are loaded to V0900 The vdp registers are the same. (Almost - BASIC sets some of them to use V4000 as the screen which works the same as V0000) The program starts running at >7000 differences: The color table at V0380 is Black on Cyan The screen is not cleared. This can be done by adding 15 CALL HCHAR(1,1,192,768) to the loader. <edit> If you look at the source code for the loader you will see that I have set up the GPL stack to do the scroll routine. The reason is that the loader uses the interrupt hook at >83C4 to start up and that might take up to 1/60 of a second. So the scroll just gives BASIC something innocuous to do until the interrupt can take control. SNSLOADER.zip Edited February 3, 2018 by senior_falcon 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted February 3, 2018 Author Share Posted February 3, 2018 Here is the loader to load 4K into the minimemory from TI BASIC. Thanks. This is excellent. The loader is more impressive than my game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senior_falcon Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 Thanks. This is excellent. The loader is more impressive than my game. If you want to feel better, compare your game with MINIMEMTST. I'm pretty sure your game will be impressive, in fact I would make a large wager on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Here is the loader to load 4K into the minimemory from TI BASIC. Works like a charm! Thanks so much! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senior_falcon Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Looking forward to seeing what you guys have come up with. BTW, I'm sure it has occurred to you that you can fit two or more of these games into an 8K supercart. (It is probably not practical to make a ROM cartridge since they probably will need to have RAM) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+retroclouds Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 (edited) Looking forward to seeing what you guys have come up with. BTW, I'm sure it has occurred to you that you can fit two or more of these games into an 8K supercart. (It is probably not practical to make a ROM cartridge since they probably will need to have RAM) I also thought about that. My game could be a candidate for a ROM cartridge as Im only using scratchpad RAM. Anyone else on scratchpad only? Edited February 4, 2018 by retroclouds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucien2 Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Anyone else on scratchpad only? I am. My game is finished and I still have 1000 bytes free (simple game with minimalist design). I'll add some online help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 My game could be a candidate for a ROM cartridge as Im only using scratchpad RAM. Anyone else on scratchpad only? Yes. I'm trying to stick with one game only for this contest. Thought it would be something I could do in like no time. Well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senior_falcon Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Remember that if you starting the program from the menu (Press 1 for BASIC 2 for YOURGAME) the preloaded characters are different. EA5 loads the same characters as BASIC. The menu only preloads the 8 pixel high large capitals and there is no lower case. Just one more complication.................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 My game could be a candidate for a ROM cartridge as Im only using scratchpad RAM. Anyone else on scratchpad only? Totally, I'm including a 4k ROM cart in my submission once it opens 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Vorticon Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 My game could be a candidate for a ROM cartridge as Im only using scratchpad RAM. Anyone else on scratchpad only? Mine only uses the scratchpad as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+retroclouds Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Oh I see a short n sweet multicart coming. For your unexpanded TI-99/4a, no extra RAM required :-) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 (edited) Looks like we might be able to put all of the entries into a single console-only multicart image once the contest is over, based on all of the identified entries so far being self-contained and only needing the scratch pad. Looks like @Retroclouds and I were having the same idea at the same time. . . Edited February 5, 2018 by Ksarul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 Looks like we might be able to put all of the entries into a single console-only multicart image once the contest is over, based on all of the identified entries so far being self-contained and only needing the scratch pad. All except mine. [edit: I do need 4K RAM]. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asmusr Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 Even though registration is not required for this contest, it would be nice with a non-binding status update. My own game is as complete as I think it will be within the limits of 4K. It requires 4K RAM, e.g. a Mini Memory, and can be loaded from tape (using Senior Falcon's loader), disk, or a 4K FG99 ROM image that loads itself into FG99 RAM. The latter is using Tursi's lz4 decompression routine to reduce the ROM size to 4K. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 Okay... mine's ready as well. I have a 4k Mini Memory version that uses Senior Falcon's loader (the loader is >4k), as well as the object file and source to show it runs in 4k. I also have an EA#5 version (for non-Mini-Memory users with 32k) and a 4k cartridge ROM. (I didn't use the lz4 code so I'm glad someone did! ) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmheads Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I really can't wait to see what you guys have come up with - have always felt the "mini memory" environment has always been somewhat neglected. Its a really exciting development! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteE Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I'm still working on mine, but am out of code space so I'm looking at moving some of the runtime data tables to the VDP memory or finding a more compact representation. I always seem to underestimate how much space will be taken up by things. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted February 16, 2018 Share Posted February 16, 2018 I'm still working on mine, but am out of code space so I'm looking at moving some of the runtime data tables to the VDP memory or finding a more compact representation. I always seem to underestimate how much space will be taken up by things. hehe, so do I. I figured my base engine would take about 2k, but it was at 6k before I started optimizing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 When are we opening up the voting thread, was that Mar 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteE Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 Seems like I'm the only one left to finish, so you could potentially open voting as soon as it's ready. I shall endeavor to complete mine by next weekend. I was hoping to see some other still-in-progress entrants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) When are we opening up the voting thread, was that Mar 1? As indicated below, I hope it's still beginning of April. More interestingly - to me, the deadline of entries is end of March. The deadline of 3 months brings us to the end of March 2018 whereby all entries should be submitted. You do not have to register in order to participate. At the beginning of April, a poll at AtariAge will be set up to choose the winner. Edited February 18, 2018 by sometimes99er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sometimes99er Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 (edited) Seems like I'm the only one left to finish, so you could potentially open voting as soon as it's ready. I shall endeavor to complete mine by next weekend. I was hoping to see some other still-in-progress entrants. January saw me concentrating on a sports game. Now I jumped on a platformer instead. Edited March 1, 2018 by sometimes99er 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted February 18, 2018 Share Posted February 18, 2018 i can't wait to see what everyone has come up with! i can at least participate by voting lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.