Berks Four - 5200 Version (64KB)

[Nojeee]

I was recently asked by @sramirez2008 if I could convert the A8 version of Berks 4 to run on the 5200. With some useful information and controller code from @Wrathchild I've managed to get the game running in a 64KB cartridge image. Thanks go to @playsoft who checked that the game ran on real hardware and also played through the game, pointing out some issues that needed fixing.

 

The game is an expanded version of Berks 3 which was released in 1985 for the Commodore C16. I've tried to retain the old school feel where possible. There are 4 'Worlds' available - the first is the smallest and enemies move relatively slowly. World 4 is larger and much more hectic!

 

I've put some basic notes together in the Berks_4_5200_Notes.doc file and this contains a few hints to help along the way.

 

I hope you enjoy the game.

 

Jon 

 

PS: This is my first experience on the 5200 so let me know if you spot any problems.

 

Berks4_5200.bin Berks_4_5200_Notes.doc

[+sramirez2008]

Thank you all for making this available on the 5200. Can’t wait to try it out!

[Omega-TI]

I've not powered up my 5200 in a while, I've also never heard of this game before, but I've downloaded it and I'll put it on my multi-cart and check it out.

[Giles N]

6 hours ago, Nojeee said:

I was recently asked by @sramirez2008 if I could convert the A8 version of Berks 4 to run on the 5200. With some useful information and controller code from @Wrathchild I've managed to get the game running in a 64KB cartridge image. Thanks go to @playsoft who checked that the game ran on real hardware and also played through the game, pointing out some issues that needed fixing.

 

The game is an expanded version of Berks 3 which was released in 1985 for the Commodore C16. I've tried to retain the old school feel where possible. There are 4 'Worlds' available - the first is the smallest and enemies move relatively slowly. World 4 is larger and much more hectic!

 

I've put some basic notes together in the Berks_4_5200_Notes.doc file and this contains a few hints to help along the way.

 

I hope you enjoy the game.

 

Jon 

 

PS: This is my first experience on the 5200 so let me know if you spot any problems.

 

Berks4_5200.bin 64 kB · 8 downloads Berks_4_5200_Notes.doc 32 kB · 9 downloads

Is there a standard ‘methodology’ to convert A8 games using more RAM to run on the 5200?

 

[Wrathchild]

This title would still run in the 16KB of RAM the 5200 has and Jon was at an advantage as he was using his own sources used for the A8 version as his base.

 

Other conversions are really done on a case-by-case basis as the RAM usage of the title needs to be determined to know that it will fit and then code has to be reworked accordingly.

This is a similar question to the one on this thread and so can discussion be kept there and this thread for Berks 4?  

[+cjherr]

Thank you!

[+sramirez2008]

Loving it! Played my 1st game and so far it is playing well? 

Highly addictive

 

 

[TrekMD]

Cool, I've just downloaded this to give it a try.  Thanks!

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I was playing this in Altirra a bit ago and it is really cool! I was able to get 2 crystals so far and then did a save state on the world 3 password screen! I like how it is a wonderful mix of robotron, shamus, and berzerk. Is this an original game you created on the 8-bit series and ported over or your take on another game?

 

[Nojeee]

5 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

Is this an original game you created on the 8-bit series and ported over or your take on another game?

 

The original Berks game for the Commodore C16 was a single screen shoot em up inspired by the likes of Robotron and Berzerk. That was followed by Major Blink, which was completely different but marketed as Berks 2 (for some reason I'm still not sure of). Berks 3 expanded on Berks by linking screens together, I guess it was inspired by Shamus as that's certainly a game I played a lot on my Atari 800. All 3 games were released later as the Berks Trilogy and I followed that up with Baby Berks - a simple magazine type in version that was later released as a budget title.

 

Berks 4 came about after I'd ported Baby Berks and Major Blink to the A8. When I started converting Berks 3 it grew so much I changed the title to Berks 4. The 3rd World in Berks 4 is effectively the content of Berks 3.

 

NB: Let me know if there's any interest in Baby Berks and Major Blink on the 5200 they should be much easier than Berks 4 to get working.

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

5 hours ago, Nojeee said:

The original Berks game for the Commodore C16 was a single screen shoot em up inspired by the likes of Robotron and Berzerk. That was followed by Major Blink, which was completely different but marketed as Berks 2 (for some reason I'm still not sure of). Berks 3 expanded on Berks by linking screens together, I guess it was inspired by Shamus as that's certainly a game I played a lot on my Atari 800. All 3 games were released later as the Berks Trilogy and I followed that up with Baby Berks - a simple magazine type in version that was later released as a budget title.

 

Berks 4 came about after I'd ported Baby Berks and Major Blink to the A8. When I started converting Berks 3 it grew so much I changed the title to Berks 4. The 3rd World in Berks 4 is effectively the content of Berks 3.

Thank you for the information!

 

I honestly think this game needs a full release treatment through AtariAge.

[Aking]

8 hours ago, Nojeee said:

The original Berks game for the Commodore C16 was a single screen shoot em up inspired by the likes of Robotron and Berzerk. That was followed by Major Blink, which was completely different but marketed as Berks 2 (for some reason I'm still not sure of). Berks 3 expanded on Berks by linking screens together, I guess it was inspired by Shamus as that's certainly a game I played a lot on my Atari 800. All 3 games were released later as the Berks Trilogy and I followed that up with Baby Berks - a simple magazine type in version that was later released as a budget title.

 

Berks 4 came about after I'd ported Baby Berks and Major Blink to the A8. When I started converting Berks 3 it grew so much I changed the title to Berks 4. The 3rd World in Berks 4 is effectively the content of Berks 3.

 

NB: Let me know if there's any interest in Baby Berks and Major Blink on the 5200 they should be much easier than Berks 4 to get working.

 

Berks Trilogy for the 5200...

We would love that !

[+sramirez2008]

7 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I honestly think this game needs a full release treatment through AtariAge.

This?

[+Ryan Witmer]

On 2/23/2020 at 7:45 AM, -^CrossBow^- said:

I honestly think this game needs a full release treatment through AtariAge.

If it gets one, I need to know what voodoo was used to produce that 64KB cartridge.  The things I could do with another 32KB...

[Nojeee]

On 2/23/2020 at 7:20 PM, Aking said:

Berks Trilogy for the 5200...

We would love that !

I've just started work on Major Blink, that shouldn't take too long. I'll take a look at the original Berks later but may just convert the A8 Baby Berks which was effectively the same game.

 

On 2/25/2020 at 1:34 AM, AverageSoftware said:

If it gets one, I need to know what voodoo was used to produce that 64KB cartridge.  The things I could do with another 32KB...

The system can only address one 32KB bank at any time. As far as Berks 4 goes, the game code itself uses more than that so I ended up having to switch banks when the music & sound effects was called. The second bank also contains the title routines and lots of data that gets copied to RAM before playing the game. I found that Altirra automatically recognised the type of cartridge I was writing for so debugging was straightforward. You certainly get some interesting bugs when working with multiple banks ?. 

 

[+playsoft]

On 2/25/2020 at 1:34 AM, AverageSoftware said:

If it gets one, I need to know what voodoo was used to produce that 64KB cartridge.  The things I could do with another 32KB...

The bank switching scheme is described here:

 

 

[+playsoft]

On 2/23/2020 at 4:56 AM, -^CrossBow^- said:

I was playing this in Altirra a bit ago and it is really cool! I was able to get 2 crystals so far and then did a save state on the world 3 password screen! I like how it is a wonderful mix of robotron, shamus, and berzerk. Is this an original game you created on the 8-bit series and ported over or your take on another game?

 

Plus there are platform and puzzle elements too... I loved the snake puzzle.

[David Alexander]

Thank you.

[Omega-TI]

Berks Four in PDF format (with cover)

Berks Four - 5200.pdf

[BIGHMW]

Well, since somebody on this thread knows a bit about 8-bit-to-5200 conversions how about doing THIS ONE (Yars' Strike, as done on the 8-bit) that I have been waiting for almost 4 years to see it for my 5200 in the same way as the 8-bit version. I've always wanted to play this on my 5200 rather than the 2600 or my Flashback 9, this would join Qix and Tempest as a truly fully complete collection for the 5200 (2600/Flashback does not have Qix and Tempest on it needs improvement)

 

 

Yars_strike.zip

[Nojeee]

8 hours ago, BIGHMW said:

Well, since somebody on this thread knows a bit about 8-bit-to-5200 conversions how about doing THIS ONE (Yars' Strike, as done on the 8-bit) that I have been waiting for almost 4 years to see it for my 5200 in the same way as the 8-bit version. I've always wanted to play this on my 5200 rather than the 2600 or my Flashback 9, this would join Qix and Tempest as a truly fully complete collection for the 5200 (2600/Flashback does not have Qix and Tempest on it needs improvement)

 

The A8 to 5200 conversions I'm doing are possible as I've still got my original source code. It's fairly straightforward to modify memory usage, change any self modifying code and shift data that needs altering into RAM. I would guess it's not as easy to modify an existing program to run as a ROM image.

 

I've converted a few arcade games in the past but I much prefer to write something original.

 

[BIGHMW]

4 hours ago, Nojeee said:

The A8 to 5200 conversions I'm doing are possible as I've still got my original source code. It's fairly straightforward to modify memory usage, change any self modifying code and shift data that needs altering into RAM. I would guess it's not as easy to modify an existing program to run as a ROM image.

 

I've converted a few arcade games in the past but I much prefer to write something original.

 

Thanks, Yars' Strike is basically someone's rendition of the 2600 classic Yars' Revenge on the 8-bit platform that I have been frustrated about for years not being able to enjoy on the 5200 and with all the 8-bit/XL/XE conversions that have been made possible for us 5200 owners over the years to enjoy you would think this would be a piece of cake considering how easy it is (though beyond my realm) to convert the codes. This game would make my 5200 lineup complete as IMO THE three dealmakers/breakers for most of us who have almost everything would be Qix, Tempest, and Yars' Revenge/Strike. Qix is not available on the 2600, Tempest needs some serious work although there are some playable mods of it I also have ROMs of, and Yars' Revenge is the only one, so, the 2600 is out, and I if it had to come to only one unit to have it would be Big Sexy herself.

 

Thanks.

[coachbrj]

Sat down to my 5200 this morning, fired up the Atarimax Atari 5200 Ultimate SD cartridge, and found this game in the menu. I had never heard of it before so I gave it a try. Really fun!!  I will definitely return to it soon.