E.X.O. [Done]

[+bhall408]

12 hours ago, GrenMag said:

Since A7800 is a MAME derivative, does it support input recording?  Might be a way to replicate the screen transition issue unless it is extremely timing sensitive...

As we're inclined to base Argon support for 7800 off MAME (due to it being license compatible, vs others being GPL), I'd sure love to know how folks feel about the existing 7800 MAME core.

 

[+Muddyfunster]

More fixes on the rockets, completely rewrote the code so there are no more random slowdowns on rockets.

 

I've built a 128k version that I hope will work on Mateos (both .A78 and .BIN - sorry I can't remember which one you guys nee). Let me know if it works, both versions (emulator and matteos) includes all of the recent fixes and hopefully kills the blackscreen and sticking bug.

 

 

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

On 9/18/2020 at 1:53 PM, Muddyfunster said:

More fixes on the rockets, completely rewrote the code so there are no more random slowdowns on rockets.

 

I've built a 128k version that I hope will work on Mateos (both .A78 and .BIN - sorry I can't remember which one you guys nee). Let me know if it works, both versions (emulator and matteos) includes all of the recent fixes and hopefully kills the blackscreen and sticking bug.

Mateos carts use the .bin without the header but most of know how to strip it from the .A78 files to load them to our Mateos carts. I will report back shortly!

 

[+Muddyfunster]

recompile of Alpha 7  

 

[+-^CrossBow^-]

The black screen issue seems to be emulator only as I played several run throughs of the demo on my actual 7800 today and did not encounter the black screen issue once. Also the magnet sticking effect is also no longer present. I think you got those two issues taken care of! Awesome!

 

For those curious... here is a run through of the demo I captured a bit ago...

 

 

[Trebor]

Just something to keep in mind gents, during development and testing under emulation, JS7800 currently falls somewhere between ProSystem emulator accuracy and the accuracy of A7800 or BupSystem.  Both A7800 and BupSystem are closest when it comes to accurately reflecting console hardware behavior and results.

 

For the record, I have played Alpha 7 several times under A7800 and did not encounter the black screen issue once.

 

Of course hardware testing is always best.

[+Muddyfunster]

Thank you both for all of your testing efforts and feedback. It's really invaluable!

 

Now these issues are resolved, I can start adding a final few global engine features before integrating levels 2 and 3. 

 

Cheers

 

 

[NostAlgae37]

@Muddyfunster, I watched the video that @-^CrossBow^- posted and I think that the graphics for this game are truly impressive, but there is one detail that is bothering me.  Is there some way that inertia can be added to the motion of the spaceship?  Currently, the way that it is moving through the stage environs doesn't seem "realistic" (although I confess that our perceptions of what is "realistic" space propulsion is more influenced by Hollywood than by accurate physical principles).  I think that if this detail were added, it would really make a big difference in the player's experience of a game which already appears to be of a near-professional standard.

[TailChao]

One last emulator accuracy PSA - BupSystem is extremely rude when it comes to memory initialization. Any RAM on the cartridge will not be cleared for you, and if you're not running the Atari supplied Boot ROM / BIOS the 7800's internal memory will not be cleared either. It'll also return garbage (or moreso an attempt to replicate open bus) if you try to read from an unused region of memory. These two behaviors contribute to a large number of the compatibility issues I've seen, especially as some flash cartridges will do a friendly initialization. Maria's timing is probably off in certain places, too.

 

As always, the actual hardware is best with A7800 a close second as it's both pretty solid and being actively maintained. I recommend BupSystem if you're using any of my weird mapper designs or Windows 95.

 

Anyway, as you were. Keep up the good work!

[+Muddyfunster]

On 9/20/2020 at 12:11 AM, NostAlgae37 said:

@Muddyfunster, I watched the video that @-^CrossBow^- posted and I think that the graphics for this game are truly impressive, but there is one detail that is bothering me.  Is there some way that inertia can be added to the motion of the spaceship?  Currently, the way that it is moving through the stage environs doesn't seem "realistic" (although I confess that our perceptions of what is "realistic" space propulsion is more influenced by Hollywood than by accurate physical principles).  I think that if this detail were added, it would really make a big difference in the player's experience of a game which already appears to be of a near-professional standard.

Thanks @NostAlgae37. It's a good idea and one I've thought about quite a bit since you suggested it. I had some nice inertia effects running on a 2600 project I started called Alien Ark. 

 

I thought that with EXO, some of the screens, even with the difficulty dialed back as it is now, inertial might make them quite challenging to navigate, especially the tight spaces. That said, I'll give it a look, you never know it might just work nicely as long as it's not too OTT. 

 

@TailChao Thanks for the comments on BupSystem and emulators  

 

Ongoing development 

 

By way of EXO ongoing development, I've been experimenting with some additional features over the weekend. Some are just a few bits of polish to presentation, some are additional engine features like Bossfights. Bossfights are something I wanted to have from the start but I wasn't sure I'd be able to do them or whether i'd have the space. We'll see

[SlidellMan]

You did a good job at the demo cutscene at the end, Muddy. By the way, interesting room names. Were you inspired by L'Abbaye des Morts?

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Well on the topic of inertia being implemented in the game. You can't tell very well in my playthrough, but you always have to be pressing up to stay afloat. Gravity is a very real thing in the game so all of the left right movement where it looks like I'm going straight horizontal is actually me doing a slight diagonal to do pull that off. But you are correct in that once moving right I don't keep going right and then slow down naturally, the ship just comes to a straight halt. But as @Muddyfunster stated, on many of his screens it wouldn't be possible to get in between some of the spots where I have to wait between columns of enemies if I have to worry about some forward inertia that keeps me moving. 

 

But again, you are constantly being pulled down in the game and have to press up to move and stay afloat.

 

[+Muddyfunster]

2 hours ago, SlidellMan said:

You did a good job at the demo cutscene at the end, Muddy. By the way, interesting room names. Were you inspired by L'Abbaye des Morts?

Thanks. The end sequence in the demo, is a small part of a larger story. There will be "intro's" and completion sequences. 

 

Regarding the room names, I was actually inspired by Jet Set Willy & Manic Miner to give each screen a name 

 

Some of the screen names are Easter eggs with nods to various things. Some are tributes, some are special and only mean stuff to me  There are few little Easter Eggs here and there.

[+sramirez2008]

1 hour ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

if I have to worry about some forward inertia that keeps me moving. 

Please don’t add forward inertia, I think it would break this game as per below.

 

1 hour ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

on many of his screens it wouldn't be possible to get in between some of the spots

 

[+Muddyfunster]

On 9/23/2020 at 10:40 PM, sramirez2008 said:

Please don’t add forward inertia, I think it would break this game as per below.

 

 

It was a great idea but after testing, it wasn't a good experience so it won't be included.

 

[+sramirez2008]

25 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

It was a great idea but after testing, it wasn't a good experience so it won't be included.

 

?

[+Muddyfunster]

Little update on Alpha 12.

 

The code is now very stable and I've had no unexpected crashes. Thanks again to the folks testing and providing feedback that helped to squish bugs and issues and fine tune the features and difficulty.

 

New stuff for Alpha 12, well there is a fair bit.

• Added a few bits of cosmetic fluff. I love nice presentation so I've been polishing that up a bit.
• World select screen. When you launch you get to choose where to go. Worlds 1-3 can be chosen, World 4 is locked until you complete those 3.
• Added some secret areas, reading the room names can help
• Added an artifact to each World. You don't have to collect them, but well, folks like hidden things right ? collecting hidden things usually does things ..Secret things..
• Added rocket crates and extra life pickups, not many, don't want to spoil folks.
• Added some cinematics for launching, landing, entering the world that you selected. All skipable in the final code for those impatient souls

 

I'll drop a new demo soon, probably won't be Mateos compatible.

 

Stuff I'm working on for the next build:

 

Well this next built will be quite a big step as it's integrating all of code path stuff for World 2 and 3 and the level structures (about 50 screens).

 

In the pipeline :

 

• World 2 & 3 integration.
• I'm also working on the GFX for world 4, they are about 50% done.
• I've also reworked the enemy sprites on World 1. EXO originally started as a Cybernoid port but moved on to become it's own thing so  it's time to retire them and use the new sprites I've built which fit the theme of each world better (Tunnels, Factory, Temple and so on).
• New title page is in progress
• Improving the cutscenes at the end of each world and improving the linkage and story flow.
• Adding a pause screen that's also a status screen.

 

Further down the line :

• tweaking the engine code for World 2 and 3 to add unique challenges consistent with those worlds

 

 

 

 

 

[+sramirez2008]

2 hours ago, Muddyfunster said:

All skipable in the final code for those impatient souls

I won’t skip them.

 

2 hours ago, Muddyfunster said:

I'll drop a new demo soon, probably won't be Mateos compatible.

Aww! Those SD carts can’t come soon enough. 
 

[+Muddyfunster]

Updated the first post with a link to the latest demo download as it was getting a bit cluttered.

 

 

[+Muddyfunster]

On 10/13/2020 at 5:19 AM, sramirez2008 said:

I won’t skip them.

 

Aww! Those SD carts can’t come soon enough. 
 

Yes especially as my new 7800 is getting some TLC this week with a full maintenance rip down, UAV, Recap, Power supply change etc. 

 

Will be really good to do some testing of my own on real hardware, not that I don't appreciate the community testing (you guys rock!)- there will always be test release demos coming

 

[+Muddyfunster]

Just a little update.

 

Duplication of the code for World 1, redoing all the labels etc. is complete and working (and thanks again to @mksmith & @RevEng for this suggestion). 

 

I'd put this off time and again but it's done and wasn't as painful as I had thought it might be. A few gallons of Tea, some chocolate "thinking" biscuits and a solid evening of poring over the code and it's done.

 

Worlds 2 and 3 are now running in the main code as intended.

 

Me when it finally worked :

 

 

[+Muddyfunster]

Taking a break from world 2 and 3 level design, I decided to do some work on the other areas that were either placeholders/port graphics or something that needed updating to make it consistent to the rest of the design evolution.

 

New title screen. Still needs some minor tweakage, but you get the general idea. (and yes the MV logo is slightly off centre, before Trebor notices )

 

[+sramirez2008]

2 minutes ago, Muddyfunster said:

Taking a break from world 2 and 3 level design, I decided to do some work on the other areas that were either placeholders or something that needed updating as the rest of the design had evolved.

 

New title screen. Still needs some minor tweakage, but you get the general idea.

 

Holy $ht!

[+sramirez2008]

@Muddyfunsterif you can make the planet rotate, I’ll buy a copy just for the title screen.
 

Seriously though, very nice work?

[Albert]

Great looking title screen! 

 

 ..Al