PacManPlus Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 (edited) Hi Guys. So, after UniWarS was done, I found that if I ripped out waves 1, 2, and 3 (and left 0), and did some graphics manipulation (and some code modifications), we basically have... GALAXIAN What I did to UniWarS to get this: - As stated, ripped out waves 1, 2, and 3 (left wave 0) - Converted graphics from the Arcade version of Galaxian to this. - Changed point values, divebombing rules, number of enemies, formation, etc. - moved the player(s) down 1 zone. What I still need to do: - Animate 'leaving the flock' so the enemy moves up and around instead of just spinning in place - Possibly alter flight paths - Code the alternate point values for the Flagship (when diving with escorts) - Change the sounds - Any bugs that pop up. What I had to compromise on: - I needed every sprite graphic I could use, so the player's explosion is the size of the player (instead of 32x32) * - The colors of the Flagship (there *is* a little blue there, you have to look close) - The enemies only rotate in one direction when initially leaving the flock and settling back in to the flock, as I didn't have enough sprite graphic space to have an entire rotation (Personally, I don't think that this is a big deal, it will be hardly noticed while playing) I did add the additional two Flagships starting at wave 2 (0-based) and they do get faster as the game progresses. This was completely not expected for me to do. It started out as "let me just prepare this for Galaxian in case I decide to work on it in the future". But then I couldn't stop. Not bad for 2 day's work! Hope you guys like this WIP. * If anyone can create a better player explosion using 4 16x16 tiles (keeping in mind the color limitations of 320B mode with transparency) than what is there, I'm open to seeing it. Galaxian.A78 Galaxian.BIN Edited January 16, 2021 by PacManPlus 38 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mksmith Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Awesome Bob! Thank you - looking forward to playing this! 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+llabnip Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 You have half-man, half-amazing! Awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlidellMan Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 This is one of the biggest surprises of the year in terms of homebrews. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Karl G Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 Awesome! I love classic space shooters! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+splendidnut Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 1 hour ago, PacManPlus said: This was completely not expected for me to do. It started out as "let me just prepare this for Galaxian in case I decide to work on it in the future". But then I couldn't stop. Not bad for 2 day's work! Don't you just love/hate when that happens 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, PacManPlus said: So, after UniWarS was done, I found that if I ripped out waves 1, 2, and 3 (and left 0), and did some graphics manipulation (and some code modifications), we basically have... GALAXIAN OK, that's pretty awesome Nice job! The arcade version of UniWarS ran on Galaxian hardware, so it's only appropriate that deriving Galaxian from UniWarS on the 7800 should be possible since the underlying console hardware is remaining the same ? Edited January 16, 2021 by x=usr(1536) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+llabnip Posted January 16, 2021 Share Posted January 16, 2021 It's really fun! However, being that Galaxian (acarde and NES) are both in my constant rotation this is much easier than the arcade version. I know it's early and lots of stuff needs adding - but the attack waves come less frequently and it feels like the ship fires faster than I was expecting. But damn does it look nice and it's an amazing start for 2 days of effort!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) Bug report Spotted two things: 1. On the scoring table, the 'boss' Galaxian is shifted down about half-a-text-line relative to its point values. The other enemies appear correctly aligned. 2. In the arcade version (and some home versions as well, IIRC), it was possible to kill an attacking enemy by letting them collide with the missile on the nosecone of your ship without losing a life. In this version, doing that results in the loss of a life. It's early days, so I'll leave the sounds, etc. out for now. Looks and plays great already, though! Edited January 17, 2021 by x=usr(1536) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Trebor Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 5 hours ago, PacManPlus said: Not bad for 2 day's work! You have an odd way of spelling Awesome. Had a feeling it was coming after playing UniWarS, but this was amazingly quick. *Thank You!* 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Will this be TIA or POKEY? If POKEY, I had an idea: AUDCTL=$61 0: $2x @1.79 for galaxian swoops. 1: $Ax @15 khz for that rumble 2: $Cx @1.79 for enemy killed $0x @1.79 for player shots 3: $0x @15 khz: player ship explosion I can try some sound examples if you like. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted January 17, 2021 Author Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) Thanks guys!!!! 3 hours ago, llabnip said: It's really fun! However, being that Galaxian (acarde and NES) are both in my constant rotation this is much easier than the arcade version. I know it's early and lots of stuff needs adding - but the attack waves come less frequently and it feels like the ship fires faster than I was expecting. But damn does it look nice and it's an amazing start for 2 days of effort!! Yes, I am going to tweak both the shooting and frequency of divebombs. ... I don't know that *lots* of stuff needs adding, I humbly think I'm 75%-80% there... Am I wrong? 36 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said: Bug report Spotted two things: 1. On the scoring table, the 'boss' Galaxian is shifted down about half-a-text-line relative to its point values. The other enemies appear correctly aligned. 2. In the arcade version (and some home versions as well, IIRC), it was possible to kill an attacking enemy by letting them collide with the missile on the nosecone of your ship without losing a life. In this version, doing that results in the loss of a life. It's early days, so I'll leave the sounds, etc. out for now. Looks and plays great already, though! I actually know about #1, and my OCD is bugging me about it, but I don't have any more tiles (it's using the only tiles that are reserved for the Flagship; the one that's on the screen during gameplay). I'll think of something... Regarding #2, I thought that was only the 5200/8 Bit version that did that... ok, I'll look at it. Thank you. 15 minutes ago, Synthpopalooza said: Will this be TIA or POKEY? If POKEY, I had an idea: AUDCTL=$61 0: $2x @1.79 for galaxian swoops. 1: $Ax @15 khz for that rumble 2: $Cx @1.79 for enemy killed $0x @1.79 for player shots 3: $0x @15 khz: player ship explosion I can try some sound examples if you like. Actually, that would be cool if you could... Thank you! ...Wait... *rumble*? All that being said, I fixed the score table colors and points (they now flash and show the alternating values for the Flagship). Also, I think I have a way around my 'running out of sprites' issue. The arcade has 24 rotation positions for each enemy. I tried reducing that to 16 for the Flagship, and it actually still looks pretty good. If I do that for the other enemies, I'll have exactly the number of sprites that I need. (I still need to keep the player explosion at 4 tiles of 16x16 though). Thanks again, Bob Edited January 17, 2021 by PacManPlus 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Yeah that low pitched background hum ... I always called it a rumble lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 The enemy killed sound may have to be pitched up some steps too. Frequency 255 at $Cx 1.79 is about A#4. Not sure if the arcade sound dips below that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 The nice thing is: The Namco WSG chip allows 3 waveform channels and a noise channel. POKEY fits this like a glove. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 11 minutes ago, PacManPlus said: Regarding #2, I thought that was only the 5200/8 Bit version that did that... ok, I'll look at it. Thank you. I just played every non-bootleg version of Galaxian in MAME, and think that your memory is better than mine in this regard Couldn't get any of them to act the way that I thought they would, but absolutely remember doing this trick on the A8 version. One of the bootlegs may have allowed this to happen, but I'm not going through all 947,000 of them to figure it out ? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthpopalooza Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) Also: I have a complete sound set for Galaga as well, should anyone decide to hack the existing Galaga. Edited January 17, 2021 by Synthpopalooza 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Nice!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlidellMan Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 What's next, a port of Gaplus as well? (Probably won't be for a while.) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Bob you are on fire! My prayers have been answered. I've wanted a better Galaxian for so long. I love that its coming to the 7800. Absolutely love it! <Edit> On behalf on my Concerto & DragonFly, POKEY please. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGHMW Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Hey great job, makes for an all-nighter as far as games on my 7800 is concerned, now, I reached the 4,010 point plateau (and earned my bonus ship at 4,000 points) after clearing off the last enemy ship, expecting the next wave to appear (I must've cleared either 3 or 4 waves already during this one play) and none to be found. Just me drifting deep into space, waiting for the next onslaught, only none appears, so i just hit the reset button to start another game. Great port Bob!!! I already have Galaxian on my 3 other systems but yours (this one for the 7800) definitely is the best both graphically and play wise. One more reason Lil' Sexy stands head and shoulders above the rest of my 4 systems!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 1 hour ago, SlidellMan said: What's next, a port of Gaplus as well? (Probably won't be for a while.) Speaking as someone who loves Gaplus to an irrational extent: DO IT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 40 minutes ago, BIGHMW said: Hey great job, makes for an all-nighter as far as games on my 7800 is concerned, now, I reached the 4,010 point plateau (and earned my bonus ship at 4,000 points) after clearing off the last enemy ship, expecting the next wave to appear (I must've cleared either 3 or 4 waves already during this one play) and none to be found. Just me drifting deep into space, waiting for the next onslaught, only none appears, so i just hit the reset button to start another game. Confirmed - 9050 points after clearing all the aliens on stage 4, and seeing the same thing. BTW: IIRC, default bonus ship was at 7000 points on the arcade game. Pretty sure that's what mine was set to, but it was DIP-changeable. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+x=usr(1536) Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 BTW: Bob, those sprites are really gorgeous. I have no idea how you managed to knock both the game and art out in two days, but my hat is off to you for nailing the look. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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