Hellway 2 Players Edition

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Hello, for the people that did not watch @ZeroPage Homebrew live, here is the youtube link:

I am linking direct to the second gameplay session, which direct shows what the game is all about if you are short on time. But there is more content if you go back a little, including me talking about the game and next projects.

The flickering on emulation / real hardware is 30hz stable and much better than seen in the capture, nonetheless, to see people having a good time with the game is priceless!

 

 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

On 4/23/2022 at 5:44 AM, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

Some considerations about the @ZeroPage Homebrew stream last night:

First, congratulations, I think you mastered the game, and understood the vision behind it. You are both playing it much better than last time!

We really enjoyed playing your new Hellway 2 Player Edition, the competitive split screen aspect of it is so much fun!

 

On 4/23/2022 at 5:44 AM, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

James, the car you choose is the best beginners, it accelerates fast (meaning less punishments on crashes), and a reduced top speed might actually work on your favor, reducing the number of crashes.

I think I picked a great car to start with, I didn't need the top speed and the fast acceleration really helped in times of when I crashed. I can see a player that's more skilled at dodging being able to handle a car with a higher top speed and doing better.

 

- James

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

- Is it the first split screen game with players interaction? 

It is complicated, if you add to this definition the first completed vanilla 4kb game, so the answer is:
PROBABLY

 

But for sure, this old thread that I resurrected will provide us with the answer. I am leaving this to the community.

 

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Hello you all,

@Al_Nafuur told me a while the Hellway 2PE is available to be played at PlusCart (/Public ROMs/Homebrew/NTSC/E-L/Hellway 2 Player Edition)

I was wondering if you would like to see a physical release of this game. If so, any ideas the best way to do so, (considering it is a derivative work of the first) ?

Please let me know.

Regards,
Octavio

Edited November 16, 2022 by Octavio Pinho Bokel

[Living Room Arcade]

1 Year Later

 

I just saw this today and am very excited about this game!  

  

On 2/18/2022 at 3:42 PM, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

- Is it the first split screen game with players interaction? 
After some research I found some example of games, but none of them the players can direct interact. They play the game at the same time and have separated scores and screens, but cannot kill each other, crash into each other or see the other player in their own screen. If you know any game that does this, please post.

@Octavio Pinho Bokel  Yes, I think it just might be!  If so, congratulations!  

Edited April 29 by Living Room Arcade

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Hello @Living Room Arcade,

 

I did restore it a long time ago, it is the first post of the first page. I will also post it here to avoid confusion.

 

https://github.com/opbokel/hellway2pe (Git Repo)

https://github.com/opbokel/hellway2pe/blob/main/bin/hellway2pe.asm.bin?raw=true (Binary, always the latest version)
https://javatari.org/?ROM=https://github.com/opbokel/hellway2pe/blob/main/bin/hellway2pe.asm.bin?raw=true (Javatari link)

 

Hope it helps.

Edited April 29 by Octavio Pinho Bokel
Typo

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

(deleted)

Edited April 28 by Octavio Pinho Bokel
Don't know why it posted twice and cannot delete it.

[Living Room Arcade]

I just want to say how excited I am about this game! 

 

Two players racing against each other in split screen!

- My car can appear in your split screen and your car can appear in mine.

- Arrows show when the other player is coming from in front or from behind.

 

I want to call this true split screen.  (@Octavio Pinho Bokel Mr. Octavio calls his creation "the first true multiplayer split screen game where players have a fully consistent view of the world and interact with each other.")

 

In the whole Atari 2600 library, I don't think there's another game like this! 

 

Thank you, @Octavio Pinho Bokel!  What gave you the idea to create this (possibly) one-of-a-kind game?  

Edited April 29 by Living Room Arcade

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

@Living Room Arcade

 

It was for the fun and challenge of doing it.

 

I already had the first game, it was a matter of extracting functions for reuse, to keep it under 4kb, and figuring out how to draw both games at the same time. I experimented with several ideas, but drawing half of the screen at a time was the best I could do...

 

The road state uses 4 bytes (3 bytes + 1 of cache). 16 bytes (3 lanes plus the border) is all the state of the road itself for each player. From that number I consistently draw the road. This means that if both cars are in the same position they will see the same road. It felt doable. I also had more than enough cycles on the blank intervals itself (I even draw more lines than the default 192 lines to increase the visible game area).

 

I draw the game at 30Hz (one side per frame), but most of the physics run at 60hz (process the game for both players at all frames), so it still feels responsive.

 

I can gladly explain better the details of the game if there is more interest.

Edited April 29 by Octavio Pinho Bokel
Add detail

[Living Room Arcade]

5 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

@Living Room Arcade

 

It was for the fun and challenge of doing it.

 

I already had the first game, it was a matter of extracting functions for reuse, to keep it under 4kb, and figuring out how to draw both games at the same time. I experimented with several ideas, but drawing half of the screen at a time was the best I could do...

 

The road state uses 4 bytes (3 bytes + 1 of cache). 16 bytes (3 lanes plus the border) is all the state of the road itself for each player. From that number I consistently draw the road. This means that if both cars are in the same position they will see the same road. It felt doable. I also had more than enough cycles on the blank intervals itself (I even draw more lines than the default 192 lines to increase the visible game area).

 

I draw the game at 30Hz (one side per frame), but most of the physics run at 60hz (process the game for both players at all frames), so it still feels responsive.

 

I can gladly explain better the details of the game if there is more interest.

Impressive!  And no hardware acceleration?  No extra RAM?  

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

Of course not!

[+Philsan]

Could you please make a PAL60 version?

Only colors need to be adjusted.

[SoundGammon]

Street Racer is similar to this!

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

17 hours ago, SoundGammon said:

Street Racer is similar to this!

Sorry, but it is not.

 

In my game each player screen is completely consistent. Not just you see and interact with the other player car, the road is consistent as well. Even if the cars of a lane go out of screen, the pattern is maintained and the same cars are going to pass by the other player. Both players share the same world, not just play at the same time.

 

17 hours ago, Philsan said:

Could you please make a PAL60 version?

I might do it in the future, but feel free to do yourself a PAL 60 version, the game is open source and the constants have name (Exemple bellow).

TRAFFIC_COLOR_RUSH_HOUR = $09

BACKGROUND_COLOR = $00

GREY_BACKGROUND_COLOR = $03

 

Thanks.

 

Edited May 2 by Octavio Pinho Bokel

[Living Room Arcade]

Hello, @Octavio Pinho Bokel!  Are there any downloadable instructions for Hellway 2PE?  

[Living Room Arcade]

On 5/1/2024 at 2:10 PM, SoundGammon said:

Street Racer is similar to this!

 

Street Racer and Hellway 2PE may look similar, but there is a big difference!  

 

   

Edited Sunday at 03:06 PM by Living Room Arcade

[Living Room Arcade]

@SoundGammon Or to say it another way

 

Edited Sunday at 03:08 PM by Living Room Arcade

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

5 hours ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Are there any downloadable instructions for Hellway 2PE?

The game is very similar to the first. The quick manual page of the QR code has a section regarding the changes for the 2PE. It almost the same game. The game modes part is interactive, you can click the features you want, and it gives you the game you should select.

 

The GitHub page has more in depth information regarding the single player version, that most can be applied to the 2PE.

 

The first game has a beautiful manual, I did not publish it online. But all information can be found online. The manual is a more beautiful and more polished version. @Leonardons was responsible for most of it, and we got a lot of input from Albert from AtariAge, until it was perfect for printing.

 

Everything you need for playing can be found by following the QR code showed at the first screen of the game (url bellow)

https://opbokel.github.io/g

 

 

 

 

[SoundGammon]

3 hours ago, Living Room Arcade said:

@SoundGammon Or to say it another way

 

I just said it was SIMILAR! I didn't say it was the SAME game! Geeshh!

[Living Room Arcade]

5 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

The game is very similar to the first. The quick manual page of the QR code has a section regarding the changes for the 2PE. It almost the same game. The game modes part is interactive, you can click the features you want, and it gives you the game you should select.

 

The GitHub page has more in depth information regarding the single player version, that most can be applied to the 2PE.

 

The first game has a beautiful manual, I did not publish it online. But all information can be found online. The manual is a more beautiful and more polished version. @Leonardons was responsible for most of it, and we got a lot of input from Albert from AtariAge, until it was perfect for printing.

 

Everything you need for playing can be found by following the QR code showed at the first screen of the game (url bellow)

https://opbokel.github.io/g

That QR code link is very helpful!  I see what you mean now, the Game Mode Wizard to choose which game mode is interactive.  (Very nice!)  And the other tables for starting level, car specs and controller switches are there, too.  Question: how long is a race?  How many checkpoints?  

Edited Sunday at 10:02 PM by Living Room Arcade

[Living Room Arcade]

3 hours ago, SoundGammon said:

I just said it was SIMILAR! I didn't say it was the SAME game! Geeshh!

I was trying to be helpful.  Sorry if I wasn't.  

Edited Sunday at 10:21 PM by Living Room Arcade

[Living Room Arcade]

...

Edited Sunday at 10:22 PM by Living Room Arcade

[Octavio Pinho Bokel]

11 hours ago, Living Room Arcade said:

Question: how long is a race?  How many checkpoints?  

As long as you can keep playing before running out of time. The objective of the game is to get as far as possible. It is about consistency and not top speed.

The 2 players version is the same game, with some changes to accommodate 2 players (listed on the QR code page).

 

I recorded several videos for the first game. It is not the final version but is close (No score screen, small color change and no multiple cars).

The video bellow explains all the game mechanics. The other videos drive deeper on all options and also the technical part of implementing it. It should provide you all explanations you want.

 

I might record one for the 2 players version one day in the future...
 

 

Edited Monday at 09:39 AM by Octavio Pinho Bokel
Improve text.