It's Conner time! The final is here! (0.36)

[Ecernosoft]

Hello!

I'm done w/ ICT on 2600. I've got to port it to more things and also, school has started, and I'm busy again.

Ok, I know what you're thinking-

"Wait a minute. ICT is for 7800 right?"

Yes it is. But I'm making a port to the 2600! A much more cut down version of the game, using STOCK 2600 hardware to show it can be done.

Not even bank-switching is involved with the game. (Yet)

It's in it's earliest of earliest stage- nothing but the title-screen and one single screen exist. The final will be similar to the smurf game.

 

The difference between 0.26 and 0.27 is the enemies. There's a fence in 1st screen (Tree screen)

0.3 added difficulty. Each round, the difficulty increases. (A round ends when you save the princess)

Version 0.28 is here, which fixed the "Jump in air" glitch.

Version 0.36 is here, which added animations and removed the bat, replacing it with a bird instead.

Connertime_V0.32 (12).a26;This is ROM file 

Connertime_V0.32 (5).a; This is Code

 

You can flip one of the two difficulty switches to disable the music- but you need to do it before powering on the system.

This time, Conner has been waken up. He has been told that Princess dililah is in need of rescue!

Can you get past the spooky spiders, crazy door-dropping birds, and a wacky bat to save her? Good luck! It won't be easy....

 

It will even have page based scrolling. I plan for this to be similar to Smurfs on 2600. 

 

Difficulties:

0 = No birds, lava bubbles. Single fences. Spiders are thin and slow. Rescue princess dililah!

1 = Birds and lava bubbles are introduced. Spiders are fast.

2 = Same as 1,  but the spiders fat. Slow spiders. Fences are duplicated.

3 = Same as 2, but with double lava bubbles and fast and Fat spiders.

After 3 comes the long stage, which is similar to the short one but with 14 screens instead of 8.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: This game is my first game on the 2600. It doesn't have amazing sound, visuals, or gameplay. I'm only in 9th grade! I'm not trying to make any big claims.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Ecernosoft
Version 0.36 is here!

[Ecernosoft]

 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[Thomas Jentzsch]

ICT? Conner?  

Edited August 16, 2022 by Thomas Jentzsch

[Ecernosoft]

9 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

ICT? Conner?  

I couldn't fit the entire name on the screen. =(

[Thomas Jentzsch]

3 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

I couldn't fit the entire name on the screen. =(

Which is? I have no clue hat you are referring too.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Thomas Jentzsch

[Ecernosoft]

1 hour ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Which is? I have no clue hat you are referring too.

It's Conner time 2600 is the real name. Also, this runs on STOCK 2600 hardware.

[Ecernosoft]

P.S. This game is mostly to prove 3 things = 

1. Atari 2600 is more powerful than you think. 

 

2. TIA doesn't suck for Sound. I mean, I made beach-runner (Never getting past WIP) on 7800 and it uses in-tune TIA music and 320C.

3. You can make a platformer in 4k.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Ecernosoft
*I'm not going to be including side-scrolling

[Fort Apocalypse]

19 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

1. Atari 2600 is more powerful than you think.

  How do you know what I think? But you're right!

 

19 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

2. You can STILL make a fun, side-scrolling platformer like SMB using stock Atari 2600 hardware (Not even bank switching!)

Sounds good! I can't wait to see it!

 

Note that bB has pfscroll, so if you wipe an edge with pfvline and use pfpixel or pfvline to draw while scrolling, you can make a platformer in bB in 4k or 8k without bank switching; the complexity is more in all the variables and other data about where things are and which sprites to show where, and you may have difficulty with multiple turtles flickering when displayed in certain ways, but maybe not in others.

 

19 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

3. TIA doesn't suck for Sound. I mean, I made beach-runner (Never getting past WIP) on 7800 and it uses in-tune TIA music and 320C.

I agree; it sounds good!

 

I've read that there could be slight differences on different hardware (?) as well as between dedicated emulation hardware and emulators; so, if your goal is to use 2600s in a symphony, and you get a random assortment of 2600s and Flashbacks, and one has to do a solo, you might need to learn the specifics about what is in-tune. Similarly, if you don't want a game you sell to sound bad when played on console/platform X, you might need to know those specifics.

 

There are many tools available to create music on the 2600, but I like referring to RT's bB Music and Sound Data Creation Toy for reference if you just want to know what is what note, at least for bB, but I assume it carries over to asm, etc.

[Ecernosoft]

12 minutes ago, Fort Apocalypse said:

  How do you know what I think? But you're right!

 

Sounds good! I can't wait to see it!

 

Note that bB has pfscroll, so if you wipe an edge with pfvline and use pfpixel or pfvline to draw while scrolling, you can make a platformer in bB in 4k or 8k without bank switching; the complexity is more in all the variables and other data about where things are and which sprites to show where, and you may have difficulty with multiple turtles flickering when displayed in certain ways, but maybe not in others.

 

I agree; it sounds good!

 

I've read that there could be slight differences on different hardware (?) as well as between dedicated emulation hardware and emulators; so, if your goal is to use 2600s in a symphony, and you get a random assortment of 2600s and Flashbacks, and one has to do a solo, you might need to learn the specifics about what is in-tune. Similarly, if you don't want a game you sell to sound bad when played on console/platform X, you might need to know those specifics.

 

There are many tools available to create music on the 2600, but I like referring to RT's bB Music and Sound Data Creation Toy for reference if you just want to know what is what note, at least for bB, but I assume it carries over to asm, etc.

1. I don't use Bb. I used too, but I can do way more using Assembly.

2. I do use tools via this: 2600 programming (alienbill.com)

3. I know what is in tune, I made beach run and that's in tune! 

4. Thanks for the comment! I appreciate when people say nice things about my games. 😃

[Ecernosoft]

Let's face it, everyone who knows about the atari 2600 and it's specs have smirked at it's 128 bytes of RAM... But that's all it needed. In fact, I can do a 48 byte buffer and still have a good portion of the RAM for myself, even including an 8 byte stack!

[miker]

No bad but gets a bit monotonous.

 

Also, those white obstacles could move left or ritght in some next levels.

 

And....

 

1) that violet piece on top could fall on you when you're close (or is it planned already?)

2) more pieces to climb on obligatory instead of walking by (ie. this one next to spider).

3) make birds repetitive

4) let there be any sound

 

OK... that's all for now.  

[Ecernosoft]

 

2 minutes ago, miker said:

No bad but gets a bit monotonous.

 

Also, those white obstacles could move left or ritght in some next levels.

 

And....

 

1) that violet piece on top could fall on you when you're close (or is it planned already?)

2) more pieces to climb on obligatory instead of walking by (ie. this one next to spider).

3) make birds repetitive

4) let there be any sound

 

OK... that's all for now.  

Answers:

1) I guess you're right. But instead, I'll move the Spider into that spot. I guess I could do that too, but remember, I use a RAM buffer and it could work, but playfeilds are 1bpp and I only have one collision register for the entire thing, so I'd need to make some special collision for that. Or, I can just move the spider! That's also supposed to be white, I'll change that and move the spider.

2. Like, give me an example in another situation? I'll fix it but if there's another area where this could be fixed, let me know!

3. The bird in the long stage isn't supposed to be that low.

4. Just made a test song.... I'm really sorry if it sounds terrible, it's just a test.

[Ecernosoft]

I just posted an update. Fun fact- while the file is 4K, the game code spans $F000-$F8B8, so almost $900 bytes! (2304 bytes)

@miker, tell me what you think!

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[Ecernosoft]

Oh I see- you mean the birds sometimes Not dropping a door (I made them drop doors because pooping on you is a little innapropriate ;)) is a glitch, it's not supposed to do that.

[miker]

Hehe, a bit too loud.

I would divide it and play 1st section on level start and second one on level end or so.

Then ingame go with SFX (stepping, jumping, dying... something else?) and/or play some simple theme on second TIA channel (but even more silently).

Edited August 18, 2022 by miker
typo

[Ecernosoft]

On 8/18/2022 at 11:37 AM, miker said:

Hehe, a bit too loud.

I would divide it and play 1st section on level start and second one on level end or so.

Then ingame go with SFX (stepping, jumping, dying... somethinf else?) and/or play some simple theme on second TIA channel (but even more silently).

SFX will play with the music.  I'll let you know when I finish SFX 😃

I'm trying my best, ok? I'm not the best with TIA music. I can even just remove it if that's best.

 

Edit: No it won't.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[Ecernosoft]

I think I'll make an option to disable music by flipping one of the two difficulty switches. 

(My 7800's Pause button doesn't work and it would be a pain to disable music on 7800)

I'll make an update for that.

 

Edit = V 0.35 has this feature.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[+splendidnut]

The music is alright, except for the occasionally off notes played in the "secondary" channel.

 

Anyways, you made quite a bit of progress in a short amount of time.  Quite impressive.

 

Are you staying with the "page" based scrolling or do you plan on adding side-scrolling in the future?

 

[Ecernosoft]

2 minutes ago, splendidnut said:

The music is alright, except for the occasionally off notes played in the "secondary" channel.

 

Anyways, you made quite a bit of progress in a short amount of time.  Quite impressive.

 

Are you staying with the "page" based scrolling or do you plan on adding side-scrolling in the future?

 

1. It's because the Atari can't do an in-tune D and F for the highest pitches.

2. Thanks.

3. I use a RAM buffer and for the colors, I have a table of 256 colors and a pointer in RAM that is the offset. Any 12 of the 256 available colors will be used.

 

Edit: I'm not adding side-scrolling, for 2 reasons.

1. If I did, how would I handle the color changes?

2. Lag is a no-no in 2600 land.

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[+splendidnut]

If you're not adding side-scrolling, how are you going to prove point #2:

On 8/16/2022 at 6:38 PM, Ecernosoft said:

2. You can STILL make a fun, side-scrolling platformer like SMB using stock Atari 2600 hardware (Not even bank switching!)

 

 

You've got the scrolling there already.  I don't think it would be too much work to accomplish your original goal of side-scrolling.

 

Color changes could be handled in one of several ways:

   1) interleaved playfield  ( cd-w's Zevious, my Congo Bongo POC... )

   2) mid-scanline color changes (might not have the kernel time to do that...)

   3) design your screens in such a way to leave areas where you can swap out your row colors without the player noticing.

   4) stick with a certain color scheme through a level, then use doors to lead to differently colored areas of the level

 

 

[Ecernosoft]

1 minute ago, splendidnut said:

If you're not adding side-scrolling, how are you going to prove point #2:

 

 

You've got the scrolling there already.  I don't think it would be too much work to accomplish your original goal of side-scrolling.

 

Color changes could be handled in one of several ways:

   1) interleaved playfield  ( cd-w's Zevious, my Congo Bongo POC... )

   2) mid-scanline color changes (might not have the kernel time to do that...)

   3) design your screens in such a way to leave areas where you can swap out your row colors without the player noticing.

   4) stick with a certain color scheme through a level, then use doors to lead to differently colored areas of the level

 

 

1) I've practically used up my really terrible kernal- sure there's better ones out there but if I use them, I might need to rewrite the game and I just don't want to do that.

2) Same as 1.

3) I would, but how would I do the trees and mountains in some screens?

4) I've used up my 2 sprites. =(

 

And yes, I could do scrolling like that, but then again, if a sprite were to follow me through the level, then the others wouldn't load and this is a problem because of 3 reasons:

1. Realisim over "That guy dissapears, you come in" (Problem with fences and hawks in smurf game)

2. Lava bubbles would become problematic because the "Lava" doesn't kill you without the lava-bubbles presence (And still doesn't yet)

3. The background changes to black and then to blue in certain screens. Would be impossible.

[Ecernosoft]

I think I might use side-scrolling for It's Conner time 2 though, especially if I can get a RSYNC kernal working. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[+splendidnut]

18 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

I've practically used up my really terrible kernal- sure there's better ones out there but if I use them, I might need to rewrite the game and I just don't want to do that.

Rewriting is part of the development process.  You've basic written 2k of assembly code at this point.  I don't think that's a lot to rewrite.  You can mitigate the pain of rewriting by doing it in bits and pieces.  While your kernel is not too terrible, there's definitely room for improvement there.  At the very least, you should restructure your screen buffer to serve your kernel better and rid yourself of that CLC/ADC #4 used by the screen buffer offset.

 

Also, it would help if you documented / commented your code a bit and used meaningful names for your labels  (a label of 'Sorryxuser' doesn't make any sense).  The only thing you've really noted is the use of a screen buffer starting at $B8.  Help yourself (and others) by documenting what you're doing in the code.  Not every line needs a comment, but chunks of code do.

 

Hopefully this is helpful to you.

[Ecernosoft]

17 hours ago, splendidnut said:

Rewriting is part of the development process.  You've basic written 2k of assembly code at this point.  I don't think that's a lot to rewrite.  You can mitigate the pain of rewriting by doing it in bits and pieces.  While your kernel is not too terrible, there's definitely room for improvement there.  At the very least, you should restructure your screen buffer to serve your kernel better and rid yourself of that CLC/ADC #4 used by the screen buffer offset.

 

Also, it would help if you documented / commented your code a bit and used meaningful names for your labels  (a label of 'Sorryxuser' doesn't make any sense).  The only thing you've really noted is the use of a screen buffer starting at $B8.  Help yourself (and others) by documenting what you're doing in the code.  Not every line needs a comment, but chunks of code do.

 

Hopefully this is helpful to you.

I've deleted this post. I'm really upset with myself yesterday, as I was really tired after having a really awful day. Sorry.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[Ecernosoft]

The code gets complex, with clc asl bcc ?? a lot.

I promise I'll add scrolling in my future Atari games like It's Conner time 2 and Anthony's adventure. This is my first real game. (Minus ICT7800)