Xmas Tree and Fireplace in BASIC GR.5 inspired by ClausB's original

[Britishcar]

Inspired by ClausB's immortal Xmas tree "snow globe" from 1981, I decided to create a quick and dirty BASIC file with the same intention -- a holiday "snow globe."

 

I used GR.5 since it gave me that vintage 8-bit look I was going for and it's just easier to work with big chunky pixels anyway.

 

Once I had the tree done, I began to play with the file until I had morphed it into a different fireplace scene.

 

Feel free to laugh at my highly inefficient code.

 

Both files are in BASIC but have a .77 extension. The only reason for the .77 extension (referring to attract mode register 77) is to remind myself that these are the "sort of" screen saver versions. In other words, if they are to be true monitor or TV based "snow globes" then you want to prevent the Atari from going into attract mode after 9 minutes so that they can animate for hours in the correct colors. However, if you are using an actual CRT or if you simply want to work the pixels on your LCD monitor just a bit, I have each file pop randomly into attract mode for just a few moments and then back to the correct colors. If this behavior bugs you, then just go into the file and REM out the lines with the SEV variable and stick in a POKE 77,0 command instead.

 

Let me know if you enjoy these or if you ever have ClausB's tree on your screen at home during the holidays.

SEASON.ATR

[Sikor]

Nice

[Britishcar]

Thank you, Sikor!

[Britishcar]

Ok, so here is a very non-critical update. They are mostly updates to the fireplace file.

 

My wife thought the green ribbon sitting on the mantel looked like a green spider so...sigh.

 

I worked with the missiles and created two updated fireplace files. One, the .77T file has a small xmas tree sitting on the mantel with a blinking player pixel star on the top. Also, there is a candle on the mantel version (.77C) with a green candle sitting on the mantel with a flickering flame (the same player pixel). For those of you who enjoyed the ribbon, it's now the .77R file.

 

All of the files are now cold booting from reset (just added POKE 580,1) so you can just press reset to try a different file.

 

If anyone can think of something neat to add to the tree scene or the fireplace, let me know or share it back.

SEASONV2.ATR

[+Larry]

Is ClausB's original posted somewhere?

[_The Doctor__]

@ClausB

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by _The Doctor__

[Britishcar]

I know we're getting past the season now but I tinkered with the fireplace file a bit more with the following changes:

 

The missile-based xmas tree on the mantel is now larger and uses a full player to implement a set of randomly winking/blinking xmas lights with a full random pallet color set.

The xmas tree blinks using the same loop as the fire in the fireplace but uses a different timing logic so the tree player doesn't use the fire's loop to change colors or blink (like the candle's flame in that file). It's similar logic to when the program snaps into attract mode for a moment.

The fire in the fireplace loses a player but I don't think it makes much visual difference. I moved the remaining 3 player flames just a bit closer to each other after losing one of the players to the xmas tree lights.

I also added a rocking horse toy next to the fire on the right.

I sped up the fire blinking just ever so slightly.

Lastly, I made the brick red color of the scene just one notch brighter as it looked fine on my CRT but a bit dark on my living room LCD.

 

 

 

 

FIRETREE.ATR