New Atari 2600 coarse blade

[Magovinna]

COARSE BLADE

Here is the final version of my first Atari 2600 game:

download from itch.io:

https://magovinna.itch.io/coarse-blade

 

- If anyone is interested in a physical release send me a PM and I will consider it if there is enough interest.

 

 

 

Edited April 8 by Magovinna
Game released

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

Excellent graphics and parallax scrolling! Looking forward to playing it on ZPH when it's ready! 🙂

 

- James

[LatchKeyKid]

Nicely done!  Any tips?  I assume you're supposed to duck under the birds and jump the snakes but the clearance on both is pretty tight for the sprites (especially the jump).

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

2 minutes ago, LatchKeyKid said:

Nicely done!  Any tips?  I assume you're supposed to duck under the birds and jump the snakes but the clearance on both is pretty tight for the sprites (especially the jump).

 

Just make sure you duck well before the birds get to you. Jumping the snakes is extremely tight so you have to plan it perfectly! I think I hit about 1 out of 3 snakes no matter what I do.

 

- James

[TrekMD]

Wow, that looks awesome! 

[Magovinna]

3 hours ago, ZeroPage Homebrew said:

 

Just make sure you duck well before the birds get to you. Jumping the snakes is extremely tight so you have to plan it perfectly! I think I hit about 1 out of 3 snakes no matter what I do.

 

- James

The Snake won't bite as long as you are in the air.

The player will fatigue and lose a little bit of life as time passes. Therefore it's a good idea to keep moving forward.

After each end-of-level boss fight, you'll regain your hearts and restore full power.

It's probably easier to play this game with a joystick than with a keyboard 🙂

Todo list:

The game is 8k at the moment. I'm Contemplating expanding to 16k and adding some more Castlevania-like levels if I can figure out how to do it.

I want to add a bigger End of level Boss at the last level.

[alfredtdk]

I'm impressed, I like games in this Golden Axe style, and to see that Atari with its limited ability to simulate this style, congratulations. Can we expect a demo version soon to run on our real hardware? 

Edited December 30, 2022 by alfredtdk

[Magovinna]

Have made some progress during the weekend and the game will now be 16kb. Here is a picture of the end boss (Wolf man) from the forest level outside the castle. And one from inside the castle.

[grayescu]

Is there a .bin file for this game? I would love to play it with a joystick.

[+Gemintronic]

1 hour ago, grayescu said:

Is there a .bin file for this game? I would love to play it with a joystick.

 

Joystick works for me on his Itch io page.  Maybe you need to change web browsers.  I usually use Firefox.

 

If you want more authenticity there's always these:

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Trooper-Premium-Controller-Mac-Desktop/dp/B09B349TDZ

 

[LatchKeyKid]

4 hours ago, Magovinna said:

Have made some progress during the weekend and the game will now be 16kb. Here is a picture of the end boss (Wolf man) from the forest level outside the castle. And one from inside the castle.

 

Looks great!  I love the use of colors and sprite work.  Is doubling the width of the taller enemy sprite on the top pic make it look more impossing and visually impressive as a boss practical?  Obviously I don't have the code so this is just a crude MSPaint cut and paste.

[grayescu]

2 hours ago, Gemintronic said:

 

Joystick works for me on his Itch io page.  Maybe you need to change web browsers.  I usually use Firefox.

 

If you want more authenticity there's always these:

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Trooper-Premium-Controller-Mac-Desktop/dp/B09B349TDZ

 

O.K.

[Magovinna]

5 hours ago, LatchKeyKid said:

 

Looks great!  I love the use of colors and sprite work.  Is doubling the width of the taller enemy sprite on the top pic make it look more impossing and visually impressive as a boss practical?  Obviously I don't have the code so this is just a crude MSPaint cut and paste.

Great idea. Tested it, but not sure which one looks best?

[LatchKeyKid]

I think it looks alot better double width as a proper end boss but I'm obviously biased since I suggested it. 

[+Pat Brady]

I also prefer the wider sprite. It looks more imposing and differentiates boss from common enemies.

[+Al_Nafuur]

double wide looks way better.

[Magovinna]

Couldn't resist trying to make box art. Still Needs some more work..

 

Removed first attempt as I wasn't really happy about it.

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by Magovinna
Removed image that I was unhappy about.

[Magovinna]

here is attempt number 2 at making box art:

[LatchKeyKid]

Lol, I'm not sure that would meet the 1982 box cover art standards of stores!  I like it though but may suggest it instead be the werewolf's head.

[Phobos867]

There is a bin file of this available? Looks awesome, I can't wait for the next version!

[Magovinna]

Here is a video(Must be seen with 60 Fps) of the progress so far on this game, now with a more complete version of the "Danse Macabre" intro music:

 

[LatchKeyKid]

Thanks for the update!  I was just thinking about your game a few weeks ago as I was making sprites for a game idea I have clanking around my non-programmer head (a side scrolling samurai game).   How are you programming this?  In assembly?  In Batari Basic?  If Batari, which kernel are you using?   I'm always curious as to how folks achieve the results on display as someone who doesn't have the skill (yet?).  Also, do you intend to later on animate the enemies like the skeleton and devil?  If so, how many animation frames for an enemy sprite do you recommend and how limited in ROM space are you in that regard?

[Magovinna]

On 11/20/2023 at 5:43 AM, LatchKeyKid said:

Thanks for the update!  I was just thinking about your game a few weeks ago as I was making sprites for a game idea I have clanking around my non-programmer head (a side scrolling samurai game).   How are you programming this?  In assembly?  In Batari Basic?  If Batari, which kernel are you using?   I'm always curious as to how folks achieve the results on display as someone who doesn't have the skill (yet?).  Also, do you intend to later on animate the enemies like the skeleton and devil?  If so, how many animation frames for an enemy sprite do you recommend and how limited in ROM space are you in that regard?

I'm using the dasm-assembler with a text editor. I have created animation frames for the enemies and might add them if there is enough memory. Also, Because of memory restrictions I'm only doing two animation frames for the enemies.

[Magovinna]

I have done a lot of changes to the game. Here is a screenshot of the progress so far. The game now consist of 3 castles you have to approach and conquer to win the game. The small yellow guy indicates your distance to each castle. The life indicator is now Three swords.

 

[LatchKeyKid]

Looks great!  Out of curiosity, why are the tombstones underneath the characters instead of the same level or overlapping?  Artisically I can see it trying to add layered depth to the scene but I don't think it's accomplishing that with the third level underneath being detailed UI as it seems to blend into that just as much as with the action above.  Is it also because of CPU cycle limitations?  I know in the original demo you published there was alot of action going on so figured I'd ask.  Also, I like how you handled the transition from night sky to the play level visually and might even recommend continuing that even lower with darker colors blending towards the black assuming you can as it's a cool effect.