Space Taxi - A8B version

[Andreatari]

39 minutes ago, tjlazer said:

Excellent port!  I know this is beta, but will there be a DD ATR made?  It's a 360k ATR right now.  I want to write this to disk for use on the 1050 drive.

ThankYou! 😊

 

why not?

I Think thai it could be easy to split it in a DD… good suggestion.

I’ll give it a look in the next days 👍🏽

[miker]

I've compressed largest file (ST) with exomizer (using TeBe's Super Packer 4.1) and it shrunk to 13756 bytes.

Then I've grabbed all the files and made DD atr. All fits, leaving 12 sectors free.

Although is a bit small for DOS, I have idea: what about compressing all of datafiles (or at least some of them), and then try to put them in DD atr?

[chevymad]

Ok, i'm doing something wrong. 800xl ntsc u1mb machine. I've tried loading via both side 3 and fujinet. I get the spacetaxi loading screen just fine. Then I seem to go to cartridge. I either get a version of missile command with no scores, or a black screen, or a screen with repeating lines of graphics characters. I've tried 800xl os, osB, altirra os, and xegs os. 1088rambo and 576 compy memory. When I remove the onboard missile command cart I get the black screen. I've tried with basic on and disabled. What else do I need to change?

[+Philsan]

With Side3+U1MB combo are you able to load other ATR?

 

Months ago I think I tested Side3 and AVGCart and the game worked.

I've done recent tests on PAL 800XL + U1MB (OS 1.3 and 320/1088KB) and FujiNet.

[chevymad]

What other ATR? The one I used is from here https://www.santellocco.com/atari/spacetaxi.htm 

[chevymad]

Ok just swapped to my XLD and it behaves the same. But then I tried all memory variations. It works fine in stock memory, but any of the increased memory modes it goes to missile command. 

[_The Doctor__]

Then you are using XEGS mode/OS

[chevymad]

7 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Then you are using XEGS mode/OS

No, it does it in all 4 os modes on both machines. 

[_The Doctor__]

You can't switch into XEGS ROMS if you don't have the XEGS ROM slots filled and active. Something doesn't add up.

This is happening on non XLD and XLD computer some way?

Common denominator is U1M, so config issue and XEGS slots.

Perhaps other Ultimate 1 Meg users will chime in.

Edited June 2, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[chevymad]

It happens on both my XLD and my 800xl with u1mb. From either hard drive/side3 or fujinet. On all 4 os and any memory configuration except stock. Set to stock it works fine. I'm currently uploading a video of it happening on my 800xl. Will post the link when it's done. 

 

[_The Doctor__]

perhaps screen shots of your configs. Missile Command is not hiding in all machines and all configs. It has to be something you flashed and configured.

[chevymad]

 

[Sinjinhawke]

On 5/28/2023 at 6:50 AM, SiLic0ne t0aD said:

Besides Atari & C64 machines, I can only hope it'll get ported to the ColecoVision and maybe Intellivision eventually..

I believe Brians' Man Cave has been learning to program on Intellivision and has a couple games completed and some more that are works in progress.  One of those is Space Taxi.  

 

[SiLic0ne t0aD]

13 hours ago, Sinjinhawke said:

I believe Brians' Man Cave has been learning to program on Intellivision and has a couple games completed and some more that are works in progress.  One of those is Space Taxi.  

 

Doh! That's right, yeah I totally forgot about that. His Inty port looks promising. Definitely looking forward to that one. 👍

[Yellowman]

Hi, what a great game, finally on my favorite 8 bit computer.
I used to play it a lot on the C64.

 

The Atari version now needs 128 Kb for the cool voice output to work.
I have it successfully on my Atari 800 XL with internal 256 Kb extension loaded (Sio2SD) and played.

 

Now I have exactly one Atari XEGS with U1MB and have exactly the same problems as @chevymad.
If the U1MB is set to 64 Kb (stock), the game runs without voice output.

With the XL-Os, XEGS-Os and the Hias-Os. If extended memory is configured in the U1MB,

whether 320k,576k or 1088k, loads the game to a certain point, then jumps into the XEGS game rom slot.
It doesn't matter which OS you use. And no matter which 8k rom is installed in the XEGS slot.
With Missile Command the screen described by @chevymad comes up. At another Rom a black screen.

 

I have updated the U1MB to the latest firmware. I got the tip from @Mario130XE, to empty a XEGS slot.

But that's not so easy. Unfortunately, UFlash cannot empty a slot, only update.

And I don't want to re-flash all 512K now. Maybe an update of UFlash can empty slots soon?

 

Presumably, no harm meant, there is a small bug when recognizing or installing the extended memory,
which confuses the U1MB? When loading sector $2AD, the first sector of SPEECH1, the computer crashes.

 

Since it's version 2.2, I'm hoping for 2.3

Thank you so much for this great game.

[chevymad]

Maybe @flashjazzcat would know what's going on? Any help Jon? 

[flashjazzcat]

4 minutes ago, chevymad said:

Maybe @flashjazzcat would know what's going on? Any help Jon? 

Yes. The game doesn't seem to like XEGS systems (and that includes an XEGS with U1MB installed and configured in XEGS mode); code at $A6C8 writes $87 to PORTB and banks in the XEGS game ROM in the cartridge space (whether blank U1MB game slot or otherwise), causing an instant crash. Bug, therefore.

 

[MichaG]

On 6/1/2023 at 10:30 PM, chevymad said:

Ok, i'm doing something wrong. 800xl ntsc u1mb machine. I've tried loading via both side 3 and fujinet. I get the spacetaxi loading screen just fine. Then I seem to go to cartridge. I either get a version of missile command with no scores, or a black screen, or a screen with repeating lines of graphics characters. I've tried 800xl os, osB, altirra os, and xegs os. 1088rambo and 576 compy memory. When I remove the onboard missile command cart I get the black screen. I've tried with basic on and disabled. What else do I need to change?

Same here with a pal XEGS with U1MB. No matter which OS, Basic on/off etc. I've tried Side3 and FujiNet via tnfs. I get the startscreen and then Missile Command is starting.

[flashjazzcat]

17 minutes ago, MichaG said:

Same here with a pal XEGS with U1MB.

See my prior post. The mystery is solved.

[chevymad]

Thank you for looking at it!

 

[Andreatari]

15 hours ago, Yellowman said:

Hi, what a great game, finally on my favorite 8 bit computer.
I used to play it a lot on the C64.

 

The Atari version now needs 128 Kb for the cool voice output to work.
I have it successfully on my Atari 800 XL with internal 256 Kb extension loaded (Sio2SD) and played.

 

Now I have exactly one Atari XEGS with U1MB and have exactly the same problems as @chevymad.
If the U1MB is set to 64 Kb (stock), the game runs without voice output.

With the XL-Os, XEGS-Os and the Hias-Os. If extended memory is configured in the U1MB,

whether 320k,576k or 1088k, loads the game to a certain point, then jumps into the XEGS game rom slot.
It doesn't matter which OS you use. And no matter which 8k rom is installed in the XEGS slot.
With Missile Command the screen described by @chevymad comes up. At another Rom a black screen.

 

I have updated the U1MB to the latest firmware. I got the tip from @Mario130XE, to empty a XEGS slot.

But that's not so easy. Unfortunately, UFlash cannot empty a slot, only update.

And I don't want to re-flash all 512K now. Maybe an update of UFlash can empty slots soon?

 

Presumably, no harm meant, there is a small bug when recognizing or installing the extended memory,
which confuses the U1MB? When loading sector $2AD, the first sector of SPEECH1, the computer crashes.

 

Since it's version 2.2, I'm hoping for 2.3

Thank you so much for this great game.

Hi Yellowman,

Thank you for your nice comment and, mainly, for the interesting feedback about the problem... unfortunately in the last days it was not possible for me to work on it but I saw that @flashjazzcat (Thank you! 👍💪) has already discovered the problem.
Honestly, about XEGS, I tested the game just on my real XEGS without any memory expansion or cartridge (I don't own any cart yet 😬) but the problem exists also with emulator so... it's my fault, I'm sorry 😔
Obviously I will fix the bug and a new release will be soon available

After about 1 week from publication, also according your feedbacks, here's a short recap...

Differences from the original that will not be implemented:
- You cannot select more than 1 player
- There is no 'attract mode'
- There is no instructions page (but there is a complete manual)

Bugs found:
- Big problem with XEGS 😔 - cause found by Flashjazzcat... It will be solved
- Strange behaviour using SDrive MAX - I'm stillinvestigating
- Very unfrequent problems with growing pads in Beanstalk - I'm still investigating but I've an idea about the causes 😎

Possible enhancements and corrections:
- Some voices are not perfect (i.e PAD 5, 8 and 9 have pitches different from others) - I could resample them.
- Some levels are too difficult compared to the original - I could try to mitigate difficulties with a better setup for the gravity and increasing space in some hard passages
- It is not possible to get an extra life when you reach 300 dollars - It will be absolutely implemented
- A better loading screen - I could use a new image, with a better look
- A cart version - Honestly I have no experiences how to adapt a game to be stored in a cartridge, but I would like to do it. Maybe it could be interesting to have a cart, packaged version of Space Taxi in the future... what's your opinion?
- A pause option is missing - It could be implemented

Other ideas, comments, suggestions?

By the way... nobody has already discovered the cheat mode to select any level?
(yeah... a simple cheat mode exists 😎)

Andrea

Edited June 6, 2023 by Andreatari

[Andreatari]

I've just corrected the XEGS big-bug 😋
As I told before, it was a problem caused by a lack of testing with this specific machine if equipped with a RAM expansion.

Thanks to @flashjazzcat for the debugging and @Yellowman for his feedback and a quick preview test with a real XEGS expanded

In a quite short time (I hope 😬) @Philsan will make available the new 2.3 release... it's nice to be helped by a great Atarians community 😎

Edited June 6, 2023 by Andreatari

[_The Doctor__]

No I don't think it's so much a problem by you but rather Atari's hack job of XEGS slots, and the subsequent implementations used in upgrades following it's silly waste of port B and other odds and ends.

 

Glad you found some work-arounds.

Edited June 6, 2023 by _The Doctor__

[flashjazzcat]

9 minutes ago, _The Doctor__ said:

subsequent implementations used in upgrades following it's silly waste of port B and other odds and ends

The upgrade really has no choice in the matter if it's to be compatible with the Atari OS. Andrea appears to have no problem acknowledging the bug, and no-one considers it a big deal. Nevertheless, it was a bug.

[Wrathchild]

Just now, Andreatari said:

A cart version - Honestly I have no experiences how to adapt a game to be stored in a cartridge, but I would like to do it. Maybe it could be interesting to have a cart, packaged version of Space Taxi in the future

More than happy to help out here, PM me when you're ready