The Genious programing of Montezumas Revenge

[Captain Cozmos]

After I disassembled and examined the Colecovision version I have learned so many great ideas on pattern animation and programing.

 

To start the conversation and relay my observations I will explain it briefly.
 

The basic concept is that it cycles through the pattern generator changing the address of where the patterns are located with slight differences to only what the programmer wanted animated.

It would have the the static things that do not change which would be the walls, score, rope, ladders.  The fire, treadmill, snakes ect... are changed as it cycles through the pattern location in VRAM.

 

The interesting part is that these patterns are constantly changing regardless of whether they are present on screen or not.
They have a constant timing and you never have to worry about them.

Create a map table and a room, put your animated patterns wherever you need them and there you go.
 

How cool is that.

 

CC

 

[Zinister]

Neat.  This game was way ahead of it's time.

[Tempest]

Neat!  Anything interesting hidden in the code?

[Captain Cozmos]

2 hours ago, Tempest said:

Neat!  Anything interesting hidden in the code?

I'll keep at it and let you know but so far this is an extremely simple and strait forward game.

 

It's so simplistic I'm surprised you don't have a level editor or something.