TI Adventure Gaming

[MikeV]

This is the first of 6 planned RXB/ SAMS text adventures. During the covid months I adapted 20 or so adventures from other basics for use on the TI. These literal adaptations repeatedly left a lot to be desired, as they tended to highlight the 99/4a's weaknesses. Long story short, these are the same programs but better suited to the TI with SAMS support. The immediate goal is to reduce the time spent waiting for the TI to respond, or scroll... In addition, the use of SAMS permitted some added features.

 

However, this is still an XB environment. Disk #1;
Program: The Ancient Chateau by Tim Hartnell (1984), mixed IF and D&D elements
     GWBasic original: 24,653 bytes, about 26k to run

 

The TI Version requires a DSSD drive, or something better, RXB and SAMS.

Startup time: reasonable
     Performance: good

 

There are two small pdf manuals included. The first can be viewed as a typical pdf.
The second is for anyone who may wish to print it out in booklet form:
    1) landscape format
    2) print one page at a time (use 'current view')
    3) place the first page back in you paper feed, print down with the same orientation as it came out
    4) print page 2, etc.

Your printer may be different and/ or smart enough to figure it out! There will be 3 double-sided pages.

Hopefully there are no bugs...   Ancient Chateau.zip

 

 

[jrhodes]

Awesome. Glad to see the SAMS memory and RXB start to be utilized more!

[MikeV]

On 4/9/2024 at 2:08 PM, jrhodes said:

Awesome. Glad to see the SAMS memory and RXB start to be utilized more!

The SAMS is unfortunately one of the most under utilized pieces of hardware in the 99/4a world.

It has such potential!

 

[MikeV]

Here are the SAMS aware Text Adventures 2 & 3. I am releasing then together as they were written by the same author,  David Meny. The first is Escape from SSADB and the second Pirate Island. They were both written in 1985 using GWBASIC. I had the early adaptation 3-4 years ago and the "SAMS Format" should have been done a couple of weeks ago. However, found some deficiencies in the original and had to remediate... Hopefully all done! Again the docs have two formats for onscreen and printing a small booklet (they are for both programs.) The ZIP File is the docs. These programs require RXB (the only XB that supports SAMS) and a SAMS card.

 

The next offering will require a "Clock Card". I am attempting to be inclusive in that regard.

 

If you find any deficits, please let me know. Thanks!

 

 

Pirate Island.zip ESSADB.dsk PIRATE.dsk

Edited July 8 by MikeV
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[RXB]

OMG it is about time someone used the SAMS and RXB to make games.

The only previous game was IN THE DARK using up to 917K for that version of the game.

Standard issue IN THE DARK was much smaller as 1Meg SAMS takes some time to load, but if other games exist that problem goes into the background.

 

Again thanks for this! It has been over 23 years of waiting as RXB SAMS support has been around since year 2000

 

Rich

[MikeV]

16 hours ago, RXB said:

OMG it is about time someone used the SAMS and RXB to make games.

The only previous game was IN THE DARK using up to 917K for that version of the game.

Standard issue IN THE DARK was much smaller as 1Meg SAMS takes some time to load, but if other games exist that problem goes into the background.

 

Again thanks for this! It has been over 23 years of waiting as RXB SAMS support has been around since year 2000

 

Rich

There will be a few more (though none at 917K !!!) It is nice to see a TI/ XB/ SAMS combo perform so well "as is".

 

[MikeV]

Here is an IF adventure from more recent years - The Twilight Zone. Though it turned out to be a bit of bother (clock cards), I rather enjoyed this one! It retains the dialog and feel of the original series, so if you enjoyed that you will probably grin through this offering. In your wanderings you will recall many familiar names and settings...

 

The action is limited to 30 minutes (the game requires a TI clock device) and in that time you must navigate through the TZ dimension and back to ours. A scoring scheme, new to this implementation, was added to increase the challenge. You acquire points by collecting "Treasures" and through your interactions with the TZ world and its inhabitants. (See booklet for additional details.)

 

Specifications:
  - Author, D.B. Taylor of Alberta, Canada
  - v1.0 - December 6, 2016
  - Originally written in Quick Basic
  - Size: 55,912 bytes to load (Quick Basic)
  - Available in both Quick Basic source and executable formats

TI Implementation:
  - Designed to load with RXB and SAMS card
  - Requires a clock device. MBP, CorComp, IDE (Fred's DSR) and TIPI clocks are supported.
  - Size: about 15K to load; a little more to RUN. Uses 26 - 4K SAMS banks.
  - The game is limited to 30 minutes - no save feature.

 

If you use a physical disk drive as media, then loading SAMS will be your longest wait. IDE, SCSI, or RAMDISK are much quicker. I tested the program with the MBP, CorComp and IDE clock devices, but not the TIPI (as I do not own one.) The TIPI documention states that it operates the same as the CorComp for compatibility, so after opening with "PI.CLOCK" it uses the CorComp routine. Classic99 emulates the CorComp.

 

You will find it necessary to briefly depress a key to break the clock cycle routine, there is no easy way around this using only an XB. This is particularly noticeable when using the MBP card. Please report any shortfalls. (PS do not play the game between 2330 and Midnight, that's prime

TZ time!)         

TZ Game.zip

 

Edited July 8 by MikeV
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