Colecovision wonder-tastic BASIC compiler: CVBasic v0.5.0 (now with bank-switching support!)

[+nanochess]

Hi all.

 

After thinking about it a lot, I've decided on a way to implement bank-switching on CVBasic!

 

Bank-switching is supported for Colecovision with Megacart-style banking, for SG1000 using Sega mapper ($fffe), and for MSX using ASCII16 mapper. Again all the platform details are handled by CVBasic, you only need to code the best possible program 😉

 

What can you code in 1 MB of ROM?

 

Changes in v0.5.0:

 

* New statements BANK ROM (for selection ROM size from 128K, 256K, 512K, or 1MB!), BANK to select a bank for following code/data, and BANK SELECT to select a bank to access.

* Added example bank.bas for basic usage of BANK.

* New statement SPRITE FLICKER ON/OFF.

* Optimization of code generation for NEXT.

* Optimization of several 8-bit and 16-bit operations in common usage (typically saving hundreds of bytes in medium-size programs)

* Added patch to make SG1000 compilations compatible with SC3000.

 

Enjoy it!

 

cvbasic_v0.5.0.zip

[+nanochess]

BTW I'll be glad to know how many bytes you save in your final binary when compiling with this new version.

[abeker]

Oh wow, the generated assembly code looks much better now On my small code (~1KB) the new version saves about 160 bytes!

 

There's still room for improvement, for example when you use a logical operator in an IF-statement the generated assembly code is a bit weird compared to when using logical operators in assignments.

	; 		IF level(cursor_index) AND 64 THEN
	LD A,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX)
	LD L,A 
	LD H,0
	LD DE,array_LEVEL
	ADD HL,DE
	LD L,(HL)
	LD H,0
	LD A,L
	AND 64
	LD L,A
	LD H,0
	LD A,H
	OR L
	JP Z,cv27

vs.

	; 		tile = level(cursor_index) AND (32+3)
	LD A,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX)
	LD L,A
	LD H,0
	LD DE,array_LEVEL
	ADD HL,DE
	LD A,(HL)
	AND 35
	LD (cvb_TILE),A

 

In this case LD HL,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX) / LD H,0 will also save one byte and two cycles.

 

You probably now these 'tricks':

When subtracting a 16bit constant number, just make it negative and add it.

Increasing/decreasing an 8bit number by one can be optimized, LD HL,variable / INC (HL) or DEC (HL).

 

When assigning the same value to multiple variables, it can be loaded in a register just once.

 

In my game players can use both joysticks, so I just use CONT.<DIRECTION> all the time. This could probably just be LD HL,(joy1_data) / LD A,H / OR L.

 

I just skimmed through the assembly code, but there's probably more, I can check more thoroughly if you'd like. Or use the excellent MDL tool made by Santiago Ontañón (it doesn't like the currently generated assembly code due to the # character in labels).

[+nanochess]

41 minutes ago, abeker said:

Oh wow, the generated assembly code looks much better now On my small code (~1KB) the new version saves about 160 bytes!

 

There's still room for improvement, for example when you use a logical operator in an IF-statement the generated assembly code is a bit weird compared to when using logical operators in assignments.

	; 		IF level(cursor_index) AND 64 THEN
	LD A,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX)
	LD L,A 
	LD H,0
	LD DE,array_LEVEL
	ADD HL,DE
	LD L,(HL)
	LD H,0
	LD A,L
	AND 64
	LD L,A
	LD H,0
	LD A,H
	OR L
	JP Z,cv27

vs.

	; 		tile = level(cursor_index) AND (32+3)
	LD A,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX)
	LD L,A
	LD H,0
	LD DE,array_LEVEL
	ADD HL,DE
	LD A,(HL)
	AND 35
	LD (cvb_TILE),A

 

In this case LD HL,(cvb_CURSOR_INDEX) / LD H,0 will also save one byte and two cycles.

 

You probably now these 'tricks':

When subtracting a 16bit constant number, just make it negative and add it.

Increasing/decreasing an 8bit number by one can be optimized, LD HL,variable / INC (HL) or DEC (HL).

 

When assigning the same value to multiple variables, it can be loaded in a register just once.

 

In my game players can use both joysticks, so I just use CONT.<DIRECTION> all the time. This could probably just be LD HL,(joy1_data) / LD A,H / OR L.

 

I just skimmed through the assembly code, but there's probably more, I can check more thoroughly if you'd like. Or use the excellent MDL tool made by Santiago Ontañón (it doesn't like the currently generated assembly code due to the # character in labels).

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

I'm glad you have nice savings in byte usage.

 

Your first IF can be optimized if you add the period character to the 64 constant. This way, CVBasic gets it as an 8-bit constant.

 

[artrag]

Awesome ! and the generated ASM looks better than the one generated by SDCC for C sources  

[Jess Ragan]

So that's one megabyte? Like eight megabits, as advertised on Strider for the Sega Genesis? Dang. Will someone have the dedication and sheer force of will to make a ColecoVision game of that size? That falls into "epic RPG" status. Not even Kirby's Adventure at six megabits was that large!

[+5-11under]

21 minutes ago, Jess Ragan said:

So that's one megabyte? Like eight megabits, as advertised on Strider for the Sega Genesis? Dang. Will someone have the dedication and sheer force of will to make a ColecoVision game of that size? That falls into "epic RPG" status. Not even Kirby's Adventure at six megabits was that large!

If it helps, my boards can handle up to "HalfMega", or 512KB. 128KB is more common, and is somewhat cheaper.

[+nanochess]

1 hour ago, Jess Ragan said:

So that's one megabyte? Like eight megabits, as advertised on Strider for the Sega Genesis? Dang. Will someone have the dedication and sheer force of will to make a ColecoVision game of that size? That falls into "epic RPG" status. Not even Kirby's Adventure at six megabits was that large!

That's right. Eight megabits.

[Révo]

I'm so glad to see bank-switching on CVBASIC, thank you so much!

 

This last version made me save 0,2kb on my game^^

 

Are you planning to release and sell a book about CVBASIC? Where is that Donkey Kong clone game?

[ZippyOasys]

1 hour ago, Révo said:

Are you planning to release and sell a book about CVBASIC? Where is that Donkey Kong clone game?

I think he said he is, along with the Monkey Moon example.

[+nanochess]

2 hours ago, Révo said:

I'm so glad to see bank-switching on CVBASIC, thank you so much!

 

This last version made me save 0,2kb on my game^^

 

Are you planning to release and sell a book about CVBASIC? Where is that Donkey Kong clone game?

 

7 minutes ago, ZippyOasys said:

I think he said he is, along with the Monkey Moon example.

That's right. The game is Monkey Moon, and the book is almost around the corner.

 

[Tony Cruise]

I have updated my sprite and tile editor to support CVBasic format, let me know if I have missed anything.  New version is available here.

 

[Jess Ragan]

Oh, that would be nice. Shame I was doing the Byron game through the command menu with TMScolor. Slightly less convenient, as you can imagine.

[SiRioKD]

Hi, 

reading in SMS memory mapper info I found this:

 

$fffc	Cartridge RAM mapper control
$fffd	Mapper slot 0 control
$fffe	Mapper slot 1 control
$ffff	Mapper slot 2 control

 

 

If you want to change page 2 ($8000-BFFF) you probably need to use ld ($ffff),a

 

In the initializazion part of mapper the code you can find is:

 

ld hl, $0000        ; Set FFFC to 0, FFFD (Slot 0, $0400-$3FFF) to 0

ld ($FFFC), hl

 

ld hl, $0201         ; Set FFFE (Slot 1, $4000-$7FFF) to 1, FFFF (Slot 2, $8000-$BFFF) to 2

ld ($FFFE), hl

 

 

https://www.smspower.org/Development/MemoryMap

 

 

[+nanochess]

5 hours ago, Tony Cruise said:

I have updated my sprite and tile editor to support CVBasic format, let me know if I have missed anything.  New version is available here.

 

Pretty cool. Thanks! People working in Windows surely will appreciate it.

 

A question because I don't see a edit control to enter the label. Can be used a label name like cvb_sprites_bitmap? It is because CVBasic adds the cvb_* part to access labels.

 

1 hour ago, SiRioKD said:

Hi, 

reading in SMS memory mapper info I found this:

 

$fffc	Cartridge RAM mapper control
$fffd	Mapper slot 0 control
$fffe	Mapper slot 1 control
$ffff	Mapper slot 2 control

 

 

If you want to change page 2 ($8000-BFFF) you probably need to use ld ($ffff),a

 

In the initializazion part of mapper the code you can find is:

 

ld hl, $0000        ; Set FFFC to 0, FFFD (Slot 0, $0400-$3FFF) to 0

ld ($FFFC), hl

 

ld hl, $0201         ; Set FFFE (Slot 1, $4000-$7FFF) to 1, FFFF (Slot 2, $8000-$BFFF) to 2

ld ($FFFE), hl

 

 

https://www.smspower.org/Development/MemoryMap

 

 

Yes, CVBasic already initializes $fffe for SG1000. The other parts are set on RESET.

 

For compatibility reasons, I've set $0000-$3fff as a fixed bank, and $4000-$7fff as the switchable bank, so it reflects the MSX and Colecovision mappers.

 

Of course, this mapper for SG1000 is kind of extending the standard because so far I don't know any SG1000 game using bank switching, so it would be more for Sega Master System consoles.

[OriginalJohn]

7 hours ago, Tony Cruise said:

I have updated my sprite and tile editor to support CVBasic format, let me know if I have missed anything.  New version is available here.

 

 

Outstanding - this is awesome news! @Tony Cruise  Would it be possible to add a button to the Screen Layouts tab that will remove any unused chars from the character set list?  Thanks

Edited April 30 by OriginalJohn

[Tony Cruise]

9 hours ago, OriginalJohn said:

 

Outstanding - this is awesome news! @Tony Cruise  Would it be possible to add a button to the Screen Layouts tab that will remove any unused chars from the character set list?  Thanks

That's a good idea - I will have a look at that for the next update.

[Tony Cruise]

10 hours ago, nanochess said:

Pretty cool. Thanks! People working in Windows surely will appreciate it.

 

A question because I don't see a edit control to enter the label. Can be used a label name like cvb_sprites_bitmap? It is because CVBasic adds the cvb_* part to access labels.

 

Yes, CVBasic already initializes $fffe for SG1000. The other parts are set on RESET.

 

For compatibility reasons, I've set $0000-$3fff as a fixed bank, and $4000-$7fff as the switchable bank, so it reflects the MSX and Colecovision mappers.

 

Of course, this mapper for SG1000 is kind of extending the standard because so far I don't know any SG1000 game using bank switching, so it would be more for Sega Master System consoles.

Yes, you can add labels to individual sprites, each tileset and each tile layout.  Just type over the automatically generated name with the new name.

[SiRioKD]

Hi, 

I put the essential code for SG-1000/SC-3000 used in Sega games. 

 

I added the correct initialization code and the keyboard (SC-3000 and external SK-1100 for SG-1000) support for joystick (only player 1 so far).

 

https://github.com/siriokds/SC-3000-Keyboard-support/blob/main/SG-1000_SC-3000_essentials.asm

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

[+Gemintronic]

I hope moving up the chain of sega consoles eventually leads to Sega Master System support.  Perhaps Sega Genesis support by using the z80 and compatible VDP modes.

 

Flashable boards and shells for Sega Genesis are cheap and easy.  Plus, many more Sega Genesis enthusiasts out there

[ZippyOasys]

Just out of curiosity, I wonder if you could add support for the SG-1000 Arcade hardware.

 

https://segaretro.org/SG-1000-based_arcade_hardware

[SiRioKD]

Hi, 

here's my modified prologue:

https://github.com/siriokds/SC-3000-Keyboard-support/blob/main/cvbasic_prologue.asm

 

* Inserted the initial VDP initialization delay needed with these machines with no bios.

* Added the SC-3000/SG-1000 player-1 keys from keyboard if present.

 

 

[Jess Ragan]

Heh, I think I've been talking to you on another forum!

 

For the record, I don't know if I can compress the graphics in the game without losing visual quality. (Which would be a shame, as graphics are a highlight in WESEB.) I know Nanochess mentioned something called "pletter" in the instructions, but I don't know how that works. I'm pretty sure I don't want the code to get so complicated that I can't keep track of it, though.

 

I've noticed that SG-1000 games can be slightly larger than ColecoVision games, up to 48K. How does CV Basic handle games for that system and the MSX? Same hard limit on cart size?

[thegeps]

Pletter is a file compressor. It compress your files on PC and provide you a fast decompressor in Z80 asm to be included in your sources.

I presume that if CVBasic will support pletter compression then it will be totally automatic by some dedicated new command (as the ones he added for cartrige pages switching)

There are megarom cartridges also for colecovision, so no worry about it

[carlsson]

When you generate graphics through tmscolor -z, your data will be compressed with the Pletter algorithm. Once you insert it into your program, you load as characters or sprites by adding the PLETTER keyword so the compiler knows this data actually is compressed. That is a non-destructive compression, think ZIP in order to save ROM space. While the manual doesn't say, I suppose it might take a little longer to load such data than if it was uncompressed straight from ROM.

 

Since you can DEFINE VRAM at any address with compressed data, I suppose it could be a use case if you keep e.g. changeable level data in a part of VRAM that you VPEEK and VPOKE against all the time. In that case, you would have compressed your levels manually using a Pletter compressor, which is not what you asked for.