Checking in after some years

[MausGames]

I finally figured out how to get back into my account after the great "your username is no longer your login" purge, wanted to say hello and see if I can get back into playing with bB. Attempting to use VisualbB with modern Windows is a bad experience, what are people using now? Is there a reason mods still have the VisualbB thread stickied? Seems like it would lead new bB users down a frustrating path...

Edited May 20 by MausGames

[MausGames]

I think I have VisualbB working now! Maybe I can still do this mostly like I used to. I'm excited to see what's new!

[+Random Terrain]

Just now, MausGames said:

I finally figured out how to get back into my account after the great "your username is no longer your password" purge, wanted to say hello and see if I can get back into playing with bB. Attempting to use VisualbB with modern Windows is a bad experience, what are people using now? Is there a reason mods still have the VisualbB thread stickied? Seems like it would lead new bB users down a frustrating path...

 

Be sure to check out this section on the bB page:

 

https://www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#ideforbb

 

Some people are using Atari Dev Studio that is mentioned in that section, but I still use VbB since it has so many tools.

 

I tell people on the VbB page to make sure that Load Start Web Page on Open is turned off on the settings page. If it's enabled, you'll get a ton of error messages and will probably have to close the program using your computer's Task Manager. Don't try to load any web page with VbB. Use a real browser.

 

 

Here's something I posted in another thread about VbB:

 

Never Open Web Pages With VbB

 

I've had that feature disabled for so long that I kind of forgot it was possible. Always have Load Start Web Page on Open disabled.

 

 

Sprite Frames

 

The sprite editor in VbB is adequate, but clunky. Here's how I make an animated sprite in VbB:

 

randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-vbb.html#creatinganimations

Quote

If you want to work on an animation and you've never done it before, here's one way to do it. Create a sprite in the Sprite Editor and save it. Then use Save As to save a copy of it. Open that copy and as you work on that 'frame' of your animation, you can click on the tab for it to make sure it's active and 'flip' between the two sprite editors by using the left/right arrow keys on your keyboard. You can flip back and forth, work on the image some more, flip back and forth and so on until you get it looking perfect. Make sure you save the sprite, then use Save As to save a copy of that sprite. Open that copy and work on it, click on a tab and flip between all three using the left/right cursor keys to see how your animation is progressing. You can keep on with this process until you have perfected your animation. Just remember to save the latest version of all of your 'frames' and you'll be ready to use the Sprite Animator.

 

I'd rather use the Commodore 64 sprite editor in Atari Dev Studio, but I don't think it's been adapted for bB yet. I also don't see a way to flip back and forth between frames with the keyboard arrow keys. I'll go ask in the Atari Dev Studio thread.

 

 

Code Editor Right Click Menu

 

Check out all of the useful options in the right click menu when you're using the code editor:

 

randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-vbb.html#ce_rcm

 

I use Comment/Uncomment a lot.

 

I don't use Flip Text that often, but I use it enough to like having it.

 

When working on a huge program, Add Bookmark is very useful. I just wish jwierer would have chosen a different way to do it. My Bookmarks were always getting out of order.

 

Audit Variables is especially useful when working on another person's program (if they used dim for all of their variables).

 

Audit Goto/Gosub is great, especially when switching from one bank to multiple banks.

 

I use Find Next more than I thought I would.

 

Find Label saves me a lot of time.

 

I use Force Minimum Spacing on every program I have to work on.

 

When working on a large program with a lot of banks, Identify Current Bank can be very helpful.

 

I probably use Save As more than any of the other options.

 

 

Score Editor

 

The Score Editor allows you to create custom fonts for the score across the bottom of your game. You can do more than just make your own numbers. If your game doesn't use a score, you can use the score to display a life bar, items for an adventure game, or anything you can imagine.

 

 

Music and Sound Editor

 

You can create music or sound effects with the Music and Sound Editor, then move the data to your program. I like how I can quickly test a sound effect I'm working on countless times until it's as perfect as I can get it.