Accessing a cartridge from TiBasic?

[DoomGamer99er]

Is it possible and if so, is it simple to run a game cartridge that is plugged into the console from TiBasic?

 

Thanks!

[HOME AUTOMATION]

I believe it is possible, and that simplicity is relative.

Simple enough ...that I can't do it for you right at this moment...

[senior_falcon]

12 hours ago, DoomGamer99er said:

Is it possible and if so, is it simple to run a game cartridge that is plugged into the console from TiBasic?

 

Thanks!

Not quite sure what you are trying to do. The cartridge is part of the menu (Press 1 for TI BASIC Press 2 for Cartridge Name, etc.)

V2.2 consoles  do not support 3rd party ROM cartridges. But there is a way to run ROM cartridges via a short BASIC program. It would not be practical to type in the program, so it must be loaded from cassette or disk.

[senior_falcon]

Here is a little more information for you.

There is a thread called Bypass V2.2 console protection where there is a discussion about ways to get a rom cartridge to run on a v2.2 console.

 

The whole thread is interesting. Of particular interest is the second entry on the second page:

 

"Here is a more polished version of the utility that lets you run ROM cartridges on a V2.2 console. This gives you a menu which is needed if your cartridge has more than one program. The zip file has two programs: V22RUN will simply run the first program in the list, and V22MENU is the more advanced one that gives the menu."

V22UNLOCK.zip

 

[DoomGamer99er]

On 11/18/2024 at 11:55 AM, senior_falcon said:

Not quite sure what you are trying to do. The cartridge is part of the menu (Press 1 for TI BASIC Press 2 for Cartridge Name, etc.)

V2.2 consoles  do not support 3rd party ROM cartridges. But there is a way to run ROM cartridges via a short BASIC program. It would not be practical to type in the program, so it must be loaded from cassette or disk.

I've realized that what I was hoping to create would not work as the game cartridge would not return to basic after completion.

 

 

[HOME AUTOMATION]

...If you say so ...I guess you're in the driver's seat.🚗

 

This game switches back and forth between BASIC, and MINI MEMORY(a cartridge), seamlessly while the game is in play...

 

Here's an example of how to enter BASIC, from assembly. Or are you looking to use GPL?

@retroclouds, seems to have mastered this technique. I'd actually need to figure it out.

 

Starting from M7D00... This example shows the MACHINE CODE, entry from EASYBUG...

 

[+jedimatt42]

You can define CALL sub-programs in a cartridge that are available to run from BASIC. They will return to BASIC. Those sub-programs have to be GPL routines, but then GPL can call into assembly. 

 

The GROMS in several cartridges are examples of this, such as how editor assembler adds CALL LOAD to BASIC. Several cartridges add sub-programs and then the primary program is actually BASIC byte code running out of the GROM chip instead of VDP RAM. 

[DoomGamer99er]

So what I wanted to do was use the TOD cartridge for dungeon crawling as part of a game I started writing years ago.. then shelved.

 

Is there a way to run TOD from basic, complete a dungeon then return to the basic program from TOD?

 

Also, some other aspects that I'd like to implement would probably require XB.. so I'll probably take the approach of creating an XB game that instructs the player to play a specific quest at a specific time.

 

 

[HOME AUTOMATION]

I'm sure there's a way ...might be a bit complex.

The original cart. version, in GROM, runs GPL code!

There is an ASSEMBLY version, that loads from disk.(EA5)

There's also an editor, which might help.

Don't know much about it myself.

I think John Behnke, has done some work on TOD, MODS.

Can't recall his handle, here though.

GAMEBASE, has a version, with pre-loaded games...

[+DuaneAL]

John goes by JB Freeware. 

[DoomGamer99er]

On 11/22/2024 at 11:27 AM, HOME AUTOMATION said:

I'm sure there's a way ...might be a bit complex.

The original cart. version, in GROM, runs GPL code!

There is an ASSEMBLY version, that loads from disk.(EA5)

There's also an editor, which might help.

Don't know much about it myself.

I think John Behnke, has done some work on TOD, MODS.

Can't recall his handle, here though.

GAMEBASE, has a version, with pre-loaded games...

Definitely too complex for my skill level. 😞 I think I'll write a standalone story which would require a cart swap etc.. just to accomplish a simple  playthrough. If it seems worthwhile maybe pursue accessing the cart/xb program from a sort of shell program as required.

 

Thanks again for all the input on this.. it's probably a bit out of my reach at the moment.

[senior_falcon]

On 11/22/2024 at 1:29 PM, DoomGamer99er said:

So what I wanted to do was use the TOD cartridge for dungeon crawling as part of a game I started writing years ago.. then shelved.

 

Is there a way to run TOD from basic, complete a dungeon then return to the basic program from TOD?

 

Also, some other aspects that I'd like to implement would probably require XB.. so I'll probably take the approach of creating an XB game that instructs the player to play a specific quest at a specific time.

 

 

With the standard TOD and BASIC, I think this would not be possible for a bunch of reasons.

TOD and TI BASIC will both use the scratchpad, but very differently

Both will use VDP ram, again very differently.

Plus, there is no way to get to TOD from BASIC.

But...

It might be possible to make a cartridge that has TOD and a few enhancements to BASIC, along the lines of the minimemory or EA cartridge. Then maybe you could CALL TOD from BASIC. If you add 32K to the mix, when changing from TOD to or from BASIC, the entirety of the VDP ram could be swapped out and stored in ram.

But I am skeptical.