New Q*bert Atari 7800 Homebrew

[Paranoid]

I'm falling behind on keeping my CC2 updated. I should really get around to loading this up and giving it a try. The AtariMax cart has spoiled me for loading new ROM images.

[kenfused]

I'm falling behind on keeping my CC2 updated. I should really get around to loading this up and giving it a try. The AtariMax cart has spoiled me for loading new ROM images.

Yea, for testing I almost excusively use the serial cable on the CC2, just turn on the 7800, load up the cc2serial transfer program, pick the rom, be sure the bank/startup is correct, hit send, and in a couple seconds the game is up. Of course once I get it finished it'll go on the memory card. I couldnt imagine using it for testing and having to pull the memory card out and go though the hassle to add it each time.

[kenfused]

First 48K build. Update your CC2 settings accordingly.

Added high score display screen (currently non-functional in that you can't enter your scores/initials yet). Colors are also wrong for the top scores initials, and the ":"'s should be ")"'s

Note that this screen only displays if you are not using a High Score Cart (or have HSC NOT enabled on the CC2).

The eventual plan is to store the top 5 of each of these scores on one of they joystick memory cards if one is used.

HSC support will still be kept as a fallback, but will lack the nicer high score entry and display screens.

 

--Ken

bonQ.zip

[kenfused]

Added non functional high score entry screen (for non HSC users). I need to have some of the text change depending on rank, oh and actually figuring out the rank might be nice. Making it work mght be good too. High score table is now initialized and read.

 

TO DOs:

(1) Allow high score entry for player 2. I need to check if the game has the first player to run out of lives enter their score before the next player finishes.

(2) Finish high score entry screen and make it functional. Figure out the unique text displayed for each rank.

(3) Make high score screen unique per difficulty level. Depending on free RAM, I may have to decrease the number of entries in the table, or possibly clear some of the entries when a different level is selected, or some combo of the two.

(4) Add joystick memory card support (it will probably only save the top 5 scores from each difficulty level).

(5) Make difficulty level selectable.

(6) Fix an interesting bug: Get coily to jump off, and then hurry up and jump off yourself before he finishes falling.

(7) Make coily and Q*bert fall faster.

( Add some kind of intro screen.

bonQ.zip

Edited August 15, 2006 by kenfused

[CPUWIZ]

Cool, I didn't know you added SaveKey™ support, good thing I had 300 boards of those made. Which reminds me, both PCB orders should arrive in a couple of days.

[kenfused]

Cool, I didn't know you added SaveKey™ support, good thing I had 300 boards of those made. Which reminds me, both PCB orders should arrive in a couple of days.

I haven't yet but plan on it. Who is the person that assigns out the 64 byte blocks? I will need 2 for bonQ if I save the top 5 scores for 4 levels. Hmmm, maybe it should require a dedicated mem card :-)

[Shawn]

Cool, I didn't know you added SaveKey™ support, good thing I had 300 boards of those made. Which reminds me, both PCB orders should arrive in a couple of days.

I haven't yet but plan on it. Who is the person that assigns out the 64 byte blocks? I will need 2 for bonQ if I save the top 5 scores for 4 levels. Hmmm, maybe it should require a dedicated mem card :-)

 

That sounds fine to me. I know I have a DC memeory card just for Half Life and a Cube memory card just for Final Fantasy. It would actually be pretty cool to have a game use more than normal blocks of a memory card for the ATARI, no one seems to mind on any other console right?

[shadow460]

I mind. But Ken's doing the work, not me.

[Richard H.]

I haven't yet but plan on it. Who is the person that assigns out the 64 byte blocks? I will need 2 for bonQ if I save the top 5 scores for 4 levels. Hmmm, maybe it should require a dedicated mem card :-)

I've put you on the assignment list

 

(if you want to go the dedicated SaveKey™ route, let me know)

Edited August 16, 2006 by Richard H.

[kenfused]

I've put you on the assignment list

 

(if you want to go the dedicated SaveKey™ route, let me know)

Hmm. statogems is using 4. I didnt want to be greedy :-) I'll just stick with 2 for now.

Edited August 16, 2006 by kenfused

[kenfused]

Minor update. High score initial entry screen is functional. You can move around and enter your intitials. Mostly done except for a couple of cosmetic issues and a sound or two. The initials are not saved yet though, and it still always reports rank 9.

bonQ.zip

[diggs130]

This and burgertime are both sweet games,finally messed with mess and got to give'em a whirl!Cant wait to play the burgertime on the real hardware when the cart comes in,glad I jumped on it when I did~

 

 

Thank you for breathing new life into the 7800~

[128bytes]

I'm falling behind on keeping my CC2 updated. I should really get around to loading this up and giving it a try. The AtariMax cart has spoiled me for loading new ROM images.

 

I am falling behind in keeping my CC2 updated, too. I loved the Q*bert WIP and can't wait to try out the new enhancements. I really like the new name, btw, Kenfused!

[kenfused]

Minor update: Game now determines your rank and will store your score and initials in the high score table.

 

Coming next:

A little more screen cleanup on high score screen.

Properly handle high score entry in two player games

Save Key support.

bonQ.zip

Edited August 27, 2006 by kenfused

[Godzilla]

so when can we buy one :-)

[kenfused]

so when can we buy one :-)

Have been moving to a new place. Will hopefully get back to finishing it soon. Especially since I already have all the parts to make the carts, I want to get it done soon.

[Godzilla]

well put me down for two :-) friend of mine wants one also

[Brian R.]

I fired this up in ProSystem emulator but I couldn't move. ???

[kenfused]

I fired this up in ProSystem emulator but I couldn't move. ???

IF you dont change the default joystick orientation, you will typically have to press two keys at once in an emulator to move since you have to move diagonally. You can choose other orientations before starting the game by using select or moving the "joystick:

[Shawn]

So has anyone else took Ken's advice and paused to do the right thing?

[Bakasama]

I haven't posted in thethread in a long time. I do think the red balls should have three speeds, like in arcade game.

 

I did finish some animations for Ugg and Wrong-Way but I got very sick. If want see what they look like, just ask for them and I'll dig in my old computer and get them.

[kenfused]

Knocked a few things off my list. Note: I haven't tested High-Score-Cart with multiple players yet though.

 

TO DOs:

(1) Allow high score entry for player 2. I need to check if the game has the first player to run out of lives enter their score before the next player finishes.

(2) Finish high score entry screen and make it functional. Figure out the unique text displayed for each rank.

(3) Make high score screen unique per difficulty level. Depending on free RAM, I may have to decrease the number of entries in the table, or possibly clear some of the entries when a different level is selected, or some combo of the two.

(4) Add joystick memory card support (it will probably only save the top 5 scores from each difficulty level).

(5) Make difficulty level selectable.

(6) Fix an interesting bug: Get coily to jump off, and then hurry up and jump off yourself before he finishes falling.

(7) Make coily and Q*bert fall faster.

(eight) Add some kind of intro screen.

bonQ.zip

[kenfused]

Finally getting back to trying to finish b*nQ.

 

I did finish some animations for Ugg and Wrong-Way but I got very sick.

Were they much different than the ones I am using you created? I am pretty happy with the prior ones you created I am using

If want see what they look like, just ask for them and I'll dig in my old computer and get them.

Only thing I don't really like is the purple ball bounce, and slick and sam to some extent. The purple ball is probably some hybrid of something you drew and I modified. It just doesnt look 100% when it squishes. Slick and sam, it probably isnt possible to do much better with the pixels available

 

Thanks again for all your help

[Goochman]

Very nice - I hadnt looked at this in awhile.

 

I played this on Mess 0.87 and the first thing I did (keyboard control) was jump off the top (NW movement) - b*nQ started to fall but then appeared from the top middle and fell down again resulting in the 'curse' - Dont know if you've seen this before or its just an older version of MESS I have.

[Bakasama]

Finally getting back to trying to finish b*nQ.

 

I did finish some animations for Ugg and Wrong-Way but I got very sick.

Were they much different than the ones I am using you created? I am pretty happy with the prior ones you created I am using

If want see what they look like, just ask for them and I'll dig in my old computer and get them.

Only thing I don't really like is the purple ball bounce, and slick and sam to some extent. The purple ball is probably some hybrid of something you drew and I modified. It just doesnt look 100% when it squishes. Slick and sam, it probably isnt possible to do much better with the pixels available

 

Thanks again for all your help

 

They're just have the same number of frames of animation as Q*bert but they look the same as the still versions.

 

I'll looking into the animations for the purple ball, slick, and sam. I doubt there's any way to improve slick and sam but I'll give it a shot.