Ladybug - 2600

[+Nathan Strum]

Could high score saving be done with AtariVox/memory card support?

[+johnnywc]

 

- modified the GAME OVER screen to include the veggie points and description (as is displayed in the START SCREEN)

Nice improvement. That way (more content) the screen now also fits much more smoothly into the attract cycle...

Glad you like it. Looks consistent too.

 

- changed the indicator for fast/slow ladybug on the title screen. Instead of flashing the skill level (too much flashing), the ladybug's propeller will spin slower on A (more intuitive IMO). Spinner speed during the game is unchanged.

 

Hey, completely new approach here, but one which works optimal!

Is indeed intuitive, and very elegant.

Maybe just to reduce the propeller spinning a tad more in the slow mode?

The contrast to the fast mode is clear enough, but it still has a decent spin on its own.

What I mean, is that it should jump to the eye that it is slow.

A matter of personal taste only, though.

Hmm... thanks for the suggestion but the next step down seems *really* slow.

 

I managed to free up about 100 bytes, so if there are any other *small* suggestions, let's hear 'em!

 

That sounds like a lot, dare I resurrect an old suggestion - a session hi-score feature?

I feel this is NOT a small suggestion...

 

Actually, like TJ said this is a RAM issue, not a ROM issue. It would take 3 bytes of RAM to pull off, and right now I have packed every byte with no waste of any bit, so freeing up 3 bytes would require a major change to the kernel of the game. Believe me - I'd LOVE to have this but to make everything else work (doors, insects, reducing flicker, single-line resolution, dots) takes all the RAM (and then some!).

 

Oh - and one thing I've learned really fast is that 100 bytes just *sounds* like a lot of ROM.

 

Game plays like a dream, managed to break the 200,000 barrier with the new intelligent bugs finally

Next target 300,000 - hopefully on cart on the real thing then!

Great score!!! My next goal is 500K... You really have to be in the zone at that point. Real cart is close - Nathan is in the final stages of the manual.

 

Could high score saving be done with AtariVox/memory card support?

That may be possible - I'm not sure of how many bytes of ROM it needs to use the driver. Does anybody know if you need any persistent RAM to use the driver (that is, not overlay RAM?)

 

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[vdub_bobby]

Could high score saving be done with AtariVox/memory card support?

That may be possible - I'm not sure of how many bytes of ROM it needs to use the driver. Does anybody know if you need any persistent RAM to use the driver (that is, not overlay RAM?)

I don't think the memcard driver requires any persistent RAM, but I'm pretty sure you'll need more than 100 bytes of ROM...I'll go double check in Go Fish!

 

EDIT: Ok, looks like the memcard driver subroutines take about 192 bytes. Add about 50-100 bytes for the code you'll need to read and write to the memcard and you're looking at a little more than a page of ROM.

Edited August 21, 2006 by vdub_bobby

[+johnnywc]

Hello all,

 

Manual is done. Here is the release candidate (the REAL release candidate):

 

- added a few more variations on the insect movement on the title screen

- fixed a bug that sometimes caused the insect to appear on the title screen after pressing select during a game

 

7 bytes left. I think I'm done.

 

Thank you everyone for their suggestions and game testing. They are both much appreciated.

ladybug_RC_NTSC.bin

ladybug_RC_PAL60.bin

[djmips]

Could high score saving be done with AtariVox/memory card support?

That may be possible - I'm not sure of how many bytes of ROM it needs to use the driver. Does anybody know if you need any persistent RAM to use the driver (that is, not overlay RAM?)

I don't think the memcard driver requires any persistent RAM, but I'm pretty sure you'll need more than 100 bytes of ROM...I'll go double check in Go Fish!

 

EDIT: Ok, looks like the memcard driver subroutines take about 192 bytes. Add about 50-100 bytes for the code you'll need to read and write to the memcard and you're looking at a little more than a page of ROM.

 

It looks like the memcard driver subroutines have the potential to be slimmed down a fair amount. I'm not sure that they could be pared down enough to make the budget work but it seems within the realm of possible.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

It looks like the memcard driver subroutines have the potential to be slimmed down a fair amount. I'm not sure that they could be pared down enough to make the budget work but it seems within the realm of possible.

Is the code somewhere available?

[vdub_bobby]

It looks like the memcard driver subroutines have the potential to be slimmed down a fair amount. I'm not sure that they could be pared down enough to make the budget work but it seems within the realm of possible.

Is the code somewhere available?

Here ya go. The stuff to read/write to the EEPROM is in i2c.inc. Also read AtariVox.rtf to see how it is supposed to work.

AVoxStuff.zip

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Here ya go. The stuff to read/write to the EEPROM is in i2c.inc. Also read AtariVox.rtf to see how it is supposed to work.

Thanx!

[+johnnywc]

Here ya go. The stuff to read/write to the EEPROM is in i2c.inc. Also read AtariVox.rtf to see how it is supposed to work.

 

Looks good. Unfortunately, I don't see how I can fit it into the game. Even if I do manage to get the driver code in there, plus the code to actually read/write, there's also the code to display the score as well. With only 7 usable bytes left, that's a tall order. Something would have to go. The only true superfluous part of the game IMO is the ROM OK/RAM OK screen. Getting rid of that would free up 185 bytes. Close, but then something *else* has to go (preferrable in that bank).

[r_type2600]

Manual is done. Here is the release candidate (the REAL release candidate):

....

 

- added a few more variations on the insect movement on the title screen

 

7 bytes left. I think I'm done.

This game is so smooth and all-around polished now that it could easily have been put up in an arcade in '79 and be a cashcow for the operator.

 

Pure joy - congrats again for delivering this masterpiece to the 2600!

[Lord Helmet]

I assume the game will not be named Ladybug...what neme have you decided on?

[+johnnywc]

I assume the game will not be named Ladybug...what neme have you decided on?

 

The game will be named Lady Bug. Please read through this thread for an explanation of why.

 

Good news - the game should be available in the AA store very soon!!!

[sandmountainslim]

I assume the game will not be named Ladybug...what neme have you decided on?

 

The game will be named Lady Bug. Please read through this thread for an explanation of why.

 

Good news - the game should be available in the AA store very soon!!!

 

 

AMEN!

I have already decided it is on my birthday list.

WP

[Lord Helmet]

I assume the game will not be named Ladybug...what neme have you decided on?

 

The game will be named Lady Bug. Please read through this thread for an explanation of why.

 

 

 

Ah! I must have misread something. Sorry

[potatohead]

This is a wonderful game. It's on my list of carts to purchase this year.

 

(Playing the RC release right now and it's solid!)

[+johnnywc]

Hello all,

 

Been playing the release candidate and found a few bugs.

 

Here is RELEASE CANDIDATE 2:

 

- fixed a bug on the SPECIAL screen that would show the wrong veggie graphic in the first row

- fixed a bug that would play random notes on the GAME OVER screen the 2nd time it was displayed after a game ended

- adjusted the insect horizontal speed on the first level of NOVICE to be slower

- adjusted the color timer on NOVICE to be a bit faster (it stayed one color for too long)

- fixed a bug that would sometimes cause the game to go straight to a demo after a game ended from the title screen instead of the GAME OVER screen

 

I may have added a few other surprises...

 

Please report any issues that you may find. The game is slated for release this weekend.

 

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions.

ladybug_RC2_NTSC.bin

ladybug_RC2_PAL60.bin

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Unfortunately I won't be able to test this one (holidays! ).

[vdub_bobby]

Found a weird "bug"...just letting the demo run (for the first time, really), I saw a weird flash right before the title screen came back up. I investigated a little more (using frame advance with Stella) and, for one frame only, it shows the "Veggie Bounty Harvest!" screen between the demo and the title screen.

[sandmountainslim]

I am anxious to see the label.

WP

[+johnnywc]

Unfortunately I won't be able to test this one (holidays! ).

Enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of the other testing and suggestions! Hoepfully someone is testing the PAL60 version.

 

 

Found a weird "bug"...just letting the demo run (for the first time, really), I saw a weird flash right before the title screen came back up. I investigated a little more (using frame advance with Stella) and, for one frame only, it shows the "Veggie Bounty Harvest!" screen between the demo and the title screen.

Great catch! I used my last 2 bytes to fix this bug. Thanks!

 

 

I am anxious to see the label.

WP

Nathan did another great job with this one. Should be available soon!

 

 

Release candidate 3:

 

- fixed a bug that would show the veggie bounty harvest screen for a split second after the demo ended.

ladybug_RC3_NTSC.bin

ladybug_RC3_PAL60.bin

[Cybergoth]

Unfortunately I won't be able to test this one (holidays! ).

Enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of the other testing and suggestions! Hoepfully someone is testing the PAL60 version.

 

I'll try to find some time for this tonight

[+johnnywc]

Unfortunately I won't be able to test this one (holidays! ).

Enjoy the holidays and thanks for all of the other testing and suggestions! Hoepfully someone is testing the PAL60 version.

 

I'll try to find some time for this tonight

 

Thanks!

[Cybergoth]

Ok, I managed to play a few games (hopefully more tomorrow), and so far it looked very good. I spelled both EXTRA and SPECIAL once and everything worked. The demo is fine, the colors look ok... I'll buy it!

[vdub_bobby]

Started a game on STANDARD and realized that I wanted to start on ADVANCED, so I hit RESET, expecting it to take me back to the title screen. Instead, it took me to the "Part 1" screen. Weird, I thought. So I played around with it a little.

 

On title screen:

RESET starts game, SELECT changes skill level.

On "Part 1" screen:

RESET does nothing, SELECT changes starting level (didn't know that!)

On game-play screen:

RESET takes you to "Part 1" screen, SELECT takes you to the title screen.

 

Is that how it is supposed to be?

 

A bit odd - just a bit. I'd rather that once you begin a game (i.e., on the "Part 1" screen and during game-play), RESET ends a game and returns you to the title screen.

 

It's kind of annoying to want to change the skill level but have to stare at the "Part 1" screen for the couple of seconds until gameplay starts before you can return to the title screen. I know it is just a few seconds, but it is still annoying.

[+johnnywc]

Started a game on STANDARD and realized that I wanted to start on ADVANCED, so I hit RESET, expecting it to take me back to the title screen. Instead, it took me to the "Part 1" screen. Weird, I thought. So I played around with it a little.

 

On title screen:

RESET starts game, SELECT changes skill level.

On "Part 1" screen:

RESET does nothing, SELECT changes starting level (didn't know that!)

On game-play screen:

RESET takes you to "Part 1" screen, SELECT takes you to the title screen.

 

Is that how it is supposed to be?

Yes - that's how it's supposed to be. It's pretty logical IMO: RESET always starts a new game and SELECT always changes the settings. The only catch is on the Part 1 screen (looks like someone found the first "cheat"... ). I guess I could have RESET bring you back to the title screen from the Part screen, but it's a bit counter-intuitive (plus it would need ROM I don't have ).

 

A bit odd - just a bit. I'd rather that once you begin a game (i.e., on the "Part 1" screen and during game-play), RESET ends a game and returns you to the title screen.

Hmm... I always thought of RESET as start a new game with the current settings (ie. I just got killed early in a level, time to reset!).

 

It's kind of annoying to want to change the skill level but have to stare at the "Part 1" screen for the couple of seconds until gameplay starts before you can return to the title screen. I know it is just a few seconds, but it is still annoying.

This we agree on. I could remove the "cheat" (not really a cheat since it only lets you start at a higher level which will most likely yield a lower score), or make SELECT bring you back to the title screen (to be consistent) and assign the cheat to another switch (RESET perhaps?). Also - you don't have to wait too long on that Part screen - you can always press the button after a 1/2 second and go straight to the maze screen.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll see if I can make that change.