Multi-Color Invaders in Space Invaders?

[DiscoSnorlax]

I've seen hacks that change the colors of the invaders in Space Invaders, ones that make the missiles turn different colors as they travel up/down the screen, etc.

 

So far I've figured out how to set the colors for the player, the bcakground, etc, and how to set the invaders all to one solid color.

 

I'm just trying to figure how to make the top 8x7 of each invader be color #$XX and the bottom 8x3 of each invader be color #$YY (the same #$XX and #$YY for every single one, if that simplifies things any)

 

Changing colors and sprites isn't all I plan to do. It's simply what I'm starting with. Also planning to:

• Figure out how to add a title screen.
  
• Add music (like in Combat Rock or Berzerk/Mr Roboto, already downloaded Music Kit 2.0)
  
• Possibly add some sound samples at intro screen, level start, and lose-life/game-over (total 3 samples)... although all I understand about that at the moment is clearing screen, setting a sound, and varying the volume from a big chunk of data...)
  

Yeah, I have little idea what I'm doing , but if I take it one step at a time and learn as I go along...

[Vic George 2K3]

But what song would be suitable as background music for Space Invaders? And would it be do-able on the 2600?

[DiscoSnorlax]

But what song would be suitable as background music for Space Invaders? And would it be do-able on the 2600?

 

Well, by the time I'm done with it, it won't be called Space Invaders... Yeah, the controls, gameplay, and positions of things on the screen will be the mostly the same, but the graphics wil be... how shall I say... "noticeably different".

 

Although I might try to rig it to always be in super-easy mode, with the selector simply toggling between 1P/2P...

[Feralstorm]

I assume you've seen Nukey's "Space Invaders Deluxe" hack, which does a fair amount of what you mention already. There's more added code than just basic hacking there, I'm sure.

 

You might try using SI Deluxe as a start point for your hack rather than the original invaders. When I made an arcade-styled Asteroids hack, I used "Sadistroids" as my start point (after trying with the first Asteroids, and deciding T.J.'s Sadistroids already had some of the heavier lifting done for me. )

[Pac Munchkin]

Yes I see what you mean there is an invaders game on Bally Astrocade I had wondered from when I first played it what made it look so much better. What I realized was the invaders are multi colored, so I know anything Astrocade can do Atari VCS can do so you are right this would look better!

 

Wade

 

 

PS BTW someone did hack Space Invaders into a game called Rainbow Invaders, this looks much more like the Astrocade I think AstroInvaders?

Edited September 24, 2006 by Pac Munchkin

[Pac Munchkin]

I think a good first step would be get HOM3 and compare Space Invaders to Rainbow Invaders, try to find what is different so you can know what changing each part achieves, little by little.

 

Wade

 

 

I've seen hacks that change the colors of the invaders in Space Invaders, ones that make the missiles turn different colors as they travel up/down the screen, etc.

 

So far I've figured out how to set the colors for the player, the bcakground, etc, and how to set the invaders all to one solid color.

 

I'm just trying to figure how to make the top 8x7 of each invader be color #$XX and the bottom 8x3 of each invader be color #$YY (the same #$XX and #$YY for every single one, if that simplifies things any)

 

Changing colors and sprites isn't all I plan to do. It's simply what I'm starting with. Also planning to:

• Figure out how to add a title screen.
  
• Add music (like in Combat Rock or Berzerk/Mr Roboto, already downloaded Music Kit 2.0)
  
• Possibly add some sound samples at intro screen, level start, and lose-life/game-over (total 3 samples)... although all I understand about that at the moment is clearing screen, setting a sound, and varying the volume from a big chunk of data...)
  

Yeah, I have little idea what I'm doing , but if I take it one step at a time and learn as I go along...

[Thomas Jentzsch]

PS BTW someone did hack Space Invaders into a game called Rainbow Invaders, this looks much more like the Astrocade I think AstroInvaders?

Rainbow Invaders is not a hack. It's a new game, programmed from scratch.

[Pac Munchkin]

Oh wow what a way to screw up the new hacker! LOL

 

Ok do not try comparing Space Invaders to Rainbow Invaders, that would be like trying to compare Defender to Chopper Command, or Apples to Oranges to use another phrase. Sorry dude.

 

Wade

 

 

 

PS BTW someone did hack Space Invaders into a game called Rainbow Invaders, this looks much more like the Astrocade I think AstroInvaders?

Rainbow Invaders is not a hack. It's a new game, programmed from scratch.

[Pac Munchkin]

How is the hack coming along, I haven't heard anything?

 

Use the compare feature to compare other hacks of Space Invaders to the original Space Invaders. This will help a lot, or maybe just go with hacking Rainbow Invaders?

 

Anyway I hope everything is coming along quite well.

 

Wade

[Nukey Shay]

I assume you've seen Nukey's "Space Invaders Deluxe" hack, which does a fair amount of what you mention already. There's more added code than just basic hacking there, I'm sure.

 

You might try using SI Deluxe as a start point for your hack rather than the original invaders. When I made an arcade-styled Asteroids hack, I used "Sadistroids" as my start point (after trying with the first Asteroids, and deciding T.J.'s Sadistroids already had some of the heavier lifting done for me. )

 

The assembly file is posted in the thread. Most of the routines from the original game I left alone (aside from removing any stack use), so it's easy enough to see were my hacks to the code were added. Multiple-color sprites are possible (SIdeluxe even features this in an early version - Hippie Invaders). So using two-color sprites would be similar. If you use my hack, just move the line that alters the color line counter so it happens on every scanline (IIRC, it's called Icolor)...and then reset it at the start of each new row.

[DiscoSnorlax]

I assume you've seen Nukey's "Space Invaders Deluxe" hack, which does a fair amount of what you mention already. There's more added code than just basic hacking there, I'm sure.

 

You might try using SI Deluxe as a start point for your hack rather than the original invaders. When I made an arcade-styled Asteroids hack, I used "Sadistroids" as my start point (after trying with the first Asteroids, and deciding T.J.'s Sadistroids already had some of the heavier lifting done for me. )

 

The assembly file is posted in the thread. Most of the routines from the original game I left alone (aside from removing any stack use), so it's easy enough to see were my hacks to the code were added. Multiple-color sprites are possible (SIdeluxe even features this in an early version - Hippie Invaders). So using two-color sprites would be similar. If you use my hack, just move the line that alters the color line counter so it happens on every scanline (IIRC, it's called Icolor)...and then reset it at the start of each new row.

 

...it is? All I could find were a bunch of .bin files. And disassembling one of those doesn't seem to show any Icolor (did a Find), so...??

[Nukey Shay]

That link points directly to the 25th post in the thread (where the binary appears). All other versions had this glitch corrected.

[DiscoSnorlax]

That link points directly to the 25th post in the thread (where the binary appears). All other versions had this glitch corrected.

 

Yeah, found the binary before I made that last post. Guess what threw me off was that you said something about an assembly file and not a binary...

[Nukey Shay]

Oops...I thought that I posted the assembly file with the binary in the zip

 

Anyway, here's a fresh hack that does what you need...plus a few more goodies. The color table and EOR table have been moved to the end (read the description in the assembly on how the EOR table works), and all gfx has been labelled and expanded. SI's jaggy lines have also been fixed, and the double-shot capability has been assigned to the B&W switch (2600 only).

 

To include a title screen and music, this would probably need to be expanded to 8k. Zero space left in this one.

Multi_color_Space_Invaders.zip

Edited October 19, 2006 by Nukey Shay

[SalemFrost7800]

Oops...I thought that I posted the assembly file with the binary in the zip

 

Anyway, here's a fresh hack that does what you need...plus a few more goodies. The color table and EOR table have been moved to the end (read the description in the assembly on how the EOR table works), and all gfx has been labelled and expanded. SI's jaggy lines have also been fixed, and the double-shot capability has been assigned to the B&W switch (2600 only).

 

To include a title screen and music, this would probably need to be expanded to 8k. Zero space left in this one.

 

Awesome Job as always Nukey