Gosub

[+atari2600land]

I guess this is the final version, huh? Is GoSub completed?

[SeaGtGruff]

I guess this is the final version, huh? Is GoSub completed?

You're the creator, so that's your call. Are there any other changes you want to make in it, or are you satisfied that it's completed and ready to go to cartridge?

 

By the way, I know you have a label design, but have you written an instruction manual for it yet?

 

Michael

[+atari2600land]

By the way, I know you have a label design, but have you written an instruction manual for it yet?

I think it's ready. I've attached a brief outline of the instructions. It wouldn't make a very big instruction manual, though.

gosubinstructions.txt

[+atari2600land]

Just talked with Al, and the game should appear at the expo in June. I will personally be unable to attend seeing as how it's in the midwest and I'm in Oregon. I still need an end label for the game, though.

[Impaler_26]

This is a really nice game!! I had fun playing it and i just love that octopus Also nice to see what's possible with bB.

So congratulations on finishing this game, you did a great job on it!

[jboypacman]

I look forward to picking up this game up in cart form,should be great!

[+atari2600land]

NOTE: The NTSC version is fine and will be released on-time.

I was play-testing the PAL colors on the NTSC version and noticed the screen flashes, so I've decided to make a seperate PAL version. Is it just my stupid computer or does the screen flash in the later levels in this PAL version?

 

To set up PAL mode in Stella, press Tab, goto Game Properties, click on the display tab and change it from NTSC to PAL (that is, if you're living in the NTSC region, or have Stella on the NTSC TV type.)

gosub_052007_pal.bin

Edited May 20, 2007 by atari2600land

[+atari2600land]

OK, so 5 people have downloaded it. What do you think, you five?

[A Sprite]

I used MESS. Emulation quality was questionable.

 

Pros: Suspense, the octopus ambush combined with the need for a steady hand forces an adrenaline fueled calm. It's a very zen game, the closest comparison I can think of is going into the zone in a shooter, the state of mind where you just know where you have to be and nothing can touch you.

 

Cons: The sub's sonar seemed to be a little too fast, breaking the atmosphere. The death animation could be shortened - it's time the player isn't back in the game, and the white noise of the explosion plus the bat whistle sonar is a high price to pay for failure.

 

Question: Could the exit have a touch-up? It looks like a wall...

Edited May 24, 2007 by A Sprite

[+atari2600land]

Using no_blank_lines, I couldn't use missile0. The treasure was originally missile1, which I colored brown. Then I introduced the octopus, which would make missile1 change colors when the octopus swims in/out of view, so it had to be the ball, which has to be the same color as the playfield.

[A Sprite]

Could it be made into a crude x, like to represent the treasure?

[SeaGtGruff]

Could it be made into a crude x, like to represent the treasure?

Unfortunately, no, not using the ball or a missile.

 

Michael

[A Sprite]

Hmm this is a tough one...but so much fun! I can see why the 2600 is still popular. Can the ball blink in and out?

[gambler172]

Hi Chris

Although i live in germany,i have no problems with NTSC.So it is equal for me,if i have PAL or NTSC version.I also made a preorder for Gosub at Atariage.I like this game.

greetings Walter

[gambler172]

Hi Chris

Although i live in germany,i have no problems with NTSC.So it is equal for me,if i have PAL or NTSC version.I also made a preorder for Gosub at Atariage.I like this game.

greetings Walter

[+atari2600land]

Up next...GoSub for the Oric!

With sonar! (I really need to learn actual BASIC.) lol!

This is the title screen:

1 CLS

2 PAPER2

3 INK4

4 PRINT "GOSUB"

5 PRINT "2008, AEGIS, INC"

6 PRINT "PRESS SPACE TO START"

7 A=A+1

8 IF A>50 THEN PING

9 IF A=99 THEN A=0

10 GOTO 7

Edited June 6, 2007 by atari2600land

[+atari2600land]

Seriously, Albert says he's having trouble with the 2600 version running on real hardware. Since the game is to be shown at the Midwest Gaming Classic, these problems need to be looked at ASAP. If you're interested in helping, either PM or e-mail Albert and ask him what's wrong. (I don't want to duplicate his PM without permission because the P stands for Private.)

[+atari2600land]

I got permission from Albert to post his PM here. So here it is.

Hi Chris,

 

I just spent some time playing this on two different Atari 2600 systems and noticed two issues:

 

- On my Commodore 1702 (which is how I would demo the game at the show), the screen frequently "jumps", which likely means the scsan line count is not consistent or you are using too much time on some frames causing the video signal to lose sync. I don't see this on the 20" Sony television I also tested it on, but it does appear to flicker (the Sony TV probably handles it better).

 

- On a six-switch system I tested it on, the octopus never appears, making the game very easy. Also, the exploding sound does not play when you crash into a wall (usually the last sonar note playing just gets stuck there).

[SeaGtGruff]

I got permission from Albert to post his PM here. So here it is.

Hi Chris,

 

I just spent some time playing this on two different Atari 2600 systems and noticed two issues:

 

- On my Commodore 1702 (which is how I would demo the game at the show), the screen frequently "jumps", which likely means the scsan line count is not consistent or you are using too much time on some frames causing the video signal to lose sync. I don't see this on the 20" Sony television I also tested it on, but it does appear to flicker (the Sony TV probably handles it better).

 

- On a six-switch system I tested it on, the octopus never appears, making the game very easy. Also, the exploding sound does not play when you crash into a wall (usually the last sonar note playing just gets stuck there).

Chris,

 

Believe it or not, I am not home yet , but I will see what I can figure out when I do get home. We can check the scan line count in the z26 emulator, which should tell us pretty quickly whether there are some frames that are running over the 262-line ideal. And I'll also try it on my 6-switch 2600 with the Krokodile Cartridge.

 

Michael

[SeaGtGruff]

We can check the scan line count in the z26 emulator, which should tell us pretty quickly whether there are some frames that are running over the 262-line ideal. And I'll also try it on my 6-switch 2600 with the Krokodile Cartridge.

Well, I haven't made it past the third maze yet, but so far z26 shows a constant scan line count. But I guess I need to verify that I'm running with the correct version. I'm testing gosub050607 for NTSC, and gosub052007_pal for PAL. It's too late for me to try it on the Krokodile Cartridge tonight, so I'll have to try it out tomorrow evening.

 

Michael

[+batari]

We can check the scan line count in the z26 emulator, which should tell us pretty quickly whether there are some frames that are running over the 262-line ideal. And I'll also try it on my 6-switch 2600 with the Krokodile Cartridge.

Well, I haven't made it past the third maze yet, but so far z26 shows a constant scan line count. But I guess I need to verify that I'm running with the correct version. I'm testing gosub050607 for NTSC, and gosub052007_pal for PAL. It's too late for me to try it on the Krokodile Cartridge tonight, so I'll have to try it out tomorrow evening.

 

Michael

I got the jitters on my KC. The screen jumps about once a second. However, I tried it in Stella with breakif {_scan == 263} which will enter the debugger when there are too many scanlines, but after playing for quite a while, this never happened. I will look into it as well and see what I find.

[+batari]

We can check the scan line count in the z26 emulator, which should tell us pretty quickly whether there are some frames that are running over the 262-line ideal. And I'll also try it on my 6-switch 2600 with the Krokodile Cartridge.

Well, I haven't made it past the third maze yet, but so far z26 shows a constant scan line count. But I guess I need to verify that I'm running with the correct version. I'm testing gosub050607 for NTSC, and gosub052007_pal for PAL. It's too late for me to try it on the Krokodile Cartridge tonight, so I'll have to try it out tomorrow evening.

 

Michael

I got the jitters on my KC. The screen jumps about once a second. However, I tried it in Stella with breakif {_scan == 263} which will enter the debugger when there are too many scanlines, but after playing for quite a while, this never happened. I will look into it as well and see what I find.

I think I know what's happening. The jitters occur every time the octopus changes direction, and I was able to catch too many scanlines in Stella. The octopus direction seems to be decided by:

if s=0 then s=get_rand(1,8)

I'd try changing this to:

if s=0 then s=(rand&7)+1

And recompile the game. The line above should perform exactly the same function but potentially save quite a few cycles.

Edited June 7, 2007 by batari

[+atari2600land]

Here's a compiled game with Batari's suggested change. Hopefully this'll work.

gosub060707.bas.bin

gosub060707pal.bas.bin

[Albert]

Here's a compiled game with Batari's suggested change. Hopefully this'll work.

This new version fixes the problem with the flickering, but does not address this issue:

 

- On a six-switch system I tested it on, the octopus never appears, making the game very easy. Also, the exploding sound does not play when you crash into a wall (usually the last sonar note playing just gets stuck there).

 

..Al

[SeaGtGruff]

Here's a compiled game with Batari's suggested change. Hopefully this'll work.

This new version fixes the problem with the flickering, but does not address this issue:

 

- On a six-switch system I tested it on, the octopus never appears, making the game very easy. Also, the exploding sound does not play when you crash into a wall (usually the last sonar note playing just gets stuck there).

 

..Al

Could that be a difficulty switch setting? Chris, how do you select between having the octopus in the game or not?

 

Michael