1st May - 26th May 2016
While things have looked very quiet on this project. It doesn't mean that we are not continuing with the game project. In fact, the hardest part of the game code is practically out of the way. There are 16 alien formation tables set up so far, but there's still more to go. For the time being I have decided to leave the additional alien group property tables for the time being and focus on trying to get the main game engine repaired.
The aliens were unable to shoot at the time, and I tried to re-install the alien firing. However because I had deleted a lot of the old code (as I assumed it wasn't necessary) C64Studio processed loads of errors. I looked through the code, and tried to work a way round fixing the error result. Good news is that I managed to find the result. I re-created the enemy firing routine, selected the aliens to fire at random (via a pointer and value selector). If the alien was alive, the pointer and the bullet was out of the screen.
After fixing the alien firing I decided to fiddle about with the front end a little more. I added a flashing effect to the game's title screen. Also a page flip routine was added in order to flip between the front end credits and also the high score table. The result turned out pretty good.
Next the main game. The aliens were originally spawning in sequence. However, I didn't want the alien groups to spawn in order of the values 1 -17, so I setup the level pointers and some custom sequence tables to get the aliens spawning in a chosen value for that particular level. The video below shows you how the feature results during game play.
Update 11/09/2020: I just want to let you know that this game has NOT been cancelled. At the moment, I am stuck in a loop where on the coding side, I cannot really continue until the new set of level graphics come in. This project is thereforecurrently frozen until further notice.
18th-22nd May 2020
I like theC64 full size. It gives me some great fun and challenges playing C64 games. But what if I wanted to actually MAKE a game on the full size computer? Well, first of all I am used to the cross-assembly/cross-compiling method in making a game. For many years, I written games using C64Studio, or ACME cross assembler. Sometimes on the Ultimate 64 I like to make little things like intros or demos. Some of my entries for the Intro Creation Compo 2019 were made on the Ultimate 64.
However, making a new C64 game on theC64 proved to me to be pretty much challenging. For a start, although I legally own an Action Replay cartridge. theC64 doesn't support freeze frame yet. So an alternative solution had taken place. I had fun writing Storm Chase during the winter of 2020 on the full size theC64. I fancied a challenge in making something slightly more advanced and different. I was going to do another of those typical pew, pew space shoot 'em ups, but at the end of the day. I decided to do something I had not attempted to do before. A Snake game, but with a twist.
On my PC I generated some blank D64's using Style's DIR master. Then I dug out a set of public domain utilities to compile on to an empty tool disk. The programs were as follows:
SPRITE EDITOR V1.2 by Faces
FONT EDITOR V1.3 by Faces
SCREEN EDITOR V2.0 by Small Change Software
STARTEXTER V2.0 by Starion
DEMO MUSIC CREATOR V2.0 (and separately, the music relocator) by Graffity (Although the file and intro mistakenly indicates it as V1.2)
CODE SUCKER MONITOR by Padua
TURBO ASSEMBLER by Omikron
XTC Packer V1.0 by Rockstar
FAST CRUEL V2.5 (From the Cruel Packet) by Galleon/Oneway
All of the tools above can be found at CSDB.
During each session, I did save states of some of the development, in order to reduce the risk of losing my recently made files. After each session of creating graphics, music, etc. I save the files and eject the disk, and move on to something else. I had to do some of the same things a few times because for some strange reason, although I saved the files from the program in True Drive mode (which was automatically set by a default CJM file). I ended up with the unreadable *PRG splat files. It could perhaps be something to do with my USB - or perhaps I'm not using the computer right. I'm not sure, but I'm still on to the challenge.
Update: 23/05/2020: I can confirm there is a bug in true drive mode (accurate disk). It does write 0 "unreadable " *PRG on my computer. However if I disable that feature, it saves successfully. Good thing is, the programs I used had no software fast loader. So accurate disk wasn't really needed for this project.
Anyway, after completing all of the graphics, design, music, and other stuff. It was time for me to install the Code Suck Monitor. This was because I couldn't use freezer cartridges as they are not yet implemented in the current firmware. Each file had to be loaded into the planned addresses for the game project. They were as follows:
GAME CHARSET: $0800-$08FF
IN GAME MUSIC: $1000 - $1FFF
SPRITE GRAPHICS: $2000-$2FFF
GAME SCREEN AND COLOUR DATA: $3000-$37FF
TITLE SCREEN AND COLOUR DATA $3800-$3FFF
SCROLL TEXT: $4000-$47FF
GAME CODE: $4800-$5FFF
TITLE MUSIC (RELOCATED): $6000-$6FFF
I chose a relevant load address to set the M/C monitor specially for loading the files to their specific addresses. The Code Suck Monitor was placed at $7000. After a few saves and resets of theC64. I loaded in the M/C monitor and typed in SYS 28672. Then loaded each file manually with the M/C monitor.
L "GAMEFONT*",8,0800 L "GAMEMUSIC*",8,1000 L "GAMESPRITES*",8,2000 L "GAMESCREEN",8,3000 L "TITLESCREEN",8,3800 L "SCROLLTEXT",8,4000 L "TITLEMUSIC",8,6000
Since I didn't want to keep loading each file individually. I saved a snapshot of the saved files, then saved a complete package of the game files to work with as a single file:
S "GAMEDATA",8,0800,6EA0
I exit the machine code monitor and load in the TURBO ASSEMBLER, used SYS 36864 to run the assembler. Then I worked on the code. First I mainly focused with the game's code, where routines should control the player's sprite, and move it around. Also the object and screen randomizer routines, which places specific objects. There was also the sprite/charset collision code. Two sets were made. The first set was, so that the snake is able eat or collide into objects as they appear, for example fruit, skulls and bombs. Fruit to give the player points, skulls and walls to kill the snake off, and bombs to clear the screen and also get points for a screen clear.
After the main body of the game code was done. I worked on the front end code. Then added the GET READY and GAME OVER sequences. I ended up with a full game. Now was the time to try and put the game together.
Putting the game together:
In order for me to put the game together. I had to assemble the finished code (saved first) to disk, and then save the target. Before I could do that, I did a save state for just in case something went horribly wrong. After saving to disk (in Turbo Assembler it is BACK ARROW and 5). To assemble and manually RUN the game without setting the target disk, is BACK ARROW and 3).
I reset the computer. Then I load in the Code Sucker Monitor. SYS28672 again and loaded the saved game data file. Then afterwards I loaded in the code object file, which was assembled to disk. Then I saved the file completely as a single file again using:
S "GAMECOMPILED",8,0800,6EA0
The game could not be run from BASIC. So I used the XTC Packer V1.0 to charpack compress and make an executable in BASIC. I reset the computer. Loaded the saved file from BASIC and RUN it. The program unpacked and run flawlessly.
Phase 1 was complete. Now for phase 2. Linking the TND intro presentation to the game. I ripped the intro from one of my previous game creations and put it on to the work disk. Then I use the M/C monitor again to load the TND intro and then load the game to $2c00. I then saved the intro from $0800-the end address of the game. Reset the computer, used XTC Packer V1.0. Then crunched the game with the Fast Cruel V2.5.
I then reset the machine. Loaded the game, then typed in RUN. The game loaded, de-compressed and then run. Resulting with the final production:
All there was to do was to prepare the disk with the code, game and other bits together. This was done on the PC using Style's DIR Master.
The game is currently under the final testing / bug fixing phase, but as soon as it is complete. The game will be released on to both of my pages:
13th March - 6th May 2020
Like many of you, I have been stuck indoors in lockdown. While this lock down has been in place I have been very busy on various C64 game projects. I managed to complete a few over the past 2 or 3 months. Since 15th March 2020. Since I suspect you probably be interested in reading about the game projects, rather than lockdown and all of this. Here is the line up.
Nucleo 448
I teamed up with Leonardo Vettori, to help him improve his game Nucleo 447, by giving it a set of in game enhancements. The game was of course renamed Nucleo 448. This game was originally an entry from last year's Official C64 SEUCK Compo 2019 compo. I helped Leonardo ramp this game up to be more playable and fun. With aid of Martin Piper's framework for SEUCK (SEUCK Redux). Nucleo 448 had a new front end presentation power ups (which allowed the player's bullet to fire faster), in game trance music and also enemy fire AI.
Toilet Paper Stacker
I launched a Lockdown fun compo 2020 on CSDB, in which people could enter the compo and submit either a game, demo or graphics. Music was ruled out of the compo, because there was already a music compo in place. Toilet Paper Stacker was one of these stacker type of games, with a funny theme based on past events. The idea of the game was to stack over sized toilet roll on to a cabinet so that it breaks and kill the virus.
Zzapped in the Butt
Craptastic 2020 was launched earlier on this year. Zzapped in the Butt (Guess where the name ZZapped came from ;)) is a retro style space shoot 'em up. A mother ship is waiting to invade planet Earth, but cannot enter the Earth's atmosphere. So instead, it sends out various aliens to help invade the planet. The ship has to defend its military cities from aliens. The mother ship also decides to attempt to zap your ship in the butt. The game consists of more than 30 levels. Everything crammed into 4K. Expect to see that appear on your C64 in June. :)
Cruiser X-79 (Still in progress)
The vertical scrolling shoot 'em up game project was delayed for some time, but now it has come back in action. New alien movement patterns have been added to the game's code. Not all of the aliens have been put in place, as there are still some more movements in operation. A lot more work has been put into the game project today. Where, I try and restore the alien sprite/sprite collision and do a bit more debugging. Hopefully some time later on this week (or perhaps next week) I should be able to try and restore the game's main game play and get those aliens happy blasting.
All of these games can be found and downloaded from THE NEW DIMENSION for your C64, Ultimate, or theC64
(Except for the latest Cruiser-X 79 preview and Zzapped in the Butt)
