Search found 25 matches

by spectron
Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:01 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote
Replies: 14
Views: 607

Re: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote

Well to be honest it doesn't have a title and there is no release date as it was just done as a laugh for a competition. You could call it "Crap 256 byte Scramble" I suppose Don't you prefer to call it something else, for instance "Scram256" (as the name in your files)? It's def...
by spectron
Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:32 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote
Replies: 14
Views: 607

Re: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote

I vote for my Crap 256 byte version that was done for a competition I will add it to the archive. What's the exact title of this game? What's the release date? What's the competition? What's your name? Is it available for download somewhere? Well to be honest it doesn't have a title and there is no...
by spectron
Mon Oct 11, 2021 7:40 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote
Replies: 14
Views: 607

Re: Clone Wars (Scramble): vote

I vote for my Crap 256 byte version that was done for a competition. Video and code below which is free for anyone to use if they're feeling desperate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd0g9a8jTxc&ab_channel=spectron org 08000h waitingMoveUpBit EQU 0 moveUpBit EQU 1 enemyBit EQU 2 flashBit EQU 7 c...
by spectron
Wed May 01, 2019 1:30 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Cost of BASIC operations
Replies: 18
Views: 3745

Re: Cost of BASIC operations

Ralf wrote: Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:33 pm and it's big performance boost, 300%, 500% or so.
Way more than that for most compilers, especially those that only allow for Integer values (which is all you really need if you're doing a game)
by spectron
Fri Apr 26, 2019 4:37 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: What differences in programming Spectrum and CPC
Replies: 11
Views: 2789

Re: What differences in programming Spectrum and CPC

I only did one conversion from Speccy to Amstrad (Gunboat by Accolade).

That was fairly easy because it was solid(ish) 3D so most of the drawing was just horizontal lines.
by spectron
Fri Oct 05, 2018 2:13 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: unsigned to ascii
Replies: 18
Views: 4275

Re: unsigned to ascii

As above, if it's a simple score counting down, just store it in consecutive bytes as ascii chars (48-57 decimal). To decrement the score just decrement the bottom char and if it goes to 47 ('/' char), set it back to 57 then go to the next char and decrement that. That way the score is always in the...
by spectron
Tue Aug 07, 2018 4:54 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: The best classic Speccy game beginning with P: vote
Replies: 20
Views: 4818

Re: The best classic Speccy game beginning with P: vote

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:48 am
Morkin wrote: Wed Jul 25, 2018 5:18 pm
- fireworks :)
Yes, a very nice feature! 8-)
Especially the way the last few suddenly sped up because it took less processing time :)
by spectron
Fri Jul 06, 2018 2:32 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Race games - how is it done?
Replies: 17
Views: 4580

Re: Race games - how is it done?

I told Psygnosis that if they wanted to see more details like dips, hills, trackside objects, other cars etc. then they'd have to pay actual money but it never got any further - for "political" reasons it didn't get a green light - but it was a fun thing to code up I remember. It was inde...
by spectron
Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:04 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Your top 5 arcade games
Replies: 23
Views: 6006

Re: Your top 5 arcade games

Defender
Defender
Defender
Defender
Defender

All other answers are wrong
by spectron
Thu Jul 05, 2018 2:57 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Race games - how is it done?
Replies: 17
Views: 4580

Re: Race games - how is it done?

Maybe start from this link. It's not directly Zx Spectrum related but tells quite a lot abouth algorithms. Reading it requires some effort though: http://www.extentofthejam.com/pseudo/ http://www.extentofthejam.com/pseudo/images/curves1.png This is sort of how it was done for Gameboy road rash. Tha...
by spectron
Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:28 pm
Forum: Showcase your work!
Topic: Arduino ZX-ish VGA
Replies: 4
Views: 8721

Re: Arduino ZX-ish VGA

Excellent work but unless you've got dot crawl, it doesn't count :D
by spectron
Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:00 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: BBC micro differences and similarities
Replies: 33
Views: 8793

Re: BBC micro differences and similarities

Non-interesting fact No.1 I wrote my first game on the Spectrum simply as an effort to get enough money for a BBC Micro and a copy of Planetoid (although it was originally called Defender until renamed for fear of copyright issues) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f5Hzm7B4xU&t=5s My ploy worked ...
by spectron
Wed Jun 06, 2018 4:51 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Summer related games
Replies: 9
Views: 1948

Re: Summer related games

by spectron
Wed May 30, 2018 4:00 pm
Forum: Showcase your work!
Topic: Spectron 2084
Replies: 6
Views: 2381

Re: Spectron 2084

Seven.FFF wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 3:42 pm
I'll mention you in the credits for inventing the name, how about that?
Oh no need for that at all! We both tried to copy Robotron except you're doing a good job of it :lol:

I think it's more like great minds thing alike on the naming front !
by spectron
Wed May 30, 2018 3:20 pm
Forum: Showcase your work!
Topic: Spectron 2084
Replies: 6
Views: 2381

Re: Spectron 2084

Here's a little teaser of the Spectrum Next game I'm working on. https://seven-fff.com/spectron/ Oi! I claim Copyright on that title! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2WWjoqRV6g Having said that, I have no rights and whilst my game was s&^t (although it was 35 years ago), yours is obviously exc...
by spectron
Thu May 24, 2018 2:23 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Basic VAL function
Replies: 19
Views: 4758

Re: Basic VAL function

The above is all relevant and correct but it was especially useful in Sinclair Basic on the unexpanded ZX81.

With only 1K for screen and program, every byte was even more important than on the Spectrum.

It may have been that it became habit and as mentioned, if you can save bytes then why not?
by spectron
Thu May 24, 2018 8:55 am
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry
Replies: 37
Views: 6618

Re: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry

Just back from holiday... No it's not in a magazine but I was the coder of the C64 version as all the 8 bit versions were done by us. When we started the conversions it was called Sphericule Backed up here though https://www.exotica.org.uk/wiki/Sphericule https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Motion In a...
by spectron
Wed May 23, 2018 4:59 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry
Replies: 37
Views: 6618

Re: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry

Originally called Sphericule till USGold made a deal with Accolade and they decided that the Americans wouldn't like the name Didn’t know that, or I'd forgotten if I did, is that in a magazine somewhere? Perhaps it could be added as a comment in ZXDB. In this case I prefer E-Motion, a rare case whe...
by spectron
Wed May 16, 2018 2:09 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry
Replies: 37
Views: 6618

Re: Themed picture quiz - miscellaneous stuff and sundry

druellan wrote: Thu May 03, 2018 11:52 am 15. E-Motion
Originally called Sphericule till USGold made a deal with Accolade and they decided that the Americans wouldn't like the name
by spectron
Tue May 15, 2018 2:00 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Amstrad CPC
Replies: 22
Views: 5864

Re: Amstrad CPC

Joefish wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 1:34 pm Knight Lore doesn't even use the remaining colour in the backdrops. But it's sprites won't take up any more memory than the Spectrum ones.
I'll bet it unpacks the required ones to 4 colour mode when switching screens though!
by spectron
Tue May 15, 2018 12:12 pm
Forum: Other Retro Stuff
Topic: Amstrad CPC
Replies: 22
Views: 5864

Re: Amstrad CPC

You might also notice a similarity with the BBC micro. Could be because they both used the Motorola 6845 video generator.

& CGA in the PC for that matter
by spectron
Mon Apr 16, 2018 9:00 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Double buffering on the Spectrum
Replies: 64
Views: 16419

Re: Double buffering on the Spectrum

As already mentioned, there is no definitive answer. Being pedantic I'd like to leave the double buffering term for the 128k ability to swap memory whereas I'd always call the term of writing off screen then copying to the visible screen as back buffering. But that's a moot point. Most solid 3d stuf...
by spectron
Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:16 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Why is the ZX81 so slow?
Replies: 13
Views: 3650

Re: Why is the ZX81 so slow?

Ast A. Moore wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:01 pm
Ralf wrote: Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:54 am Spectrum is more advanced construction. It has specialised chip called ULA which deals with display and leaves CPU free.
The ZX81 also had a ULA.
Yes but it had nothing to do with the display
by spectron
Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:12 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: The hobbit: developing the parser
Replies: 39
Views: 10025

Re: The hobbit: developing the parser

You might want to take a look at this:- http://members.aon.at/~ehesch1/wl/wl.htm "WILDERLAND (WL) allows you to see what's REALLY going on in this wonderful world created by Veronika Megler and Philip Mitchell in 1982 at Melbourne House. It runs the original game code in a rudimentary Spectrum ...