Spectrum Computing

Correct me if I'm wrong but ZX81 has a totally different graphic mode than Zx Spectrum. It doesn't have screen memory at 16384. It doesn't have ULA chip which automatically converts the screen memory to the display. If I rememver correctly it uses Z80 CPU to generate picture which take about 80% of ...

There are probably several ways to do it and several tools to do it. I'll describe my way here. use MakeTzx with Windows GUI: https://timwolverson.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/maketzx-wingui.jpg?w=474 The GUI actually runs a command line tool so you can as well run it directly in command window, typi...

I'll tell you something - when it comes to computer games, we all live in bubbles. If you are a Spectrum fan then you may believe that Miner Willy or Sabreman is an incredibly important, iconic character that everyone must know. It's not true. If you grew in USA or Japan, you would probably never he...

If we talk about scrolling, then a good game to discuss is Stormlord: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4922/ZX-Spectrum/Stormlord It allows much more variety in background tiles than let's say Cobra. Cobra is actually very limited and allows background built only with a few tiles. Here is my ol...

Don't rewrite your game. People are right saying that you can try pixel scroll in your next game.

Just remember, pixel scroll is much harder to do than attribute scroll and requires much more CPU power. Quite often the
only reasonable solution is to use a screen buffer for it.

Speaking of Giana Sisters, I believe it existed, mostly or totally completed. Just unlike versions for other computers it didn't reach the shop before Nintendo threatened the legal action. Still I guess it was actually slow and bad. The Amstrad CPC version which exists is very slow and Spectrum vers...

Yes, it's possible to do such a fake. But there aren't any real money to be made from such fake. Yes, you can make a small fortune by forgery of classical paintings and creating and "unknown" painting of Rembrandt or so and convincing people that it's real. But Spectrum games are different...

What other well-known Spectrum games are technically possible to complete without cheating but, practically, are actually impossible?

Actually most of them. It would be easier to make a short list of games that are actually possible to complete for an average person

And what kind of game are you writing if I may ask?

Are you already struggling with little memory left or are you just checking?
If memory is a problem then you need to consider some optimisations.

Loading screen shouldn't really be any problem. You load it directly to screen memory while loading and the game later overwrites it. It doesn't occupy any memory when the game is running. Or did you mean something else? A game need some Basic loader. But if you keep it minimal (load loading screen,...

Thanks for the comments. Yes, there is a problem that enemies sometimes (or maybe quite often) dissappear behind the scenery. It's the problem of the game engine. By default background objects go before the sprites. The exception are white objects which are ORed with sprites. Even if it could be cha...

Hello everyone ! I succeeded in completing one of my old projects. So there is a game called Vixen. It managed to attract some attention in the past due to that poster stuff, you can read about it if somehow you don't know the story behind it. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5589/ZX-Spectrum/V...

It's this one:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... rum/Ring-O

It's almost like Zuma

Just in case if someone doesn't know - "unlimited bobs" is a very well known, classic demo effect.
It's actually a clever but simple trick which doesn't require much CPU power:

https://democyclopedia.wordpress.com/20 ... ited-bobs/

Was someone on here not working on converting the Sid Meier one, IIRC?

Yep, it's the thread: viewtopic.php?t=1569

I guess that nothing came out of it.

Interesting idea with "boss" tag. Personally I would just add one global "game boss" tags and didn't go into details. However if you want to go into details then you will have: - endgame bosses (like Draconus) - end level bosses (Renegade) - middle game bosses (Castlevania, game ...

You should realise that it's not a version of "these" famous Pirates: https://www.mobygames.com/game/214/sid-meiers-pirates/ I've never got deep into it but it seems to be some kind of a turn-based board game where there are two sides, each with its own fleet of ships. But could be interes...

It was discussed many times here and on WOS but I'll leave searching for these old threads for others :) Here you can can check which +3 disk games have some additional content: https://zx-pk.ru/threads/31635-spisok-igr-s-uluchsheniyami-skonvertirovannykh-i-eshche-net-s-3.html (the forum is in Russi...

Yes, probably it could be faster. Hard to say how much however, without getting deep into it. I suppose it wouldn't be an easy job. it cannot be done with one or two pokes and would require a serious rewrite. But I guess that with very good programming it could run at similar speed as Batman or Head...

I've tried it and it is really promising - nice looking, easy to install and use.

Currenlty it supports only basic 48kB model but I guess it may change in the future.

Just the name is unfortunate, easy to confuse with Spectaculator.

I do play recent RPG games for Spectrum if that matters :) I played and completed: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/30064/ZX-Spectrum/Los_Amores_de_Brunilda https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/17203/ZX-Spectrum/Viking_Quest_2_Heart_of_Town https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/20749/ZX-Spectr...

I have mixed opinions of Keith Burkhill works. His version of Commando is simply great. On the other hand I dislike his Ghosts'n'Goblins and could never understand why some people like it. It's smooth but that's all. It is difficult, has bad graphics (small, simplistic and limited) and is only about...

Well, I don't know many of them but judging by the screenshots maybe that's better. An interesting case is SAS Operation Thunderflash which is actually an all right looking isometric game. But try to play it and you'll discover very quickly why it got so low notes. It's simply impossible. Some reall...

They still exist and some time ago they changed name to Atari but they aren't Atari, my feeling is that they hadn't "moral right" to do it :) But they made good games in the past. My favourite would be North&South. Actually I played it more on PC and Amiga than on Spectrum but the Spec...

Neons in Renegade level 3 (Big Bertha level) use flash and it looks quite nice. Maybe it's a cheap trick but it adds a real value to the game. You know, in the 80s I really aprreciated animated background. Leaves on the trees moved by the wind, moving clouds in the sky, flowing and sparkling water, ...