Search found 2640 matches

by Ast A. Moore
Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:48 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: The Definitive Programmer’s Guide to Using the Floating Bus Trick on the ZX Spectrum
Replies: 59
Views: 13188

Re: The Definitive Programmer’s Guide to Using the Floating Bus Trick on the ZX Spectrum

Having read through this thread and your webpage am I right in thinking that your code loop will catch one of the attribute bytes on the relevant row, but you can't be sure which one? And is it also the case that you're not 100% sure why this 35 t-state loop only catches attributes? True, you can’t...
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Mar 26, 2024 10:46 am
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Wec Le Mans tournament
Replies: 2
Views: 95

Re: Wec Le Mans tournament

That’s a great idea, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass. If it were Continental Circus, I’d kick everybody’s backside, though. :lol:
by Ast A. Moore
Fri Mar 22, 2024 8:28 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: New Game: Nectar
Replies: 9
Views: 663

Re: New Game: Nectar

Ah, finally a new Spectrum game that’s hand-coded, not AGDed (if I got it right). With great graphics to boot! Much appreciated. Bloody hard, though. :D P.S. Not sure why the TZX file contains raw data, given that the loader seems to utilize the standard ROM routines. P.P.S. It would be great if the...
by Ast A. Moore
Sat Mar 09, 2024 4:44 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: The best Speccy game by Infogrames: vote
Replies: 15
Views: 421

Re: The best Speccy game by Infogrames: vote

Sim City is a fine port, but that’s what it is—a port. North & South is an original game developed and distributed by Infogrames, and it’s a brilliant idea brilliantly executed. My vote goes to it. Hostages was an ambitious undertaking, but I think it is was too much for the Speccy to handle sm...
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Mar 05, 2024 7:08 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Super rare old Spectrum game discovered!
Replies: 18
Views: 791

Re: Super rare old Spectrum game discovered!

Gears of Games wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 4:38 pm Given how the texts often were back in the day, I was rather thinking I needed more typos to make it look legit! :D
Fair enough, but then you need to emulate the halftone grid in the colored portions of the J-card, apply some relicing, and convert the whole thing to CMYK. :lol:
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Mar 05, 2024 12:30 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Super rare old Spectrum game discovered!
Replies: 18
Views: 791

Re: Super rare old Spectrum game discovered!

There’s a couple of typos that need to be fixed in the loading instructions: tap —> tape, “symbol” in “symbol SHIFT” needs to be capitalized, and I’m not sure if the “R Type Loading Error” is a nod to Dave or also a typo. ;) P.S. I’d use straight quotes (shocker!) for the LOAD "" instructi...
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Jan 09, 2024 9:07 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Some gigascreen game prototype: need input
Replies: 26
Views: 1533

Re: Some gigascreen game prototype: need input

Okay, this is pretty darned good. Can’t test it on real hardware at the moment (but could set it up in the future: a Toastrack or a +2B with a CRT TV), but it does have minimal flicker in RVM. Frankly, I see the smoothness of the graphics (i.e. the number and quality of extra sprite frames) as a big...
by Ast A. Moore
Thu Jan 04, 2024 7:48 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: How much self modifying code was there and did it do anything?
Replies: 26
Views: 1369

Re: How much self modifying code was there and did it do anything?

Dunno what you mean by that even though I use sjasm lol, can you give an example? ld (new_score+1),a ;write the value of A to memory location ;marked by label new_score plus one byte ... ... ... new_score ld a,0 ;the code above will modify the operand ;of the LD A,n instruction here
by Ast A. Moore
Thu Jan 04, 2024 3:41 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: How much self modifying code was there and did it do anything?
Replies: 26
Views: 1369

Re: How much self modifying code was there and did it do anything?

I use SMC all the time. Mostly to save on space and speed up code execution, but occasionally I replace opcodes on the fly, too. All very useful stuff for 8-bit micros, where every byte and T state counts.
by Ast A. Moore
Sun Dec 31, 2023 12:05 pm
Forum: Announcements
Topic: Happy New Year!
Replies: 24
Views: 941

Re: Happy New Year!

Happy 0x7e8!
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Dec 26, 2023 7:45 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Learning machine code
Replies: 61
Views: 1972

Re: Learning machine code

Back to my question how did anyone learn when the reference books (and magazine type-ins) were riddled with errors? Yeah, that was a bummer. Here’s the thing, though. It’s a mistake to think you need to learn machine code . In reality, machine code in and of itself is quite simple. What you really ...
by Ast A. Moore
Mon Dec 25, 2023 8:29 am
Forum: Music
Topic: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Replies: 31
Views: 1382

Re: We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, my fellow 8-bit aficionados! May it be red, yellow, green, and cyan!
by Ast A. Moore
Sun Dec 24, 2023 3:18 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: WOOT 2023 released!
Replies: 88
Views: 5465

Re: WOOT 2023 released!

So far, I think I’m most impressed with the methionylthreonylthreonylglutaminylarginyl . . . demo. :shock:
by Ast A. Moore
Sun Dec 24, 2023 7:00 am
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: WOOT 2023 released!
Replies: 88
Views: 5465

Re: WOOT 2023 released!

Sorry for not participating this year—was too busy with other things. Looking forward to checking out this year’s issue!
by Ast A. Moore
Thu Nov 30, 2023 5:13 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

It’s a bird! No . . . It’s a plane!
by Ast A. Moore
Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:29 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

Pobulous wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 4:48 pm After I reaslised it wasn't one of the Pixys, I thought it looked a bit similar to UCM, so I looked at the other games from the same author and thought it looked a bit like that one.
That’s some impressive detective work!
by Ast A. Moore
Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:09 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

Pobulous wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 1:32 pm Die Alien Slime?
Right you are!
by Ast A. Moore
Wed Nov 29, 2023 9:45 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

No takers, eh?

Zooming out:

Image
by Ast A. Moore
Tue Nov 28, 2023 3:23 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: But really, why didn't the Speccy have a definitive football game?
Replies: 42
Views: 1182

Re: But really, why didn't the Speccy have a definitive football game?

redballoon wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2023 10:27 pm Emlyn Hughes International Soccer was the definitive football game on the ZX Spectrum.
I concur. Would could do a poll, but the winner is obvious. I, for one, would be voting for it.
by Ast A. Moore
Mon Nov 27, 2023 4:50 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

Squares, squares, wonderful squares!

Image
by Ast A. Moore
Mon Nov 27, 2023 1:26 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Guess the screen$
Replies: 7695
Views: 232529

Re: Guess the screen$

Little Puff in Dragonland.
by Ast A. Moore
Sat Nov 25, 2023 8:22 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Spectrum interface to do programming?
Replies: 14
Views: 459

Re: Spectrum interface to do programming?

There was also the Currah MicroSource @1024MAK. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1000080/Hardware/Currah_MicroSource I don't realise until today that this device offered Forth too! I used the µSource a few years back under emulation. (Fuse has support for it.) It’s pretty nifty, if a little cu...
by Ast A. Moore
Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:14 pm
Forum: Website
Topic: JSSpeccy 3 Online Emulator
Replies: 26
Views: 539

Re: JSSpeccy 3 Online Emulator

Pretty sweet!
Sound is a bit distorted and lags a little, but that’s a minor thing.
by Ast A. Moore
Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:05 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: Stereogram Demo
Replies: 21
Views: 740

Re: Stereogram Demo

stupidget wrote: Thu Nov 09, 2023 11:18 am Where's the saucy lady!!!??? When I adjust my eyes I see a square hole then below that a floating square. No smutty content for me :cry:
There’s a couple. Their sauciness, however, will be determined by the jury of their peers.
by Ast A. Moore
Wed Nov 08, 2023 2:10 pm
Forum: Sinclair Miscellaneous
Topic: Friday Quiz: SCRambled 4
Replies: 53
Views: 729

Re: Friday Quiz: SCRambled 4

GreenCard wrote: Wed Nov 08, 2023 11:08 am Pop along, it'll be a hoot.
Not worth it for me. I’d consider popping along for a hoot and a half, though.