Why does CAPS LOCK break Bubble Bobble?

[equinox]

I'm a very small stupid person but I believe that setting CAPS LOCK on a Speccy is really just poking 23658,8 (maybe 'OR'ed with friends).

How come Bubble Bobble doesn't work at all if you load it in CAPS LOCK mode? It is really f'd up and broken, the bubbles are square and weird, what is going on? How did I ruin this by changing a single bit?

[WhatHoSnorkers]

Intriguing! I can understand "the keys don't work" sort of thing... but not breaking graphics and that!

[MatGubbins]

Been testing the original TZX bleepload firebird release in 48k mode on Spin 0.666
Without caplock mode
Loads as normal - select keyboard for player one and it allows me to define the keys, player 2 kempston. Game runs as normal.

With caplock mode on (pressing shift plus 2 in basic to get flashing C cursor)
Load as normal - select keyboard for player one and it has trouble with the define key routine that prints either numbers or punctuation/brackets. Trying to find a Y to confirm everything is a pain. Can't get to play the game.

With capslock mode on (as above)
Load game as normal, select Kempston for player one, Sinclair for player two
Start one player mode
Game seems to run ok

Please can you show a picture of these square bubbles, the version of bubble bobble you are using, the type of spectrum, 48k/128k mode, emulator or real spectrum, how you are loading it, control method, how you are sitting at the table, the sugar in your tea, the more information the better.

[equinox]

Please can you show a picture of .. the sugar in your tea

Look mate if I wanted to run sfc /scannow I know where to go.

I'll get back to you after I measure my carport, I need someone to clean it. You may have seen my coal scuttle house in Google Maps.

(OK I will check it out but I can absolutely guarantee that the real physical Bobble tape loaded in sh*t mode if you had caps on -- I'll explain later.)
The reason that I immediately hit CAPS LOCK on startup was because I'd spent too much time around a BBC Micro, no joke.

--and of course I check it out from the archive and it works fine. Well, Bobble (original genuine tape copy, late 80s) was the first game where I became aware of version numbers (look at the vX.XX in the BASIC loader). But I guess the archived one isn't what I had (a real copy). Can totally guarantee that CAPS LOCK killed it. Nobody will believe me. Thanks for listening anyway.

I strongly remember wondering why BB stopped working (after I got into the BBC Micro) and it took me a long time but I eventuall realised it was because I had started hitting Caps Lock on startup. I feel so gaslighted. Gaslit?

[AndyC]

Most likely it was some kind of copy protection, where none default values in RAM were upsetting decryption in some subtle way. Or possibly a rogue pointer that just happens to work correctly as long as the nobody puts CAPS LOCK on (let's face it back in the day nobody was testing that thoroughly).

It might also be machine dependent, so only a problem on certain machines etc.

[equinox]

Most likely it was some kind of copy protection, where none default values in RAM were upsetting decryption in some subtle way. Or possibly a rogue pointer that just happens to work correctly as long as the nobody puts CAPS LOCK on (let's face it back in the day nobody was testing that thoroughly).

It might also be machine dependent, so only a problem on certain machines etc.

It was the "large format" (sort of CD size) tape box, and it had the bleepload. I don't know what else to say.

[WhatHoSnorkers]

I had a +2 as a kid, and Nightshade.

I will swear blind that you had to load it in 48K mode (not that unusual) BUT you had to use LOAD "" with Symbol Shift P and NOT use the dedicated speech mark button or else it wouldnt' work.

No idea if it was luck or just some cargo cult nonsense in my head, but that's what I remember about it.

Ghosts in the Machine!

[equinox]

I had a +2 as a kid, and Nightshade.
I will swear blind that you had to load it in 48K mode (not that unusual) BUT you had to use LOAD "" with Symbol Shift P and NOT use the dedicated speech mark button or else it wouldnt' work.
No idea if it was luck or just some cargo cult nonsense in my head, but that's what I remember about it.
Ghosts in the Machine!

You are totally hijacking my thread, but yes, Ultimate (now Rare) didn't care much for the 128 models. By 1986 I think they had f'ed off to do Nintendo stuff. I could certainly forgive them for some stupid ROM hacks that might make their games work on 48 only (not sure what they actually did, but I remember the truth of what you are describing. No Pentagram or Knight Lore on 128 mode)

Knight Lore rulez!

I can however confirm that any idea of typing quotes one way or the other makes no fricking difference. My sister's ex boyfriend swore up and down that he had a haunted ZX81 that booted up saying "let's kill the babies" instead of "Sinclair Research", you don't want to be that guy

[worcestersource]

I could never get Bubble Bobble to load in 128k mode. I can’t remember if this was a +2 or +2a. After one expired, my dad bought us another as they were cheap as chips.

[WhatHoSnorkers]

You are totally hijacking my thread, but yes, Ultimate (now Rare) didn't care much for the 128 models. By 1986 I think they had f'ed off to do Nintendo stuff. I could certainly forgive them for some stupid ROM hacks that might make their games work on 48 only (not sure what they actually did, but I remember the truth of what you are describing. No Pentagram or Knight Lore on 128 mode)

Knight Lore rulez!

I can however confirm that any idea of typing quotes one way or the other makes no fricking difference. My sister's ex boyfriend swore up and down that he had a haunted ZX81 that booted up saying "let's kill the babies" instead of "Sinclair Research", you don't want to be that guy

Oh absolutely. There was lots of bizarre myths floating about. One I saw in a magazine was LOADING "Program" on the ZX81 was more reliable than LOAD "". I doubt it was scientific as it would take forever.

I'm still intrigued by CAPS LOCK and Bubble Bobble though!

[equinox]

Truly people will just assume "it's just old drunky equinox", but I swear, I remember this very strongly, and I remember when it clicked in my head "don't set capslock" and i made it work again. This is tru fax. not just imagination.

Judging by the SC archive, I had the same as everybody (large square cover):
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/zxdb/si ... Bobble.jpg

I also remember that it bleeploaded in cute multicolours (yellow-magenta and blue-cyan?).

[equinox]

I could never get Bubble Bobble to load in 128k mode. I can’t remember if this was a +2 or +2a. After one expired, my dad bought us another as they were cheap as chips.

Turning this into a general BB thread: I remember my dad going slowly insane because of the awful tinky-pinky-plonky music on the title screen (sorry Follin but you were made to convert it). I had just been reading some Crash mag and I said "oh but you see, dad, it's ADDICTIVE". Yes that's the problem son.

Also much love to my poor abused sister, we sometimes got to level 40 or so... which was much harder alone. Women who played video games before 2000 have the hundred-yard stare. I wonder if 2P Rainbow Islands would have been conveniently doable.

[equinox]

I could never get Bubble Bobble to load in 128k mode. I can’t remember if this was a +2 or +2a. After one expired, my dad bought us another as they were cheap as chips.

The only game that works on the +2a is Legend of Kage, and somehow the beeper music is even worse. It's not even an AY!!

[Alessandro]

The original Firebird release of Bubble Bobble won't work on the +2A/+3.

The Hit Squad re-release will, but without background music. The Musical 1 re-release runs with background music.

(See the +2A/+3 incompatibilities and corrections list in my signature)

[Lee Bee]

What Equinox is saying rings a bell. I definitely remember sprites sometimes glitching in Bubble Bobble. Can't remember when or why. Bubbles would glitch, and maybe enemies too on certain frames of animation.


Bublé's bobble hat

[PeteProdge]

The original Firebird release of Bubble Bobble won't work on the +2A/+3.

They will work if you load from 48K mode. However, this will obviously leave you without the AY music (which will please @equinox's dad at least).

[equinox]

They will work if you load from 48K mode. However, this will obviously leave you without the AY music (which will please @equinox's dad at least).

He's dad now -- oops he was dad before, I mean dead -- but I make a point of going to the grave once a year and eating a load of plums.

And mispronouncing Taito. I'm just trouble all around really.

[AndyC]

And mispronouncing Taito. I'm just trouble all around really.

It's impossible to mispronounce Taito as it's clearly not pronounceable in the first place. Tay-toe, Tie-toe, Tay-show, Tie-show... nobody knows.

[equinox]

Is Rod-Land better than Bubbob?
They are basically the same game, except Rod-Land enforces ladder climbing (so you can't frickin' JUMP) which actually adds a lot of strategy. RL feels a lot like Space Panic to me.
I love all platformers. I love all plat-'em-ups.

[worcestersource]

They will work if you load from 48K mode. However, this will obviously leave you without the AY music (which will please @equinox's dad at least).

That’s how we had to play it. Not the same.

[Alessandro]

They will work if you load from 48K mode. However, this will obviously leave you without the AY music (which will please @equinox's dad at least).

Again, the Musical 1 re-release will play AY music in the background. A TAP file of it will soon be added to the collection for the DivIDE, in the next update.

It's impossible to mispronounce Taito as it's clearly not pronounceable in the first place. Tay-toe, Tie-toe, Tay-show, Tie-show... nobody knows.

The correct pronunciation could be rendered to an English speaker as "tah-EE-toh".

On a side note, one thing I noticed from my first forays into the study of English as a foreign language is that vowels do not seem to have a clear, uniform sound as, for instance, in Italian and Spanish. To my ears, they have a sort of descending or ascending "tail" (I did not study linguistics or phonetics, so I do not know how this phenomenon is called, exactly), except when followed by a "h".

[catmeows]

At one point, around my 11 or so, everybody in my class though that 'Bruce Lee' is pronounced as 'Brukh Lee" because C in english is read asi K, right ?

[Lee Bee]

The correct pronunciation could be rendered to an English speaker as "tah-EE-toh".

Also, the Japanese 't' is softer than English, more 'inside the mouth', without a puff of air, plus a higher tongue placement behind the teeth, bringing it towards an English 'd'. So perhaps it could be written "dah-YEE-toh"?

On a side note, one thing I noticed from my first forays into the study of English as a foreign language is that vowels do not seem to have a clear, uniform sound as, for instance, in Italian and Spanish. To my ears, they have a sort of descending or ascending "tail" (I did not study linguistics or phonetics, so I do not know how this phenomenon is called, exactly), except when followed by a "h".

Indeed, many languages slide the pitch of vowels to add expression, and many languages (including Italian) have "diphthongs" (two or more vowel sounds transitioned into one). But for English-speakers it's very common to take simple vowels and more them more complicated by turning them all into diphthongs. Some English accents do this extensively. An example is a "southern" American accent ("Well now" can become "Way-uhl na-eh-ah-oh").

[Chris23235]

It's impossible to mispronounce Taito as it's clearly not pronounceable in the first place. Tay-toe, Tie-toe, Tay-show, Tie-show... nobody knows.

Here you go