Famous beeper sounds

[R-Tape]

This is partially for something I'm working on, but interested too, because I can't think of many.

Can you name some well-known short beeper effects?* I'm not referring to music, unless it's incredibly simple.

Things like the pitchbend as the boot descends in Manic Miner.

*If you're a programmer, and have said effect already disassembled—even better!

[stupidget]

I was always impressed with the metallic sound on Firelord when you died and your helmet hits the floor.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

I was always impressed with the metallic sound on Firelord when you died and your helmet hits the floor.

I was about to say the same. A very well done 'metallic sound'.

Plus:

The cheering crowd in Imagine's Ping Pong.

[Ast A. Moore]

This is the “poing” from Yankee, played when the player is hit:

Code: Select all

player_died
		ld b,$80
		and %11111000		;keep BORDER black
sfx_cptr	xor 16			;toggle the speaker bit
		push bc
1$		djnz 1$
		pop bc
		out (254),a
		djnz sfx_cptr
		ret

[Juan F. Ramirez]

The sound of the drop falling off in the first screen of Abu Simbel Profanation.

[Juan F. Ramirez]

There are many cool sounds effects in Penetrator, starting with the initial 'emergency' sound, then the sound of shoots and ships being fired, all very arcade-ish.

[PROSM]

Perhaps the "Yippee!" in Splat? Pretty impressive for 1983.

Code: Select all

; Assemble above $8000

c_yippee:
	ld hl,d_yippee
	ld de,$03e8
	
	di

c_yippee_l1:
	ld c,(hl)
	ld a,$11
	out ($fe),a

c_yippee_l2:
	ld b,03
	djnz $
	dec c
	jr nz,c_yippee_l2
	
	inc hl
	ld c,(hl)
	ld a,$1
	out ($fe),a

c_yippee_l3:
	ld b,03
	djnz $
	dec c
	jr nz,c_yippee_l3
	
	inc hl
	dec de
	ld a,d
	or e
	jr nz,c_yippee_l1
	
	ei
	ret

d_yippee:
	db $09,$13,$07,$08,$06,$C9,$0B,$0A,$52,$04,$0A,$2A,$03,$DF,$03,$12
	db $0A,$08,$07,$1B,$05,$27,$09,$0F,$0C,$09,$07,$09,$06,$17,$03,$0A
	db $05,$09,$06,$0A,$04,$22,$15,$0C,$44,$07,$07,$0A,$01,$33,$00,$12
	db $05,$4D,$01,$41,$06,$47,$0A,$08,$08,$10,$12,$08,$0A,$09,$08,$0B
	db $06,$0B,$04,$0B,$04,$0F,$06,$0B,$0A,$11,$09,$09,$08,$21,$05,$08
	db $07,$0B,$3B,$04,$1D,$73,$04,$09,$07,$06,$09,$08,$08,$11,$05,$61
	db $32,$05,$0A,$09,$03,$51,$41,$6F,$37,$5D,$3A,$75,$3A,$63,$46,$54
	db $02,$07,$0A,$07,$12,$06,$09,$23,$03,$0B,$4A,$4B,$04,$0B,$09,$07
	db $23,$00,$00,$5D,$08,$08,$11,$03,$11,$03,$0D,$34,$01,$0E,$08,$07
	db $2F,$3C,$03,$0E,$07,$09,$0C,$07,$0E,$07,$0B,$2D,$07,$0A,$0B,$06
	db $20,$4A,$04,$0E,$09,$07,$28,$43,$02,$10,$05,$07,$2F,$3B,$02,$10
	db $05,$08,$08,$02,$2F,$18,$02,$10,$03,$1F,$04,$06,$0A,$03,$09,$05
	db $0A,$0B,$01,$0B,$06,$0D,$06,$0D,$0A,$08,$27,$25,$06,$0D,$06,$0D
	db $07,$04,$07,$04,$1B,$2B,$06,$0E,$05,$11,$06,$0D,$1A,$02,$0D,$1C
	db $04,$0F,$05,$10,$06,$0E,$2D,$18,$07,$0E,$05,$11,$08,$0C,$0B,$0B
	db $0D,$1F,$04,$0E,$06,$0D,$09,$0F,$14,$03,$11,$16,$08,$0D,$07,$0E
	db $08,$0D,$28,$21,$00,$10,$05,$0F,$08,$0D,$13,$06,$0E,$1C,$02,$0F
	db $06,$0F,$09,$0B,$2B,$18,$03,$10,$05,$10,$07,$0D,$17,$02,$0C,$19
	db $02,$13,$05,$15,$06,$06,$16,$04,$11,$0C,$08,$12,$07,$0D,$10,$07
	db $1F,$00,$01,$1B,$0A,$0D,$07,$10,$0A,$0A,$13,$05,$0E,$15,$03,$12
	db $05,$12,$0B,$08,$19,$01,$0F,$0F,$07,$11,$04,$13,$09,$0A,$18,$04
	db $0C,$10,$07,$13,$01,$17,$07,$09,$18,$05,$0C,$0E,$08,$0E,$05,$0F
	db $37,$1F,$07,$10,$05,$11,$0B,$06,$25,$1C,$04,$12,$02,$13,$09,$05
	db $2B,$17,$04,$11,$05,$12,$0A,$04,$28,$34,$03,$10,$1E,$15,$05,$2D
	db $27,$03,$12,$08,$0F,$2A,$06,$2F,$10,$08,$0A,$60,$11,$04,$12,$0B
	db $03,$2F,$07,$09,$2C,$44,$31,$07,$05,$41,$44,$61,$09,$E5,$3E,$4E
	db $05,$0C,$25,$4F,$04,$08,$0D,$0B,$4C,$06,$11,$0B,$0C,$E9,$07,$0E
	db $00,$00,$1E,$4B,$0B,$0C,$0E,$0B,$06,$47,$0F,$38,$04,$16,$47,$49
	db $12,$11,$0D,$0C,$44,$2B,$01,$15,$17,$00,$01,$14,$0B,$13,$4C,$05
	db $0B,$28,$1C,$0C,$11,$10,$5D,$23,$15,$0F,$07,$27,$11,$0B,$06,$12
	db $0B,$14,$03,$1A,$04,$07,$0E,$09,$09,$53,$12,$09,$18,$0D,$0D,$BE
	db $0B,$14,$0B,$1A,$05,$23,$0D,$0A,$07,$41,$11,$20,$04,$0F,$08,$13
	db $07,$0D,$0A,$04,$0A,$28,$05,$03,$09,$10,$24,$06,$15,$0A,$0E,$14
	db $00,$05,$06,$0F,$0A,$14,$07,$25,$07,$12,$08,$18,$0B,$13,$0A,$16
	db $0D,$11,$0C,$1B,$0C,$0E,$0B,$19,$0C,$0E,$0C,$13,$0E,$13,$0E,$11
	db $12,$14,$0B,$10,$0E,$12,$11,$0D,$11,$13,$0C,$0F,$0F,$12,$0A,$16
	db $0A,$0F,$0B,$0D,$06,$24,$08,$0E,$0A,$0E,$08,$06,$0B,$0D,$0B,$0C
	db $06,$06,$07,$13,$08,$10,$16,$0A,$0C,$0B,$08,$05,$06,$15,$06,$15
	db $05,$13,$13,$09,$0E,$0D,$0B,$40,$1C,$03,$24,$4D,$0B,$07,$24,$00
	db $01,$2E,$03,$13,$03,$10,$0A,$06,$23,$1D,$08,$11,$05,$11,$08,$07
	db $1E,$03,$0E,$0E,$07,$12,$05,$0F,$08,$08,$0A,$02,$0F,$08,$08,$10
	db $06,$15,$02,$10,$07,$09,$08,$02,$10,$05,$0D,$0E,$07,$10,$07,$0E
	db $09,$07,$24,$1B,$07,$11,$06,$10,$09,$09,$2A,$13,$06,$13,$03,$12
	db $08,$0A,$1B,$04,$0B,$10,$07,$12,$04,$12,$08,$0A,$1A,$05,$08,$13
	db $06,$2D,$06,$09,$07,$02,$10,$05,$0D,$0D,$08,$10,$04,$13,$07,$09
	db $26,$18,$09,$0F,$05,$12,$07,$0C,$1B,$03,$0C,$10,$08,$10,$05,$14
	db $06,$0D,$17,$05,$0E,$0E,$08,$10,$05,$13,$07,$0D,$15,$07,$0C,$0F
	db $08,$10,$06,$13,$07,$0E,$13,$08,$0C,$10,$09,$0F,$06,$12,$08,$0C
	db $17,$05,$0E,$0F,$08,$10,$05,$12,$0C,$09,$18,$01,$08,$17,$08,$10
	db $06,$11,$08,$0D,$18,$05,$0C,$10,$06,$13,$05,$10,$02,$03,$08,$07
	db $2E,$0F,$07,$10,$07,$11,$05,$0F,$18,$05,$0B,$13,$04,$16,$04,$12
	db $04,$01,$39,$10,$06,$14,$06,$0C,$07,$07,$26,$00,$01,$1F,$06,$14
	db $05,$0E,$05,$09,$2C,$1F,$08,$0F,$06,$0F,$05,$0F,$1A,$03,$0F,$2D
	db $05,$0E,$06,$0F,$2F,$14,$02,$15,$04,$0E,$06,$0A,$2C,$1E,$07,$0F
	db $06,$0D,$08,$0B,$24,$23,$05,$11,$06,$0D,$07,$0C,$22,$25,$04,$12
	db $05,$0E,$06,$0B,$37,$14,$05,$10,$06,$0D,$06,$0D,$23,$01,$0E,$14
	db $03,$13,$04,$0F,$05,$0C,$08,$06,$13,$04,$0E,$10,$08,$0F,$07,$0C
	db $07,$0A,$29,$1E,$05,$14,$05,$0D,$06,$0A,$09,$05,$21,$19,$05,$13
	db $05,$0D,$06,$0B,$08,$06,$16,$03,$0C,$13,$05,$11,$05,$0E,$06,$0B
	db $28,$03,$0B,$10,$05,$13,$04,$0E,$06,$0C,$07,$07,$13,$07,$0B,$12
	db $07,$10,$06,$0D,$07,$0A,$28,$05,$0A,$10,$06,$11,$06,$0D,$06,$0A
	db $09,$06,$13,$07,$0C,$13,$06,$11,$05,$0E,$06,$0C,$09,$03,$16,$03
	db $0C,$14,$06,$10,$06,$0E,$06,$0B,$08,$06,$1B,$01,$09,$12,$04,$29
	db $06,$0A,$07,$0A,$0E,$08,$11,$11,$08,$0E,$08,$0C,$07,$0B,$0C,$04
	db $1C,$1C,$04,$13,$05,$0C,$08,$09,$09,$08,$16,$06,$0A,$11,$07,$11
	db $05,$0E,$06,$0B,$08,$07,$1A,$06,$05,$11,$05,$27,$08,$0A,$08,$08
	db $1A,$05,$08,$0F,$06,$27,$07,$0B,$08,$08,$19,$07,$0A,$0C,$09,$0E
	db $06,$0F,$08,$0A,$09,$09,$14,$08,$09,$0F,$07,$11,$05,$0F,$08,$09
	db $09,$07,$19,$08,$07,$0F,$06,$2A,$07,$09,$09,$08,$18,$06,$0B,$0D
	db $08,$10,$05,$11,$07,$0C,$08,$0A,$13,$07,$0D,$0D,$08,$11,$04,$11
	db $05,$0E,$06,$09,$16,$06,$0D,$0C,$09,$0E,$08,$0D,$09,$0A,$09,$08
	db $1A,$02,$09,$00,$01,$0E,$06,$13,$06,$0D,$08,$0A,$09,$08,$15,$06
	db $09,$10,$04,$2D,$07,$0A,$08,$08,$17,$05,$0B,$0F,$06,$2C,$07,$0B
	db $08,$09,$13,$07,$0C,$0D,$07,$2E,$07,$09,$09,$06,$19,$04,$0C,$0E
	db $07,$0F,$06,$12,$0A,$09,$09,$08,$16,$06,$0C,$12,$05,$13,$06,$0F
	db $07,$0B,$09,$0A,$0F,$09,$0B,$0E,$08,$2B,$08,$0B,$08,$09,$15,$06
	db $0B,$11,$06,$2B,$07,$0B,$08,$08,$14,$09,$08,$16,$05,$14,$05,$0D
	db $08,$0A,$08,$08,$18,$03,$0E,$0B,$07,$0F,$04,$0C,$04,$07,$08,$08
	db $0A,$07,$19,$02,$06,$40,$00,$0B,$07,$09,$08,$08,$18,$04,$0A,$49
	db $07,$09,$08,$08,$12,$07,$0E,$46,$08,$0B,$08,$0A,$0E,$0C,$0A,$0E
	db $04,$1E,$08,$08,$0B,$08,$0B,$07,$14,$05,$0D,$35,$04,$0A,$09,$09
	db $0A,$09,$11,$09,$0A,$48,$08,$09,$0A,$09,$12,$06,$0C,$39,$03,$0A
	db $08,$09,$08,$08,$15,$06,$0D,$4B,$06,$09,$08,$0A,$0F,$09,$10,$10
	db $05,$2C,$0B,$09,$0B,$07,$1D,$40,$04,$0D,$08,$0A,$09,$09,$12,$07
	db $0E,$32,$05,$0E,$07,$0C,$08,$0A,$10,$08,$0D,$0F,$01,$35,$07,$0A
	db $09,$09,$10,$08,$0B,$39,$02,$0D,$09,$09,$0B,$08,$14,$01,$0D,$3A
	db $06,$08,$0A,$08,$0B,$08,$13,$07,$0C,$33,$03,$0F,$08,$0B,$09,$0A
	db $0D,$0A,$0D,$1D,$02,$11,$05,$0F,$07,$0B,$09,$09,$12,$06,$0D,$09
	db $04,$2A,$03,$0E,$07,$0A,$07,$0A,$0E,$0A,$0B,$0A,$06,$27,$07,$0A
	db $0A,$08,$0B,$06,$1E,$15,$04,$3A,$0C,$07,$0A,$07,$1E,$00,$01,$13
	db $00,$3F,$09,$08,$09,$08,$15,$05,$0D,$0B,$02,$3F,$08,$07,$09,$07
	db $12,$07,$0D,$0C,$01,$41,$08,$07,$0A,$07,$19,$02,$08,$01,$00,$3E
	db $02,$09,$0C,$07,$0A,$07,$11,$06,$0F,$50,$0A,$06,$09,$09,$0F,$09
	db $0A,$0E,$04,$3E,$0B,$07,$09,$09,$11,$07,$0E,$51,$09,$06,$09,$09
	db $0D,$0C,$09,$25,$01,$12,$08,$08,$11,$07,$0A,$05,$1B,$00,$02,$17
	db $01,$39,$13,$06,$0A,$07,$10,$06,$0E,$54,$0A,$05,$09,$08,$16,$09
	db $07,$4D,$0F,$06,$09,$08,$0E,$08,$0B,$5A,$09,$04,$0A,$08,$0E,$04
	db $13,$0A,$02,$3A,$06,$04,$09,$05,$09,$07,$0D,$06,$12,$4C,$02,$06
	db $08,$06,$09,$08,$0B,$09,$04,$02,$09,$53,$0A,$07,$09,$07,$0F,$05
	db $14,$55,$07,$08,$07,$0A,$0B,$08,$08,$11,$04,$0E,$04,$14,$06,$0A
	db $15,$06,$0A,$06,$18,$00,$01,$01,$01,$12,$03,$3C,$12,$07,$09,$08
	db $0C,$07,$0D,$0E,$03,$46,$0A,$06,$0A,$08,$14,$05,$0C,$0B,$01,$41
	db $02,$00,$0B,$05,$09,$08,$0C,$06,$0B,$55,$13,$05,$0A,$07,$11,$01
	db $0D,$0F,$05,$40,$10,$06,$0A,$07,$0D,$08,$0D,$0D,$02,$47,$0A,$06
	db $0A,$07,$0C,$04,$14,$54,$0E,$06,$09,$08,$0D,$05,$10,$0B,$02,$50
	db $05,$06,$08,$08,$0B,$07,$22,$40,$14,$05,$0A,$06,$1E,$5D,$0D,$07
	db $0B,$07,$0D,$04,$0C,$5C,$0D,$05,$0A,$07,$0D,$02,$18,$52,$0F,$04
	db $0B,$08,$0C,$07,$08,$47,$05,$08,$17,$04,$0A,$06,$1F,$5C,$12,$03
	db $0B,$08,$0C,$06,$08,$5E,$11,$04,$0B,$07,$0D,$04,$12,$57,$0E,$05
	db $0B,$07,$10,$03,$0F,$56,$15,$00,$0C,$06,$23,$45,$03,$0C,$12,$04
	db $0C,$06,$1B,$01,$01,$5D,$10,$04,$0C,$07,$0F,$00,$0F,$5C,$10,$04
	db $0B,$07,$0D,$03,$14,$57,$0E,$04,$0B,$07,$26,$44,$01,$0C,$15,$03
	db $0C,$06,$0D,$01,$0C,$5F,$24,$08,$0D,$08,$0D,$55,$15,$02,$0D,$06
	db $26,$56,$06,$07,$02,$03,$0C,$07,$0B,$0E,$09,$3E,$0A,$09,$16,$02
	db $10,$03,$10,$00,$01,$66,$18,$02,$0D,$06,$10,$09,$08,$57,$16,$02
	db $0D,$06,$0D,$02,$0E,$5C,$15,$02,$0C,$09,$09,$12,$02,$40,$30,$03
	db $0C,$05,$14,$58,$02,$0A,$17,$04,$0B,$06,$0B,$74,$14,$02,$0B,$08
	db $0B,$0E,$05,$58,$19,$02,$0C,$06,$0E,$55,$2F,$03,$0D,$04,$19,$55
	db $07,$05,$16,$04,$0C,$06,$0C,$09,$05,$5F,$17,$04,$0B,$07,$0B,$09
	db $08,$50,$02,$07,$19,$03,$0B,$07,$0C,$09,$08,$50,$04,$03,$1B,$03
	db $0B,$06,$0D,$06,$0C,$4C,$06,$07,$18,$03,$0A,$08,$0A,$0C,$03,$60
	db $19,$03,$0B,$07,$0C,$0A,$06,$50,$03,$08,$19,$04,$0B,$06,$0E,$08
	db $09,$5E,$17,$03,$0B,$06,$0D,$05,$12,$0B,$02,$37,$07,$08,$18,$04
	db $0B,$06,$0D,$07,$0A,$50,$02,$09,$18,$03,$0B,$07,$0C,$09,$07,$51
	db $03,$09,$1A,$03,$0B,$07,$0B,$09,$09,$51,$01,$0C,$1A,$01,$0C,$05

Is this a feature for Woot! by any chance?

[catmeows]

This is partially for something I'm working on, but interested too, because I can't think of many.

Can you name some well-known short beeper effects?* I'm not referring to music, unless it's incredibly simple.

Things like the pitchbend as the boot descends in Manic Miner.

*If you're a programmer, and have said effect already disassembled—even better!

Basicaly everything from Starquake. That game has incredibly well done sfx.

[R-Tape]

Thanks all. Some great ideas here. Some of the sound routines are easier to decipher than others!

I've yet to look at Joffa's games, but I suspect some of his superb beeper effects will be very convoluted (i.e too clever for me).

Perhaps the "Yippee!" in Splat? Pretty impressive for 1983.

Great call - and thanks so much for the disasm. It's expensive, memory-wise, but I might have room.

Is this a feature for Woot! by any chance?

It's a secret

[RWAC]

your helmet hits the floor.

Must resist penis joke!

[R-Tape]

your helmet hits the floor.

Must resist penis joke!

Now we need that Carry On film sound effect!

[Morkin]

How about the sound effect(s) on the menu screens in the Horace games?

Only just twigged, I think the sound effect is the same as the one used within the games themselves...

[R-Tape]

EDITED - the Penetrator sound effect in question only used a 177 byte data table. Usable!

How about the sound effect(s) on the menu screens in the Horace games?

Only just twigged, I think the sound effect is the same as the one used within the games themselves...

Good call - and I've managed to rip out the code.

[stupidget]

your helmet hits the floor.

Must resist penis joke!

I'm disgusted and saddened that it took this long for somebody to even attempt a nob joke. Shame on you all

[DouglasReynholm]

Can I just say these are the sort of quality threads I come here for? Threads like 'little bugs in the database' can do one, IMHO.

Though of course I recognise the importance of aforementioned bugs thread - Spectrum Computing's raison d'etre and lifeblood..

[RWAC]

I've always loved the sound effects in Julian Gollop's games: Laser Squad, Rebelstar, Chaos, Lords of Chaos.

[palebulbouseyes]

The Atic Atac respawning sound: "bip bip bip beeeeeep".

The "tsew" sound when you lose a life in MM/JSW.

[R-Tape]

The Atic Atac respawning sound: "bip bip bip beeeeeep".

Oh yesssss! Nice one.

bip bip bip bip blewwwwwwwwwwdiddldldwiwssjdjdjdwiwieieedkjsdkljf

[R-Tape]

Can I just say these are the sort of quality threads I come here for? Threads like 'little bugs in the database' can do one, IMHO.

Though of course I recognise the importance of aforementioned bugs thread - Spectrum Computing's raison d'etre and lifeblood..

Maybe we could make a rule for that thread? For every 8 bug reports there has to be a nob gag?

[Turtle_Quality]

How about Wild West Heroes, the noise it makes during a screen wipe - start and end of every level

[uglifruit]

"BEEEEEE BLAAAAHHHH"

(the sound of getting lines in Skool Daze)

[stupidget]

The rocket taking off in Jetpac. Which I’m sure somebody like Orbital or The Chemical brothers had a track that had a bit that sounded like it.

[Alessandro]

Talking about Jetpac... The noise when Jetman dies sounds suspiciously like a liquid fart

[R-Tape]

Sir Lancelot is a fantastic game, but it must have one of the most annoying uses of the beeper. Being quite hard, you experience it a lot—the funeral march, followed by a long pitch bend, none of which can be interrupted. No wonder POKEs evolved to get around that specific 'feature'.

[Spud]

The "Three Two One Gooo!" sound in Grand Prix Simulator was stunning back int he day. Probably not what you're looking for though.