Games that were compiled from BASIC

[Pobulous]

Call Me Psycho?

Yep - MCoder II

✓ Reviewed

[Lethargeek]

If I'm not mistaken, Heartbroken was written in compiled Basic.

i recall someone who looked into the code claimed many (all?) Shaw brothers games were compiled, though not sure if it was BASIC

[+3code]

Some early games by Dinamic are too compiled BASIC, as https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/7 ... rum/Yenght

I readed it was made with Colt or Mcoder, I cant remember.

EDIT: yes, I see this text in the code: "ZX COMPILER V2.0 1983 THRELFALL and HODGSON"

✓ Reviewed

[Bedazzle]

If I'm not mistaken, Heartbroken was written in compiled Basic.

i recall someone who looked into the code claimed many (all?) Shaw brothers games were compiled, though not sure if it was BASIC

https://zx-pk.ru/threads/26468-igry-ot- ... thers.html

[Pobulous]

i recall someone who looked into the code claimed many (all?) Shaw brothers games were compiled, though not sure if it was BASIC

https://zx-pk.ru/threads/26468-igry-ot- ... thers.html

Reading through that via Google translate it seems like they used a mix of assembly routines for sprite display and MCoderII, but also stripped out unnecessary bits of MCoderII, hence the easily spotted compiler strings are missing.
Mixing compiled code with assembly for time critical areas is a great way to speed up development, but it does reduce available memory.

[Einar Saukas]

Robber (Virgin Games, 1983) explicitly states in the inlay card that it uses the Softek compiler - no indication of whether it was the integer or floating point version, though.

Or perhaps the original Softek Integer Compiler?

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/8 ... r_Compiler

[Pobulous]

After watching these being reviewed on an old episode of The Spectrum Show, I thought I'd have a check and yes, all the games by Arcade Software are compiled with MCoder I or II. Therbo did particularly well in Crash for a compiled action game. Sinclair User not impressed, however.

MCoder II
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/7 ... le_Trouble
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/3 ... /The_Prize
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5 ... rum/Therbo

MCoder I
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/1 ... _Detective
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... m/Grid-Run
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... or_Lattica
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... ursed_Mine

✓ Reviewed

[WhatHoSnorkers]

According to this,
https://www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk/pag ... 04&page=92

Frank N Stein used Mcoder - original version I presume?

From the same page Nuke Lear apparently uses the Wye Valley compiler.



edited to clarify - Frank N Stein uses this compiler:
https://www.spectrumcomputing.co.uk/ent ... iler_MMIId

Confirmed that Nuke Lear uses the Wye Valley compiler

I first learned about the Wye Valley compiler from a letter from someone in Germany saying that you should buy Nuke Lear, because not only is it a good game, but it comes with the Wye Valley compiler at address so-and-so as well, saving you lots of money!

[MatGubbins]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/6 ... ue_Thunder
Blue Thunder - Richard Wilcox Software, all versions, uses the Wye Valley Compiler 2.2 - text at around EB8F/60303
It is also mentioned in CVG issue 34 Aug 1984 Page 132.

✓ Reviewed

[goodboy]

all game from Shaw brothers use MCoder2 (compiled basic + some code SubRoutine)
...........
and strategy games from Astros

✓ Reviewed

[Pobulous]

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/3 ... um/Pioneer - MCODER I

This one looks like it's entirely written in BASIC:
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... Super_Brat

✓ Reviewed

[PeterJ]

I've been contacted by Tim Blacklock who wrote Rikosphere to say that:

Rikosphere was actually written in BASIC with some additional machine code sprite routines (probably from a magazine type-in) and was then compiled into machine code using the great MCODER 2

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... Rikosphere

✓ Reviewed

[catmeows]

Maglaxians by Cybexlab is told to be compiled MCoder II plus sprite routine in machine code.

✓ Reviewed

[marenja]

Are there any ideas how to detect games compiled from BASIC?

First of all we need a method to detect a game was compiled from BASIC with any compiler. We are just checking the fact that game was really compiled.

And second step - we need to find out which exactly compiler was used.



We can probably execute task in reverse order. We invent a method to detect some exact compiler as first step. And we check all games using that method to proove the fact game was compiled with that compiler as second step.

I used manual checks with MCoder 2. This method is probably good enough but it requires manual work.

viewtopic.php?t=10810

Druellan used search of hex strings but that method tends to have false negatives and skips files that were actualy compiled.

[marenja]

First of all we need a method to detect a game was compiled from BASIC with any compiler. We are just checking the fact that game was really compiled.

This is necessary in case game was compiled but there is no chance to detect compiler.

Druellan used search of hex strings but that method tends to have false negatives and skips files that were actualy compiled.

It tends to false positives too. Sad news but it can output games compiled with wrong compiler - not the one you really search - among results.