VICrossroads

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Vic Porter
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VICrossroads

Post by Vic Porter »

VICrossroads is a port of the C64 game Crossroads for VIC-20. Requires 8k memory expansion.

The original version published as a type-in hexdump in COMPUTE!'s Gazette 1987/12 (Issue #54).
COMPUTE!'s Gazette wrote:In this arcade-style game, one of the best we've ever published, you battle a host of hostile, mutant creatures.
The game supports simultaneous two player action. The second player can use either the keyboard (keys: IJKL + left shift) or an userport adapter for a second joystick (see readme.txt for details).

The source code is included in the download.
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tonyrocks
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Re: VICrossroads

Post by tonyrocks »

Very cool! looking forward to trying it out. I remember that issue of Computes Gazette. So, how does one start with porting a c64 game to the vic-20?
Vic Porter
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Re: VICrossroads

Post by Vic Porter »

tonyrocks wrote:So, how does one start with porting a c64 game to the vic-20?
The most important step is to choose a game which can be ported with acceptable effort and reasonable likeness to the original. I guess one could do a recreation based on observation of the game in action, but for a more faithful port the original needs to be disassembled.
  1. Choose suitable game
  2. Find (or create) a comfortable disassembler
  3. Disassemble until the I/O is understood and code/data can be relocated
  4. Replace graphics with placeholders
  5. Replace I/O with VIC code
After that it gets messy.

Crossroads was a reasonably easy game to port as it does not rely on sprites and the level design is not that crucial and can be squished to a half-width screen. The sound is simple too. The one unexpected complication was the use of color to determine the creature alliances which needed some extra code/data to work on the reduced set of non-multicolor colors.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game!
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ArugulaZ
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Re: VICrossroads

Post by ArugulaZ »

Funny... someone made an Xbox 360 indie game called CrossTOWN, which is a tribute to this.

http://www.studiohunty.com/crosstown/
SCREW BEAR
Bear is so startled that he falls off cliff.

http://kiblitzing.blogspot.com/
Neo-Rio
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Re: VICrossroads

Post by Neo-Rio »

Awesome port!

We still don't have Wizard of Wor on the VIC, but this is the next best thing!
GREAT STUFF! 8)
Vic Porter
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Re: VICrossroads

Post by Vic Porter »

Neo-Rio wrote:Awesome port!

We still don't have Wizard of Wor on the VIC, but this is the next best thing!
GREAT STUFF! 8)
Thanks.

I recall this game described somewhere as "WoW on acid". Certainly more chaotic and it's always fun to shoot oneself in the back.

I'm considering to port the sequel, but got another to finish first.
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