In the making: Arukanoido – an Arkanoid clone

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One may now enter the hiscore table via paddle or joystick.

!!! Requires 37K now !!!

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Today is cleaning up time and hopefully the last couple of bugs will be tracked down this weekend. After that perhaps there's some space left to put the dot over the 'i' next week – der tape loader ist etwas broken and there are one or two ideas left but I won't push it. Too sad that I have to look for a new job which is fun. (Was sick for a couple of months but it's all good again.)

This version fixes some low level code issues. Will update this posting in short intervals but will only do a new post if something serious got straightened out.

Now for kicking some balls!

[tokra]

Not sure if requiring +37K is a good idea, I can only think UltiMem supporting this.

I tried the 1388 demo in VICE with only +35K and it was still working as far as I can see. What is the 37K used for? ($9800-$9fff)
If space is tight, I would propose two different versions for normal music and sample music.

Also, it seems in the title screen they keys are not working, I could press 1, 2 or M but nothing happens then...

[pixel]

Not sure if requiring +37K is a good idea, I can only think UltiMem supporting this.

Hmm... DOOM was there before the UltiMem and it wants +37K. Anyway. Too bad (for me). How about everybody upgrades? *dug*

I tried the 1388 demo in VICE with only +35K and it was still working as far as I can see. What is the 37K used for? ($9800-$9fff)
If space is tight, I would propose two different versions for normal music and sample music.

Used for the player 2 brick map for the duration. Am doing a code review, trying to shrink things down. So far a slower +24K version could be possible too. (no pre-shifted sprites in +3K and no original sounds). Different versions don't go along too well for tapes. Am regretting that I didn't use ca65 but my own stack of crap. You got me thinking... Could know off some K of memory but that'd slow things down and absolutely no-one would want that, or would they?

Also, it seems in the title screen they keys are not working, I could press 1, 2 or M but nothing happens then...

Oops! Fixed.

[Mike]

DOOM was there before the UltiMem and it wants +37K.

Please get the the facts right before you post. VIC Doom requires a +35K RAM expansion.

Congratulations on being the first one to brick a lot of Mega-Cart and FE3 cartridges.

I have stated several times here in Denial, that the I/Ox area is a strict cartridge resource and the only legit user is the cartridge firmware itself. Any inconsiderate writes to (and even reads from!) $9800..$9FFF by 3rd party software can result in other effects than byte storage.

[pixel]

DOOM was there before the UltiMem and it wants +37K.

Please get the the facts right before you post. VIC Doom requires a +35K RAM expansion.

Congratulations on being the first one to brick a lot of Mega-Cart and FE3 cartridges.

I wrote "for the duration". Please read carefully before replying. ;p OK, I get it. The IO area is off limits.

[pixel]

Back to 35K.

[tokra]

You could do VIC-sound on one side of the tape and samples on the other. Not a big fan of the samples myself, it's nice that it works but the VIC-sounds are much clearer and otherwise just as good.

Regarding expansions: Nowadays most expanders will provide +35K (Penultimate, FE3, MegaCart). So that is fine to use. People who still use +16K or +32K expanders only cannot be considered "proper" VIC-fans

However +37K would only make sense if you are doing a bespoke cartridge for the game, but apart from copyright-issues this has a whole other set of problems. So just stick to +35K is my vote.

[pixel]

You could do VIC-sound on one side of the tape and samples on the other. Not a big fan of the samples myself, it's nice that it works but the VIC-sounds are much clearer and otherwise just as good.

Bad idea to only have one copy of a version on tape. Those things tend to fade. If it even comes to a tape release. But I bought a box of tapes ages ago and I'm planning to visit Berlin to grab it and to see some friends again. I'm sure I can do a version that runs on 24, 27 and 35K with memory auto-detection. Will try that in a minute. Fun fact: I wanted some kind of "Arkanoid" to run on unexpanded machines…
There's already some code to play high-quality arcade sounds on the UltiMem. Will also check if I can revive it. What's making me uneasy is the missing artwork.

Regarding expansions: Nowadays most expanders will provide +35K (Penultimate, FE3, MegaCart). So that is fine to use. People who still use +16K or +32K expanders only cannot be considered "proper" VIC-fans

I had to live with next to no money for a long time, so I know too well how expensive a new memory expansion can be. Speaking of: if I do a tape release and sell each copy for €50, it wouldn't even pay the coffee that went into this project.

However +37K would only make sense if you are doing a bespoke cartridge for the game, but apart from copyright-issues this has a whole other set of problems. So just stick to +35K is my vote.

Other problems? My word issue with the UltiMems is that they are out of stock and I *need* the IO area for INGLE. Was once thinking to do "compiled" sprites for the UltiMem but then again I lost hopes that it'd provide a reasonable speed-up.

Are Mega Cart, Penultimate and FE3 are the most commonly used expansions?

[tokra]

Other problems?

Well, all the work with doing a cartridge, like the PCB and the cases, burning ROMs, putting it all together and the shipping and so on.

Are Mega Cart, Penultimate and FE3 are the most commonly used expansions?

I would guess so. There seem to be a lot self-built FE3 around in Germany, and worldwide the best option right now seems the Penultimate+2. Cheaper RAM-expansion-only-options are available on Ebay, my favourite being this one of Denial-member mces:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/155582820790

[pixel]

Now possible: 24K, 27K, 32K and 35K.

+3K: Smoother graphics (pre-shifted sprites)
+BLK5: Original arcade sounds enabled.

I apologize for any inconvenience caused by reconstruction.

[pixel]

This one comes with a flurry of bug fixes. Parts of the bottom wall won't be mistaken for bricks any more for example. ++24K became a bit smoother again.

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24K fix for player 2.

16K version seems to be doable without round intro, hiscore table or two player mode but requires a loader.

[beamrider]

Excellent, so smooooth!

A couple of observations playing on real hardware.

1) There appeared to be some graphic corruption on the spaceship image. A vertical bar I hadn't noticed before.

2) When I got the laser, I had a score in the middle of the playfield counting up briefly, not sure if this is supposed to happen?

Also, I got to enter my name on the high score table, but didn't get rewarded with the music?

[pixel]

Excellent, so smooooth!

A couple of observations playing on real hardware.

1) There appeared to be some graphic corruption on the spaceship image. A vertical bar I hadn't noticed before.

Oh no. Gotta get the real hardware on stage somehow...

2) When I got the laser, I had a score in the middle of the playfield counting up briefly, not sure if this is supposed to happen?

Sure as hell not. Will check the laser code.

Also, I got to enter my name on the high score table, but didn't get rewarded with the music?

What music should be playing then? Whilst entering the name?