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avatar_johnno56

Not been here long...

Started by johnno56, 21:35, 20 March 18

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johnno56

I haven't been here, on this forum, for very long and I'm picking up that some or most of you guys are STILL using actual 30+ year old machines? Am I correct in assuming that this is the purpose of this site? To cater for those who have real, as opposed to emulated, machines? If that is the case then I may be in the wrong place... My CPC464 died many years ago and I now survive on emulators...

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Morri

#1
You're not in the wrong place. While it is true that many members here still have original hardware, there would be just as many members here that do not and use emulators only like yourself.
The purpose of this site IMO is to keep the flame of the CPC (and PCW) alive through a community spirit.
There are so many different things that different users here do, some make games, some utilities, hardware, music, graphics, game play videos, some love to share their nostalgic memories, the list goes on and on.
So whether these things are done on original or emulated hardware, the result is the same, helping each other retain that piece of our childhood / young adult life back in the 80's and 90's that helped define who we are today...  :)
Keeping it Kiwi since 1977

EgoTrip


Shaun M. Neary

Doesn't matter what you use as long as you enjoy it.


I started off on emulation but over the last year or so I've gotten my own Amstrads to play on too.
Long as you're playing the games, or whatever your fancy, doesn't matter how you're doing it.


Welcome!  :)
Currently playing on: 2xCPC464, 1xCPC6128, 1x464Plus, 1x6128Plus, 2xGX4000. M4 board, ZMem 1MB and still forever playing Bruce Lee.
No cheats, snapshots or emulation. I play my games as they're intended to be played. What about you?

Vyper68

I use both to be honest - sometimes i can't dig out all the kit and set it up if i only want to try something out or create some .DSK images. So you are not in the wrong place by any means. :)
Paul Woakes - Genius & Programmer

Thank you for Mercenary Paul

keith56

You're not in the wrong place! I have three real CPC's but I do all of my development on emulators - it's just too much trouble on a day to day basis to use real hardware, and emulators are so much easier.

Use whatever you want or have, so long as you're interested in the CPC this is the right place!
Chibi Akumas: Comedy-Horror 8-bit Bullet Hell shooter!
Learn ARM, 8086, Z80, 6502 or 68000 with my tutorials: www.assemblytutorial.com
My Assembly programming book is available now on amazon!

robcfg

QuoteThe purpose of this site IMO is to keep the flame of the CPC (and PCW) alive through a community spirit.


Don't forget the NC!  ;D


@johnno56 , emulators are convenient, and specially helpful if you're developing, so just chill out and enjoy the CPCWiki  8)


johnno56

Thanks you all for replying.

I was feeling a bit like a "fish out of water" while most are talking hardware upgrades etc. My monitor "curled up its toes" a few years after I got my 464 in '85. I figured that without it, and the power supply it provided, there was no need to keep the machine. Did not know about external power or how to connect to a 'normal' TV or monitor at the time. Funny, but I still kept the User Manual and some Amstrad books.

About 12 years back I switched to Linux. A few years back I started using emulators (plural) and my books took on a new lease on life. I was trying to learn locomotive originally and have almost worn out my manual still trying to learn.

Brings me to a point that I have noticed on some Forums. Each Forum is sub-divided into 'areas of interest', as it should, but some do not include an area dedicated to novices etc (or varying levels of experience). I know it may sound a bit selfish, but for someone who's locomotive skills are somewhat lacking, I think a Forum area dedicated to the "Basic" (no pun intended), "Intermediate" and "Advanced" skills would be good. (IMHO)...

In the meantime... I'll keep 'hitting the books'.

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Morri

#8
My main area of interest in the CPC is also the Locomotive BASIC as that is the level I got to when I was young. A very good BASIC that is easy to understand and quite powerful in terms of being able to control hardware etc...
I have made several games (just google "cpc power morri" - mine are the ones from 2009 onwards) over the last 10 or so years and they are all based on BASIC in some form or other. I did find that if I needed more speed or sprites etc, that I had to use extra tools (RSX / compilers / sprite drivers etc..) but they have always been easy to use and the results satisfying.

Anyway if you ever have questions on how to do something, just ask. There are heaps of people here who will offer help and advice where they can.
Keeping it Kiwi since 1977

Bryce

This site is for all things Amstrad, whether real or emulated. Even if the hardware bits don't apply to you yet*, the emulator, software and programming sections should be just as interesting to you as for someone who uses real hardware.

Now to the * above: Why don't you get yourself another real 464 and take a trip back 30 years?

Bryce.

AMSDOS

#10
Not sure if this is easy to follow, I knocked it up today from a few bits and pieces. The added the M/C won't make much sense, there's two routines in that which manage the Horizontal and Vertical Firing Sequences which I wrote a little while back for speed. The difficulty in todays task was writing the firing sequences so that it didn't destroy any of  the scenery in the Array, I think it's all working now, just needs some enemies to shoot at.  :)


10 MODE 0:DEFINT a-z:DIM s(20,25):GOSUB 3000
20 BORDER 3:INK 0,3:INK 14,9:GOSUB 1000
30 SYMBOL 252,24,24,24,126,60,126,60,126
40 SYMBOL 253,126,60,126,60,126,24,24,24
50 SYMBOL 254,0,21,31,255,255,31,21
60 SYMBOL 255,0,168,248,255,255,248,168
70 PEN 14
80 x=4:y=2:c=255:GOSUB 2100:
90 WHILE INKEY(18)=-1
100   PEN 14
110   IF INKEY(1)=0 THEN IF s(x+1,y)=0 THEN d=1:GOSUB 2000:x=x+1:c=255:GOSUB 2100
120   IF INKEY(8 )=0 THEN IF s(x-1,y)=0 THEN d=2:GOSUB 2000:x=x-1:c=254:GOSUB 2100
130   IF INKEY(2)=0 THEN IF s(x,y+1)=0 THEN d=3:GOSUB 2000:y=y+1:c=253:GOSUB 2100
140   IF INKEY(0)=0 THEN IF s(x,y-1)=0 THEN d=4:GOSUB 2000:y=y-1:c=252:GOSUB 2100
150   IF INKEY(47)=0 THEN GOSUB 2200
160 WEND
170 WHILE INKEY$<>"":WEND:PEN 1:MODE 2:END
1000 RESTORE 1130
1010 FOR l=1 TO 13
1020   READ a$
1030   FOR p=1 TO 20
1040    s(p,l)=VAL("&"+MID$(a$,p,1))
1050    s(p,26-l)=VAL("&"+MID$(a$,p,1))
1060    PEN s(p,l)
1070    IF s(p,l)<>0 THEN LOCATE p,l:PRINT CHR$(143);
1080    PEN s(p,26-l)
1090    IF s(p,26-l)<>0 THEN LOCATE p,26-l:PRINT CHR$(143);
1100   NEXT p
1110 NEXT l
1120 RETURN
1130 DATA "1DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD1"
1140 DATA "DE2000000000000002ED"
1150 DATA "D220000000000000022D"
1160 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1170 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1180 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1190 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1200 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1210 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1220 DATA "D000000000000000000D"
1230 DATA "D000000011100000000D"
1240 DATA "D000000111110000000D"
1250 DATA "D000000111110000000D"
2000 LOCATE x,y:PRINT" ";:RETURN
2100 LOCATE x,y:PRINT CHR$(c);:RETURN
2200 ON d GOSUB 2300,2400,2500,2600
2210 RETURN
2300 bx=x+1
2310 IF bx=20 THEN RETURN
2320 WHILE s(bx+1,y)=0
2330   PEN 1
2340   CALL &9000,bx,y,1
2350   bx=bx+1
2360 WEND
2370 GOSUB 2800:RETURN
2400 bx=x-1
2410 IF bx=1 THEN RETURN
2420 WHILE s(bx-1,y)=0
2430   PEN 1
2440   CALL &9000,bx,y,255
2450   bx=bx-1
2460 WEND
2470 GOSUB 2800:RETURN
2500 by=y+1
2510 IF by=25 THEN RETURN
2520 WHILE s(x,by+1)=0
2530   PEN 1
2540   CALL &902D,x,by,1
2550   by=by+1
2560 WEND
2570 GOSUB 2700:RETURN
2600 by=y-1
2610 IF by=1 THEN RETURN
2620 WHILE s(x,by-1)=0
2630   PEN 1
2640   CALL &902D,x,by,255
2650   by=by-1
2660 WEND
2670 GOSUB 2700:RETURN
2700 IF s(x,by)=0 THEN LOCATE x,by:PRINT" ";:RETURN:ELSE RETURN
2800 IF s(bx,y)=0 THEN LOCATE bx,y:PRINT" ";:RETURN:ELSE RETURN
3000 MEMORY &8FFF:RESTORE 3090:a=0
3010 FOR l=1 TO 7
3020   READ a$
3030   FOR p=1 TO 31 STEP 2
3040     POKE &9000+a,VAL("&"+MID$(a$,p,2))
3050     a=a+1
3060   NEXT p
3070 NEXT l
3080 RETURN
3090 DATA DD7E00326C90DD7E04326B90DD7E0232
3100 DATA 6A903E20326D90CD5D903A6B90216C90
3110 DATA 86326B903E2D326D90CD5D90C9DD7E00
3120 DATA 326C90DD7E04326B90DD7E02326A903E
3130 DATA 20326D90CD5D903A6A90216C9086326A
3140 DATA 903E7C326D90CD5D90CD19BDC92A6A90
3150 DATA CD75BB3A6D90CD5ABBC9000000000000




EDIT: Sorry I keep forgetting about emoji's messing up the code. Have updated.
* Using the old Amstrad Languages :D   * with the Firmware :P
* I also like to problem solve code in BASIC :)   * And type-in Type-Ins! :D

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Shaun M. Neary

Pretty much this, you can get your hands on any Amstrad machine for a decent price, just be wary of chancers on ebay.

I wouldn't even bother with ebay anymore at this point. I'd find facebook groups for hardware. At least most people on those only add extra for parts/time they spent on fixing the things up. You can literally get some of the machines for buttons if you feel like fixing them up yourself as well?

I joined here a few years ago and I was mostly emulating on a PSP. Now I possess a CPC464, a 6128+ and 2 GX4000s. And no, I didn't forsee owning one of those at the time. ;)
Currently playing on: 2xCPC464, 1xCPC6128, 1x464Plus, 1x6128Plus, 2xGX4000. M4 board, ZMem 1MB and still forever playing Bruce Lee.
No cheats, snapshots or emulation. I play my games as they're intended to be played. What about you?

johnno56

#12
120   IF INKEY(=0 THEN IF s(x-1,y)=0 THEN d=2:GOSUB 2000:x=x-1:c=254:GOSUB 2100

Kind of left out the "eight )" in the inkey command... other than that, ran like a charm. Cool.
(I tried typing the digit 8 and the right parenthesis - but got an emoji wearing sunglasses!!)

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Bryce

Leave a space between the ( and the 8 and the emoji won't appear.

Bryce.

johnno56

Yeah... I noticed that after posting... My mind kind of works that way... Most annoying at times...  :doh:

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

johnno56

Hey. Just spotted your islands on the map! Wow. So remote. To be honest I had not heard of them before and had to check Wikipaedia for details. Cool. Would I be correct in assuming that you were born there or did you family holiday there and decided to stay?

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Bryce

Eh, no. I choose a random location / flag from the list that I find interesting :D I am in Germany (and wasn't born here either). I swap flags every so often just for the change.

Very funny: I was contacted last year by someone who really does live in Wallis and Futuna, asking me where on the island I lived, because they wanted me to fix something :D I had to disappoint them with the truth.

You can edit your own posts after posting by clicking the Modify button.

Bryce.

johnno56

Well, that was embarrassing...  :-[ Maybe next time I should ask before leaping to a conclusion...  :picard2: On the bright side, at least I learned where those islands are... lol

In reference to obtaining a "real" 464... I made the mistake of mentioning your idea to my wife... I have been authorised to let you know that... it's not... going to... happen... *sigh*  We have three computers in our household, as it is, and I'm afraid another one will not encourage a harmonious relationship... lol

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Bryce

And you didn't then quiver your lower lip saying, b.. b.. but... but...

Mine made the mistake of telling me that you can only use one computer at a time, so I compared them to shoes and mentioned how many of those she has.

Bryce.

Shaun M. Neary

It was easy for me.

After retiring from music photography in the middle of last year, I basically said to the better half "It's either this, or i'm back on the road again... take your pick!"
As it turned out, she ended up joining me playing some of the games too, so it was win/win.
Currently playing on: 2xCPC464, 1xCPC6128, 1x464Plus, 1x6128Plus, 2xGX4000. M4 board, ZMem 1MB and still forever playing Bruce Lee.
No cheats, snapshots or emulation. I play my games as they're intended to be played. What about you?

johnno56

Bryce,

The quivering lip was cute to start with, but after almost 40 years of marriage, THAT one has grown cold and no longer works.... LOL  I'm quite happy using emulators. I prefer the cpcemu 1.7 as it runs natively on my Linux machine. I also use manageDSK to create/edit DSK images. It was SO much easier using the "real" thing. But I try to make the best with what I have....

Time for coffee...

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

johnno56

Shaun,

Ultimatums, in our household, have never really been effective... My wife has this uncanny sense of knowing that I am bluffing... Bordering on psychic... Scary stuff...

My caffeine levels are too low...

J
May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

Shaun M. Neary

Quote from: johnno56 on 12:07, 22 March 18
Shaun,

Ultimatums, in our household, have never really been effective... My wife has this uncanny sense of knowing that I am bluffing... Bordering on psychic... Scary stuff...

My caffeine levels are too low...

J


So does mine... which is why I don't bluff... and she knows it!  :laugh: :laugh:
Currently playing on: 2xCPC464, 1xCPC6128, 1x464Plus, 1x6128Plus, 2xGX4000. M4 board, ZMem 1MB and still forever playing Bruce Lee.
No cheats, snapshots or emulation. I play my games as they're intended to be played. What about you?

johnno56

May your journey be free of incident.

Live long and prosper.

sirius631

If you've got kids an old school 8 bit computer should be an easy sell. To get it do what you want you need skill, hard work and imagination, but the reward in success is immeasurable. With today's smartphones, you don't need imagination to download an app that already does twice as much as you need.

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