atic atac

[TotO]

More excellent work from Ste.

As expected, that is MODE 0! 

[||C|-|E||]

That last screen looks absolutely amazing.

[SkulleateR]

Really looks amazing ... keep it up 

[Neil79]

And this is why Indie Retro News has good contacts! 


Awesome work Ste + Shay !!!

[ervin]

More excellent work from Ste.

Absolutely stunning!
It's a well-coded project, and if these graphics continue to come in, it will be an epic collaboration.

[D77Gaming]

Hi Shay.  Signed up to the site to see if you'd be interested in my playtesting services when the time comes.  I did some fairly extensive playtesting for the C64 version (as Ste will attest), and would be more than happy to help out with this one too.  Always happy to see an Ultimate game get a new conversion, and this is looking pretty darn good already.

[shaymanjohn]

Hi mate, that would be great - thanks so much for the offer.


Still lots to do, but will give you a shout when I've got a few more bits in 

[Mr. DVG]

The photo doesn't do it justice, but the beta version of Atic Atac runs perfectly on M4.  
I renew my congratulations to the coder (John Ward) and the graphic designer (Steven Day) also for the speed with which this project is taking shape...

[shaymanjohn]

Here's a new wip vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owk4jr-3b0Y


Ste has now finished pretty much all of the graphics - they're fantastic, so just a question of writing the rest of the code now 


Definitely some challenges coming up, especially in terms of getting the other sprites on screen in an efficient way. I'm double buffering (hardware), so hopefully got enough time to do what needs to be done and keep the frame rate up.

There's a disk on the github site if you want to try a wip build - it's an HFE format disk - is that widely used in other emulators other than retrovirtualmachine? If it's not, I can probably switch it to be a DSK.

Menu screen is very much function over style at the moment...game is 6128 only...

Is there a decent guide anywhere to doing sound effects in assembler on the cpc? (and maybe music). Something that plays nicely with interrupts would be great.

[SkulleateR]

This REALLY looks fantastic, keep up the good work, can't wait to see the final result 

[teopl]

Very nice old school graphics, looks great! I never played original game before so I don't know how it plays but I will try this one when finished.

it's an HFE format disk - is that widely used in other emulators other than retrovirtualmachine? If it's not, I can probably switch it to be a DSK.

I never heard of this format before, but anyway DSK also would be good if possible

game is 6128 only

why is this - memory or something else? I am not sure but isn't 6128 same as 464 but with more memory?

Is there a decent guide anywhere to doing sound effects in assembler on the cpc? (and maybe music). Something that plays nicely with interrupts would be great.

I am using fantastic Arkos2 player, although it's not a guide - it is in assembler and there are good instructions how to use them on the website: https://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/


Edit: these are instructions I used: http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/index.php/exporting-and-using-a-music

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/programming/cpctelera-arkos-2-conversion-problem/msg177009/#msg177009

also, here is (old arkos2 - there is a new one!) example project I made following those instructions and cpctelera.
there you can find some conversion scripts and actual asm code for playing the song.

[Neil79]

Here's a new wip vid:

Looking awesome, featured on IRN!

[shaymanjohn]

Many thanks teopl, will take a look at this.

Very nice old school graphics, looks great! I never played original game before so I don't know how it plays but I will try this one when finished.
I never heard of this format before, but anyway DSK also would be good if possible
why is this - memory or something else? I am not sure but isn't 6128 same as 464 but with more memory?
I am using fantastic Arkos2 player, although it's not a guide - it is in assembler and there are good instructions how to use them on the website: https://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/


Edit: these are instructions I used: http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/index.php/exporting-and-using-a-music

https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/programming/cpctelera-arkos-2-conversion-problem/msg177009/#msg177009

also, here is (old arkos2 - there is a new one!) example project I made following those instructions and cpctelera.
there you can find some conversion scripts and actual asm code for playing the song.

[Targhan]

Is there a decent guide anywhere to doing sound effects in assembler on the cpc? (and maybe music). Something that plays nicely with interrupts would be great.

As @teopl kindly said it, Arkos Tracker 2 can handle both music and sound effects (or sound effects only if you don't want music). Contact me via the website or PM me here if you have trouble using it

However, I admit I don't know how cpctelera works, but some guys here have managed to use it. The player and music/sound sources can be converted to SDCC via Disark, a software also in the package.

[shaymanjohn]

Thanks Targhan.


I'm not using cpctelera, just straight assembler - everything controlled by interrupts, so hopefully that will be fine (?)


Will definitely be in touch if I get stuck though, thanks for the offer.

[Targhan]

I'm not using cpctelera, just straight assembler - everything controlled by interrupts, so hopefully that will be fine (?)

Yes, everything will be very fine. Just don't forget to save ALL the registers (including the auxiliary ones) before calling the player in your interruption handler and you'll be fine.

[TotO]

I know this game do not have music, but each time I'm watching your progress in video I run the "UNUSED.BAS" file to listen this tune from the dave rogers player disc (sources include).
https://cpcrulez.fr/coding_src-music-dave_rogers_music_player.htm

This one sound so perfect for this game, may be if you like it (intro-loop on the title screen, next in-game), we should kindly ask him to use it?

[shaymanjohn]

Slowly getting there

[TomEtJerry]

Hi,

I have just discovered this project, that's a really good idea to do a conversion of this game on CPC ! New graphics are really awesome. I know this would be probably tricky, but is there any possibility to "paint" the walls ? They look a little bit empty.

[shaymanjohn]

Hey TomEtJerry,


Thanks for the post and the comments.


On the spectrum original the room walls are drawn using vectors, and I'm using the same data to do that on the CPC.


On the plus side it means they're the same as the original (apart from being a bit chunkier), but the downside is - like you say - they're a bit empty.


Will have a think about it though...


Cheers 

[shaymanjohn]

Sprites, pick-ups, and food in. Music / placeholder sfx in (though not recorded on this vid).


Collision detection a bit dodgy (especially on the weapon), door logic to do (all doors are currently passable, no opening / closing).


(lots of other bits to do too, but progressing).



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOIsQbaPzw

[XeNoMoRPH]

I have played a bit with the last beta, until it has been reset 

https://youtu.be/iSiNBvNYmfE

[reidrac]

Well, it is a beta

This looks (and feels!) fantastic. Very classic, I love it.

[shaymanjohn]

Hey,


Yes - the random crash bug...stuff of nightmares for me!


I think I've got it fixed though - seems to be a problem with bank switching and interrupts, the music player runs in one of the interrupts and bank switches - in rare scenarios it wasn't restoring the bank correctly before exiting the interrupt...at least I think that's the cause, not seen a crash for a while so fingers crossed.


Will push a new version out soon 

[shaymanjohn]

...the sound effects are just placeholders...