The Icon Bar: Site Comments: Ahem
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Ahem |
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cterran (00:19 29/12/2002)
andypoole (18:22 30/12/2002)
cterran (02:08 6/1/2003)
guestx (14:10 6/1/2003)
cterran (03:43 7/1/2003)
guestx (18:13 10/1/2003)
cterran (22:44 11/1/2003)
davidb (23:50 11/1/2003)
cterran (09:15 23/1/2003)
andrew (10:34 23/1/2003)
guestx (15:26 23/1/2003)
moss (15:35 23/1/2003)
davidb (19:28 23/1/2003)
Phlamethrower (19:47 23/1/2003)
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Chris |
Message #27666, posted by cterran at 00:19, 29/12/2002 |
Member
Posts: 163
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Headline of the Multimedia page:
"Mutlimedia"
Wossat then? Wacky Races appreciation page? 
[Edited by cterran at 00:21, 29/12/2002] |
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Andrew Poole |
Message #27680, posted by andypoole at 18:22, 30/12/2002, in reply to message #27666 |
Posts: 5558
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Headline of the Multimedia page:
"Mutlimedia"
Wossat then? Wacky Races appreciation page?
[Edited by cterran at 00:21, 29/12/2002] 
________
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Chris |
Message #27851, posted by cterran at 02:08, 6/1/2003, in reply to message #27680 |
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Posts: 163
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Aw, he's fixed it.
Rich new year, Happy! |
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GuestX |
Message #27877, posted by guestx at 14:10, 6/1/2003, in reply to message #27851 |
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Posts: 102
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Are you the *legendary* Chris Terran? (Author of the Electron game "Gauntlet".) |
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Chris |
Message #27894, posted by cterran at 03:43, 7/1/2003, in reply to message #27877 |
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Posts: 163
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Are you the *legendary* Chris Terran? (Author of the Electron game "Gauntlet".) Gorblimey. Someone remembers that?
Wouldn't say I was legendary, though. I certainly exist. At least, the last time I looked I did. |
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GuestX |
Message #28182, posted by guestx at 18:13, 10/1/2003, in reply to message #27894 |
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Posts: 102
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Are you the *legendary* Chris Terran? (Author of the Electron game "Gauntlet".) Gorblimey. Someone remembers that?
And the Electron version of Firetrack. You should get in touch with Thomas Harte about that vertical scrolling routine - he seemed rather interested in how you did it, especially since Firetrack is especially well-emulated by ElectrEm:
http://electrem.emuunlim.net
See this for details:
http://electrem.emuunlim.com/techinfo.htm#firetrack |
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Chris |
Message #28203, posted by cterran at 22:44, 11/1/2003, in reply to message #28182 |
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Posts: 163
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And the Electron version of Firetrack. Well, this has led us on a fine trip down memory lane. After scrabbling around in ancient boxes, I managed to unearth some extremely dusty and cobwebbed discs with the Firetrack sources. And, wonder of wonders, I could still read them. I haven't looked at it for 15 years. Or played it, as I don't have a working Electron -- but with the emulator you linked to running on our PC, my wife can now see how I wasted the years before I met her...
The game was built on a very early Archimedes running Arthur (!), but as it's an Electron game it was assembled under the BBC emulator (though obviously it would only run on an Elk). So a game I can now only play on a PC emulating an Elk was originally programmed on an Archimedes emulating a BBC... full circle.
You should get in touch with Thomas Harte about that vertical scrolling routine - he seemed rather interested in how you did it, especially since Firetrack is especially well-emulated by ElectrEm: ElectrEm is a quite amazing piece of programming. I'm impressed as hell that it can handle Firetrack, which depends very critically on timing. Much of the screen is drawn under continuously varying interrupts ... and he's pretty close in his analysis of how it worked. Although I must admit to having a bit of difficulty understanding my atrocious coding (not to mention being extremely rusty on 6502 code) ... why do we only learn to comment properly when it's too late?
I will be getting in touch with him. Thanks for the info!
It's certainly been very weird finding all my old software scattered round the web...but nice to see that people are still using it, apparently! Quite warms me old heart. |
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David Boddie |
Message #28204, posted by davidb at 23:50, 11/1/2003, in reply to message #28203 |
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Posts: 147
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And the Electron version of Firetrack. Well, this has led us on a fine trip down memory lane. After scrabbling around in ancient boxes, I managed to unearth some extremely dusty and cobwebbed discs with the Firetrack sources. And, wonder of wonders, I could still read them.
I'm pleading with you to archive them as soon as possible. So much stuff on those old discs becomes unreadable after a number of years...
ElectrEm is a quite amazing piece of programming. I'm impressed as hell that it can handle Firetrack, which depends very critically on timing. Much of the screen is drawn under continuously varying interrupts ... and he's pretty close in his analysis of how it worked. Although I must admit to having a bit of difficulty understanding my atrocious coding (not to mention being extremely rusty on 6502 code) ... why do we only learn to comment properly when it's too late? One of the most impressive things about ElectrEm is that it emulated Firetrack satisfactorily (perfectly, as far as it was possible to tell) the first time it was run; in other words, it didn't reveal any deficiencies in the emulation. The author considers it quite a claim to fame, I believe.
Of course, Firetrack is a very impressive benchmark in its own right!
It's certainly been very weird finding all my old software scattered round the web...but nice to see that people are still using it, apparently! Quite warms me old heart. We're not worthy!
Did you give up writing games after the 6502? Are there any others we should know about? |
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Chris |
Message #29531, posted by cterran at 09:15, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #28204 |
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Posts: 163
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I'm pleading with you to archive them as soon as possible. So much stuff on those old discs becomes unreadable after a number of years... It's safely on my hard disk, and I'll CD it next backup. Though I'm not sure why....
One of the most impressive things about ElectrEm is that it emulated Firetrack satisfactorily (perfectly, as far as it was possible to tell) the first time it was run; in other words, it didn't reveal any deficiencies in the emulation. The author considers it quite a claim to fame, I believe. That's amazing.
Of course, Firetrack is a very impressive benchmark in its own right! Let's not forget Orlando, who did the original.
We're not worthy! Calm down, man!
Did you give up writing games after the 6502? Are there any others we should know about? Yes, more or less. I did some 'serious' software (which of course is now completely forgotten), worked on a Lisp system for ARM machines, did some conversions for Atari 8-bit and Amstrad machines, then stopped programming for other things. The games scene was getting too professional for the likes of me and small publishers, with the corporates moving in and games needing a whole team of graphic designers, artists, musicians and other sundry bods. It all lost its appeal, for me.
But the fact that many games of the period are still played (on emulators, lovingly restored machines, and even phones for gawd's sake) shows that while the graphics and presentation might not match up to today's efforts, in terms of gameplay many of them were the tops. (I don't mean mine, obviously!)
Thanks for the interest, and the ego-boo..... |
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Andrew |
Message #29540, posted by andrew at 10:34, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #29531 |
 Handbag Boi
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Wow - somebody is sharp here!
I agree with you Chris about the gameplay, many of the 8-bit titles will be great forever. It's a shame in some ways that the days of the lone programmer seem to be gone, at least for profit - which is one of the major incentives unfortunately! |
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GuestX |
Message #29624, posted by guestx at 15:26, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #29531 |
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Posts: 102
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I'm pleading with you to archive them as soon as possible. So much stuff on those old discs becomes unreadable after a number of years... It's safely on my hard disk, and I'll CD it next backup. Though I'm not sure why....
It's of historical interest to us punters, that's why. Moreover, emulator authors would be able to understand the workings of the machine a bit better if you were to share some of that code.
Of course, Firetrack is a very impressive benchmark in its own right! Let's not forget Orlando, who did the original.
Well, that scrolling routine would have made Syncron a much more playable game...
I did some 'serious' software (which of course is now completely forgotten), worked on a Lisp system for ARM machines, did some conversions for Atari 8-bit and Amstrad machines, then stopped programming for other things. What on Earth could make you stop programming?! And what did you decide to take up instead? Or is that question too personal? 
How about an interview on the Stairway To Hell Web site? |
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John Hoare |
Message #29626, posted by moss at 15:35, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #29624 |
Posts: 9348
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How about an interview on the Stairway To Hell Web site? I'd like to see this as well
It always amazes me that Gary Partis isn't still doing games stuff  |
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David Boddie |
Message #29703, posted by davidb at 19:28, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #29531 |
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Posts: 147
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I'm pleading with you to archive them as soon as possible. So much stuff on those old discs becomes unreadable after a number of years... It's safely on my hard disk, and I'll CD it next backup. Though I'm not sure why....
Some people find it interesting to learn how games were developed back in the 80s, or at least what techniques and principles were used.
Of course, Firetrack is a very impressive benchmark in its own right! Let's not forget Orlando, who did the original.
Well, that goes without saying, really.
Did you give up writing games after the 6502? Are there any others we should know about? Yes, more or less. I did some 'serious' software (which of course is now completely forgotten), worked on a Lisp system for ARM machines, did some conversions for Atari 8-bit and Amstrad machines, then stopped programming for other things.
If you'd like to remind us of their titles, particularly for the "serious" software then it would be interesting.
But the fact that many games of the period are still played (on emulators, lovingly restored machines, and even phones for gawd's sake) And calculators!
http://www.geocities.com/calc83plus/games.htm
shows that while the graphics and presentation might not match up to today's efforts, in terms of gameplay many of them were the tops. (I don't mean mine, obviously!)
I used to have a great time playing Gauntlet and Firetrack so I'd say that their gameplay is pretty good, especially when compared to some of the releases for the BBC and Electron.
Thanks for the interest, and the ego-boo..... You're welcome. |
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Jeffrey Lee |
Message #29708, posted by Phlamethrower at 19:47, 23/1/2003, in reply to message #29703 |
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And calculators!
http://www.geocities.com/calc83plus/games.htm 
That'd be a great idea! Build a calculator out of the floppy-disk size BBC  |
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