MICROMAN

General games-related topics
User avatar
stefano
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Contact:

MICROMAN

Post by stefano »

This is a game I wrote to demonstrate the capabilities of the z88dk standard monochrome graphics library.
Performances better than BASIC but not so enthusiastic, but don't blame the compiler kit.. the game relies onto portable functions, which may not be (yet) optimized for speed but this permits a lot of flexibility: it can be run on a wide variety of targets, graphics size can be determined at compile time, and so on.

Game keys are Q,A,O,P

I'm attaching it diferent flavours, let's begin with WRX 16K RAM, sorting them by speed it will be:

microman-full-big-wrx.p
microman-full-small-wrx.p
microman-compact-wrx.p
microman-compact-fast-wrx.p

If you are a good videogame player you won't like this port very much, you'll probably prefer "One Little Ghost" ;)
Attachments
microman-wrx-16k.zip
Microman, WRX 16K version, various size and speed
(16.85 KiB) Downloaded 610 times
User avatar
stefano
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Contact:

ARX mode

Post by stefano »

The Andy Rea graphics trick is slower and the big sprite versions were far too boring, but here's a couple of compilation attempts with small sprites.
Attachments
microman-arx-16k.zip
Microman, ARX version
(7.26 KiB) Downloaded 411 times
User avatar
stefano
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Contact:

Memotech WRX

Post by stefano »

The Memotech WRX mode has been tested on the real hardware (see here: http://www.z88dk.org/wiki/doku.php?id=l ... _functions), but it is a bit glitchy.. and I never found the reason for it.
EightyOne looks even slower in MTHRG mode than it ARX mode, it could be due to my libs, though.

Well, here's an almost playable version, even if still a bit slow.
Attachments
microman-memotech-wrx.p
Microman, Memotech WRX version
(8.29 KiB) Downloaded 433 times
sirmorris
Posts: 2811
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 5:45 pm

Re: MICROMAN

Post by sirmorris »

Thanks for all the love you're giving our little machine!
RWAP
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Contact:

Re: ARX mode

Post by RWAP »

stefano wrote:The Andy Rea graphics trick is slower and the big sprite versions were far too boring, but here's a couple of compilation attempts with small sprites.
For some reason I could not get this to work on ZXSpin.....

There must be a setting I am missing - using the memotech hi-res helps but you just get a 1/3 screen.
User avatar
stefano
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Contact:

Re: MICROMAN

Post by stefano »

For the ARX mode I use EightyOne by disabling WRX and enabling the "RAM" page in low positions (i.e. over the ROM).

One of the original reference pages is here:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/deborah.cl ... x81+2.html
RWAP
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Contact:

Re: MICROMAN

Post by RWAP »

Excellent - that works fine :D
User avatar
Andy Rea
Posts: 1606
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:48 pm
Location: Planet Earth
Contact:

Re: MICROMAN

Post by Andy Rea »

I am mighty surprised that NTL page still works, haven't had that account for about 8 months when i moved house.
what's that Smell.... smells like fresh flux and solder fumes...
User avatar
stefano
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:24 am
Contact:

Re: MICROMAN

Post by stefano »

Hope you're proud of what I've done with your ARX trick :roll:
Are you keeping your articles somewhere ? We're risking to loose them, I remember another (more detailed) page about this video mode but I couldn't spot it anymore.
User avatar
yerzmyey
Posts: 1240
Joined: Thu May 15, 2008 10:11 am
Location: Rubber Planet
Contact:

Re: MICROMAN

Post by yerzmyey »

Hmmm, looks **so** cute! I love it.

Will test it when my Amiga album is finished (I must have some place on my desk!! :) And A500 with 2 additional cards - Motorola 020 20Mhz + 132Mb of RAM - takes SOME place! ;) ).
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
Post Reply