[LOOM] Loom - A Mystical Adventure Game

CompWiz · Post by **CompWiz** » Thu 08 Jun, 2006 7:50 pm

Jim e wrote:5) No shell dependancies

so, how many calc gamers don't have an Ion compatible shell?

And don't forget, apps add space onto themselves to fill the current page. It could end up wasting a lot of space in the archive.

And when using CrunchyOS, Garbage collects are extremely rare. I don't remember the last time my 84+SE had to garbage collect, and I play calc games a lot.

Liazon · Post by **Liazon** » Thu 08 Jun, 2006 8:09 pm

CompWiz: it's perfectly ok if he wants to make it nostub. Besides, ion only has a certain number of routines.

edit: my bad, completely off topic.

if its an argument about apps, the only thing I know of that's a disadvantage is no SMC. but I don't even know hex codes so I don't know how to use SMC, just how to do it theoretically. I don't know what hex equates to what commands though

but how good are the ion routines. iirc, the apps can be any size, and in that case, you should write fast FAST sprite/greyscale routines and not care about program size. You would no longer have to worry about size over speed advantages like with regular ASM programs. Though it does take away some challenge though.

threefingeredguy · Post by **threefingeredguy** » Thu 08 Jun, 2006 8:29 pm

This isn't about nostup or shells, it's about apps.

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Thu 08 Jun, 2006 8:58 pm

To be honest, the reason I have not considered making the program an app is because I really don't know anything about apps. I think I picked up a few things in my latest Programming Help thread though.

Here's my questions:

1. How do I make my program into an App? If it's just a matter of assembling it with a different program, then I will certainly take a look. If I have to make massive changes to the program, then probably not.

2. Currently my game is 3 files: The game and 2 data files... which may be 3 or 4 data files by the end. Can I put all of those together into a single App, and if so, can it still be transfered over a link cabe? One of my primary reasons for using data files is so that no single part of the game is too big to fit in RAM by itself. That way, people can transfer the game to their friends via a link cable. When I was in high school (the time I did most of my calc gaming), I was the only person I knew with a computer link cable.

3. Is there a max file size for an App?

4. Can I still test the game on VTi if I make it an App?

Jim e · Post by **Jim e** » Thu 08 Jun, 2006 11:55 pm

1. How do I make my program into an App?
Well Spasm supports multipaged apps through macros, but you should wait for the next relelase. Brass is suppose to support it, but the recent prgm help says you should wait for the next build. Regardless of what you use Wabbitsign can make the signing process easy.

2. Currently my game is 3 files: The game and 2 data files... which may be 3 or 4 data files by the end. Can I put all of those together into a single App, and if so, can it still be transfered over a link cabe?
Yep, it would be one file and can be transfered over.

3. Is there a max file size for an App?
The size of thearchive

4. Can I still test the game on VTi if I make it an App?
Vti2.5...no, 3.0 yes. PTI can handle it better, and tilem can also.

threefingeredguy · Post by **threefingeredguy** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 1:14 am

PTI is better anyway.

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 2:56 am

In terms of emulation, that is probably true, but VTi is a bit easier to use due to the GUI, and a little better suited to my purposes. (No offense CoBB... I do not mean to knock PTi.)

threefingeredguy · Post by **threefingeredguy** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 3:18 am

Ben made a gui for PTI.

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 4:24 am

Oh? Where can I find this?

Also, is there that I can set the default screen up and down values? I have to change tham manually through the debugger every time I start PTi.

CoBB · Post by **CoBB** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 5:08 am

They are stored in the state file for each ROM. So if you set them and exit, they will be preserved as long as you keep the corresponding .pti file.

Post by **kv83** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 7:08 am

Oh? Where can I find this?

It's included in the LateNite package

... Maybe you should use LateNite for your programming, it's really handy. (And maybe even EarlyMorning for sprites (shameless plug))

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 7:34 am

It seems I'm quite behind on all the cool new gadgets out there for asm programming. I will check them all out.

Jim e, I didn't fully understand your answer to my first question. Right now I have Loom as a .z80 file. It assembles when it run it through TIASM. What do I need to do to convert it to an App? Do I need to change the code? The file extension? Or is it just a question of using a different program than TIASM? I'm not exactly sure what "signing" is... as far as I know, I don't have to do that with my z80 programs.

Also, I have heard a lot of talk about paging. I'm not exactly sure what that is, but is it going to complicate things when it comes to reading my sprites and maps, which take up a rather sizeable chunk of memory?

Post by **kv83** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 7:38 am

L4E_WakaMol-King wrote:It seems I'm quite behind on all the cool new gadgets out there for asm programming. I will check them all out.

I guess so. The cool thing about LateNite is, that it has that really nice "run" button, which compiles your project and then start PTi, sends your game and starts it with PTi. Ben is also at the moment trying to build in app support

NanoWar · Post by **NanoWar** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 4:56 pm

What do I need to do to convert it to an App? Do I need to change the code?
Different header, different .org, different _vputs routine.

Or is it just a question of using a different program than TASM?
No, you can use TASM for it, but that makes it more difficult when your game is bigger that 16768 bytes (1 page).

I'm not exactly sure what "signing" is... as far as I know, I don't have to do that with my z80 programs.
You need to sign an app, because the TI checks if it's valid.

I would suggest putting all sprite data and the sprite routine on the last page.
This topic might be a bit interesting: [ http://www.revsoft.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=107 ]

Post by **L4E_WakaMol-King** » Fri 09 Jun, 2006 8:26 pm

Hmm, to be honest that link was all Greek to me. I am still pretty new to Z80.

Something I did pick up from that file though, was that you can't do writeback? That would be a setback. I supposed I'd have to create a data file to save the game in? That wouldn't be impossible I know, but it would complicate things even more.

If I were to make this into an app, how do I assure that all my sprites and sprite routines are on the last page?

Also, I have several sprite toutines, not just one. How much of them do I need to transfer? Just the actual sprite drawing code, or everything including the "ld ix,spriteaddress" ?