New Dragon 32/64 Software

A place to discuss everything Dragon related that doesn't fall into the other categories.
zephyr
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by zephyr »

Mdemon101 wrote:Just a quick question - how do I convert the attached Black Planet cas file to run on a Dragon 64?
CAS2WAV (Uploads section) is quick and easy to use. The converted Wave file is attached.
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Black_Planet_Demo.zip
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Bosco
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Bosco »

@sorchard: Just played the Black Planet demo. It's brilliant! :D

The effects sound terrific too. I'd really love to learn more about how you coded the different sounds.
sorchard
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by sorchard »

@CaptainNemo
@jedie
@Bosco

Cheers for the feedback! I love the positivity on this forum; it makes a pleasant change compared to the rest of the internet :)

It's a nice thought, that one day this game could be completed. I'm afraid my 6809 skills have become rusty over time so I probably need to try a few new things first so I can relearn. The game is getting dangerously slow and is in need of optimisation.
CaptainNemo wrote:That enemy-seeking spiraling side missile is my favorite weapon...
Mine too. I always find that guided missiles add a certain something :D
jedie wrote:Not enough memory on a dragon 32 to run?
I think the demo could be squeezed into a D32 but there wouldn't be much room left for a decent selection of graphics and levels. The other problem I had back then was all I had was a cassette deck and AllDream cartridge. The extra memory of a D64 was needed to hold the source code and graphics tools. Of course now we can develop the software on a PC which is a LOT easier. Plus the addition of a disk drive opens more possibilities. i.e. levels and graphics could be loaded when required.
Bosco wrote:I'd really love to learn more about how you coded the different sounds.
It boils down to updating the DAC regularly while drawing the graphics, preferably 1000s of times per second. In the case of the BP demo, I think it was one DAC update per background tile drawn. (Might have been every two tiles, I can't remember!) To get a sound resembling an explosion, you can write random numbers and arrange for the numbers to get gradually smaller from one frame to the next. One thing that is noticeable in the demo is the variable number of tiles being drawn results in the character of the sounds changing as the tiles scroll down the screen. I'll dig out the source code and try and give you some details.
Stew
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Bosco
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Bosco »

sorchard wrote:I'll dig out the source code and try and give you some details.
That would be awesome. My early attempts at sound effects left a lot to be desired. LOL!

Also I found writing to the DAC could interfere with keyboard input.
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Gareth_O'Flaherty
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Gareth_O'Flaherty »

Just to add my ha'penny worth. I too would love to see new games being developed for the Dragon and would happily pay €10 to €12 for a cassette or download. My own preference would be for text-based adventures or arcade clones. Maybe if a game designer gets the coding done, a kickstarter campaign could be set up to cover producing cassettes, inlays and covers? Anyway, the fact that there are still Dragon fans and users discussing ongoing work on this great machine over 30 years after it was introduced fills me with hope for the future of humanity :)
Got my first Dragon 32 in 1983 (where does the time go??).
Mdemon101
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Mdemon101 »

Count me in for this. Happy to help a Kickstarter project if that's the way to get things rolling
sorchard
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by sorchard »

I'm sure there are quite a few people who would love to produce a new game or two but dare not publicly commit themselves. It comes down to (a) finding the time (b) having enough bloody-minded determination to see the project through to the end.

My own view is that more games might be produced if some people worked on game engines and others applied their own creative talents to create finished games. The only danger is if the team working on the game is also the target audience so everyone is bored when it's finished :lol:

It also helps if there is positive feedback when someone does take the plunge. Flagon Bird is a great example. It was well received and attracted lots of comment. This sort of thing motivates others to have a go.
Stew
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Bosco
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Bosco »

I think sorchard summed it up perfectly.

I'm keen to continue developing new games for the Dragon, after FB 1.1 is done and dusted. I've got a few ideas already that interest me and would allow me to explore new techniques but I probably wouldn't post anything until I had at least a demo. Obviously work and family commitments mean progress on homebrew projects can be a little stop-start, but knowing there are still people out there who appreciate new Dragon games is definitely an incentive to keep going. :)
Sarah
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Sarah »

I can remember a couple of my games projects that were in progress 20+ years ago included a Manic Miner & Jet Set Willy inspired platformer (that didn't get much beyond the layout/scenery & main character movement) and a version of Pipe Mania (with PMODE3 graphics; that almost but not quite reached the playable stage).

My version of Tetris was never 100% completed, mostly because I didn't have enough cash or opportunity to figure out the scoring of the original arcade game (yet really wanted to replicate it as exactly as I could) and I was never much good at making sound effects so didn't get around to adding any at all!
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Bosco
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Re: New Dragon 32/64 Software

Post by Bosco »

@Sarah: tempted to have another go? :)
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