Redshift guide

[Zednaught]

Hi fellow hackers. I was wondering if there are resources for getting the redshift game to work, because the zine is too vague about some basics. If not, would someone be willing to type some tips?

Specifically, I'm looking for how how to turn the machine on, how to draw a sprite, and how to get that to move around. I've tried writing various things to the GX, GY, and GP registers, and I don't see anything happening.

I was able to make complete game in Shenzhen, so I should be able to figure the rest out once I get started.

Thanks!

[Dendrobates Tinctorius]

Running/fast forwarding the simulation turns it on.

An exa can have a sprite associated with it. You can draw it yourself by clicking in the G (graphics!) grid next to the code, or write to GPixels to fiddle with individual pixels/use a premade font sprite. To move the sprite, update GX, GY, or GZ as appropriate.

this exa is a little dude who moves around sorta

NOTE EASIER TO JUST
NOTE CLICK THE DARN GRID
COPY 239 GP
COPY 259 GP
COPY 238 GP
COPY 258 GP
COPY 237 GP
COPY 257 GP
COPY 236 GP
COPY 246 GP
COPY 256 GP
COPY 235 GP
COPY 245 GP
COPY 255 GP
COPY 214 GP
COPY 224 GP
COPY 234 GP
COPY 244 GP
COPY 254 GP
COPY 264 GP
COPY 274 GP
COPY 243 GP
COPY 232 GP
COPY 242 GP
COPY 252 GP
COPY 241 GP


MARK LOLP
LINK 800
ADDI GX #PADX GX
ADDI GY #PADY GY
LINK -1
WAIT
JUMP LOLP

edit:

NOTE CLEANER
DATA 239 259 238 258 237
DATA 257 236 246 256 235
DATA 245 255 214 224 234
DATA 244 254 264 274 243
DATA 232 242 252 241
MARK INITSPRITE
COPY F GP
TEST EOF
FJMP INITSPRITE


MARK LOLP
LINK 800
ADDI GX #PADX GX
ADDI GY #PADY GY
LINK -1
WAIT
JUMP LOLP

[Zednaught]

Awesome, thanks a lot! I'm up and running. I presume that I can change the appearance of a sprite (say, it 'blows up') by copying a different set of instructions to GP.

One more question, if I may, regarding collision. When sprites collide, nothing by itself happens, is that correct?

I first decide which sprites have collision priority, and which don't by setting the CO register in each EXA. Then, to monitor collisions, I have each EXA read its CI register to look for a change and decide what happens next?

[Enyss]

Correct

[Ra-Ra-Rasputin]

Originally posted by Zednaught:

Awesome, thanks a lot! I'm up and running. I presume that I can change the appearance of a sprite (say, it 'blows up') by copying a different set of instructions to GP.

Sup, i've been in the game business for a while;
Generally speaking it's better to store the explosion animation/graphic on a separate memory slot (EXA in this case) so it can be untiedly used anywhere, unless it is a unique one. I particularly like using the 3x1 registers (you can access them from central memory with 802 and 803 if i remember right) for cases like bullets and explosions et.c. that are called on when needed. Simply send a local communication EXA with relevant coordinates in, replicate the relevant effect and physically send the replicated EXA somewhere where you have space (core memory works).
It's easier to work this way because you can see the explosion sprite. I like playing with RAND a little bit to make the explosion look a bit less "stock footage".

You can do literally thousands of instructions in between wait cycles so there's not much to worry about.

The quick little prototype space game i made stored 20 different sound effects on one EXA and about 10 different effects on the other.

If you're wondering the sound effect and VFX containers had very similar code:

(local comm)
MARK WAITFORCALL
COPY M GX
COPY M GY

NOTE DESIRED EFFECT
COPY M X


TEST X = 1
TJMP CASE 1
(...)
MARK CASE 10
REPL FX10
NOTE RETURNTOBASE
COPY -120 GX
COPY -100 GY
JUMP WAITFORCALL

MARK FX10
(insert effect data)
(replicate a sound effect informer)

[Zednaught]

Originally posted by Ra-Ra-Rasputin:

Sup, i've been in the game business for a while;
Generally speaking it's better to store the explosion animation/graphic on a separate memory slot (EXA in this case) so it can be untiedly used anywhere, unless it is a unique one. I particularly like using the 3x1 registers (you can access them from central memory with 802 and 803 if i remember right) for cases like bullets and explosions et.c. that are called on when needed. Simply send a local communication EXA with relevant coordinates in, replicate the relevant effect and physically send the replicated EXA somewhere where you have space (core memory works).
It's easier to work this way because you can see the explosion sprite. I like playing with RAND a little bit to make the explosion look a bit less "stock footage".

You can do literally thousands of instructions in between wait cycles so there's not much to worry about.

The quick little prototype space game i made stored 20 different sound effects on one EXA and about 10 different effects on the other.

If you're wondering the sound effect and VFX containers had very similar code:

(local comm)
MARK WAITFORCALL
COPY M GX
COPY M GY

NOTE DESIRED EFFECT
COPY M X


TEST X = 1
TJMP CASE 1
(...)
MARK CASE 10
REPL FX10
NOTE RETURNTOBASE
COPY -120 GX
COPY -100 GY
JUMP WAITFORCALL

MARK FX10
(insert effect data)
(replicate a sound effect informer) [/quote]

Thank you very much for the advice--if you hadn't advised, I know I would have stored my animations on the same EXA.

[Enyss]

I whish there was a way to write on half the screen (to do that, you need to use 60 exa).

Even something as simple as a Tetris game or a snake feels impossible to do just because of this limitation :'(

Am I missing something?

[Ra-Ra-Rasputin]

From what i've seen you're limited to sprites and there's no way to facilitate background layer(s), at least for the time being. That being said, there is a decent amount of memory available, especially since you can just arbitrarily use memory intended for sound processing et.c., some form of tetris should definitely be possible, just remember that all platforms have their ups and shortcomings.

While this might not run Galaxian or Galaga, i'm certain that something like Asteroids would most definately be possible, and it'd look a spot better than the original to boot.

EDIT: I went on the internet and found someone's beat me to it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O61841j5cng

[Enyss]

Yes, maybe I was a little hasty... I can indeed display a Tetris area big enough :

https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198175021119/screenshot/950710452457551339