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2021-05-11 17:24 from zooer
Subject: How Pitfall Builds its World
How Pitfall Builds its World
It was quite an innovation to have multiple rooms [in Adventure], and
the fact that Adventure managed to have 30 was revolutionary. But
Pitfall!, made by David Crane and released in 1983, had 255, all of
which were much more elaborate (graphically speaking) than anything
in Adventure. In this article we'll talk about how this was done.
https://evoniuk.github.io/posts/pitfall.html
Thanks for the link.
I always thought that Rogue's approach was the work of a genius :-) but it is not really comparablr to Adventure!
2021-05-12 02:06 from ParanoidDelusions
Those disks can be replaced fairly easily these days, ASCII. They're
all available in disk image format and there are ways to burn them
back from disk image to a physical disk, or to make the Apple read
the disk images from an SD card.
That is so cool that your parents were savvy enough to figure out
that being blind wasn't an obstacle to you being engaged in the
computer revolution and found the technology to enable that.
Oh really? I only have one physical disc. I will have to look into this. Any pointers?
Yes, my parents converted their business to computers. I remember they had a Unisys mainframe. They recognized that computers would take over. I remember my Mom arguing with the nuns at the school for the blind where I went. They wanted me to learn the slate and stylus, an old device for writing braille with an inverse point. In other words you have to write backwards. My MOm said, "These kids aren't going to use that! They will do everything on computers." They tried to ask what if the computer breaks, but my MOm would hear none of it.
Well... almost all Apple software has been converted to disk images that you can find and download off the Internet to run with emulators or on FPGA devices. Honestly, the *easiest* way for you to relive the Apple is probably the MiSTer and the FPGA core on it. Then you do away with all the peripherals and drives and floppy disks - and it probably can emulate the hardware peripherals like voice synthesis that you might need.
I'm not an Apple 8 bit guy. They were way out of my price range and I only ever got to use them for a short period at a time after a math class in 7th grade.
But on the Amiga you use a thing called a Gotek. It hooks up as a regular floppy to your genuine hardware, and allows you to mount a floppy image as a drive. Then you copy that image to a genuine floppy on a real floppy drive. Instantly restored physical disk.
Commodore users use an FPGA thing called an Ultimate 1541-II+
And Atari 8 bit uses a thing called Sdrive-Max...
https://www.vintagecomputercenter.com/sdrive-max
I'm sure there is some similar solution for Apple.
Ah - here we go...
https://a2heaven.com/webshop/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=124
The caveat - there are multiple different approaches to this - and generally speaking - the problem tends to be *timing* on reading images of copy protected floppy images - at least, this is the problem in the Commodore world.
Some of these solutions just provide a USB to serial interface that hooks an SD card right up. Others use a Rpi to do emulation of the drive logic, and others use FPGA. FPGA tends to be the most cycle accurate, and expensive.
But MOST people are fine with the inexpensive SD solutions that are less compatible. There are already cracked floppy images out there for almost every title ever released on every platform ever.
But - you might be more likely to be a "corner case" where you'll find you need the more expensive solution - which I bet wouldn't be the first time you've experienced that.
Sat May 15 2021 23:33:58 EDT from ASCII Express2021-05-12 02:06 from ParanoidDelusions
Those disks can be replaced fairly easily these days, ASCII. They're
all available in disk image format and there are ways to burn them
back from disk image to a physical disk, or to make the Apple read
the disk images from an SD card.
That is so cool that your parents were savvy enough to figure out
that being blind wasn't an obstacle to you being engaged in the
computer revolution and found the technology to enable that.
Oh really? I only have one physical disc. I will have to look into this. Any pointers?
Yes, my parents converted their business to computers. I remember they had a Unisys mainframe. They recognized that computers would take over. I remember my Mom arguing with the nuns at the school for the blind where I went. They wanted me to learn the slate and stylus, an old device for writing braille with an inverse point. In other words you have to write backwards. My MOm said, "These kids aren't going to use that! They will do everything on computers." They tried to ask what if the computer breaks, but my MOm would hear none of it.
I ought to set up an Apple II emulator. I always wanted one back in the day -- in addition to, not instead of, my Commodore 64. I should set something up and then play with those wonderful 40x40 low-res graphics for nostalgia.
You know what are excellent for this, and a breeze to set up?
Raspberry Pi 3B+ systems. ;)
If you need anything getting there, let me know. I'm an evangelist for helping us AARP folks relive the glory of our 8 bit youths. ;)
But Nintendo kids can get off my lawn.
Thu May 27 2021 16:40:22 EDT from IGnatius T FoobarI ought to set up an Apple II emulator. I always wanted one back in the day -- in addition to, not instead of, my Commodore 64. I should set something up and then play with those wonderful 40x40 low-res graphics for nostalgia.
Ooooh, we are actually a big Nintendo household here. We've got a GameCube, a Wii U, a Switch, and a bunch of 3DS.
After all, I *am* Italian and I know how to do plumbing.
From what I am reading, "LinApple" is the way to go. I suspect, though, that I have to warez the ROM images and AppleDOS disk to make it useful?
LoL
Or he could use a real ARM machine not a child's toy.
/me ducks ( just teasing )
Thu May 27 2021 04:48:59 PM EDT from ParanoidDelusions
Raspberry Pi 3B+ systems. ;)
Thu May 27 2021 04:40:22 PM EDT from IGnatius T FoobarI ought to set up an Apple II emulator. I always wanted one back in the day -- in addition to, not instead of, my Commodore 64. I should set something up and then play with those wonderful 40x40 low-res graphics for nostalgia.
Great Apple // games: (Apple // FOREVER!)
Short Circuit https://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/short-circuit__ (yes, the __ after the name is in the link)
Dino Eggs https://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/dino-eggs
Crisis Mountain
ICBM (I must not have the official name)
I am sure these games were available on other platforms.
Am i the only person on the planet who didnt play games on their computer?
If i wanted to play a game, i used my console, or went to the arcade.
Don't worry about THAT part.
There are rooms... secret chambers... in the catacombs of the Sanitarium. There always have been. It was, after all - the Amiga Archives. ;)
No one cares anymore, though - anyhow... so it isn't like it used to be.
Thu May 27 2021 17:02:58 EDT from IGnatius T FoobarOoooh, we are actually a big Nintendo household here. We've got a GameCube, a Wii U, a Switch, and a bunch of 3DS.
After all, I *am* Italian and I know how to do plumbing.
From what I am reading, "LinApple" is the way to go. I suspect, though, that I have to warez the ROM images and AppleDOS disk to make it useful?