Volhout said  

P.S. I have send the link to Martin's video to David, asked him for shipping the package (I had the kit and description ready), and his interest has gone (as some of you have predicted). So I have one surplus VGA kit.

We didn't do it for fame and money. Money would be enough.
But many of the techniques that came about in the game can now be helpful for other projects.
Edited 2023-12-23 20:41 by Martin H.

My niece and nephew playing Petscii Robots over Christmas.

A big Thank you to Volhout, Martin, Mick and others who made this game possible on the PicoMite.

The game is on the 8 bit guys shareware download page.

It makes me happy to see it is being used. MarkF thanks for sharing the photo.

Volhout

  Volhout said  

The game is on the 8 bit guys shareware download page.


Volhout

Mark
nice to see your niece and nephew having fun with the Game
Edited 2023-12-28 23:07 by Martin H.

@Volhout and others
Maybe this could be a successor

Tile based Maps, less Puzzeling, more action, but rescuing kidnapped people.
aliens instead of robots, same perspective in viewing.
So this could be done on a tuned "Petrobot engine"
Alien Syndrome (Sega 1986).

It wouldn't be a 1:1 arcade conversion but I think the Pico is somewhere between Amiga and SEGA Master System. I would voluntarily create the graphics and the music again.

Think about it


Screenshot Atari ST
you can try the Dos Version here
Edited 2024-01-08 15:52 by Martin H.

Harm

In Petscii how do I turn on reporting the spare time in the process loop? I'm playing with some performance tweaks and this would be a good test for them

Thanks

Peter

Hi Peter,

This is not taken from the last release (I am at work currently) but it should be very similar.



Regards,

Volhout

Casts "Raise Dead" on thread.

@Volhout is the 22nd December version the "final" version ?

Did you ever publish it to a public GitHub ? If not then can I do so ?

Best wishes,

Tom

Yes Tom, the Christmas release is the last one I worked on.
All levels are playable. I am not really happy with the gamemite play, I think the key repeat makes it difficult to move objects. But that may just be me.

Volhout

Thanks Volhout,

I wanted it to give my new SNES controller a workout, plus I still haven't built and tested a Wii controller adapter with the PicoMite; despite Peter having sent me some bits to canibalise months ago.

Regarding the Game*Mite version, it doesn't feel like we ever reached a definitive version of that, and it is on my TODO list to revisit. Remember no software project is ever completed, only abandoned ...

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-03-30 20:10 by thwill

  thwill said  

Remember no software project is ever completed, only abandoned

My formulation of this about 45 years ago was "Any software project that takes more than 2 weeks takes an infinite amount of time".

All,

Attached version of PETROBOT has 3 executables

- robots.bas : the 2023 Christmas release
- robots2.bas : A version with bug fixes, runs on RP2040 and RP2350A on VGA and Game*MIte. Controllers are configured by "uncommenting" code.
- robots6.bas : A test version that in VGA mites tries to auto detect controllers. runs on RP2040 and RP2350A VGA (and also on Game*Mite).

petrobot .zip

Regards,

Volhout
Edited 2024-10-07 17:43 by Volhout

With @Volhout's permission this code (or some approximation thereof) is now available here:

   https://github.com/thwill1000/mmbasic-robots

Recent changes so that it works on MMB4L are in this change-set:

   https://github.com/thwill1000/mmbasic-robots/commit/3e86167d70c30e9f4e0d09bf2fcbde9a62428773

@Volhout, I apologise my changes appear to have been more intrusive than I remembered .

The significant bug I fixed was on line 1625 of my updated code where the case value for the magnet was incorrect; it should have been 6 but was actually 3.

One other thing I added was "flushing the input" after moving an object so that the player didn't immediately follow the moved object; line 1663 of my updated code.

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2025-01-22 23:00 by thwill

Hi Tom,

Thanks. There is one flaw (known incorrect implementation) related to explosions. There is a limitted amount of slots for effects. And when you have a device exploding, this device can trigger a second one, and a third, ... until all slots are filled (I think it is 8 max, if I remeber correctly). But then it stops.

There is one room in headquarters that has 40 bombs, but you can only explode 8 with one trigger (pistol shot). That is insufficient to kill the bad guy in there. So you need a second pistol shot (through a different window), and a third, and a fourth ... until he is dead.

In the real PETSCII bombs do not explode at the same time. each one triggers a second. And one game loop later, triggers a third, and one game loop later etc.... So with one well aimed shot from the pistol you can cause the whole 40 bombs to explode... or .. at least the majority.

But no-one ever complained ... and more important ... you can still kill the bad guy. Just need a different method (and good strategy).

Volhout

EDIT: I updated robots601.bas to robots602.bas on my Googl Drive. So if you download the package you have the bug fixes.
Edited 2025-01-22 23:45 by Volhout

@Volhout:

Do you have a link to your Google Drive for me?

Thanks!

Frank

Hi Frank,

PicoMite Games Thread

Most of these should still work on 6.00.01 (they where tested on 6.00.00).
But I have not verified that yet.

Volhout
Edited 2025-01-23 18:07 by Volhout

@Volhout:

Thanks for the link!!!

...I quickly tried it yesterday on my HDMI/USB Olimex board and don't know the game any better - is it normal that you don't have any ammo at the beginning (weakest level)???  

Frank

  Frank N. Furter said  

@Volhout:
is it normal that you don't have any ammo at the beginning (weakest level)???  

Frank,
you will find the ammo by the rocket in the first level, the amount depends on the selected level

Cheers
Martin

@Martin H.:

Thanks for the hint!

Frank

@Frank just in case you haven't realised PETSCII Robots is not a top-down shooter (you lose if you try and play it like that), it's an adventure/puzzle game.

See Petscii Robots Gameplay Tutorial.

Best wishes,

Tom