ZELDA v0.1
Par Aghnar le bisaïeul <aghnar666@caramail.com>
Zelda is a freeware, so the distribution of Zelda is encouraged,
as long as all files are kept together, and the user doesn't have to
pay anything to get Zelda.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I Introduction
II Installing Zelda
III Features & Planned Features
IV History
V Thanks to
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I-Introduction
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Zelda is an attempt to prove that powerful prgm, as great game such
zelda, is possible to realize in basic.
However, Zelda is maybe more an asm-prog than a basic-prog, because
it uses a very powerful lib, written in C, called flib, made by
François LEIBER (Francois.leiber@libertysurf.fr and
http://leiber.free.fr).
This lib offers all main instructions that asm programmers use.
That's why zelda could be considered as an asm prgm, because his
realization is better than many asm-progs.
I encourage all basic programmers to use this marvellous lib !
Warning : Flib 2.2 is required to play Zelda 0.1.
ALL other version LOWER than 2.2 WILL NOT work .
If you have already flib in your calc, please upgrade your
version to the 2.2 version (included in this package).
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II-Installing Zelda
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** For the 89 (any ROM, any HardWare version) :
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Transfer to your calc the following files :
_ flib.89z
_ flib2.89z
_ zelda.89p
_ zeldata.89p
_ zeldalib.89p
All files MUST be in main folder.
Then, Execute zelda()
Press APPS during the game for the options and ESC to quit.
** Warning :
------------
_ The program need 45K of RAM free to run, and more if flib is not
archived. I advise to archive flib in main, it is very simple to
access it (especially if you program with it) and you do not need
to copy in RAM after every crash (Thanx to TI for the archive
recovery).
_ Zelda is not compatible 89/92+, so the 89 version
will not work on the 92 Plus.
_ I can not use local vars, so i use global vars, and all are stored
in main :
So in your MAIN folder, A-Z character variables and some others
will be cleared.
_ Since i do not use local var, never break the program during its
execution ! It will cause a lot of mess in your Var-Link !
If you did it, simply restart zelda and quit properly.
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III-Features & Planned Features
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III-1)Features
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_ Huge maps.
_ Masked sprites.
_ Boss Key (ESC).
_ Options Menu (APPS)
_ Adjustable speed.
_ Perfect collision system.
_ More than 100 sprites 16*16 in b&w.
_ Beautiful menus. (Not really implemented yet)
_ Speed is adjustable at any time. (No need to restart)
_ No need of Kernel. Work on ALL ROM and ALL HW vesion.
_ Key Delay is reduced to the max to speed up the game.
(That's why it is almost impossible to move of one 'units' only)
_ The program save and restore your key delay.
_ Ultra fast scrolling, and additional scrolling for the 89 to
permit (8*10) map (89 screen allow only 5*10=50 sprites).
_ Possibility to pause game, and to turn off the TI for long pause.
_ Auto Test if required libraries are on calc.
_ The Basic libraries can't be executed from the home screen by the
user.
_ I have reproduced partially the map of the GameBoy Version
(Link's Awakaning).
_ The screen is used at its maximum : You have 5*10 sprites displayed
for the 89.
_ Auto Test to check if the TI is a TI-89, a TI-92 or a TI-92+ :
89 version will run only on the TI-89.
The game will not run on the TI-92 I or II or TI-92+.
_ Powerful Map Editor : It is not released because
you need a short time of programmation after creating map.
_ Very small executable (zelda.89p) to increase global speed (Huge
prgms are very slow). It's why there are basic 'libraries' :
zeldata.89p and zeldalib.89p.
_ Open Source program (basic is always open source...)
III-2)Planned Features
----------------------
Note : The planned features depends a lot of possible improvments of
flib.
_ Could disable totaly the breaking of the prgm, if 'breakoff'
function was enhanced (but it seems impossible).
_ Could speed up the prgm of 25% if flib supported the disable of
the auto-ints (but it seems impossible).
_ Could display grayscale sprites, if flib supported it (but it seems
impossible, even with the instructions 'gray').
_ Could reduce the size of zeldalib of 10 Ko, if flib had a support
for 'for..endfor' or 'loop..endloop' instructions (Those are too
low in basic : just see at the beginning of the game : That's the
result of a for..endfor instruction !).
_ Could reduce the size of zelda and zeldata of approximatively 20%,
if flib had its instructions coded by numbers.
_ Could seriously continue the project, if you send me cool emails.
However, the project should never reach its end, since its too
huge, and because i program only during the holidays, when i have
nothing to do. I also can not answer to emails during school
periods.
_ New versions will never be in basic. There will be in C, so 10 times
faster and smaller.
In fact, porting basic to C is extremely easy and fast !
Stay tuned...
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IV-history
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12/2000 : Zelda v0.1
* First public release.
* Written in Basic, requiring flib 2.2.
* Slow and huge (30 ko without flib), because it's basic !
* For the moment, the game has only a tecnical interest :
Lot of tecnical features have been implemented, and the motor of
the game can be considered realized at 50%.
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V-Thanks to
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_ Thomas Corvazier.
_ Francois Leiber.
_ All the staff of ti-gcc.
_ All the staff of ticalc.org.
_ All the staff of ti-fr.org.
_ David Ellsworth, Rusty Wagner, Xavier Vassor, Julien Muchembled.
_ Jimmy Mardell, Patrick Davidson, Don Barnes.