Post your ideas for new games here, or build on ideas posted by other visitors.

Did they really just restart this whole section? I didn't think they would really do that... Although it was up to over 100 pages (at 20 comments per page)

Yes they did re-start the page, they do that every once in a while just so people can see the new ideas out there and to get new ones, it might be a drag but they have to do it.

ok, i dunno how to do that stuff, but if you go to the TI webpage, they have a developers kit. also, have fun learnin

I just finished version 2.0 (ION and MIRAGE OS - TI-83) for a game called DodgeBall. Check it out! Its not bad, but I really want to try storing variables in arrays! Can anyone help me out with this or point me to a site where I could learn? THX.

By the way, how about a simcity type game for the TI-83? Too complex? Check out my web site if you don't know about this awesome game for PC.

I don't think you could make a simcity game, at least not a descent one. You would just need way too many sprites, four sprites for each building. one for each view, and possibly different ones for zoom options. That would take up a lot of memory and a lot of time.

I think that someone should try making the original NES Excitebike for any calc in assembly. I don't think it would be that hard to make, and I might try making it for the 89 in a little bit.

You don't have to be able to zoom, or rotate. That would free up a lot of space. If you did want to zoom, make it 2x and 4x, so that you just blow up the sprites.

Don't think a decent SimCity game is possible, eh? Check out the forum in the URL link above. I'm attempting to make a SimCity 2000 game. Yes, it will be huge, since it's got an *isometric* 4 lvl grayscale engine, but I'm hoping that won't stop people from playing it. And if necessary, I'll compress some data.
About rotation: You wouldn't have to make 4 different sprites for each side of the building if all the buildings were 1x1. That's what I'm going to start out with. Since the isometric engine would allow the tops of some buildings to cover a smaller building behind it, rotation is essential.
About zooming: 4x zoom would look hellishly grainy, so I'll only be implementing 2x zooming, and yes, it will just blow the sprites up (not literally ;).
I just completed a fully working isometric engine in TI-BASIC to test my algorithm. It works, so I'm now in the process of porting it to z80. To keep track of the project, check the link and see Justin Bay's Planfile...

And yes, I've learned much since the time I posted the post below this one...

Ohhh..that would be so sweet. i love that game

I've been looking for instructions on how to manipulate arrays for a LONG time and closest I've gotten so far is that some guy on MaxCoderz message board gave me this. I think it only works with 5x5 arrays.

"...the address can be calculated fast using shifts.

e. g. if you have X in C and Y in E:

ld d,0 ; clearing the upper bytes of the coordinates
ld b,d
ld hl,Array
; ///
add hl,de ; HL=Array+Y
ex de,hl ; Multiplying DE by four
add hl,hl
add hl,hl
ex de,hl
add hl,de ; HL=Array+Y+4*Y=Array+5*Y
; ///
add hl,bc ; HL=Array+5*Y+X
...

The section between the two "///" comments is a hardcoded multiplication by five (does HL := HL+5*DE). The top left coordinates are (0,0).

From this point you can access the element through HL, e. g.:

ld (hl),a ; Fill the element with the contents of A (this is handy since A is not used for the address calculation)
ld (hl),89 ; Any 8-bit constant can be used
ld e,(hl) ; Any 8-bit general purpose register can be used, in this case it's E"

Don't know if this will help or not.

Getting data from a 5x5 matrix is really not that difficult...

; a is assumed to be the current row
; b is assumed to be the current col

; First get the offset (5 * row) + col = offset
ld b, a
add a, a
add a, a
add a, b
add a, c

;Now simply add the offset to the adress of you array
ld hl, ArrayPointer
ld d, $00
ld e, a
add hl, de

oops my mistake; b is not assumed to be the row but c is the row

Okay, for a 16x16 array:

===================
ld a,c ;C->A
sla a ;A=A*2
sla a ;A=A*2 (*4)
sla a ;A=A*2 (*8)
sla a ;A=A*2 (*16)
add a,b ;A->B
ld hl,ArrayName ;Add. of array ->hl
ld e,a ;\ A->DE
ld d,0 ;/ """""
add hl,de ;HL=HL+DE
ld a,(hl)
===================

That will work - (hopefully): in are (b,c) where B is the 'x' of the array and C is 'y' of the array - it returns the accumulator.

add a,a is twice as fast as sla a

Really? I thought the opposite... I'll remember that for future games... THX!

Just check z80 manual with speed for all the opcodes. Usually you can say this for shifts:
- all shifts and rotates for general purpose registers (b,c,d,e,h,l) take 8 cycles
- shifts and rotates where it is possible to have the acc 'not tabbed or spaced over' take 4 cycles

for example:
rr b takes 8 cycles
rra takes 4 cycles

Forgot to add, that code can handle arrays of the size n*5. Where n could be any number from 0 (that would be weird) to 50 (or 51 dont know sure). If you need code that can deal with bigger matrixes just ask, but keep in mind that code for those bigger matrixes will probably bigger/slower.

I am working on a Puzzle game and a tactical RPG, both in ASM (See TI-83 Plus Games). Would I use an array for a tile based map, or what? I am confused. Thanks for the help!

Gerhalt

Yes, that would be a good way to go. Just have an array with numbers representing different titles or sprites stored in it. I can help you with making some code to extract the different titles and/or code to put the entire thing on the screen.

Does ASM have character arrays?

Assembly is a programming language that lets you communicate with the memory directly, this means you only have numbers. Now by assigning a character to a number you can let the calculator 'remember' your string of characters. This is what ASCII is for, its a universal way of 'letting numbers represent characters' (Ofcourse as a programmer you are free to chose your own way of representing characters). So in a way your strings are also a number and do not differ from other 'memory' formats, titles, sprites, numbers or whatever. So yes you could make arrays of characters. And if you like you could make this array 2 dimensional or even 3 or more if you like.

Ok all the games you talked about sound good but Here I been creating a game for two years. I made a 3D program to create its stunning 60 frames per seconds (no bull) I will try to upload this soon. But here the the main part the game is... Enter The Matrix (yes!). From the amazing jacket details to all 30 wepons. It's a dream third person perspective I finished all enimies and Agent Smith (yes! again).I created 6 levels but I need help on driving level I can send only three versions to people who will help but thats it takes all your memory but leaves 10k for running it. Now I kept this under rapts for awhile but now i need jelp.

Your game sounds quite exciting, but what platform is it for? And does it incorporate greyscale?

A B&W game with only 94x62 res would be... interestingly difficult to see. *squint*

:-P

To answer your question no this Is an amazing game full screen a new greyscale program within the program. Email me for any more questions and the Calcs itll be on are....82,73,86,90 plays the best on 86

No 83+? darn, that would be just too good to be true...

As a matter of fact we will be havin a 83 version this one has the same fetures but two new moves email me for more information

No TI-89?? Shoot...




:-(
Trevor

I can sympathize for you. I'd rather have a TI-89 game because it's easier to look at. You need to think of the user.

it would be n*5 where n=1...51
Think:
51*5=255
255 is the max value of any one-byte, unsigned interger

The first sim city were made for old PC not very more powerfull than our calculators. With our small mochrome screens, the display can be very fast.