Off topic, but only slightly: on what basis does XBall make the "green icon list?" It's just a copy of Diamonds by Joe Wingbermuehle, only with less graphics. I don't know, I'd have to go with Bryan on this one. It doesn't really have that "merit" to make the Featured Programs list, IMHO. I have nothing against the author of XBall, but it's not exactly new; it's been done before.

~ferich

Forget Xball, there are many more feature programs that don't deserve the green icon.

I never said anything about XBall. :)

No, I was agreeing with you on the fact that this month's POTM race is going to be a little screwed up and that ticalc.org has a few problems on their hands.

~ferich

Right, it will be screwed up. But ticalc.org seems to have taken the position that since the format will change next month, why bother to fix this month. Oh well, what can you expect.

" The featured programs/POTM integration was my idea. So if you hate it, blame me. But I think that it will work really really well (assuming that they are able to spot good programs without testing them). " - Kirk Meyer, in reply to a post about the Features section

This concerns me. Looking at this, it definitely implies that the programs are not tested before they are posted, which means that there is no way to tell whether a program is actually qualified for a "featured" icon. I want to ask the ticalc staff: "What are the qualifications for a featured game?" If they aren't tested by the staff, then this is disconcerting. After all (and this is from experience), how do you knwo that the program itself isn't buggy? I've downloaded programs before that have been buggy, and ticalc still posted anyway. It's very possible that a program that could easily crash the calculator could be featured.

I know not all this is likely, but I want to hear from the feature person about the exact criteria. If the programs aren't tested, something's definitely wrong.

Yes, you catch on fast. :) Sure, some programs are being tested, but all programs are NOT being tested. Chris, Nick, Phil, etc. can say all they want about how I don't know enough about the current staff situation to know... but I know.

Sure, this isn't a perfect system. It's very possible ticalc.org could miss a very worthy program, or feature a program that isn't worthy.

And yes, I would also like to know the "guidelines" for picking such featured programs.

Guess which program will win TI82 Assembly...

<sarcasm>Gee... I think Plain Jump will win.</sarcasm>

"Guess which program will win TI82 Assembly... "
Although sarcastic, this does bring forth an interesting point. What would happen if the one ASM program for a calculator, for example, does not deserve POTM recognition? For example, (not that I would do this, mind you) if I release a generic "Hello World" program, and no other programs are released, then I would by default receive the POTM nomination (and for those who say no one will vote for it, in the scenario I would, so the program would get 1 vote (a majority)).
Now, I'm definitely not saying this should happen for Block Dude, since it is a really good game and deserves a POTM. However, should it receive a POTM because it is a default, or should there be an option to say that nothing deserves it?
Also, out of curiosity, should releases of different shells for the same calculator be combined? (i.e. ZTetris for both 83AShell and SOS, seeing how its an identical game... it can't happen this time since voting started, but will this be corrected in the new system?)

We have taken such circumstances into account in our new system.

Well, "Hello world" is great assembly program in case if it is first. For example if you own Casio graphic calculator and success to write "Hello world" in assembly, you will be celebrated as hero, because on these calculators even processor is unknown, not mention how to start program or how to access ROM routines!

Yea, what's up with the Casio calculators. Does anyone know anything about getting assembly on them? I won one (a GFX something or other) in a chemistry contest at my college (funney, they require us to have a TI for our classes, yet there to cheep to give us one of those). Don't get me wrong, I love my TI-86 - it kicks casio ass, but I do however like the 4-color screen on the casio. It could make for same good games if only someone could find a way to use assembly on it. Anyone know anything about it? I imagine it would have to be done using a shell - short of like ZShell, because it doesn't support assembly language (I don't think).

It would be pretty cool to see a high-color demo on the Casio GFX, like the ones done on the gameboy. It could be done, but the first step is getting assembly programs to run on the GFX.

~ferich

I found some information about assembly on the GFX at this site:

http://prg.rkk.cz/~mpoupe/

This person even claims to have successfully gotten assembly to work on it.

Heck yea, go Casio!!! Oh, wait, did I actually say that? I remember when I got my first calculator. I was at Wal-Mart looking at all of the calculators. I remembered that Casio's scientific calculators were good so I thought that the graphing ones would be too. Besides, it was the only one with all the cool colors. Of course, when I arrived at school, everyone else had a TI-86 and I was told that I had bought the wrong calculator(the teacher knew how to use a TI-82) The real downer was when I found out that I couldn't link up with my friend's calculators or the computer(without the really expensive cord) So I had to type in programs. They sucked. But then I got my 86 and the world was better. Hey if anyone wants a really cool basic game for a Casio Graphing Calculator, email me. Oh yeah, also, someone find a way to get good games on the Casio. PLEASE!!!!!!

Maybe this Tezxas will win, just give it an animated screenshot...

Currently I write TI92+ version. Due to bigger screen and better keyboard layout it looks wonderfull. But last night I went one step further. I finally understood how to make flickerless grayscale version for TI92+, at least in VTI.
As I do not own TI92+, beta testers are welcome. BTW: Who has source of filelib library from Doorsos? I can not realize tape emulation without routine for creating variable from assembly!

Try emailing xvassor@mail.dotcom.fr for it. He's the author.

~ferich

Vote for Doom Collection! It's the best Doom game out there for ti-82!

Until someone makes a ASM program for Doom, though...