Wow, quite nice indeed, although the gfx look veeeery similiar to the gfx used in Chessmaster on the Game Boy :-)

Also really great no shell is needed, why don't others learn from this? This is the first TI-89 program I've run in years because of all stupid incompatibilities.

Decent chess engine, considering it's in C, but after having played ChessGenius on the Palm (also using a 68k, or at least a slight modified one), everything else fades away in comparison.

Still, a very professional program I would keep on my calc if I'd ever use it :-/

the reason that it requires no shell is it is in c. there are no restrictions for c.

Asslembly programs may be created so well to run without shells. This is not a privilege of C. Using shells is just an inheritance from Fargo. People need to learn to make shell-less programs. This is not hard. Just use TIOS calls instead of libraries...

Can you write your own libraries for some common functions to one program, but still use tios calls and have it be nostub?

It's possible, but no one releases a sample of this technology until yet. I think in a few weeks you will face some interesting stuff ... ;-)

but a lot of graphic routines are very slow in the tios... or even not included.

Sure... But if you need time critical graphics code, you should write it youreself, or rather snip and modify someone elses code. That's the only way to be sure what the code does. If you use an external routine, especially from a lib, you are left in the cold if the author of the lib decides to 'improve' his library in a way that renders it incompatable with youre code.

Okay this is all coming from someone who has never seriously made a TI ASM (or C) game before... but...

I think the libraries and stuff should be abolished. Now there are going to be people saying "Yeah, don't be lazy, write your own routines!" or "No way! Libraries make life so much easier!"... Well why doesn't someone who is familiar with the libraries and what they do (for example, the person who wrote them) take them and make them into pretty much just text files.

These files should be full of the routines the library would use, but instead of including the library and calling them when you need them, just copy-paste the code and insert your own values. Or you could look at the code and use it as a base idea to write your own routines if the ones in the "text library" don't fit your needs.

Am I wrong about this? This is all done using language I've collected over time... I have no idea what I'm talking about, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

- Jeff

Just look at genlib : it's a 10-kb, and *very* optimized graphic lib (by sonic's author). Do you really want 10 kb more to each program? I personally use Teos with my 89/hw 1/rom 1, and never had any problem with any program.

AMEN!

umm, excuse me, but it was my understanding that the shells served two purposes

1. To get around TI's "asm limits" and have a <8k prog to run <8k programs and the whole fargo bit

2. (and MOST important) to reduced program size..this is how...commonly used sequences are stored in library files...these commands sequences only need appear once in memory, within the library. That way, we don't repeat the SAME CODE in every program written. I always though that these "libraries" are just a compilation of commonly used subroutines, and the shell simply stands as an intermediary to the asm program and the library's subroutine

so therefore ALL programs should use shell to REDUCE size and INCREASE efficency...look at the 83 and 83+ for example, because of ION and different libraries for each calculator, the SAME program will work on 83 and 83+ because of the ....yes you know...the SHELL

so I say...LONG LIVE SHELLS

just my 2 cents

No, not always. It is possible to write C programs that require shells. Instead of including the nostub.h library, you include the doorsos.h library.

Yeeees, my ASM GOD HERO is Alive!
Long live Yarin'

-JrJinfinity

ok this ain't right

I don't know what the heck you guys are talking about with C and stuff. I thought there was asm basic etc.

apparently i should get an 89 due to the immediate demand in games that i must fill it with.

Plan: Tell parents its for quote" educational purposes "unquote

i ain't trying to be funny cause i have the money to by it with but my parents won't let me buy it. this program has just caused me to jump over the edge. i don't care what i do i am gonna get an 89.(Actually i care about doing that last thing)

"I don't know what the heck you guys are talking about with C and stuff. I thought there was asm basic etc. "

Basically, what they mean is the program was written in C on a computer, and compiled into 68K ASM using a C->ASM compiler. This leads to slightly less powerful and efficient code (altho some disagree) to coding in "pure" ASM, but still turns out ASM of acceptable quality and is easier to program besides.
At least, that's what I understood from various people's explanations... ;)

I guess what _I_ understand from the discussions is that ASM is more powerful/faster than C, but on most programs the speed difference is either not noticeable or doesn't matter.

Hey, not again that damn C versus ASM discussion! Both have their place and when it comes to complex algorithms I will prefer C. With ASM its to easy to make failures and there is no instance like the compiler who may point out some of them to you. So take the goodies of both worlds. When it comes down to speed do it in ASM otherwise use C. Its no matter of "only" use one of them. They work smoothly hand in hand within one program.

Yes, I have to agree with you. It is not easy to find bugs in programs written in ASM language. C is a nice language though :-)

nick, your dad's web page sucks. :)

canolacanola

...or perhaps it just seems that way when compared to the omnipresent entity that is NickD.org.

Either way, green Starbursts are still the worst ones.

yes, i have nick's page bookmarked. THAT i like.

yeahyeah. I was giving him alternatives to frames just this morning, after I woke up.

You can look at the shodddy job I did on my sister's page at www.redkimono.com :p I did it in about ten minutes, a year or so ago.

--BlueCalx

/me wonders why people always down their websites and say how short it took them to make them in an attempt to either fish for compliments or impress others

shut up. nick is god.

YOU LIE!

--BlueCalx

Nick is the closest thing there is to a god.

Except a solar-powered flashlight. :-P

In this house we obey the Laws of Thermodynamics!

Hmmm. This raises an interesting dilemma. Because Nick D believes Steve Wozniak is God. THEREFORE STEVE WOZNIAK'S GOD IS THE REAL GOD!

All hail, etc etc

Nah. Woz is just God's God. :P

But, of course, I'm not God, so this entire discussion is moot.

--BlueCalx

i feel so misled... us fifteen-year-olds believe anything we're told. or something. yeah. o.k, surely nick is diety though. maybe an incarnation of one of the lesser greek gods, like the god of shoving things in one's RIGHT nostril and turning on the webcam. (this god has been inactive for many years. i'm on to you nick.)


I MEAN COME ON, THINK OF THE WACKY FUN NUMBAR GENERATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And maybe a submarine with a screen door.

- Jeff

Sadly, the Russians could use one of those as we speak. They need air.

I have one of those. You solar charge it in the day, and use it in the dark.