> 1. Adapt the Dream Animator control file format to include a whole
> bunch of easy-to-use commands, increasing it's functionability from
> just displaying images and running a P3 scan. Newbies would be able
> to pick up the language faster, and it's probably easier to adapt
> that format than to...

> 2. Adapt, as best as possible, the C programming language. A really,
> really, really simplified version of the C programming language.
> Experienced programmers would most likely find it easier to develop
> VM games with it than the choice former. It would probably be harder
> for me to impliment it, though.

(!!!!!!!!!)

Good idea, port C to the VMU ^.^  I'll have to do that sometime ;)

A religiously accurate port of C would be something truly wonderful (if not
impossible), but since you aren't going to do that I don't think it's worth
it. The language we already have isn't really that difficult to work with,
and it's also sort of fun.

I'd say that you should probably work with option 1, at least at first.

Making the VMU easy to program even for the newest of the newbies is a very
good thing. It could very well attract more people and get the people who
are already here more interested in churning out stuff.

You wouldn't need to do option 2 if you did option 1, so many people would
be on the scene that someone else would do it for ya ^^

I've been writing a program to simplify the creation of VMS programs
for the VM. FYI it's a Win32 app. The program has reached the point
where when run will autoproduce a skeleton file that runs on a VM
(Doesn't do anything special but it runs =P) Now, I must develop the
OOP language that will allow even a newbie to make VMU games. Here
are my two choices:
1. Adapt the Dream Animator control file format to include a whole
bunch of easy-to-use commands, increasing it's functionability from
just displaying images and running a P3 scan. Newbies would be able
to pick up the language faster, and it's probably easier to adapt
that format than to...
2. Adapt, as best as possible, the C programming language. A really,
really, really simplified version of the C programming language.
Experienced programmers would most likely find it easier to develop
VM games with it than the choice former. It would probably be harder
for me to impliment it, though.

I await your input.

...and my name is Geshtar.

Yeah Paul, this is a sweet little game!! Can't wait to download it to
my VMU to pass the time in school :) (been using the emu since I am
to lazy to get on the net with the 'ol DC).

Hey, great game, pity im soo bad at it :)
--- chihuahua_loco@... wrote: > --- In vmu-dev@y..., paul@a...
wrote:
> > Hi -
> >
> > I just joined this group recently, and I think its great!
> > I can't believe all the info available here and at some
> > member's websites.
> >
> > With all the documentation, I found it very easy to write my first
> > game for the VMU.  Its called "Where's Bruce?" and is a rip-off of
> > the Safari Rush Hour puzzle.
> >
> > Its available (vmi,vms, and source) at
> > http://www.actionfig.com/vmu
> >
> > Please let me know what you think.
> >
> > - Paul
>
> Great game,it reminds me of the old acclaim tomato game for the
> gameboy,does anyone else remember that game?.
> I loved your game paul!!
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>


=====
Later ...

rednuht@...
-+-..=|<[{(_"!"_)}]>|=..-+-


__________________________________________________
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35
a year!  http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/

--- In vmu-dev@y..., paul@a... wrote:
> Hi -
>
> I just joined this group recently, and I think its great!
> I can't believe all the info available here and at some
> member's websites.
>
> With all the documentation, I found it very easy to write my first
> game for the VMU.  Its called "Where's Bruce?" and is a rip-off of
> the Safari Rush Hour puzzle.
>
> Its available (vmi,vms, and source) at
> http://www.actionfig.com/vmu
>
> Please let me know what you think.
>
> - Paul

Great game,it reminds me of the old acclaim tomato game for the
gameboy,does anyone else remember that game?.
I loved your game paul!!

Hi -

I just joined this group recently, and I think its great!
I can't believe all the info available here and at some
member's websites.

With all the documentation, I found it very easy to write my first
game for the VMU.  Its called "Where's Bruce?" and is a rip-off of
the Safari Rush Hour puzzle.

Its available (vmi,vms, and source) at
http://www.actionfig.com/vmu

Please let me know what you think.

- Paul

>It's a long shot, but you could try the DreamImage tool I wrote (get
>it from http://vmudev.dcemulation.com).  That's designed to convert
>images
>saved using the european (dreamkey) browser back into the original
>gif/jpeg (since all dreamkey does is bung on it's own vms header to
>the top of the file).
>
>If it's just a saved jpeg, and the japanese browser uses the same save
>format (I know that the euro browser is derived from the jap one),
>then it might just work...

....
Unfortunatly, the US version of Jet Grind Radio uses DreamKey as it's
browser.
Not sure why, but it does.

Thanks anyway.

> You wouldn't happen to know how to convert TAG's from the Japanesse
> version to the US/EU versions would you?
>
> I've got the official Sonic Team Sonic Tag's saved to my Nexus (They
are
> no longer avilable on the Japanesse Jet Grind Radio site) and I
would
> like to use them in my US copy of JGR.
> Do you know if/how I can?

It's a long shot, but you could try the DreamImage tool I wrote (get
it from http://vmudev.dcemulation.com).  That's designed to convert
images
saved using the european (dreamkey) browser back into the original
gif/jpeg (since all dreamkey does is bung on it's own vms header to
the top of the file).

If it's just a saved jpeg, and the japanese browser uses the same save
format (I know that the euro browser is derived from the jap one),
then it might just work...

>convert JPG images directly to VMS files for use in Jet Set Radio
>www.jumpstation.co.uk
>
>source code included and should build on any file system

You wouldn't happen to know how to convert TAG's from the Japanesse
version to the US/EU versions would you?

I've got the official Sonic Team Sonic Tag's saved to my Nexus (They are
no longer avilable on the Japanesse Jet Grind Radio site) and I would
like to use them in my US copy of JGR.
Do you know if/how I can?

convert JPG images directly to VMS files for use in Jet Set Radio
www.jumpstation.co.uk

source code included and should build on any file system

=====
Later ...

rednuht@...
-+-..=|<[{(_"!"_)}]>|=..-+-


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

> I can't get the DREAMPASSPORT browser to work with my .vmi files,
> i create .vmi in virtuamunstaz and they work fine,but when i
> transfer them to my page they only work with PLANETWEB is the
> setup for DREAMPASSPORT diferent or what could be the problem.
> please help

Have you got your server's MIME types set up correctly (PlanetWeb doesn't
care, but DreamPassport (Jap) and DreamKey (Euro) require that the server
gives out the right file type descriptions.)

Take a look at http://dcemulation.emuunlim.com/vmudev/faq.html#QUESTION6.1
for more info

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
  richardm@... | richard.munn@...
   (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
    Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: chihuahua_loco@... [mailto:chihuahua_loco@...]
> Sent: 25 January 2001 05:47
> To: vmu-dev@egroups.com
> Subject: [vmu] Help with .vmi !!
>
>

>
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>


**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.

**********************************************************************

> I can't get the DREAMPASSPORT browser to work with my .vmi files,
> i create .vmi in virtuamunstaz and they work fine,but when i
> transfer them to my page they only work with PLANETWEB is the
> setup for DREAMPASSPORT diferent or what could be the problem.
> please help

Have you got your server's MIME types set up correctly (PlanetWeb doesn't care, but DreamPassport (Jap) and DreamKey (Euro) require that the server gives out the right file type descriptions.)

Take a look at http://dcemulation.emuunlim.com/vmudev/faq.html#QUESTION6.1 for more info

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
 richardm@... | richard.munn@...
  (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
   Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: chihuahua_loco@... [mailto:chihuahua_loco@...]
> Sent: 25 January 2001 05:47
> To: vmu-dev@egroups.com
> Subject: [vmu] Help with .vmi !!
>
>

>
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>

I can't get the DREAMPASSPORT browser to work with my .vmi files,
i create .vmi in virtuamunstaz and they work fine,but when i transfer them to my
page they only work with PLANETWEB is the setup for DREAMPASSPORT diferent or
what could be the problem.
please help

--- In vmu-dev@egroups.com, leo@m... wrote:
> Well, the flash telnet servlet is in a real beta status
> right now. I had it ready for half a year now but have not
> worked on it. I will have to check if I can release the
> flash library that I used to write the stuff.
>
> And there is a problem with the dc browser. None of the
> flash implementations, neither in PlanetWeb 2.0 nor in
> the european version are able to handle an endless flash
> stream in one frame and still have a working html input
> form in the other. I assume it is due to the fact that the
> stuff is not really written for multi threading or their
> flash implementation always wants to load the flash file
> completely.
>
> Leo.

Thank god it was only a server problem,i use the vmi creator alot and
that's very good news.
keep up the GREAT work! =)
Gracias.

thanx this will deffinently come in handy, u are the man for finding this

Well, the flash telnet servlet is in a real beta status
right now. I had it ready for half a year now but have not
worked on it. I will have to check if I can release the
flash library that I used to write the stuff.

And there is a problem with the dc browser. None of the
flash implementations, neither in PlanetWeb 2.0 nor in
the european version are able to handle an endless flash
stream in one frame and still have a working html input
form in the other. I assume it is due to the fact that the
stuff is not really written for multi threading or their
flash implementation always wants to load the flash file
completely.

Leo.

> > The page http://virtuamunstaz.de is no more..what happen?
> does anyone
> > know? has VirtuaMunstaz gone up there to join RAMTronics?? if
> > so,Adios Virtua..Munstaz..

>  Sorry, we had a server problem. There were so many people using
>  the flash telnet servlet that it filled up our logs (1GB/2days)
>  which in turn filled up the disk and our admin stopped the server.
>  it works again now.

ouch!  glad to hear your back up again.

Is there any chance of releasing a customizable version of the flash telnet,
since there's a mud that I love to play, but can't access thanks to a
company firewall.  I'm sure that the mud's owner would be happy to set up
the flash interface

And there's good news in my camp - rvmu is back online, and is now located
at http://vmudev.dcemulation.com (plus john's mirror @
http://rvmu.maushammer.com of course)

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
  richardm@... | richard.munn@...
   (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
    Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!


**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.

**********************************************************************

> > The page http://virtuamunstaz.de is no more..what happen?
> does anyone
> > know? has VirtuaMunstaz gone up there to join RAMTronics?? if
> > so,Adios Virtua..Munstaz..

>       Sorry, we had a server problem. There were so many people using
>       the flash telnet servlet that it filled up our logs (1GB/2days)
>       which in turn filled up the disk and our admin stopped the server.
>       it works again now.

ouch!  glad to hear your back up again.

Is there any chance of releasing a customizable version of the flash telnet, since there's a mud that I love to play, but can't access thanks to a company firewall.  I'm sure that the mud's owner would be happy to set up the flash interface

And there's good news in my camp - rvmu is back online, and is now located at http://vmudev.dcemulation.com (plus john's mirror @ http://rvmu.maushammer.com of course)

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
 richardm@... | richard.munn@...
  (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
   Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

> The page http://virtuamunstaz.de is no more..what happen? does anyone
> know? has VirtuaMunstaz gone up there to join RAMTronics?? if
> so,Adios Virtua..Munstaz..

	 Sorry, we had a server problem. There were so many people using
	 the flash telnet servlet that it filled up our logs (1GB/2days)
	 which in turn filled up the disk and our admin stopped the server.
	 it works again now.

	 Leo.

> I was wondering if somehow it would be possible to make a BEATS time clock
from
> PSO onto a VMU.

That should be fairly easy.  All that's needed is some way to input your
timezone (a -12 -> +12 gmt text option would be fine, but there's no reason
why someone couldn't paint a world map, and do a graphical timezone
selector)

Source wide it should be damn easy.  If I have any free time over the text
week (major project deadlines approaching at work..), I'll take a look into
it.  I can certainly make the timezone select graphics anyway ;-)

I wonder if we could convince swatch to make it official, since there's
quite a lot of sega<->swatch cooperation

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
  richardm@... | richard.munn@...
   (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
    Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: leo@... [mailto:leo@...]
> Sent: 16 January 2001 11:04
> To: vmu-dev@egroups.com
> Cc: vmu-coders@...
> Subject: [vmu] WG: Phantasy Star Online BEATS time clock system.
>
>
> Hi,
>
> maybe someone would like to help this guy :-)
>
> Leo.
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>


**********************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify
the system manager.

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by
MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses.

**********************************************************************

> I was wondering if somehow it would be possible to make a BEATS time clock from
> PSO onto a VMU.

That should be fairly easy.  All that's needed is some way to input your timezone (a -12 -> +12 gmt text option would be fine, but there's no reason why someone couldn't paint a world map, and do a graphical timezone selector)

Source wide it should be damn easy.  If I have any free time over the text week (major project deadlines approaching at work..), I'll take a look into it.  I can certainly make the timezone select graphics anyway ;-)

I wonder if we could convince swatch to make it official, since there's quite a lot of sega<->swatch cooperation

--
Richard Munn | Programmer | Codemasters Software
 richardm@... | richard.munn@...
  (01926) 814132 Ext. 220 | www.codemasters.com
   Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: leo@... [mailto:leo@...]
> Sent: 16 January 2001 11:04
> To: vmu-dev@egroups.com
> Cc: vmu-coders@...
> Subject: [vmu] WG: Phantasy Star Online BEATS time clock system.
>
>
> Hi,
>
> maybe someone would like to help this guy :-)
>
> Leo.
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>

view source on this to get all the necessary code.

http://www.swatch.com/itime_tools/converter.php?color=black&textcolor=white

but im not in the mood 2 do it


--- leo@... wrote: > Hi,
>
> maybe someone would like to help this guy :-)
>
> Leo.
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>

> ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822
> Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 03:02:08 +0100
> Message-Id: <H000006b00027949.0979643066.tanis.first.gmd.de@MHS>
> Subject: Phantasy Star Online BEATS time clock system.
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> From:
>
energy01/internet////////RFC-822/energy01#a#hotmail#f#com@...
> To: vmu@...
> Content-Type: multipart/Mixed;
> boundary="openmail-part-000def40-00000002"
>
> Hey,
> I saw the site, nice work.
> Seeing as Phantasy Star Online is being released in the U.S. soon, I
> was
> wondering if somehow it would be possible to make a BEATS time clock
> from
> PSO onto a VMU. A day in BEATS time consists of 1000 beats.
>
> 1000 beats in a day
> 86.4 seconds in a single beat.
>
> Everybodies time is the same in BEAT time, it was created by SWATCH
> and is a
> way to make everyones time the same.
> So if it's 156 beats here, it 156 beats your time, although it could
> be 7pm
> here and 8pm there.
> It's easier to say "Meet me at 853 beats" instead of "What time is it
> there,
> well it's 7 here, meet me at 6 your time".
>
> So if you think you could help out, let me know.
>                        Thomas~
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
>
>


=====
Later ...

rednuht@...
-+-..=|<[{(_"!"_)}]>|=..-+-


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/

Hi,

maybe someone would like to help this guy :-)

Leo.

Hey,
I saw the site, nice work.
Seeing as Phantasy Star Online is being released in the U.S. soon, I was
wondering if somehow it would be possible to make a BEATS time clock from
PSO onto a VMU. A day in BEATS time consists of 1000 beats.

1000 beats in a day
86.4 seconds in a single beat.

Everybodies time is the same in BEAT time, it was created by SWATCH and is a
way to make everyones time the same.
So if it's 156 beats here, it 156 beats your time, although it could be 7pm
here and 8pm there.
It's easier to say "Meet me at 853 beats" instead of "What time is it there,
well it's 7 here, meet me at 6 your time".

So if you think you could help out, let me know.
                        Thomas~
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

The page http://virtuamunstaz.de is no more..what happen? does anyone
know? has VirtuaMunstaz gone up there to join RAMTronics?? if
so,Adios Virtua..Munstaz..

--- In vmu-dev@egroups.com, jtoenterprises66@c... wrote:
> I know this discussion group is for for VMU program development. My
> assumption is: you each have contacts within SEGA or outside of SEGA
for
> Dreamast parts.

Sadly not.  They're willing to provide techinical guidance at times,
but not bits of hardware

> IM sure a few of you have blown up or destroyed a few parts
> of your Sega's in an effort to learn the code and or dissect the
machines as
> I have.

Yup, my original VMS no longer beeps, after the buzzer cables dropped
off due to me opening it too many times!

> Because IM sure this wont be the last IM basically looking for
> wholesale:-)

I'm not sure if you'll get much luck.  The problem is that you're only
likely to be able to get spare parts if you do warranty repairs (and
I'm sure sega vet companies for things like that first).  Since
opening your hardware voids your waranty, you're probably fairly stuck
(sadly).

However, if you're dreamcast has just broke, on it's own (without
being poked), and your warranty is still valid, then just send it off
to them (or take it back to the shop you got it from!)

I know this discussion group is for for VMU program development. My
assumption is: you each have contacts within SEGA or outside of SEGA for
Dreamast parts. IM sure a few of you have blown up or destroyed a few parts
of your Sega's in an effort to learn the code and or dissect the machines as
I have. Because IM sure this wont be the last IM basically looking for
wholesale:-)

Regards,


Jimmie

this discussion group is for the VMU

are u talking about the VMU or your Dreamcast??

--- "Jimmie O." <jtoenterprises66@...> wrote: > Since this is the
premier Sega Discussion Group. Can anyone of you
> help me with finding an internal Main Board my Audio Visual is gone
> for my Dreamcast? PARTS!! Please let me know, Thanks, Jimmie
>
>
>        post:  vmu-dev@eGroups.com
> unsubscribe:  vmu-dev-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
>     archive:  http://www.egroups.com/group/vmu-dev/
>         faq:  http://rvmu.maushammer.com/faq.html
>


=====
Later ...

rednuht@...
-+-..=|<[{(_"!"_)}]>|=..-+-


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos - Share your holiday photos online!
http://photos.yahoo.com/

Since this is the premier Sega Discussion Group. Can anyone of you
help me with finding an internal Main Board my Audio Visual is gone
for my Dreamcast? PARTS!! Please let me know, Thanks, Jimmie

Your programs are the ones I have always used and I know the mem is
continuous because it is on an empty page of the nexus


--- In vmu-dev@egroups.com, tyro@d... wrote:
> On 14 Dec 00, emeraldsonic@h... wrote:
>
> > I tried that same problem i know my vms2dci works for chao
adventure
> > because i have done it before and there are no games on the page
plus
> > there is enough room if you want to see the problems actually try
> > putting it on a nexus or also try converting your file back to a
vms
> > when i just did it came up with the faulty header message
>
> Have you tried my DOS-based converting tools yet to do the job?
My
> DCI_VMI program always converted every .VMS file I tried it on
nicely,
> regardless if Data File or Game File (just choose 'game' when the
program
> asks you what type the file is).
>
>       URL:
http://www.franken.de/users/deco/myfiles/myfiles.html#dci_vmi
>
> BTW, VMU gamefiles must always start at location 0 in the Flash and
need a
> continuous memory space too.  So it's not enough if you just have
128 free
> blocks located 'somewhere on the VMU'; instead it's necessary that
blocks
> 0 - 127 are free, so the minigame has a continuous space to occupy.
>
> Also, when you upload a minigame that's set copyable into a Nexus
card,
> the Nexus-to-PC link software might think the program is 'faulty'
(icon
> showing a blue ball with a red 'X' on it).  But that's just a bug
in the
> copying software; the VMU gamefile itself should be fine.
>
> Oh, just to mention it... has anyone tried my new Chao Upload Data
Decoder
> yet?  It decodes Chao Upload files (that are created when pressing
B+X
> when loading a Chao into the VMU), analyzes the Chao data within
and
> creates a matching download file from it.  Really handy when you
want to
> create your own "Chao Daycare" page. ;)
>
>       URL: http://www.franken.de/users/deco/myfiles.html#uldecode
>
> Bye
>
>
> Alessandro
> ---
> You get what anyone gets. You get a lifetime.

Hi,

i should have though about that ealier. I will be in the states
next week. Actually staying in Phoenix AZ. If anyone lives near
and would like to meet please contact me at leo@... (i will
not be able to read the email before tuesday!) or call the hotel:

Holiday Inn Express Hotel
1-601-4522020 (ask for guest Mr. Jugel :-)
I'll be there from Friday evening till saturday next week.

Have fun,

     Leo.

Sadly it looks like my ISP has pulled the main rvmu site
(rvmu.port5.com) due to excessive bandwidth usage (victim of its own
success).

However, thanks to John, I've got a new mirror running at
http://rvmu.maushammer.com and I'm also in the works of getting a new
main site set up thanks to the List Network (who host
www.dcemulation.com which is worth a mention!)

I have modify the VMU minigames chao adventure to spanish (about 30%
done) and it works fine on my PC but i whant to know if it works fine
on the VMU,and i modify Power Stone Mini so if you can,please help.
Im looking for text bugs and i whant to know if pressing MODE or
SLEEP affects the games in a bad way.
the files are here:
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/me3/vmufan">
www.angelfire.com/me3/vmufan</a>

On Sun, Dec 31, 2000 at 01:27:00PM +0100, tyro@... wrote:
> Hey, I just had a quick look at your game, and I'm *VERY* impressed!  The
> title screen and hi-score table look like crap to be honest (too crowded
> and unorganized, and too much space for digits with too little space for
> the actual player name), but the game itself is _first-class_.  Real fun
> to play, and with enough variation to keep things interesting.  It would
> have helped if you didn't make everything just black and worked more with
> outlined or 'dithered' sprites, but I guess that's for technical
> reasons...

I am just not very good at graphics. And most of the development was done on
softvms which looks quite different when the objects are moving.

> I'm curious, how exactly are you keeping track of all the player shots,
> alien sprites, cannons, asteroids etc. etc.?  Do you keep a list of all co-
> ordinates relative to the level and the player-ship, or are you just
> copying in various layers of images based on a time table?

All coordinates are absolute screen positions. I have reserved a fixed
RAM location in which I store the coordinates and other data for all aliens
including the shots. To move them I call a piece of code which can be
different for every alien. This code updates the positions etc. When it is
finished the current PC is stored inside the alien object for the next
frame.

> And when  checking for collisions, are you comparing positions or do you
> just check if any of the pixels where the player-ship will be placed are
> already set?

For anything that kills the ship I test while drawing. To be able to do
this I have to draw the different objects in the correct order.  For
defense shot/alien collisions I remeber if I hit something while drawing
the defense shots. For those which hit something I first check if shot and
alien are both in a 8x8 pixel range. Then I compare the bitmaps.

Soeren