Recent posts

#11

General Discussion / Re: Upgrading to 1.27

Last post by Ianoid - January 01, 2023, 07:08:14 PM

Thanks for the response. How would I reformat the Vertex 32's drive? Should I treat it like an SD card on my computer and reformat it as FAT32? I would plan to use MacOS Disk Utility.

#12

General Discussion / Re: Upgrading to 1.27

Last post by Vectrex32 - January 01, 2023, 02:22:37 PM

I would try reformatting the V32 drive.

I don't know what Vecalabeth's file arrangement is supposed to be. However, the autorun menu does not look in folders.

If, after reformatting the V32, you still cannot upgrade to 1.27, you could always send the V32 back to me and I'll upgrade it.

- Bob

#13

General Discussion / Upgrading to 1.27

Last post by Ianoid - January 01, 2023, 02:16:44 PM

Happy new year.

I finally got back to messing around with my Vec32.

I tried to move the upgrade files to the unit. I was not able to fit both the upgrade file and the autorun file. Although the unit said that it had 4K free after moving the larger upgrade file, MacOS still thought the 2K file would not fit on the drive. I did empty trash and remove all files from the Vec32 as directed.

The menu is also slightly corrupted because it shows a duplicate file of every file on the Vec32 with a few extra characters, something like _:SOUNDS. I can scroll down the menu to see the same files without the extra characters.

It seems that all of the games available on the forum require the upgrade, or some upgrade at least, since none of them execute from the cart. My goal is to get Vecalabeth working, but I want to try everyone's programs.

The sample basic programs all work.

Also for programs like Vecalabeth that have multiple files, do they all need to be in the root directory of the Vec32? Or does it recognize folders? Will the autorun menu recognize folders?

Thanks!

#14

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Miasma - May 25, 2022, 07:51:15 AM

Thank you so, so much! Works perfectly now!

#15

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Vectrex32 - May 24, 2022, 05:45:21 PM

You have a memory leak. You keep creating ReturnToOriginSprite objects, but you never remove them.

I noticed that as the program ran, the tones changed more slowly, so something was loading down the system. I Ctrl+Ced out, printed GetCompiledSpriteCount() and it was over 1000. I called DumpSprites() and saw lots of ReturnToOrigin sprites.

I uncommented the call to ClearScreen() on line 168 and that seems to have fixed it.

#16

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Miasma - May 24, 2022, 03:26:51 PM

It's actually running 1.28 - the firmware you sent me with feof.

This is the python script I'm using to send the data:

Code Select Expand


import serial
import time

ser = serial.Serial("COM35", 9600)

n = 127
while 1:
    c = n
    if c != 34 and c != 13:
        c = chr(c)
        ser.write(c.encode())
        print(c)
    n -= 1
    if n < 33:
        n = 127
    time.sleep(0.1)


#17

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Vectrex32 - May 24, 2022, 03:02:44 PM

Do you have the latest version of Vectrex32 firmware (1.27)?

What's the program you're running on the PC? I could try to reproduce the crash.

#18

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Miasma - May 24, 2022, 02:57:30 PM

No ASCII codes under 34 are sent so it can't be that it's sending code 3. I've just tried it and switched to a serial window and BASIC is definitely not alive any more after it crashes!

I'm currently sending the bytes over USB from a laptop. I'm not sending the data particularly fast, so I don't think that's the problem.

#19

General Discussion / Re: Not sure why this code alw...

Last post by Vectrex32 - May 24, 2022, 02:44:07 PM

So if you've commented out the sound and graphics, you're basically just getting characters from the PC, and it crashes?

Is the BASIC program crashing, or is the entire V32 crashing? One thing to try is, after it crashes, switch to a terminal window, and see if BASIC is still alive.

How are you sending the notes? Is it possible one of them is an ASCII code 3? That would be interpreted as a Ctrl+C and would break out of the program. There's a way to disable Ctrl+C processing.

- Bob

#20

General Discussion / Not sure why this code always ...

Last post by Miasma - May 24, 2022, 02:26:15 PM

I've written some code to produce sound and visuals on a Vectrex. It's a bit of a mess, but it does (sort of) work. The premise is that you send in bytes over the USB serial, and the Vectrex plays a corresponding note, and updates visuals for it.

Problem is that it always crashes after a certain number of notes. It's fine if it's just left running, but when notes are coming through it always crashes eventually. I've tried commenting out all the 3D graphics stuff, and also all the sound generating stuff, but it still seems to crash even then.

Code Select Expand


call IntensitySprite(80)

call SetFrameRate(60)


char_rcd = 0

notice = { _
    {-70, 70, "1"}, _
    {-70, 50, "2"}, _
    {-70, 30, "3"}}

notes = { _
    {22,102}, _
    {21,36}, _
    {19,244}, _
    {18,213}, _
    {17,199}, _
    {16,199}, _
    {15,214}, _
    {14,243}, _
    {14,28}, _
    {13,81}, _
    {12,146}, _
    {11,221}, _
    {11,51}, _
    {10,146}, _
    {9,250}, _
    {9,107}, _
    {8,227}, _
    {8,100}, _
    {7,235}, _
    {7,121}, _
    {7,14}, _
    {6,169}, _
    {6,73}, _
    {5,239}, _
    {5,153}, _
    {5,73}, _
    {4,253}, _
    {4,181}, _
    {4,114}, _
    {4,50}, _
    {3,246}, _
    {3,189}, _
    {3,135}, _
    {3,84}, _
    {3,36}, _
    {2,247}, _
    {2,205}, _
    {2,164}, _
    {2,126}, _
    {2,91}, _
    {2,57}, _
    {2,25}, _
    {1,251}, _
    {1,222}, _
    {1,195}, _
    {1,170}, _
    {1,146}, _
    {1,124}, _
    {1,102}, _
    {1,82}, _
    {1,63}, _
    {1,45}, _
    {1,28}, _
    {1,12}, _
    {0,253}, _
    {0,239}, _
    {0,226}, _
    {0,213}, _
    {0,201}, _
    {0,190}, _
    {0,179}, _
    {0,169}, _
    {0,160}, _
    {0,151}, _
    {0,142}, _
    {0,134}, _
    {0,127}, _
    {0,120}, _
    {0,113}, _
    {0,107}, _
    {0,101}, _
    {0,95}, _
    {0,90}, _
    {0,85}, _
    {0,80}, _
    {0,75}, _
    {0,71}, _
    {0,67}, _
    {0,63}, _
    {0,60}, _
    {0,56}, _
    {0,53}, _
    {0,50}, _
    {0,47}, _
    {0,45}, _
    {0,42}, _
    {0,40}, _
    {0,38}, _
    {0,36}, _
    {0,34}, _
    {0,32}, _
    {0,30}, _
    {0,28}, _
    {0,27}, _
    {0,25}, _
    {0,24}, _
    {0,22}, _
    {0,21}, _
    {0,20}, _
    {0,19}, _
    {0,18}, _
    {0,17}, _
    {0,16}, _
    {0,15}, _
    {0,14}, _
    {0,13}, _
    {0,13}, _
    {0,12}, _
    {0,11}, _
    {0,11}, _
    {0,10}, _
    {0,9}, _
    {0,9}, _
    {0,8}, _
    {0,8}, _
    {0,7}, _
    {0,7}, _
    {0,7}, _
    {0,6}, _
    {0,6}}


cameraTrans = {0, 0, 0}
call CameraTranslate(cameraTrans)
call Randomize
call ScaleSprite(64, 324 / 0.097)

shipWidth = 7.0
shipHeight = shipWidth * 0.75
podDiameter = shipWidth * 5 / 8
ships = NewShip()

'crossDisplay = LinesSprite(crosshair)
sprite_mag = 4
play = false
print "done..."
frames = 0
vol = 0
c = 40
p = 30
char_rcd = 0
startframe = 0
arp = 0

while true
    controls = WaitForFrame(JoystickNone, Controller1, JoystickNone)

for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
    call SpriteRotate(ships[i, 1], 0.4, 0, 0)
next i
if UBound(ships) > 10 then
for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
    call RemoveSprite(ships[i, 1])
next i
'call ClearScreen()

'cameraTrans = {0, 0, 0}
'call CameraTranslate(cameraTrans)
'call Randomize
'call ScaleSprite(64, 324 / 0.097)

ships = NewShip()
endif
    'call SpriteRotate(triangleSprite, 1)
    frames = frames + 1

if feof(Stdin) = false then
call ReturnToOriginSprite()
         ships = AppendArrays(ships, NewShip())
'print "data!"
c = fgetc(Stdin)
command = false
if c = 34 or c = 13 then
command = true
endif
if c = 1 then
command = true
if arp = 1 then
arp = 0
else
arp = 1
endif
endif
if not command then
p = c - 30
endif
'xy[1,1] = xy[1,1] + 1
'info[1, 3] = "SCALE: " + p
char_rcd = char_rcd + 1
play = true
         vol = 15
         startframe = frames
endif

    if controls[1, 4] then
print "play from joy", UBound(ships)
play = true
vol = 15
startframe = frames
endif

if play and vol > -1 then
         
if vol > -1 and (frames - startframe) mod 4 = 0 then
vol = vol - 1
endif

if frames - startframe = 1 then
              'print "playing something!"

call Sound({{0, notes[p,2]}, {1, notes[p,1]}})
call Sound({{7, $3e}, {8, vol}})
if vol > 10 then
for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
call SpriteSetMagnification(ships[i, 1], p/10)
next i
sprite_mag = p/10
endif
endif

if frames - startframe = 2 then
arp_add = 0
if arp then
arp_add = 5
endif
call Sound({{0, notes[p+arp_add,2]}, {1, notes[p+arp_add,1]}})
call Sound({{7, $3e}, {8, vol}})

if vol > 10 then
for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
call SpriteSetMagnification(ships[i, 1], (p+arp_add)/10)
next i
sprite_mag =(p+arp_add)/10
endif
endif

if frames - startframe = 3 then
arp_add = 0
if arp then
arp_add = 10
endif
call Sound({{0, notes[p+arp_add,2]}, {1, notes[p+arp_add,1]}})
call Sound({{7, $3e}, {8, vol}})
if vol > 10 then
for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
call SpriteSetMagnification(ships[i, 1], (p+arp_add)/10)
next i
sprite_mag =(p+arp_add)/10
endif
endif

if frames - startframe = 4 then
startframe = frames
endif

endif

     if sprite_mag > 1 or sprite_mag < 1 then
if sprite_mag > 4 then
sprite_mag = sprite_mag - 0.1
endif
if sprite_mag < 4 then
sprite_mag = sprite_mag + 0.1
endif
for i = 1 to UBound(ships)
call SpriteSetMagnification(ships[i, 1], sprite_mag)
next i
endif

    'if controls[1, 6] then
    '    stop
    'endif
endwhile

function TieFighter(shipWidth, shipHeight, podDiameter, wingSides, podSides)

tie = { _
{ MoveTo, -10,-10,10},_
{ DrawTo, 10,-10,10},_
{ DrawTo, 10,10,10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,10,10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,-10,10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,-10,-10}, _
{ DrawTo, 10,-10,-10},_
{ DrawTo, 10,10,-10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,10,-10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,-10,-10}, _
{ MoveTo, 10,10,10}, _
{ DrawTo, 10,10,-10}, _
{ MoveTo, -10,10,-10}, _
{ DrawTo, -10,10,10}, _
{ MoveTo, 10,-10,-10}, _
{ DrawTo, 10,-10,10} _
}
    return tie
endfunction



function NewShip()
    dim ship[1, 2]
    ship[1, 1] = Lines3DSprite(TieFighter(shipWidth, shipHeight, podDiameter, 6, 8))
    ' Choose a distance from us between 150 and 300 meters
    z = rand() mod 150 + 150
    ' Choose an apparent position on the screen in meters (the screen is
    ' about 0.15 meters by 0.18 meters)
    x = (rand() mod (150 - shipWidth) - 75) / 1000.0
    y = (rand() mod (180 - shipHeight) - 90) / 1000.0
    ' Scale the apparent position on the screen to an actual translation based on
    ' the ship's z distance (and assuming the user sits 0.5 meters from the screen)
    x = x / 0.5 * (z + 0.5)
    y = y / 0.5 * (z + 0.5)
    ship[1, 2] = {x, y, z}
    call SpriteTranslate(ship[1, 1], ship[1, 2])
    ' Set the rotation of the ship
    call SpriteRotate(ship[1, 1], rand() mod 360, rand() mod 360, rand() mod 360)
    return ship
endfunction