anyone willing to port a dos game to amigaos

[Retro1234]

Just ask for a Ms-dos image the game will probably run under PC-Task, PCX etc

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by honx

do you mean workbench integration, so it can be played on workbench?
would be nice and with an option to switch fullscreen/fullwindow.
but not necessary. if it's easier to do something ndos like, it's okay.


oh yeah, that's a very good idea, indeed!


i think, he meant a programming/coding competition.

[honx]

where can i find a learning programming tutorial so that i can try to do this port?
i prefer a tutorial in german language so that i can actually understand and learn.
i really want to play this game on amigaos!

[Dan]

This game would be great for a beginner to start with programming.

You simply fill up an array of 12x12 with level data. which would look like this:

000000000000
011122322111
040000500000
etc

whenever player moves, the previous field in the array is subtracted (if in range between 1-3)
if the field on which player moves is 0 the player looses the try.
if the field is 5 then the player gets teleported to the destination point.

after the movement is done, the whole array is drawn on the screen with custom icons, and player sprite.


I guess the easiest way is to program it in Amos Pro: search google for "Amos Pro Manual (PDF)"

or look for amiblitz at http://www.amiblitz.de/ (i havent programmed in blitzbasic on amiga (only on pc), so i do not know what is the difficulty level for a beginner.

[honx]

i'm an absolute beginner, so could be complicated getting involved with arrays.
because i know absolutely nothing. i'll try searching for this amos pro manual.

[Dan]

Here is a Quick proof of concept, written in BlitzBasic for PC.

;====================================================================
; Project: Amiga Pod Proof of concept gameplay
; Version: 1.0
; Author: Dan
; Email: -
; Copyright:..PD
; Description: Written in Blitzbasic (PC) - www.blitzbasic.com
;              Open sourced basic language, free download at Homepage
;====================================================================

Graphics 640,480,32,2		;Opens the Graphic window, windowed mode 
Graphics 640,480,32,3		;And makes it resizeable

SetBuffer BackBuffer()

Dim Level(12,12)

Global PlayerX,PlayerY,PlayerOldX,PlayerOldY,PlayerMovingTimer

Read PlayerX
Read PlayerY

For y=1 To 12
	For x=1 To 12
		Read Level(x,y) 
	Next
Next

PlayerMovingTimer=MilliSecs()

Repeat
	
	If MilliSecs()-PlayerMovingTimer>80 Gosub moveplayer
		Gosub drawscreen
		Delay 170
		If GameOver=1 Then Color $ff,$ff,$ff : Text 320,240,"Game Over"
		Flip 0
	Until GameOver=1  ; End when esc is clicked
	
	Delay 2500
	WaitKey()
	
	End
	
	.drawscreen
	Cls 				;Clear the screen
	
	For y=1 To 12		;Loop to draw things on screen
		For x=1 To 12
			C=Level(x,y)
			If c=0 Then Color 0,0,0				;Black
			If c=1 Then Color 0,0,$ff			;Blue
			If c=2 Then Color 0,$ff,0			;Green
			If c=3 Then Color 0,$ff,$ff			;Cyan
			If c=4 Then Color $ff,0,0			;Red
			If c=5 Then Color $80,0,$80			;Purple
			Rect 80+(x*40),120+(y*20),40,20
			Color $0f,$0f,$0f
			Rect 80+(x*40),120+(y*20),40,20,0
			
			If x=PlayerX And y=PlayerY Then				;Draw Player Sprite (oval)
				Color $ff,$ff,$ff
				Oval 85+(x*40),122+(y*20),30,15
			EndIf
		Next
	Next
	
	Return
	
	.moveplayer
	
	FlushKeys()
	
	PlayerMovingTimer=MilliSecs()
	PlayerOldX=PlayerX
	PlayerOldY=PlayerY
	
	If PlayerX>1 And KeyDown(203)			; arrow key Left
		PlayerX=PlayerX-1
	EndIf
	
	If PlayerX<=11 And KeyDown(205)			; arrow key Right
		PlayerX=PlayerX+1
	EndIf
	
	If PlayerY>1 And KeyDown(200)			;arrow key UP
		PlayerY=PlayerY-1
	EndIf
	
	If PlayerY<=11 And KeyDown(208)			;arrow key Down
		PlayerY=PlayerY+1
	EndIf
	
	If (PlayerOldX<>PlayerX) Or (PlayerOldY<>PlayerY)
		
		If Level(PlayerX,PlayerY)=0 Then Gameover=1 ;Empty Tile
		
		Tilecheck=Level(PlayerOldX,PlayerOldY)
		
		If Tilecheck=>1 And Tilecheck<=3		;Blue,Green and Cyan
			Level(PlayerOldX,PlayerOldY)=Level(PlayerOldX,PlayerOldY)-1
		EndIf
		
	EndIf
	
	Return
	
	.level001
	Data 3,3		;Player starting position
;    1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12	-		level 01
	Data 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;1
	Data 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;2
	Data 0,0,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;3
	Data 0,0,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;4
	Data 0,0,3,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;5
	Data 0,0,2,0,0,0,0,5,0,0 ,0 ,0		;6
	Data 0,0,1,0,0,0,0,3,0,0 ,0 ,0		;7
	Data 0,0,1,0,0,0,0,4,0,0 ,0 ,0		;8
	Data 0,0,1,2,3,3,3,4,0,0 ,0 ,0		;9
	Data 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;10
	Data 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;11
	Data 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 ,0 ,0		;12

Maybe someone want to convert the code to Amos Basic or AmiBlitz.

I never give a promise, so if i'm in a good mood at weekend, then ill try it with Amos.

[Dan]

Progress:

Yesterday iv started to program it in Amos Pro.
The game is playable, but has almost no levels.

Editor needs to be done.
A loop between intro screen and the game is still unfinished.

And just had few troubles with the source code, amos gave me an "Disc Error" while reloading the program.

Lucky i could fix it with some hex editing.

Here is a screenshot:

[Daedalus]

Originally Posted by Dan

Here is a Quick proof of concept, written in BlitzBasic for PC.
[...]
Maybe someone want to convert the code to Amos Basic or AmiBlitz.

I never give a promise, so if i'm in a good mood at weekend, then ill try it with Amos.

That code looks more or less like it will work in Blitz on the Amiga too. The Graphics commands need to be substituted but it's otherwise close. But it looks like you're already beyond that point in AMOS so it's all good

[honx]

looks cool! do you want the level packs i made for pod? i made tons of levels.
a file containes 20 levels each, i have 20 files to offer which makes 400 levels.

[Dan]

Yes sure.

Iv uploaded a beta version to the zone. It is still unfinished, but playable (3 levels).
It worked on 512kb (chipmem) emulated amiga, only with df0: enabled.

[honx]

thx, i try the beta and i zoned the userlevels for original pod:
http://download.abime.net/zone/pod_levels.zip
it's a .zip file, containing all 20 files a' 20 levels (400 in total).
fun fact: the first file i zoned here is no amiga file.

[Dan]

Here is some info on this Project:

Done:
1.Gameplay
2.Importing Pod levels
3.Intro Screens

Todo:
Editor (70% done)
Saving and Loading of .wov levels (will be done after the editor)
HiScore and Hiscore loading/saving
Low mem amiga configuration (0.5mb) compatibility (90% atm) if possible

AmosPro is making some troubles atm, after 6 hours running (of which i was 3h afk) , the mouse pointer is starting to run wild, uncontrollable.

Yesterday the Compiler managed to cause an Guru Meditation while compiling, which was solved by removing 10 levels with empty data.

[Dan]

Finally the Game is done.

Iv uploaded an Bootable adf and Packed files from the adf (for HD installing) into the Zone.

Included are the Pod levels from Honx, but i havent tested them all. At least one level is not completable.

Iv made 2 levels in .wov format, one as Help for editing levels, and another just for fun.

The Game contains 10 built in levels and probably few of gramatical or spelling errors

Iv uploaded the Game to the Emu.Zone too.

Have fun.

[Anakirob]

Originally Posted by Dan

I guess the easiest way is to program it in Amos Pro: search google for "Amos Pro Manual (PDF)"

or look for amiblitz at http://www.amiblitz.de/ (i havent programmed in blitzbasic on amiga (only on pc), so i do not know what is the difficulty level for a beginner.

If you're coding for classic Amiga (no FPU) then I would suggest you go for Blitz 2.1 rather than AmiBlitz. AmiBlitz may have a number of improvements over Blitz 2 but compatibility with classic Amigas is not something that it's very good at and therefore not at all recommended for classic Amiga development. If you were coding a tool which does a lot of floating point mathematics, like an image or audio processing tool for "modern" or extremely upgraded "classic" Amiga then I would say AmiBlitz would be the best tool for the job. But we're talking about coding a game, so this is not the case.

If you are used to AMOS then Blitz may seem alien and unnecessarily complicated, but if you are untainted by any experience with other versions of the BASIC language then Blitz 2 may be easier. It will require you to enter more lines of code, but it also gives the programmer a far greater degree of control with relatively easy to understand commands, and is generally more efficient with its use of system resources.

With DisasterArea we have used Blitz 2 to set up our display routines which would then have 68K ASM routines applied to their bitmap objects. Although you could do this with AMOS it wouldn't be as easy to get our graphics routines running "in a frame" with AMOS as it was in Blitz 2. Also Blitz 2 would enable us to easily implement some fancy copper tricks which would be tricky if not impossible with AMOS.

AMOS is based on STOS for the Atari ST, Blitz 2 is Amiga native. That alone should speak volumes for why Blitz is advisable over AMOS if you're looking to learn how to code on an Amiga.

[honx]

looks good so far! which configuration should i use for movement ingame not so slow?
and what is this shown in screenshot while booting from adf?

when i find time i will test all my levels to look where the incompatibilities are.
can you remember which level wasn't incompatible? and do you know why?

[Dan]

Iv uploaded a new changed version, (now the editor checks if the filesize of the file is 5532 bytes, if not, it will ask you if you want to delete this file.)

@Honx, the bootblock from the ADF file is from action replay amiga. It checks for resident (virus) programs at the booting, and on amiga 500, if there is no resident program in memory, it displays a green screen, or if it found something, it displays that requester from your picture

On Kickstarts above 1.3 it always displays the requester to clear the memory. (actually it looks like guru meditation in red on a500 kick1.3) but somehow it is not displayed correctly on kick2.0+.

If you do not like it, you can install a new bootblock, as the game does not need it.

The level which i have tried out, and have not found a valid solution (even playing it on POD1.3 on dos) is level 2 from honx01.pod
(the teleporters are still left ingame, but at least pod v1.3 wants them to be stepped on)
means if you use the teleporter, there are only blue squares left, which now lead to the empty space (where the teleporter were)
if you do not use the teleporter, you can walk back, but cant end the level, because teleporter are there.

For the game, iv used the normal a500 config, with 8x cpu frequency, (but the movement works at the same speed as on 2x (a500). I could not test it on the real hardware.
The trouble is that the game is running on 640x256 resolution, 16 colors. The double buffering of amos slows down here.

Of course there may be tricks to speed up all this, but i guess minor changes in the sourcecode needs to be done.

[idrougge]

Originally Posted by honx

where can i find a learning programming tutorial so that i can try to do this port?
i prefer a tutorial in german language so that i can actually understand and learn.
i really want to play this game on amigaos!

You can find Amiga Assembler von null auf hundert, Amiga C für Einsteiger and more as PDFs if you google a bit.

[honx]

Originally Posted by Dan

The level which i have tried out, and have not found a valid solution (even playing it on POD1.3 on dos) is level 2 from honx01.pod
(the teleporters are still left ingame, but at least pod v1.3 wants them to be stepped on)
means if you use the teleporter, there are only blue squares left, which now lead to the empty space (where the teleporter were)
if you do not use the teleporter, you can walk back, but cant end the level, because teleporter are there.

there are some tricky levels. and there are some real mean and nasty ones.
sometimes you have to go back to go forward. back & forward, back & forward...
all levels i was able to test so far in your walk over puzzle port are beatable.
also they should be, my levels were only "finished" when i have beaten them.
just uploaded a solution for this level. as i'm unable to record within winuae,
i played it in dos version, using d-fend along with dosbox, so i could record.
[ Show youtube player ]

Originally Posted by idrougge

You can find Amiga Assembler von null auf hundert, Amiga C für Einsteiger and more as PDFs if you google a bit.

i'll have a look, thx.

[Dan]

Ah i see, haven't thought about that possibility. Ty.

Iv decided to release the sourcecode, if anyone wants to improve it:http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...32#post1151632

[arti]

@honx
At revision 2017 party, this type of game won Game compo.
Watch from 22 min:
[ Show youtube player ]

It's for Sega genesis. Shoud be possible on Amiga.