A new version of Phoenix for the BBC

[tricky]

I have now been working on this for a month and it has been going quite well (even if I do say so myself). I wanted to share it with a larger audience than usually frequent RetroSoftware as I am running a little low on steam and wanted a wider opinion on whether it is really wanted.
The video is a bit long, (as I was on a roll ) and not great quality. The game runs in Mode 1 on a standard BBC B at 50fps.

URL:http://youtu.be/ORWI3_H1R-c
I've attached a .ssd, so please feel free to try to beat my hi-score (on the video) of 14910

Phoenix.zip

One month anniversary version

(6.34 KiB) Downloaded 175 times

Keys are: Z,X (left and right), RETURN (fire) and SHIFT (currently skip level)
Read the story at http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=909&start=60#p6714

[richardtoohey]

Hi, I had a quick look at this the other day and it looked great!

I really like Phoenix, and given that Eagle Empire seems a bit crashy, I'm really pleased to see an alternative on the BBC.

I'll try and find some time to have a decent look soon, but wanted to at least give you some positive feedback in the meantime.

Thanks,
Richard.

[leenew]

WOW!
Tricky, you are the KING of arcade conversions
I love it!!!

Lee.

[sweh]

A month? Wow, doesn't seem that long. Been following your progress and it's making me feel lame for not doing the DFS ROM that I told myself I should write.

[KarateEd]

Can hardly wait to play it on my Beeb...tried the emulator and it's pretty nice but nothing compares to something like this on the Beeb....

Ed......

PS.....do we want it......you bet you're last buckazoid we do....!!!!

Ed.............again:-)

[tricky]

Thanks guys, for the first couple of weeks I worked on it for an hour or two every night, more at the weekends, but the last week, I've not done much and just wanted a little boost. Thanks, I think I've been avoiding trying to do the "walkers" that drop down, walk around and fly back up - I guess I've got no excuse not to do them now

EDIT PS Really just trying to distract a couple of you to give me a chance on the Hi-score challenge

[vanpeebles]

Looks great, very close to the arcade version. I love Phoenix

[chrisn]

I've been following your thread on RetroSoftware, really impressive how quickly you've put it together. I loved the arcade Phoenix so great to see such a good Beeb conversion. Well done, and please keep going...

Chris

[Garrettimus]

It's looking fantastic, congrats!

[leenew]

I am gutted that Tricky has suddenly decided to stop work on this
It seemed to be going so well.

Lee.

[jbnbeeb]

I agree

I hope Tricky has a change of heart and continues as it was shaping up to be a great conversion that was not only technically impressive but fun to play too (which always helps!)

If anyone likes shoot 'em up games and hasn't taken a look - I'd definitely recommend downloading Tricky's works-in-progress. They are already quite playable and show some remarkable feats of tricky-ness like numerous large sprites moving fluidly with little or no sprite tear, huge moving motherships and 6 colours in a Mode 1 screen.

jbnbeeb

I am gutted that Tricky has suddenly decided to stop work on this
It seemed to be going so well.

Lee.

[Pablos544]

I was a great fan of this in my youth spent most of my cash on and I gotta agree with everyone else and Lee specially you are the KING

[tricky]

I have been working on the two tunes that play during Phoenix.
Here are three disk images with slightly different ways of playing the notes.
Each disk starts with FurElise, then SpanishRomance, then repeats both before going on to the same version of the game that I posted before.
What I would like is peoples opinions on which one sounds best and/or most authentic.
I might try and add a second track with the lower notes, but this is it for now.

[KarateEd]

Hi Tricky,

My preference is #2.

Ed......

[tricky]

Thanks KarateEd, here are the final two candidates, 1 or 2?

Everyone else, please feel free to let me know your preference.

Dave?

[KarateEd]

Hi Tricky,

For me it's still #2, it is a little more subdued, not in your face as much as the other and a couple of very nice 'notes' in it. To me it just sounds more retro.

Ed......

[PitfallJones]

I like #2 as well
-PJ

[chrisn]

Hi Tricky,

I found 2 and 3 from the first set you posted to be a bit discordant, but the second set is much better. I think I still prefer number 1 though.

Great to see you picking up Phoenix again, nice work!

Chris

[leenew]

I prefer 2 from the new set.
One thing I will try to do in the morning is try it on a real beeb though as my results are from Beebem and the sound isn't spot on at the best of times.....

Lee.

[tricky]

I'll try and find a better way to add the harmony, maybe syncing the waves (it should be possible).
For now, here is the monophonic version with fixed walking bird death cries.
Adding sound really brings back the memories, but now I see just how much more there is to do, still at least I have nearly 3K to do it in (if the counter is working).
Keys are still Z,X, RETURN to FIRE and SHIFT (skip level until I add the shield).

[richardtoohey]

but now I see just how much more there is to do

I know THAT feeling - not with games programming, but business web applications ...

Things coming together really well, then you check your progress against the overall plan, and your heart plunges towards your boots.

Your efforts are much appreciated, though, if that helps at all!

[tricky]

It helps greatly, as I would never finish anything if I didn't think it was appreciated.
I need to rip out most of the rendering and replace it with some from my AstroBlaster game to allow the swooping birds to swoop off the bottom of the screen and to make it fast enough to draw the birds that drop down and then walk around before flying back up without flickering (which I hate).
I work in research helping to improve our GPU designs, so that is never really finished

[tricky]

I had to take most of the game apart and put it back together differently to get out of the corner I had coded myself into.
I haven't finished putting things back together, but the first two waves are nearly working again.
I have broken the scrolling and collision for the third and fourth waves, so you will probably have to SHIFT to get passed them.
The fifth (boss) level is getting back to nearly working, but I have partially broken the destruction of the ship and level end.
I have also introduce a few crash bugs, so you will probably need to restart!

I'm really only posting this to see what you think of the first two levels and even these have out of control birds!
I'll go back to posting on RS as I get more stuff done, but I fell here works better for gameplay related posts.
http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=909

[sirmorris]

[Bagpuss]

Thanks for your continued work on this. You seem to be picking on some of my favourite 80's arcade games. First Astro Blaster and now Phoenix. How about doing Pleiades next? That'll cover my top 3 raster based games from the early 80's.

[tricky]

I've never played that, but probably should have as Phoenix was one of my favourites too.

Got a bit distracted working on fast line drawing routines

[Dethmunk]

That looks great. It looks arcade perfect. R E S P E C T sir.

[tricky]

Thanks, it isn't as arcade perfect as i would like. I coded myself into a corner and to fix it properly would be nearly a complete rewrite! I am taking a rather more pragmatic approach than i would normally as i doubt i will finish it if i start again.

[Dethmunk]

Still I bet it's more faithful than pretty much any of the other home computer versions. I'd finish it off as is and call it a victory. Then we can all play it to death.

[tricky]

OK, here is where I am now, it's a bit slow going

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym0ktTphmTk&feature=player_embedded
Choose the 720p50 version to get the full 50fps effect (minus recording glitches)

EDIT: although most things in the game animate at less than that!