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dougeff
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by dougeff »

I didn't get my 8k question answered.

Do you get 8k PRG and 8k CHR

Or

8k for both PRG and CHR combined?
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infiniteneslives
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by infiniteneslives »

What's your question? Are you asking about the 8KB category 3? If so, that was for the mini game/app minimalist category. You only got 8KB of prg rom, and Chr-ram. I don't think we'll be doing a category 3 this time since we only had 3 submissions last time. One could still submit an 8KB game but that's your own artificial limit make it what you want.
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tepples
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by tepples »

Supported mappers include any subset of A53 mapper (#28). These include NROM (#0) with CHR ROM, NROM with CHR RAM, CNROM (#3), BNROM (#34), AMROM/ANROM (#7), UNROM (#2), and inverted UNROM (#180). These also include CNROM or UNROM bank switching with AxROM-style switchable 1-screen mirroring, which currently lack distinct mapper numbers.

And no, NROM isn't a subset of UNROM. It's a subset of CNROM (if it has CHR ROM) or BNROM (if it has CHR RAM).

If I sponsor a water-themed category, it'll probably have a 7K limit for PRG + CHR, as the kanji for water (水) resembles "7K".
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NESHomebrew
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by NESHomebrew »

tepples wrote:If I sponsor a water-themed category
Requirement: all games must have a water level.
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Jedi QuestMaster
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by Jedi QuestMaster »

I had an idea for a non-game idea, but then I realized it probably wouldn't work because it uses every audio expansion known to 0CC Famitracker. :( And in one track, all at the same time. :x
na_th_an
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by na_th_an »

I'm a bit confused about the size limits and mappers allowed.

I could go for CNROM and forget about it, but as all my NES development has been based around NROM, CNROM, and GNROM-like mappers (where the full 32K is switched at once), I'd like to use this compo for my first "partial" romspace mapping, i.e., using UNROM.

UNROM allows for 4 or 8 banks of 16K PRG + 8K CHR (that makes 72K). A limit of 64K means that I can use 3 banks of PRG to make room for the CHR bank?

EDIT: Forget what I said. Now I understand UNROM uses CHR RAM. Great, now it's time to find a good pattern compressor :P
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by tepples »

na_th_an wrote:UNROM uses CHR RAM. Great, now it's time to find a good pattern compressor :P
See Tile compression. The Action 53 menu software uses PB53, an RLE-type codec, and the menu source code includes a Python packer and 6502 unpacker.
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by na_th_an »

I'll take a glance, thanks. I've successfully integrated tokumaru's lszz decompressor code into a neslib-based framework, I just asked him for permission to use and/or distribute it (if somebody else is using Shiru's neslib for the compo and is interested). It seems to work fine.

It seems that I'll be targetting UNROM for the compo.
na_th_an
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by na_th_an »

Update, and I post it here as it is related to the compo, somehow:

Tokumaru has kindly given me permission to distribute his work alongside a modified version of nes.cfg and neslib. It's just a basic, empty template to create UNROM games with cc65 and Shiru's neslib. I did this for myself, but I think that if we share this kind of resources we'll get more people in.

So, maybe we should set up a thread where we can share this kind of stuff, for the compo or whatever fits? What do you think?
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Punch
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by Punch »

na_th_an wrote:Update, and I post it here as it is related to the compo, somehow:

Tokumaru has kindly given me permission to distribute his work alongside a modified version of nes.cfg and neslib. It's just a basic, empty template to create UNROM games with cc65 and Shiru's neslib. I did this for myself, but I think that if we share this kind of resources we'll get more people in.

So, maybe we should set up a thread where we can share this kind of stuff, for the compo or whatever fits? What do you think?
A resource thread would be great, feel free to create one for us. I'll try to find and post some art from old projects for people to use.
tepples wrote:
na_th_an wrote:UNROM uses CHR RAM. Great, now it's time to find a good pattern compressor :P
See Tile compression. The Action 53 menu software uses PB53, an RLE-type codec, and the menu source code includes a Python packer and 6502 unpacker.
To this day I still don't get how PB53 works.
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tepples
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by tepples »

Punch wrote:
tepples wrote:See Tile compression. The Action 53 menu software uses PB53, an RLE-type codec, and the menu source code includes a Python packer and 6502 unpacker.
To this day I still don't get how PB53 works.
I have explained it in the "PB53" section of the "Tile compression" article. What's the first phrase in this explanation that you fail to understand so that I can improve it?
na_th_an
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by na_th_an »

Tomorrow I'll write some documentation and start a resource thread. I have set up a very simple example where the main code in the main area pages in a bank with compressed CHR data and puts it into CHR-RAM, then pages yet another bank and executes a function which draws some patterns on screen. That should get people going, specially those who know the inner workins of Neslib but only have coded NROM or CNROM games.

The only thing I still have to solve has to be with famitone. I want to have song data split across banks, and I have to research on how to do it.
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nicklausw
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by nicklausw »

I have SO many projects that I want to work on (WLA, SNES stuff, this) but if I decide to get involved in this, then I'll probably use UNROM too; I've got it working with RLE graphics compression and famitone.

Speaking of which, here's my RLE compressor and decompression routine for NES, if anyone wants it. Compressor in python 3, 6502 code is written in asm6 syntax; 16-bit zeropage variable named "chr_ram" needed to use. Code not very well commented (yet?).

Should I post this in the resource thread once it's made?
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Alp
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by Alp »

infiniteneslives wrote:Let's please show respect for the Nintendoage community and its members. There are many good reasons to do so especially in this thread, but one shouldn't need justification for showing respect.

Thank you.

I'm unfamiliar with the term game jam. Based on what you guys are saying there is not much reason to rename anything IMO.
I can't agree to that, after the unfair doxing crap, they pulled on me. They don't deserve my respect.
If anything, I DO require justification to show them any respect.

On second thought, I will not be participating in this community effort.
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Punch
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Re: NesDev compo 2016

Post by Punch »

Alp wrote:
infiniteneslives wrote:Let's please show respect for the Nintendoage community and its members. There are many good reasons to do so especially in this thread, but one shouldn't need justification for showing respect.

Thank you.

I'm unfamiliar with the term game jam. Based on what you guys are saying there is not much reason to rename anything IMO.
I can't agree to that, after the unfair doxing crap, they pulled on me. They don't deserve my respect.
If anything, I DO require justification to show them any respect.

On second thought, I will not be participating in this community effort.
Not to sidetrack the thread but what are you talking about? I'm sure you have stuff to back you up.
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