Re: Starting out, looking for pointers

[heuser.marcus@freenet.de]

luridsorcerer@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Hello everyone.  I just recently became interested in learning to
> program the Apple IIGS using 65816 assembly.  Really, my goal was to
> learn to program SNES roms, but that goal seems to be more difficult
> due to a lack of technical documentation.

If you want to learn the 65816 the IIgs is good because you don't spend
most of the time programming the registers of some custom chips
(likewise with other Apple IIs and the NES when learning the 6502).

However, there is enough system documentation for the SNES out there,
IMHO:
http://www.classicgaming.com/epr/super.htm
http://www.zophar.net/tech/snes.html
http://www.snakeyes.org/docs/snes.php

You won't be able to take much from the IIgs to the SNES, though, as
they are completely different beasts except for the CPU.

> First, I'll need an emulator.  Does anyone know of a good one?  I
> looked though google, but I was unable to find one meant for Apple
> IIGS.

For the IIgs there is not that much variety out there (KEGS), but for
the SNES use ZSNES:
http://www.zsnes.com/

> Lastly, I'll need some tutorials or lessons!  I've been searching
> extensively, but have so far been able to find a good web site for this
> purpose.  Any suggestions would be welcome and thanked.

For the 65816 start out at WDC, the creator of the CPU and download the
data sheet:
http://westerndesigncenter.com/wdc/w65c816s.cfm

Also:
http://cerebro.xu.edu/~ryanr/atari/65816.html
http://www.zophar.net/tech/65816.html
http://www.defence-force.org/computing/oric/coding/annexe_2
http://www.canberra.edu.au/~scott/C=Hacking/C-Hacking13/cpu.html

Example game with source for the SNES (and other systems) at:
http://drhirudo.pdroms.de/

For the IIgs system there is "lots" available.

bye
Marcus