Re: Apple 2 Dev Newbie Wannabe!

[Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com>]

Harry Potter <rose.joseph12@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I am interested in Apple 2 programming.  I am familiar with Commodore
> computer programming, including assembler.  I have cc65 for
> cross-platform programming.  I have a book on Applesoft programming.  I
> remember playing with an Apple 2's BASIC at one time.  I am interested
> mainly in text adventure programming under cc65 C and also creating some
> cc65 C utilities and code to better cc65's Apple 2 handling.  I am
> working on bettering cc65's Apple 2 auxilliary memory-handling, like I'm
> doing for the C64 and 128.  I'd also like to play with the Apple 2's IMO
> attrocious graphics.  Where do I start?

First, it's unlikely that you will achieve anything worthwhile using a tool
that you consider "atrocious", so I'd recommend more study of Apple
graphics and what has already been accomplished. If this does not improve
your opinion of its capabilities, then any effort you make will surely be
uninspired. 

If you are concerned about the absence of sprites, then take a look at the
great software work implementing a rather large variety of sprite-like
capabilities with surprising efficiency and versatility surpassing hardware
implementations. 

If you are bothered by the unusual memory mapping of the graphics screens,
study how this layout causes the video refresh to transparently perform
DRAM refresh, eliminating both hardware complexity and a significant source
of timing irregularity in other systems. And, of course, there are simple
software techniques to virtually "flatten" the frame buffer. 

Good luck with your efforts to simplify the use of bank-switched memory. It
is tricky to find the right compromise between efficient but explicit
management and inefficient but transparent management. 

As always, I recommend reading great code as a preparation for writing your
own code. There is much to be learned and appreciated in seeing how a
clever, experienced designer tackles a coding problem. 

-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon