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Re: Escape from the Homebrew Computer Club goes ProDOS



Michael J. Mahon wrote:
David Schmenk wrote:
Tristan Mumford wrote:

David Schmenk wrote:

I hacked the loader to use ProDOS MLI calls in order to run HBCC under
ProDOS (and thus CFFAs and hard disks). It uses the exact same binaries as version 1.2. I added a tools directory and source directory for fun.


Just out of curiosity, when it runs on something accelerated, e.g. a IIgs at full speed or something with a Zip Chip etc. does it run faster or with
a higher framerate?

Tristan.


It does run faster, but the joystick code whacks out. If your accelerator can slow down during joystick address fetches, it should function OK. You can disable the joystick with the J key (CAPS LOCK) and use the keyboard controls. However, the timing is based off a 1 MHz processor, so everything gets accelerated, including the movement of bad guys and time. It runs at something like 200 Hz on my 9 MHz GS. Kinda useless. There really isn't any generic mechanism on the Apple II to establish a consistent timebase. If everyone had a mouse card it would solve that problem, but not everyone (or every Apple II) does.

Actually, for the //e and later machines, there is the possibility of
establishing the clock rate of the machine (or emulator) by polling
the VBL level, which pulses every 60th of a second of real time.

Once the clock rate is established, the progression of game time
can be set to a standard rate, independent of frame rate.


Yes, that was the idea with the mouse card as well. Neither is generic across all Apple II models, and to actually implement the logic would require me to write more code. Also, there is still the problem with the joystick code and some accelerators. It's easier for me to just say "run at 1 MHz" :-)

-michael

NadaNet file server for Apple II computers!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it's seriously underused."

The one thing that might get me to spend some more time with this over the winter would be a NadaNet based multiplayer. Hmmm. How to make the joystick and NadaNet work together?


Dave...