New port of Missile Command to the BBC Micro

[RobC]

Just got my daughter to try this out with a Marconi trackball - she was keen once I told her that you'd also Frogger and that she'd met you!

It works perfectly and she loved playing it ("it's much more fun than most other BBC games"). I wondered if the XY movement should be a bit faster but I've not played the original arcade version for years. It's certainly accurate enough.

[chrisn]

I just had a play, on Beeb with analog joystick... It's really good! A few minor things as feedback: I notice that your score doesn't go up, only after the bonuses are awarded. Also, some of the sounds effects are really quiet, like the siren at the start of the level and the missile and explosion sounds, compared to the bonus counting sounds. And this just a suggestion, but "The End" sound effect has a high pitched whistle which could be reduced maybe?

[tricky]

Thanks for the feedback.
I was going to turn the bonus sound down, but forgot, I'll see if I can balance them.
I haven't changed the score code from the arcade ROM, but it does skip updating the score of it is busy, so it may be thinking that it is busy - I'll check the original too.
I had noticed the wristle, but as I mostly work with the sound off,I had forgotten about that too.
The next speed of movement would be doubled, I can easily put up a version with double speed to see what people think.
I wish that I could remember which box mine is packed in!

[tricky]

Quick hack for 2X speed on Marconi mouse.

TrickyArcadeMissileCmd.ssd

Quick hack for 2X speed on Marconi mouse.

(15.75 KiB) Downloaded 37 times

No other changes.

[RobC]

Thanks tricky - we'll give it a go later.

One thing I forgot to mention was that we saw a stray flashing pixel after one game during "the end" sequence. It was at about 7 o' clock and a little way in from the bottom of the screen.

It only happened once and we couldn't trigger it again.

[tricky]

I think this is part of the scrolling text at the bottom of the screen and will be timing dependent.

I was thinking of removing it but have left it for authenticity. I think it shows because the beeb only has two bits per pixel, but at the bottom of the screen, Missile Command has three.

I guess I could just add a clear screen when it starts that sequence

[RobC]

I think the new Marconi version is better - it certainly feels quicker and that's a bonus on the later levels.

[tricky]

Well, it can be tewaked further, it is only a couple more ASL A or removing LSR A

TrickyArcadeMissileCmd.ssd

(16 KiB) Downloaded 57 times

I've tweaked the sounds and hopefully removed the whistles.
You cannot obliterate your own base now with analogue controls either
But you also can't enter your name - that will take a little debugging

[fwibbler]

This is already better than the Acornsoft version we're playing in the high score challenge!
Thanks for this Tricky

[tricky]

Thanks, it was playing, or failing to at ABUG that tipped me over the edge to port it.

[tricky]

Made the missiles erase when launched instead of leaving "holes".
Made RETURN start 1 player as well as fire right (can also use GHJ to fire - usually with trackball).

Does anyone have any bug reports, or is this version "done" ?

[TobyLobster]

Very nice - no bugs to report here.

I'm not good enough to get on the high score table so I can't test that bit

[tricky]

It is much easier with a mouse or even trackball, but analogue mouse stick in beebem works ok if you select analogue joystick in game.

[picosonic]

It is much easier with a mouse or even trackball, but analogue mouse stick in beebem works ok if you select analogue joystick in game.

Thanks for letting me try my Quest mouse on your missile command game on Sunday. It worked pretty well but needs a scaling factor. But still pretty cool that it worked first time despite the jiggling about with user port SD card readers.

I heard Quest mice were compatible with AMX, perhaps just a little scaling difference?

I remember using it on my Beeb for designed Repton 3 levels in the included editor and for DTP or WYSIWYG with Wapping Editor. For those it seemed really natural to use.

[tricky]

No problem, if it hadn't needed scaling, it would have been good to play a few games.
I haven't actually tried an AMX mouse, but I think maybe RobC did. I might still have messed the scaling up afterwards!

[tricky]

Fixed a bug with popping too many addresses off the stack if you have a ps/2 mouse/trackball and unplug it during play - so, not common!