55 replies to this topic

[SoftCalc]

The CHIP8 games add-in is finally available

Now that the ClassPad add-in installer is available I can finally release the CHIP8 games add-in.

WHAT TOOK SO LONG?
The add-in has been ready (more or less) for over a year, but Casio didn't have an add-in installer available. There were also a few issues with unsupported calls to the OS that would only run on OS 1.24, so I also had to wait for this OS to be released.

Well, Casio has released both! They can be downloaded at....
http://classpad.net/...ddin/index.html


When I went to make the CHIP8 games add-in available on the web I notice that the "release" version was not available on the server. It turns out the released version was on my workstation that crashed a few months back, and didn't have a backup.

Not to worry, this wasn't a big loss. I have almost all of the code checked into the source control system on the server, so only the last few finishing touches were lost.

This is why I haven't release the add-in on the website yet. I want to finish these last few items before officially releasing it.

Still, I feel everyone has waited a LOOOOOONG time for this, so I'm making the final beta version "unofficially" available as a download. You can down load it at...

http://www.classpad.org/games.html

SO WHAT IS LEFT TO DO?
The final version should be available in a few days. The things that need to be changed/fixed are...

1) REMOVE SOME GAMES
I added a bunch of CHIP8 games I found on the Internet. Some of them are crummy and should be removed. A few others don't run well on the ClassPad because the LCD refresh rate is so slow. For example, if an object is 1 pixel big and it is moving along the screen, the pixel is barely turned on long enough to show up before it is turned off.

2) KEY MAP
The CHIP8 machine didn't have a typical keyboard. It had a HEX keyboard (0-9,A-F). This means the games don't use standard keys for UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT/FIRE etc.. I mapped the hard keys to a grid, but it isn't always obvious which key will do what. In some games 8' /> is up, in other games it is 1' />.

I added a keyboard map on in the bottom window so the user can see which key will do what. Not all of the games have a completed key mapping. I need to add the missing ones.


3) DEFAULT SPEED
It the ClassPad CHIP8 emulator isn't emulating the original CPU speed. Some of the games run too fast to play, while others might run too slow.

I have a speed scrollbar on the bottom of the display. I need to add a different "default" speed for each game so it will be playable when you first tried to run it.

NOTE:
If you find any problems please email me or post them here.

UPDATE
The games are no longer "beta". They have been officially released and can be downloaded directly on http://www.classpad.org

[CrimsonCasio]

Thanks brian

is there any chance on getting some documentation on how you made the add-in/games?

[Daniel (CZE)]

Hi,

thank you for the games! (Now I know what I will do in my free time. )

I found a bug:

I chose Alien game [OK] and then I pressed . CP crashed with "fatal exception" message.

[betoe]

Thanks a lot softcalc .

1) When you run "space flight 2091", its always in "game over". If you press reset the problem its the same.
2) In "space flight", the game doesnt tell us which keys use (i saw that EXE and +, but i need another 2 keys i think).

[Daniel (CZE)]

Don't run this games. Fatal exception will follow:

After selecting game from menu: Car, Race


After display "welcome" screen: U-Boat

[SoftCalc]

OK, the crashing problem is fixed. All the games should run now.
Just download the add-in again and it should work.


NOTE
Again please note that the games are primitive. They were written for the CHIP8 machine which was defined in the 1970s. Some of the games are not all that great, and some don't run well on the ClassPad.

I'll be removing some of the useless games and adding key mappings for the remaining ones. I will also be adding a "default" speed for the games so they start out playable (some games run too fast).

HINT
If you haven't already figured it out, you can change the speed using the scrollbar on the bottom.

[Daniel (CZE)]

You're really fast!
Now it is perfect. Thank you.

[betoe]

I will also be adding a "default" speed for the games

Good, all the games sucks with a 1 speed, its better put a default speed. Thanks again!

[CrimsonCasio]

I think we will also be seeing a save state feature (he liked the idea )

[betoe]

I would like to add a button for reset the game, this for dont use the stylus for do that. I think that probably my stylus could suffer a damage (another time) if by example, a classmate is playing and the stylus fall down from him hand, etc... Also its more comfortable for everybody.

[SoftCalc]

OK, I've added (and removed) a few things.

First, I've added keyboard icons on the keyboard window for all the games, so you know which key will do what.

Next, I've added a default speed for each game which should make each game playable.

I also removed a few games which were simply not playable on the ClassPad for one reason or another. Some of them were not visible because of the ClassPad's slow LCD refresh rate. Others were more or less duplicate of another game.

And betoe, just for you, I added a hard RESET key. Now when you press the CLEAR key is restarts the game. I also mapped the BACKSPACE key to pause.

Finally, I added a brief document that explains things. The document isn't very detailed. I plan on improving it in the future.

The new version is on the ClassPad.org website...
http://www.classpad....CP300-Chip8.zip

Let me know if you find any problems. If the user on UCF can't find any major problems (and I know if there are any you guys will find them ) I'll add an official download link on ClassPad.org.

BTW, If anyone would like to volunteer translating all the text I can create a multi-language version. Send me email if you'd like to do this and I can email you a text file with all the strings.

[CrimsonCasio]

very cool brian im testing it now

backspace works well, but clear doesnt seem to do anything...

thanks for including the source btw

[betoe]

I tried with the "ant" game and both buttons worked well.
Let me try with other games.

[CrimsonCasio]

hmm... odd. it doesnt work with ant for me

could it be that my OS is different? i have version 1.51

[CrimsonCasio]

nevermind... now it works...

i'll test the rest of it...

[SoftCalc]

Version 1.0 is officially released! It can be downloaded at http://classpad.org/games.html.

There are a few things I will be adding soon, for example saving a game state.

[CrimsonCasio]

great, we may not be able to make add-ins just yet, but we can make games for the Chip8

btw: has anyone gotten past lvl 4 of ant... i cant beat it

[momo]

hmm... odd. it doesnt work with ant for me

could it be that my OS is different? i have version 1.51

os 1.51? can i ask you what's new between this and 1.24??

clear button don't work for me too

[Daniel (CZE)]

could it be that my OS is different? i have version 1.51

What? Is there something new?

CLEAR button reset the game only during playing. After end you still must click on reset icon.

[timppa1988]

Was the official release removed again? Couldn't find it on Classpad.org...
Clear button dosn't work in the beta.

BTW, If anyone would like to volunteer translating all the text I can create a multi-language version. Send me email if you'd like to do this and I can email you a text file with all the strings.

Translate what, text in the game or the documentation and stuff? I could maybe (if it isn't too much) do that (finnish, german, hungarian).

[Overlord]

CLEAR works on final version (OS 1.24) (if you die you can also use clear to reset)

i think i can translate the text in the games in French, for the docs it depends if i have time

BTW i often have problems with the add-in installer, i never succedded to install an add-in at the first time, i must try 2/3 times.. (errors messages like "access denied"

[timppa1988]

I have OS 1.24 but it doesn't work. I'm not even sure what version I have . Is the version on http://www.classpad....CP300-Chip8.zip the same that should be released on http://classpad.org/games.html ??? (I downloaded the games today from the beta site)

I sometimes can't connect to the Classpad with the add-in loader and have to retry a few times.

[timppa1988]

I don't get it. The clear button started working for some time. After closing the games and restarting again it didn't work... Don't know why

[X-thunder28]

I would know if ASM programming is possible on classpad because i don't understand anythin' about!

[Overlord]

it's http://classpad.org/games.html

[betoe]

I dont have problems with the classpad add-in installer. I have win ME, my calculator have OS 1.24. Also saw that the clear button fail with me only:
when i die in the game and shut down the calculator, then when i turn on the calculator again, that button dont work for restart the game. I must choose again the game in the game list, and no problem.

[timppa1988]

Got it! It's here: http://classpad.org/...CP300-Chip8.zip. On http://classpad.org/games.html it only says that download will be available soon...

And another thing: The CLEAR button starts working if you click somwhere with the stylus once ofter starting a game e.g. change the speed or just touch the game field... after that it will work in every game

The games are great

[Daruosh]

Well.
It would be great if you could add some features like ZOOM and direct Pen-Touch operation into some games (especialy Mines)

[CrimsonCasio]

i dont think he can do much to the games themselfs, he is just working on the emulator.

btw: i am beta-testing the next version

[SoftCalc]

I've fixed the CLEAR key. It should work all the time in the next release. I also added a save/restore feature. Now I can finally make it to the end of ANT .

I'm still testing the changes. There are some bugs so it will be a few days before I can officially release it. If everything is solid enough I'll put it up as a beta for UCF members some time on Monday.

[CrimsonCasio]

wow... i cant wait till you guys can see this version... been playing it all day (btw: i didnt know how close i was to the end of ant...)

brian, im sending you some more suggestions.

[timppa1988]

I'd like (or at least try) to translate the Chip8 Games. I sent an e-mail to SoftCalc ( =brian?) but I'm not even sure if he got it because the only way I found was to send it through the forum. I tried to send an e-mail to myself but I didn't get it .
Help

[CrimsonCasio]

send e-mails realating to this to ucf AT classpad.org or just post here and im sure he will read it soon.

[SoftCalc]

There is a new beta, with sound!
OK, I've added a few features, but it is extremely experimental. I've posted it on classpad.org...

http://classpad.org/...-Chip8-Beta.zip

This version has two main features...

* Sound
* Game Save

Enjoy!

[CrimsonCasio]

btw: it hasnt frozen on me yet and ive been trying pretty hard to make it do so...

is this the same as the one i have or should i download this version?

[CrimsonCasio]

ok, in the new version i notice something that i liked about the version i was given is now missing: on blinky you can tell if your invincible by the beeps, but in the new version this doesnt happen (the beep cuts off instead of going for as long as your invincible).

[SoftCalc]

(the beep cuts off instead of going for as long as your invincible).

Yeah, I change that because there was a bug where the beep could stay on and never shut off.

The beeper must be explicitly turned off. If it isn't turned off it will stay on even when you turn thr classpad off.

The built-in beep is designed for the alarm, and is normally used on a timer that turns it on and off automatically (simple beep). I tried to manage the beeper myself but becuase of the bug, it could get stuck on.

I changed this beta so it uses the built-in timer to atuomatically turn the buzzer off after a short beep to prevent the more serious bug of it getting stuck on. When I fix the bug I'll change it back

[CrimsonCasio]

ok, cool

[momo]

hmm... odd. it doesnt work with ant for me

could it be that my OS is different? i have version 1.51 

os 1.51? can i ask you what's new between this and 1.24??

no reponse on that...

[CrimsonCasio]

oh... never saw that

actually not much is diffrent except that some bugs have been fixed and the spreadsheet is included in the OS instead of an add-in.

Main: 1.02
Program 1.02
eActivity 1.01
Statistics 1.02
Spreadsheet 1.01
Graph&Table 1.01
Conics 1.00
3D Graph 1.01
Geometry 1.00
NumSolve 1.00
Sequence 1.01
Presentation 1.00
Communication 1.01
System 1.01
---------------------
3D Graph 1.00
3D Graph Editor 1.00
Conics Editor 1.01
Conics Graph 1.00
eActivity 1.01
Geometry 1.01
Graph 1.01
Graph Editor 1.00
List Editor 1.01
Main 1.01
Notes 1.00
NumSolve 1.00
Presentation 1.00
Program Editor 1.01
Program Loader 1.00
Program Output 1.00
Sequence Editor 1.00
Sequence RUN 1.00
Stat Graph 1.01
Summery Table 1.00
Table 1.01
Text File Contents 1.00

Ver. 10.51.0011