You may remember our popular feature on Mario Adventure a few weeks ago. Well, an intrepid fan named Greg Head has completed the first ever Mario Adventure FAQ and it’s now available for view on Vintage Computing and Gaming. The FAQ is mostly complete so far (except for some world walkthroughs) and Greg and I will be updating and improving it over time. You can send typo / editing / formatting errors to me, and content errors, improvements, or suggestions to Greg.

If you didn’t catch the link above, here’s where you can view the Mario Adventure FAQ.

After playing my new AV Famicom and the 18 games that came with it for a few days, I have a few things to report. The first of which is that yes, I still love it. But if that were all I had to say, then this would be a boring article. Luckily, the other things are more interesting. For example, I am quickly falling for the Nintendo “dogbone” controller. It’s strange really; I’ve had one for years but never really gave it a good chance. I was biased immediately by the slanted A-B button arrangement, which I definitely do not like for playing Super Mario Bros. games (because I constantly hold down B with the tip of my thumb and use the ball of it to hit A and jump — the upward-slanted button line makes this play style awkward). But for every other game, it’s really comfortable. I now highly recommend getting one and giving it a chance if you haven’t already. My old US dogbone needs a good scrubbing and some new conductive rubber pads (I might have some left from an old controller repair kit somewhere) before it will be completely up to par. But once it is, I think it just might become my new favorite NES controller. I noticed something funny when comparing the Japanese dogbone and the US dogbone side to side. The Japanese dogbones have three foot controller cords, which is a pathetically short length by US standards. But it’s no big surprise; after all (or so I hear repeatedly) Japanese people all live in tiny apartments the size of my kitchen, so they’re never more than three feet away from their TV — even when taking a shower. Anything longer than three feet and the annual choking and tripping deaths in Japan would skyrocket. But hey, that’s Japan. In the US, we’re proud of tripping over our cords; it’s a matter of national pride. So how’s this for comparison: the cord on the US dogbone controller is eight feet long. No, not your standard six feet. Eight. Because of the three foot Japanese cord length, I think Nintendo of America decided to tack on another couple feet just out of spite. Either that, or Nintendo has a death wish for Americans.

So what else is new? A few things. First of all, you must drop everything and play Tetris 2 + Bombliss. This cart contains my new official favorite version of Tetris, and it comes with a bonus Tetris-like game called Bombliss. This particular version of Tetris was never released in the US, so not many American gamers probably know of it (and no, it’s not Tengen’s Tetris). And for some reason, despite the number “2″ in the title, it seems to be the same ‘ole Tetris that we know and love. This version was developed by Bulletproof Software, has great graphics, smooth gameplay and controls, and relatively relaxing music (instead of relentless, frantic Russian marches that typically make me want to jump off a bridge when under level-11 duress). Bombliss, also included, is a game played with Tetris-like pieces, except that some of the pieces contain — surprise — bombs. Every time you complete a horizontal line, all the bombs in the line explode. Your goal is to blow up everything on the play field (normal blocks included) by tactical bomb placement. Bombliss also has a puzzle mode, which is really addicting and worth playing. The game even lets you put in your initials and saves all your high scores to SRAM. All in all, I think Tetris 2 + Bombliss is a must-have for your Famicom collection. How do you get it? Well either track down an original copy of the cart (worth having), or perhaps find it through other means.

The last thing I have to report is a follow up on the couple Deadly Towers articles we had on here. It turns out that one of the 18 used games that came with my AV Famicom was none other than the Japanese version of Deadly Towers, known as Mashou (”Evil Bells”) over there. The only thing I really have to say is that I played it for a while, and it appears to be exactly the same as the US version, which is to say that it sucks just as bad. I’m exaggerating a bit, because I really like the charm of it, but of course, it’s no Zelda. Overall, the coolest thing about owning Mashou in cartridge form is that the cart has a nifty red LED built into it that lights up when you turn the system on (see white cart in picture above). For that reason alone, you must own it now. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest…Japan. Try not to trip on the way.

The Tetris part of the sublime Tetris 2 + Bombliss.

The Bombliss part of Tetris 2 + Bombliss.

[Editor’s Note: This article was written by Johnny as his first contribution to VC&G.]

If you’re a middle-class American between the ages of 14 and 28, chances are high that you or someone you know has access to a Texas Instruments TI-81 graphing calculator or one of its predecessors. I myself own a top-of-the-line TI-84 Silver Edition. And, not too long ago, I learned about the secret underground world that is…TI-BASIC.

To the average High School- or College-level student, the PRGM key is one that goes woefully unused (unless in conjunction with the 2ND key, so as to draw inappropriate images for your friends, or in conjunction with the ALPHA key, to use the letter ‘C’ in inappropriate messages for your friends). Pushing it reveals an esoteric “EXEC - EDIT - NEW” interface, and, really, who needs homebrewed Prgms when you’ve got MirageOS and a rousing game of Tetris?

But it’s this under-appreciated button that harbors the secret portal into the high-stakes hobby of amateur game design. And it will be this button that is the subject of Vintage Computing and Gaming’s very first article in a series of Weekend Projects for Armchair Developers.

…It’s a cumbersome title — I’m no expert at snappy one-lining. I also can’t claim to be an expert at programming. I’m just someone who enjoys his hobby very much. And this article is aimed squarely at people like me.

TI-BASIC won’t get you very far in life. But it’s extremely easy-to-learn, flexible, and a great time-killer. And that’s what WPfADs is all about: With it, I aim to put the “fun” back into “computer-coding”. [So that it becomes “comfunputer-coding” –Ed.] As such, each edition of WPfADs will feature a crash-course in forgotten and/or largely ignored computer languages that are not particularly useful, but a joy to tinker with.

Today we’ll be making a intermediately-complex game, one that I have painstakingly ensured will work on the widest range of TI calculators possible, and have tried to make accessible to a wide range of ability groups. If you own anything between Texas Instruments’ earliest TI-81 and the current TI-84 Plus, you’ll be able to follow along. While making the program, the biggest obstacle was the tiny memory constraints of the earlier models. Working around hardware limitations, though, can simultaneously be one of the most frustrating and exciting/rewarding parts of programming. And it’s part of what gives TI-BASIC some of its charm, I think.

The game is a maze-navigating affair that I’ve been working intermittently on for the past week, and is in as much of a first-person perspective as the calculator’s graphics can allow. For convenience’s sake, I’ve divided it into three parts. Assemble everything in the order presented, and you should have a working game by the end.

Part I: The Main Game Program
Download the Complete Reference Here (.txt file)

The first part of making any program is pressing the PRGM key, followed by the two taps of the right arrow, and culminating with a decisive push of the ENTER key. The name you give your new game doesn’t really matter, but be forewarned that you won’t be able to change the filename later on.

Once I had decided on a name (”LABYRIN“), I punched a few key lines of code:

:ClrDraw
:CoordOff
:GridOff
:AxesOff
:ZStandard
:Full
:

It’s more or less essential that every program start with this. All pictures are displayed in the calculator’s graph area. ClrDraw clears the graph area of any residual equations and inappropriate images for your friends that may be there. CoordOff, GridOff, and AxesOff turn off the clutter of the grid lines and such that normally is seen on the graph area. ZStandard changes the scope and zoom of the graph, so our images appear correctly, and Full is the default setting in which the graph takes up the entire screen, stuck in just in case. If you have trouble finding these commands on your calculator, I’ve stuck an appendix at the end of this article for consultation.

:3->A:3->B
:0->I:0->O
:0->H:0->V
:

Next came variable declaration. On a calculator, all the variables are double values (that is, they store information before and after the decimal point), and they stick around even after the program is finished executing, until you redeclare their value in another program. In this particular program, ‘A’ is the player’s horizontal coordinate in the labyrinth (You can’t use ‘X’ in the default function mode), ‘B’ is the player’s vertical coordinate in the labyrinth (There aren’t any restrictions on the ‘Y’ variable, but B makes more thematic sense), ‘I’ and ‘O’ are used for input and output in the LBRITHM program (detailed later), and ‘H’ and ‘V’ are a player’s horizontal and vertical movement through the maze.
Also, please note that “->” is meant to represent the STO arrow icon.

:Lbl 0
:prgmLBPICS
:

The LBPICS program will draw and refresh the room the player is currently in, and is also detailed later. It’s not necessary to make this function a second program, but it’s much more convenient and clutter-free this way.

:Lbl 1
:0->I
:
:Repeat I
:getKey->I
:End
:
:0->H:0->V
:
:If I=25:Then
:1->I:-1->V
:End
:
:If I=34:Then
:2->I:1->V
:End
:
:If I=24:Then
:3->I:-1->H
:End
:
:If I=26:Then
:4->I:1->H
:End
:
:If I=22
:Goto 2
:

This chunk of code takes input from the player and assigns values to variables for use by the LBRITHM program a bit later. The player moves with the arrow keys. If the player presses the QUIT button, the program exits out.

Input on the TI-81 and its brethren is very simple. After assigning the value “getKey” to I, I becomes a value corresponding to the button pressed on the calculator, using an easy-to-understand numbering system:

It’s important to put the getKey command inside a loop, using the Repeat command. Otherwise, the window of opportunity for the player’s input would be less than a second.

One more thing: The calculator uses a different symbol for negative numbers and for subtracting. Make sure you use the smaller dash under the ‘3′ button when denoting negative numbers.

:prgmLBRITHM
:0->I
:If O=1:Then
:A+V->A:B+H->B:Goto 0
:End
:
:Goto 1
:

The LBRITHM (short for Labyrin Algorithm…I’m rather clever) program is essential in compressing the memory requirements of this game down to as small a space as possible. Information about the labyrinth is stored in a matrix, each room represented by a four-digit decimal number between 0 and 1, and the Labyrin Algorithm turns those numbers into something meaningful. It’s kind of hard to explain, we’ll talk about it when we code LBRITHM.

:Lbl 2
:ClrDraw
:ClrHome

When exiting a program, it’s usually a good idea to clear the calculator’s display, to prevent confusion and have a generally cleaner presentation.

We’ve finished coding the meat of the program. Now, it’s time to make the helper program that draws the image of the labyrinth room on the calculator. To save a lot of memory, and make the organization of the game’s resources much cleaner and more convenient for the user, the room is drawn using individual Line() and Pt-On() commands (as opposed to storing and recalling actual Pic files). This has the adverse effect, however, of dropping speed a bit. Whether or not this is a fair trade-off is entirely your call.

Although, keep in mind that if you would rather use Pic files, I think you’re a dope. [Insulting the audience is not a good idea. I think they have guns. –Ed.]

Part II: Graphics
Download the Complete Reference Here (.txt file)

Make a new program and name it whatever you’d like. Mine is named “LBPICS” (Labyrin Pictures…you get it?).

:”Draws a room”
:”and its exits”
:
:”Empty Room”
:Line(-10,-8,10,-8)
:Line(-10,-8,-5,-1)
:Line(10,-8,5,-1)
:Line(-5,-1,5,-1)
:Line(-5,-1,-5,10)
:Line(5,-1,5,10)
:

Words in quotes are the closest thing TI-BASIC has to comments. There’s probably a cleaner and more efficient way to do it, but this method works and I haven’t noticed any problems.

When writing out the Line commands, your code won’t look as clean as this. Each line of code will be so long that it stretches over into the next, and you’ll end up with a lot of white space. This has no effect on program performance.

:1->I:prgmLBRITHM
:
:If O≠1
:Goto 1
:

“=/=” in the text file listings is supposed to be the “does not equal” sign (≠), from the TEST menu. Also, I didn’t mention this earlier, but if you want to put two commands on the same line, you must separate them with a “:”

:”North Door”
:Line(-2,-1,-2,7)
:Line(2,-1,2,7)
:Line(-2,7,2,7)
:
:Lbl 1
:
:2->I:prgmLBRITHM
:
:If O≠1
:Goto 2
:

If LBRITHM doesn’t return 1 (meaning there’s no door in that direction), the program skips drawing the door and tries the next one.

:”South Door”
:Pt-On(.4,-5)
:Pt-On(-.4,-5)
:Pt-On(1,-5)
:Pt-On(-1,-5)
:Pt-On(1.25,-5.5)
:Pt-On(-1.25, -5.5)
:Pt-On(1.5, -6)
:Pt-On(-1.5, -6)
:Pt-On(1.75, -7)
:Pt-On(-1.75,-7)
:

A door to the south looks like a bunch of dots systematically spread on the floor. I tried to simulate the effect of light drifting lazily in from a open doorway behind the player. Feel free to change this segment to your own liking.

:Lbl 2
:
:3->I:prgmLBRITHM
:
:If O≠1
:Goto 3
:
:”East Door”
:Line(8,-4.75,8,3.25)
:Line(8,3.25,6,6)
:Line(6,-2,6,6)
:
:Lbl 3
:
:4->I:prgmLBRITHM
:
:If O≠1
:Goto 4
:
:”West Door”
:Line(-8,-4.75,-8,3.25)
:Line(-8,3.25,6,6)
:Line(-6,-2,-6,6)
:
:Lbl 4
:

That wraps up the LBPICS prgm. All that’s left is the very short LBRITHM program, and we’ll have a working game.

Part III: LBRITHM

This small program evolved from the need to compress the memory usage of this game to a small enough space that the TI-81 could handle. Previously, I had stored data about the labyrinth’s rooms in a gargantuan 90 x 4 matrix. Each value would represent whether or not a doorway existed in that room. Needless to say, this system was painfully inefficient, a memory hog to boot.

The new system stores each room’s data into one decimal number, up to four digits long. The first digit is the north door (0 means no doorway, 1 means there is a doorway), the second digit is the south door, third is east, and fourth is west.

The LBRITHM takes the variable ‘I’ as input, specifying which digit to look at, and outputs whether or not that digit is a zero or a one. You may have noticed I’m saddling variable I with two different uses (taking key input from the player as well as using it in the LBRITHM program). This isn’t recommended unless you’re absolutely certain the program won’t blow up on you because of it.

:[A](A,B)->O
:
:While I>0
:10*(O-int(O))->O
:
:I-1->I
:End
:int(O)->O

…That’s the entire program. [A] is the name of the matrix I used to store all the room values. Coding the matrix is a bit tricky. Each value you enter into your matrix represents a room, formatted in the way described above, and each value has a set of coordinates on the matrix grid. For example, if you entered this as your matrix:

You’d end up with this a maze that looks sorta like this:

Hopefully your maze will be quite a bit more imaginative than that, but this example should give you a rough approximation of how to construct your matrix.

Once you work out your matrix, you’re done. Test out your program by executing your main program. If you’ve followed the instructions exactly, your program should work fine.

You’re free to tinker with this program, and, in fact, I encourage it. You’ve probably noticed there’s no way to win or lose the game. Try programming an exit to the maze. Or perhaps add some kind of wandering monster that the player must avoid, like a minotaur or a burlesque St. Bernard that walks like a man and breathes poisonous gas.

If you’d read this far, I’d also love to hear some constructive feedback on the readability/usefulness of this article, so that future ones may be made better.

Appendix: Where to Find the Commands Used in This Program

David the postman woke me up at the crack of dawn this morning (…11:00 AM…) with a special package delivery, shipped express from Japan. I quickly signed for it and dove into the box with earnest. Out popped a like-new condition AV Family Computer (Famicom) console with two “dog bone” control pads, one A/V cable, an AC Adapter, and 18 games! Yes; I was quite excited. But of course, people don’t just randomly ship like-new AV Famicoms to your doorstep. Nope — it takes some form of coercion (hopefully peaceful, like money) to get that to happen. I’ll admit: I bought it off of eBay, and perhaps paid a tad too much for it, but I am very happy with my purchase. During the whole Generation NEX fiasco, many VC&G readers were talking about how much the AV Famicom rocks. And after playing with it some today, I would have to second that emotion.

What rocks about it? Well, call me a weirdo, but I really love the fact that it has a standard Nintendo multi-AV socket on the back (hence the “AV” in “AV Famicom”). For your info, the cable that plugs into this type of socket is pictured on the left. There’s no RF-out here (the top-loading American NES has RF-out only) — just pure composite goodness. Yeah; I am quite aware (and happy) that the original NES has RCA audio and video outputs, but the standard AV jack on the AV Famicom means that I can have all four generations of Nintendo console units (Famicom, SNES, N64, and GC) sitting next to each other, and if I get tired of playing one console, I can simply unplug the AV cable from the unit and plug it into the back of another. Also, there’s the obvious reason that the video quality from a composite video output is superior to RF any day of the week. So that’s the video part. What else? Well, it plays Famicom games, and it plays them very well. It came with an AC adapter that works in US power outlets. And it has…get this…detachable controllers.

The original Famicom had built-in controllers. What’s more, the AV Famicom uses US NES-style controller ports, so you can use all your favorite NES control pads with the unit. I’m not sure if the light gun would work in port #2 though: the original Famicom’s light gun plugged into a special DB-15 accessory port on the front of the unit, and the AV Famicom replicates this port on the right-hand side, so I’m not sure if the AV’s port #2 wired to work properly with a US light gun. But I can’t talk about AV Famicom controller ports without mentioning the SNES pad-influenced “dog bone” controllers, which people either really love or…don’t really care. I’m a big fan of the original rectangular NES pads and don’t find them uncomfortable, so the dog bones tend to say in the closet. However, the AV Famicom iteself will be spared from the closet and instead will hold a special place in my entertainment center for years to come. If you have the cash and are serious about playing Famicom games on the real hardware, there’s no doubt about it: you should get an AV Famicom.