Call a graphic-screen background

[lukebord1]

Hello,
i've noticed graphic backgrounds around the playable area in many games.
I think we have to store the graphic background at a given POKE number, but how is it possible to call that screen after the "start game" menu selection? And where we have to store the screen?

[alessandro]

I haven't used the MENU command so far, and don't think I would ever do. I prefer to write a housekeeping program complete with a control selection menu, which in turn POKEs the appropriate memory addresses in order to activate/redefine keys, or choose Kempston or Sinclair joysticks. Then I recall a compressed screen from a location in memory where it does not interfere with the game code, decompress it and start the AGD game. All the parts of the screen out of the AGD game area won't be affected. Just remember not to put a CLS instruction in the game code, otherwise it will clear the whole of the screen whenever executed, thus deleting the surrounding graphics.