Status and front screen addition / creation

[onan1972]

Hello,

Firstly apologies if I am recreating an already asked question.

I am in the process of learning AGD (4.7) and was wondering the easiest way to go about adding my own graphical status are to the screen.

Also, I have seem articles on adding beeper or AY music, but I haven't seemed to be able to find parts on putting a graphical intro page on a game (e.g. with animation and a text scroller etc on)?

Regards,
Onan

[alessandro]

Hi Onan,

there are a number of ways you can do that. The way I do it, is to write a "housekeeping" routine in machine code handling control/level choice, keys redefinition etc. You can store the screens in compressed formats within the code and decompress them on the fly whenever you need them. Einar Saukas's ZX7 data compression routine is a great choice for that because it's versatile and does not occupy much space in memory.

If all of this sounds too difficult to you (no offence :-) I don't know your level of proficiency with such techniques) you could just create a screen in AGD and animate it with some sprites, then use it as a intro. Gab Amore usually does this in his games.

[onan1972]

Hi Alessandro,

It has been perhaps 20 years since I last did any Z80 on the Spectrum, but I kind of follow your suggestion. I would need to do some more digging around in Google etc then I think!

So I understand your suggestions for the intro sections, but how does one go about adding a graphical in-game status area? Take just as an example Atic Atac that has on the right hand side the graphical section containing score, lives etc but made to look like a paper scroll.

Thanks.

O.

[alessandro]

Before starting the game, have your compressed screen in memory within the management program, decompress it and then JP 32000. Or just do it the old way and load the status screen (provided you never change and/or clear it) off tape just before launching the game.

My advice is always: never do in AGD what you can do outside AGD - available memory is scarce and should not be used for tasks which can be run in the RAM from 24000 up to the start of game code.

[fadgeplaysgames]

Hey, there. Just joined the forums to ask the same question (about adding in-game graphics outside the play area). Problem is, I am a complete beginner to this, have very little knowledge of programming etc, so the advice you gave to OP seems like gibberish to me. Is there some sort of dummies guide for beginners like me? I dont mind taking the time to learn, I just don't know where to begin!

[onan1972]

Hi,

I never really got anywhere with the best way to go about tackling this. I am still after a few months of playing with AGD and watching lots of videos not much wiser about the best way to go about having a status panel or front screen with a menu like the other AGD games that I have seen. Seems to be a grey area. Plus adding assembly language bits in a beyond me so my game so far still lives with no status panel!

O.

[alessandro]

Hi Onan1972,

perhaps it is better if you provide us with some examples of your game - a saved tape file, a snapshot etc. - and then I could show you how to add a front end to it.