SuperCharger Disk BASIC Atari 2600

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Mr SQL
Posts: 21
Joined: July 27th, 2015, 7:08 pm

SuperCharger Disk BASIC Atari 2600

Postby Mr SQL » March 5th, 2021, 10:02 am

BASIC_Programming_CD.jpg
ISO download link below
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SuperCharger Disk BASIC supports modular Atari 2600 programs up to 2 MB in size with variable sharing.

Classic BASIC with line numbers can be used like in the simple science text book examples from the 80's.

Code: Select all

0 if g=0 then for x=18 to 239:virtualworld(x)=0:next x else f=f+1:goto 2:rem ini
1 for x=0 to 9:g=g+10:rowcolors(x)=g:next x:x=10:y=5:h=1: rem initial dir right
2 if f<4 then scrollvirtualworldtoggle=0:return else scrollvirtualworldtoggle=1
3 if joy0left=1 then e=1:h=0:i=0:j=0:AUDC0=8:AUDF0=BITIndex:SUSTAINFORFRAMES=15
4 if joy0right=1 then h=1:e=0:i=0:j=0:AUDC0=6:AUDF0=BITIndex:SUSTAINFORFRAMES=15
5 if joy0down=1 then i=12:e=0:h=0:j=0:AUDF0=y*3:AUDC0=15:SUSTAINFORFRAMES=15
6 if joy0up=1 then j=12:i=0:e=0:h=0:AUDC0=3:AUDF0=y*2:SUSTAINFORFRAMES=15
7 x=x-e:x=x+h:l=i/12:y=y+l:l=j/12:y=y-l:BYTErowoffset=BYTErowoffset+i:rem TRON!!
8 BITIndex=BITIndex-e:BITIndex=BITIndex+h:BYTErowoffset=BYTErowoffset-j:f=0
9 if vwpixel(x,y,on)>0 then COLUBK=100:SUSTAINFORFRAMES=100:goto 6:rem Atari VCS


Classic BASIC programs running on the Atari 2600 can be entered in the BASIC10liner.com contest against the VIC-20, Atari 400/800, Apple II, C64, TI-99/4A, Aquarius, TRS-80 and Timex Sinclair home computer systems.

Code free development:
Audio Visual Programs can also be created using only ASCII art and no code:

Code: Select all

virtualworld
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
...xxxx......xxxx...........................................................................
..xXXXXx....xXXXXx..........................................................................
.XX.xx.XX..XX.xx.XX.........................................................................
.XxxxxxXX..XxxxxxXX.........................................................................
.x.XXXX.x..x.XXXX.x.........................................................................
.XX....XX..XX....XX.........................................................................
..xxxxxx....xxxxxx..........................................................................
...xxxx......xxxx...........................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................
............................................................................................

sprites
..xxxx..
.xXXXXx.
XX.xx.XX
XxxxxxXX
x.XXXX.x
XX....XX
.xxxxxx.
..xxxx..

chiptunes
8, 24, 8, 20, 8
10,24, 10, 20, 8
6, 5, 4, 12, 5
12, 9, 12, 7, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 8
10,24, 10, 20, 15
8, 24, 8, 20, 8
10,24, 10, 20, 8
0,0,0,0,0

7, 5, 4, 12, 15
7, 17, 4, 19, 15
7, 5, 4, 12, 15
7, 17, 4, 15, 15
0, 0, 7, 0, 15
0,0,0,0,0

8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
8, 24, 8, 20, 4
10,24, 10, 20, 4
0,0,0,0,0

3,24, 13, 20,4
2, 24, 13, 20, 6
3,24, 13, 20, 4
2, 24, 3, 20, 6
3,24, 2, 20,4
2, 24, 3, 20, 6
7,24, 5, 20, 4
3, 24, 5, 20, 6
1,24, 7, 20, 4
4,24, 6, 20, 6
4, 24, 8, 20, 4
4,24, 6, 20, 6
4, 24, 6, 20, 4
0,0,0,0,0
Code free programs can also be combined with BASIC code.

SuperCharger Disk BASIC is available on AtariAge here.

Here is a preview of a Graphical OS for the Atari 2600 for the 2020 SillyVenture art show (delayed until June):
https://youtu.be/0CFjK-bJu-E

User avatar
VideoGameCritic
Site Admin
Posts: 18102
Joined: April 1st, 2015, 7:23 pm

Re: SuperCharger Disk BASIC Atari 2600

Postby VideoGameCritic » March 7th, 2021, 9:04 am

I first learned to program with Atari Basic (on my Atari 1200XL) but don't think I want to go back. I did learn a lot of lessons though.

Like instead of using the number 0 in your code, you'd want to set a variable like c0 to 0 and use that instead. It's more characters in your code but a reference to a variable takes up less space than an integer. And back in those days ever byte counted.

Probably as much of a concern with this.

User avatar
Mr SQL
Posts: 21
Joined: July 27th, 2015, 7:08 pm

Re: SuperCharger Disk BASIC Atari 2600

Postby Mr SQL » March 8th, 2021, 1:13 pm

VideoGameCritic wrote:I first learned to program with Atari Basic (on my Atari 1200XL) but don't think I want to go back. I did learn a lot of lessons though.

Like instead of using the number 0 in your code, you'd want to set a variable like c0 to 0 and use that instead. It's more characters in your code but a reference to a variable takes up less space than an integer. And back in those days ever byte counted.

Probably as much of a concern with this.

Very cool Atari BASIC is awesome! :)

Yes there are many constraints like that and each DOS program can be only 6K so memory gets used up quickly.

With clever BASIC programming a game can be squeezed into a single module but it's very challenging and the DOS extensions open up a lot of possibilities!

Each new level in a game could be another program - Donkey Kong could have enough room for a 3rd screen just by loading another program with a DOS command.


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