Resource centre for ZX Spectrum games
using Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy game engines
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Message: 3433
Author: andrewbroad
Date: 09/03/2003
Subject: Re: typing into a real Spectrum
Carl Woffenden wrote:
>Currently, I carry out my main MM/JSW activities (playing and
> I've seen you mention 'typing into a real Spectrum' before -
> exactly what do you mean?
editing) on a real Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2 that I've had since 1988.
I have regular access to an Apple Macintosh LC II, but the best
emulator that I can install (MacSpectacle 1.8.2) is no substitute for
the smoothness, crispness, speed, screen-size, sound, support for
128K and overall authenticity of my +2. (I've tried to install
MacSpectacle 1.9.7, but I cannot uncompress the archive, and I only
have ~600K free on the Macintosh HD anyway).
I transfer all the Spectrum MM/JSW games to my real Spectrum by
physically typing them in, using code-listings generated by my Java
toolkit SPECSAISIE, which includes an address-sensitive weighted
modulo checksum for every line of eight bytes so that any typing
errors can be detected quickly, precisely, and completely.
SPECSAISIE now generates the listings comparatively, typically using
the original MM, JSW or JSW128 as the base, so that I have less
typing to do, the less a game has been edited from the original. My
CSaisie algorithm outputs small, isolated changes as individual
POKEs, and large chunks as contiguous blocks (with checksums) to type
in.
It takes me about 40 minutes to type a 1K block of code into my real
Spectrum, and at my current rate of four blocks a day, that means
about a week to type in a 48K JSW game, and just over two weeks for a
typical JSW128 game. My comfortable rate, however, is one block a
day, whereby 48K games take a month, and JSW128 games two or three
months.
I develop my own games on my real Spectrum, and use a similar process
in reverse to type them into the Mac, which synthesises the SNA files
from which SPECSAISIE can generate TAP files for releasing on the
Internet. I type faster on the Mac than on the Spectrum, so it
usually takes me 20-30 minutes to type in a 1K block of code.
Why don't I automate the data-transfers, I hear you ask? Sending tape-
signals into the Mac, to have a program called ZX Loader decode them
and synthesise a TAP file, works once roughly every thirty attempts -
and can only be done for tiny files at a time due to the unreliable
quality of the cable (I suspect) and the enormous intermediate files
that ZX Loader generates.
I've considered using a PC for two-way data-transfer with the
Spectrum (which would entail an RS232 link, about which I have very
little knowledge), or with a tape (which I believe would require a
piece of hardware called a parallel port-interface, which even if I
ordered, it might well turn out that I don't have a suitable tape-
recorder).
Typing in code is therapeutic (especially whilst listening to music),
and I make it fun by having the Spectrum SPECSAISIE program show me
the JSW room-titles and room-connections as I go along, and also
displaying the data as 16x16 graphics - even if they are not /meant/
to be interpreted as 16x16 graphics, sometimes I can see visually
meaningful patterns in the data that can be edited into neat sprites
and used in future games! :-)
The downside is that the sheer high release-rate of JSW games in
recent months has created a huge backlog, forcing me to type in four
1K blocks a day in order to close the gap, instead of my usual (1996
to January 2003) one block a day.
I currently have limited access to a PC for Internet-surfing, but
I'll have to get my own if I am to transfer my MM/JSW activities from
my real Spectrum to a decent Spectrum-emulator for the PC, as is
looking increasingly necessary.
--
Andrew Broad
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~broada/
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~broada/spectrum/
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~broada/spectrum/willy/
http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/~broada/spectrum/download/
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