On Saturday I went to the Seattle Retro Gaming Expo. It was fun (as usual), and I spent too much money (also as usual). On Sunday I rolled up my sleeves, and I started working on a game for a retro system. I've been talking about doing this for at least a year, but it was hard to find time while I was still working on my masters degree. Now that I'm done with that, I have no excuses.
Since this is my first foray (back) into game programming on hella old hardware, I decided to stick with a system I know and a game I know. I'm doing Tetris for the TI-99/4a. Around 1997 I did a version of Tetris in 8051 assembly, and the TI is the first computer that I ever really programmed.
My stepdad used to work at Fred Meyer in the 80's, and he got the computer
practically for free when TI discontinued them... and retailers heavily
discounted their stock-on-hand. It was a few years until the "kids" were
allowed to play with the computer. Once I got access, I spent basically all
of the wee hours of the night hogging the TV and the computer. 
It was
around that same time that my older stepsister swiped the tape drive, so I
had no way to save any of my work. I would often leave it on for days
while I was working on a program. As a result, I don't have any of those
old programs. It's probably better this way... all of those programs were
spaghetti BASIC garbage.
The cool thing (if that's the right phrase) about starting with the TI is that it uses the TMS9918 VDC. This same chip is used in the ColecoVision, MSX, and Sega SG-1000 (system before the system before the Sega Master System). All the tricks from the TI will directly apply to those other systems.
Fast forward to the present... This first attempt is also in BASIC, but I'm using TI Extended BASIC now. This has a few features that should make things less painful, but I'm pretty sure this will be the only thing I make using the actual TI as the development system... I'm basically writing code using ed (but worse), and I had repressed the memories of how terrible that keyboard is.
On Sunday, for the first time in 28 years, I saved and restored computer data on audio cassette.
Anyway... my plan is:
- Get Tetris working. Based on a couple hours hacking around on Sunday, I don't think BASIC is going to be fast enough for the game.
- Redo parts in assembly, which I can call from TI Extended BASIC, so that the game is playable.
- Maybe redo the whole thing in assembly... dunno.
- Move on to the next game.
I really want to do a version of Dragon Attack. The MSX has the same VDC, so it should be possible. Funny thing there... In 1990 I worked for HAL America (their office was on Cirrus Drive in Beaverton) as a game counselor. I mostly helped people with Adventures of Lolo and Adventures of Lolo 2. Hmm... maybe I should just port Lolo (which also started on the MSX) to the TI...