HDN

When you guys are done with this, I’m definitely porting it to VIC-20! Mine doesn’t work anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t mess around in BASIC on emulators still! (I really should get around to fixing that computer one of these days.)

I was teaching school when the Atari 800 came out.  I wrote a simple program (game) for my students to play.  Here it is:  The screen read On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!  Then it would start counting from 1000 to 0.  I would pick a number, say 73, and they would type run and then hit ESC to try to stop it on 73.  Whoever came the closest won a prize!
I have that program on an Atari floppy disk but no disk drive.  Could someone type that program for me so I can play it on Christmas when the grandkids come over.  I think it is only a few lines of typing in Graphics 2.  I do have the Atari 800 computer so I'll be able to type it in if somebody answers this.  Thanks in advance.
D-Man

I'm happy to help, but how would I get the program to you?  Via an ATR image file?  Or I guess you mean to just provide a listing that you could type in yourself? 

Thank you Rick. I was thinking you, or someone, could just type it on this post and then I would write it down.  I don't think it's very long...if my memory is corrct. LOL  Or you could email it to me.  Whatever works best for you.

It will be fun.  I haven't written a basic program in ages.  I'll try to give it a whirl this Friday or Saturday. 
 

OK, thanks!

Here's my first attempt.  Let me know what you think.

Wow thanks! I'll give it a try right now.  I'll let you know;

I tried it but it doesn't count down to 0.  It looks like it counting down 1000 to 0, then 900 to 0, then 800 to 0 and so on, but it goes so fast it's really hard to tell.  Also, how do I get it into Graphics 2.  Is it PRINT #6?

Try removing line 5 and instead typing line 5 as 35.  I didn't really like the clear screen as every pass through the loop.

The command for Graphics 2 would be:  "GRAPHICS 2" 

I found this site to be very helpful in remembering commands:  http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/Data/Atari/Basic/abasic.html#GRAPHICS
 

Here's what I ended up doing.  It does work it just counts up instead of down.  On line 15 how can I make it so the number is a random number between 1 and 800 instead of always being 800?
10 GRAPHICS 2
15 FOR I=1 TO 800:NEXT I
30 FOR X=1 TO 1000
32 POSITION 9,5
35 PRINT #6;X
40 NEXT X

I think it would be like this:
14 R = INT(800 * RND(1)) + 1
15 FOR I = 1 TO R : NEXT I
 

I’ve always really enjoyed the Muppet Christmas album with John Denver.

I love 2600 Star Raiders. It’s nothing special or advanced, but it’s still a good time in the right mindset. Starmaster is probably a better game, but I like how Raiders makes use of the video touch pad.
Unrelated, but I also really enjoy Star Ship. Nobody really talks about it, and when they do it’s mostly negative, but I think it’s actually a really good time.

Why am I not surprised that your favorite is Metroid II @HDN? 🙂 The OG Game Boy has an incredibly strong library.

Hey! I got Nemesis from @RickR!
The Game Boy is my favorite system period. There are so many games I love. The first two Mario Land games are phenomenal. Pokémon is great as always. Links Awakening is a downright masterpiece. But if I had to pick my favorite, it’s Metroid II, hands down. Almost as close as you can get to a perfect video game in my eyes. A lot of people dislike it, but I think it’s just divine. Especially this time of the year. I get really nostalgic for it around the holidays and play through it every year.

I tried using Linux, or more specifically Raspbian, once. I know everyone likes it but I personally can’t stand it. It’s probably a me problem but it seems like none of the programs I like to use are compatible with it.

Hey! I got Nemesis from @RickR!
The Game Boy is my favorite system period. There are so many games I love. The first two Mario Land games are phenomenal. Pokémon is great as always. Links Awakening is a downright masterpiece. But if I had to pick my favorite, it’s Metroid II, hands down. Almost as close as you can get to a perfect video game in my eyes. A lot of people dislike it, but I think it’s just divine. Especially this time of the year. I get really nostalgic for it around the holidays and play through it every year.

I tried using Linux, or more specifically Raspbian, once. I know everyone likes it but I personally can’t stand it. It’s probably a me problem but it seems like none of the programs I like to use are compatible with it.

2,301

2,301

2,301

2,301

I recently picked up Super Mario Maker 2. I played a lot of the first game as a kid but didn’t get the sequel when it came out. I’m glad I did get it eventually though. It’s great fun making levels again. I feel like I’m ten years old!

I recently picked up Super Mario Maker 2. I played a lot of the first game as a kid but didn’t get the sequel when it came out. I’m glad I did get it eventually though. It’s great fun making levels again. I feel like I’m ten years old!