Preview
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Name : 'rmccdemo' version 0.03
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For : CodeCraft 3 1K demo
Author : Richard Murray <codecraft@heyrick.co.uk>
Size : 1024 bytes
Needs : RiscPC, with 1Mb VRAM
Tested with X480 Y352 C16M screenmode.
[option to recompile for non-VRAM machines]
Descr. : Silly little demo, entry for CodeCraft 1K demo.
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Introduction and pointless waffling
-----------------------------------
I would have gone all out with a three-dimensional first-person perspective
of Aldershot, except:
1. My maths is so bad I can't do a wireframe box (!).
2. Aldershot isn't really a place worth doing that with.
3. I very much doubt it'd fit into 1K, even if I just did a fractal fog
and claimed it was Aldershot on a bright sunny day...
So instead, I'll do this. Why the hell not? And I'll make the source alter
itself so non-VRAM users (Jeez guys, buy some VRAM already, make USE of your
VIDC!!!) don't miss out. Why the hell not?
Oh, and the path is anto-aliased. Well, it isn't, but it is supposed to look
that way. (you know the chorus by now, "Why the hell not?").
Consider it the MicroSoft take on anti-aliasing.
No, wait, that's a bad thing... Um... <g>
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Files included
--------------
@
ReadMe : This file
rmccdemo : The demo, just click'n'run (should be &FF8 type).
More.rmcc_src : The source
More.SetPath : Sets the path for recompiling
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Easter Eggs
-----------
I don't think I've yet written a program without some form of Easter Egg.
Sadly, I couldn't fit it into the competition version. However, if you hold
down ALT while running the "rmcc_src" program to compile this, it'll add some
extra stuff into the program, including...
...the obligatory Easter Egg.
This one, if you run the program while holding ALT, it will disassemble
itself. Not "wicked", I know, but what d'you expect? A ray-traced picture of
Alyson Hannigan?
PS: If you are not aware of my obsession with this exemplary specimen of the
opposite gender (hmmm, I'll bet she's never been described like that
before!) then visit my website, or hack some of my code. Or watch Buffy.
Or, hell... Try altavista...
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Older machines
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Sorry, this one kinda relies upon having 16 million colours available.
Have a hack, but without all those colours (16,777,216 actually!) you will be
missing the entire effect.
Actually, I'd guess it only really uses about 1000 colours, so if you have
hardware that can do this, you might be able to fudge things. Hmmm, can the
ColourCard do this, or is it more severely limited by the older VIDC?
If you get it looking as it should on an older (ie, ARM2/3) machine, please
let me know what you did and what extra hardware is required (hint: "Econet
and a RiscPC" don't count!).
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Source issues
-------------
This source is supposed to be 32 bit compliant. I've not tested it on a 32
bit OS, but there's nothing here (that I'm aware of) that will behave
differently in a 32 bit environment than a 26 bit one.
The source is commented sufficiently that you should be able to see what is
going on quite easily.
There are a number of conditional compilations, because the source will
automatically choose whether to make the proper (1Mb+ VRAM) entry, or the
slightly-modified version for those without VRAM. And in addition to that,
there is the 'extras' mode.
This program has been developed on a RISC OS 3.70 machine with an ARM710
processor. It does do some kooky stuff with the ColourTrans colour words in
order to squeeze more into my 1K, but it has all been tested and checked and
works entirely as it should under RISC OS 3.70. As of version 0.02, I have
included a BIC in the introduction (but not the star colourisation) so this
won't (shouldn't?) be an issue any more.
I do not envisage problems under RISC OS 3.60 or RISC OS 4; though I would
appreciate feedback (in either case) so I can say for sure. If you are using
RISC OS 3.50, I'm sure the entire RISC OS fraternity will offer you pity, and
second-hand 3.6 OS ROMs.
This code doesn't self-modify, so it should work entirely as expected on
StrongARM/Kinetic processors.
I don't have either of these, but I can dweeem and dweeem...
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To recompile if you do not have VRAM
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1. Run "SetPath".
2. Double-click on "rmcc_src".
3. Double-click on "rmccdemo" to watch it.
It only requires standard BASIC features, it will detect if you have VRAM or
not and build the appropriate version for you. Just double-click three times.
That's all.
Hold down ALT for extras.
If you get the 32-bit message, well gee - I kinda envy you much.
If you later upgrade to have some VRAM (which is much recommended), then
simply recompile in order to view it as it was intended.
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Geekisms
--------
Technically, the stars should not be out on a sunny day. But then, the ground
shouldn't fade away either. But, your reference point is Earth. Nowhere have
I said that this is 'located' on Erf. I just said it is not Aldershot. :-)
The original (BASIC) program was written because I'd just got myself a RiscPC
and just looked at a picture of Alyson Hannigan and thought several
unprintable thoughts (if you've ever only used a VIDC1 machine (pre-RiscPC),
then nothing will prepare you for it... (and there you probably thought I was
have those /other/ kind of unprintable thoughts! (actually, I was, but we
want to try to keep this a PG rated helpfile! (coo, nested comments!)))).
My system is all nicely gamma corrected and everything. I was impressed. But
then my thoughts weren't so much about that as about who I was looking at...
So I wrote a little BASIC program to generate colour bars. I wondered that
although they say the eye cannot resolve all 16 million colours, it's only
256 shades of each of the three colours, so why can't we see them all?
I'll leave it to you to decide.
So, here's the thing, CodeCraft announce a demo competition. Now being the
author of the assembler programming site http://www.heyrick.co.uk/assembler/
I figure it's the LEAST that I can do to create a 1K entry. I mean, I
probably could Build A Better Mandelbrot, but being utter crap at maths more
or less precludes that. And I wanted something that looked interesting
(which, again, rules out those little system utilities (which are in a
different category anyhoo)).
So I decided to ARMcodify my colour test program.
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Disclaimer
----------
This program is distributed as an entry in the CodeCraft 3 competition. There
is no warranty, neither explicit nor implied, that this program will function
or do the described functions, or even be fit for electronic consumption.
I, Richard Murray, am not liable for a single thing resulting from the use of
this software.
Copyright is mine at all times.
If you include this software on a CD or coverdisc or some sort, I'd like a
freebie copy of the CD/magazine/whatever.
Oh, and everybody who uses this software must buy me a beer if they ever meet
me. Heineken Export by preference, or Kronenbourg. D'you think there is any
rule to how silly these licence conditions can get? I know...if you use this
software more than once, please send a dollar to NASA. Failing that, send a
few ring-pulls so they can melt them down into a spacecraft. With any luck,
we might be able to smuggle Michael Portillo on the next mission to Mars, and
be done with him for good!
In fact, if you are an American, don't bother with ring pulls and beer. Unite
to treat 2B/UCITA and any of its perverse and twisted offspring with the
utter contempt that it deserves.
Okay, serious now. I disclaim everything. I'm not liable. At all. Ever.
I mean, I could go into a ten paragraph discussing exactly what it is that I
am not liable for (even if I've been warned of the possibility), and could
refer to your use/inability to use, and exclusions for states/territories
that don't allow exclusions. But let's face it. You don't read that crap. I'm
sure 99.9% of Windows users look at the licence conditions window that
appears when installing software, and they just click NEXT. For all I know,
my Windows licence requires me to fly to Seattle and lick Mr. Gates III's
rectum. I doubt it, but I've never read the entire thing, so it might.
So enough of the pseudolegal crap already.
Bored now.
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Thanks
------
I'd like to thank my mom for making it all possible, God for being... oh,
gosh, you love me, you really love me. Sob! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Oops, I've not won an academy award or a Brit. Well, thank goodness for that!
I'd just like to give a few thanks anyways...
...Mom, for being there.
...Acorn, for such a nice processor, and for RISC OS.
...Abacus, for giving me work to do so I can buy stuff and pay the phone
bills.
...Certain people in certain nursing homes who make life bearable by
working with me so I don't need to work with the unbearable assholes.
...everybody with the misconception that care assistants read stories and
make tea for old folk.
That's the only logical explanation I can think of for a steady stream
of young girls (by that, I mean school-leavers - get your mind out of
the gutter) who come to do this job, last a shift, never come back...
...Dido, for giving me music worth listening to.
UK release, track 9. My favourite.
...Limp Bizkit, for soundtrack to accompany those times when you've been
looking for a tiny obscure bug for six hours straight and still can't
f...ing find it!
...Stephen Hawking, for books worth reading.
...Pleasantville, for being one of the best movies I've seen in a long
while.
...Troma, for making some of the worst movies I've seen in a long while.
Though, there's a certain twisted fascination to Class Of Nuke'em High
and the Toxic Avenger.
...Joss Whedon, y'all know what for...
...David Pilling, for Spark[FS|Plug], HearSay, and Ovation[Pro].
...Clipper teas, for making a decaffeinated tea that actually tastes like
tea.
...Matthew Bloch, for porting XEarth.
...MicroSoft, for making wads of memory and massive harddiscs cheaper by
the day.
...Peter Bondar, for chainsawing a PC. Extreme silliness, but highly
amusing.
...Paul Vigay, Justin Fletcher, druck, Sophie, and Stewart, for all
they've contributed for RISC OS and its users.
...The regulars at comp.sys.acorn for assistance, discussions, and some
damn fine put-downs.
...The Eagles.
...Greg Henessy, why the hell not? (ps: I'm not sure that's spelt right)
...Everybody who has made AcorNet a reality. I don't use it, but the fact
that it exists at all is worth noting.
...Penguins, for everthing.
...Jochen Leug, for his alternative views on stuff (ZFC stuff, that is).
...Vince Hudd, for his even-more-alternative views on stuff.
...The horse-head nebula in Orion. If I could go anywhere in the universe,
that's where.
...Marks and Spencer, for nice cookies.
...Gustov Holst, for Jupiter.
...UCITA, for reminding me why I don't really want to live in America.
...and Alyson Hannigan, simply for existing.
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Contact
-------
A movie starring Jodie Foster, based upon a book by Carl Sagan. Amazingly,
the movie is remarkably similar to the book.
Website : http://www.heyrick.co.uk/
Assembler area : http://www.heyrick.co.uk/assembler/
Email : codecraft@heyrick.co.uk
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The bottom line
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No user servicable parts inside (and since when did that stop you?).