More of the computers that helped shape my career
The Commodore 64
MOS 6510 Microprocessor clocked at 0.985 MHz
MOS 6569 VIC-2 Co-Pro (video and sprites)
MOS 6581 SID (sound chip)
64K RAM
20K ROM (Including Microsoft BASIC)
Resolution, 40 x 25 characters / 320 x 200 pixels
16 pre-defined colours
MOS 6569 VIC-2 Co-Pro (video and sprites)
MOS 6581 SID (sound chip)
64K RAM
20K ROM (Including Microsoft BASIC)
Resolution, 40 x 25 characters / 320 x 200 pixels
16 pre-defined colours
The Comodore '64 -
the first machine that I knew inside and out. Just
after the machine launched I joined Ocean Software
(at the time the undisputed king of games software)
- I was fortunate enough to work with some
incredibly talented in house developers during my
five year stint, and during many a late night
brainstorm we came up with some radical techniques.
We had the sortless, stack bucket multiplexor (a method of getting 64 arbitrarily positioned sprites out of the standard 8 hardware sprites very quickly), we pioneered full screen, full colour map scrolling and four channel digital audio to name but a few.
I suppose my few major contributions to the 64 scene were the infamous Ocean "Freeload" Turbo Loader (the C64 had the most heinous 300 baud tape IO system) - this Fast Load / Protection system was used on hundreds of Ocean titles and featured the now famous Ocean Loading Music (of which there were several over the years). I also wrote the SID sound drivers (and digi drum player) that was used post Martin Galway.
However, in the annals of 64 game development, I wrote quite possibly the worst conversion ever - Mag Max. In my defence, errr, I have no defence. I can only apologise for such a steaming turd!
We had the sortless, stack bucket multiplexor (a method of getting 64 arbitrarily positioned sprites out of the standard 8 hardware sprites very quickly), we pioneered full screen, full colour map scrolling and four channel digital audio to name but a few.
I suppose my few major contributions to the 64 scene were the infamous Ocean "Freeload" Turbo Loader (the C64 had the most heinous 300 baud tape IO system) - this Fast Load / Protection system was used on hundreds of Ocean titles and featured the now famous Ocean Loading Music (of which there were several over the years). I also wrote the SID sound drivers (and digi drum player) that was used post Martin Galway.
However, in the annals of 64 game development, I wrote quite possibly the worst conversion ever - Mag Max. In my defence, errr, I have no defence. I can only apologise for such a steaming turd!