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Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 443

Posted: 11:13am 15 Aug 2026

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Here we go ...

Not a heavy GitHub user, but it works:

PicoMite Attractor

Currently only Missile Command in there as I need to clean up my trashy code and add comments.

This plays against itself, so no actual user control. If anyone want to refactor and add that, go for it.

The autoload part is in there, but in the upload it forces just missile.bas to reload - should be obvious where this is.

Also, no sound.

Used a ST7735S_W - but should work on anything 128x128 - but didnt code anything to cope with different screens as this is what I have ;-)

G

Entropy is not what it used to be

Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
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Posts: 443

Posted: 05:37pm 15 Aug 2026

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Missile Command
Asteroids

AI used to comment the code as I generally skimp on that.
AI also used to get the frame rate up -- it suggested / implemented:

1 - scaling the graphics by x16 and then downsizing (to use Ints)
2 - not using trig but a lookup table
3 - use of Framebuffer on Asteroids for the background BUT drawing the user ship straight on the LCD bypassing the framebuffer - sort of hybrid.
4 - collision detected tweak by AI (still not sure it's 100%)

G

Entropy is not what it used to be

Bleep

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Joined: 09/01/2022
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Posts: 838

Posted: 05:48pm 15 Aug 2026

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Hi Nimue,

I am surprised that 1 & 2 made it faster, I have usually found there is almost no difference using Ints, especially if you then have to rescale; when I, and I think Peter, tried using lookup tables, to speed up Bubble Universe for trig, it was slower?
I do use Int where it's easy loop counts, maths that doesn't require the precision etc.
Have you tried implementing each item and then timing individually.
Regards.
Edited 2026-08-16 03:52 by Bleep

Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 443

Posted: 06:00pm 15 Aug 2026

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Bleep said Hi Nimue,

I am surprised that 1 & 2 made it faster, I have usually found there is almost no difference using Ints, especially if you then have to rescale; when I, and I think Peter, tried using lookup tables, to speed up Bubble Universe for trig, it was slower?
I do use Int where it's easy loop counts, maths that doesn't require the precision etc.
Have you tried implementing each item and then timing individually.
Regards.

Honest answer - no.

Just by inspection of the game on the screen. I was happy with the percieved frame rate.

I implemented them Int first, then look up.

Moving to INTs seems to make a visible difference - so I left it. The look up - not so much as obvious, but I still left it as it didnt break anything.

This raises the "AI" question again, where I was happy to delegate some of the thinking as this was for "fun" and not mission critical -- but I didnt test for sure, so dont have numbers.

I'm working on Space Invaders that AI has done all the heavy lifting after I uploaded the MMBasic Manual - my Missile Command prog and told it what LCD panel it was using.

One prompt and a runnable version stright to the 'Mite.

Lots of tweaking still to do, but it worked first time with my working example to lean on.

Colour me impressed.

Entropy is not what it used to be

mozzie
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Joined: 15/06/2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 418

Posted: 07:35am 16 Aug 2026

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G'day Nimue,
Very nice job on this project, self playing games are a great idea

Downloaded your code from GITHUB and tried out on LCD and it looks neat

After making a few adjustments to try on HDMI (1024x600 Mode2 = 256x150) the following caused an error:

Dim lnew
Dim newload As Integer
Dim attract$ As String

SetTick 180000, lnew

newload = 0

Sub lnew
Select Case 2 'Int(Rnd * 4) + 1
Case 1
attract$ = "defender.bas"
Case 2
attract$ = "asteroids2.bas"
Case 3
attract$ = "lander.bas"
Case 4
attract$ = "missile.bas"
End Select
newload = 1
End Sub

Having LNEW as a variable and a subroutine name should not be possible, this might be causing some problems

Oddly it works on the LCD version but errors on the HDMI version

Regards, Lyle.

Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 443

Posted: 10:26am 16 Aug 2026

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mozzie said G'day Nimue,
Very nice job on this project, self playing games are a great idea

Having LNEW as a variable and a subroutine name should not be possible, this might be causing some problems

Oddly it works on the LCD version but errors on the HDMI version

Regards, Lyle.

That's odd - the error is probably mine.

Dim Lnew as used as Sub as have Option Explicit. Do I not need to do that and just define the sub and call it? Its not a variable - just the sub name.

Getting in a bit of a knot I think (me that is ;-))

G

Entropy is not what it used to be

Mixtel90

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Joined: 05/10/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 9036

Posted: 10:41am 16 Aug 2026

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You should only DIM variables, not Sub names. Strange that it works at all. :)

Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs

Nimue

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Joined: 06/08/2020
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 443

Posted: 11:33am 16 Aug 2026

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Mixtel90 said You should only DIM variables, not Sub names. Strange that it works at all. :)

Yup - fixed / removed.

Not very good at maintaining code, I think at somepoint lnew was going to be a variable with an IF check and it just got left behind.

Thanks
G

Entropy is not what it used to be

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