VSCREEN Release notes

VScreen 1.0 Released 27 Aug 2005:

The changes include:

  • Major code update / memory usage optimization / bug fixing.
  • Changed structure of .lev files (not compatible with previous versions).
  • Support .sc4 file format.

VScreen 0.9a Released 05 Oct 2004:

The change includes:

  • Two new bonus types: Power (invincible) and Life (1up)
  • Independent movement and collision properties for NPC (any mix is now possible)
  • New collision types: 0/Normal (jump on NPC to kill), 1/No collision (no collision possible), 2/Platform (treat NPC as a moving “platform”), 3/Deadly (any contact kills main character), 4/Bouncy (bounce on NPC but can’t kill it 🙂
  • Parallax 2x8x8 scrolling (tiles 165 & 166), try dark.lev F1 = Pause Key
  • Support for Joystick enabled
  • Basic menu available to selecting frequency/controls/music (music isn’t fully functional yet)
  • Links between levels is now possible, up to 10 different exits per stage to different levels
  • Fixed yet another bug in the moving platforms
  • Separated movement types and collision type for NPC
  • Possibility to add new control types (i.e: swimming, flying, sliding), although not activated yet due to lack of GFX

VScreen 0.8 Released 10 Aug 2004:

The change includes:

  • Enemies type 2 added. Stop and turn back when they hit a wall, stop or jump down when they reach a cliff. Possibility to make them ‘bounce’
  • Enemies type 3 added.
  • Stop and turn back when they hit a wall or reach a cliff.
  • Load .lev files from VScreen Editor for PC 0.8.
  • Less parameters hard coded. (Number of bonus to collect, Level Name,…).
  • Possibility to dynamically set level Width and Height (read from .lev file).
  • Animated lethal patterns (flames).
  • Possibility to go up / down ladders.
  • Major code update: Optimization / memory map / Loading system.
  • Fixed bug in moving platforms.
  • Speed/gravity/inertia loaded as parameters (.lev file).
  • Bridges working both ways.
  • Keyboard remap. Space=Jump/Up = Up Ladder/Down = down ladder.
  • Removed the rebound effect when holding the ‘jump’ button down.

VScreen 0.7 Released 29 Dec 2003:

The change includes:

  • Automatic bridge creation when hitting switches.
  • Trampolines !!
  • Display of text in the score bar implemented. Text can be triggered by any event (collecting x stars, opening doors…).
  • Bug fixed in the replayer routine, now works with FM-Pac as well.
  • Stage exit implemented.
  • Updated demo stage GFX made by Sutchan (very cool ones, try vsload sutchan)

VScreen 0.6 Released 26 Oct 2003:

The change includes:

  • Splitting of the code between the loader and standard routines part (vsload.gen) and the main game engine (vscreen.gen). This should reduce code size and compilation time. New macros are used to make the code easier to read.
  • Memory-mapper routines are now MSX-DOS2 compatible.</p> </li> <li> <p>Music is implemented (Moonblaster replayer). The very nice demo music has been provided by Jorrith Schaap, aka Jorito. Thanks a lot man 🙂
  • Sprites of the demo version have been replaced to avoid copyright issues. New enemies sprites are coming from the unreleased game Puddle Land with the agreement of the Author, Sutchan. Thanks to you too 🙂
  • It’s now possible to break blocks by hitting them with the head.
  • Exit doors opens when x stars are collected.
  • Moving platforms are implemented.
  • Code optimization: When 3 or 4 enemies were displayed on the screen, garbage started to appear in 60hz mode. Z80 is showing its limits… This was due to the fact that the screen was completely redrawn at every frame as well as the patterns of all the sprites. Redrawing the screen now only happens when necessary, that is when vertical or horizontal scrolling is > 8 points (or one block), or when something has changed in the screen (broken block, star collected). During the frame when the screen is completely redrawn the sprites patterns are NOT updated (but their positions are updated). Instead, sprite patterns update is delayed till the next frame. This is almost invisible for the player and allows to save a lot of CPU processing.
  • Some minor bugs fixed in sc5tospr.bas (screen 5 to sprites data) and editor.com.

VScreen 0.5 Released 05 Oct 2003

the change includes:

  • Border clipping mask enabled (using 22 sprites).
  • Modification in the split mode code. This should reduce garbage in 7mhz and TurboR (not tested)
  • Display of score, number of stars collected, number of lives remaining.

VScreen 0.4 Released 30 Sep 2003:

the change includes:

  • Support for sound effects in SEE format (‘levelname’.see)
  • Collision detection with enemies implemented. Enemies can be killed by jumping on them, and they can kill you too 🙂
  • Stars can be collected
  • Improved split screen support for display of ‘Score bar’ in screen 5.
  • Some bugs removed and minor optimization.

VScreen 0.3 Released 30 Sep 2003:

the change includes:

  • Support for sound effects in SEE format (‘levelname’.see)
  • Collision detection with enemies implemented. Enemies can be killed by jumping on them, and they can kill you too 🙂
  • Enemies movements and positions are now stored in a file outside the source code (‘levelname’.com)
  • Stars can be collected
  • Split screen support for display of ‘Score bar’ in screen 5.
  • Some bugs removed and minor optimization.

VScreen 0.2 Released 28 Sep 2003:

the changes include:

  • Enemies implemented, basic moving patterns, no collision detection yet.
  • Scrolling in all directions at any speed.