F15 D'Gamma Clone

T.M.R has been really busy with quite a few entries for the 'Intro Creation Compo 2019'!  His latest is called 'F15 D'Gamma Clone' and has been released using his C64CD label.  For this entry, I provided the SID music.

If you stalk follow T.M.R around the interwebs, you may have seen something similar to this before.  This intro is a 'conversion' of a crack intro that T.M.R coded for the Apple II, here.

On the C64CD site, T.M.R writes...

"The code and graphics are based on what was created for that original, Apple-flavoured release but with some reworking for the extra resolution of the C64 and converted to characters at the same time. The music was originally composed by Ben Daglish for the Amiga and Atari ST game 3D Galax, with the slick C64 conversion being used here being handled by aNdy.

The extra colour data and soundtrack for this C64 version mean that, if it were handled in the same way as the Apple II code did things, the final intro would have exceeded the competition’s 16K memory limit, but it’s worth noting dear reader that both machines are running at around the same speed so the C64 could have handled a more direct port."

As T.M.R mentions, the Goattracker written SID is a cover of 3D Galax by Ben Daglish, more specifically, the Amiga version of the tune.  I originally starting covering this tune towards the end of 2018, not long after the death of Ben and intended to use it in a dedication release, but unfortunately I just didn't have the time to complete it.

You can download the full intro from CSDb here.

You can also download it from this blog, which also includes the music as a stand-alone SID file, as well as in it's original Goattracker SNG file.  Click here.

You can read more about the intro on T.M.R's blogs here and here.

Alternatively, you can watch the intro in the YouTube video below!  If it doesn't appear, click here...

ICC Anon

The 'Intro Creation Competition' over at CSDb is now in full swing and hot on the heels of my last entry, 'Funky Stars', comes another 16k entry from me that I've rather unimaginatively titled 'ICC Anon' which is designed with old 'Compunet' demos in mind.

This intro is thus called because of the simple PETSCII rendition of the 'Guy Fawkes' mask as used by the 'hactivist' group Anonymous.  The PETSCII was pixelled about 6 months ago when testing my screen editor 'ChillED' and ended up being repurposed for this intro.

The music is called 'tiny BONER' because it is a reworked and slightly remixed excerpt of a larger mod called 'Boner' composed by  Marx Marvelous/TPPI.  This SID is 'rare' in that is was composed with a 6581 in mind, rather than my usual 8580 choice, but should sound fine on either chip.

This intro includes my first use of sprites in the top/bottom borders and while there is absolutely nothing amazing going on code wise, it was an interesting exercise in finding out about the limitations of border use.

If you would like to see the intro in action on an emulator or real hardware, it can be downloaded from CSDb here or direct from this blog here.  The download also contains the ACME source code and all work files, including the SID tune in it's Goattracker .sng format.

T.M.R has also written short pieces on his own blog here and on the main C64CD blog here, as well as recording a video of the intro in action.  The video should appear below, but if not can be found on YouTube here.

Eagles Dare

Cosine has released "Eagles Dare" which features a new SID tune by me!  T.M.R coded this intro as an entry for the 'Intro Creation Competition' over at CSDb.

According to T.M.R on the Cosine website:

"The eagle picture was found on the internet in 2018 when the idea of creating a cover of the Eagle Soft intro was first being considered, but the final modifications to add a floppy disk were added when some already existing scrolling message code was merged into the project... the scrolling message uses Extended Background Colour Mode which is usually limited to the first 64 characters of a font, but in this particular case the text writer can select any character from the 512 available in the C64's character ROM."

T.M.R also has a personal blog entry sharing further thoughts about the intro.  Read that here.

The title of the music is 'Smaciwch fy Ffolennau' which I'll leave you to go and Google translate from Welsh into your chosen language... :D

And now the downloads:  grab the intro from CSDb here or from the Cosine website here.  If you fancy grabbing the intro as well as the music in SID format, along with the original Goattracker music work file for you to poke and prod, download from this blog here.

T.M.R has recorded a video of the intro in action.  It should appear below, but if not can be viewed on YouTube here.

Gamerz Xtreme Intro 2

Cosine has released "Gamerz Xtreme Intro 2" which features a new SID tune by me!  T.M.R coded this intro after a request by Psycho Stick and will be used on the "Gamerz Xtreme" streaming channel, which I believe is moving from Twitch over to Mixer.

According to T.M.R on the Cosine website:

"..the final version of this [intro] was delivered in source code form with a configuration file and build script so, along with being able to add new text for the scrolling message, Psycho Stick could also tweak various visual elements including the raster effects. As the scrolling message notes, it's like an intro maker but without a user friendly interface... This intro would be valid as an Intro Creation Competition (ICC) entry since it only occupies the first 16K of RAM, but it's possible for the scrolling message to extend outside those boundaries if the need should arise."

T.M.R also has a personal blog entry sharing further thoughts about the intro.  Read that here.

As for the music, I was asked by T.M.R a few months back to compose an original tune and was given "S-Express" by C64 legend Jeroen Tel as a reference.  From this tune I surmised that a late 1980's sound was required, thus the "Gamerz Xtreme Theme" (as it became known to me) features quite simple sounding instruments with no filter use or effects. As was customary in the late 80's, the bass line and drums share a channel, while arpeggios chirp away on their own channel and a simple synth lead claims the third channel.  Hopefully I achieved the "sound" I was aiming for!

As mentioned above, T.M.R seemed insistent that the final intro build fit the requirements of an ICC entry, so while composing it occurred to me to set a similar challenge for myself.  There is a compo on CSDb called the "Crack Intro Music Competition" which, like the ICC compo, has a set of "rules" for music.  I followed these rules so in the end the music in this valid ICC entry is also valid for entry in the stand alone music compo!

And now the downloads; multiple sources as usual!  Grab the intro from CSDb here or from the Cosine website here.  If you fancy grabbing the intro as well as the music in SID format, along with the original Goattracker music work file for you to poke and prod, download from this blog here.

T.M.R has recorded a video of the intro in action.  It should appear below, but if not can be viewed on YouTube here.