Fifth entry.. Manual released and adding guard rails to the operating system.
This week, I released the 10 page manual describing the Pinball Command Language, and am getting some great feedback from folks. The goal is to get some feedback on missing features, and also to see if folks like the idea of making rules in the format presented. If you want a copy of the manual, just email me at ceddy(at)nb.net.
There is one thing that is predictable when using pointers in C.. if you aren't careful, you will spend all day looking for mistakes. So after doing that a few times, I went to the trouble of adding some bounds checking. For instance, when a test wants to jump forwards or backwards in a thread, the code now checks to see if you have gone past the end or before the beginning of the thread. It will go to a place where, in the future, a record will be made of the error details. The code also looks for an attempt to use more threads than space is allotted for.. shew, was that a mess when I exceeded the end.
I continue to refine the rules of the game.. the targets 1-6 work fine, the standups behind the rubbers work, the spinner at least sounds and scores. Also, I fixed the lane change.. it goes in the right direction now!
To be done in the next few days..
Proper sounds when starting more than one player, proper sounds and scores when rolling over FIRE rollovers, and at least flashing and sounding (and clearing) FIRE POWER when you get it. Also, when a ball starts, the player lamp flashes, and is sposed to go sloid when you score. That is not yet done.
To be done this month..
I must start on the PC code and transfer software to edit and load a project into the machine.. or I will never be able to get anyone in on this fun.. So the plan is to get started. The only way that I know is to use Borland C++ for windows, so that is the plan. A project will consist of project revision info, machine details, target hardware details(remember, there can be more than one fellow making hardware), tag names for all objects on the playfield, and threads of course. I plan to make a thread tabe of contents to allow easier management of them. The current Firepower has over 60 threads so far. I will allow for the future inclusion of sound files and graphics files.. as that day will surely come.
Then on to the Ohio show! I will have a notebook by the machine for folks to sign into and add comments, leave emails, and such.
I will be the fellow with a laptop connected to Firepower.
Chris~
There is one thing that is predictable when using pointers in C.. if you aren't careful, you will spend all day looking for mistakes. So after doing that a few times, I went to the trouble of adding some bounds checking. For instance, when a test wants to jump forwards or backwards in a thread, the code now checks to see if you have gone past the end or before the beginning of the thread. It will go to a place where, in the future, a record will be made of the error details. The code also looks for an attempt to use more threads than space is allotted for.. shew, was that a mess when I exceeded the end.
I continue to refine the rules of the game.. the targets 1-6 work fine, the standups behind the rubbers work, the spinner at least sounds and scores. Also, I fixed the lane change.. it goes in the right direction now!
To be done in the next few days..
Proper sounds when starting more than one player, proper sounds and scores when rolling over FIRE rollovers, and at least flashing and sounding (and clearing) FIRE POWER when you get it. Also, when a ball starts, the player lamp flashes, and is sposed to go sloid when you score. That is not yet done.
To be done this month..
I must start on the PC code and transfer software to edit and load a project into the machine.. or I will never be able to get anyone in on this fun.. So the plan is to get started. The only way that I know is to use Borland C++ for windows, so that is the plan. A project will consist of project revision info, machine details, target hardware details(remember, there can be more than one fellow making hardware), tag names for all objects on the playfield, and threads of course. I plan to make a thread tabe of contents to allow easier management of them. The current Firepower has over 60 threads so far. I will allow for the future inclusion of sound files and graphics files.. as that day will surely come.
Then on to the Ohio show! I will have a notebook by the machine for folks to sign into and add comments, leave emails, and such.
I will be the fellow with a laptop connected to Firepower.
Chris~
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