Karoshi MSX Community

Welcome to the first MSX-BASIC Game Contest organized by the Karoshi Corporation Forum Boards!. Now I'll detail the basics of the contest:


Program format

The game should be presented in .BAS format, and it must run on MSX1. The program can have a maximum size of 24 KB, no matter the number of lines used. Inside the listing, no MC routines could be created or invoked (except BIOS calls): the code should be pure BASIC. At the end of the contest, and official .DSK image will be published with all games inside!.


Program contents

The programs must be videogames. The genre and theme is free. Although the game could be based on other existing game, THE PROGRAM SHOULD BE ORIGINAL. PREVIOUSLY RELEASED MATERIAL WON'T BE ALLOWED. The punishment for copied material presented will cause instant disqualification of the game.


Juror

The only juror will be the well known developer Albert Beevendorp (BiFi) from The New Image, author of romload and Palette Editor among other applications and with a huge knowledge of everything about the MSX system.


Prize

The winner will receive an official Karoshi certificate in PDF format, that demonstrates his victory in the contest ;), and an english edition of the book The Complete MSX Programmers Guide by Toshiyuki Sato, Paul Mapstone, Isabella Muriel, kindly donated by Eduardo Robsy.


Dates

17th January 2006.- The contest starts
15th February 2006.- Last day to send entries to the contest
28th February 2006.- Jury's decision will be published


Sending a program

You must send the program in a .BAS format, with english instructions and a cover (optional), to the following email: viejo_archivero[at]karoshicorp[dot]com

Good luck, and start coding! :)


ENTRIES:

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Mars Lander (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/marslander.zip) 1st PRIZE![/size]
Submitted by: Crappysoft (Juan manuel Gómez aka DarthFistro (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=39) & David Casanovas aka RC743 (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=55))
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/marslander01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/marslander02.gif)

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Memory Game (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/Memory%20Game.rar)
Submitted by: Paulo Silva aka nitrofurano (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=73)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/memo01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/memo02.gif)

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Pointless Drive (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/PointlessDrive.zip)
Submitted by: Robert J. Hill aka boblet (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=65)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/point02.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/point01.gif)

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Colmena (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/COLMENA.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/colmena01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/colmena02.gif)

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Eletron (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/ELETRON.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/eletron01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/eletron02.gif)

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Faeton (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/FAETON.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/faeton01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/faeton02.gif)

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Ito Ipi (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/ITOIPI.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/itoipi01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/itoipi02.gif)

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Speed Black (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/S-BLACK.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/sblack01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/sblack02.gif)

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Ta Yu (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/TAYU.zip)
Submitted by: Jose Javier Franco Benitez aka jjfranco (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=79)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/tayu01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/tayu02.gif)

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Solitario (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/solitario.zip)
Submitted by: Paulo Silva aka nitrofurano (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=73)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/solitar01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/solitar02.gif)

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Police Force (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/policeforce.zip) NEW!
Submitted by: Yemani Soft (Germán Gómez Herrera)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/policeforce01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/policeforce02.gif)

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Fireplay (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/fireplay.zip) NEW!
Submitted by: Yemani Soft (Germán Gómez Herrera)
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/fireplay01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/fireplay02.gif)

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Drink It! (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/drinkit.zip)
Submitted by: Crappysoft (Juan manuel Gómez aka DarthFistro (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=39) & David Casanovas aka RC743 (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=55))
(http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/drinkit01.gif) (http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/web/karoshicorp/foro/basic/drinkit02.gif)

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Maze Chase (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/mazechase/mazechase.zip) Submitted after the deadline - NOT TO BE JUDGED
Submitted by: Area 51 (Jose Luis Tur aka jltursan (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?action=profile;u=37))
(http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/mazechase/mazechase01.png) (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/mazechase/mazechase02.png)

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RESULTADOS · RESULTS (http://www.msxgamesbox.com/karoshi/index.php?topic=138.0) (Albert Beevendorp)

(modified: wrong message posted here, sorry)

Erm, I'm looking at rules and it says "The program can have a maximum size of 24 KB, no matter the number of lines used" does that mean we can use datafiles "in addition to" our program? ;D or is the entire submission a single file of 24k called [something].bas ?

Pure BASIC. And you cannot use any machine code, not even including it with DATAs, POKEing it into the memory and then calling it with DEF USR. No way: just pure BASIC! DEF USR is allowed to call addresses between 0000h and 7FFFh.

So, slow copies from DATAs to VRAM are required.  :(

I was thinking bload"filename",s oh well

I am afraid not - remember that BLOAD"some",S will not work on all MSX computers. Too sad.

it wont??? which ones man?

MSX1 without disk drive (main target of the contest)

okey doke, it would be plan B, but I can't do plan B either, so it'll be (plan A)/2 or (plan b)/2  :D

so I'll save full fat version for non compo thing, ah well, back to it!! ^_^

The first entry has been sent: it's Memory Game, from nitrofurano. Go grab it in the first post of the thread!.

An game is sent!

Super driving fastly in red sportscar! *cough*

roadfighter, it is not...
:)

*added* erm... yes.. when sending someone files, one should fix bugs, then send the files again.. and.. er.. still have bugs.

all bugs squished, will send new version tomorrow so that you don't think I'm spamming you to death with crap :)
the version on my website is the final version and contains all fixes.

for those that don't know what that means it's http://www.bobamu.co.uk/transfer/karoshi/PointlessDrive.zip

Wow, I saw Pointless Drive in action earlier, but now that I have actually played it I can finally say:

o_O WHAT?! O_o

;)

Actually, it reminds me of many poorly translated crap games I was forced to play as a child. Ah the memories...

EDIT:

The Memory Game is ;D ;D ;D! Shame it takes so long to get the graphics calculated on a real MSX

it's fully pointless :)

and the memory game is cool!  but don't worry, maybe I could make an evolution of the counting kittens game
"DO YOU REMEMBER HOW MANY KITTENS THERE WERE?"

Hmm, dazzling!

Another kittens game! Hurray!

'For to count kittens achieve ranking top mode!'

Kittens are cute.

Beware your sanity though...

TREES!

Indeed!, I don't know why; but it remembers me Miró paintings... ;D

Later in home I'll give a look at PointlessDrive, sounds promising at least ::)

don't forget to print out the cassette inlay and record it onto tape for that full effect and be the "envy" of all onlookers... ;D

sometimes you can't tell a game from it's title, this time you can!

ok, now for "POINTLESS KITTENS"

Gotta love this Pointless Drive, it just remember me those ancient BASIC games written in the MSX magazines!. Nice game!, and features vertical scroll!. Good one, boblet!  sjp:)

This Pointless Drive is pretty funny and tricky  :P :P.Simple and direct,anything else?

Congrats,boblet!A good work :)

KNM
Crush!

Luv the game, Boblet! And the instructions too  ;D

Congratulations! Looking forward to see more games like that!

Lets see if I can finish my game during this weekend. It is going to be weird...  ;)

Hehehe mine too!. Now is time to unleash the title of my BASIC game!: The Maze of Yie-Gah!. Muahaha, let your mind fly :).

Yie-Gah hmm, I know that name from somewhere ^_^ sounds like we might be having a kung-fu epic on our hands!
can't wait to see the rest of the basic games turning up :)  ;D

Ehum, not exactly!. I'll point some basics of the game story. The emperor YieGah, with the help of gangstas Fratelli, has kidnapped Lee Young and trapped him inside his vast and intrincated castle. Helped with the power of Magic Bells, our specialist on mazes, Popolon, will have the hunt of his life trying to save our most loved martial artist. But he won't be alone in his quest: Pentarou will help him to solve the misteries within the evil fortress, fighting with dark "options", evading Rascals' killer croissants, etc, til' he reaches the final fight against the emperor himself!.
Don't miss The Maze of Yie-Gah, this one will be freakin' wierd!  :guitar:

maybe it's a subconscient work - maybe the next ones would make you remember Schiele, Pollock or Henry Moore... ;-)

(if it's a cumpliment, thanks - i enjoy Miró paintings a lot!!! :-)  )

I confess i were not having good ideas for the card drawings - my first try were using screenshots from Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space (now creative commons), but the pictures were not recognizable enough - so, i tried some shapes with 5 edges drawn by  mouse (inkscape) and choosing the colours randomly (i coded a wxbasic small generator just for this...  (a simple for-next with a rnd inside))

This thing sounds promising...bizarre!! ;D ;D ;D ;D.CAN´T WAIT TO PLAY IT,DUDE !!! :guitar: :guitar:

KNM
"Everybody loves Kung Fu fighting!" sjp:) nnchks:)

¿Uh?, my game is gonna be based around mazes too!! :o. I'll call it "The Alan Parsons Project", bwahahahahahah!
euh, or maybe just "maze chase"... ::)


Sure!, maybe not the shapes; but the use of primary colors it's very Miro-esque (with a liitle bit less white than the originals, of course). Btw, great work!, now you can try to work on a (ultra-fast) assembler version, the slow initialization is the only weakness of the game... :)

Hey, a funny game this Pointless drive!  :D The name itselft deserves a prize!  ;D
Congrats to the author  ;)

Hey, gang, what's up with your game's titles? What have you smoked?  ;D I can't wait for your crazy productions! :D

I don't wanna disappoint you; but mine it's a very serious one... :P. It could be subtitled as "Megaman's young adventures" ;D

/me waiting a Crappy soft production too  :spank:

Six games more for the contest!. Jose Javier sent me during the weekend a pack with the following games:

Ta Yu - Interesting mix between shooter and puzzle. Save your lasers, dude!
Faeton - Try to kill those moving aliens!
Colmena - Galaxian meets vertical scroll?  :o
Speed Black - Avoid the black balls to reach the final boss!
Eletron - Pipe Mania?, Crazy Train?... no... it's Eletron!
Ito Ipi - A not so conventional Pac Man.

Grab them in the first message of this thread!. Go for them now! cmptr:)

Another update!

nitrofu's Memory Game has been updated!. In this new version the VRAM transfer time has been strongly reduced!!.  :D

Just another new game!. This time is Solitario, another game by nitrofurano!. Enjoy it!... btw, everybody start polishin' his entries because there is only a week left to the deadline of the contest!. Keep the games coming!  :spank:

Can you use a separate gfx file ore do it have to be in the basic code?

All in the code! (isn't it, Jon?) - Afaik, you can use hexdumps, base64 or whatever, but paying hard with slowness... (zzzzzzz....)

Pure BASIC, lord zett: everything inside the same listing  ;), no external binaries.

Hey, congrats, nitrofurano, a very nice game! :D

By the way, why is everybody choosing screen 2 as the default mode, in spite of having to wait for the character sets to be loaded? It's not you, nitrofurano, I mean we could use screen 1, g.e., decrease the loading times/memory and pack the games in rom format :D

You are the busiest MSX user here!  ;)

Keep the good work!  :D

Indeed!. With intro screen the game looks much better! ;)
Btw, you can hide and speed the charset loading by doing before the load routine :


and again after the charset has been loaded to enable the screen.

The only drawback is you can't show nothing at all to the user while loading... :(

i used this hiding trick around 20 years ago! :-) - my concern, as told Robsy (missing the promised submits from him...),  i wanted to have some distracting stuff during the half minute of it (some kind of animations or filosofical citations would be great as well, i don't know - boring would be half minute of blank screen (at least in my oppinion))

thanks - the most important i think i got, would be trying to encouraging people (concorrence) at a some level of development  (humbly, i'm not saying my submits are state of art, but i tried to do a small effort in that direction, as i wanted to see from others as well, as i think we all are curious to see - games can be or can look inovative, or whatever - stuff you never saw before) - i couldn't post in time an original game (in concept) a bit based on tetris (who knows until december 06...)

the problem is the huge limitations of the pure msx-basic screen1... (one colour attribute to each 8 (or 4) characters, instead of one colour attribute per 8x1 pixels)

Thank you karoshi for setting BASIC game competition and thank you everybody who programmed games for it!  :D

I would like to ask about the future of BASIC game contest, as it seems to be success when counting how many new BASIC games there are now!

One month may be enough to program nice BASIC game, but I feel like that not everybody can join within such short time. That´s a pity.  :(

Of course people can put their BASIC games to MSXDEV contest, but I feel much like that BASIC games are not appreciated the way they should when they are compared against machine code games. Like in judging Snoopy town´s graphics "Very very simple with visible build-up."....

So I would like the idea of having separate BASIC game contest same time with MSXdEV. Thought I understand that it may not be fair for BASIC games as well made BASIC games can surely be better than some/many machine code games.

What do you think about this??  ???

I don't want to see one entry from you on december '06... I want to see FIVE or SIX  ;D
Very nice games and visually stunning! Every effort is appreciated, so please don't hesitate to send more and more games! ;)

the problem is the huge limitations of the pure msx-basic screen1... (one colour attribute to each 8 (or 4) characters, instead of one colour attribute per 8x1 pixels)

Yes, very Spectrum-alike (I like it, by the way). But I was thinking in terms of loading times. Anyway, you can make a colorful version for sc2 later an pack it in a ROM with an asm loader and send it to MSX dev'06! :D

Yes, I think the period should be increased, you're right and also because now people will tend to forget MSX until November, when they'll begin to program like mad people and many games will not be completed! ;) Grrrr... we're lazy, gentlemen :D So a bigger contest maybe in summer could maintain our entusiasm at a very high level!


Basic games aren't very spectacular, but I think the effort is what counts, and the fact they're free games! So thanks to every author first! :) Maybe a separate section would be fine, but the actual format is fine also. Anyway, a good basic program is always a good program :)

I have thought same thing, longer period would be nicer to program in BASIC, but it can make people lazier...  :D  But even still I would like to have longer period for BASIC game contest.  :)

And I totally agree, good basic program IS always A GOOD PROGRAM!  ;)

the good of this competition is now we are curious to know how can we recode them in asm....  >:D >:D >:D >:D >:D