Munchkin plus for the videopac+ released

Hi all,

I'm proud to present you with a new game for the videopac+ console: Munchkin plus.
Its a videopac+ version of the infamous Munchkin game.

The game will be released in a limited run of 50 copies.
All the packaging and production is complete, so the game is ready for shipping very soon. As of today, the game can be preordered/reserved.

For more information about the game (along with shots of the packaging, screenshots and a movie of the game in action), goto the videopac section of the website and select "munchkin plus".

New Vectrex game - Vectoblox

Hi all,

I am proud to present to you a new vectrex game called "Vectoblox".

VectoBlox is an exciting puzzle game for the Vectrex arcade system, with no less than 40 different puzzles to solve! The player has to clear each puzzle by shoving all the boxes in each level to their respective target area’s.
Are you skilled enough to clear all 40 puzzles ???

Game features:
- Addictive and challenging puzzlegame
- 40 different puzzles + 10 bonus puzzles
- Many other bonus puzzles to be unlocked.

Price: 19 euros + 5 euro S&H

Fore more information and ordering, go to www.revival-studios.com and select Vectoblox from the Vectrex section.

Additionally, i also did a new run of 3D scape carts for sale at 19 euro's + 5 euro S&H. These carts include 3 different demo's for your vectrex. Go to www.revival-studios.com and select 3D Scape cart from the Vectrex section for more information.

Back from Eurocon!

Hi guys (and girls),

I've returned from Eurocon 2007. It has been a great weekend for me!
So here are the latest updates:

- If you want to know what Eurocon is all about, i've written a party report which you can read at www.vectrexnews.com (feature article section).
- I've updated the Vexos Operating system page with new information, screens and audio snippets.
- I've added an overview of Basic command and 2 VexosBasic sourcecodes to the Vexos page.
- Vectoblox is ready to ship, and will be officially announced (along with payment details) in the next few days.

Eurocon 2007 / New vectrex games !!!

Hi All,

Just letting you know i'm doing the final preparation on my new vectrex game called "Vectoblox". The game is a sokoban type of puzzlegame and includes many different levels to play. For more information, select the game from the vectrex menu on the left of my website.

The game will be released at the Eurocon 2007 convention, which will be held on 2-3-4 november 2007 in Zutphen/The Netherlands. For more information about the convention, visit the website at: http://www.retro-gameshop.nl/atari/eurocon2007.htm

Furthermore, i will be releasing the 3D scape democart for the Vectrex at Eurocon as well, as well as demonstrate various products currently in development, including:

- Vexos Operating system
- V:CHIP - chip8 emulator for the vectex
- Radium techdemo
- Stip playable demo
- Munchkin plus (Videopac+)

I hope to meet some of you at Eurocon! So if you have some free time, don't forget to visit!

Misc. news updates

Hi all,

Here are the latest news updates.

- For starters, i fixed a bunch of pages on the www.revival-studios.com website. The pages for Oldskool demo, Vchip emulator, Radium techdemo and a Vectrex WIP page are now up and running.
- Also the pages for free downloads and available cartridges have been fixed.
- I've started work on a multiplatform simulator for the MB Microvision handheld.
- I was able to get myself a 'SuperCharger' for the Atari 2600, so i should be able to test my 2600
stuff on the real thing now.

With a bit of luck, i should be able to bring you more news on my upcoming vectrex stuff soon!

Retro computerdag 2007

Hi All,

Just letting you know i will be visiting the retrocomputerdag 2007 , held on sunday, october 7th 2007 in Schiedam / The Netherlands. If you live in the netherlands, this is definitely worth a visit.

There are a large number of stands with retro computer hardware, and also systems to play on.

I will be demonstrating the following Vectrex games at the event:

FIRST PUBLIC VIEWING OF:
- Vectrex OS - wip.
- V:CHIP , the chip8 emulator for vectrex.
- Vblox - A sokoban like game for the Vectrex.
- Maybe a surprise WIP product.

PUBLIC VIEWING OF:
- 3D Scape cart (3 demos, including Performance VX)
- Radium, 3D texturemapped raycasting demo
- Colorclash
- Stip! - Playable demo

Hope to see you all there. For more information about the event, visit: www.retrocomputerdag.nl

Vectrex: V-CHIP emulator finished

Hi All,

Just letting you know i've finished the V-CHIP emulator today.
V-Chip is a CHIP8 emulator for the Vectrex console.

The emulator runs quite nicely on the vectrex and comes with a bunch of
prepacked games and demos (which are selectable from a menu).

Movies and photos will be posted in the Vectrex section of this page.

Enjoy!

Pixelblocks arrived

Hi All,

Just letting you know that my box of PixelBlocks arrived today, so i might be adding a pixelblocks section to this website soon. Pixelblocks is a kit of small cubeshaped blocks that will allow you to create physical 2d or 3d pixelart (see: www.pixelblocks.com ).

So far i've recreated a Donkey Kong scene (kong, some ladders, the girl and a hammer-whacking mario) as well as a greyscale mario. Hopefully these creations will be up on this site soon.

DML 1.3 finished

Finally, after a good 10 months of development, the latest version of the DML library is finished.
It has tons of new features and extensions, here's a small list:

- All utility libraries merged into libcore.a (coremem/coredebug/corefile)
- Corefile library can mount directories and save files (WIN32)
- Corefile library has virtual harddrive commands (chdir, readdir)
- Blitters moved from DML to Coreblit (for better customisation/optimisation)
- Optimised blitter/memoryfunctions in X86 and ARM assembler
- New blitters: MIX25% / MIX75% / Darken / Lighten
- Full screen anti-aliasing
- Video rescaling options
- Soundstreaming

- New sprite functions: DML_CreateSprite, DML_ClearSprite, DML_DrawZoomedSprite, DML_GetBitmapFromSprite
- New primitive: DML_DrawBezier
- BMP Loader updated (fixed pitch handling)
- TGA Loader updated (interleaving, RLE decompression)
- SaveBitmap function works (WIN32), saves TGA
- Soundsystem updated (setvolume,setpanning,setfrequency,setmastervolume)
- WAV Audio Streaming
- DML extensions system
- Various minor bugfixes and cleanups

DML extensions included:
- JPEG Image loader
- MP3 Audio streaming
- Resource browser
- OpenGL bindings (WIN32)

This is only the tip of the iceberg... really a lot has happened since DML 1.2
DML1.3 is currently running in final testphase for a week now, so work on the ports has started.

expect a release within the next 2 weeks.

Random Status update

Just a random status update from me.
What has happened between last message and now:

- Made some final adjustments on the MegaChip emulator.
- Looked into convertion SuperWorm to the MegaChip (still in development).
- Did some development on an AstroDodge game and a demo for the CHIP8/SuperChip8
- Pixeled a logo for a possible slideshow (multiple platforms).
- Started work on a bunch of small games in DML that act as a sort of sketchbook for their implementations on classic systems (vectrex,coleco,2600,chip8). Basically it allows me to try out some gameplay ideas and see if they work.

First MegaChip roms released

Here is the first game release for the MegaChip8, called: "MegaBlinky".

MegaBlinky is a MegaChip update of the infamous Chip8/SuperChip8 Blinky game, written by: C. Egeberg.

The game includes a title screen, and high resolution color gameplay.

Also, to give you an idea of the capabilities of MegaChip8, a small twisterdemo has been released that features a Twisterbar demoeffect and background music.

You can grab both releases from the CHIP8 section of this website.

MegaChip8 Emulator and Devkit released!

An emulator for MegaChip8, as well as a development kit for the Chip/Superchip/Megachip (including examples) is now available from the CHIP8 section of the website.

SCHIP8 Release: SuperWorm V4

A new release at the CHIP8 section.

I've updated an existing SuperChip8 Game, WORM3 by RB.

The new updated features a new control scheme and better timing, so the game actually becomes more playable than the original.

Introducing Megachip!

While working on my chip8 emulator, i thought of adding a small extension to the chip8 language, that would allow for color graphics and sound.

So here it is: MEGACHIP8!

MEGACHIP offers:
- 256x192 resolution
- Downward compability (you can run your old CHIP/S-CHIP games)
- Indexed coloring (255 colors max + transparency)
- Fixed high-speed speed in megachip mode
- Extended I-register range (24 bit addessing, 32MB max)
- Update timing at ClearScreen
- Custom sprite sizes
- Digitised sound (mono 8bit)
- Ability to set collision color for collision detection

Megachip is a similar CHIP8 extension as done by Erik Bryntse in the early 90s (superchip) and is fully backwards compatible with the CHIP8/SUPERCHIP.

MegaChip is supported in my megachip emulator, and a development kit + examples for development of Chip8/SuperChip8 and Megachip8 applications is available on the website.

July megaproductivity!

Pfew!

With July nearing its end, i must say this has been the most productive month of the year for me!

A short overview:
- development of VectrexOS
- development of a chip8 emulator for DML
- development of a chip8 emulator for the vectrex
- release of performance VX
- development of micro::engine, a small portable software 3D engine.
- develpment on DML1.3 , nearing its release
- development of a chip8 demo: "supertrip8" (more on this soon)
- development of several chip8 roms (including a few gamedemos, more on this soon).
- started development on a DML graphics-demo.

and thats including 2 small holidays i had in july (yes i'm leaving on another mini-holiday tomorrow). So see you all next week, when i'll be posting my CHIP8 stuff.

cheers,

Martijn

micro::engine

hi,

Yesterday i've worked a little on some kind of software demo for DML, which can serve a nice benchmark for DML on various systems... While working on it, i realised it would be nice to have a bunch of software 3D stuff in there as well.

Later that night (1.00am) i decided to write a very tiny software 3D engine for DML that was first of all very easy to use and be very portable...

The result is "micro::engine" , a fully-functional tiny software 3D engine written in C (it exists of only 3 .c files). Ideally for use in simple games and visual demonstrations.

Features:
- Very small/usable interface.
- All Integer/fixed point math.
- Target camera system.

Meshes:
- Supported primitives: Cube, Cylinder, Sphere, Torus, Grid
- Animated primitives: Heightmap, Morphsphere
- Load .OBJ files.

Shaders:
The following shaders are supported:
- dotmode
- wireframe
- flatshading
- gouraudshading
- texturemapping
- environmentmapping

DML1.3 is nearing release

After several months, DML 1.3 is finally nearing release.
A lot of things have been improved, and i am proud to say that the upcoming release will be quite like the system i imagined a couple of years ago when i started developing it.
The system is divided into 3 parts:
- the core system (virt. file acces, memory handling, blitters and debugging)
- the DML system (all video, sound and input handling)
- DML extensions (add.modules layered on top of DML)

The core-system is now feature-complete, and the final touches are done to the DML system, the extensions and the tutorials/examples. Also, i'm currently optimising some of the blitters is assembler, and i realised i kinda forgot about how much ARM assembler rules!

Expect DML1.3 to be announced/released any time soon with versions for WIN32 and GP2X ready, and the other versions (PSP/NDS/etc.) following shortly.

Back from holiday

Hi All,

Just letting you know i just returned from a small holiday i took right after the latest coding sessions (see previous news). With a few weeks of vacation ahead, prepare for more updates soon, including some new releases later this week!

Revival Studios website updated.

Hi everyone,

Some of you might know i release my classic gaming productions under the "Revival Studios" brand. Since the Revival Studios hasn't been updated in a while, i decided to merge my blog with a new revival studios website.

Expect many updates, downloads and day-to-day development news here now and in the future.

Performance VX vectrex demo - rom release

Hi All,

After sitting on my desk for ages, i've decided to release the ROM image for my "Performance VX" vectrex demo.
For information about the demo and download, goto this page.

Vectrex OS progress

More latenight coding has resulted in the following progress for Vexos:

- Basic SVG (Scaled Vector Graphics) support.
- JPG support
- Brainfuck (esoteric language) interpeter
- CHIP8: Graphics-test for emulated VRAM-based pixel plotting
- CHIP8: Emulation core (in progress)

Coding marathon - Vectrex OS

Hi All,

My holiday has started...
As a result, I've currently been up for about 3 days/nights on a coding marathon.

I've been working hard on what might be one of my most ambitious projects on the Vectrex:
A Vectrex OS, called: Vexos.

The OS currently has the following features:
- Drop down menu allows for easy navigation between different files.
- Add all kinds of media to the OS from your PC!!!
- One click binary output using a custom created vectrex filesystem.
- Able to display bitmap graphics (TGA/BMP/PCX formats)
- Able to display vector graphics and animations (VEC format)
- Able to display 3D objects (OBJ format, exportable from 3dsmax)
- Able to display Logo hex-dumps (still unstable)
- Able to run simple basic code (BAS files)
- Able to display text files
- Able to play digtized sound (WAV format, still not very clean)
- Able to play Atari YM music files.

Basically all you could want from an OS/menusystem on your Vectrex.
The best thing is you can now also write your own vectrex programs in BASIC and run them on your Vectrex.

Expect videos, screens and a possible beta to be released soon.

Vectrex - Performance VX demo video

Hi,

I've released a video of the second demo i did on the Vectrex back in 2003, called: Performance VX. This was my first attempt at doing some 3D effects on the console. The demo consists are 5 different parts timed to the music.

Youtube video available here.

Outline party

Hi,

I went to the nice outline atari party, held this weekend in the netherlands.
It was good talking to some old friends who i hadn't seen in a while.

Also, i showed some of my vectrex stuff there, and finally released the Performance VX demo i did back in 2003 to the public. (rom file and video soon available here).

Tons of Coleco/MSX updates

Hi all,

Just letting you know i'm still working hard on various Colecovision/MSX projects, currently the following projects are in development.

- Hokey Pokey (95% finished)
- Event (a 32kb demo) (90% finished)
- Down (55% finished)
- Project:fusion (55% finished)

Early proof of concepts have started for 2 megarom game:
- EFX
- Stip

I expect to have the first screens/movies ready soon, so stay tuned!

d3signer.com goes youtube!

hi all,

Just letting you know i caved in to the youtube hype, as i though it might be a nice way to show some of my stuff to people without them having to run it on the actual hardware.

I've uploaded a few movies so far, including a movie of some of the Gameboy DMG demos i did. Expect other movies from my coleco/msx, vectrex and console work to appear soon.

Please visit my youtube page at: http://www.youtube.com/superogue1

Colecovision/MSX updates.

Hi all,

Its been a little while since i updated on my Colecovision projects.
Just letting you know i just finished a number of tech.demos for the system,
including a plasma, 3d textured tunnels and more, and i'm about 85% completed on my first released game: "Hokey Pokey". This game will utilise the 'wonderpix' technology, which will revolutionize the graphical capabilities of the Colecovision.

I should have screens and movies online soon here.

Munchkin Plus for Videopac

Hi,

Just letting you know i finished Munchkin Plus for the Videopac today. Its a Videopac+ updated version of everyone's favorite Videopac game: K.C. Munckin . The game includes a high quality color plus-background and some other small cosmetic changes.

K.C. Munchkin caused a riot in the 80s when Philips US division Magnavox released the game in the US., since the game had some similarities with pacman. I'm currently working on a proper distribution for this game, so expect to hear more about this soon.

Retro event in Arnhem/The Netherlands

Hi all,

I've been terribly busy lately, so bare with me for the new articles and updates.

Right now, just a quick note about the upcoming 'Retro computer beurs' in the rijnhal/arnhem on sunday the 18th of february. Its the second time it has been held like this, and the location is quite large (its usually used for concerts and stuff). Revival studios will be exhibiting there, and a preview of the forthcoming "Stip" project will be demo'ed.

More soon...

Sid replayer for DML

I've just finished a SID replayer in DML, based on the awesome TinySID engine done by Rainer Sinsch.
It actually came about me wanting to have a SID replay plugin for my GBA micro, so i could take it on the road with me, but alas due to the 6502 and SID emulation, i was only able to get it to run quick enough on approx 6khz replay rate, which isn't too good.
However, on most other platforms it runs fine. It also contains a resource browser, which i'll put up for download soon as well.

DML 1.2 Officially released

Well, after months and months of work, DML 1.2 is finally ready for release.

DML is a multi-platform game programming library that will allow you to develop for multiple platforms simultaniously without altering a single line of code. Supported Platforms are: WIN32, Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo NDS, Sony PS2, Sony PSP, Pocket PC, Sega Dreamcast, MS Smartphone, GP32 and GP2X. Other versions are still in development.

You can now download your own copy, along with a whole lot of excellent tutorials and start console game programming today. Versions for WIN32 and the GP2X are online as of today, the xbox and GP32 versions will follow shortly. Other versions are available for license.

For more information, visit the DML website.

Wonderpix to support Videopac plus.

Hi everyone,

Just a quick blog update after a nightly coding session. I succesfully updated my classic console graphics tool "WonderPix" to support the Videopac+. It was quite a hell to get all working, basically what philips did was to take the existing G7000 videopac and slap on a teletext module, so you are faced with teletekst type standards. a handfull of single-colored 9x10 characters, with a selection of no less than 7 teletext colors :D Anyways, the converter can convert directly to runnable roms.

Thanks a lot to Rene v/d Enden for helping me understand the Videopac+.

Happy new Year!

Happy new year to all !!!

There's a lot of exciting stuff waiting for 2007, with DML now completed on lots of platforms, and the core 3d engine rapidly developing things are looking great.

Meanwhile i've updated my vectrex website at: www.vectrexnews.com
It contains a whole new 2007 layout and lots of new stuff added.