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thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 04:24pm 20 Dec 2023

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Volhout said Note: the MODBUFF can be any multiple of 4k, and for the largeste Petscii sound file, 180k is working, not 192k.

I know, but I figured it would be sensible to leave some "wiggle room" and I'd rather not have to adjust it again. 192K is one of those magic numbers ... and I can't afford 256K.

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2023-12-21 02:25 by thwill

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 12:21pm 22 Dec 2023

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Hey folks,

This is the best I can muster in the way of a Christmas present:

https://github.com/thwill1000/mmbasic-gamemite/releases/download/v1.2-RC-1/GameMite-1.2-RC-1-full.uf2.zip

Version 1.2 RC 1 - 21-Dec-2023:
- Updated to use standard PicoMite firmware (5.08.00b5).
Required options are:
OPTION SYSTEM SPI GP6,GP3,GP4
OPTION AUTORUN 1,NORESET
OPTION CPUSPEED 252000
OPTION LCDPANEL ILI9341,RLANDSCAPE,GP2,GP1,GP0
OPTION TOUCH GP5,GP7
OPTION SDCARD GP22
OPTION AUDIO GP20,GP21
OPTION MODBUFF ENABLE 192
OPTION PLATFORM "Game*Mite"
- Changed menu program to support multiple pages and be configurable
via the "A:/.gm-menu" file:
- This file will be created on startup if not present.
- CSV file with entries of the form:
<menu-text>,<file-path>
e.g.
PETSCII Robots, B:/mmbasic-robots/robots.bas
- If the <file-path> is not absolute then the program will look first
in "A:/GameMite" and if not found there, in "B:/GameMite".
- Changed startup screen to include image/logo
- and made easier to configure via ".startup" file.
- Added @Volhout's "Circle One" game (v1.1.0) to the program suite.
- Updated program suite to use latest version of 'splib':
System software => v1.2 RC 1
PicoVaders => v1.1.2
Yellow River Kingdom => v1.1.1
3D Maze => v1.1.1
- Reduced size of program suite through better pre-processing.

Thank you to @Volhout for "Circle One" and @vegipete for the splash-screen font/logo.

Alas it appears I get worse, not better at taking photos:

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,

Tom
Edited 2023-12-23 00:01 by thwill

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3801

Posted: 12:49pm 22 Dec 2023

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Photos look good!

John

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 12:50pm 22 Dec 2023

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JohnS said Photos look good!

John

You should see the ones that @bigmik takes, he could have done that for a living.

Best wishes,

Tom

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4228

Posted: 07:02pm 22 Dec 2023

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Hi Tom,

The circle game works nice. You can even run diagonal now (=new).
Thanks for implementing.

You (and Kevin/Martin) did a great job. I just copied petscii robots on the SD card, and could play it when started from the browser. This is the first time I see it being played on an LCD. I will look at adding it to the Game*Mite menu. Thank you (all) !!!

Merry Christmas !!

Volhout
Edited 2023-12-23 05:16 by Volhout

PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 12:34am 23 Dec 2023

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Hi Tom, Volhout, All,

Great effort there, I have just played circle one for 10 minutes (I lost but I was keeping pace for a while there). I love the sound/music in that game.

As to my picture taking, well I have done it for a long time and I generally take at least 6 pictures before I am happy with one and then I do extensive photo-edits to bash it into shape. I concentrate on the focus of the text and then try to minimise reflections on the screen and shiny PCBs. This usually means taking a picture at a slight angle and needing photo editting to skew the image back to the shape and size it should have been. They don't always come out as I hoped.

I will take this opportunity to wish all of the `back shed' community a very Merry Christmas 2023.

Kind Regards,

Mick (The Big one)

.
Edited 2023-12-23 10:34 by bigmik

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

mozzie
Regular Member

Joined: 15/06/2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 68

Posted: 02:37am 29 Dec 2023

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G'day Tom,
The Game*Mite turned out to be a mighty fine unit, congratulations

If Mick has some boards / kit left I might need to put in an order

(I know this is a bit late, been working in remote Aus)

Regards,
Lyle.

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 02:47am 29 Dec 2023

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mozzie said
If Mick has some boards / kit left I might need to put in an order

GDay Mozzie, All,

I have some available.

I will PM you now with my contact details if you are interested in anything

Kind Regards,

Mick (The Big one)

.

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

karlelch

Senior Member

Joined: 30/10/2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 172

Posted: 07:31am 30 Dec 2023

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Hi Tom et al.,

over christmas, I finally found the time to assemble the Game*Mite. The kit you sent me and the assembly description is excellent!! It took me about 2 hours as I was being carefull not to make a mistake, but the instructions were clear and straight forward to follow. Really a pleasure.

The Game*Mite worked with the new firmware right from the start

There is only one "issue" - not so much for me but for my wife ... no headphone jack, just a speaker. I guess I will not be allowed to use it with any sound when she is around ...

Cheers and happy new year
Thomas

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 02:44pm 30 Dec 2023

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Hi Thomas,

I'm very pleased to hear that your build turned out well and you are happy with the Game*Mite.

Possibly you could tell your wife that you need the sound turned up in order to block out the noise of the very clicky tac-switches

. Seriously though perhaps a future Game*Mite should have a headphone socket.

Best wishes,

Tom

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 06:25pm 07 Jan 2024

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Happy New Year folks,

A minor update to the Game*Mite software:

https://github.com/thwill1000/mmbasic-gamemite/releases/download/v1.2-RC-2/GameMite-1.2-RC-2.uf2.zip

Version 1.2 RC 2 - 7-Jan-2024:
- Updated PicoVaders => v1.1.3 fixing issue where the game would slow
down and become unplayable once most of the aliens were destroyed.

I have also done some work on the README and I am working on updating the "manual".

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-01-08 04:39 by thwill

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

Pluto
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Joined: 09/06/2017
Location: Finland
Posts: 357

Posted: 06:44pm 07 Jan 2024

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Loved by grandchildren (and older generations):

Pluto

Volhout
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Joined: 05/03/2018
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 4228

Posted: 06:45pm 07 Jan 2024

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Works well,

Thanks for the update.

Volhout

PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 06:51pm 07 Jan 2024

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Pluto said Loved by grandchildren (and older generations):

Neat.

I'm guessing that must be a clone and not @bigmik's PCB ?

What's the enclosure, not a 3D print by the looks of it ?

I'd love to see inside.

Best wishes,

Tom
Edited 2024-01-08 04:57 by thwill

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

Pluto
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Joined: 09/06/2017
Location: Finland
Posts: 357

Posted: 07:46pm 07 Jan 2024

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Tom,
it is not only a clone; it is more like a clown.

Enclosure from some old recycled (BOSCH) equipment. Can't remember what it contained.

LCD attached to a scrap PCB used as support for the various modules (SD, Charger, Pico and PAM8302 audio. Black thin box on left side is a recycled laptop speaker. Battery recycled from an old laptop.

Inside looks very much like a transistor radio from the sixties:

Believe it or not; It works!

The longer cables are soft silicone wires which enables the PCB to be removed from the box without need to desolder anything. Servicefriendly!

The only problem I had was with the (cheap) switches. Was corrected by with CRC Contact Protect.
PAM8302 sound is (fortunately) not too loud!

Pluto

thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4037

Posted: 08:21pm 07 Jan 2024

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Even messier than the prototypes

.

It's awesome, I love it.

Best wishes,

Tom

Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures

Pluto
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Joined: 09/06/2017
Location: Finland
Posts: 357

Posted: 08:27pm 07 Jan 2024

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Thanks Tom for a nice project and being so polite

Mixtel90

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Joined: 05/10/2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 6786

Posted: 08:49pm 07 Jan 2024

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I used to build stuff "dead bug" style. Beauties like this remind me of those times. :)

Interestingly shaped box. I wonder what it was? Possibly a mains cut-out or something?

Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs

stanleyella