How To Make An Atari Game

[MikeyS9607]

I got it working, and the code here is great. Will post response later.

[keoni29]

I tried to make my own, but the screen glitches like crazy. I do have a drawscreen loop.

[bobamaluma]

Is it possible, that this doesn't work for european pc's or what???

[bobamaluma]

The program says the expression "COLUBK" is wrong!!!!

[Matrix803]

Just out of curiosity, would this game work on a real Atari if you put your game on a cart somehow?

[Metal6Is6Art6]

When I press play, an error shows: "Argument can't be Nothing. Parameter name: file"

[Kaito4525]

You don't make it in to a cartridge, it's a downloaded emulator.

Dumbass below me.

[SenolMedia]

then, how do you make it into an cartridge.....?

[rocketrroller55]

@SenolMedia Goto atariage.com --> store you can get it into a cartridge for $20

[VinegarEel]

@SenolMedia This is for a computer emulator, so there is no need to move the game into a cartridge.

[fpvshitsonhsv]

I just get a flashing screen and i copyed the video to the exact values

[addictgnome]

HELP!!!!! I keep getting errors when I try to compile/recompile a code? even if I never change anything? I have windows 7. Sometimes I get "system path does not include" or sed.exe not founde. I dont get what im missing? I have visual batari, batari basic, the sound library, why cant i compile and play game? I can play if I dont try to compile, and sometimes it deletes the bas.bin?

[jinpayne]

Okay, all of us are having MANY problems with it, can you please redo this video, we are very confused, it is difficult to tell if you are putting spaces or not. Please try and help us.

[TheXXNESTERXx]

where can I download the BASIC language ?

[abcd82442]

It won't let me compile and run my code help

[ColeSlawProductions]

My .SPR and .PLA editors aren't working, but i coded them both out manually, and if you want to change the color of a sprite, type "COLUP" then the number of the sprite, like player 0 is "COLUP0" and player 1 is "COLUP1" and so on, then you set it equal to a color value the same way you did for the playfield color. Example: "COLUP1 = $DA" would set Player 1's color to green.

[VinegarEel]

The .pla and the .spr editors are down. HELP!!!

[ColeSlawProductions]

I couldn't compile my projects for a while, but i needed the "Add bB Environment Variable" and "Add Bb Compiler to system path" checkboxes checked, and then i go it working fine! I like it a lot!

[TrueDarkNesa]

Ugh... I try playing my game and all is there is a black screen. HELP ME.

[gavinj64738]

this is great

[VinegarEel]

Environment variable bB not set!

Precompilation failed, aborted at 8/15/2011 5:31:37 AM

[8/15/2011 5:31:47 AM] Could not locate default.bas.bin. Attempting recompile...

Environment variable bB not set!

Precompilation failed, aborted at 8/15/2011 5:31:47 AM

[TrueDarkNesa]

@VinegarEel I know! I get this error, and it's pissing me off. He doesn't explain how the hell you locate this shit! I've done everything he said to set it up, and I get this damn error.

[TrueDarkNesa]

@VinegarEel Oh, I think I know how to stop this. Go to Settings, select the boxes 'Add bB Environent Variable' and 'Add bB Compiler to system path'. That's how I got the compiler to work. As for the .bin thing, GOD DAMMIT!

[rocketrroller55]

@VinegarEel How do you fix it?? Is it something to do with 64 bit vs 32 bit?

[Triumphguy1]

oh, so i guess that is how atari games are made?

weird

[MikeyS9607]

In theory you could do all the typing up code in notepad/notepad++, but then I think you'd need a compiler

[Slovenija12345]

i added name of video my error please help meeeee!

visual bb error (its on my chanel)

[Dillybar777]

it says "sed.exe file not located. please send sed.exe to desktop. HELP!

[peep5167]

When i double click on playfield it says "cannot open want to open in notepad?"

[DmajikDesign]

@peep5167 same to you too

[ChildsViewReviews]

@peep5167 you should download the program from atariage and it will work.

[DragonChaserKev]

@peep5167 yes this is the first issue I have as well. I will contiue on though.

[DragonChaserKev]

@DragonChaserKev - solved - closed batari, reopened it and reopend the project, double clicked the playfield and it opened in the playfield editor. :)

[TheBob770]

I keep getting a "Code must be active in the editor" error when I try to compile, even though I did everything exactly like you did. Please help.

[DmajikDesign]

@TheBob770 same here

[clayfreak123]

my bB compiler isnt working what should i do

[Wrestlingthemeremix]

"Environment variable bB not set!" help plz



[ZerODesignes0]

What program did you use for edit this video? plz answer

[NOOBNUT08]

@gigafide The link is dead and this tutorial is out of date.

Could you please update this video.

[IkeGaineyFilms]

Gigafide knows just about everything, doesn't he?

[2842061t]

who the hell even plays atari games

[TompanX]

@2842061t i mo'fucking do

[MRXkick]

@shamrock5540 And what did you think that they just type 3 words and the game is finished?!!?

[cmarshall1018]

@MRXkick and even back then in the 80s they did this by hand by writing this down on PAPER!

[dsandi100]

@shamrock5540 Try making a windows game, im sure you will shit your pants.

[BeyondTaking]

@dsandi100 i agree the bBasic language is way simpler then i thought

[BouncekDeLemos]

Got confused after missile commands... but nice tutorial. :3

[XTdarkgainTX]

my head ...just blow

[JoelB3783]

What software did you use to make this video?

[ChocosoftPC]

@JoelB3783 adobe after effects!

[WhatTheFeatherTV]

link broken................

[jegford]

@gigafide i cant open the link to your forum so i cant download the files, any help?

[stupidcrapcanyonlake]

i like how this code is total shit. tinkernut, im sorry, but you really suck at batari BASIC.

[gdy571999]

Helped alot tahnk you

[lase2312]

Great tutorial!! Thanx a lot!!

[CsDy1395]

I keep getting an error when I try to play!

I'm fine until 3:11, but when I compile and try to play my game, when I push play, it says:

Could not locate default.bas.bin and could not recompile. Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly.

Please help!

[gjc82071]

@CsDy1395 Me too! I get the same error/message. I tried copy/pasting default.bas to every VBBatari folder. Nothing seems to work. Has anybody figured out what the problems is ore more importantly, HOW to remedy/fix it?

[jjmafiae]

yes a new link

[MidnightWonko]

Wow...why does this video stop so frequently even though it's got a boatload of a buffer already loaded up?

Seriously, please educate me. I'd like to learn what's going on here.

[Bednesti38]

@MidnightWonko same problem for me

[gjc82071]

@MidnightWonko Just download/save the video like I did. It actually takes much less time to to download it, than to wait for it to load/watch it. Then you have it permanently & can reference it @ your leisure & without having to go online.

[DrN0OB]

tinkernut_world.zip

visual_bbasic.exe tutorial no longer works especially for X64 systems. The links are dead

If you have tinkernuts files pelase post a link for everyone

[DrN0OB]

compiler does not work with any 64bit O.S. sigh

[CsDy1395]

@DrN0OB If you google visual bB, and go to the official forum post on AtariAge, there should be an "optional" section on the forum post with a 64 bit version, where you just replace a couple of the files with the normal bB download. I've got x64, and it works for me after doing that.

[gjc82071]

@CsDy1395 Awesome tutorial I JUST started trying to learn how to program vintage systems (Atari, Commodore, etc). I have so many questions & this cleared some of them up. BTW, do you know how to use VbB & make/program Atari games? I'd like to ask somebody who knows how, a few questions. Like, can you program "platform" games with VbB? Or, take a game like Donkey Kong. How do the barrels know "where" to go? Does it have to do with "if/then" statements? How can you "climb" ladders/stuff?

[gjc82071]

@CsDy1395 Hello. Do you know how to use VisualBBatari? If so, do you know what is causing/how to remedy the error: "Could not locate default.bas.bin and could not recompile. Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly"?

[UltraAceCombat]

Excellent tutorial, took a while to figure it out but it works great!

[smoothie12446]

Isnt gamemaker 8 better?

[UltraAceCombat]

@smoothie12446

Are you talking about the one by yoyo games? You can't make Atari games with that. This is a tutorial for the console, not a computer.

[gdy571999]

Also when I try to run my game it says code must be active in the editor to run in emulation. Please help

[gdy571999]

I am doing everthing y our telling to do in this video but when ever I try to open the editor, it says invalid playfield. Please help me :(

[NejiHyuga900]

Fact: The first home video game console ever made was Magnavox Odyssey, which was released in 1772.

[supersporkspank]

@NejiHyuga900 You mean 1972.

[NejiHyuga900]

@supersporkspank - I thought I wrote 1972. I didn't notice that I made a typo.

[maiki60fps]

the problem with this Batari Basic is that it allows nerds to "enter the market" - Atari 2600 coding has been for years question of mastering the display kernel thus not allowing lazy Basic / Pascal geeks to flood the system with cheap rubbish although I admit it can be a good start to undestand the system and then start the real 2600 coding and create real games like Frosty, Lady Bug, Thrust, Juno First and many many others...!

[SuperFraxy]

cool dude

[greatmovies334]

do u know how to make a nes game?

[TheKubes101]

I folled every thing that you said and guss wat it didnt work

[linkfan770]

it says "code must be active in the editor to run in emulation"

help...?

[TheJeli125]

@linkfan770 just double click on the code so it appears on screen and then try

[gjc82071]

@TheJeli125 Hello. Do you know what I keep getting the error ""Could not locate default.bas and could not recompile. Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly"? It's annoying the hell out of me. I tried copy/pasting default.bas to every folder in VbB.

[TheJeli125]

@gjc82071 Hi. Sorry I get the same error.

[gjc82071]

@TheJeli125 I "fixed" it, I think? LOL. It's doing it again now, but I DID actually get everything to work. I downloaded different versions of Visual Batari Basic, & Batari Basic (you need both) & set the paths properly. After I deleted my Project Folder & tried again, I then got the same error. I am kind of narrowing things down I guess. I am gonna try again though & think I know how to solve the problem now. Do you want the version info/the ones I used? We can try & help each other.

[TheJeli125]

@gjc82071 i really dont know i can compile it but it won't play. : (

[gjc82071]

So you CAN compile then? Didn't you say that you were also getting the error "Could not locate default.bas and could not recompile. Please check to make sure it was compiled correctly"? If you ARE compiling, it might be your emulator path. You do have the Stella emulator right? I think we can work/figure out your problem. Initially I had the same error, but downloaded new VbB/Bb versions. I copied exactly, everything in this video, & then played the "game", when done. It does work.

[TheJeli125]

@gjc82071 yup i just tried and then i could compile... kinda

it doesn't actully make a game so, yes and no

[gjc82071]

@TheJeli125 Well, I think this is more of a tutorial of what CAN be done with VbB. You'd need to know more about Batari Basic coding & stuff. I want to try....On some websites, I found the code to actual real games. I want to see if I can copy/paste it to VbB, then compile & then play them that way. If so, you can then examine the code, maybe tweak it. You can also see how it all works. Anyway, glad to see you go it working.

[gjc82071]

@TheJeli125 Grrrr....I am ready to F&%#ing smash my PC with a sledge-hammer! I got the damn thing to compile once & once only. Everything was on my desktop & I wanted a dedicated folder to put everything in, so i started over. Now no matter what i do, I can't get it to compile again. Can't find default.bas.bin. I am using ALL the same damn files I initially used! WTF!?!? What did you do to get it to compile? I am 99.9% sure my paths are all set. This thing is a damn piece of #&*@!!!

[gjc82071]

@TheJeli125 I learned how to make it compile. I am following his instructions letter by letter, but when I get to 6:30 & compile ( if missile0y>240 then goto skip missile0y=missile0y-2 goto draw_loop

skip if joy0fire then missile0y = player0y-2:missile0x=player0x+­4)

I get a "Fatal Assembly Error".

[665yoman]

when I try to compile it says: Environment variable bB not set!

Precompilation failed, aborted

How do I compile it right!

[AGreenYoshi95]

Your clever :)

[zac856314]

o this appears to be the only game that will play on my computer

[unfortunatebeam]

So what was the original programming language called that was used to make the old atari games back in the day and what software did they use to make it? Just something like MS-dos I guess...

[Eggbert1x]

@unfortunatebeam They used assembly. If you aren't an expert programmer, I wouldn't recommend trying.

[Xalien2002]

i had the worlds best idea..... make a screen that flickers, save it,get stella,make the default directory the (needs to be a zip file or you'll have to select the virus from the files first.)the flickering screen, put it in startup folder,right click stella.exe in the startup and go to properties, and find the option on how it runs, just hit full screen. then when you reboot the PC, it will just show windows for about 3 secs and then start to have a flickering screen of whatever the field is.

[flexyldy]

Still to hard for me! I want to make a Pac-Man clone... :(

[DeltaA118]

is it me or does it look like batch code?

[orionpax55]

I can't get VisualBB to work, it runs slowly and double clicking won't do anything.

[Xalien2002]

guys he made batari i think the icon that i get on first run is the tinkernut nut logo

[952theking]

@Xalien2002 no he just put the both into a singal .exe wich contains both visual bbasic and stella

[darkbeetlebot]

@pianogod666 I also keep getting a syntax error on 5:30!

[ThePete96]

16.01.2011 18:06:07] saving C:\Atari2600\GAME\default.bas succeeded.

Environment variable bB not set!

Precompilation failed, aborted at 16.01.2011 18:06:10

Is this an error cant run it! PLEASE ANSWER!!!! ANYBODY! :\

[ThePete96]

When i am trying to play this comes up!

The argument can not be "Nothing"

Parameter name: file

[ilife11]

"Unable to find a version of runtime to run this application"

WHY my mum was so happy to see a atari in action and it wouldent run

[cookie123456789012]

no offence but although visual basic may be easy you dont get good results. It'll be better to stick with the old atari way, assembler, it's difficult but you get good results out of it.

[Nambona890]

every time i try to edit a sprite/playfield it says this message: "Could not open C:\Atari2600\Awesome game\default.spr

Would you like to view the file in notepad?"

i pressed no, but it will not bring up the editor

so visual bb sucks

[952theking]

help!whenever i get to the jump function it screws up and it says cant find the defauls.bas somebody help or reply

[952theking]

are you guys like a huge group of programers cuz i like all of your videos cuz they always have very good information about computers cuz thats pretty freakin amazing if you guys figured this all out

[stupidcrapcanyonlake]

every time i compile, it says there is an error where the cursor is and everytime i click somewhere it says its there now. what do i do?

[thebuilderddd]

This didn't work.

[LOTO202]

I want to do this so I can make SwordQuest: Air World. The Kingdom of Nerdom depends on it!

[Ticomfreak]

@LOTO202 yes! AVGN?

[ethdav]

this was no help it was shit to me first is said I needed batari basic and that took my fuckin hours to figure out then when I opened the background it said could not open and put me onto a notepad script so fuck it you a dick head

[WaxHeadroom]

@ethdav And you are a mongoloid.

[Arjun007ize]

please send me to all ur video links,Subscribed.

[Arjun007ize]

nice one

[TheGooseproductions]

what is argument and how do i change it?

[MizterCastro]

@TheGooseproductions i had the same problem..u gotta go to the settings tab and set the first folder to your atari emulator "Stella" and then u gotta select your second folder as atari2600 something like that which should be under your C:// then you HAVE to check 2 boxes called "Add bB Enviornment Variable" and "Add bB Compiler to system path"

[HowtoBuildThings]

Does this mean i can make pong with smaller paddles?

[RandomAnimations27]

Can you do one on making GBA games?

[Life4Blackberry]

This is like an unadvanced version of galaxia

[taylaboy889]

mine is saying "can not open file " on background help

[gjc82071]

"If you don't have any programming knowledge, Assembly is not the language to start with. If you have programming experience, Assembly is not an easy program to work in. If you learn Assembly, the Atari is particularly difficult to program for."

As a total programing newbie, with the ultimate end goal of programing an Atari 2600 game, how would you recommend I begin learning?

[IMZEECATMAN]

if this was how they made atari games back then, on those old computers, it must have been complicated as hell

[MarijnStevens]

I remember this from pacman. It uses the only 2 sprites ofcourse, player 1 and player2, but will load different sprites and draw them on each frame, so like this:

frame0: pacman/redgost frame1: pinkgost/bluegost frame2: orangegost/item goto frame0.

this will cause flickering, you will now if you play it in a emulator. On a tv it looks a lot better thought.

[INFetcTED]

do you have the downloadable on your website?

[gamerman1352]

The warning massage is Missing Binary and says could not locate default.bas.bin and could not recompile.

[gamerman1352]

When I try to run the program, it says, System path does not include C:/Atari2600/bB

[97273998]

I keep getting a syntax error for COLUBK = $F0 and COLUBK = $FE! HELP ME!

[SuperSpringMan]

@97273998 You may need to indent those lines

[Zambaku]

Very nice! But when I came to the last step and ran the finished game all I got was a black screen =/

[bnp97]

It's the Tinker hero versus the squirrel villian!

[chpicolo]

Never was so easy to make an Atari 2600 game in the last 33 years.

Early, all code was done on pure language code, including the drivers routines for controllers, sound, video...

Wonderful!

Atari VCS is a plataform that will never die!

[Caszan2]

Thanks great vid,

i went to your forum on atari.

But i could not find how you can make sounds and stuff.

Plz i think this is absolute amazin (i cant program:0) so it would be cool if you could help me.

Keep it going

p.s can u make some easy vids again for people like me!!

[polocatfan276]

Tinkernut got hacked again :(!

[Iglitchlife]

Okay i fixed it

But now when i open it my playfield is white and i add black squares

Is that normal?

[97273998]

@Iglitchlife yes it is.

[dchristie74]

can u put this on a cart and play it on atari?

[AdamantSystems]

@therobertrules12 i do too

[fatmanpez]

dude, atari nazi zombies

[08StudiosCorp]

"Visual Batari Basic" Look alot like "Microsoft Visual Basic"!!

[buildingmovies]

You're website is (sorry!) plain shitty! I go to the link and it H 302 (redirects) me to the home page! WTF?

[darkangels03]

this tutorial is awesome!! #lol

[SemSlideProductions]

Then jump3 would take me to where I put my gameover screen. Then I'd do the same with the End screen but on 999998. Am I right?

[SemSlideProductions]

Can someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'm going to make a title screen for my game would I do it somewhat like this? I make my background with the title spelled out. I drag it to the top of the list of codes, set the colors, etc. then under it, I enter "if joy0fire then goto jump2" then jump2 would be above the rest of the code. Then for a gameover screen, since the score can go from 000000 to 999999, I'd set my game over screen like "if score=99999 then goto jump3. Next comment

[mikenimz1]

omg combine this with the make your own atari box art program gonna bring the atari back one crappy game at a time

[rememberaccountname]

i cant find the download in the forum :(

[puffnpluky76]

Do you upload videos every monday? I'm waiting for the new video.

[XxSocialTechxX]

when i tried to open the playfield, it said could not open would you like to open in notepad.? please help

[Iglitchlife]

@XxSocialTechxX The same happened to me, can someone help?

[andycasi3]

gigafide im having trouble when i try to open background.pla it says could not open where ever i saved it please help me

[kroen]

*brain explodes*

[birdturd405]

I have problem with the visual bB for creating atari games can you please help me. it says "code must be active in the editor to compile" im close to finnishing the game yet seriously i need help past this problem :( this happens when i try to compile

[RetakeEntertainment]

im having trouble compiling, it says...

System path does not include C:\Atari2600

Precompilation failed, aborted at 7/16/2010 11:54:52 AM

i dont know what to do.. im stuck -.-

[Slurpershaker]

I was watching your video and was fine until the player0x=50:player0y=50 line. Visual bB tells me that line has an error, but I don't know what. Until this point, everything worked fine. Please help. Thank you.

[dragonciv1]

this is just like A level math

[Tytytucke]

cool

[gostflame380]

Woot COOLCOOLCOOL!COOLCOOLCOOL!COOL­COOLCOOL!COOLCOOLCOOL!

[mmille10]

Very professional looking!

[emperorkang]

get Stella! to play some awesome old school games!

[ST0PM0SS]

the program wont let me compile it says theres an unhandled exception has occured in my application and when I try playing the game it says argument can not be nothing parameter name:file. do you think you can help me with this?

[stopmotionanim8or]

where did the links for the files go?

sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......

[Pengocent]

hey dude lol this is awesome!

i got Stella DS emulator for my ds as well so i wonder if it plays stella roms Normally. if it does then thats Great!

By the way how many computers do u have. do u have like one? coz u got virtual pc remember? Lol

[razorath92]

just 2 words:

mind+fuck

o_o

[Zattoo20]

wtf this video is laggin

so eins cheiß ist genug gepuffert

[Pengocent]

@Zattoo20 SAME!!

[brotherjames10]

it says its missing binary when i try to compile

i need help

[brotherjames10]

it wont work

it wont compile the

player0x=50:player0y=50

player1x=20:player1y=20

part

[Quadunit404]

@brotherjames10 Having that issue at the missile0height=4:missile0y=255 part. Someone help please D:

[TheMegaExplosion]

Its not letting me edit the background.

[polocatfan276]

@TheMegaExplosion me too and sprites! SOMEONE HELP US! ;(

[skinyme]

hey nice vid bro i got a nice collection of roms on my youtube channel!! more in my facebook group theres a link in my vids check it out!!!

[RebornAc3]

Thanks TinkerNut. You're the man!

[james25313]

awesome video thumbs up