Spectrum Game (Multi-Coloured Scrolling Platform Game Programmed In Machine Code On My ZX Spectrum)

Demonstration of a game I started to programme in machine code on my ZX Spectrum+2 in 1994. I never finished making the game, although it is still playable. There were meant to be ghosts and bats and stuff in it too, but I never got round to putting them in.

I wrote the coding for this game using pen and paper. The graphics were designed using 2 other programs that I wrote: A graphic designer that enabled me to design the graphics, or sprites. And a scroll designer that enabled me to design the playing area. These 2 programs were also written in pen and paper.

I never took computer studies in school. I am completely self-taught. None of my teachers even knew I could programme. I wrote my first programme on a Sinclair ZX81 when I was about 12. It was a fruit machine-type game that just displayed 3 random numbers on the screen when you pressed a key. If they matched, you won.
By the age of 15 I was making complete multi-level games in BASIC on my Dragon 32. I made a multi-level version of the arcade classic Hunchback when I was about 14, but it was slow running, as you can imagine. I made loads more games in BASIC.
By the age of 17 I was beginning to learn machine code on my Sinclair ZX Spectrum+2.

I learned programming from 2 books: The standard book they give you when you buy a Spectrum, and a book called Mastering Machine Code On Your ZX Spectrum by Toni Baker. Great book, which changed the way I look at life.

I hope you enjoy this demonstration of my game.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• zx spectrum
• spectrum
• +2
• 48k
• 128k
• game
• gaming
• platform game
• gameplay
• machine code
• programming
• programmer
• software
• scrolling
• multi-coloured
• multi-colored
• graphics
• sprites
• arcade
• 1980
• 1980s
• 80s
• nostalgia
• home computing
• clive
• sinclair
• z80a
• micro
• processor
• assembly
• ay38912
• sound
• chip
• binary
• coding
• basic
• computer
• language
• demo
• demonstration
• review
• user
• defined
• whizkid
• wonderboy
• pacland
• box head
• 1simonmatthews

[TheWeepingCorpse]

pretty nice work mate, but why didnt you just use a z80 assembler? I used something called CHAMP back in the day.

[1simonmatthews]

@TheWeepingCorpse I had an assembler (by Honeywell if I remember right) but the assembler itself took up a bit of memory. I designed a Pacman game with the assembler, but I ran out of memory, so after that episode I stuck to pen and paper. I didn't think of breaking it up into sections and using the assembler for each section. Maybe that would've worked. The background of my game took up a lot of memory on it's own.

[TheWeepingCorpse]

@1simonmatthews true, having the assembler, your source code and the game assets in memory at the same time was a challenge. Now I've got 8GB ram and dont know what to do with it all ha ha, how things have changed ;D

[1simonmatthews]

@TheWeepingCorpse Lol, I make the odd film now and still never seem to have enough disc space for my liking haha. I've had to delete loads of footage that I would've preferred to keep. A couple of terabytes may just do the trick

[blackcountryme]

I have just brought me a 128k spectrum from ebay and i am going to start programming for it in MC, you just mentioned a book and I`m now ordering it from Amazon, I couldn't write in MC when i had a spec first time around so now I`m hoping i can :D.

Finish the game, stick it on world of spectrum, Hand written machine code??? do you have a secret liar and a white cat? genius!!

That character looked like sponge bob square pants..

Here`s hoping i can write whilst drunk :p

[1simonmatthews]

@blackcountryme Cool, that's a great book. I take it you are already pretty good at BASIC programming? Have you used User Defined Graphics and have you learnt binary yet? If you haven't learnt binary then you'll need to. It's easy. There's a video on my channel called Learn To Decode Message In Alien Face Crop Circle. Just ignore the title, this video will teach you binary step by step. Follow every bit with pen and paper and you will learn binary. Then I'll show you how to get started in MC.

[1simonmatthews]

@wrestletube1 Thanks - I think I'll have to make this my next mission :-)

[wrestletube1]

I think you should give it a trail release as it is currently on the World of Spectrum as it allows people to vote what score they would give it and it it goes well you can definitely get back into programming and maybe get paid out of it.

[1simonmatthews]

@locomaniacs1hmps Thanks! I really rushed the designing of the character, but yeah I do think he looks quite likeable now. Perhaps it's because simple designs have become more popular in recent years, with cartoons like South Park and The Simpsons, etc? Thanks again :-)

[locomaniacs1hmps]

this looks awsome, the scrolling is superb and the character is really likable.