30Dec/15Off

Alone 34 + sources

posted by Alone Coder


Alone 34 gift is released with sources. Requires ATM3 (for font RAM instead of ROM of the original clone).

alone34_

Filed under: news 1 Comment
28Dec/15Off

ZX Enhanced compo 2016

posted by TS-Labs


4d5bd2

 
We announce the virtual compo of non-standard approaches and unusual solutions.

Brand new works for ZX compatible computers take part in the compo. Target platforms must be equipped with various extensions like graphic modes other than '6912', RAM above 128kB, CPU clock frequency above 3.5MHz so on.
Platforms are, including, but not limited to: TS-Config, ATM 1/2/3, Profi, SamCoupe, v6z80p.
The usual clones using conventional capabilities of GS/NGS, TSFM, Z-Controller and alike aren't considered as Enhanced.

Compo will be performed on Saturday 13 February 2016. Works are accepted until February 11, 11:59:59 p.m.
Voting will be available at: events.retroscene.org.

Awards:
Three first places in each nomination will receive diplomas.
First place will get an extra poster with your nickname, poster dimension is A0.

Nominations are: Graphics, Music, Demo/Intro, Wild HDL.

Graphics
Works are accepted in PNG format, indexed palette.
Image resolutions are: 256х192, 320х200, 320х240, 360х288 pixels.
Color space and the number of colors in palette should match the platform hardware used, but do not exceed 5 bits per component and 256 colors.
For example:
- SamCoupe uses 16 colors in IRGB1222 color space,
- ZX-Evolution uses 16 or 256 colors in the RGB222 or RGB555 color space,
- ATM-Turbo 16 colors in RGB222 and so on.
Preview should be included.
Since we want original works only, all pictures will be tested using image search engine =)

Compos:
- 16 colors: 16 colors on screen simultaneously in RGB555 or RGB222 color space. For 6912 - GigaScreen only.
- 64 colors: use a standard ZX Evolution color set - RGB222.
- 256 colors: 256 colors on the screen at the same time, color space - RGB555.
- Animated sprites: Resolution is 8х8..64х64 pixels, dimensions are a multiple of 8, palette is 15 colors + color 0 being transparent. Color space is RGB555 or RGB222. Number of frames - 4 and more.
Custom image viewers are highly appreciated, using special effects or hardware tricks. File formats are TRD or SPG.

Music
Works are accepted in TRD, SPG, TAP and tracker source files.

Compos:
- АY & turbo-АY: use custom programming approaches (player routine frequency above 50Hz and so on), use Covox, SounDrive, BEEPER, GS/NGS effects additionally. Play time is 7 minutes.
- MOD/XM tracker music: Number of channels (ATTENTION!) is 5..32. Size limit is 1024 Кб. Play time is 7 minutes.
- Tiny MP3: works are accepted in TRD, SPG with the NGS player included. Play time is 1 minute. Using of samples for other retro platfroms audio chips is highly appreciated.

Intro/demo
Works are accepted in TRD, SPG, TAP files for the target platform. Hobeta files (*.$C) are accepted for 4k compo. Launch address equals to the address of load.

Compos:
- 4k intro: size is up to 4096 bytes. Duration is up to 3 minutes.
- Intro: size is up to 256kB. Duration is up to 3 minutes.
- Demo: no size restrictions. Data loading from SD card during playback is appreciated. Duration is up to 10 minutes.

Wild HDL
Works are accepted in the FPGA bitstreams (*.sof) or configuration flash device files (*.jic) for the following platforms:
- ZX-Evolution
- Reverse U8
- Reverse U16
- Speccy-2010
- DE1, DE1-SoC
- others
The topics are: mini game, demo, intro. Feel free to load data from SD card.

All compo works should be never released before.
Works that need special hardware of software configuration should have detailed description in *.diz file.
Please provide also audio and video files used for the voting system at events.retroscene.org.
Registration of party participants and works uploading is available at events.retroscene.org.

Have questions? Contact me at: tslabs.info@gmail.com

Filed under: news 3 Comments
13Dec/15Off

ACNews #60

posted by Alone Coder


New issue, this time in both Russian and English.

acn60

3Dec/15Off

DiHalt Lite 2016 (9-10th January) is on its way!

posted by ЭЛВЭДЭ


For the third time DiHalt Lite will be carried somewhere in the suburbs near Nizhny Novgorod in Russia. The visitors will enjoy warm atmosphere inside while it's snowing outdoors, everybody will be supplied with food, barbeque and sauna (and rumors say that there will be even swimming pool!).

Moreover, the extensive demoscene program is also there: there will be traditional PC/Amiga and LowEnd/8bit compos, including demo compo, 1k intro compo and various gfx and music ones. There is also an innovation: now we have "LowEnd enhanced" category that includes bare Amiga500/600 and Amiga1200 machines and comparables.

Besides that, realtime compos, such as PaintOver or LowEnd gfx and coding will also happen. One of the most democratic realtimes is ZX Spectrum 53 colour compo, where you draw 32x24 attribute picture. You can use this online editor to draw and submit -- and there is still much time to practise!

Last thing worth mentioning is our (well not really our -- this is quite common system along russian demoparties now, provided by nyuk) online voting system -- with anybody allowed to vote!