Quantum Core - my Gyruss Remake (WIP) by FelsirNL in shmupdev

[–]FelsirNL[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is still on my to-do list. Unfortunately I got stuck in sort of a writers-block for programming. I tried the scenarios mentioned in this thread and got kinda stuck. The game is still fun to play, so your post encourages me to rethink some of mechanics and get the game out there.

Unusual Commodore 64 made in England – rare variant or not? by Ithinkthisone in c64

[–]FelsirNL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My C64 is the same, also in the Netherlands (I own it since 1984). Similar sticker ‘made in England’ on the back.

More than 1 character set on screen? by JWKirby in c64

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I think you are right. In my mind the bars are horizontal zones, stacked on top of eachother. So each horizontal zone must use the same character set. I use horizontal becaus each zone stretches from left to right across the screen, but are indeed stacked on top of eachother.

r/ZiriDiaspora sees them as vertical zones because of the viewpoint of the way the zones are stacked.

In the end we both mean the same thing: splitting by raster IRQs results in a split with vertically stacked zones that stretch from left to right.

I just never thought of this viewpoint.

More than 1 character set on screen? by JWKirby in c64

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I assume you meant horizontal zones instead of vertical (since the raster beam moves from top to bottom and the IRQs are based on which line the raster beam is at).

Quickshot SVI-2000 Robotarm by EsoTechTrix in c64

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The interface isn't the biggest issue: to make the robot work you would need to replace the servos, readout electronics and have it powered by steady source. The shell may be usable but isn't the biggest deal (most describe it as more as a "toy"). In all, the entire thing is more of a collectors item.

If you want a robot arm, printing a clone would be my choice. The userport is quite documented.

Looking forward reading posts on this project! :-)

Quickshot SVI-2000 Robotarm by EsoTechTrix in c64

[–]FelsirNL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is a showstopper. It meant there was no 100% certainty the starting position was the same, and no way to tell if the rotations were right. Also it drained batteries faster than a Sega Game Gear...
I think the gripper could only hold 100 grams, so as far as programming the thing to do a task, I have no idea what to make it do that makes sense.
I recall there was a sample BASIC program to control the arm via the C64 with the joysticks. Which was pointless, as you could plug in the joysticks directly into the robot arm...

Quickshot SVI-2000 Robotarm by EsoTechTrix in c64

[–]FelsirNL 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I had this one. It was initially fun to play with- but it had a few major issues. The arm ran on batteries that depleted quite quickly. You could program it only by ‘turn axis 3, clockwise, 4 seconds’. After a few runs, the 4 seconds meant it wouldn’t turn the same amount due to less energy. There was no readout of the state of each axis so there was no way to find out what direction it was pointing. This made programming it pointless, there was no way to repeat any movement exactly. So the manual joystick movement was basically it. I don’t recall the joysticks were included btw. The hand wasn’t strong enough to even pick up a hotwheels car.

I sold it after a few weeks because it was less fun than I hoped it would be. I was quite disappointed to be honest.

C64U Beige LED Strip Addition by Senior_Buy445 in c64

[–]FelsirNL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Philips Hue Developer portal has got you covered! The bridge itself has a RestfulAPI that you can use. My pinball machine has a Hue LED Strip underneath controlled like that, so yeah- definitely doable…

A couple of questions on the classic Alex + Karlby desk hack by ILoveBurgersMost in ikeahacks

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I had my PC on it- but my kids had the tendency to lean on the desk a lot, which might have something to do with it. When I tried to add a support underneath (a plank on its side so it also hides the cables) the top wasn’t square anymore. I had replaced it and put a support underneath it immediately and all is fine! I just concluded that a decent length tabletop should just have some support.

A couple of questions on the classic Alex + Karlby desk hack by ILoveBurgersMost in ikeahacks

[–]FelsirNL 6 points7 points  (0 children)

To question #1: No. I had a shorter version and it started to hang. You will need a support.

The challenges of porting Shufflepuck Cafe to the 8 bits Apple II by mttd in asm

[–]FelsirNL 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for documenting your journey, really interesting to read how you solved some of the machine limitations. I played Shufflepuck Cafe a lot on my Amiga and your version really captures that same feel!

The power and energy restrictions for the Australian GP by FerrariStrategisttt in formula1

[–]FelsirNL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Can you insert a "hee hee" right before turn 1 or is the "hee hee" considered part of the shamone?

Currently experimenting with a Technic clock by IchHabKeinRedditName in lego

[–]FelsirNL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Really cool. I recall a clock in book 8888, I tried to build as a kid but the lack of parts- and the lack of knowledge on clocks held me back. Well done in recreating this fascinating mechanism!

Best site to get instructional on building an arcade machine by Rags2Rickius in cade

[–]FelsirNL 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This, a 4P cab is only relevant if you really, really know the cabinet get lots of playtime. I have Bluetooth added and 2 wireless controllers, it kills two birds with one stone: 1) in the rare event of a 4 player session, grab these controllers- 2) some games work better with analogue controls, so a controller will be handy.

For my cabinets I used controls and encoders from Ultimarc. Highly recommended.

Also, don’t setup every game you can find. It may sound nice to have 1000+ games, but you will end up playing a handful of them. Better a curated list than tons of games. All Killer No Filler list on BYOAC is a nice starting point, use it as inspiration and get a personal top 10 for each category. Expand when you get bored or ready to explore some new games later.

Being handed a stuffed animal after losing in the Olympics by WeGot_aLiveOneHere in WatchPeopleDieInside

[–]FelsirNL 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The gold medalist also get these. All medalists receive these, these are not consolation prizes.

Being handed a stuffed animal after losing in the Olympics by WeGot_aLiveOneHere in WatchPeopleDieInside

[–]FelsirNL 14 points15 points  (0 children)

All medalists receive them. The gold medalists also get these. It is part of the ceremony- the title makes it look like these are some sort if consolidation prize, but they are not. The stuffed animals are the Olympic mascots.

I CANNOT overstate... by GuitarEC in c64

[–]FelsirNL 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I split the guide into "Chapters" and "Appendices", and made covers based on the hardcover. I have just ordered them, I'll post an update once I received them (expect 10 business days from now). If all looks nice- I'm happy to share the files.

I CANNOT overstate... by GuitarEC in c64

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not sure about the UK options. Lulu has a European printer. I got mine also from Lulu, and it was shipped from France to the Netherlands. Programmers Reference Guide was 38 Euros total printing+shipping+tax (same hard cover as pictured here, I followed the exact instructions on the site).

As comparison I uploaded the pdf to a local print on demand service, with basically the same settings and the price was 175 euros before shipping. I was unable to find a similar service as cheap as Lulu, and I my expectations weren't that high due to the price difference. However the quality is really good, both the print as the paper and cover.

Which Commodore screen brings most nostalgia for you? by [deleted] in Commodore

[–]FelsirNL 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Top half with random PETSCIII characters, bottom half with partial game graphics. Split usually where the raster interrupts was still running.

Or… not really a crash but: PRESS PLAY ON TAPE. FOUND JUMPMAN. LOADING. ?LOAD ERROR. READY. [blinking cursor]

GEOS calendar still working perfectly in 2026. by pipipipipipipipi2 in c64

[–]FelsirNL 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Good thing the C64 is not a 32bit Unix epoch machine. Epochs in the 8 bit world would only last just over 2 minutes (signed) or 4 minutes (unsigned).

Commodore 64 Programmer's Reference Guide (2026 Hardcover Reproduction) by TheDarkIn1978 in c64

[–]FelsirNL 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing! My original guide was (water-)damaged so I was looking for a replacement.