Wednesday, June 27, 2007

XeO3: Scripting Engine.

Okay, after a request for more info on the scripting engine/system I use, I've written up a small description of how it all works. It's not hugely in-depth, but it should give you the jist on how it all works...

So have a look HERE to read through, but feel free to ask questions afterwards. I do intend to write up an API for the script system, and do several examples and tutorials for when I release the code. I've some some small samples and doc's so that Luca and play with it, but I really need to do far more.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks. How deep is the mini stack? Just one entry? Subroutines (just one level) could be useful for cramming more data into the game, but that depends a lot on the attack patterns.

I would like to see the inner working of CIRCLE command. I remember you writing about it last year, but that entry didn't go too deep into the details.



DoNextCommand:
ldy #0 ; reset index into command
lda (PathAddress),y ; get command
asl a ; *2 to index table
tay


How about using commands which are *2 already :)


; Move absolute

iny
clc
lda (PathAddress),y ; get move-to "X"
bpl DoAddX

adc SpxLo,x
bcs SkipAddX
dec SpxHi,x
bcc SkipAddX

DoAddX:
adc SpxLo,x
bcc SkipAddX
inc SpxHi,x

SkipAddX:
sta SpxLo,x

iny
clc
lda Spy,x
adc (PathAddress),y
sta Spy,x

jmp DoNextPathAddY

; ...

DoNextPathAddY:
sec
tya
adc PathAddress
sta PathAddress
bcc DoNextPath
inc PathAddress+1
DoNextPath:


Saves some cycles/bytes. If DoNextPath() works like I think, you can add Y+1 to PathAddress and store it directly to PAlo/PAhi table.


--
TNT

Iapetus said...

Thank you Mike =D

Keep up the good work, looking forward for the playable demo.

ciao

Mike said...

I don't actually have a DoNextPath() call in the 6502 source, but I probably would in a higher level langauge.

Optimisation is a skill of picking your fights, and aside from the circle command, I dont think the rest of the script system takes up that much - sprite drawing is by far the largest system, followed by scrolling.

Thats not to say I wont look at it.... just not yet :)

Mike said...

I dont use CALL's in XeO3, and only allow 1 deep FOR statements. This is a limitation due to memory and speed. I have done these on faster systems though.

So basically, the mini-stack is only 1 entry deep.