Hi-Color Hero
A downloadable game
A game using Timex Hi-color mode for the TC2048, TS2068, and ZX Spectrum Next computers.
To play
Try to shoot all the targets in each wave as quickly as possible and with as few shots as possible.
Moving to the right increase the game's speed. (You cannot move past half way.)
You will get a new life every third level up to a maximum of 4. You will get 1000 added to your score instead if you already have maximum lives.
There are 10 waves featuring 5 unique targets. Each wave contains 20 targets.
At the end of each wave your score is shown compared to your best score on the same wave during the current game.
On the game over screen your scores for all the waves you completed during the current game are compared to the highest scores.
Magenta is better than the previous best score.
Green is equal to the previous best score.
Yellow is worse than the previous best score.
Development
Written in C and assembly using z88dk.
Tested with
- Timex Computer 2048
- Timex Computer 2048 with Melodik compatible AY extension
- Timex Sinclair 2068
- Limited to 7 colors to avoid bright black.
- Not currently compatible with TS-Pico.
- ZX Spectrum Next (KS2)
- Emulators
Change log
- V1.0.00
- Initial version
Download
Install instructions
To use with a real computer
ZX Spectrum Next
- Add the NEX file to your SD card and load from the file browser.
- You can also run the TC2048 versions on the Next but you will have to manually configure them the first time you load then as:
- Advanced mode:
- AY sound in 48K mode On
- Timex graphics On
- 48K mode
- Advanced mode:
TS2068
- Load TAP file from tape emulator.
TC2048
- Load TAP file from DIVMMC or tape emulator.
To use with an emulator
(Adjust program paths as necessary)
These commands assume you have a joystick attached. If you want to use the keyboard instead change --joystick-1-output to --joystick-keyboard-output. You can then change the keys via the Options | Joysticks | keyboard menu.
ZX Spectrum Next
cspect.exe -zxnext -nextrom hihe_V1_0_00.nex
TS2068
fuse.exe --joystick-1-output=5 -mts2068 hihe_TS_V1_0_00.tap
TC2048
fuse.exe --joystick-1-output=2 -m2048 hihe_TC_V1_0_00.tap
TC2048 with AY sound
fuse.exe --joystick-1-output=2 --melodik -m2048 hihe_TC_AY_V1_0_00.tap
Comments
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This is what I am getting with Spectaculator (Model: ZX Spectrum 128 ). Cannot see lasers nor do they work.
The game requires Timex graphics which use a different area of memory for the color attributes. The original ZX Spectrum models do not support that which is why you are only getting a black and white image. You are not seeing the lasers because they are only drawn in the Timex attribute space.
Please see the "To use with an emulator" section above to run the game with a supported model.
Thanks Pete, I thought it was a ZX Spectrum game. :)
Hi! May I ask for a pure ZX-based version? The game should be runable also on the ZX-Uno and eLeMeNt ZX computers with simple HiColor graphics turned on (LD A,2: OUT (255),A) instead of using timex-like method of reading the port 255. 3 bytes could be applied in the 2048/AY code at 56092: 0,0,62, Tested with the eLeMeNt ZX :-)
Thanks for pointing this out. I tested it with ZEsarUX in ZX-Uno mode with new graphics modes enabled and it worked. However on a ZX-Go+ it does not. My other game that uses the Timex mode does work on the ZX-Go+ so I guess there is another problem with it. I was not aware of the eLeMeNt ZX is there an emulator for it?
BTW my code was already using:
in a, (0xFF)
or a, 2
out (0xFF), a
Changing this to just:
ld a, 2
out (0xFF), a
did not make any difference.
Hi! The problem is that the port 255 returns various values on ZX machines, e.g. with bit 0 set, leading to non-defined states or simply switching to ZX-like graphics. Setting the mode directly with LD A,2 is safer :-). I do not have the ZX-Go+ but could test with the MB03+ interface which also adds Timex, a graphics part only, to any Speccy model (so the port 255 is ZX on reading and Timex with writing). Both MB and eZX hardware are emulated with the LnxSpectrum: www.ilnx.cz
I've added a beta for the eLeMeNt ZX. It works in LnxSpectrum. Can you let me know if it works on real hardware?
Hi, many thanks for the eLeMeNt ZX/MB version!
Unfortunately the LnxSpec emulator does not fully reflect some non-ZXi ports. As written above, on the eLeMeNt hardware the port 255 is ZX-based when read (IN), so there is an extra "shadow" port for Timex, timex 0xFF port is writeable only and readable is at port 0x9FFD.
The current beta should be changed, instead of IN A,(255) use LD BC,0x9FFD and IN A,(C).
Another method, without previous reading IN A,..., is simply to write to the 0xFF port a timex graphics mode, value "2".
Please check the page 19 of the ProgRef manual
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NJB_z3zVorTfmEj2JAS3QtAx_zbpkdCAAptHSnOOzkU/...
And the third solution: the ZXi configuration port will be improved, a setup bit will be added to make the port 255 fully timex readable, but it will take some little time...
I've upload a new beta. It uses e_zxi_010 to enable Timex graphics then uses ports 0x9FFD and 0xFF as you suggested.
Cool game. Thanks a lot! Is there a way to contact you? I have some Timex related questions :-) Cheers, Sebastian
Thanks, you can message me on Facebook. I've added a link to my profile.
Hi Pete, i am not on FB, but i know a guy ;-)
Will be in contact soon :-)
Cheers, Sebastian
Hi Pete, is there any other way to get in contact. I asked Rich (famous beeper artist in the speccy scene)to meet you on FB. But he had no luck. Maybe i can show you the project i am working on and you can decide if it would be fun to join :-) I am doing a TC2048 version of Beethoven's Revenge, using Jonathan's MPAGD. But i need definitely help to create a working version with extra features (AY music etc.) for the TS2068. You are our last hope, Obi Wan ;-)
Great, just typing the mail for you :-)
Nice new game. I also added it to my new "Gameplay of New ZX Spectrum games from June 2024" video.
I'm trying to play this in Cspect, but it's loading the game, then no button will react to 'press fire to play'. What are the keys, please?
Sorry, the game requires a joystick. Fuse has an option to set the keyboard up as the joystick. The "TC2048 with AY sound" version is almost exactly the same as the Next version. The only difference is the code that initializes the Timex Hi-color mode and sets the CPU speed.
Nice game!
Very cool game, thanks for sharing.