Deepspace Files

https://sourceforge.net/projects/DeepspaceRK/

"Deepspace" for Z80-based computers
Author: RobertK (RetroBertie@outlook.com)
Version 2024-11-17

This is a simple action game named "Deepspace", a remake of a BASIC type-in game that I played in the 1980s on a friend's Atari 800XL. This original game had been written by Kemal Ezcan and was published in the 12/1984 issue of the German "Homecomputer" magazine. I have included the original game in the package for comparison.


=== Object ===

Your spaceship has been trapped inside a rectangular force field, and you are running out of fuel. The bar at the bottom of the screen shows you the remaining fuel amount, and it is continuously shrinking.
Luckily, there is a fuel station where you can refill your craft, but on your way there you will have to avoid the deadly rocks that are hanging around in space. Every time you refuel your craft, a new rock will appear. The borders of the force field are less dangerous, as they seem to be made of rubber. They won't do any damage to your craft; it will instead bounce off when you reach the border.
So, the object is simple: try to survive as long as possible.


=== Supported Systems ===

The program usually requires the target machine to have at least 16K RAM.

The following systems are currently supported:

Amstrad CPC [1]
Aquarius Plus
Bandai RX-78
Bit-90
Bondwell 12/14
Bondwell 2
Casio PV-2000
CCE MC-1000
ColecoVision
EACA EG2000 Colour Genie
Epson PX-4/HC-40
Epson PX-8/HC-80
Galaksija Plus
Genius Leader 6000SL
Hanimex Pencil II
Micronique Hector 2 HR
Hübler Grafik-MC
Memotech MTX
Mitsubishi Multi 8
MSX
NABU (CP/M mode) - also available on the NABU network
NEC PC-6001 mkII	[2]
NEC PC-8001
Nichibutsu My Vision
Otrona Attaché
Primo
Robotron KC 85/2-5 and HC 900
Robotron Z 1013 KRT	[3]
Robotron Z 9001 KRT (KC 85/1, KC 87)	[3]
SAM Coupé
Samsung SPC-1000
Sega Master System
Sega SC-3000
Sharp X1
Sinclair ZX Spectrum	[4]
Sony SMC-777 and SMC-70 (CP/M and native version)
Sord M5
Spectravideo SVI
Tatung Einstein
Tesla Ondra Vili	[5]
Tiki-100 (also known as "Kontiki-100")
TIM-011
Triumph-Adler Alphatronic PC (ROM image and CP/M disk version)
VTech Laser 210 / 310 / VZ 200
VTech Laser 500 / 700
Z80 TV Game System (home-brew)

Notes:

[1] Two versions, using 320x200 and 160x200 graphics.

[2] The keyboard click sound on the NEC PC-6001 still needs to be deactivated.

[3] Separate low-res (non-KRT) version included for demonstration only.

[4] In the Spectrum emulators ZXSpin or EightyOne, the game starts immediately after loading, press X to return to the menu screen. On a real Spectrum, this does not happen.
Note: The game does not yet run on a 16K Spectrum.

[5] When loading the tape file on the Tesla Ondra Vili in M.A.M.E., sometimes no program is found on the tape, you will have to try it a few times. It seems that older MAME versions work better: 0.216 usually finds the program on the tape while 0.242 doesn't.


=== Controls ===

Use the controls shown on the start-up screen. You can change the control method by pressing the C key.

On systems that support 1-Bit sound or PSG sound, you will see "Press S to toggle Sound" on the start-up screen.

During the game, you will only need directional controls (Up, Down, Left, Right), there is no shooting in this peaceful game.

The X key returns you to the start-up screen, the U key will pause the game. Note: on consoles and CP/M systems, use the second trigger key to return to the start-up screen, Pause is not available.

Pressing X at the start-up screen ends the program.


=== Compiling ===

Download the latest nightly build from www.z88dk.org and extract it to any location on your computer.
Edit the compile_deepspace_....bat batch file and modify the z88root path (make sure that there is a backslash at the end).
Run the batch file and the compiler will hopefully run without errors and create the compiled program file. The program requires the target system to support high-res graphics and virtual joysticks (games.h). 1-Bit sound is optional.

The entire source code is contained in one single file (deepspace.c).


=== Differences to the original Game ===

The original Atari 8-Bit game is character based, while this remake provides smooth animation of the spaceship.

However, some things were better in the original...

There is some colour in the original game, while here everything is monochrome.

The bonus of the original game is its sound. There is a continuous beep indicating the remaining fuel amount, with its pitch getting higher while the fuel is decreasing. The z88dk game can't play sound asynchronously, therefore we have the fuel bar at the bottom of the screen, and gameplay is briefly paused while the sound is being played when bouncing off the border or while refuelling.


=== Thanks ===

Thanks to:

- The z88dk team for creating this wonderful compiler and for their continuous work to further improve it.

- Fabrizio Caruso for providing PSG sounds.

- Kemal Ezcan for writing the original game.


=== Release Version History ===

2024-11-17:
- New targets supported: Aquarius Plus and Micronique Hector 2 HR

2024-10-09:
- Otrona Attaché: Improved keyboard sound disabling

2024-10-07:
- New target supported: Otrona Attaché

2024-09-08:
- New target supported: Amstrad CPC (two versions, using 320x200 and 160x200 graphics)

2024-08-09:
- New targets supported: Tiki-100 (also known as "Kontiki-100") and TIM-011

2024-07-12:
- New targets supported: Epson PX-4/HC-40 and PX-8/HC-80

2024-07-09:
- Galaksija Plus: game animation is now smoother than before. Source code is unchanged, game recompiled with current z88dk version after a significant improvement to the Galaksia Plus sprite drawing routine in z88dk.

2023-11-19:
- Sega Master System version fixed (re-compiled after z88dk bugfix)

2023-06-04:
- New target supported: Triumph-Adler Alphatronic PC (ROM image and CP/M disk version)

2023-01-02:
- New target supported: NABU (CP/M mode)

2022-05-23:
- PSG sound added to the following targets:
	CCE MC-1000
	EACA EG2000 Colour Genie
	Galaksija Plus (PSG via sound card, 1-Bit sound via tape output)
	Mitsubishi Multi 8
	MSX
	Nichibutsu My Vision
	Samsung SPC-1000
	Sharp X1
	Tatung Einstein
Press the S key at the menu screen to toggle the sound option, some targets support both 1-Bit sound and PSG sound.
The PSG sounds were taken from psg_sounds.c from Cross Lib (https://github.com/Fabrizio-Caruso/CROSS-LIB) and are used with permission from the author.

2022-05-01:
- KC 85/2-5 version fixed, it now runs on the /4 and /5 models as well
- Galaksija Plus: .WAV tape file replaced with one created with the galaksija.net online emulator, so that it can be loaded on real hardware

2022-04-21:
- New targets supported:
	Hübler Grafik-MC
	Mitsubishi Multi 8
	Robotron KC 85/2-5 and HC 900 *
	Robotron Z 1013 KRT **
	Robotron Z 9001 KRT (KC 85/1, KC 87) **
	SAM Coupé
	Sharp X1
	Tatung Einstein
	* currently only working on KC 85/2 and KC 85/3
	** separate low-res non-KRT version for demonstration only
- Fuel amount decreases faster now because gameplay was too easy on many targets.

2022-03-11:
- Galaksija Plus Highres version fixed. Previously it was only working on the emulators, but not on real hardware.
- EG2000, Laser 500, Ondra Vili and SMC-777: Status line improved

2022-01-20:
Minor Improvements: 
- EACA EG2000 Colour Genie and VTech Laser 210 / 310 / VZ 200: Vertical screen size increased
- ColecoVision: Joystick name fixed
- Genius Leader 6000SL: Sound disabled (which wasn't functional)

2022-01-18:
Minor Improvements: 
- EACA EG2000 Colour Genie and VTech Laser 210 / 310 / VZ 200: Number of stars reduced.
- Genius Leader 6000SL: Non-working controls in the MAME windows command line version are now working

2022-01-17:
- New targets supported:
	CCE MC-1000
	EACA EG2000 Colour Genie
	VTech Laser 210 / 310 / VZ 200
- Bondwell 12/14: Vertical screen size increased

2022-01-14:
- New targets supported:
	Bit-90
	ColecoVision
	Genius Leader 6000SL
	Hanimex Pencil II
	Sony SMC-777 and SMC-70 (CP/M and native version)
Genius Leader 6000 SL: In the MAME Windows command line version (currently 0.239), keyboard input does not work. However, when using MAMEUI64 or the Macintosh version, keyboard input is working fine.

2022-01-09:
- New targets supported:
	Bandai RX-78
	Bondwell 12/14
	Bondwell 2
	NEC PC-6001 mkII
	NEC PC-8001
	Nichibutsu My Vision
	VTech Laser 500 / 700
- SVI: keyboard click sound (when the game has been loaded from tape) disabled.

2022-01-06:
- Initial release, supporting the following Targets:
	Casio PV-2000
	Galaksija Plus
	Memotech MTX
	MSX
	Primo
	Samsung SPC-1000
	Sega Master System
	Sega SC-3000
	Sord M5
	Spectravideo SVI
	Tesla Ondra Vili
	ZX Spectrum
	Z80 TV Game System (home-brew)