80s BASIC

I'm currently reprogramming a game I did before called Seven/Eleven. The game looked a little dull so I'm remaking all the interfaces. This made me realize how much I enjoy some 80s BASICs over others.

Here is a list of my Favorite 80's BASICs that I use fairly regular, from favorite to least favorite.

1 TI-99 Extended BASIC

2 TI-99 BASIC

3 Tandy Extended Color BASIC 2.0

4 Tandy Extended Color BASIC 1.1

5 Tandy BASIC

6 Commodore BASIC V2

7 Atari BASIC

8 AppleSoft II BASIC

I should note that my first exposure to Tandy BASIC and Apple II BASIC was mostly as a teenager through public schools.

Why TI at the top? Most control in the easiest way. I really think if most companies and found someone better than Microsoft to develop their BASIC language, they could have been much better. What I like about Tandy and Commodore is that what ever they lack in BASIC features, they are quite hackable. It is possible to get to modes the physical computer could do that were not addressed in the BASIC environment.  Really, that is why Microsoft had the PEEK and POKE commands because there was so much they did not know how to translate into BASIC usefully.  And the way Microsoft used their graphics modes were so over complicated and stupid.  Really just limiting.  For the most part, programmers that understood the hardware capabilities and used assembler/machine language were really able to make the most of these computers.

It is not like TI-99 Extended BASIC was perfect as there were feature that were not addressed until the late 80s and early 90s with Super Extended BASIC by third party developers - but by that time most of the world had moved on from TI-99.  TI-99 popularity now is just mainly from people that remember fondly how much they enjoyed using TI-99 in the late 70s and early 80s.

Sadly the two most fun computers  TI and Tandy were the two most physically limiting computers.  TI-only made a 32K memory expansion for their computer that was shipped out with 16k.  TI also made their computers slower than need be by running code in video memory.  Tandy did not provide a dedicated 3 voice or better sound chip and a video processing chip that only handled 9 colors on both the CoCo 1 and 2. 

TI did make up in other areas though.  Best built in sprite capabilities, 16-bit processor, and S-Video output.  Tandy did make up for it with the easiest, but powerful, graphics and music programming commands. With some hacking past Microsoft's made limitations, graphically Tandy could put out some nice graphics with only 9 colors. 

Programming on the Tandy CoCo

I did some programming tonight on the Tandy CoCo.  First opinion is that the BASIC is a much cleaner and easier BASIC to use than other Microsoft BASICS.  I'm not sure why Microsoft didn't do things 

quite the same way with the TANDY CoCo, but I'm kinda glad they didn't.





Formating like this is really easy and straight forward.

820 PRINT D1;" ";D2;" ";D3;" ";D4

Random numbers is super easy and straight forward.

100 X = RND(-TIMER) :REM Seed the generator
..<snip>..
800 D1=RND(6)
802 D2=RND(6)

I should run the computer though the same tests that I have the others and see how it stacks.

Took home two Tandy CoCo 2s

I spent $80 to buy an untested CoCo 2 that was advertised as "Vintage Radio Shack Tandy TRS-80 64K Color Computer 2 Video Game Console"

The photos given:





Granted, I knew very little about the Tandy CoCo computers, but always wanted one. When I went to pick it up, he had two Tandy CoCo 2s and one Tandy CoCo 1 computers. None of the three had been tested. He told me take both CoCo 2s home and test to see if they work. One looked to be in clean and in good shape. The other looked filthy as he had not even tried to clean it up to sell. Which ever I chose, bring back the other.

I got both home and cleaned both externally including the keyboards.

I also looked at the exact model numbers and serial numbers as they can tell alot about the computer.



I could see there was a slight difference in both of the models, but was not sure what that meant for these two computers. The keyboard color looked slightly different, but other than that, they looked very much identical. So I plugged in the model that was 26-3026. That was the one that was filthy. I was welcomed with a green screen and an OK, but nothing else. I turned it on again, and this time I see it is running Extended Color BASIC 1.1. So I do some simple tests.

I'm surprised to see that memory states 24K RAM. I also verify all the keys work.
I plug in the other CoCo2 in and get absolutely nothing on the screen. Like there is not video signal output at all.


So I look up what the Model Numbers mean.

This is when I realize the working computer has been upgraded with more RAM and the Extended BASIC ROM.  So  I wrote him on what I found and set the good one up in the game room. 

Starting a new Campaign - Start of Character creation

Lets roll some dice

STR 6 4 1 6 = 16
DEX 2 3 3 1 scrap 6 4 3 2 = 13
CON 4 1 3 6 = 13
INT 6 2 4 4 = 14
WIS 6 2 1 2 = 10
CHR 2 2 1 3 scrap 3 4 5 4

Choose Race and Class Eladrin Elf Sorcerers

Dark Vision 60’

•Fey Step: Eladrin can use a bonus action to magically teleport up to 30 feet, a signature ability that often carries additional effects based on their current season 

•Seasonal Changes: Their emotional state is linked to the seasons, influencing their appearance (skin/hair color) and mood, with the ability to change seasons after a long rest.

•Fey Ancestry: Like other elves, they have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and cannot be put to sleep by magic.

Key Aspects of Eladrin Elf Classes:

• Racial Features: They possess Darkvision, Fey Ancestry (advantage against charm), and Fey Step, which allows them to teleport up to 30 feet as a bonus action.

• Seasonal Abilities (Level 3): Upon finishing a long rest, an Eladrin can change their season, altering their Fey Step effect.

o Autumn: Charm creatures after teleporting.

o Winter: Frighten creatures after teleporting.

o Spring: Teleport a willing creature instead of themselves.

o Summer: Deal fire damage to surrounding creatures after teleporting.

•Appearance: They are slender, typically standing 5 to 6 feet tall, with eyes that often sparkle, reflecting their intense fey magic. 

• Emotional Nature: Eladrin are often described as more "alien" or emotional than other elves. Their personalities can be as volatile as the Feywild itself, frequently changing alongside their seasonal state.
• Lifespan: Like most elves, they can live for over 750 years.

Seasonal Skin Colors

• Spring: Typically verdant green, pale green, or rosy pink, often described as "fresh" or "blossoming".
• Summer: Vibrant gold, yellow, or a deep "sun-kissed" bronze. Their skin may even appear to have a "fiery" glow.
• Autumn: Burnt orange, red, or russet brown, mimicking the colors of falling leaves.
• Winter: Pale blue, icy white, or even a somber charcoal/deep purple, reflecting a frozen landscape.

CS/A65 computer system with GeckOS

GeckOS/A65, when running on the CS/A65 computer system, can manage up to 1 MB of addressable RAM (specifically, 256 blocks of 4kB via an Memory Management Unit [MMU]). While the base Gecko board provides 32 kB RAM, the system is designed to support much larger, banked memory configurations.

The CS/A65 is a modular, 8-bit computer system based on the 6502 processor, designed as a PET-compatible clone with advanced features. It features a passive backplane for I/O boards, a Memory Management Unit (MMU) allowing up to 1MB of address space, and support for multitasking via the GeckOS/A65 operating system.

More on my new spread sheet software

As I continue to tweak the code, I'm realizing there will not be a 16K version. This will require 32K. Although it is possible to have 1M on the TI-99/4A, I don't think this is a reasonable requirement as this is much harder to aquire and not considered standard setup, where-as 32K is. I have sliced some code off, yet memory restaints in an issue.

Menus are done. Now I'm testing and tweaking the code to make it the best I can under the 32k scope.

I'll have more screenshot and code released soon.

Let's talk C64 Ultimate.

I'm excited about two new computers that are remakes of old.  First of the two is the C64 Ultimate.  If I buy one, it will only be one of them.  So first lets look at Commodore's offering. 

Yes, there is another new C64 on the market, and this time from Commodore themselves.  The Commodore C64 Ultimate.

From the photos, we see it comes with Ethernet, USB, and HDMI video output.  The keyboard looks pretty close to the original.

We also know the new C64 will have GEOS installed. That is awesome, but will the new Commodore C64 come with a web browser like "The Wave"?  From the Commodore website, show geoWrite running. But will the C64 Ultimate come packaged with a word processor like geoWrite?

From the Commodore website:

Play 10,000+ original games with more RAM & 48Mhz Turbo mode! (128MB DDR2 RAM, 16MB NOR flash)(Core: AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA)

Plug in dusty old cartridges, CRT TVs, datasettes, or disk drives - it all works.‡

No disk drive needed: Load games using the File Browser from the supplied cassette-style USB thumbdrive, packed with 50+ titles - full games, licensed classics, music, demos, and Commodore's exclusive new sequel to our first ever game - Jupiter Lander. Or add your own!

Not just reborn but upgraded: More memory & faster speed options, multiple SID sound chips (add 2 original ones or use 8 x virtual SIDs!), keyboard macros, even modern printer support!

Enjoy HDMI clarity, Wi-Fi game transfer, USB convenience.

Hidden inside: the autographs/names of Commodore 64 creators past and present - including Albert 'Father of the Commodore 64' Charpentier - etched forever in the motherboard copper.*

Mad Magazine code for the TI-99/4A

Here is a fun little program







100 REM MAD 2025 (TI-BASIC)


110 CALL CLEAR

120 CALL SCREEN(15)

130 FOR N=1 TO 16

140 CALL COLOR(N,5,1)

150 NEXT N

160 FOR N=1 TO 98

170 READ DEF$,GRAPHICS,ROW,COLUMN

180 CALL CHAR(GRAPHICS,DEF$)

190 CALL HCHAR(ROW,COLUMN,GRAPHICS,1)

200 NEXT N

210 M$="WHAT, ME WORRY?"

220 FOR I=1 TO LEN(M$)

230 ID=ASC(SEG$(M$,I,1))

240 CALL HCHAR(19,9+I,ID)

250 NEXT I

260 GOTO 260

270 DATA "00000000010F3FFC",33,5,15,"01030F7EFCE00000",34,5,16,"A8D870E0FE070000",35,5,17

280 DATA "0000000000073FF8",36,5,18,"000001070E180000",37,6,12,"01FCFFF16060C080",38,6,13

290 DATA "8FFED8C020000000",39,6,14,"E000000000000000",40,6,15,"1613010000000000",41,6,18

300 DATA "00E0301C0E070301",42,6,19,"000000000080C0E0",48,6,20,"01070E0E0E0E0C0D",43,7,12

310 DATA "C080000000000000",45,7,13,"E070381E0F070301",46,7,20,"000000000080C0E0",47,7,21

320 DATA "0F0D191913070E1C",49,8,12,"0000000101010101",50,8,13,"00131B9ADE7E6E6C",51,8,14

330 DATA "00C0F03E07000000",52,8,15,"00007F3FC3F03C0E",53,8,16,"003C8FCDFE1F0E00",54,8,17

340 DATA "0000FEFF31180C00",55,8,18,"0000000080E1713F",56,8,19,"0100000070D8D818",57,8,20

350 DATA "F8C04060703C3218",58,8,21,"1C3C78D898303038",59,9,12,"03020606061E1C18",60,9,13

360 DATA "6C6C400000000000",61,9,14,"311C0C0000000000",62,9,19,"30381C0C06070301",64,9,20

370 DATA "1C1C0C0C0E0E0F0D",66,9,21,"1818183870606060",67,10,12,"0C0C1C1838303060",68,10,13

380 DATA "0003070F1C383070",70,10,14,"FFFFFFFF0001010F",71,10,15,"008080800080C0E0",73,10,16

390 DATA "00000001030F0F0C",74,10,17,"00007FFFFFFFC000",75,10,18,"000080C0E0F03000",76,10,19

400 DATA "0103030607070301",78,10,20,"0606060606060403",80,10,21,"000000030F3C70C7",81,11,11

410 DATA "606060B0180C0603",83,11,12,"606040C08080C0E0",85,11,13,"31071E0F00010301",86,11,14

420 DATA "FF7D7D0000ECF9C3",88,11,15,"800080C000C0C080",90,11,16,"0001030703040101",91,11,17

430 DATA "00FF7F7D00013FFF",92,11,18,"0080C0E0E0808000",93,11,19,"0100000000010103",94,11,20

440 DATA "E362626246CF9FB0",95,11,21,"0000000000F8FE07",96,11,22,"DFDCD8DCCCE4F07C",97,12,11

450 DATA "F3793C7070707878",98,12,12,"C0C0E0F010004060",99,12,13,"0000000000010307",100,12,15

460 DATA "80000C1C1800040E",101,12,16,"0000060E0C000000",102,12,17,"1E00000000006064",103,12,18

470 DATA "0303000000020307",104,12,20,"71E105150F193323",105,12,21,"FB3B391919999B83",106,12,22

480 DATA "3C3C1E0F07030100",107,13,11,"7F3F0F0398CCE070",108,13,12,"6060707038300008",109,13,13

490 DATA "000000030F3F5F1E",110,13,14,"030F3BF1E0C08000",111,13,15,"06FCFFFE00000000",112,13,16

500 DATA "060F9E0000203010",113,13,17,"3437630100000000",114,13,18,"0080C0FC7E3F3F17",115,13,19

510 DATA "030307070382C6C4",116,13,20,"131B1A187973270F",117,13,21,"070E3C78F0E08000",118,13,22

520 DATA "381C0F0700000000",119,14,12,"0C1CDEFE0E070703",120,14,13,"3F3F33000000C0E0",121,14,14

530 DATA "0080E03F1F010403",122,14,15,"000000FFFFFF9222",123,14,16,"303000FFFFFF7272",124,14,17

540 DATA "000001FFFEF8600C",125,14,18,"1331B0C000000000",126,14,19,"8206060F0F1D1C38",127,14,20

550 DATA "0F1E3C78F0C00000",128,14,21,"0301000000000000",129,15,13,"E0F6FF3F1F070000",130,15,14

560 DATA "03010080C0E0F078",131,15,15,"82C0E0707F3F1F00",132,15,16,"70000001FFFFFE00",133,15,17

570 DATA "3870E0C080000103",134,15,18,"0001070F1E3C78E0",135,15,19,"F0E0C08000000000",136,15,20

580 DATA "3C1E0F0301000000",137,16,15,"00000080E0FF7F1F",138,16,16,"0000000001FFFFFF",139,16,17

590 DATA "03070F3EFCF0E080",140,16,18,"E0C0800000000000",141,16,19

Card shopping at Pokémon Fest in Normal Il with my kids

Cody and Ernie

Kerry Wood

Mark Grace


Gangar, V, and I

V and Phyduck


M and I
 

Computer intro 2 - Lets make it better

I believe I have mentioned several times that Odyssey 2's "Computer Intro!" was one of my first programming experiences. Before I was coding BASIC on and Extended BASIC on the TI-99/4A, I was pecking away on the Odyssey 2 keyboard.

Recently, I have created an extended "Computer Intro!" manual that that has functions never documented in the original manual.
https://mrgibson.com/o2man.php

One thing that bothered me the most, or should I say, disappointed me the most when I was young, was that output being limited to one line on the screen.

Output placement was implemented by specifying the position in register B starting with position 00.

Example:

00 6B LDV.B.00 ;Load display register B with position 00

No matter what value you entered into the position field, you were limited to one line of text, numbers, and special charactrs.

This is where if they had expanded this, this would have been a better and more entertaining programming environment.
Given that valid input could range from 00 to FF, in theory, that would have given us 256 different positions on the screen. Where 00 could have been the upper left corner. I'm going to try to reverse engineer the code and try to see if this functionality can be added.

Although it is true that in this environment there are 16 Registers, some have special purposes. Like Register B and Register C. So here is an example of the limits of text programming on "Computer Intro!" that uses Register B and C.
Example:

  Odyssey2 Computer Intro! Assembler has multiple ways of displaying the
  text "Hello World", one of the better methods is using the MOV instruction.

  00 6B LDV.B.00  ;Load display register B with position 00
  01 00
  02 60 LDV.0.00  ;load register 0 with NULL
  03 00
  04 6C LDV.C.12  ;Load data space register C with step 12
  05 12
  06 09 MOV       ;Move data space to accumulator
  07 30 BEQ.0.24  ;If NULL go to end
  08 24
  09 0B OTA       ;Display accumulator
  10 12 GTO.06    ;go back to move at step 06   
  11 06
  12 1D           ;H  Start of data space
  13 12           ;E
  14 0E           ;L
  15 0E           ;L
  16 17           ;O
  17 0C           ;space
  18 11           ;W 
  19 17           ;O
  20 13           ;R
  21 0E           ;L
  22 1A           ;D
  23 00           ;NULL  end of string
  24 00 NOP  

My TI-99 machines.

This is just a show and tell post.

This is my two TI-99/4As - my 2nd and my 3rd side by side.


TI #3 On my primary Dell monitor using TI's S-Video/Standard Audio to RCA to HDMI


TI #3


TI #2 beside my file/audio file server


My video switching system between my computers.






Testing math functionality against other retro computers like Atari, Apple, Commodore, and IBM


My favorite game controller for the TI-99 is Sega's Genesis




TI #2 displaying a randomizer application on my TV


TI #2 displaying a different randomizer on my TV


TI #2 displaying on my TV.


My TI #2

TI-99 32K expansion

The most common TI-99/4A 32K RAM chip is the 28 pin AS6C62256 RAM chip.  Any solution I look at will likely use this chip.

The exact spec is 32k Ram AS6C62256-55PCN 28DIP 0.6″.  It is a 32kx8 memory array chip which was very common, but not when the TI-99/4A was released.  Texas Instruments used a totally different configuration.  Below has the pin description. 

All the additional pieces you will need for a TIPI setup. 

SN74HCT245N IC TXRX NON-INVERT 5.5V 20DIP

CD74HCT21E IC GATE AND 2CH 4-INP 14DIP

SN74HCT138N IC DECODER/DEMUX 1X3:8 16DIP

2N3904BU Transistor NPN 40V 0.2A TO92-3

ICS-314-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 14P 2.54MM

ICS-316-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 16P 2.54MM

ICS-320-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 20P 2.54MM

ICS-628-T 0.6″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 28P 2.54MM

CONN EDGE DUAL FMALE 44POS 0.100 395-044-524-202 (Requires Modification)

44 PIN (Two Row 22PIN 2.54mm Pin Header) (Made with Smaller pieces)

3 PIN 2.54mm Pin Header (For Power Jumper)

2.54mm Jumper

DC 2.1×5.5mm power jack

3mm RED LED

680 Ohm 1/4W Resistor

2 ) 1k Ohm 1/4W Resistors

10k Ohm 1/4W Resistor

4 ) 0.1uf (104) capacitors

2.54mm Round Female Socket Pin Header Strip (88Pins are required)

TI-99/4A side port

I now have the 44 pin side port for the TI-99/4A mapped out and documented.

You can find my documentation here:

https://mrgibson.com/TI/TI-side-cart.php

But there is a lot more to this than the connections. As I continue to research, I will post here.

working with TI-99 4/A in 2025

This is a photo of one of my TI-99/4A computers that is hooked up to the file serving computer on the right. I would like to take this further and use this secondary computer as a RAM management for the TI also.

Why? Well the 32k RAM expansion gives you additional memory for TI-Extended BASIC, assembly language programs and GPL programs. The additional RAM is also is required for:

- Most of the upper end utilities and few fun 3rd party and many of the cooler home-bew stuff.

- Editor Assembler requires 32k memory expansion.

- Extended Basic can use up to 24k of the 32k memory expansion and 8k is available for loading assembly language programs.
- Logo can use 32k

- Microsoft Multiplan requires 32k memory expansion

- TI-writer requires 32k memory expansion

So how to go about it?  I'm going to study the pin configuration and chipsets used for existing solutions, then hopefully make something cheaper and more efficient that will work with what I have to work with.  Then document it like I have for other TI related projects to share and help others.

So, hopefully more to come soon.

I finally picked up another TI Expanded BASIC module/cart

I have been looking and looking and looking for a TI Extended BASIC cartridge for some time now. I finally purchased one tonight. Just happened to come with a TI-99/4A that I didn't need, but it looks better than the TI I have now.

This TI looks pretty clean.



No visible warping, scrapes, or scratches.



Cart looks really good too.

Started on C64 slots

I know between Sept 2024 and Oct 2024 I would start programming a slot machine game for the C64.

Well, I have officially started. Just wanted to share the start of the design and code.

 .
 Number 7 -  

1234|1234|1234|1234
    |    |    |      1  00 00
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxxx  2  7F FF
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxxx  3  7F FF
 xxx|    |    |xxx   4  70 0E
 xxx|    |    |xxx   5  70 0E
    |    |   x|xx    6  00 1C
    |    |  xx|x     7  00 38
    |    |  xx|x     8  00 38
______________________
    |    | xxx|      1  00 70
    |    | xxx|      2  00 70
    |    |xxx |      3  00 E0
    |   x|xx  |      4  01 C0
    |   x|xx  |      5  01 C0
    |  xx|xx  |      6  03 C0
    | xxx|xx  |      7  07 C0
    |    |    |      8  00 00

===============================================

Heart 

1234|1234|1234|1234
    |    |    |      1  00 00
    |    |    |      2  00 00
   x|xx  |  xx|x     3  1C 38
  xx|xxx | xxx|xx    4  3E 7C
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxx   5  7F FE 
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxx   6  7F FE 
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxx   7  7F FE 
 xxx|xxxx|xxxx|xxx   8  7F FE 
____________________
  xx|xxxx|xxxx|xx    1  3F FC
   x|xxxx|xxxx|x     2  1F F8 
    |xxxx|xxxx|      3  0F F0
    | xxx|xxx |      4  07 E0
    |  xx|xx  |      5
    |   x|x   |      6
    |    |    |      7  00 00
    |    |    |      8  00 00



ROM 58(:), 59(;), 60(<), 61(=)   = number7 four colors - green, blue, black, red
ROM 26(z), 27([), 28(^), 29(])   = heart   red or black
ROM 35(#), 37(%), 38(&), 39(')   = lemon   yellow
ROM 40((), 41()), 42(*), 43(+)   - diamond red or black

71 rem number7

74 data 00,127,127,112,112,00,00,00
75 rem "00  7F  7F  70  70" - rom 58

79 data 00,255,255,14,14,28,56,56
80 rem "00  FF  FF 0E 0E 1C 38 38" - rom 59

84 data 00,00,00,01,01,03,07,00
85 rem "00 00 00 01 01 03 07" - rom 60

89 data 112,112,224,192,192,192,192,00
90 rem " 70  70  E0  C0  C0  C0  C0" - rom 61

91 rem heart
94 data  00,00,
95 rem  "00 00 1C 3E 7F 7F 7F 7F"

99  data 00,00,
100 rem "00 00 38 7C FE FE FE FE"

109 data
110 rem "3F 1F 0F 07 03 01"

119 data
120 rem "FC F8 F0 E0 C0 80"

207 rem Lemon
209 data 00,00,00,03,15,31,63,255
210 rem "00 00 00 03 0F 1F 3F FF"

219 data 00,00,00,192,
220 rem "00 00 00  C0 F0 F8 FC FF"

229 data 255
230 rem " FF 3F 1F 0F 03"

239 data 255
240 rem " FF FC F8 F0 C0"

380u rem Diamond
392 rem "00 01 03 07 0F 1F 3F 7F"
393 rem "00 80 C0 E0 50 A8 FC FE"
394 rem "7F 3F 1F 0F 07 03 01"
395 rem "FE FC F8 F0 E0 C0 80"
 
 .

I finally have something to show for the C64

I finally have something to show for the C64 version of Dragon, Druids, & Dice 1.2! I have the C64 version of DDD 1.2 done and with the same graphics as the TI-99/4A. This took way more work than I could have imagined.  Maybe if I had grown up with the C64, it would have been easier.

Above is what the C64 version looks like and here is what the TI-99/4A looks like:

Font looks different and I kept the C64's default blue font color.

During this whole programming ordeal, I have used and updated the following documentation:

C64 character manipulation:

https://mrgibson.com/c64basic2.php

TI-99/4A general character documentation (bottom):

https://mrgibson.com//TI/TIBASIC2.php

and lastly my general C64 BASIC document:

https://mrgibson.com/c64basic.php

I did have to shift a few things around, but most of the code is pretty close to each platform.

Here is an example of shifting from character to another between the two platforms.

119 for a=12656 to 12663: read ze: poke a,ze: poke a+1024,255-ze: next a

120 data 0,0,0,0,192,48,12,03

121 rem call char(97,"00 00 00 00 c0 30 0c 03")  swap 97 for c64 46 '.'