retro-computing

List of Best C64 Programming Books and Courseware

What books and/or courseware should be considered "must read" or definitive on the subject of C64 programming? This question asks about the knowledge that isn't tied up in books. However a sea of C64 programming books and courseware were published that are currently available only via physical media. ...

How to build and deploy an Amiga application that is bootable from a floppy disk (NON-DOS)?

Following up on the "How do I code and compile an Amiga application?" question, what development applications and build process is required to boot an Amiga application from a floppy disk? Update: Pointed out by jesup, taken from Amiga RKM Devices: The Amiga trackdisk device directly drives the disk, controls the disk motors, re...

Can anyone recall my favorite childhood programming book?

Way back in the late 80s I was learning to program on my Tandy 2000 which had two 5.25" disk drives. My grandmother bought be a programming book from Radio Shack. It was a great book about BASIC and I really enjoyed it. I was hoping somebody might recall the title, author, etc? It looked kind of like this book http://stackoverflow.com/...

Draw on screen border in Commodore 64

Ok. I hope it does not get closed because I have this curiosity since 25 years and I would love to understand the trick. In the commodore 64 the border was not addressable by the 6569 VIC. All you could do was to draw pixels in the central area, the one where the cursor moved. The border was always uniform, although you could change it...

Where can I find a 8080 to x86 assembler conversion tool ?

For a retro computing project, I need to translate a body of 1970s era 8080 assembly language into x86 form. There was a time when a tool to do just that was a key part of Intel's marketing for introduction of the 80x86 family. But my googling skills don't seem up to the job of finding that original tool or something similar. Does anyone...

What are programming lost arts?

Have you ever programmed raw machine code (not for class)? Examined a hex dump with just a hex editor (or, heck, without)? Written your own software floating-point library? Division library? Written a non-school-assignment in Lisp or Forth? What sort of "lost arts" have been forgotten? And what reason (if any) would there be to resurrec...

DOS EGA Graphics Programming in Mode 0Dh

I'm doing a bit of retro programming for fun. What I want to create is a DOS game using EGA graphics but I am having a bit of trouble finding a good reference on the web. Everybody who talks about doing DOS programming assumes that the programmer will use mode 13h, and although some pages mention the other graphics modes, I haven't fou...

Where can I get resources for developing for Mac OS Classic?

I recently got bored and fired up my old Mac OS Classic emulator, and then got nostalgic for writing old-school applications for the system. So, my question: Where can I get dev tools that can still target Classic? (Ideally free, since this is just for fun, but if grabbing a used version of CodeWarrior on eBay is the best way to go, ...

Retro video games programming

I just watched the Super Mario Bros. -1 World glitch in youtube and I really began wondering about the code behind those games. Which language was used? What about the OS for the video games consoles? Are there any website with resources about this subject? (I am a 90s video gamer so I am particularly interested about the programming beh...

Which Forth to start porting from?

I'm looking to develop a new Forth system, aimed at making game development easier on one or possibly several retro console platforms. I'm something of a Forth beginner, and need your help deciding which Forth codebase to start porting from. I'm basically looking for the merits / disadvantages of particular Forths vs each other. I've re...

Can anyone recommend a language for making a parody/remake of the original Oregon Trail?

My brother and I have been playing the original Oregon Trail on an Apple II emulator, it's so fun. We want to make a clone of it that is sort of a parody but still the same concept and similar engine, we also want to maintain the classic retro charm by using a very similar resolution and the same style of low color bitmap graphics (examp...

Anyone know or want to write a blog similar to the Old New Thing, but for the Mac OS instead of Windows?

Anyone know or want to write a blog similar to the Old New Thing, but for the Mac OS instead of Windows? ...