Technical details |
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game works on a standard 64-KB Atari thanks to efficient compression - the real memory footprint is over 80 KB. |
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game engine works in 128x96 pixels resolution (Graphics 7, ANTIC mode 14) in 2 frames |
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stereo POKEY is automatically detected. If available, the game uses a pseudo-stereo effect for music, and the sound effects use a left-right panning effect. |
Some history
The original idea for the game was to make an Atari port of the old Tube game by Bullfrog. Unfortunately, it turned out that making such an engine with high resolution (well, relatively) graphics was impossible on a 64 KB Atari, due to memory constraints.
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Bullfrog's DOS game "Tube" - the very first idea
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Ingame screenshot from D. Johannsen's "Jump!" game
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This led to the idea of making the in-tunnel port of the D. Johannsen's "Jump!" game (see the image on the left). The game development started on 06.05.2007, and progressed very quickly. The very first "playable" version, with (admittedly ugly) menus, events etc. was ready one week later. You can download this file by simply clicking on this link (if you dare!) or take a look at the screenshot below. It still used in-game generated tunnel maps, that didn't use perspective. Also, it provided an alternative ball-control method, similar to the one found in the Gyruss game, later removed from the game. |
The admittedly ugly menu of the first playable version of the game
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Now game engine renders the playground using perspective. We have an animated ball by X-Ray too
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The game kept on progressing. In a few days, the old tunnel was replaced with one using perspective. This version also contained a new animated ball by X-Ray, and first attempts at some in-game information, including the number of lives and the progress bar. Soon, the ball was replaced with a new one, when BeWu joined the team. We also made first attempts at background graphics. In the middle of June the game got the great music and sound effects by X-Ray (go to the soundtrack section for downloads). We also made a lot of progress with the existing features. At this stage, the game was fully functional, and we started to polish many details. For example, BeWu designed new fonts which also resulted in the change of the in-game status. |
New ball by BeWu and the first attempt at background graphics
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New fonts by BeWu were used in the title menu...
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...and in the in-game status.
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In the beginning of July we started work on the title screen. First attempts (see above) were surely colorful, but not necessarily elegant. Luckily, soon BeWu delivered a new menu logo which after some changes resulted in the final menu version. In the meantime, BeWu also provided five completely different background graphics, which are all presented in the screenshots part of the media section of Yoomp! site. In the beginning of August, the game was roughly complete, and we started to do final polishing. This resulted in the Atari-first smooth volume control for sound effects and music, and a nice end-of-the-game screen. |
One of the first sketches of the menu picture
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We tried different main-menu graphics...
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...but did not use these designs.
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Used software
The following software was used in the development of Yoomp!:
· jEdit - main programming (used by Eru)
· SciTE - additional programming (used by 0xF)
· MADS Assembler - compilation
· Music ProTracker - music (used by X-Ray)
· Graph2Font - end-game graphics (used by BeWu)
· zlib - compression
· GNU make - building
· Atari800, Atari800Win PLus, Atari800MacX - running the game on a PC/MAC
We would like to thank the authors of all these great programs. Without them, developing Yoomp! would be impossible. |
