I have been coding in axe for a while now and so far I understand the basics quite well. However, I do wonder a couple
1. How should I organize your code? Personally I use separate programs for storing sprites, rendering the screen, and computing all run through a central program called “CONTROL”.
2. How do I get numbers larger than 16^4 (65536)?
3. (Figured out grayscale, can't believe it was that easy.)
4. How should I store sprites? Strings? The Data( Command? Currently I use strings.
5. And lastly, how do I get an accurate clock? I want to make an FPS counter or some kind of DeltaTime, but I don’t know how to accurately and consistently calculate a second.
I used axe for awhile, so I might be of some help:
1. That sounds like a pretty fine way to organize it! I will add, I name the noncompiled programs as, for example, "ASUZAN", then the compiled version is "SUZAN"
2. Well, you'll have to do it yourself - you could use two values in tandem, writing your own routines. If you can imagine how you'd use two 8 bit values to do 16 bit operations, you'd scale that up. However, for any case where you'd think you'd need a larger number, it's probably best to rethink your code - remember old games having "257,300" as values for a high score? its because the actual number is 2,573 - the zeros are tacked on.
(also, 2^16 is a slightly clearer way to write that).
3. Great! I still haven't, then again, haven't tried in a long time.
4. I use straight data blocks stored to strings, yes. Remember you can store >1 sprite per string by adding an offset to it (Str1+8A takes the data A "spaces" down from the first sprite stored, then you can store them all in sequence)
5. I don't think there's a good way to do that purely in the language. Clock speeds vary. The 84+ and above are the only ones with a real clock, but even then you're getting seconds, not fractions of a second.
I'll be excited to see what you make!
I am the least experienced with Axe here, but I tear through any tutorial I can find, so I know a lot of features and typical conventions
1. I keep everything in one program, using theta. (The compiled version is GAME, then the source is thetaGAME). I also make the most out of functions and comments, as I use each of them quite a bit.
2. I can’t add any more than WaveJumper did!
3. Nice
4. Typically, sprites are stored using Pic variables. Plus, it makes sense.
5. Interrupts are probably your best bet here
Thank you guys for the advice! This will come in handy with my coding! Also, I am creating an Online Axe Handbook to make coding a bit easier by teaching the basics, listing useful techniques, and providing resource links. I'm not very far though do to high school, so don't expect anything yet.
