C64 machine code tutors

[Havantgottaclue]

I would quite like to try my hand at programming a simple game for the C64 in the near future. I'm a teacher, and the summer holidays are not too far off now, so it seems like the right sort of time for at least making a start on a project of this sort. (Year 11 have just left too, making my life quite a lot easier).

I've noted with interest that there are quite a few books on Amazon which, with help from sites like the C64 Codebase and Covert Bitops, could prove useful. However, information about these books isn't really included on Amazon. So I thought I'd see if any of the techie bods who visit this site could recommend something? It wouldn't have to be entirely from the basics, as I do have the C64 Programmers' Reference Guide - more the sort of thing that teaches you about structuring a program, game logic and so on.

Ta!

[TMR]

I've noted with interest that there are quite a few books on Amazon which, with help from sites like the C64 Codebase and Covert Bitops, could prove useful.

The Covert Bitops stuff is pretty much advanced level code, the rants about multiplexing in particular... =-)

However, information about these books isn't really included on Amazon. So I thought I'd see if any of the techie bods who visit this site could recommend something? It wouldn't have to be entirely from the basics, as I do have the C64 Programmers' Reference Guide - more the sort of thing that teaches you about structuring a program, game logic and so on.

Well, there aren't many books that deal specifically with those sorts of topics as such... usually it's a case of learning machine code and just nattering to other programmers to get ideas. The two books that always get a mention for machine code are Rae West's "Programming the Commodore 64" and "Learning Machine Code Programming on the Commodore 64 (and other Commodore computers)" by Jim Butterfield - the former is usually mentioned by Europeans, the latter by Americans. Personally, i learnt from "VIC 20 Machine Code" by Bruce Smith, the Programmers Reference Guide and lots of experimentation. =-)

i wrote a series of tutorials called The Hex Files (not my pun, i swear!) for a C64 fanzine from 1995 onwards, the link points to the online version that is written around cross assembling using C64Asm - obviously i can't comment on how good or bad they are because i'm biased, but i get positive feedback occasionally and a few people have told me they learnt from what i'd done so who knows... =-) But i'm perfectly happy to answer questions an' stuff too, in fact shutting me up takes an effort sometimes...!

[Havantgottaclue]

Thanks TMR, I look forward to looking through the Hex Files!

[Bub&Bob]

I wouldn't be trying to learn machine code if I got a 6 week summer holiday

[psj3809]

I wouldn't be trying to learn machine code if I got a 6 week summer holiday

...and finish work at 3.30 every day

[Havantgottaclue]

I wouldn't be trying to learn machine code if I got a 6 week summer holiday

...and finish work at 3.30 every day

3.35, if you don't mind!

[TMR]

I wouldn't be trying to learn machine code if I got a 6 week summer holiday

...and finish work at 3.30 every day

3.35, if you don't mind!

i'm usually out of the door by 3pm but i'm technically a teaching assistant...

[oswald]

http://codebase64.com/doku.php?id=links:start

check the tutorial section. also the whole codebase64 site itself is dedicated to show how to code the c64.

[Havantgottaclue]

Thanks for the link, oswald - there's mountains of stuff to get through there!

Think I might try to put together a few graphics to move around - I've downloaded the background editors used for Metal Warrior from the Covert BitOps site - should be good enough for a beginner!