[Mr_Alert]

CHIP-8 is a virtual machine made in the 1970s for use with the RCA TELMAC-1800 and COSMAC VIP computers. It was mainly used to make games, and it is rumored that it was originally made to show off the graphics of those computers (even though they're 64x32 black and white PIXELS!)

And here be a CHIP-8 emulator for Megazeux, with a few games included:

- BRIX (Breakout clone)
- KALEID (Weird graphics type of thing)
- PONG (Obvious)
- PUZZLE (One of those sliding puzzle things)
- PUZZLE2 (Another version of PUZZLE)
- SYZYGY (Nibbles clone...ish)
- UFO (Shoot the white blobs!)
- WIPEOFF (Plinko?)

EDIT: The CHIP-8 emulation uses the left 16 keys on the keyboard (1, 2, 3, 4, Q, W, E, R, A, S, D, F, Z, X, C ,V)

Attached File(s)

•  chip_8.zip (0bytes)
  Number of downloads: 44

[Frobozz]

Just got finished searching with Google and found a small cache of games for the Chip-8. Some are already present in the download from Mr_Alert though. Amongst them is Space Invaders.

This post has been edited by Frobozz: 24 November 2005 - 11:51 AM

[Mr_Alert]

Frobozz, on Nov 24 2005, 03:49 AM, said:

Just got finished searching with Google and found a small cache of games for the Chip-8. Some are already present in the download from Mr_Alert though. Amongst them is Space Invaders.

Some of those games are SuperChip games that aren't supported by my emulator.

SuperChip has a higher resolution of 128x64, and that's the main reason why it isn't supported yet. It's easier to use half-chars than it is to use a lot of chars and manipulation and such, especially if there isn't any video memory outside the displayed thing.

[asgromo]

Very cool, Mr_Alert... At least, better than those Brainfuck interpreters. xD

[VinceP]

Nice work. I've never heard of Chip-8 before, or let alone knew there were home computers or gaming systems in the 1970s.

[Mr_Alert]

VinceP, on Nov 24 2005, 06:29 AM, said:

Nice work. I've never heard of Chip-8 before, or let alone knew there were home computers or gaming systems in the 1970s.

Well, they were hobbyist kits and such.

[Koji]

This is awesome =D

[paulguy]

Now make a 2600 emulator.

[Red Penguin]

It is hard to work with, I can't really understand it =(

[Mr_Alert]

New version with register status stuff, settings dialog for timing, emulation speed indicator (reduce the refresh rate if emu speed gets low), and bugfixes.

Attached File(s)

•  chip_8.mzx (0bytes)
  Number of downloads: 20

[Frobozz]

Its strange, but I've always like messing with programs that have limitations. So naturally, I've gotten to like the Chip-8. But I'd like to do more than play games made on it, I'd like to take a stab at making a game myself.

Mr_Alert pointed me towards a site containing a brief list of the instructions that the Chip-8 handles (along with a few for the Super variant). Obviously this is very helpful, but I don't want to have to use a hex editor to code games. So I did some more browsing and came up with two utilities. One is an assembler and the other is a disassembler.

I've uploaded a zip containing both utilities as well as a copy of the page listing the instructions. This should keep somebody busy.

Edit: Here is the assembly to one of the simpler programs for the Chip-8. A program that randomly generates a maze.

code0004:
        mvi     data0003
        random  v2,1
        skeq    v2,1
        mvi     data0004
        sprite  v0,v1,4
        add     v0,4
        skeq    v0,64
        jmp     code0004
        mov     v0,0
        add     v1,4
        skeq    v1,32
        jmp     code0004
code0002:
        jmp     code0002
data0004:
        db #80
        db #40
        db #20
        db #10
data0003:
        db #20
        db #40
        db #80
        db #10

This post has been edited by Frobozz: 25 November 2005 - 11:14 AM

[VinceP]

That's the entire program for a random maze? Pretty simple.

[CJA]

i played them all. they were fun. excellent show.

[Frobozz]

In order to further aid in development for the CHIP-8, I've written a FreeBASIC program that converts MegaZeux CHR files into CHIP-8 assembly data statements. I've tested both normal and partial character sets and both work.

There is only one problem - it seems the assembler I've got cannot handle the vast number of "symbols." It dies at number 3,825 for me.

This post has been edited by Frobozz: 27 November 2005 - 02:50 AM