#Programming

Converting a 1980s BASIC type-in game into Z80 Assembly.

Get comfy and watch as I try to figure out how to write a really simple program the hard way.

Let’s hook an Arduino up to a 1980s CPU and see what happens!

Writing fractals on a 7MHz computer with 64K of RAM

Today’s lesson in curing headaches by banging your head on the wall until they stop involves joysticks and mice. This is a bit technical, so ensure your seat back and tray table are in the upright and locked position. Please keep all arms inside the ride at all times.

Drawing sprites on the Spectrum Next, using C. Or – how to learn the dark art of figuring out things you don’t understand. <!-more–>

Learning to program is an endurance game full of random side quests, dead ends and frustration. Rather than learning “how to do X”, which is specific, it’s much more useful learning “how to figure out how to do anything at all”.

Go look on StackOverflow at all the questions that come down to “I don’t understand what I’m trying to do in the first place, can you write my code for me?”. Here’s how to not be one of those people.

What better way to wait out the apocalypse than trying to learn a new system. Read how I dug out my ZX Spectrum Next and set about writing C code on it…

How to read and write JSON files using Python so that they can be used in your Python programs.

A quick set of notes on how to parse command line arguments properly in Python. This uses the argparse module, totally removing any effort on your part when it comes to processing command line switches.

How to write GameBoy Advance (GBA) homebrew using modern tools and systems in 2020. Compilers, editors, debugging and more!

This isn’t the definitive way of doing things, but it’s a way that seems to work for me. Also you might read this and think it a bit convoluted and full on. I didn’t create it all in one go, it’s a workflow that has evolved over time.