> 1- learn the basic concepts from the programmer's guide. And I mean
> "basic": don't waste time on VDEL, for example! What's the use of VDEL,
> anyway? ;-)
It's my understanding that when VDEL is enabled, a player's graphics don't
change immediately when its data register changes; it waits until the
next write to player data before it makes the change. This was intended
to allow single-scanline positioning in double-scanline kernels, but
its most common use is in six-digit scoring routines.
I once thought, maytbe it would be a good idea to study Rob Colbert's notes
and produce a text file explaining it, but then I figured, this type of
code is usually just copied straight from disassembled listings anyway.
Perhaps I (or someone who can beat me to it) should write a tutorial on
stealing code from 2600 games, starting with six-digit scores.
When half of it is playing around with a basic kernel and the other
half is ripping off David Crane, it'll be a cinch getting started.
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