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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Event id #2678 : The 128b font compo
Welcome to the 128b font compo!
The goal is to create the most legible, stylish, and/or awesome font using an executable program no larger than 128 bytes. The assumption is that the ROM font will be used as a basis somehow, although this is not a formal requirement.
The deadline is end of April 8, 2018, in a time zone of your choice.
The compo is held at CSDb, and the result is determined by the weighted average rating (including non-public votes). The ratings will be sampled one week after the deadline, end of April 15, in a time zone of my choice.
Judges are asked to consider screen codes 00-3f only. This comprises the uppercase letters, digits, and punctuation. The rules do not mandate that reverse-video characters work, so it is all right if the cursor doesn't work properly.
I reserve the right to modify the rules if there is a good reason.
Technical requirements
Maximum file size including load address is 128 bytes.
The program must load to the default location ($801), and must be executable with RUN. The new font should be installed at address $3800, after which the program should return to the BASIC prompt, with the VIC bank register ($d018) updated to point to the new font.
The entry should be uploaded in .prg format.
A person may be creatively involved in at most two (2) compo entries. (Idea/test/help credits don't count towards the limit.) It's alright to withdraw an earlier entry in order to submit a new one, up to the deadline.
Template
The following template code is offered as a convenience, and may be used as a starting point. It simply copies the default ROM font.
.word $801
*=$801
.word $80b,1
.byt $9e,"2061",0,0,0
sei
lda #$33
sta 1
ldx #0
ldy #2
loop
src
lda $d000,x
; ...
dest
sta $3800,x
inx
bne loop
inc src+2
inc dest+2
dey
bne loop
lda #$37
sta 1
lda #$1e
sta $d018
cli
rts
Happy hacking! |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
The deadline is looming, and a native voting tool is in the works!
I have reviewed all entries, and most of them are fine. However, the following entries are disqualified for relying on additional setup code, not included in the 128 bytes:
* 4x4 font [128 bytes] by bubis
* Yet Another 2x2 Font by Monte Carlos
* Fieser font by fieserWolf
* 2x2 font by Camelot
* Gotcha 45° 2x2 [126 bytes] by bubis
"Multicolor Font" by Cruzer will be included in the voting tool, because it is reasonably legible at 1x1. But the special 2x1 combo chars will not be displayed (because the rules state that judges should consider screen codes 00-3f only).
4-Mat, you have 1 font in the compo and 2 outside. Is this correct?
Finally, I have decided to clarify/change the rules to disallow relying on a particular filename. This means that "Smallest We Can [30 bytes]" is out; sorry, Pex! My rationale is that this technique can be used to shrink many other compo entries down to exactly 30 bytes, and this would take away an important aspect of the competition. |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Also, I forgot: Bubis, you still have three entries in the compo after removing the disqualified ones. Either you or I will have to reduce that number. |
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Bubis Account closed
Registered: Oct 2012 Posts: 10 |
lft, what do you mean on additional set up code? There is a max 128 bytes version that generates the charset only and a *_show.prg version that shows the chars on the screen as well.
I will reduce the number of my entries in time.
Thanks! |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Excellent about the number of entries. Just checking!
As for the disqualified entries, consider Gotcha 45° 2x2. Since this is a 128 byte compo, I will only consider the version without the shower. When I run this file, I get the following:
That's not really legible, is it? If you absolutely insist, I can include this font in the voting tool, but it will be showcased using text in the regular screen codes, so it will look more or less like the above screenshot. |
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Bubis Account closed
Registered: Oct 2012 Posts: 10 |
Yepp, that looks "good". :) I was hoping that the rules would change. I will revoke that one. |
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TheRyk
Registered: Mar 2009 Posts: 2076 |
About the fonts without executable code:
Of course it might be hacking fun to solve that riddle by oneself, but as there's a felt bunch of such releases meanwhile, pleeease: If you don't provide version switching on the font because of size issues, I'd really appreciate if you provide one version really executing code and setting I/O registers in addition and/or AT LEAST explain in production notes what to do to activate font (and maybe a screenshot not for the sake of voting but to see how it is supposed to look when executed).
Cheers
A concerned font gourmet |
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Copyfault
Registered: Dec 2001 Posts: 466 |
I somehow got stuck with the filename approach (though I know it automatically renders every release based on this "outside compo"). The latest installment of this "series" *aehem* is Tinyrulebreaker! [29 bytes] which was uploaded just a couple of minutes ago.
Now I'd really love to have this connected to the incredible font compo, but...
As I can't think of any time zone that is still before deadline I kindly ask you, lft, as the organizer to admit it as an outside compo-release! |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Copyfault: Sure, it can be an out-of-compo release. |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Thanks for all the great entries in the 128b font compo! A total of fifty-five (!) fonts have passed the strict rules of admission, and are ready for our collective scrutiny and judgement.
It is time to vote, using the official vote tool: 128b Font Compo 2018 Vote Tool
Voting is open to every person in the C64 scene. You don't need a CSDb account.
You are asked to rate each entry from bad (1) to good (9). Self-votes are allowed, and expected to be 9. You may choose to give blank votes (-), that do not get included in the average.
The deadline for voting is end of 15 April 2018, in a time zone of my choice (so this might be end of 14 April in your time zone).
Once your voting duties are over, don't forget to also admire the entries that were deliberately released outside the compo, or were deemed by yours truly to be bending the rules too much. Extraordinary workmanship can be found among those too! |
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lft
Registered: Jul 2007 Posts: 369 |
Just a friendly reminder that the deadline for voting in the font compo is end of Sunday 15 April, in a time zone of my choice. This could be as early as end of Saturday 14 April in your time zone, if you happen to be in Honolulu.
So far, 29 people have voted. |
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