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Frostbyte
Registered: Aug 2003
Posts: 183 |
Event id #3373 : Vintage Computing Christmas Challenge 2023
So, who's taking part in this compo challenge? I'm giving it a go. Got my 2nd version done recently, very likely no compo challenge winner material, given the mindblowing solutions and their tiny sizes in previous years' compos challenges, but hey, trying my best. :) |
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TheRyk
Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 2356 |
Don't wanna be a grinch here (or do I?) but
this one in addition to the also as of yet kinda empty
Xmas/Winter 1-Screener Online Compo During #4th Live With C64 Demoscene and
X-Mas 2023 Compo
really feels like Wham! overdose on the radio in December |
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Frostbyte
Registered: Aug 2003
Posts: 183 |
Yes, quite a few xmas compos. Although VCCC is quite a different beast to the others, being a sizecoding challenge. That interests me more than a generic xmas compo, tbh, but each to their own of course.
Then there's also Advent of Code... And all of this at pretty much the busiest time of the year :D https://adventofcode.com/ |
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bexxx
Registered: Nov 2023
Posts: 7 |
I'm giving it a shot too. This time I feel better about my level of optimizations, but I have doubt about the algorithm ;). Let see. Learning and fun anyways! |
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Frostbyte
Registered: Aug 2003
Posts: 183 |
@bexxx exactly my thoughts! :D I haven't been able to come up with an effective enough algorithm (at least not yet), so I've been just optimising the mediocre one. Still much fun. |
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Rex
Registered: Sep 2011
Posts: 14 |
I have problems understanding one of the rules.
2.3 Don't manipulate the file.
What is it that I am not allowed to do? Can anyone give an example for C64? |
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TheRyk
Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 2356 |
OK sorry maybe I was too grumpy to see this one's quite different from the others |
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Krill
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 3005 |
Quoting RexI have problems understanding one of the rules.
2.3 Don't manipulate the file.
What is it that I am not allowed to do? Can anyone give an example for C64? The full rule says "Don't manipulate the file (e.g. truncating the last bytes, changing the start address, etc. Mainly valid for "standard files" in BASIC and other languages.)".
On C-64, BASIC programs end with 3 zero-bytes. 1 zero to terminate the last actual line of the program, then another 2 zeroes as a 16-bit null-pointer to point to the non-existing next line.
Now, the BASIC interpreter actually only checks for the high-byte of that 16-bit pointer to be 0 (BASIC programs never start in zeropage).
You can actually put any byte-value in the middle.
Thus, the BASIC SYS start-line running machine code programs often ends with "ldy #0" (00 a0 00) or similar to save 2 bytes. |
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NoiseEHC
Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 51 |
I have to say that I have found this year's competition very challenging, I can't understand how could they give us such a hard problem.
Whatever, just submitted my 722 bytes compo entry... :)))
ps: Wow, now I see that I was not supposed to tell you the size, not to deter others from participating. But whatever, in the worst case I will not win... ;) |
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Krill
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 3005 |
Quoting NoiseEHCWhatever, just submitted my 722 bytes compo entry... :))) That's the source code size, no? :)
Anyways, i found the previous 2 instalments harder, tbh. =) |
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NoiseEHC
Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 51 |
Quote: Quoting NoiseEHCWhatever, just submitted my 722 bytes compo entry... :))) That's the source code size, no? :)
Anyways, i found the previous 2 instalments harder, tbh. =)
Of course not. The code size is more than 5K... :))) |
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Krill
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 3005 |
Quoting NoiseEHCOf course not. The code size is more than 5K... :))) For that simple "diamond" diagonal grid made of asterisks? Are we talking about the same challenge? =) |
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NoiseEHC
Registered: Feb 2005
Posts: 51 |
Quote: Quoting NoiseEHCOf course not. The code size is more than 5K... :))) For that simple "diamond" diagonal grid made of asterisks? Are we talking about the same challenge? =)
Yeah. Be patient, you will see... :) |
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Krill
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 3005 |
Quoting NoiseEHCYeah. Be patient, you will see... :) Yeah okay, sounds like you're going for the "Wild Compo" rather than the main challenge, though.
In which case i guess that revealing your code size beforehand is a-okay. =) |
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The Syndrom
Registered: Aug 2005
Posts: 60 |
gave it a shot aswell... ;-) |
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Frostbyte
Registered: Aug 2003
Posts: 183 |
Alright, entry submitted. I suspect the winning entries will again be a LOT smaller than my entry, but I had fun working on mine, so whatevs. :) |
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Martin Piper
Registered: Nov 2007
Posts: 727 |
Oh darn, I just thought about using a two byte file and streaming the data from tape. With the rest of the code in the tape buffer. |
