Wizard Of Wasd

A submission for the 2020 BASIC Ten Liner competition (EXTREM-256 category)

By Randy Gill (randygill at yahoo dot com)

Update: 2021-04-10

I have created a faithful reproduction of the game in JavaScript, so you can now play Wizard of Wasd in your web browser!

Update: 2020-07-15

A new "hints" page has been created, found here.

Update: 2020-04-04

I am pleased to report that Wizard of Wasd was awarded second place for its category in the 2020 BASIC Ten Liner Competition. I give my appreciation to all who participated, and a hearty congratulations to all the other winners!

Introduction

Wizard of Wasd (rhymes with “paused”) is a fantasy adventure game with overhead graphics. It is written in the FastBasic language, and runs on Atari 8-bit computers (or emulators) with 48K+ RAM.

The goal is to find the magical “Dagger of Venn” and use it to destroy the evil Blue Wizard. You must accomplish this before time runs out. If you do not, he will complete his spell and raise legions of undead to ravage the peaceful Land of Wasd!

Animated GIF screenshot image showing brief excerpt of gameplay

How to Run

  1. Download the ATR-format disk image file WIZOWASD.ATR using this link.
  2. Write the image to a 130KB “enhanced density” diskette, and load it into your Atari computer's D1: drive.
    or
    Load file WIZOWASD.ATR as disk D1: in your favorite Atari emulator.
  3. Turn on your Atari computer (or cold-reset [reboot] your emulator) and the program should load and run automatically.

Run from Your Browser

If you'd like to play the game, but don't have an Atari 8-bit computer ot emulator, you can now run it directly from your web browser!

"Wizard of Wasd (Browser Edition)" is a pixel-exact reproduction of the (NTSC) Atari game, complete with "authentic" sound effects. There is a minor improvement with the controls. In addition to the "WASD" keys, you can use arrow keys for movement, or an on-screen direction pad (for handheld devices).

>> Play Wizard of Wasd in your browser <<

Gameplay Instructions

Gameplay Tips

Backstory

The evil wizard “Balkor the Blue” has returned — to again threaten the peaceful land of Wasd! He has sealed himself off at the top of the tower on Eastern Island, protected by one of his undead minions. There the sorcerer is preparing the ingredients of a powerful spell, which when completed will raise hordes of undead creatures, and surely spell doom for all life in the land!

There is only one hope for defeating Balkor the Blue. Centuries ago the magical Dagger of Venn was forged using the combined powers of the nine most powerful good wizards in the realm, in case the evil wizard should ever return. Alas, the dagger was hidden away in a long-since forgotten location.

Your quest is to find this magic dagger, and use it to destroy the Blue Wizard once and for all. But you must complete your quest before time runs out, and he deploys his deadly spell!

screenshot image of gameplay

About the Author

My name is Randy Gill, and I'm from Arlington, Texas, USA. I'm often online under the anagrammatic nickname "AngryDill." My day job involves software development, but working with business systems, sadly not games. I got my first computer (an Atari 800) at age 11, complete with two cartridges — Basketball and Atari BASIC. I started programming because I eventually got tired of shooting digital hoops.

I've always loved playing games, and while I enjoy many genres (RPG, Action-Adventure, FPS, etc.), my favorite aspects of them are always exploration and puzzle-solving. I wanted to create a simple game that distilled those elements down to their essentials, so I created this little adventure — my first Atari program in three decades! I hope you enjoy playing it, and maybe find the source code interesting and informative.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to each of the following wonderful people, without whom this game would have never been made:

Minified Source Code

The 10 line FastBasic-language source code for 'Wizard of Wasd', rendered as a bitmap image using the Atari's native font

Formatted and Commented Source Code

' ==============
' WIZARD OF WASD
' ==============
' A submission for 2020 10-line BASIC competition
' By Randy Gill (randygill at yahoo dot com)
' Designed for (integer) FastBasic v4.0, for Atari 8-bit computers

' Dimension arrays to hold expanded game data, packed source data, inventory
DIM W(1520), D$(5), V(51)

' Turn off annoying key click sound (on XL series and later)
POKE 731,255

' Initialize address pointer variables
Y = (ADR(W) / 512 + 1) * 512  ' start address of custom glyphs
K = Y + 512   ' start address of entity catalog
M = K + 260   ' start address of map data (skipping 52 entities * 5 bytes)

' Copy character set into RAM for modification
MOVE $E000, Y, 512

' =================================
'    EXPAND COMPRESSED GAME DATA
' =================================

' Show indicator that data is being loaded
? "Load";

' Extract data for custom character glyphs, entity attributes, and game map to
' available memory. Game data is packed in strings with each character repre-
' senting 6 bits (a "sextet"). Data is decoded/expanded as a series of variable-
' length chunks, each prefixed by a two-sextet "header" defining encoding mode
' number (3 bits) and length (9 bits)

' Encoding mode numbers
' ---------------------
' 7 = Octet-Stream: Encodes 3 bytes in 4 printable chars; like Base64 but
'     easier to decode in BASIC (no translation table or 32-bit ints required)
' 4 = Sextet-Stream: Packs a 6-bit value into each char; for values < 64, e.g
'     table of entity relationships
' 3 = Triad-Stream: Packs two 3-bit values (< 8) into each char; useful for
'     base map (having only common entities, 0-7)
' 2 = Sextet-Run: encodes an sextet that repeats a specified # of times (6-bit
'     RLE)
' 1 = Octet-Run: encodes an octet that repeats a specified # of times (8-bit
'     RLE)

' Modes that aren't true encodings
' --------------------------------
' 5 = Header: indicates chunk header is being processed
' 0 = Gap: advances destination pointer by specified count; used to skip char
'    glyphs not being redefined

' The encoding mode numbers (variable E) were carefully chosen so that whether
' the encoding uses a holding sextet, the cycle of when holding sextets appear,
' and whether the encoding is a "run" (vs. a "stream") could be calculated from
' it.  Respectively: ABS(E-3)>1, ABS(E-3+(E=3)), and E<3

' Initialize variables, including D$(n) which holds compressed game data
' Note that the odd ordering is to better pack statements into 256-char lines
E = 5   ' encoding mode (initialized to "header" encoding, which prefaces a chunk)
Z = Y   ' data destination pointer (set to starting address of custom char glyphs)
D$(0)="08?hoooWo33;_G[@1@`@0842@1h\ZZZZjZZnThlj_ooj>Zn0In1N4P`P0P371>lHlX40oooWo333?33H`LHo1nlH5V@DhbkoOofVdRbj3hR
WJ_?P5lZ8088888IS=fH14RdN5hUU6Ioi"
I = 0   ' index of current element in source data string array $D()
D$(1)="=mm00HHl1JHTEVVgeg4dOoFl8@7@=00P0D>OP?70=Pl6d<io1n183o7P00H0@l0nQn0X5hX`0842T1nmNIWnDZDn00lHDlnJ1nlH@78FAjF
MOZJ9^90PGL;0035LF05:L00Lc62L00;<E0?L21<9d56_h097W0?7<03751?7M1?7`1<?P18?226_O2;7d2;7f2?M[53M05>_l46_b50_254_T5=_j
45_Z53_457_\57Mn3;M549"
P = 0   ' pointer to source data character (RAM addr within $D(I))
D$(2)="L46?Mm5;MB53M;57Ml63600;5;504006JN442C10N0043V58;<34PG62=@63OV51KS6;1d249`5;k=388>1770o0o01o20o39S\en7<Hm@m
CmMmNmOmDm?m>m8mBmAm9m=mFmEmHmGmJmImLmKm:m;m<mQmPmSmRn0n0n2n0n2n0n0n0[TT0U0V0WAXYY0ZV:F43999TB42A43;AB9BB42@43=9B9
9B]42>43>9A:=AZU2=43B9"
L = 0   ' limit (ending) RAM address of current source data element $D(I)
D$(3)="9Z]AZ]9Q2;43AAZ=9B]E942943B9Z]99Z]:Q2943@AZ=Q9]E:2;43?AZ=Q]EB12<43>AZ:T]BR2<43C9AB9TERT:42843C9B:9QDTAB4284
3CABY=9T<BB42843A9:]]99<>22:43B99]]=9<9Q2943C99]]=Q<9942843B9<YY]9T9Q2943>9T99A:Q2=43?9T<9BB942<4369Q<262740111042
;4369QA2627501150542;4"
R = 1   ' remaining bytes in current chunk or header
D$(4)="3B99BBB9]=Q2943699A26136]=Q2:43@999T99=Q:F47106:E671002807306062703Cfff``ff`f0276710026671002603Y6666006fff
`ff`````f`02663L00`0````0``ff62963;````f02663^``00`0``00`ff666f66f6f62863:00```2707306062763C`ff`f``f`028671002:03
;600606:F63@0`0`0`0`2;"
C = 0   ' count within decoding cycle (significant for header and octet encodings)
D$(5)="63`0`0`0`0`f0`ff60606060f612663E0`0`0`0`f802663F0`0`0`0`f0`:c63;0`fhh02>63a```f00`f99aff606fn0hfVLT62963B`f
07`fTSd2663E00f600f>9962G6710O:F600"

REPEAT
  IF P = L                ' source data element ran dry (or 1st time through)
    P = ADR(D$(I)) + 1    ' calculate source data pointer
    L = P + LEN(D$(I))    ' ending address of source data array element
    INC I                 ' next time it runs dry, it will use next element of D$
  ENDIF
  S = PEEK(P) - 48        ' set current sextet, subtracting the character offset
  IF C = 0 AND ABS(E - 3) > 1   ' first byte of a multi-byte encoding becomes the "holding" sextet
    H = S                 ' set the holding sextet
  ELIF E = 5              ' "header" encoding; two-character sequence that defines following chunk
    ? ".";                ' print periods to show it is busy working
    E = H & 7             ' get the next encoding id number from 3 low bits of holding sextet
    R = H & 56 * 8 + S    ' high 3 bits from the holding sextet plus 6 from current form (9-bit) chunk length
    H = 0                 ' clear holding sextet for next use
    C = -1                ' set cycle count so it will be 0 next iteration (after incrementing)
    IF E = 0              ' "gap" encoding
      Z = Z + R           ' advance the destination pointer Z
      E = 5               ' back to header encoding for next chunk
    ENDIF
  ELSE
    IF E < 3              ' sextet-run or octet-run encoding
      MSET Z, R, H * 64 + S     ' fill R bytes starting at Z. Note that for sextet, H will be 0
      Z = Z + R           ' skip over range it just filled
      R = 1               ' set to 1 because < 1 would signal prog to stop decoding altogether
    ELSE
      IF E = 3            ' triad-stream encoding
        POKE Z, S & 7     ' put low-order triad at destination address
        IF R > 1          ' if there are remaining chars in the chunk
          INC Z
          POKE Z, S & 56 / 8    ' put high-order triad at (next) destination address
          DEC R           ' decrement for high-order triad (decrement for low-order happens 8 lines down)
        ENDIF
      ELSE                ' sextet-stream or octet-stream encoding
        POKE Z, H & 3 * 64 + S  ' for octet, bottom 2 bits of holding sextet become top bits of destination byte
        H = H / 4         ' shift bits of the holding sextet, in preparation to decode next byte
      ENDIF
      INC Z               ' increment to next destination address
    ENDIF
    DEC R                 ' decrement remaining chars (considering it just processed one)
    IF R < 1              ' done with this chunk, get ready for next
      E = 5               ' set encoding to header encoding
      C = -1              ' so cycle count will become 0 once incremented
      R = 1               ' set to 1 because < 1 would signal prog to stop decoding altogether
    ENDIF
  ENDIF
  C = (C + 1) MOD ABS(E - 3 + (E = 3))   ' increment cycle count
  INC P                   ' point to next character in data source string D$(I)
UNTIL R < 1               ' chunk with R = 0 tells decoder it is done

' ===========================
'    MAP DISPLAY PROCEDURE
' ===========================
' Refreshes the display window of the world map
' Parameters:
'   K - Starting address of entity catalog in RAM
'   P - Current player position (cell #) on map
'   Z - Starting address of screen (display) RAM

PROC M
  FOR R = 0 TO 6              ' map display is 7 rows tall
    O = P - 84 + H * R        ' Precompute map source
    B = Z + 81 + 20 * R       ' and screen destination
    FOR C = 0 TO 6            ' map display is 7 columns wide
      IF C - 3 OR R - 3       ' not the spot where the player glyph always appears, so get map glyph instead
        POKE B + C, PEEK(K + PEEK(O + C) * 3)   ' look up entity in map cell, then glyph for entity
      ENDIF
    NEXT
  NEXT
ENDPROC

' =====================
'    GAME REPLAY LOOP
' =====================
' Now that one-time setup is complete, perform initialization for each game

' Main concepts of game code
' --------------------------
' "Map" contains entire world (surface and underground); conceptually 27 x 65,
' but implemented as one-dimensional array of 1755 cells
' Each map cell contains id of an "entity"
' Entity is anything that can appear on the map (except player) and/or in
' inventory
' Entities are all one of five types, some common (can appear in multiple map
' cells), some unique (can only be in one map cell):
'   - Passible (common): open areas, grass, forest, etc.
'   - Impassible (common): walls, mountains, water
'   - Item (unique): taken into inventory when stepped on
'   - Obstacle (unique): needs appropriate item to defeat
'   - Link (unique): warps to another location on map
' "Entity catalog" has 4 attributes of each of the 52 entities:
'   - "Requirement" entity id: for obstacles, this is entity id of item that
'     defeats it; impassibles have their own entity id (which can never be
'     in inventory); other types identified by pseudo-entities 61 (link),
'     62 (item), or 63 (passable)
'   - "Transition" entity id: entity that replaces this one when obstacle is
'     defeated or item is taken; for links this is entity id it links to
'   - Appearance (ATASCII char code): in graphics 18 implies glyph and color
'   - Position (cell# on map): where initially placed, for unique entities only

H = 27   ' Halt indicator (Escape char)
REPEAT
  ' Loop through entity ids, reset the inventory of them to empty, and copy the
  ' entity ids to their default location on the map; start at 8 because 0-7 are
  ' the common entities that are not inventoried, and are already on the map
  FOR I = 8 TO 51
    V(I) = 0
    POKE M + DPEEK(K + 3 * I + 1), I
  NEXT

  ' Configure graphics
  GRAPHICS 18         ' Text mode having 20 cols x 12 rows, with 4 colors + black background
  POKE 756, Y / 256   ' Tells Atari OS to use program's custom character set
  Z = DPEEK(88)       ' Start address of screen RAM
  SETCOLOR 3,0,15     ' Make color 3 white, defaults ok for others (blue, green, burnt orange)

  ' Display game title and draw frame around map view
  POSITION 7,0
  ? #6,"$D7$C9$DA$C1$D2$C4"  ' "WIZARD"
  POSITION 8,1
  ? #6,"$CF$C6 $F7"          ' "OF W"
  POSITION 10,2
  ? #6,"$E1$F3$E4"           ' "  ASD"
  COLOR 142           ' Player glyph, in white color
  PLOT 4,7
  COLOR 63            ' Skull glyph, in orange color
  PLOT 0,3
  DRAWTO 8,3
  DRAWTO 8,11
  DRAWTO 0,11
  DRAWTO 0,3

  P = M + 464         ' Player position on map
  T = 999             ' Time (moves) remaining

' ========================
'    MAIN GAMEPLAY LOOP
' ========================

  REPEAT
    EXEC M            ' Display map
    POSITION 10,4
    ? #6,"$D4";T;" "  ' Display time remaining
    GET O             ' Get movement key

    ' Calculate new "trial" position N, using algebraic expression instead of
    ' chained IFs for brevity.  In (AT)ASCII: W=87 A=65 S=83 D=68
    N = P + (O = 68) - ( O = 65) + H * ((O = 83) - (O = 87))

    E = PEEK(N)              ' Look up entity at new map position
    A = K + 156 + 2 * E      ' Calculate address of entity's "requirement entity id" in entity catalog
    R = PEEK(A)              ' Get requirement entity id
    IF N - P AND E - R       ' If new pos different from existing (moving) and destination not impassable
                             ' (Note above uses "-" as shorter alternative to "<>")
      X = PEEK(A + 1)        ' Get entity's "transition entity id", which follows requirement id
      IF R < 61              ' Entity has an inventory requirement, hence an obstacle (or impassable)
        IF V(R)              ' If required item is in inventory
          POKE N, R          ' Show the item (briefly), indicating it is working to defeat obstacle
          V(R) = 0           ' Remove item from inventory
          POKE Z + 154 + R, 0   ' Clear item from inventory display
          EXEC M             ' Refresh map display
          I = 6              ' Sound effect step increment
          U = 0              ' Sound effect step duration
          EXEC S             ' Play sound effect
          POKE N, X          ' Replace map cell with the transition-to entity
          O = H * (E = 45)   ' Set exit indicator if winning condition met (i.e. defeated obstacle is wizard)
        ENDIF
      ELSE                   ' This is an unobstructed entity (passable, item, or link)
        P = N                ' Move player to destination cell
        IF R = 62            ' This is an "item" -- something that can be taken
          V(E) = 1           ' Set slot in inventory array corresponding to this item to true
          POKE Z + 154 + E, PEEK(K + E * 3)   ' Look up glyph for item and show on screen
          POKE P, X          ' Replace item on map with its transition-to entity
        ELIF R = 61          ' This is a "link" (portal, entryway, stairs, ship, etc.)
          EXEC M             ' refresh map to show user on top of link cell, before they teleport away
          PAUSE 9
          P = M + DPEEK(K + 3 * X + 1)  ' Look up map address of the destination link, and set position to it
        ENDIF
        DEC T                ' Decrement timer
        O = H * (T < 0)      ' Sets O to 27 (exit indicator) if out of time
      ENDIF
    ENDIF
  UNTIL O = H   ' User pressed Escape, or game was won or lost

  ' Play the final sound.  If E is 45 (Blue Wizard) then player won, and the
  ' sound increment will be set to (positive) 6, causing the fanfare sound to
  ' ascend in pitch.  Otherwise (user lost by running out of time or pressing
  ' Esc) sound increment will be -6, causing descending fanfare.  Either way
  ' the duration of each note will be 12 "jiffies"
  I = (E = 45) * 12 - 6   ' Sound increment 6 if won, -6 if lost
  U = 12                  ' Sound duration
  IF I < 0                ' If player lost...
    PLOT 4,7              ' Overwrite player glyph w/orange skull (active "color" from earlier)
  ENDIF
  EXEC S                  ' Play sound effect

  '  Show user they can start new game by typing "N"
  POSITION 10,6
  ? #6,"$EE$C5$D7";   ' "New"
  GET O
UNTIL O - 78          ' 78 is (AT)ASCII for "N"

' ============================
'    SOUND EFFECT PROCEDURE
' ============================
' Plays an ascending or descending sound.
' Parameters:
'   I - Sound increment; amount pitch rises (or falls if negative) at each step
'   U - Sound duration; time each step is played, in "jiffies"

PROC S
  J = 80
  FOR S = 0 TO 8
    J = J - I
    SOUND 2,J,10,6
    PAUSE U
  NEXT S
  SOUND
ENDPROC