#simple programming

[dimalink]

Different Basic – try different Basic

So, year 2024 – for me, it is a year of Basic. I program only with it. And, mainly, I like a lot Basic. It is a positive. From the childhood days. In childhood, I see Kuvt 2 Msx 2 Basic. I see blue screen QBasic, or Quick Basic 4.5. As it is a childhood memories, so let it be this way. Microsoft Quick Basic 4.5, I am talking about. It was built in MS DOS. It was very comfortable and funny!

And, in 2024, I am, again, with Basic. Now, speaking the true, I am programming with modern dialect -QB64, mainly. Modern version of Basic. It is most common use form of Basic for me. I write with it most of programs. It is modern, it works with modern computers, it is supported by developer. Mainly, it is modern and new version. And, main, – that by it has a special visual side – it is same Basic from MS DOS from the past. Which means so a lot for me. It is, Also, a valuable feature.

And, in 2024 I become more brave. About Basic question. And, start to try different Basics. First of all, those who are actual. So. this means, they work with modern systems, for them they are written. And they are supported by their authors. More or less, they have new versions. I get experience with usage of several Basic dialects. So, this is like some different realization of this programming language, these ideas Basic programming. Experience was even positive!

It is about two dialects of Basic. First - BBC Basic for SDL2. And second – it is Free Basic.

BBC Basic for SDL2

I start from the beginning. BBC Basic for SDL2 – it is a very interesting thing. Hard to say another way. Basics, are, of course, similar to each other. About the level of main ideas. And realization can be very different. So, here are lots of different with QB64. There are enough of different things, I need to say – it is quite different.

Anyway, BBC Basic, as I understand, it takes it`s roots with 8 bit computer BBC Micro or something like that. So, this is about more or less about programming style 80s.

As with some kind of Spectrum. And there are lots of Basic forms. There are – where you need to give a number to every line. So, this means, that every command has its number. Amazing and new experience for me!

And, this Basic form has two interfaces, just from the beginning - two interfaces you have. So, this is about - it has two programs inside of it– you write code and launch, from them.

Its own development environment.  Straight with this Basic itself. Two environments for you selection. You run this Basic and select one environment out of two for your choice.

First environment looks very beautiful. It is very stylish. In dark tones. Beautiful and stylish. Second environment looks like casual window. White background. Casual windows window. As windows 3.11 ort just a windows window. By the way, second one can do exe file.

First environment has a name - Andy Parker`s BBC Edit, second environment - Richard Russell`s SDLIDE. So, BBC Basic - it is something like a program, and you run it and you are being asked – about what ide you will use. Everything goes as one with BBC Basic. Nothing from aside you do not need to install. And this is comfortable! And for novice. And for just to program with basic.

I write code and run it from first environment. And exe I do using second environment. From a good side of this Basic - I say about a good documentation for this Basic. There are lots of information, at website. Even more - it has a very friendly way of reading it. And you can to learn about commands and their features. Documentation is done here very cool! So, I from the first attempt can do get ideas and use it. How to write programs here.

For example, here command for colors writes as COLOUR, instead of casual COLOR.

Or procedure is writing next form

DEF PROCmyprocedure

Procedure code

ENDPROC

And, there are lots of such things! It is retro Basic. It is interesting dialect. Which is rather different from casual and well known QB64 or Free Basic. For those, who have some interest! Very cool thing!

Free Basic

Second Basic. It is Free Basic. I think, it is well known theme. I don know, even, and, maybe, it is true, or not, it is more popular, then a QB64. Cool thing. Some way, it is, rather, close as a result QB64 and Free Basic. But they have a difference too.

Free Basic does not suggest you development environment or text editor. In its standard form. You are using it with some text editor, as a wise man. And, you run with hands. Compile your program with command line. It has interesting feature. I, first here, try code editor GVim. It is first successful expirience of GVim for me. First makefile, most simple one, of course. So, this Basic can be similar to QB64, but, anyway, it makes some surprises! With a positive side. All the time, there is a place for something new, as someone can say!

Here, taking into account, that there are some close points. It is a big value, anyway, tor remember, that QB64 and Free Basic – they are different. To have not be surprised, when you don’t want any unknown things to happen. Each one with its own moments. But, both of them are cool and modern forms of Basic. Which can be recommended for first invitation, well, like this. I am about a programming language itself. Not taking into account development environment.

It is very popular Basic form. It is main. It is very good Basic. Rather close to QB64. It is comfortable! It is first, that you understand, when you use Free Basic for writing programs.

First of all, I write some test program. I show a text at the screen, I draw little squares. Something like graphics. Graph at the column. It works! And, even, without any serious problems! So, this means, that it is a cool Basic. It helps a lot, that it is similar to QB64. More close, than BBC Basic.

But, saying the truth, here you need to use text editor. For yourself. But, it is a good step in self progress. If QB64 suggests, already, a development environment. And, here – it is up to you. So, think about this for yourself. It is cool! Later to learn how to compile. Create make file. It is, also, not so hard here and good for self-progress! Serious thing - this is Free Basic.

You can compile with hands. And you can to make a special little file. So, it has a name -make file. To run everything from it. A required command compilation. For example, for my game Free Block – text for make file is next.

File makefile

all:

                fbc64 FreeBlocker.bas Global.bas Block.bas Player.bas Game.bas Level.bas Gameplay.bas Menu.bas

So, it, already, has a command for compilation. For first invitation in theme of compilation – it is, rather, easy and easy to understand!

And, next, you just write from the console !make

And, in other case, you need to write a long command for compilation, everytime. Interesting new experience! And, it is not so hard! But, of course, it requires some time – to read, to try, to make some experiment.

So, compilation in easy form – looks like, it is not so scary thing. It is, also, easy to see. Name of compile tool, main file and different files, you need and, that`s all. For example, it looks like, this is, I can say, about it, in easy form. It is, also, a little of positive!

It is comfortable to use Free Basic to learn such things. So, we have a combination here, already, a picture of things. Qb64 - it has, already, made for you development environment. Everything out of program is making.  And, later, to have more complex and interesting, when you, already, have experience. It is Free Basic. You select by yourself development environment. You compile by yourself, you make a makefile. Interesting and positive experience.

By the way, I remember a story from school days. Some older school boy once asked someone – “And what? Do you have installed a compile tool?” And, I was a school boy in those days, and, even, do not know about these things. I only played in games. So, this moment is now for me! So, I can say, it is a first step in usage.

With Free Basic it is little difference a way you make a sound. There is nothing like it is in Qb64. In QB64 you, already, have installed functions, and just to give a path to file and play it. With music or sound. With Free Basic it is different. It is example of some difference. There is no some analog of command from Qb64.

With Qb64 you have a easy to use commands for playing sounds and music - _SndPlay, _SndPlaying, for example. With Free Basic you do not have these things. So, some difference things you will see!

So, these are two new for me dialects of Basic, I make a discovery of them! Basic – it is cool! I am so happy, that I can to program with programming language Basic!

iron (hardware) and programs. From time to time i restore computers, retro computers. Try retro soft. Check some programs. And write about all of these. Dima Link is making retro videogames, apps, a little of music, write stories, and some retro more.

WEBSITE: http://www.dimalink.tv-games.ru/home_eng.html ITCHIO: https://dimalink.itch.io/

BLOGGER: https://dimalinkeng.blogspot.com/ TUMBLR: https://dimalink.tumblr.com/

[yhwcomeback]

Decided to test out Krita for the first time, still getting used to so many brushes but I like how this one turned out

[colorful-horses]

charlie

[martenpounce]

my favorite game in the series was the power of three ds game. it was still pretty obviously a pokemon mystery dungeon clone but unlike the older warriors games, you could pick your protagonist for each level

[nightly-nightcat]

day 204 - grillcheese deprived

[scourgeofmyownbrain]

Only one guy on here has two eyes, and even then, they're fake eyes. It's big-tits-McGee, Mr. logic man extraordinaire, Geneva Suggestion Believer himself: Shockwave! Yep, all 12 of him, a reasonable amount of alternates to have, unlike some people... Shockwave Height Chart, everyone, fuckin wee.

Edit: I didn't like the old scaling I had so I changed it. The old chart is at the end of this post.

Quick Disclaimer, if any of the images look weird, it's because I had to stitch a few separate images together to create a full body shot of the character.

Here are links to my Bumblebee Chart, my Optimus Chart, my Megatron Chart, and my Soundwave Chart. !!NEW!! -> Ratchet & Ironhide. Please go gawk at how many Optimus designs there are, sweet fuck, there are so many. For future reference, all these charts will be filed under my "Transformers Height Charts" tag and my "aka the adventures of a..." tag.

Master Post

Explanations and Sources below the cut.

Unicron Trilogy Energon - ~14 feet 3 inches (No actual source, and Energon doesn't have any listed heights anywhere. For the uneducated, the Unicron Trilogy has given each of its 3 seasons separate names and 3 separate art styles. This is the design used in Energon (S2) though he only shows up in Energon. I was able to compare him to Optimus, and using Cybertron's listed heights, I got this number. I am in physical pain, it does not get better from here. Hilarious side note, his Japanese name is Laserwave, which contains the missing "wave" of Shockwave in this iteration's name.)

Earth Spark - ~15 feet (No actual source for ES, but using a barn door to get Bumblebee's height, then Optimus's, then Megatron's height, I was able to make a guess at Shockwave's. Shockwave comes up to about Megatron's chin; I lost the screenshot I used. It's so convoluted, I know, but it's all I have, also, tiny universe, everyone is so small)

TFA Longarm/V1 - 15 feet 2 inches (Animated has no actual numbers, but the lovely @phoenix-inanis has provided a frankly astounding resource with their own calculations for the heights of all the TFA characters. Go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Gen 1 - ~18 feet (TFWiki, uuuuh I've got nothing to add)

Netflix Cybertron Trilogy - ~18 feet (I have no source for this, other than assuming that because this design is identical to Gen 1, they are the same height. That's it, really)

Knight/Capel-Verse - ~18 feet (No source, and he never stands next to anyone I can measure him against, but because the TFOne director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, I am assuming the height I figured out for TFOne applies to this universe as well. Until proven otherwise. Capel directed the ROTB movie if you're wondering why his name is there)

One - ~18 feet (No source, I got this number by comparing him to Optimus. Now, I am aware of the TFO heights listed on the wiki, but I reject those numbers on principal. A: Those numbers are sourced from the Walmart Promotional AR Experience that came out before the movie. B: There are three decimal points, and that number does not convert into a whole number in meters (which is originally what I thought was weird about it). C: The director has said that this movie is both canon to the LA movies and its own separate canon, so I have elected to use the few given heights we have from KCV and worked from there. My Optimus post has slightly more context if you want it)

Cyberverse - 20 feet (This comes from a screenshot of this video which has the Cyberverse height chart everyone uses, though the quality of the screenshot is iffy.)

Aligned Cont. WF/FOC/TFP - 26 feet 2 inches (This number comes from Fandom and I completely believe it, even if they don't list their source, because the entirety of this universe is freakishly tall. Go look at my other charts, all the ALC designs are monstrous compared to the others)

TFA V2 - 29 feet 11 inches (Once again, phoenix-inanis did a fuck ton of work, go look at it, it's wonderful -> https://phoenix-inanis.notion.site/TFA-Height-Chart-f6ad2960ca8c4c5b859ee4958723aaa4?pvs=4)

Bayverse - ~30 feet (Ok, so I don't have a source for this one. There used to be one, BV Shockwave used to be listed as 40 feet tall bc of an article done to promote the movie, but that is no longer listed for reasons not known to me, and making some comparisons to Optimus, I have found them to be kinda close in height. It's very hard to actually validate any of this. Shockwave never stands normally next to anything I can use as a ruler at any point in the movie. He's always at a dramatic angle or partially covered by something in the shot. It's so violently frustrating. I am confident he is around this height though, I just can't figure out how much taller than Optimus he is)

And that's it. I didn't have to leave any designs out, all of them are included here (hopefully). It was so nice to work with a character where I wasn't drowning in 20+ designs across every goddamn universe.

Edit: Here are the different layers separated.

vvv Old scale vvv

[kluiyu]

i'm undertaling

[jaboody]

one of the best sequences in all sonic media

[ttvck]

thats how it is

[reksink]

Thorns, Bouquet

[dimalink]

I like Basic a lot

I like a lot Basic. Programming language. Which is going with its roots in 80s – that’s for sure. First time I see Basic with computer lessons in school. It was MSX2 computer. Yamaha Kuvt 2. And there was MSX Basic or Microsoft Basic. With green background.

So, I programmed. I like that a lot. To draw with lines. To do simple calculations. To use if then operation.

So, just, several weeks, ago, Bill Gates upload to network code for most first Basic. It is Altair Basic. For computer Altair. Altair – it is far distance star. And I know this, that everything is connected with space and sci fi.

I remember Microsoft Quick Basic version 4.5 for Ms Dos 6.22. It was build-in Ms Dos. It was a positive surprise to enter folder with Ms Dos and see there a Basic. Full scale programming language! With it you can do a lot of funny things. Some tasks to do. To do calculations. Write fast little programs. About different themes. Of course, games with Basic. You cannot go far without games. Basic, saying one word - it was everywhere!

So, I start my new meet with Basic, already, with modern form. First, I run into Qb64. As a modern version of Basic. It is compatible with same old Basic from Ms Dos. Plus - new features, which are added for comfortable usage. To have better things with graphics. Some more comfort for using it. Sound. And mainly it is same old – but with some comfortable features. This is modern days, as I can say.

I think, it is some clever programmer take and make Basic modern, with such form. Qb64 – cool development Environment (IDE). Well, I am talking, about, those, who remember blue screen. Like Ms Dos. It is still here. Same Ide, development environment. Just as it was. Minute of positive.

And, later, I get to know about another Basic kinds. There were lots of them. And that’s good. Basic dialects. Versions, its own forms. This is cool. Especially, in 80s under different 8 bit computers. That’s for sure, there were lots of these Basics!

And, there are enough of them for today also. Later I see Free Basic. It is also new version. Also, it is cool. And something it is close to Qb64. But there are differences, they have different things. They are different development. So here you are given a complier. And you can learn how to compile code with hands. Makefile to write. To find by yourself a code editor. I use Vim. And to write there.

It is good and comfortable Basic. It is so cool, that there is a place for basic today. It is excellent programming language. So, you take and write a little program. This is fun.

Also, I have opened for myself, and retro, so retro version of programming with BBC Basic for SDL 2.0. It is should to be much closer to 80s. It is so interesting kind of programming. New experience. New vision for Basic. A, lots of things, they are another way goes, with compare with Qb64 or Free Basic. Well, yes it is, 80s there, it is everything comfortable to do there. Graphic abilities. Everything is done good for modern platforms. And excellent documentation.

It is always good, when there is something to read. Manual guide, users guide. There are for all kind of Basic material in the network. From authors of those dialects.

There is, also, a branch of Qb64 with name Qb64 phoenix edition. This is something new. I do not try it yet. There is PC Basic. And I, also, do not try it yet too. So, I am in search for new Basic types! I like a lot this programming language!

iron (hardware) and programs. From time to time i restore computers, retro computers. Try retro soft. Check some programs. And write about all of these. Dima Link is making retro videogames, apps, a little of music, write stories, and some retro more.

WEBSITE: http://www.dimalink.tv-games.ru/home_eng.html ITCHIO: https://dimalink.itch.io/

[spacespheal]

Playing around a bit

[vadlings]

studies ✌️

[sergeantjessi]

more wow stream gifs woaaahhh!!!

(day 4)

(day 5)

[raydrawsart]

[roseofhybrids]

you know what would be fun?

A puzzle game where you're given a bunch of different objects, magazines, books, food labels, et cetera, all with a made up language on them. Then, with just the objects you're given, you have to decipher how to read the conlang your only clues come from the pictures and contents of the items

say for example, the game gives you two cans they're different brands, but two of the words on the front of them match the game lets you open the cans, and inside you find that both are filled with tomato soup ergo, you can conclude that the shared words mean "tomato soup"

then you can take another can, this one only shares one word and is filled with vegetable soup. Therefore, that single word that all three cans share must mean "soup" and by process of elimination the other word means "tomato"

and the idea is you keep doing this with different words till you can fully translate everything