A downloadable game

# Sigils

By Kim Slawson, February – March 2022

*NOMAM* 2022 10-Line BASIC competition entry (EXTREME-256 category)

Requires an Atari 8-bit machine or emulator running TurboBASIC XL (800XL minimum)

The provided disk image contains TurboBASIC XL and automatically runs the game.

## The pitch

It's connect the dots, but more interesting. You form symbols (sigils) as you play. Also, there are gratuitous crashing noises.

## To play 🕹️

Use the joystick to move from dot to dot, drawing a line as you go. The pitch of the sound is (inversely) proportional to the length of the line (like stretching a rubber band). If you get stuck or just want to retry a level, push fire. To get back to the main menu, hit reset (this also applies to the level editor).

## Wait, did you say level editor ⁉️

Yes, Virginia, there is a level editor. When you master all of the included levels, have fun making your own. Draw dots until you're ready to play, then hold down fire for more than a second. The screen will flash, indicating you're now playing your homemade level. If you get stuck or just want to retry your creation, push fire.

## Colophon 🧰

Sigils was developed on a Macbook Pro and tested using Atari800MacX and on my childhood Atari 130XE. Shoutouts to the following AtariAge users: @dmsc for basicParser, @skr for MacTurban, @luckybuck for Sublime Text integration and @mozzwald and @tschak909 for FujiNet /|\

## Source code 💻

If you're curious, check out the commented source code below. You may also wish to look at the obfuscated source code (if you dare). Use the source, Luke!

Readable listing with comments

```basic

REM Sigils
REM written for 2022 NOMAM Ten-line BASIC competition
REM built with Turban (TURboBAsic Nifty)
REM obsfuscated using tbxlparser
REM requires Turbo-BASIC XL
REM by Kim Slawson
REM 2022-02-22
rem OUTLINE:
rem set up
rem   encode strings
rem title
rem   get level number
rem loop
rem   clear
rem   play level
rem     if level editor
rem       build level, start level on hold
rem       store level in array
rem     elseif normal level
rem       draw level (recall from array if user-created)
rem       play level, retry level on fire
rem       increment level when done
rem rerun for setup & menu again
poke 580,1:rem ensure that RESET does cold start rather than warm start
poke 82,0:rem no margin
rem dimension the string for level storage
rem dimension the 2D array to remember user-created levels
rem dimension the arrays to hold level widths and x,y starting positions
dim level$(255),l(16,8),wid(10),x(10),y(10)
rem encode levels into string, prepended by substring lengths by level
rem size, startx, starty, then bit-encoded columns as chars (8 bits high by size bits wide) 
rem lvl: 1      2                    3           4                 5                          6                    7                             8                 9              10
level$=["<8<<<<<\1C\14\1C\08\1C\14\1C\38\1C\3C\38\30\38\2C\7E\7E\20\FF\FF\FF\FE\FE\FE\FC\FC\FC\1C\1C\7F\77\7F\1C\1C\1C\36\3E\1C\1C\04\1C\1C\04\1C\7E\5A\7E\7E\5A\7E\0F\3B\2E\3B\0F\0C\0C\0E\1B\7F\CE\80\FC\FE\FE\7E\78\40\CE\82\FE"]
Gr.3:rem mode 3 with text window for titles and instructions
poke 710,0:rem black text window
rem draw title
color 1
for y=0 to 2
  for x=0 to 9
    plot x*2+11,y*2
  next x
next y
color 0:plot 25,0:plot 25,2
color 2
repeat
  rem get title coordinates out of DATA
  read x,y
  rem negative x coordinate means plot, positive means drawto (plus x offset to center)
  if x<0:plot abs(x)+11,y:else:drawto x+11,y:endif
  pause 5:rem slow down title sequence
until (x=16 and y=4)
rem pick a level, or edit your own! 
rem rerun on bad input
trap #run
? ["  ~{lbar}1~{lbar}Easy ~{lbar}2~{lbar}Glasses ~{lbar}3~{lbar}House ~{lbar}4~{lbar}Four"]
? ["  ~{lbar}5~{lbar}City ~{lbar}6~{lbar}Cross ~{lbar}7~{lbar}Key ~{lbar}8~{lbar}Holes"]
? ["  ~{lbar}9~{lbar}Skull ~{lbar}10~{lbar}Yorgle ~{lbar}0~{lbar}Level editor"]
input "Level";level:cls
rem read level starting positions into x and y arrays
for i=1 to 10:read w,x,y:wid(i)=w:x(i)=x:y(i)=y:next i
rem main game loop
do
rem clear the screen
Gr.3:rem mode 3 with text window for titles and instructions
poke 710,0:rem black text window
poke 752,1:rem get rid of cursor
rem did the user pick the level editor?
if level=0 and remaining=0
    ? ,"Design your own level!"
    ? [" ~{lbar}FIRE~{lbar}to plot/erase, hold~{lbar}FIRE~{lbar}to play"]
rem set starting point
pause 30
x=4:y=4:btime=time:mtime=time:oc=0:rem initialize cursor and times
while 2-done-b
rem blink the cursor
  if time-btime>10:btime=time:b=1-b:color b*2-oc*b:plot x,y:endif
REM get joystick position
S=STICK(0)
    dy=((S=13)-(S=14))*2
    dx=((S=7)-(S=11))*2
    rem look ahead to next spot
    ny=y+dy:nx=x+dx
    ny=y+dy*((ny>3) and (ny<19)):nx=x+dx*((nx>3) and (nx<35))
    rem synchronize the movement in lockstep with timer
    if time-mtime>20 and (dx or dy)
    rem redraw original spot and draw next spot
        color oc:plot x,y
        x=nx:y=ny
        locate x,y,oc
        color 2:plot x,y
        mtime=time
    endif
    if strig(0)=0
      mtime=time:oc=1-oc:remaining=remaining+(oc*2-1):rem reset the move timer, increment the number of dots
      repeat:until strig(0)
      if time-mtime>60:rem if the user holds fire for more than a second, we're done
        done=1
        poke 712,180:poke 710,180:pause 10:poke 712,0:poke 710,0:rem flash the screen to confirm user is done
      endif
    endif
wend
rem remember position
x(0)=x:y(0)=y
rem read level into array in case of user reset
for x=0 to 15
for y=0 to 7
locate 4+x*2,4+y*2,oc
l(x,y)=oc>0
next y
next x
endif
rem draw the level
remaining=0:o=0
if level=0
rem recall user-created level from 2D array
for x=0 to 15
for y=0 to 7
oc=l(x,y)
color oc
plot 4+x*2,4+y*2
remaining=remaining+oc:rem increment the number of dots
next y
next x
rem recall position
x=x(0):y=y(0)
  cls:? [" ~{lbar}FIRE~{lbar}to retry level, ~{lbar}RESET~{lbar}for menu"]
else
rem offset into level string for current level = size of level
for i=0 to level-1
  o=o+wid(i)
next i
rem decode string
color 1
wid=wid(level)
for y=1 to wid
  oc=asc(level$(o+y))
  bit=0.5
for x=0 to 7
bit=bit*2
if (oc & bit = bit):plot y*2+18-wid,x*2+3:remaining=remaining+1:endif
  next x 
next y
rem set starting point
x=x(level)*2+20-wid:y=y(level)*2+3
endif
rem play the level
btime=time:mtime=time:original=remaining:rem initialize cursor and times
pause 30:rem pause for dramatic effect
while remaining>1
  if time-btime>60:btime=time:b=1-b:color b*2:plot x,y:endif:rem blink the cursor
REM get joystick position
S=STICK(0)
  dy=((S=13)-(S=14))
  dx=((S=7)-(S=11))
  rem look ahead to next spot
    ny=y+dy:nx=x+dx
    n2y=y+dy*2:n2x=x+dx*2
    locate nx,ny,c:locate n2x,n2y,c2
    rem synchronize the movement in lockstep with timer
    if time-mtime>20
      if c2=1 and c=0:rem can the player move in this direction?
        
        Poke 77,0:rem disable attract mode
        color 2:plot x,y:plot nx,ny:plot n2x,n2y:rem move to next spot
        x=n2x:y=n2y:remaining=remaining-1:mtime=time:rem update position, decrement spots, reset the move timer
        rem make some noise! spread sound pitch over 0...255
        pitch=255-(255/original)*remaining
        sound 0,pitch,10,1
      else:rem spoiler: the player cannot move in this direction
  rem holy crashing noises batman
      if dx or dy:poke 712,6:poke 710,6:pause 5:poke 712,0:poke 710,0:mtime=time:sound 0,pitch,2,8:pause 10:endif
      sound 
    endif
  endif
  if strig(0)=0:exit:endif:rem pop out of the loop if the player presses the fire button (retry the level)
wend
sound:rem turn off the sound, just in case
rem logic for end of level. restart if all done.
if remaining=1
  ?:? ,"     Well done!"
  for x=0 to 255:poke 709,x:pause 1:next x:rem oo, fancy colors. maybe I should make a tenline light synth, ala llamasoft
  if level=0:run:endif:rem if we finished our own user-created level, we're all done, so restart the game
  level=(level+1) mod 11:rem increment the level, wrapping around to the level editor (level 0) at the end
endif
loop:rem end main game loop
rem fill out this line with a tribute to HSW
?"All respect to Howard Scott Warshaw, to whom my Yorgle easter egg is dedicated. Good luck to all the 2022 NOMAM entrants!"
rem trapped errors go here, restarting the game and redisplaying the menu
#run
run
rem data needs to be at end of line so fill out the last line with it
data -2,0,0,0,0,2,2,2,2,4,0,4,-4,0,4,4,-8,0,6,0,6,4,8,4,8,2,-10,0,10,4,-12,0,12,4,14,4,-18,0,16,0,16,2,18,2,18,4,16,4,7,2,2,7,2,2,4,1,4,6,5,5,9,0,0,7,5,3,10,4,3,6,0,1,5,0,0,16,4,2
rem data has level widths and starting x and y pos too (width,x,y for each level)                       starting here|1     2     3     4     5     6     7      8     9     10```

Obfuscated 10 line listing

```basic

0_=%1+%3:A2=%3+_:Z=%3+A2:A0=%1+Z:A3=255:A1=710:A4=%2+A1:POKE580,%1:POKE82,%0:DIMA$(A3),A(16,8),B(Z),C(Z),D(Z):A$="<atascii-encoded levels>":GR.%3:POKEA1,%0:C.%1:F.A=%0TO%2:F.B=%0TO9
1PL.B*%2+A0,A*%2:N.B:N.A:C.%0:PL.25,%0:PL.25,%2:C.%2:REP.:READB,A:IFB<%0:PL.ABS(B)+A0,A:EL.:DR.B+A0,A:END.:PA.5:U.B=16ANDA=_:T.#A:?"  _1_Easy _2_Glasses _3_House _4_Four":?"  _5_City _6_Cross _7_Key _8_Holes":?"  _9_Skull _10_Yorgle _0_Level editor"
2I."Level";C:CLS:F.D=%1TOZ:READE,B,A:B(D)=E:C(D)=B:D(D)=A:N.D:DO:GR.%3:POKEA1,%0:POKE752,%1:IFC=%0ANDF=%0:?,"Design your own level!":?" _Fire_ to plot/erase, hold _Fire_ to play":PA.30:B=_:A=_:G=TIME:H=TIME:I=%0:W.%2-J-K:IFTIME-G>Z:G=TIME:K=%1-K:C.K*%2-I*K
3PL.B,A:END.:L=STICK(%0):M=((L=13)-(L=14))*%2:N=((L=A2)-(L=A0))*%2:O=A+M:P=B+N:O=(O>%3ANDO<19)*M+A:P=(P>%3ANDP<35)*N+B:IFTIME-H>20AND(N ORM):C.I:PL.B,A:B=P:A=O:LOC.B,A,I:C.%2:PL.B,A:H=TIME:END.:IFSTRIG(%0)=%0:H=TIME:I=%1-I:F=I*%2-%1+F:REP.:U.STRIG(%0)
4IFTIME-H>60:J=%1:POKEA4,180:POKEA1,180:PA.Z:POKEA4,%0:POKEA1,%0:END.:END.:WE.:C(%0)=B:D(%0)=A:F.B=%0TO15:F.A=%0TOA2:LOC.B*%2+_,A*%2+_,I:A(B,A)=I>%0:N.A:N.B:END.:F=%0:Q=%0:IFC=%0:F.B=%0TO15:F.A=%0TOA2:I=A(B,A):C.I:PL.B*%2+_,A*%2+_:F=F+I:N.A:N.B:B=C(%0)
5A=D(%0):CLS:?" _Fire_ to retry level, _Reset_ for menu":EL.:F.D=%0TOC-%1:Q=B(D)+Q:N.D:C.%1:R=B(C):F.A=%1TOR:I=ASC(A$(Q+A)):S=.5:F.B=%0TOA2:S=S*%2:IFI&S=S:PL.A*%2+18-R,B*%2+%3:F=F+%1:END.:N.B:N.A:B=C(C)*%2+20-R:A=D(C)*%2+%3:END.:G=TIME:H=TIME:T=F
6PA.30:W.F>%1:IFTIME-G>60:G=TIME:K=%1-K:C.K*%2:PL.B,A:END.:L=STICK(%0):M=(L=13)-(L=14):N=(L=A2)-(L=A0):O=A+M:P=B+N:U=M*%2+A:V=N*%2+B:LOC.P,O,W:LOC.V,U,X:IFTIME-H>20:IFX=%1ANDW=%0:POKE77,%0:C.%2:PL.B,A:PL.P,O:PL.V,U:B=V:A=U:F=F-%1:H=TIME
7Y=A3-A3/T*F:SO.%0,Y,Z,%1:EL.:IFN ORM:POKEA4,6:POKEA1,6:PA.5:POKEA4,%0:POKEA1,%0:H=TIME:SO.%0,Y,%2,8:PA.Z:END.:SO.:END.:END.:IFSTRIG(%0)=%0:EX.:END.:WE.:SO.:IFF=%1:?:?,"     Well done!":F.B=%0TOA3:POKE709,B:PA.%1:N.B:IFC=%0:RUN:END.:C=(C+%1)MODA0:END.:LOOP
8?"All respect to Howard Scott Warshaw, to whom my Yorgle easter egg is dedicated. Good luck to all the 2022 NOMAM entrants!"
9#A:RUN:D.-2,0,0,0,0,2,2,2,2,4,0,4,-4,0,4,4,-8,0,6,0,6,4,8,4,8,2,-10,0,10,4,-12,0,12,4,14,4,-18,0,16,0,16,2,18,2,18,4,16,4,7,2,2,7,2,2,4,1,4,6,5,5,9,0,0,7,5,3,10,4,3,6,0,1,5,0,0,16,4,2õ```

## Get in touch 📩

* [OxC0FFEE on AtariAge](https://atariage.com/forums/profile/50996-oxc0ffee/)

* [OxC0FFEE on Twitter](https://twitter.com/OxC0FFEE)

* [kimslawson@gmail.com]

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