Following on from the Moon Cresta "attract mode in free play" mod I did a while ago, I've finally got round to the proper high score save mod.
Moon Cresta already has a 5 place high score table and allows you to enter your initials. Problem is there isn't non-volatile RAM to save it, so power the game down and it's all lost.
There are several versions of the game, each with slight differences in the code meaning there isn't a single ROM mod that's possible. Also there are subtle differences such as the Nichibutsu version allows 10 character name entry and you get the choice of 2 high score tables, whereas the Gremlin/Sega version limits it to only 3 characters and 1 high score table (which is odd as there is extra code to deliberately restrict it, possibly to reduce the chance of rude words being entered?
So having been goaded by Jase into producing this, here it is. As the boards I has access to were Gremlin/Sega, I thought it right to work on that version of code, and it now provides the following features:-
Attract mode in free play
2 separate, permanently-saved high score tables (DIP selectable) saved in NVRAM
Separately clear the high score tables by holding down P1 & P2 start at power-up
Coins not recognised when in free play mode
It's still being tested, but the code should be freely released in the next week or so. To save the high scores you need to install NVRAM at #8000-#87FF (Macro has information how to do this on a Galaxian board on his site - and Moon Cresta is essentially a Galaxian board with a couple of hacks), or use one of my single ROM/RAM boards.
Photos of it running (Mame and real hardware)...and thanks to Jase and Gary07745 for agreeing to appear in the high score table
Moon Cresta already has a 5 place high score table and allows you to enter your initials. Problem is there isn't non-volatile RAM to save it, so power the game down and it's all lost.
There are several versions of the game, each with slight differences in the code meaning there isn't a single ROM mod that's possible. Also there are subtle differences such as the Nichibutsu version allows 10 character name entry and you get the choice of 2 high score tables, whereas the Gremlin/Sega version limits it to only 3 characters and 1 high score table (which is odd as there is extra code to deliberately restrict it, possibly to reduce the chance of rude words being entered?
So having been goaded by Jase into producing this, here it is. As the boards I has access to were Gremlin/Sega, I thought it right to work on that version of code, and it now provides the following features:-
Attract mode in free play
2 separate, permanently-saved high score tables (DIP selectable) saved in NVRAM
Separately clear the high score tables by holding down P1 & P2 start at power-up
Coins not recognised when in free play mode
It's still being tested, but the code should be freely released in the next week or so. To save the high scores you need to install NVRAM at #8000-#87FF (Macro has information how to do this on a Galaxian board on his site - and Moon Cresta is essentially a Galaxian board with a couple of hacks), or use one of my single ROM/RAM boards.
Photos of it running (Mame and real hardware)...and thanks to Jase and Gary07745 for agreeing to appear in the high score table
