From Commodore 64 to the present: a developer's journey
I’ve just released a new firmware version for the UniJoystiCle (v0.4.0). It supports the new Commando Mode.
The new Android client with Commando mode can be downloaded from here:
The iOS client will be available as soon as Apple approves it (usually a few days) and will be available here:
In order to upgrade the firmware, please follow these steps:
VChar64 v0.2.0 is available for download:
Here are more UniJoystiCle videos:
Showing how to play C64 games using a real Game Controller via the UniJoystiCle:
Showing how to play Gyruss using the UniJoystiCle Gyruss mode:
Two weeks ago I attended the Commodore Vegas Expo XII, and last week I’ve been at the Vintage Computer Festival West XI.
As the name describes it, it was a Commodore Expo in Las Vegas. But the format is a mix between conference and expo. It is a real expo, but with the social part of a conference. It is friendly and casual.
People give talks in a very informal way. I gave a talk + live demo about the UniJoystiCle. Everything went well except that in the middle of the demo my phone’s glass broke. But that wasn’t an issue since the accelerometer kept working.
Yeaaaaaaaaaah! UniJoystiCle v0.3 was released!
It includes:
This is mostly a bug-fix release, focused on improving the workflow.
Download:
Changes in v0.2.1:
I assumed that the Commodore 1581 was failing because of a bad WD1772 IC (as documented in Part I). So I ordered a WD1772 replacement + the IC socket, I developed some basic desoldering skills, watched some desoldering videos, and also got a cheap desoldering iron from Radio Shack:
So, I removed the board from the Commodore 1581 and started to desolder the IC. To my surprise the $11-buck desolder iron worked pretty well. I was able to remove all the solder from the the pins in a few minutes. The desolder iron just takes some time to reach the needed temperature, but besides that, it seems to be a great tool for occasional desoldering tasks (a hobbyist desoldering iron cost more than $250)
Continue reading “Repairing the Commodore 1581 floppy disk drive. Part 2”
Download (firmware, iOS client and schematics + board):
In 1986 (or was it 1987?) I got my first computer, a Commodore 64. I started learning BASIC and during ’87 and ’88 I created some very simple games. Somewhere in ’88 I started learning assembly language (machine language to be precise), but I don’t recall coding any game using this language. If so, it must have probably been due to the fact that I lacked a good monitor.
Somewhere in 1989, I switched to the Commodore 128. Whereas I continued creating games using BASIC, I also started coding some games in assembly language, profiting from the built-in C128 monitor, which was pretty decent.
In 1990 I started coding intros, doing some trainers, and re-cracking some games for a local computer shop (SADOI). And I kept doing that until 1992.
I stored all that sacred info (my games, intros, re-cracks, trainers) in my diskettes. At the time, my diskettes were my most valuable possession.
