Has anyone checked out AMOS2

mik3d3nch · June 2019

I just watched this:-

It looks promising but when I went to the guys site http://amos2.net

I didn't think I could manage to install it manually without screwing up, so I'll have to wait and see if an installation shows up. The French guy seems a decent sort, very enthusiastic, looking for people to help out with beta tests etc. It looks like AMOS2 just might be the dogs **** for Basic game making, probably easier than most if the video is to be believed.

Anyone else checked it out?

Luny · June 2019

I use to own STOS, and wrote some simple arcade games. It was a nice BASIC, very easy to use.

joefish · June 2019

Looks interesting.
I did have an earlier version of Blitz BASIC on my old PC, though didn't use it much.

mel the bell · June 2019

i watched it and grabbed it, but not installed it yet

SKR · June 2019

Amos (Pro) on the Amiga is a VERY powerful and easy to use version of BASIC with some very useful enhancements for graphics and sound (in comparison to many BASIC dialects).

It even has programmable sprites (and their software counterpart called "BoBs" )

It's well worth a look especially for fast prototyping.

Amos2 is in it's infancy, but I really suggest you checkout Amos (pro) on AMigaOs/UAE before embarking on this journey.......

mik3d3nch · June 2019

SKR wrote: »

Amos (Pro) on the Amiga is a VERY powerful and easy to use version of BASIC with some very useful enhancements for graphics and sound (in comparison to many BASIC dialects).

It even has programmable sprites (and their software counterpart called "BoBs" )

It's well worth a look especially for fast prototyping.

Amos2 is in it's infancy, but I really suggest you checkout Amos (pro) on AMigaOs/UAE before embarking on this journey.......

Could you perhaps suggest a website to see or obtain or find out more about what you offered?
I googled AMigaOs/UAE and got several suggestions but not being the worlds hottest PC user I'm afraid to attempt anything that might screw up my computer! The partitioning the disk suggested by one site sounds like trouble!

SteveSmith · June 2019

I used AMOS back in the day to create some games (including the obligatory Chaos remake). Unfortunately, the AMOS compiler just kept crashing when trying to create a releasable version.

Timmy · June 2019

I have used AMOS before (I even got the magazine disk just to try it out) but somehow I'm not very impressed by it. But perhaps that's because by then I'm already programming on the PC.

mik3d3nch wrote: »

I googled AMigaOs/UAE and got several suggestions but not being the worlds hottest PC user I'm afraid to attempt anything that might screw up my computer! The partitioning the disk suggested by one site sounds like trouble!

AMOS is distributed on a disk as a 'zipped' file, so the idea is that you unpack it onto somewhere else before using. This is a bit more hassle in the 90s (nowadays you can just unzip compressed files onto your PC, but back then not everyone has a hard drive), and it's scary if you never done it before. I'd probably watch how other people do it on Youtube instead of doing it yourself.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Thanks everybody for replying and offering advice. On balance I think I'd be best off letting well enough alone! Its not as if I'm anything like a programmer, my Basic is minimal and I'm out of practice anyway. It just looked so tempting! The idea of being able to use an easy Basic with built in sprite creation and nice graphics abilities much easier than trying it in the more usual way. Besides to tell the truth at my age I no longer have the energy to persist in learning a new set of instructions and even if I did I wouldnt be any good at game making because its not really something that interests me.

So why did I ask? Well because I rather liked the idea of making a small test of some pictures I drew for Luny's Dun Darach and it seemed like this might be an easier way to make a short animated demo. Even if it wasnt any use to Luny who is using a different bunch of programs anyway, it might have been fun to give it a try and I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Basic. I've got more damn Basics than I know what to do with, I always fall for the suggestion that THIS is the DEFINITIVE best one of all. I never learn.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

No. Experts only from browsing the forum on the AMOS2 site and reading posts, sounds reminiscent of the bad old days of DOS' command line complications when you were trying to install a modem or setup a sound card. I used to find it pretty easy if a damn nuisance but now it seems like too much of an obstacle to install and run. I could live with doing it once to do the setup but not having to do command line gibberish to compile then run every bloody time!

SKR · June 2019

mik3d3nch

First (as with the Spectrum) You'll need an Amiga Emulator...
http://www.winuae.net
This is by far the simplest and IMHO the best for the PC.

HOWEVER!

You will also need an Amiga ROM (called a Kickstart Rom) to be able to use it.

I'm sure you can find one out there if you ask around ;)

Once you get the system up & running it is just like using a real Amiga, however if you are not used to emulation and some of the difficulties which can arise, then it's probably not for you.

Also if you are not used to the Amiga, there again is another level of learning.

The problem I have found with many of the BASIC dialects (especially on the PC) is the documentation (or more specifically the lack thereof)

Any language which leaves you to guess how to use it isn't much use.

<Stops Rambling>

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Thanks for taking the trouble to help me SKR. I've found exactly what I need here:-
https://www.amigaforever.com/

SKR · June 2019

mik3d3nch wrote: »

Thanks for taking the trouble to help me SKR. I've found exactly what I need here:-
https://www.amigaforever.com/

OK that's fine....
However if you are serious about joining the Amiga community I would strongly suggest that you join

http://eab.abime.net/index.php

This forum and have a read around before committing yourself to anything.

Maybe you can save some time/ money ?

If you join using your current ID there I'll try help as much as I can.

I'm no guru, but been through most of the emulation pitfalls
which are not to be discussed here, as it's a different platform.

(Sorry mods if I'm out of line)

SKR

Rebelstar without a cause · June 2019

Winuae can be a little tricky to configure. Ideally you'll want a configuration for the A500 and one for the A1200. You only need to set these up once. If you need any help with this, let me know.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Rebelstar without a cause wrote: »

Winuae can be a little tricky to configure. Ideally you'll want a configuration for the A500 and one for the A1200. You only need to set these up once. If you need any help with this, let me know.

I think I'm beginning to detect a hint that it might not be as idiot proof an install as I'd hoped! I visited the forums SKR recommended and a couple of others too and it seems that the overall feeling is that Amiga Forever is perhaps a tad over enthusiastic with their claims for a seamless emulation. Pity. I tried to install WinUAE a few years ago and about the best I got after a hell of a lot of faffing about was a basic bootup screen with the familiar look and icons but bugger all functionality, it was enough to put me off emulators for a long time.

I had the Amiga 1000 and I wasnt impressed with the later versions especially after putting down a LOT of bread on a 2000 which went bellyup in less than a year and before that wasnt really any more use than my 1000. Believe it or not all I want to get out of the process is the use of PPAint since DPAint isnt available and a tracker like SoundFX. No interest in games at all except Marble Madness once in a while.

Hope this conversation isnt breaking the rules Rich? It IS Chit Chat after all but I dont want to upset anybody. You guys are my go to gurus for all my computer probs.

Antiriad2097 · June 2019

If you just want to see what the BASIC is like before investing any significant time into it, go with the Atari ST version, STOS rather than AMOS. The ST is much easier to emulate and use. Yes, it doesn't have quite as much fancy hardware inside as the Amiga, but STOS got pretty good results and produced a fair few decent games in its day. Loads of addins to extend the functionality too if you want it, so much so I spent more time fiddling with things than producing anything. Still, STOS will give you an easy taste of how things work and the language and if you like it, you might decide its worth the time investment to sort out the overly fiddly Amiga emulation.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Well I dloaded the Amiga Forever Plus package $30 and it installed and ran perfectly! I found PPaint and its as near as dammit Dpaint, even the menu looks the same only its on the left side not the right but I gave it a quick workout and I am so happy you just wouldnt believe. Now I need to find SoundFX or a similarly simple tracker and I should be home free! Very impressed with the way it looks and works so far, really made my day. Even the sounds sound like the Amiga chipset did, its a unique sound, well they all are arent they? If you know you can tell just from listening.

SKR · June 2019

I'm no expert, but this says it is the latest version (despite the name change)

http://aminet.net/package/mus/edit/MultiMedia_Sound

mik3d3nch · June 2019

You're a champ, man, thanks.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

mik3d3nch wrote: »

You're a champ, man, thanks.

Now all I have to do is find out where there are sounds to load and how to do it. The tracker is up and running but it didnt come with a song already in it so that means theres no instruments to use. I tried everything I could think of and remember to get something out and then I recalled how it originally came with this song built in and I simply used those sounds never did figure out how to add more or change the palette.

This is the original program I had and the song and instruments it came with

Timmy · June 2019

So, if I watched it correctly, they are going to revive AMOS by making a PC version for it. This tool will use the AMOS language, and then 'compiles' it to Javascript, for use on the web, as well as for the accompanying executable?

That's not a bad idea, even though I already write in Javascript myself.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

I was under the impression that Java had fallen out of favour?

Vampyre · June 2019

Easily confused but JavaScript <> Java.

This will explain it better than I can.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

That was useful and informative Vampyre, thanks. Sounds like JavaScript might be worth my investigating.

The description reminds me a bit of Orpheus http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0137.html which was a hypertext application used for making interactive books and running under DOS, it was incredible. You could make a DOS machine almost behave like Windows, it even had hotspots for putting on your graphics and could exit to another program do whatever you wanted and yet always returned to the original jump off point and NEVER crashed!

I used it to make my own DOS front end that masked the command line completely and showed a screen with pictures for the various programs I used which were hot spotted so that I could go from one to another seamlessly. I've still got on my ancient DOS desktop machine I used for antique software like DeLuxe Paint 2.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

SKR wrote: »

OK that's fine....
However if you are serious about joining the Amiga community I would strongly suggest that you join

http://eab.abime.net/index.php

SKR

Okay SKR. I did what you suggested, joined that forum, and used the same handle.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Sigh! Well SKR I've posted an introduction plus a plea for help. In the meantime I've resorted - given the complete lack of manuals, docs or useful info about MultiMedia Sound - to painstakingly pressing every key and writing down what it does (can't find a key to back up the block being edited). Which is how I sussed out SoundFX in the first place but I was 30 years younger then - makes a big difference - if I was a car I'd need a rebore and a valve job.

Actually its quite enjoyable discovering stuff but frustrating as hell when you want to just let rip. BTW if anyones interested you can play with a tracker on the Web. No bloody docs though so much the same problem.
https://www.stef.be/bassoontracker/?file=demomods/spacedeb.mod

SKR · June 2019

@mik3d3nch

Back in the day there were document disks for the Amiga by several groups.

The one I remember is LSD Docs disks

Wether or not that particular tracker was covered, I don't know.

However it may be a good place to start

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Thanks but now I have the program I wanted I can work it out for myself but I do have quite a few questions I want to ask you about how to get the emulator to find and use files in my Downloads directory. It simply wont see them. Unless they are Amiga executables that run once clicked. However I'm wrestling with another project right now so I'll message you later.

SKR · June 2019

2 words.....

Directory Opus

It's a text based file manager for Amiga which adds heaps of functionality

IMHO Version 4 is the best, as Version 5+ are more graphics oriented and can be rather slow.

mik3d3nch · June 2019

Help! I'm totally lost and at sea. I dloaded Opus 4 as you suggested and ran it by clicking the zip file in my dloads directory. When it asked me if I wanted it installed I tried to get it to install on Workbench 3.1 (buggered if I know where that lives) and got told its write protected. Okay. No prob, I clicked on Opos 4 to run it and up comes two completely meaningless windows with meaningless choices of actions!

Heres the thing, I darent turn off my laptop because I have the flower icon at the bottom and when I select it it shows me a miniature SoundFX icon, a mini DPaint icon and the Amiga forever one thats some kind of a file listing that shows what you last ran. If i closed it down I'm not even sure I could get them back, well I know they are in the downloads directory but of course that doesnt show up.

Depending on what I open I get a fake floppy load noise an icon for Workbench 3.1 and one called RAMDISk and one called DF0 plus whatever program it is I want to run.

This is all very confusing and not very helpful. I almost wish the Amiga Forever install HAD partitioned the hard drive and turned that portion into an Amiga HD so I could just dive in and out at will. I'm such a crap computer user that I never muck about with things like partitioning in case I do some real damage and lose valuable data.

I thought maybe Opus 4 would display whats on the hard drive but it doesnt seem to.

rich_chandler · June 2019

mik3d3nch wrote: »

I thought maybe Opus 4 would display whats on the hard drive but it doesnt seem to.

It will !!!

I know this is Opus 5 but Opus 4 does the same.

Has anyone checked out AMOS2

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