(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_13.gif)(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_14.gif)
Those who are active on Omnimaga forums are probably alerady aware of this, but for those who aren't, Kevin Horowitz A.K.A. Quigibo, who made ticalc front page with Pyoro for the TI-83 Plus (http://www.ticalc.org/archives/news/articles/14/145/145740.html) 2 months ago, has been working on a new programming language for the same calculator platform: Axe.
Axe is a programming language that is similar to TI-BASIC, but oriented for arcade game development. Unlike TI-BASIC, however, the language is compiled into z80 ASM using the Axe Parser, which is a flash APP where you select the program you want to compile. While it is not as fast as straight assembly, it runs much faster than TI-BASIC. The only current downside is that the compiled programs are larger than the source (unless it contains mostly sprite data). To write your programs, you simply use the TI-83 Plus BASIC editor like if you edited a regular TI-BASIC program. Once you're done, you back up your progress in case you did errors, archive your source (as for today, the parser can compile archived programs), run Axe.8xk, then select your program to compile. Compiling is done very fast. Then you run Asm(prgmLOL. In later versions you will obviously be able to name the compiled file yourself. This is one advantage of Axe: it can be programmed directly on the calculator, and because it uses the TI-BASIC editor, not a custom one, you can even use TI-Graph Link or another PC program editor to edit your code. This also means that you can open your source code in Cemetech's SourceCoder (http://www.cemetech.net/projects/basicelite/sourcecoder2.php), for easy posting on internet forums.
Another big advantage of this new language is that for a TI-BASIC programmer, the learning curve is quasi-nonexistent. The language main features are so similar to TI-BASIC that in some cases, you may be able to compile a pure BASIC game with Axe without even having to modify a single line of code! That's unless, of course, you venture in the more advanced features, such as sprites, pointers and inline assembly support. There are also differences such as the "Then" instruction not being needed (if present, a compiling error will be thrown), coordinates being inverted for Pxl-On/Off/Change/Test and Text commands and the language supporting 2 bytes integers rather than floating points (which means numbers within a 65536 range with no decimals, but takes less memory and processing power). It is recommended that you know TI-BASIC before learning this language, then read the documentation included with the download.
The other advantage, while not matching the power of pure assembly programming, is the speed. In some cases, your compiled games will run 100 times faster than if they were done in pure-BASIC or with xLIB/CelticIII. The animated screenshots below shows Axe programs in action (most runs at much higher framerate than shown in the animated gifs). Some are animations but most show games in action (that are avaliable for download if you look carefully in the Axe project sub-forum). The framerate is much higher on emulators and on a real calculator.
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_5.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_6.gif)
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_7.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_8.gif)
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_9.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_10.gif)
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_11.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_12.gif)
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_1.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_2.gif) (http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_3.gif)
In the following screenshot, a TI-BASIC program is ran normally, then the code is edited slightly to be compilable with the Axe Parser. After errors are fixed, the program is finally compiled, then the ASM file ran with the Asm() command. Notice the drastic speed difference!
(http://www.omnimaga.org/images/screenshots/axe_4.gif)
As for downloads, this project has been advancing at a rapid rate compared to many similar projects in the past (such as the defunct MLC (http://ourl.ca/2617)) and there are alerady several builds that have been released to public. The latest version, at the time of writing this news article, is 0.1.1, and can be downloaded right here (http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1463.0;attach=844)! It includes Axe.8xk, some sample programs including a clone of Game Of Life (shown above), all supported commands list, optimizing tutorials and information about the advanced features. All past, present and future versions can be downloaded in the following topic:
http://ourl.ca/4060/78770#new
The entire project discussion, which started only a month ago but grew at an insane rate and even spawned interest outside Omnimaga, can be found here:
http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?board=71.0
In the link above you will also be able to find plenty of game demos by the Omnimaga community, including our staff, avaliable for download, lot of help, support and routines. Bug reports are also done there.
Builderboy has started working on a 2D clone of the popular Portal game, but this time in Axe language. His version is called Portal X and can alerady be seen in the screenshots above (3rd row, 1st column). His sub-forum can be found here (http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?board=87.0)!
Check for more updates soon and don't hesitate to give Axe Parser a try!