Norbert Landsteiner
@masswerk.at
Mostly retro and vintage computing content, I guess.
www.masswerk.at
www.masswerk.at
November 9, 2025 at 8:58 PM
PET Invaders – Release!
As the Earth Space Monitoring Network sounds alarm, you and your LASER tank are Planet Earth's only hope… Exciting space arcade PETSCII action for Commodore PET (40 cols, 16K RAM)!
Downloads & online emulation at:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pet-invaders
As the Earth Space Monitoring Network sounds alarm, you and your LASER tank are Planet Earth's only hope… Exciting space arcade PETSCII action for Commodore PET (40 cols, 16K RAM)!
Downloads & online emulation at:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pet-invaders
November 9, 2025 at 6:31 AM
PET Invaders – Release!
As the Earth Space Monitoring Network sounds alarm, you and your LASER tank are Planet Earth's only hope… Exciting space arcade PETSCII action for Commodore PET (40 cols, 16K RAM)!
Downloads & online emulation at:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pet-invaders
As the Earth Space Monitoring Network sounds alarm, you and your LASER tank are Planet Earth's only hope… Exciting space arcade PETSCII action for Commodore PET (40 cols, 16K RAM)!
Downloads & online emulation at:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pet-invaders
Thinking of a physical media kit (for download & self-recording)…
Also, I've now a PETSCII-to-SVG renderer!
Also, I've now a PETSCII-to-SVG renderer!
November 8, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Thinking of a physical media kit (for download & self-recording)…
Also, I've now a PETSCII-to-SVG renderer!
Also, I've now a PETSCII-to-SVG renderer!
The total lack of rotational symmetry of the human body is truly appalling to the more mindful in the universe…
(This is why they never show up here. If you see any UFOs, these are actually some of their early AI governed crafts hallucinating a location in the more decent sectors of the universe.)
(This is why they never show up here. If you see any UFOs, these are actually some of their early AI governed crafts hallucinating a location in the more decent sectors of the universe.)
November 6, 2025 at 11:37 PM
The total lack of rotational symmetry of the human body is truly appalling to the more mindful in the universe…
(This is why they never show up here. If you see any UFOs, these are actually some of their early AI governed crafts hallucinating a location in the more decent sectors of the universe.)
(This is why they never show up here. If you see any UFOs, these are actually some of their early AI governed crafts hallucinating a location in the more decent sectors of the universe.)
I think, I've found a way how we may all profit from the AI revolution: Make AI companies keep track of references and award a penalty for each factual error or misrepresentation payable to the author. E.g., this summary of www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20... is worth 15 credits for 15 severe errors:
November 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I think, I've found a way how we may all profit from the AI revolution: Make AI companies keep track of references and award a penalty for each factual error or misrepresentation payable to the author. E.g., this summary of www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20... is worth 15 credits for 15 severe errors:
Finally: "PET Invaders" - Public Beta!
My personal take on Space Invaders for the Commodre PET.
Link to online-emulation:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pe...
Beta testers and feedback welcome!
#commodore #petscii #mos6502
My personal take on Space Invaders for the Commodre PET.
Link to online-emulation:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pe...
Beta testers and feedback welcome!
#commodore #petscii #mos6502
November 4, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Finally: "PET Invaders" - Public Beta!
My personal take on Space Invaders for the Commodre PET.
Link to online-emulation:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pe...
Beta testers and feedback welcome!
#commodore #petscii #mos6502
My personal take on Space Invaders for the Commodre PET.
Link to online-emulation:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#pe...
Beta testers and feedback welcome!
#commodore #petscii #mos6502
Thinking about an AI startup utilizing a cheaper, but viable and more sustainable alternative to GPUs…
November 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Thinking about an AI startup utilizing a cheaper, but viable and more sustainable alternative to GPUs…
BTW, quite impressed by Google AI Overview: every sentence and every half-sentence of this summary is utterly wrong and completely misses the mark and sense of that short piece, and is factually wrong. – Clearly, this is the future!
Compare: www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
Compare: www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
October 30, 2025 at 6:08 PM
BTW, quite impressed by Google AI Overview: every sentence and every half-sentence of this summary is utterly wrong and completely misses the mark and sense of that short piece, and is factually wrong. – Clearly, this is the future!
Compare: www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
Compare: www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
Just in time for Halloween, I'm hoping to finish sound for my PET port of the original Space Horror Survival Game today.
Enjoy a pseudo matrix printer hardcopy of the game play:
Enjoy a pseudo matrix printer hardcopy of the game play:
October 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Just in time for Halloween, I'm hoping to finish sound for my PET port of the original Space Horror Survival Game today.
Enjoy a pseudo matrix printer hardcopy of the game play:
Enjoy a pseudo matrix printer hardcopy of the game play:
Ok, so I kind of know now why I find programming sound so tedious: I knew that I've an aphantastic condition, but I had no idea that this can extend to sound, as well.
Compare:
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Compare:
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Some People Can’t See Mental Images. The Consequences Are Profound
Research has linked the ability to visualize to a bewildering variety of human traits—how we experience trauma, hold grudges, and, above all, remember our lives.
www.newyorker.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Ok, so I kind of know now why I find programming sound so tedious: I knew that I've an aphantastic condition, but I had no idea that this can extend to sound, as well.
Compare:
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Compare:
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
He, he…
(Mind the font!)
(Mind the font!)
October 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
He, he…
(Mind the font!)
(Mind the font!)
Spectacular progress: added another sound… 😀
(But I also experimented with a background sound engine, which should be convenient for playing the saucer sounds.)
Meanwhile, enjoy a fake matrix printer hardcopy:
(But I also experimented with a background sound engine, which should be convenient for playing the saucer sounds.)
Meanwhile, enjoy a fake matrix printer hardcopy:
October 27, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Spectacular progress: added another sound… 😀
(But I also experimented with a background sound engine, which should be convenient for playing the saucer sounds.)
Meanwhile, enjoy a fake matrix printer hardcopy:
(But I also experimented with a background sound engine, which should be convenient for playing the saucer sounds.)
Meanwhile, enjoy a fake matrix printer hardcopy:
I've just spent more than an hour on 4 diatonic sounds on the PET (for the Space Invaders move sound). I never enjoyed programming sound – and I have no idea why this is. (If it had been about visual feedback, it would have been a blast.)
October 25, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I've just spent more than an hour on 4 diatonic sounds on the PET (for the Space Invaders move sound). I never enjoyed programming sound – and I have no idea why this is. (If it had been about visual feedback, it would have been a blast.)
Is it just me or does the recent update of YouTube player icons feel somewhat childish?
The look and feel for the AI Age, I guess…
The look and feel for the AI Age, I guess…
October 25, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Is it just me or does the recent update of YouTube player icons feel somewhat childish?
The look and feel for the AI Age, I guess…
The look and feel for the AI Age, I guess…
Slightly amused by learning that the Royal Navy had a vessel named HMS Grampus (which may be an dolphin/orca or an alternative spelling of Krampus). Indeed, it brought you all the bad presents, if hadn't been nice. I.e., a minelaying submarine.
youtu.be/0eKQhHJm2h8?...
youtu.be/0eKQhHJm2h8?...
HMS Grampus - Guide 463
YouTube video by Drachinifel
youtu.be
October 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Slightly amused by learning that the Royal Navy had a vessel named HMS Grampus (which may be an dolphin/orca or an alternative spelling of Krampus). Indeed, it brought you all the bad presents, if hadn't been nice. I.e., a minelaying submarine.
youtu.be/0eKQhHJm2h8?...
youtu.be/0eKQhHJm2h8?...
The most alarming thing about "AI" is that it's left to "engineers", who are too lazy to inform themselves on the very matter, they're dealing with. For years, they had belittled the idea that quasi-autonomous productions could arise from a semantic field and its internal structure, AKA text theory.
October 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
The most alarming thing about "AI" is that it's left to "engineers", who are too lazy to inform themselves on the very matter, they're dealing with. For years, they had belittled the idea that quasi-autonomous productions could arise from a semantic field and its internal structure, AKA text theory.
Updated "The Abominable iPhone Zombies", the original PETSCII Horror Doom Scroller for the Commodore PET (any 40-cols PET, 8K min RAM).
(Now featuring reliable keyboard detection. Also prepared for sound, which, eventually…)
Download and online emulation link:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ip...
(Now featuring reliable keyboard detection. Also prepared for sound, which, eventually…)
Download and online emulation link:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ip...
October 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Updated "The Abominable iPhone Zombies", the original PETSCII Horror Doom Scroller for the Commodore PET (any 40-cols PET, 8K min RAM).
(Now featuring reliable keyboard detection. Also prepared for sound, which, eventually…)
Download and online emulation link:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ip...
(Now featuring reliable keyboard detection. Also prepared for sound, which, eventually…)
Download and online emulation link:
masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ip...
So, I managed to solve this: instead of checking magic numbers, I'm now "parsing" the PET editor ROM (at $E000-$E7FF) as a more general approach to detecting the keyboard type. And this seems to work.
Finally tested the "PET Invaders" on VICE (xpet), which offers some broader hardware suport than my own PET 2001 emulator. – Turns out that the PET 4016/4032 hangs on the "score advance table screen", where we identify any joysticks. And it's only with the graphics keyboard, business is fine!
October 23, 2025 at 8:13 PM
So, I managed to solve this: instead of checking magic numbers, I'm now "parsing" the PET editor ROM (at $E000-$E7FF) as a more general approach to detecting the keyboard type. And this seems to work.
Trying to find out what PETSCII #133 ($85) may be on the Commodore PET, Google AI Overview provided the following "helpful" "information" (see image).
Fun fact: "cursor down" is PETSCII #17 ($11).
PETSCII #133 is "F1" on the later 8-bits, like the VIC, C64, C128, C16, etc.
Fun fact: "cursor down" is PETSCII #17 ($11).
PETSCII #133 is "F1" on the later 8-bits, like the VIC, C64, C128, C16, etc.
October 23, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Trying to find out what PETSCII #133 ($85) may be on the Commodore PET, Google AI Overview provided the following "helpful" "information" (see image).
Fun fact: "cursor down" is PETSCII #17 ($11).
PETSCII #133 is "F1" on the later 8-bits, like the VIC, C64, C128, C16, etc.
Fun fact: "cursor down" is PETSCII #17 ($11).
PETSCII #133 is "F1" on the later 8-bits, like the VIC, C64, C128, C16, etc.
Finally tested the "PET Invaders" on VICE (xpet), which offers some broader hardware suport than my own PET 2001 emulator. – Turns out that the PET 4016/4032 hangs on the "score advance table screen", where we identify any joysticks. And it's only with the graphics keyboard, business is fine!
October 22, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Finally tested the "PET Invaders" on VICE (xpet), which offers some broader hardware suport than my own PET 2001 emulator. – Turns out that the PET 4016/4032 hangs on the "score advance table screen", where we identify any joysticks. And it's only with the graphics keyboard, business is fine!
And here is a blog post on the matter of the PET keyboard test program (includes #mos6502 code):
www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
(Now Go Bang!) PET Keyboard Test
A little tool to test and explore the keyboard matrix of any Commodore PET.
www.masswerk.at
October 22, 2025 at 1:25 PM
And here is a blog post on the matter of the PET keyboard test program (includes #mos6502 code):
www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/20...
I wrote a little tool for testing and exploring the keyboard matrix of Commodore PETs. (E.g., what are the row and column values for use in any games?)
Download and online emulation link here:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ke...
(Supports both the graphics and the business keyboard.)
Download and online emulation link here:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ke...
(Supports both the graphics and the business keyboard.)
October 22, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I wrote a little tool for testing and exploring the keyboard matrix of Commodore PETs. (E.g., what are the row and column values for use in any games?)
Download and online emulation link here:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ke...
(Supports both the graphics and the business keyboard.)
Download and online emulation link here:
www.masswerk.at/pet/prgs/#ke...
(Supports both the graphics and the business keyboard.)
When PETSCII isn't PETSCII
Just tested the PET Invaders with the C64 character ROM (in emulation). Well…
[1] green: 40 columns PET
[2] white #1: C64 character ROM, as-is
[3] white #2: C64 character ROM, title adjusted for line weights
There's only one true #PETSCII!
Just tested the PET Invaders with the C64 character ROM (in emulation). Well…
[1] green: 40 columns PET
[2] white #1: C64 character ROM, as-is
[3] white #2: C64 character ROM, title adjusted for line weights
There's only one true #PETSCII!
October 20, 2025 at 7:08 AM
When PETSCII isn't PETSCII
Just tested the PET Invaders with the C64 character ROM (in emulation). Well…
[1] green: 40 columns PET
[2] white #1: C64 character ROM, as-is
[3] white #2: C64 character ROM, title adjusted for line weights
There's only one true #PETSCII!
Just tested the PET Invaders with the C64 character ROM (in emulation). Well…
[1] green: 40 columns PET
[2] white #1: C64 character ROM, as-is
[3] white #2: C64 character ROM, title adjusted for line weights
There's only one true #PETSCII!
"PET Invaders" progress report:
Game play seems to be finished, now "just" the sound is left to do…
#petscii #commodore #mos6502
Game play seems to be finished, now "just" the sound is left to do…
#petscii #commodore #mos6502
October 19, 2025 at 6:47 PM
"PET Invaders" progress report:
Game play seems to be finished, now "just" the sound is left to do…
#petscii #commodore #mos6502
Game play seems to be finished, now "just" the sound is left to do…
#petscii #commodore #mos6502
Looking for a somewhat unusual arcade game to port to your home computer? Or just looking for inspiration?
Have a look at "Spiders", a rather rare British arcade game by Sigma Enterprises Inc., 1981, featuring some unique game mechanics and interesting visuals.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCCP...
Have a look at "Spiders", a rather rare British arcade game by Sigma Enterprises Inc., 1981, featuring some unique game mechanics and interesting visuals.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCCP...
Arcade Game: Spiders (1981 Sigma Enterprises Inc.)
YouTube video by Old Classic Retro Gaming
www.youtube.com
October 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Looking for a somewhat unusual arcade game to port to your home computer? Or just looking for inspiration?
Have a look at "Spiders", a rather rare British arcade game by Sigma Enterprises Inc., 1981, featuring some unique game mechanics and interesting visuals.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCCP...
Have a look at "Spiders", a rather rare British arcade game by Sigma Enterprises Inc., 1981, featuring some unique game mechanics and interesting visuals.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCCP...