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Elite on the BBC Micro and NES

Sound: SFX

[Acorn Electron version]

Name: SFX [Show more] Type: Variable Category: Sound Summary: Sound data
Context: See this variable in context in the source code Variations: See code variations for this variable in the different versions References: This variable is used as follows: * NOS1 uses SFX

Sound data. To make a sound, the NOS1 routine copies the four relevant sound bytes to XX16, and NO3 then makes the sound. The sound numbers are shown in the table, and are always multiples of 8. Generally, sounds are made by calling the NOISE routine with the sound number in A. These bytes are passed to OSWORD 7, and are the equivalents to the parameters passed to the SOUND keyword in BASIC. The parameters therefore have these meanings: channel/flush, amplitude (or envelope number if 1-4), pitch, duration For the channel/flush parameter, the high nibble of the low byte is the flush control (where a flush control of 0 queues the sound, and a flush control of 1 makes the sound instantly), while the low nibble of the low byte is the channel number. When written in hexadecimal, the first figure gives the flush control, while the second is the channel (so &13 indicates flush control = 1 and channel = 3). So when we call NOISE with A = 40 to make a long, low beep, then this is effectively what the NOISE routine does: SOUND &13, &F4, &0C, &08 which makes a sound with flush control 1 on channel 3, and with amplitude &F4 (-12), pitch &0C (2) and duration &08 (8). Meanwhile, to make the hyperspace sound, the NOISE routine does this: SOUND &10, &02, &60, &10 which makes a sound with flush control 1 on channel 0, using envelope 2, and with pitch &60 (96) and duration &10 (16). The four sound envelopes (1-4) are set up by the loading process. The Electron has an additional layer of sound data for each of the game's sounds - priority and minimum duration. Because the Electron only has one tone channel and one noise channel, it prioritises each sound. If a sound is already playing and a sound of a higher priority needs to be made, the new sound will take over; if, however, the new sound is of a lower priority, it gets discarded and doesn't get made. This system works alongside the minimum duration value; after the minimum duration, the priority system is ignored, so once a high priority sound has sounded for its minimum duration, then even if that high priority sound is still being made, a lower priority sound can come along and take precedence. To put it another way, high priority sounds take control of the sound output and lower priority sounds don't get a look-in, but only for the minimum duration of the higher priority sound.
.SFX EQUB &11, &01, &00, &03 \ 0 - Lasers fired by us EQUB &11, &02, &2C, &04 \ 8 - We're being hit by lasers EQUB &11, &03, &F0, &06 \ 16 - We made a hit or kill 2 EQUB &10, &F1, &04, &05 \ 24 - We died / We made a hit or kill 1 EQUB &01, &F1, &BC, &01 \ 32 - Short, high beep EQUB &11, &F4, &0C, &08 \ 40 - Long, low beep EQUB &10, &F1, &04, &06 \ 48 - Missile launched / Ship launched from station EQUB &10, &02, &60, &10 \ 56 - Hyperspace drive engaged EQUB &11, &04, &C2, &FF \ 64 - E.C.M. on EQUB &11, &00, &00, &00 \ 72 - E.C.M. off .SFX2 EQUB &70 \ 0 - Priority 112, minimum duration 0 EQUB &24 \ 8 - Priority 36, minimum duration 4 EQUB &56 \ 16 - Priority 86, minimum duration 6 EQUB &56 \ 24 - Priority 86, minimum duration 6 EQUB &42 \ 32 - Priority 66, minimum duration 2 EQUB &28 \ 40 - Priority 40, minimum duration 8 EQUB &C8 \ 48 - Priority 200, minimum duration 8 EQUB &D0 \ 56 - Priority 208, minimum duration 0 EQUB &F0 \ 64 - Priority 240, minimum duration 0 EQUB &E0 \ 72 - Priority 224, minimum duration 0