***************************************************************************** Family Basic FAQ Viewable in Shift-JIS Format For the NES/Famicom Version 1.0 (Created 3/17/2010) By Devin Morgan This file is Copyright (c)2010 Devin Morgan. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************************** Table of Contents 1. What's New 2. Introduction 3. Overview 4. Grammar Guide 5. Error Messages 6. Control Codes 7. Memory Map 8. Credits 9. Copyright Notice ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 1. What's New -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Version 1.0 (3/17/10): The first version. ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 2. Introduction -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Family Basic was one of the first versions of the programming "game" released for the Famicom. It made use of the Family Basic Keyboard, as well as the Famicom Data Recorder to save your programs. The language is a form of BASIC made specially for this release, but there are many similarities. In fact, you can get by quite nicely in this game if you have knowledge of old-school BASIC programming, even other variants of BASIC. It is a fun yet basic (no pun intended) game, where kids and adults can dabble in simple programming, even using some pre-made Nintendo character sprites and sounds in their programs! If you are not technically or logically savvy, this is definitely not for you. But for all you programmers out there, this is worth checking out for sure. ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 3. Overview -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =================== General Information =================== Family Basic is a game released only in Japan on the Famicom, with the premise of introducing programming to the user. It makes use of a variant of the BASIC programming language called NS-HUBASIC (Nintendo/Sharp-Hudson BASIC). If you are familiar with BASIC programming, the syntax and most statements/keywords/functions are the same across the board. Being that BASIC is not my usual programming langauge, I tried my best to describe every available option in the NS-HUBASIC language in the sections below. For more detailed information, I found this to be a good resource: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sh9ywfdk%28VS.80%29.aspx There are other good resources available if you search around for BASIC programming books and tutorials. Granted, modern-day Visual Basic has its differences so materials may be hard to come by, but it should be easy enough to piece together in relation to this game regardless. In order to save your work, you will need to have the Famicom Data Recorder connected and functioning. That is the only way to save (and then load) anything you do in this game. ============== Game Interface ============== In the original Family Basic (the version covered in this FAQ), when you first start up the game, you will go to a simulated computer interface, complete with the screen lighting up. It will prompt you to type in your name, so do that and hit Enter. Once you do that, the interface will cycle through each of the game modes you can access. At each option, you will have four choices you can make by pressing F1-F4 when prompted. Those options are: F1 = Yes (ハイ) F2 = No (イイエ) F3 = Hello (コンニチハ) F4 = End (オワリ) When you press any of the buttons, you will have to press Enter to finalize your option, or you can use Ctrl + H to clear what was entered into the box. If you select F3 (Hello), you will be asked if you want your fortune told (ウラナイ). Say Yes and you will be asked to enter your age, and then your fortune will be told (it seems to keep looping for me, so if anyone can tell me what I am missing, it will be much appreciated). Here is a quick rundown of each game mode you can access from the main screen. If you want to go to the next one, simply enter No; otherwise enter Yes. You can exit out of these modes once you are in them by pressing the ESC key. In all modes except for GAME BASIC, you can press Enter to "re-ink" your pen cursor. It is only there for effect; you won't actually run out of ink! GAME BASIC: Press 1 to enter BASIC programming mode, 2 to enter BG GRAPHIC mode (where you can cycle through sprites and design something), or 3 to go back to the main screen. To exit out of BG GRAPHIC mode, press the ESC key followed by the END key. Calculator Board (カリキュレータ　ボード): Perform calculations by typing in numbers and symbols either manually or with the function keys. Music Board (ミュージック　ボード): Make sound effects and music by using the keyboard and function keys to arrange and experiment with the notes. Press F8 to play your composition, using Left/Right to speed up or slow the tempo while playing. F1-F7 will be the actual musical notes. Message Board (メッセージ　ボード): Type notes on this empty board using the keyboard. After cycling to the Message Board option, it will loop back to GAME BASIC. If you want to "log out" select End (F4) and you will be prompted to enter your name again to start over. ================================= System Specifications/Limitations ================================= ROM: 8-bit x 16K x 2 (Program ROM) 8-bit x 8K (Character Generator) RAM: 8-bit x 2K S-RAM Characters: 8x8 dot matrix characters (letters, numbers, Katakana and English signs, symbols, and special characters) Display: 28 columns x 24 lines Colors: 52 (including black and white) Sprites: 8 Sound: 2 single square waves, 1 triangular wave, 1 sound effect ========= Variables ========= When you declare a variable, you simply make up a name for it (it can be a single letter or a word) and set it equal to some value. If it is non- numeric, like a string, the $ symbol must appear at the end of the variable name or it will be invalid. Otherwise, you don't need the $ symbol. Example: NAME$ = "DEVIN" NUMBER = 24 ===================== Conditional Operators ===================== When using programming logic in your IF .. THEN statements, you know that you need to provide an expression to be logically checked against. There are a lot of different conditional operators that can be used to compare two values in this game, and they are: = (equal) > (greater than) < (less than) >= (greater or equal) <= (less or equal) <> (not equal) ================ Writing Programs ================ In Family Basic, of course the main premise is to be able to write your own programs. This guide is not meant to teach you programming theory; you can learn that on your own. The sections below will give you information about the various statements and functions available to you; it's up to you to make something out of them. In this version of BASIC, you need to write line numbers before each line of code. A sample program will be as follows (if you don't type a line number, the program will not work and that line will be executed immediately): NEW 10 FOR I = 1 TO 5 STEP 1 20 GOTO 30 30 PRINT "HELLO, WORLD" 40 NEXT 50 PRINT "LOOP COMPLETE!" RUN After you are done typing your program, run it by typing RUN (no line number is required for that). If you want to stop your program while it is running, you can hit the Backspace key. If you want to edit the program you just wrote, simply move the cursor and type over the line you want to replace. Of course the above is a sample program designed to give an idea of how programs are written; feel free to make more complex ones of course! One thing to note: you don't need to stick to having only one statement on each line! You can separate statements on the same line number by using a colon (:) symbol. Also, in most programming languages, the first value when counting is 0, but in some of the functions available to you, the first number is 1 (presumably for simplicity). ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 4. Grammar Guide -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NOTE: Any value in brackets [ ] is optional; you don't need to enter a value in order for the code to be valid. * signifies a variable (numeric or otherwise), appropriate for the command/statement being used. An expression means something like A < B. The @ symbol represents a specified memory location in format & H####. Also, I tried my best to explain every command/statement/function, but if you know something I do not or can explain something much better, by all means contact me! ======== Commands ======== CLEAR Description: Clear the data at a specific memory address. Syntax: CLEAR & H**** CONT Description: Resume running the current program. Syntax: RUN [*] LIST Description: Display your program's code on the screen (the optional value is for you to specify a line number to view). Syntax: LIST [*] LOAD Description: Load a program from the tape. Syntax: LOAD ["filename"] LOAD? Description: Save the program with the loaded filename. Syntax: LOAD? ["filename"] NEW Description: Start a new program, clearing the currently open one. Syntax: NEW RUN Description: Run the current program. Syntax: RUN [*] SAVE Description: Save the current program. Syntax: SAVE ["filename"] ================== General Statements ================== CLEAR Description: Clear data from an array or variable. Syntax: CLEAR DATA Description: Stores the values to be used by the READ statement. Syntax: DATA * [, *, * ...] DIM Description: Declare an array of specified length (varName is the name you give to the array, with the numeric value following it representing the length of the array). Syntax: DIM varName (* [, *]) [, *(* [, *]) ] END Description: Declares the end of the program. Syntax: END FOR .. TO .. STEP Description: Create a looping conditional statement where the loop continues as long as $i=* is valid. The value after TO is the final iteration, and the optional STEP determines how $i increments or decrements after each loop. Syntax: FOR $i=* TO * [STEP *] GOSUB Description: Jump to a specified subroutine. Syntax: GOSUB * GOTO Description: Jump to a specified line of code. Syntax: GOTO * IF .. THEN Description: Create a conditional statement where if some expression is true, then the value after THEN will be executed. Syntax: IF (expression) THEN * INPUT Description: Receive input from the user's keyboard while the program is running. Syntax: INPUT [*] [; [*] ... ] LINPUT Description: Receive input from the user's keyboard while the program is running, except the line terminator(s). Syntax: LINPUT [*] [; [*] ] NEXT Description: Continue the program after the FOR loop ends. Syntax: NEXT ON .. Description: Jump to a specified line of code to get a value for an expression. Syntax: ON (value) GOSUB/GOTO/RESTORE/RETURN *[, *, * ...] POKE Description: Changes the data in a specific memory location. Syntax: POKE @, * [, *, * ...] PRINT Description: Print the entered value on the screen. Syntax: PRINT [*] [; [*] ... ] READ Description: Reads the values stored in the variable(s) specified using the DATA statement. Syntax: READ * [, *, * ...] REM Description: Add a comment to the code (add at the start of a line, and that line will not be executed). Syntax: REM [comment] RESTORE Description: Allows the same values used by the DATA statement to be used by the READ statement again. Syntax: RESTORE [*] RETURN Description: Return from the subroutine (use with GOSUB). Syntax: RETURN [*] STOP Description: Stop the running of the program. Syntax: STOP SWAP Description: Replace the value of a variable. Syntax: SWAP *, * ========================= Screen Control Statements ========================= CGEN Description: Specify the character sprites to be displayed in the background. Syntax: CGEN * CGSET Description: Specify the background assigned to the sprites. Syntax: CGSET * [, *] CLS Description: Clear the screen. Syntax: CLS COLOR Description: Set the color at a specified location on the screen (first value is the column number, second value is row number, third value is color) Syntax: COLOR *, *, * LOCATE Description: Move the cursor to the specified coordinates on the screen (the first value is the column number, and second value is the row). Syntax: LOCATE *, * PALET Description: Set the color code to be used. Syntax: PALET [B or S] *, *, *, *, * ================= Movement Commands ================= CUT Description: Stops the movement of the character sprite. Syntax: CUT * [, *, *, *, *, *, *, *] DEF MOVE Description: Defines the character sprite and its movement. Syntax: DEF MOVE (*) = SPRITE (*,*,*,*,*,*) ERA Description: Stop the movement of the character sprite and remove it from the screen. Syntax: ERA * [, *, *, *, *, *, *, *] MOVE Description: Begin the movement of the specified character defined using DEF MOVE. Syntax: MOVE * [, *, *, *, *, *, *, *] MOVE (*) Description: Get the value of the character sprite at the specified location. Syntax: MOVE (*) POSITION Description: Move the character sprite to the specified coordinates (first value is character sprite, second value is column number, third value is row number) Syntax: POSITION *, *, * XPOS Description: Get the value of the horizontal coordinate of the character sprite defined with DEF MOVE. Syntax: XPOS(*) YPOS Description: Get the value of the vertical coordinate of the character sprite defined with DEF MOVE. Syntax: YPOS(*) ================== Special Statements ================== KEY Description: Define a string to a function key (F1-F8, defined as 1-8). Syntax: KEY *, "string" KEYLIST Description: Display the list of definitions mapped to the function keys. Syntax: KEYLIST PAUSE Description: Temporarily pause the execution of the program (the optional value determines the number of milliseconds the pause is). Syntax: PAUSE [*] SYSTEM Description: Enter BASIC mode (if you do a hard reset, you will go into Hot Start mode). Syntax: SYSTEM VIEW Description: Display the background graphics in the foreground. Syntax: VIEW ======================== Sound Control Statements ======================== BEEP Description: Make a beep sound. Syntax: BEEP PLAY Description: Play the selected musical value (Octave notation is valid as in "o1CDE". A Rest value in seconds (R1) is also valid; for example, "CDER1B"). Syntax: PLAY "*" ========================= Sprite Control Statements ========================= DEF SPRITE Description: Define the characters displayed in a sprite. Syntax: DEF SPRITE *, (*, *, *, *, *) = * SPRITE Description: Specify the location of a defined sprite. Syntax: * [, *, *] SPRITE OFF Description: Stops the display of sprites on the screen. Syntax: SPRITE OFF SPRITE ON Description: Allows the display of sprites on the screen. Syntax: SPRITE ON =============== Value Functions =============== ABS Description: Returns the absolute value of the specified number entered. Syntax: ABS (*) RND Description: Returns a randomly generated number given the specified argument. Syntax: RND (*) SGN Description: Returns the signum of the specified number entered. That is, it will return -1 if a negative number, 0 if 0, and 1 if a positive number. Syntax: SGN (*) =================== Character Functions =================== ASC Description: Converts the specified character into its ASCII value (for example, ASC("A") will output 65). Syntax: ASC ("*") CHR$ Description: Converts the specified numeric ASCII value into its character output; basically the opposite of the ASC function (for example, CHR$(65) outputs A). Syntax: CHR$ (*) HEX$ Description: Converts the specified 16-digit hexadecimal code into its value as a string (for example, HEX$(0000000000000010) outputs A). Syntax: HEX$ (*) LEFT$ Description: Returns a substring of a specified string, reading from the left side of the string for the specified length of characters (first value is the string name, second value is the numeric length value). For example, HELLO$ = "HELLO WORLD", so PRINT LEFT$ (HELLO$,3) prints "HEL" as a result. Syntax: LEFT$ (string, #) LEN Description: Prints the length of the specified string. Syntax: LEN (string) MID$ Description: Returns a substring of a specified string (first value is the string name, second value is the number of the starting character, third value is an optional substring length number). If no length is specified, the result will be from the starting value to the end of the string. For example, HELLO$ = "HELLO WORLD", so PRINT MID$ (HELLO$,2,6) prints "ELLO W" as a result. Syntax: MID$ (string, # [, #]) RIGHT$ Description: Returns a substring of a specified string, reading from the right side of the string for the specified length of characters (first value is the string name, second value is the numeric length value). For example, HELLO$ = "HELLO WORLD", so PRINT RIGHT$ (HELLO$,3) prints "RLD" as a result. Syntax: RIGHT$ (string, #) STR$ Description: Converts a numeric value into a string variable type (any non-numeric value will return 0). Syntax: STR$ (*) VAL Description: Displays the numeric value of the specified input (for example, VAL("A") outputs 0, while VAL("66") outputs 66). Syntax: VAL ("*") ================= Special Functions ================= CSRLIN Description: Returns the current vertical position of the cursor. Syntax: CSRLIN CSRPOS Description: Returns the current horizontal position of the cursor. Syntax: CSRPOS FRE Description: Returns the amount of free memory space remaining, in bytes. Syntax: FRE PEEK Description: Read the value stored at a specific memory location (used in conjunction with POKE). Syntax: PEEK @ SCR$ Description: Displays any background sprites at a specified location (first two values determine the sprites, the third value is the line number). Syntax: SCR$ (*, *, *) STICK Description: Returns the value of the Control Pad input. Syntax: STICK (*) STRIG Description: Returns the value of the controller button input. Syntax: STRIG (*) ======================== Character Input Function ======================== INKEY$ Description: Stores input from the keyboard to be accessed elsewhere without a prompt. Syntax: INKEY$ [(*)] ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 5. Error Messages -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Here is a listing of the possible error codes you can receive while programming. When they appear, it will appear immediately below the erroneous line (for example, "?SN ERROR"). Code Description ---- ----------- CC Can not continue executing DD Duplicate definition DZ Division by zero FT Formula is too complex IL Illegal function call MO Missing operand NF NEXT statement without a FOR (when using FOR .. NEXT) OD Out of data OM Out of memory OV Overflow (the result is out of the allowable range) RG RETURN statement without a GOSUB SN Syntax error SO Subscript is out of range ST String is too long TM Variable type does not match TP Tape read error UL Undefined line number (when calling a line with IF, GOSUB, GOTO, etc) ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 6. Control Codes -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= When doing your programming, you can enter these control codes to achieve an immediate result. Code Result ---- ------ CTRL + A Toggle insert/overwrite mode CTRL + C Line break CTRL + D Revert to default for SPRITE, CGEN, etc. CTRL + E Clear rest of line ahead of cursor CTRL + G Beep CTRL + H Delete previous character CTRL + J Line feed/carriage return CTRL + K Go to first character of first line (home) CTRL + L Clear screen CTRL + M Skip a line (only if line is clear) CTRL + R Insert a space in front of the cursor CTRL + V Switch to Kana input mode CTRL + W Switch to Roman letter input mode CTRL + Z Clear rest of screen after the cursor ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 7. Memory Map -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This section details the memory allocation in the game, in the event that you need to know this sort of thing while programming. Memory Range Use ------------ --- & H0000 - & H07FF Work RAM & H0800 - & H01FF Not used & H2000 - & H5FFF Used by system & H6000 - & H6FFF Not used & H7000 - & H703F Used by system & H7040 - & H77FF Work RAM (BASIC-free area) & H7800 - & H7FFF Not used & H8000 - & HFFFF Program ROM ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 8. Credits -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= http://page.freett.com/familybasic/: For lots of excellent information about the Family Basic games. ***************************************************************************** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= 9. Copyright Notice -= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This file is Copyright (c)2010 Devin Morgan. All rights reserved. Please view the following URL to see the list of sites that are allowed to post my work: http://www.freewebs.com/dbmfaqs/allowlist.html This list is comprised of sites I know and trust well. If your site is not on the aforementioned list, you are currently not allowed to post any of my files on your site. Please respect my work and do not steal it or post it without my permission. I only want my most recent work to be available and I do not feel that can be achieved if others take from me without my knowledge or permission. If you are writing a FAQ for this game as well, and would like to use some information, credit me for what you use. Please do not rip me off, as that is blatant plagiarism and such will not be tolerated. If you wish to contact me, do so at dbmfaqs(at)gmail(dot)com. Please only contact me if there are corrections to be made to information that's currently included. Thanks! http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/3579.html =- End of File -=