Andrew Braybrook
@uridiumauthor.bsky.social
Programmer of Paradroid & Uridium amongst many others. Now retro programmer on PC, having retired from industry.
Blog page at: https://uridiumauthor.blogspot.com/
Blog page at: https://uridiumauthor.blogspot.com/
I`ve had all these routines for months to make the meanie saucers nose-dive into the ground, bounce a bit, then drag across the ground until they stop. Sometimes they still don`t work. I`ve decided: no more food until I fix it. Still having coffee though.
December 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I`ve had all these routines for months to make the meanie saucers nose-dive into the ground, bounce a bit, then drag across the ground until they stop. Sometimes they still don`t work. I`ve decided: no more food until I fix it. Still having coffee though.
Now that`s a lovely photo!
3I ATLAS: Tails of an Interstellar Comet apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25120...
Comet 3I/ATLAS appears relatively normal when compared to Solar System comets, therefore providing more evidence that our Solar System is a somewhat typical star system.
Comet 3I/ATLAS appears relatively normal when compared to Solar System comets, therefore providing more evidence that our Solar System is a somewhat typical star system.
December 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Now that`s a lovely photo!
It would seem more than logical to use the #Scalextric Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle as a chase car, but for the fact that, like FAB1, it might be too wide to overtake.
Do I need to buy another one to find out?
Do I need to buy another one to find out?
December 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
It would seem more than logical to use the #Scalextric Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle as a chase car, but for the fact that, like FAB1, it might be too wide to overtake.
Do I need to buy another one to find out?
Do I need to buy another one to find out?
The new #Scalextric vehicle has arrived. A Christmas present from me to moi. 10 wheels on my wagon!
December 1, 2025 at 7:12 AM
The new #Scalextric vehicle has arrived. A Christmas present from me to moi. 10 wheels on my wagon!
I read recently that our brains are hard-wired to reset when we change environment. So thousands of years ago, when we come out of the cave, or go in the forest, we reset so as to be alert for different predators. Now, we go upstairs to another room, enter, and forget why we went there. Reset!
November 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM
I read recently that our brains are hard-wired to reset when we change environment. So thousands of years ago, when we come out of the cave, or go in the forest, we reset so as to be alert for different predators. Now, we go upstairs to another room, enter, and forget why we went there. Reset!
I don`t much enjoy it when other people create work for me to do. There`s no gain for me at all and it might be days of work. I might not be able to complete it myself. It`s always useful when you have someone at the next desk to get an opinion or a bit of help. There`s only me and the aliens here.
November 29, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I don`t much enjoy it when other people create work for me to do. There`s no gain for me at all and it might be days of work. I might not be able to complete it myself. It`s always useful when you have someone at the next desk to get an opinion or a bit of help. There`s only me and the aliens here.
The issue with going to SFML 3.0.0 is that there are over 300 errors I have to fix. I`ve taken a look and many are easy, albeit in a no-going-back kind of way. I must stop developing while doing the upgrades. The issue is if there are a few errors I can`t fix easily nor quickly, and there will be.
November 29, 2025 at 10:12 PM
The issue with going to SFML 3.0.0 is that there are over 300 errors I have to fix. I`ve taken a look and many are easy, albeit in a no-going-back kind of way. I must stop developing while doing the upgrades. The issue is if there are a few errors I can`t fix easily nor quickly, and there will be.
Installed Visual Studio 2026 on one PC. This reminded me that having 2 VSs means there`s a squabble for the filetypes of .SLN etc. so really it`s a race to upgrade as fast as possible and then toast the old version. I decided that`s a race for another day. I already fear moving to SFML 3.0.0.
November 29, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Installed Visual Studio 2026 on one PC. This reminded me that having 2 VSs means there`s a squabble for the filetypes of .SLN etc. so really it`s a race to upgrade as fast as possible and then toast the old version. I decided that`s a race for another day. I already fear moving to SFML 3.0.0.
New Christmas sweater ordered, knitted by SU-METAL. Missed out on last year`s, they ran out in a very short time. Not taking any chances this year. Let`s hope they don`t mess up like sweater 2, where they didn`t get any new stock after months of waiting. I managed to get one from the U.S. store.
November 25, 2025 at 7:46 PM
New Christmas sweater ordered, knitted by SU-METAL. Missed out on last year`s, they ran out in a very short time. Not taking any chances this year. Let`s hope they don`t mess up like sweater 2, where they didn`t get any new stock after months of waiting. I managed to get one from the U.S. store.
Fixed another bug where I caught myself out yet again by re-using variables that weren`t being used by the player guns UNTIL I tried to make an improvement. All that since I made the player vehicle 50% larger so we can actually see some detail on it. Still, it`s better now.
November 24, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Fixed another bug where I caught myself out yet again by re-using variables that weren`t being used by the player guns UNTIL I tried to make an improvement. All that since I made the player vehicle 50% larger so we can actually see some detail on it. Still, it`s better now.
After figuring out how to send my music streaming data digitally to my Yamaha hi-fi amp, and no I couldn`t tell the difference between the DACs, I found a way to tell the difference. DSD data either doesn`t get sent digitally or it doesn`t get read properly. Silence. So there`s that!
November 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
After figuring out how to send my music streaming data digitally to my Yamaha hi-fi amp, and no I couldn`t tell the difference between the DACs, I found a way to tell the difference. DSD data either doesn`t get sent digitally or it doesn`t get read properly. Silence. So there`s that!
Aha, and here it is!
More sigs added to the 'Amiga of Stars'. New additions are Andrew Braybrook, Steve Turner, and that Mike Dailly @mdf200.bsky.social character 😆
November 21, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Aha, and here it is!
Watched the ISS go over between the clouds earlier. Really impressively bright. We were waiting for it as part of our astronomy night. Not much else visible, and you can`t align your telescope to the ISS for all sorts of momentous reasons. Too windy and cold to stay out.
November 19, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Watched the ISS go over between the clouds earlier. Really impressively bright. We were waiting for it as part of our astronomy night. Not much else visible, and you can`t align your telescope to the ISS for all sorts of momentous reasons. Too windy and cold to stay out.
Joker Rasio C-20 has now been upgraded to digital and the lights rewired to go through the revision H digital plug.
Second hand item, I also repaired and rerouted the power input wires as one looked to have been rubbing on the front axle.
Camera hardly picks up the lights. Odd.
Second hand item, I also repaired and rerouted the power input wires as one looked to have been rubbing on the front axle.
Camera hardly picks up the lights. Odd.
November 18, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Joker Rasio C-20 has now been upgraded to digital and the lights rewired to go through the revision H digital plug.
Second hand item, I also repaired and rerouted the power input wires as one looked to have been rubbing on the front axle.
Camera hardly picks up the lights. Odd.
Second hand item, I also repaired and rerouted the power input wires as one looked to have been rubbing on the front axle.
Camera hardly picks up the lights. Odd.
Tough day wrestling with websites to renew my house and car insurances. Unknown error 427440431 was amusing. That's an awful lot of error codes! Worthy of a whole shelf. Any more than 6 error codes and you're doing it wrong.
November 17, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Tough day wrestling with websites to renew my house and car insurances. Unknown error 427440431 was amusing. That's an awful lot of error codes! Worthy of a whole shelf. Any more than 6 error codes and you're doing it wrong.
A game-tweak came out of testing. The joypad controls can be swapped to an alternate set by any player. I thought it wasn`t preserved across games, but it is. So you set it, it stays for the next game.
I now have rigged it to default if the player name is changed, so a new player, right?
I now have rigged it to default if the player name is changed, so a new player, right?
November 17, 2025 at 3:45 PM
A game-tweak came out of testing. The joypad controls can be swapped to an alternate set by any player. I thought it wasn`t preserved across games, but it is. So you set it, it stays for the next game.
I now have rigged it to default if the player name is changed, so a new player, right?
I now have rigged it to default if the player name is changed, so a new player, right?
I note that my game maps have many "untidinesses" that are not an issue when I`m testing, but suddenly if I want to show it to someone, I do want to avoid any awkward questions, such as: "When are they going to finish that road?" or "Why has that hedge got a hole in it?" New pylons though!
November 13, 2025 at 10:16 AM
I note that my game maps have many "untidinesses" that are not an issue when I`m testing, but suddenly if I want to show it to someone, I do want to avoid any awkward questions, such as: "When are they going to finish that road?" or "Why has that hedge got a hole in it?" New pylons though!
A rip-roaring Sao Paulo grand prix yesterday. Never a dull moment. I note that the track should be creatable in #Scalextric and have done a track plan for next year. Might have to go round the other way, not sure. On that subject, I would like false-starters to be able to reverse back to the grid.
November 10, 2025 at 11:21 PM
A rip-roaring Sao Paulo grand prix yesterday. Never a dull moment. I note that the track should be creatable in #Scalextric and have done a track plan for next year. Might have to go round the other way, not sure. On that subject, I would like false-starters to be able to reverse back to the grid.
Since my application went 64-bit, all the structures doubled in size. Each AMP object now has about 160 8-byte variables, so almost 1,300 bytes. I have a pointer to the structure and read all the values from that. There`s 12,000 AMP records currently so about 15.5 Megabytes in the array. Peanuts!
November 10, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Since my application went 64-bit, all the structures doubled in size. Each AMP object now has about 160 8-byte variables, so almost 1,300 bytes. I have a pointer to the structure and read all the values from that. There`s 12,000 AMP records currently so about 15.5 Megabytes in the array. Peanuts!
Seemingly there have been more extra-curricular activities over the last few weeks, including buying a telescope and accessories, outings & winter preparations. These divert me from programming. One needs momentum, otherwise I forget routine and variable names, making the job slower. Concentrate!
November 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Seemingly there have been more extra-curricular activities over the last few weeks, including buying a telescope and accessories, outings & winter preparations. These divert me from programming. One needs momentum, otherwise I forget routine and variable names, making the job slower. Concentrate!
I believe I found the bug with the feet controller. I knew it had to be initialisation as the routine works with the player, not with the meanies. It wasn`t a case of missing initialisation, but too much, i.e. some variables that might be needed but weren`t. Been puzzling over that for weeks. Tch!
November 10, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I believe I found the bug with the feet controller. I knew it had to be initialisation as the routine works with the player, not with the meanies. It wasn`t a case of missing initialisation, but too much, i.e. some variables that might be needed but weren`t. Been puzzling over that for weeks. Tch!
What you need, when moving your telescope outside is... one of these. All it needs is a 3.5l engine.
November 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
What you need, when moving your telescope outside is... one of these. All it needs is a 3.5l engine.
Today's #Scalextric tournament saw a slightly more compact nearly all 4-lane track. Just 6 drivers so straight to finals. We raced Minis, Rasio C-20s and Porsche Boxsters.
November 6, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Today's #Scalextric tournament saw a slightly more compact nearly all 4-lane track. Just 6 drivers so straight to finals. We raced Minis, Rasio C-20s and Porsche Boxsters.
My feet routine looks great when taking giant strides 10 times too long, just for testing and ease of spotting errors. However, the meanie feet don`t get initialised properly despite my best efforts. They start will a giant step 20 times too long. Same routine and initialiser for player and meanies.
November 6, 2025 at 12:54 AM
My feet routine looks great when taking giant strides 10 times too long, just for testing and ease of spotting errors. However, the meanie feet don`t get initialised properly despite my best efforts. They start will a giant step 20 times too long. Same routine and initialiser for player and meanies.