Mark Moxon
@markmoxon.bsky.social
Writer, walker, software archaeologist. Back in the day: Editor of Acorn User, Editor of h2g2.
I love analysing old code, and my aim is to create the best code disassemblies you have ever seen.
Purveyor of Elite/Lander/Revs hacks.
www.markmoxon.com
I love analysing old code, and my aim is to create the best code disassemblies you have ever seen.
Purveyor of Elite/Lander/Revs hacks.
www.markmoxon.com
That's pretty much how I felt about my Elite gaming sessions back in the day. It's the closest I've ever felt to living aboard a starship! Kids' imaginations, eh. :-)
November 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
That's pretty much how I felt about my Elite gaming sessions back in the day. It's the closest I've ever felt to living aboard a starship! Kids' imaginations, eh. :-)
Unfortunately, no, you can't fly to neighbouring systems. The model isn't that sophisticated, not surprisingly!
It sounds like you might enjoy this deep dive, in which I answer exactly this kind of question...
elite.bbcelite.com/deep_dives/a...
It sounds like you might enjoy this deep dive, in which I answer exactly this kind of question...
elite.bbcelite.com/deep_dives/a...
A sense of scale - Elite on the 6502
A deep dive into scale in Elite on the 6502
elite.bbcelite.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Unfortunately, no, you can't fly to neighbouring systems. The model isn't that sophisticated, not surprisingly!
It sounds like you might enjoy this deep dive, in which I answer exactly this kind of question...
elite.bbcelite.com/deep_dives/a...
It sounds like you might enjoy this deep dive, in which I answer exactly this kind of question...
elite.bbcelite.com/deep_dives/a...
Perhaps I should write a deep dive about it, as my memory is a bit shaky!
Having looked at the code, the pulse delay isn't in loop iterations, it's in vsyncs, so that's a delay of 0.2 seconds for pulse lasers and a delay of 1 second for mining lasers.
Still the same concept, though. Glad to help!
Having looked at the code, the pulse delay isn't in loop iterations, it's in vsyncs, so that's a delay of 0.2 seconds for pulse lasers and a delay of 1 second for mining lasers.
Still the same concept, though. Glad to help!
November 16, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Perhaps I should write a deep dive about it, as my memory is a bit shaky!
Having looked at the code, the pulse delay isn't in loop iterations, it's in vsyncs, so that's a delay of 0.2 seconds for pulse lasers and a delay of 1 second for mining lasers.
Still the same concept, though. Glad to help!
Having looked at the code, the pulse delay isn't in loop iterations, it's in vsyncs, so that's a delay of 0.2 seconds for pulse lasers and a delay of 1 second for mining lasers.
Still the same concept, though. Glad to help!
Yeah, that would be great. I know people are working on it, but these disassemblies are huge projects, and finding the time amongst real life can be a bit of a challenge.
I've been working on my latest project for over 2 months now, and I'm only just over half way. These things take time!
I've been working on my latest project for over 2 months now, and I'm only just over half way. These things take time!
November 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Yeah, that would be great. I know people are working on it, but these disassemblies are huge projects, and finding the time amongst real life can be a bit of a challenge.
I've been working on my latest project for over 2 months now, and I'm only just over half way. These things take time!
I've been working on my latest project for over 2 months now, and I'm only just over half way. These things take time!
I don't know how the Spectrum does things, but this is how the Beeb version works. Hope this helps!
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I don't know how the Spectrum does things, but this is how the Beeb version works. Hope this helps!
Continuous lasers - i.e. beam and military lasers - don't wait at all, and they fire on every iteration around the main loop.
So yes, mining lasers are the most powerful lasers, in terms of damage per burst. But mining lasers fire in very slow pulses, so military lasers produce way more damage.
So yes, mining lasers are the most powerful lasers, in terms of damage per burst. But mining lasers fire in very slow pulses, so military lasers produce way more damage.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Continuous lasers - i.e. beam and military lasers - don't wait at all, and they fire on every iteration around the main loop.
So yes, mining lasers are the most powerful lasers, in terms of damage per burst. But mining lasers fire in very slow pulses, so military lasers produce way more damage.
So yes, mining lasers are the most powerful lasers, in terms of damage per burst. But mining lasers fire in very slow pulses, so military lasers produce way more damage.
Pulse lasers and mining lasers are both pulsing lasers, so they fire one burst and wait for a specific number of main loop iterations before firing another.
Pulse lasers wait for 10 iterations, while mining lasers wait for 50 iterations.
Pulse lasers wait for 10 iterations, while mining lasers wait for 50 iterations.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Pulse lasers and mining lasers are both pulsing lasers, so they fire one burst and wait for a specific number of main loop iterations before firing another.
Pulse lasers wait for 10 iterations, while mining lasers wait for 50 iterations.
Pulse lasers wait for 10 iterations, while mining lasers wait for 50 iterations.
But there's another aspect - pulsing vs continuous lasers.
This is stored in bit 7 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
This is stored in bit 7 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
But there's another aspect - pulsing vs continuous lasers.
This is stored in bit 7 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
This is stored in bit 7 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
In the BBC version, pulse and beam lasers both have a power of 15, military lasers have a power of 23, and mining lasers have a power of 50.
So in terms of raw power, mining lasers are easily the most powerful lasers.
So in terms of raw power, mining lasers are easily the most powerful lasers.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
In the BBC version, pulse and beam lasers both have a power of 15, military lasers have a power of 23, and mining lasers have a power of 50.
So in terms of raw power, mining lasers are easily the most powerful lasers.
So in terms of raw power, mining lasers are easily the most powerful lasers.
Well, they're right, technically speaking. But it depends on what you mean by "power".
Laser power is always in the range 0-127, and it is stored in bits 0-6 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
Laser power is always in the range 0-127, and it is stored in bits 0-6 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Well, they're right, technically speaking. But it depends on what you mean by "power".
Laser power is always in the range 0-127, and it is stored in bits 0-6 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
Laser power is always in the range 0-127, and it is stored in bits 0-6 of the laser equipment configuration byte.
Ah, I found it. Here you go - flicker-free Elite on the SX64.
Such a lovely piece of kit!
youtu.be/Miw-Jl_xIhk?...
Such a lovely piece of kit!
youtu.be/Miw-Jl_xIhk?...
The new flicker fixed version of C64 Elite running on an SX64.
YouTube video by Steven Croucher
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Ah, I found it. Here you go - flicker-free Elite on the SX64.
Such a lovely piece of kit!
youtu.be/Miw-Jl_xIhk?...
Such a lovely piece of kit!
youtu.be/Miw-Jl_xIhk?...
Thank you! 🫡
Shameless plug: I’m told my flicker-free C64 Elite looks great on an SX64, in case you haven’t tried it. And if you have, I hope you liked it! 😀
github.com/markmoxon/c6...
Shameless plug: I’m told my flicker-free C64 Elite looks great on an SX64, in case you haven’t tried it. And if you have, I hope you liked it! 😀
github.com/markmoxon/c6...
GitHub - markmoxon/c64-elite-flicker-free: A patch for Commodore 64 and Plus/4 Elite that removes the flicker
A patch for Commodore 64 and Plus/4 Elite that removes the flicker - markmoxon/c64-elite-flicker-free
github.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Thank you! 🫡
Shameless plug: I’m told my flicker-free C64 Elite looks great on an SX64, in case you haven’t tried it. And if you have, I hope you liked it! 😀
github.com/markmoxon/c6...
Shameless plug: I’m told my flicker-free C64 Elite looks great on an SX64, in case you haven’t tried it. And if you have, I hope you liked it! 😀
github.com/markmoxon/c6...
A debate we seem to have forgotten. Looking at you, "1" vs "l" vs "I"...
November 6, 2025 at 12:23 PM
A debate we seem to have forgotten. Looking at you, "1" vs "l" vs "I"...
That's a good point! And 8-bit fonts continue to be designed these days, come to think of it...
Funny, I always thought of the BBC/Archimedes approach to the system font be the obvious one, but that's probably just "you always love the one you use first" syndrome!
Funny, I always thought of the BBC/Archimedes approach to the system font be the obvious one, but that's probably just "you always love the one you use first" syndrome!
November 6, 2025 at 11:59 AM
That's a good point! And 8-bit fonts continue to be designed these days, come to think of it...
Funny, I always thought of the BBC/Archimedes approach to the system font be the obvious one, but that's probably just "you always love the one you use first" syndrome!
Funny, I always thought of the BBC/Archimedes approach to the system font be the obvious one, but that's probably just "you always love the one you use first" syndrome!
ESC is a program interrupt, BREAK is a soft reset, CTRL-BREAK is a hard reset.
And I think the Timex version of the ZX81 did indeed come with 2K of RAM in North America, you lucky people. I grew up on 1K and looked over the pond in envy. 😂
And I think the Timex version of the ZX81 did indeed come with 2K of RAM in North America, you lucky people. I grew up on 1K and looked over the pond in envy. 😂
November 6, 2025 at 11:26 AM
ESC is a program interrupt, BREAK is a soft reset, CTRL-BREAK is a hard reset.
And I think the Timex version of the ZX81 did indeed come with 2K of RAM in North America, you lucky people. I grew up on 1K and looked over the pond in envy. 😂
And I think the Timex version of the ZX81 did indeed come with 2K of RAM in North America, you lucky people. I grew up on 1K and looked over the pond in envy. 😂
Ha, just looked at the Amiga Workbench font. It's close! Not quite the same (the descenders look different to me), but they are similar. I guess there's only so much you can do with a chunky pixel grid. 😀
The RISC OS one is based on the original BBC Micro system font, I seem to recall.
The RISC OS one is based on the original BBC Micro system font, I seem to recall.
November 6, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Ha, just looked at the Amiga Workbench font. It's close! Not quite the same (the descenders look different to me), but they are similar. I guess there's only so much you can do with a chunky pixel grid. 😀
The RISC OS one is based on the original BBC Micro system font, I seem to recall.
The RISC OS one is based on the original BBC Micro system font, I seem to recall.
To be fair, with that itinerary, choosing one of them was the right choice. And hey, the Cambridge museum is a great pick!
Nice to see that A3010 running Lander in the foreground. The world's very first ARM game, and the world's only ever game for the ARM1.
Braben == genius!
lander.bbcelite.com
Nice to see that A3010 running Lander in the foreground. The world's very first ARM game, and the world's only ever game for the ARM1.
Braben == genius!
lander.bbcelite.com
Fully documented source code for Lander on the Acorn Archimedes
Fully documented source code disassembly for Lander on the Acorn Archimedes, with lots of deep dive articles explaining how every aspect of the game works.
lander.bbcelite.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:30 AM
To be fair, with that itinerary, choosing one of them was the right choice. And hey, the Cambridge museum is a great pick!
Nice to see that A3010 running Lander in the foreground. The world's very first ARM game, and the world's only ever game for the ARM1.
Braben == genius!
lander.bbcelite.com
Nice to see that A3010 running Lander in the foreground. The world's very first ARM game, and the world's only ever game for the ARM1.
Braben == genius!
lander.bbcelite.com
Honestly, the pleasure was all mine! What a dream job that was. 😀
I spent my entire teenage life hanging on every word in RISC User and Acorn User, so for me to be involved later on was just wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it too - those were the days!
Happy memories...
I spent my entire teenage life hanging on every word in RISC User and Acorn User, so for me to be involved later on was just wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it too - those were the days!
Happy memories...
November 6, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Honestly, the pleasure was all mine! What a dream job that was. 😀
I spent my entire teenage life hanging on every word in RISC User and Acorn User, so for me to be involved later on was just wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it too - those were the days!
Happy memories...
I spent my entire teenage life hanging on every word in RISC User and Acorn User, so for me to be involved later on was just wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it too - those were the days!
Happy memories...
I know it well - what a great museum.
I volunteer at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley - it has an even bigger classroom of Beebs, all of them networked. And Elite over Econet is indeed installed on the fileserver there! And on the TNMoC Econet Cloud.
Definitely worth a visit too...
I volunteer at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley - it has an even bigger classroom of Beebs, all of them networked. And Elite over Econet is indeed installed on the fileserver there! And on the TNMoC Econet Cloud.
Definitely worth a visit too...
November 6, 2025 at 10:09 AM
I know it well - what a great museum.
I volunteer at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley - it has an even bigger classroom of Beebs, all of them networked. And Elite over Econet is indeed installed on the fileserver there! And on the TNMoC Econet Cloud.
Definitely worth a visit too...
I volunteer at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley - it has an even bigger classroom of Beebs, all of them networked. And Elite over Econet is indeed installed on the fileserver there! And on the TNMoC Econet Cloud.
Definitely worth a visit too...
I probably should have plugged my B+ into my CRT for this photo - didn't realise this post would be so popular! That's the best way to play these old games, I find; CRTs have such a lovely glow to them.
As for 4K, that sounds like a good job for RGBtoHDMI. I don't have one, but I hear good things!
As for 4K, that sounds like a good job for RGBtoHDMI. I don't have one, but I hear good things!
November 6, 2025 at 10:00 AM
I probably should have plugged my B+ into my CRT for this photo - didn't realise this post would be so popular! That's the best way to play these old games, I find; CRTs have such a lovely glow to them.
As for 4K, that sounds like a good job for RGBtoHDMI. I don't have one, but I hear good things!
As for 4K, that sounds like a good job for RGBtoHDMI. I don't have one, but I hear good things!
The original Electron version didn't have the music either - and it was missing quite a few features from the original BBC Micro version, which was a shame.
That said, I added music to the Electron version earlier this year, for people with 16K of sideways RAM: elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
That said, I added music to the Electron version earlier this year, for people with 16K of sideways RAM: elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
About the Compendium version of Acorn Electron Elite - Elite on the 6502
The original disc version of BBC Micro Elite, converted to run on the BBC Master
elite.bbcelite.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:57 AM
The original Electron version didn't have the music either - and it was missing quite a few features from the original BBC Micro version, which was a shame.
That said, I added music to the Electron version earlier this year, for people with 16K of sideways RAM: elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
That said, I added music to the Electron version earlier this year, for people with 16K of sideways RAM: elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
I love ArcElite too - got to Deadly back in the day, which took forever. What a great version!
You'll be glad to know that ArcElite can join in with the Econet Elite multiplayer scoreboard - courtesy of my first RISC OS app in 25 years. Which was fun to write.
elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
You'll be glad to know that ArcElite can join in with the Econet Elite multiplayer scoreboard - courtesy of my first RISC OS app in 25 years. Which was fun to write.
elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
Elite over Econet on the Acorn Archimedes - Elite on the 6502
Details of how to play Elite over Econet on an Acorn Archimedes
elite.bbcelite.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:53 AM
I love ArcElite too - got to Deadly back in the day, which took forever. What a great version!
You'll be glad to know that ArcElite can join in with the Econet Elite multiplayer scoreboard - courtesy of my first RISC OS app in 25 years. Which was fun to write.
elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
You'll be glad to know that ArcElite can join in with the Econet Elite multiplayer scoreboard - courtesy of my first RISC OS app in 25 years. Which was fun to write.
elite.bbcelite.com/hacks/elite_...
Ha, this feels familiar. 😂
Always up for hearing about your experimental ideas, Kieran. Drop me a line!
Always up for hearing about your experimental ideas, Kieran. Drop me a line!
November 6, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Ha, this feels familiar. 😂
Always up for hearing about your experimental ideas, Kieran. Drop me a line!
Always up for hearing about your experimental ideas, Kieran. Drop me a line!
Though I have done a few talks, some of which have been filmed…
Not quite Twitch, but people seem to like them.
www.bbcelite.com/talks/
Not quite Twitch, but people seem to like them.
www.bbcelite.com/talks/
My talks and presentations - Mark Moxon's Software Archaeology
A collection of talks on my software archaeology projects
www.bbcelite.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Though I have done a few talks, some of which have been filmed…
Not quite Twitch, but people seem to like them.
www.bbcelite.com/talks/
Not quite Twitch, but people seem to like them.
www.bbcelite.com/talks/
