Hi there,

This devlog gives you a very useful step by step tips on how to install your new title screen created with SEUCK Title Screen Maker using VICE. This tip is very useful for all of you who do NOT own a useful freezer cartridge such as Action Replay or Retro Replay, etc. Also you will need a cross platform cruncher like Bitbreaker's excellent Dali for speed and compression rate. (Exomizer V3.1.1 is also very good, and gives your more options for programmable decrunch effects).

PART 1 - Adding your front end to SEUCK games using VICE without extra in game enhancements

1. Load and run your unenhanced version of your SEUCK game as usual from D64, D81, D82, TAP, or PRG image. 

2. Press fire to start your game

3. When the game starts, press ALT+M  if using VICE V3.2 or below, otherwise press Alt+H if using Vice V3.4 or above to enter the VICE monitor. (Alternatively use the menu to jump to the monitor).

4. Type in the command "bank ram". This is mandatory so that you can save all ram memory which your game will use.

5. Load in your SEUCK Title Screen Maker Title Screen file using the command l "ceti22titles*" 8

6. Change to your chosen PC directory (I.E. the cross platform cruncher folder) using the VICE monitor using the cd command. For example: cd c:\c64\tools\dali

If you don't, the filename in step 7 will be saved in the last folder opened where the D64 lies.

7. Save the target filename to the directory you changed to using the command s "ceti22stm.prg" 0 0900 ffff

9. Go to your cruncher using the command prompt. Crunch the program using $6580 in as the jump/sfx address for your program using your chosen cruncher. For example:
dali.exe --sfx $6580 -o ceti22enh.prg ceti22stm.prg
if using exomizer, use: exomizer sfx $6580 input.prg -o output.prg

10. Run the compressed program in VICE and enjoy your enhanced release.

And this, my friends is how you get a full working front end from SEUCK Title Screen Maker bolted to your SEUCK game the easiest way without using a freezer cartridge. 

PART 2 - Adding your front end to SEUCK games using VICE with extra in game enhancements

Assuming you have saved your in game enhancement code snippets to your work disk, like I did with CETI 22. It is possible to include those enhancements using the VICE machine code monitor. The only downside is that in order to install them, you will need to create your own jump subroutine commands (jsr) then jump directly to the new title screen. For example:

installer (one enhancement):
jsr install_enhancement1
jmp $6580

installer (two enhancements):
jsr install_enhancement1
jsr install_enhancement2
jmp $6580

installer (three enhancements):
jsr install_enhancement1
jsr install_enhancement2
jsr install_enhancement3
jmp $6580

For my example, I'm using CETI 22's enhancements. CETI 22 only uses two of the three available in game enhancements. These consist of 
1. A new score panel
2. Full enemy explosion (smartbomb)

The new score panel code is placed at $9500. So install_enhancement1 = $9500
The full enemy explosion code (smart bomb effect) is at $9500. So install_enhancement2 = $9800
However, there are some scoring sprites to be installed at $f080 (This is a must only when installing new full sprite score panels)

Please note that the addresses in which the enhancements are installed to was originally spare memory for my game. If you install your enhancements, you might want to use different addresses where spare memory lies.

So, here's how to install these.

1. Load and run the unenhanced version of the game
2. Press fire to start the game (Only if you are not intending to add a new score panel to your game otherwise skip 2)
3. Go the VICE's machine code monitor (ALT+H or ALT+M depending on VICE version)
4. Type in "bank ram" in the monitor
5. Load in the title screen you made with the SEUCK Title Screen Maker using 
l "ceti22.titlesc*" 8 
6. Load in the new sprites to where the old SEUCK score sprites lie (Address $F080)
l "ceti22.scoresprs" 8 f080
7. Load in the new score panel code
l "scorepanel/9500" 8 9500
8. Load in the boss explosion code
l "smartbomb/9800" 8 9800
9. Create the subroutine to install and then jump to the new title screen. I'm using $0810 since this is free. First type a 0810

Now enter the following installation code:
.0810  jsr $9500
.0813  jsr $9800
.0816  jmp $6580
... then press enter twice afterwards

10. Move to the directory of your cross-dev cruncher i.e. dali or exomizer (see 6 in part 1)

11. Enter s "ceti220810.prg" 0 0810 fffa

12. Go to the command prompt to your cross-dev cruncher and then crunch your program using your chosen cruncher
dali.exe --sfx $0810 -o ceti22full.prg ceti220810.prg

13. Run the crunched program in VICE and you should have your result as hoped.

I hope you all find these tips useful. If you have made any games using this title screen maker with/without additional in game enhancements, please feel free to share links to your creations via the comments page.