Family BASIC

[UglyJoe]

Hmm...either you typed something in wrong or the pirates removed the command altogether.  Try just typing SAVE and hitting return.  If you get a ?SN ERROR, then they removed the command.

[Tupin]

So, newbie to Family BASIC here, I just learned how to print text. I'm practicing in an emulator for when I get a physical copy of it. Too bad V3 is so rare...

[UglyJoe]

Cool.  Do you have any programming experience?

[Tupin]

None whatsoever, I'm just trying to load and save backgrounds now. I'd never be able to actually make a program, unless by some miracle the manual was translated and uploaded. Family BASIC seems easier than normal BASIC, no wonder so many famous programmers started out making their own games on Family BASIC.

I figured once I get either a keyboard Famiclone or a Famicom/Family BASIC setup I'll invest in a tape player, which admittedly will not look as nice as a real Data Recorder, but it will function just the same. Any idea how where to get tapes with games already on them?

Too bad new cassette tapes are so hard to find, looks like I'll have to buy cheap ones, put them in the player, cover up the microphone with something, and press record for the entire length of the tape.

[133MHz]

I figured once I get either a keyboard Famiclone or a Famicom/Family BASIC setup I'll invest in a tape player, which admittedly will not look as nice as a real Data Recorder, but it will function just the same.

Famiclone Keyboards don't have the necessary connections for loading and saving programs from cassette tape.

Too bad new cassette tapes are so hard to find, looks like I'll have to buy cheap ones, put them in the player, cover up the microphone with something, and press record for the entire length of the tape.

Get a bulk tape eraser, or build your own out of a light bulb and some wire.

[Tupin]

A light bulb and some wire?

[133MHz]

Yep. A bulk tape eraser is just a big electromagnet connected to the wall socket. The alternating magnetic field caused by the alternating current flowing through the coil erases magnetic media like a blowtorch melts butter.

You can make your own by winding a coil of wire, the longer the better. You then put this coil in series with a 100W light bulb and add a plug. The series light bulb is there to avoid a short circuit. If you don't want to wind your own coil, you can salvage the degaussing coil from an old monitor or TV set. You then plug the thing in, pass your tapes through the loop of wire and they'll become erased at the other end.

[Tupin]

What about just taking a magnet and swiping it over the tape a lot?

Any idea on where to get that Hudson-made tape that had like ten very basic games on it and used sprites from Lode Runner?

[133MHz]

A permanent magnet would barely work, and it's going to be tedious to swipe the magnet over and over again. The magic is in the alternating magnetic field caused by household AC. If you're not DIY-inclined, you can always look around for a bulk tape eraser.

As for the tapes, I think that whoever gets his/her hands on one should encode it to a digital format for everybody to download historic preservation.

[Tupin]

Yeah, I've yet to see any dumps of games made on cassette or the Hudson cassette anywhere.

[LocalToast]

This auction contains a keyboard, data recorder, and the game (I think the one you mentioned).

http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-Famicom-Data-Recorder-Basic-Keyboard-Game_W0QQitemZ350186327541QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item350186327541&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Finding this item is what sparked my interest in the finer points of the Famicom, which in turn led me to find these forums

[Blue Protoman]

In that case, Welcome.

I have a pirated version of FB, and a ROM of it as well.  I have the ROM on a CD that contains an NES emulator for the Dreamcast.  The DC keyboard works with the emulator!

[LocalToast]

Cool, I'd like to try that sometime. I have 2 DC keyboards.

[Blue Protoman]

Use NESTERDC SE.  It also works with the Dreamcast Light Gun or third-party guns for Zapper games.

[timu-san]

I just got a set of FB, keyboard and cart, as well as a Data Recorder online. For some reason, they keyboard doesn't seem to want to much. Like when I hit F1, the "_" underscore only comes up. I'm sure it's broke, but just wanted to see if I'm not going insane.