Family Basic Tapes and Misc

[ozidual]

I'm working on uploading the data and audio for as many Family Basic tapes as I can find.  I've uploaded:

Shonen Media (少年メディア) Vol 1: Book, Box, Tape
Shonen Media (少年メディア) Vol 2: Book, Box, Tape
Shonen Media (少年メディア) Vol 3: Book, Box, Tape
Famicom Data Recorder: Box, Tape
Game Pochette Vol 1 (ゲームポシェット1): Book, Box, Tape
Let's Play With Family Basic: Book, Tape Scan, Tape
Me and My Family Basic Classroom (ぼくとわたしのファミリーベーシック教室): Book, Programs
Game Game 20: Interesting 20 Box and Tape, Book,  Programs
Shogakukan Encyclopedia 191: You Can Make It Too!! Family Computer Games: Book, Programs Typed Up and Recorded
Introduction to Nintendo's Family Basic: Book, Programs
Family Computer and Family Basic Perfect Guide: Book Programs typed up
Family Computer Game Strategy Secret Techniques Book Programs and levels (Family Basic, Lode Runner, Excitebike)
Family Computer Encyclopedia Parts 2-8: Programs
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 2: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 3: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 4: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 5: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 6: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 7: Book
Family Computer Encyclopedia Part 8: Book
Family Basic Hop: Famicom Daisakusen: Book, Programs
Family Basic Step: Famicom Daisakusen: Book, Programs
Family Basic Jump: Famicom Daisakusen: Book, Programs
Famicom Software Collection 001: Famicom Daisakusen Book, Programs
Famicom Software Collection 002: Famicom Daisakusen Book, Programs
Famicom Software Collection 003: Famicom Daisakusen Book, Programs
Learn With Pictures Famicom Basic: Book, Programs
Family Computer Original Game Collection 25: Book, Programs
Keibunsha Encyclopedia 222: Family Basic: Book, Programs
Nintendo Family Computer Family Basic Introduction to Our Famicom: Book, Programs
Let's Sing With Family Basic: Box, Book, Programs
Hard Work: Family Computer Game+Basic Guide: Book, Programs
Beep's Funny Game Daisakusen Cassette Scans, Programs

Other:

Family Basic V3 Box, Book
Family Basic V2 Box, Book, Programs
Family Computer Winning Method Book
Keibunsha 210 Book
Keibunsha 218 Book
Keibunsha 222 Book

I've tested them and you should be able to hook your computer up to your Family Basic keyboard and load the games and backgrounds directly using whichever audio program you like.

If you are interested in typing in Family Basic games, this spreadsheet is what I use to slide the code and backgrounds into VirtuaNES: https://www.mediafire.com/file/skmiriospz5vygj/Family_BASIC_v3_RAM_Code_1.3_release.xlsm/file

I'm working on Game Pouchette Vol 1 (there was only 1 volume as far as I can see) which has about 24 games on it (done), and I have one more on its way.  I'm also working on typing up the micomBASIC Family Basic games.  You can find them mixed with a few other tape systems done by other people here:

Typing Task Force on Gaming Alexandria
Typing Task Force on Archive.org

Here are the books and tapes I am actively seeking (not updated since mid-2023).  If you can help in any way, I would greatly appreciate it!

Family Basic Books and Tapes

Along with any other Family Basic books with programs.  Sorry, I'm no web designer - it's more meant to be a functional laundry list of things I'm trying to track down.  I try to update it every few weeks or so.

I am open to any suggestions/recommendations on changes or how I did things.  I loosely (badly?) translated the few bits of text I could find to make the games a little more accessible for the roms, but I included all of the original audio, code, and background data.

Special thanks to UglyJoe for the help early on, and for first posting about the Vol 1 collection.

EDIT: Also special thanks to the translators of the Family Basic manual (that was a HUGE help!) and everyone else working on Family Basic stuff here!

[UglyJoe]

Awesome!  Happy to see you saw it through.

I'll add a link to here in the Family BASIC Super Thread.

Oh, FYI, I don't think the "game" from the 3rd book is broken like you suspect.  The listing (as it appears in the archive text, anyway) should roll the dice whenever you press a key on the keyboard.  If it rolls doubles, then it'll do a little celebration song and animation.

[P]

Fantastic! Thanks for doing this, and so thoroughly done!

I also started to type in programs long ago and save in text files (so that they can be pasted in emulators) but never got very far. How did you make the ROMs?

[ozidual]

Fantastic! Thanks for doing this, and so thoroughly done!

I also started to type in programs long ago and save in text files (so that they can be pasted in emulators) but never got very far.

Glad to contribute   I like preserving stuff.

Do you still have any of those text files around?  If so, please send them along with sources for them if you still have the sources.  Even cell phone or camera shots are good for sources as long as they are legible. 

I have a way to "side load" code into Family Basic using a program I made in Excel and VirtuaNES save states.  I've only done one or two games that way, but I think it will eventually be a huge time saver.  I use the same program to extract the Family Basic code from VirtuaNES save states.  Eventually I'll release it, but it's still a little rough around the edges.

Family BASIC has a 1-byte code for every command (e.g. STRIG is 0xD6), and specific ways numbers are written.  Once you sort that out, you can read the code directly from RAM.  There are 2 tables - one with code and one used when REM or quotes are used so more text characters/graphic characters are available.  I'll see if I can attach the tables here:

You cannot see attachments on this board. - This is the "code" table
You cannot see attachments on this board. - This is the "text" table

How did you make the ROMs?

The program STTONES listed in the Family Basic Super Thread.  You need to have a Family Basic V3.0 ROM renamed to FAMIBE_V3.nes and STTONES in the same folder.  Then run FAMIBE_V3 in VirtuaNES, load the code, run the code, and BREAK out of the code.  Then create a save state in VirtuaNES on Save State 0.  It creates a FAMIBE_V3.st0 file that you can drop on STTONES.

[Sho]

Woah this is amazing!  Thank you for your work and effort in doing this!

[P]

I also started to type in programs long ago and save in text files (so that they can be pasted in emulators) but never got very far.

Do you still have any of those text files around? If so, please send them along with sources for them if you still have the sources. Even cell phone or camera shots are good for sources as long as they are legible. 

I really didn't get very far. I started typing out the sample games and a few other things in the manual (like Mary Had a Little Lamb and Rock'n Rouge MML songs). I've also typed out a few other programs I found here and there in screenshots or videos (like the Xevious BGM program). I didn't finish any of the sample games yet.

I can't find how you attach files to your post anymore, but here are they in code tags:

Spoiler

Code Select Expand

1 'SAMPLE FROM THE MANUAL: MERISAN NO HITSUJI
5 CLS
6 LOCATE 8,12:PRINT "メリーサン　ノ　ヒツジ"
10 PLAY"M1Y2V7T3:M1Y1V5T3:M1T3"
20 PLAY"O2A6G3F5G:O2R3FCEDCEC:O1F7C"
30 PLAY"A5AA7:RFCFRCO1AO2C:FC"
40 PLAY"G5GG7:RECERCO1GO2C:O2CO1G"
50 PLAY"A5O3CC7:RF5AO3C3AG:FC"
60 PLAY"O2A6G3F5G:O2RFRERDRC:FC"
70 PLAY"AAA7:RFFFRCCC:FC"
80 PLAY"G5#AA6G3:RERGRERC:O2CO1G"
90 PLAY"F9:FCFAO3F7:F5CF7"


Code Select Expand

'BIG CHR

90 CLEAR&H6CFF
100 FORI=&H6D15TO&H6D1D
110 READA$
120 POKEI,VAL("&H"+A$)
130 NEXT
140 XX=0YY=0CLS:GOTO300
190 DATA A9,05,85,63,A5,63,D0,FC,60
300 FORI=33TO200
305 FORJ=0TO7
310 A=&H1000+I*16+J
320 B=A MOD256A=A/256
330 POKE&H4A,B,A
340 CALL&H6D15
360 A=PEEK(&H73)B=128
365 LOCATEXX,YY+J:PRINT"        "
370 FORK=0TO7
380 IFA>=B A=A-B:LOCATEK+XX,J+YY:PRINTCHR$(I)
385 B=B/2
390 NEXT
400 NEXT
410 XX=XX+8
420 IFXX=24 XX=0YY=YY+8
430 IFYY=16 YY=0
440 NEXT


Code Select Expand

'LIST ALL TOKENS IN FAMILY BASIC V3
10 REM
20 FOR I=&H80 TO 255
30 POKE &H6009,I
40 PRINT HEX$(I);":":LIST 10
50 IF (I MOD 11>0) THEN 70
60 INPUT"PRESS RETURN TO CONTINUE";A
70 NEXT


Code Select Expand

'SMB SELECT WORLD
10 FOR I=&H7D3 TO &H7DC:POKE I,0:NEXT
20 POKE &H7FF,&HA5
30 INPUT "WORLD=";A
40 POKE &H7FD,A+255AND255


[close]

The final one is used before hotswapping with Super Mario Bros to select any world number to 255.


The forum seems to really hate the "GOTO" command used in the Xevious BGM program, and prevented me from posting it at first. Really weird.
Anyway I made a new post and this time it worked.


I see you used STTONES to make the ROM.

[P]

Double post because the previous one wouldn't let me post this code:

Code Select Expand

'XEVIOUS BGM

10 DIM A(7):POKE &H4015,15:FOR I=0 TO 7:READ A(I):NEXT
20 RESTORE 50:FOR I=1 TO 4:FOR J=0 TO 7:POKE &H4000,&H89,&HF,A(J),8:
25 FOR K=0 TO 192:NEXT:NEXT
30 READ A(2):A(6)=A(2):NEXT:GOTO 20
40 DATA 212,105,112,105,83,105,112,105
50 DATA 118,126,133,112


[ozidual]

That's exactly what I needed - thanks! 

Most of the code is breaking my script because I didn't plan for 0xA-0xF in &H for some reason.  Funnily enough, I'm in the middle of coding something to help with N64 translation, so I'll have to look at this when the code space in my head isn't devoted to that

Still, the first thing you coded works (see attachment).  I'm not sure if it's OK to post ROMs here even if they are made with STTONES, but you can LOAD the attached audio to Family Basic. STTONES does make a ROM that plays the music too. 

Hmm, won't let me attach that either.  I'll upload it somewhere later, but it worked well!  Again, thank you!

Woah this is amazing!  Thank you for your work and effort in doing this!

You're welcome!  If you're interested in these, keep an eye on this post.  I plan to update it as I work on stuff.  I have 3 more tapes on the way.  2 of them to fix problems in existing uploads and another tape:

Game Pouchette Vol 1 - 2 games to fix so they can be played
Hudson Collection Vol 2 - 1 Lode Runner Level (and need to confirm one of the others)
Mystery Tape - who knows

[ozidual]

I got my latest (and last for a while) shipment from Japan.  I was able to get a clean recording of the missing Lode Runner level for the Hudson Collection Volume 2, and get a clean recording of the missing game and background for Game Pouchette Volume 1.  I uploaded it all to archive.org in the original Game Pouchette Vol 1 and Hudson Collection Vol 2 uploads.  They wouldn't go into the folders, so the new stuff is sitting in the main directory.  Specifically Lode Runner Level 52 for HCV2 and for GPV1 both Game02 and BG22.

I also received the mystery tape.  It is a tape that came with "Lets Play with Family Basic!" - the book that is scanned and available on the main Family Basic Super Thread.  Unfortunately, the recording appears to be quite damaged.  I didn't try them all, but I tested a few from both sides of the tape both in VirtuaNES and with my physical Family Basic set.  I used the exact same recording settings that pulled clean audio from the other sets.  TP ERRORs every time.  BUT the label says that it is all of the backgrounds and audio from the book.  I can make pretty good guesses at what's a program and what's a background based on what the audio looks like.  So I'm hoping to re-create it at some point using the book. 

I picked up a couple of other Family Basic books in this shipment that I'm hoping to upload and type up programs for at some point. I also have a lot of scanning and other projects going on, but I'll continue to work on Family Basic stuff along with the rest.

[ozidual]

The Lets Play With Family Basic cassette tape has been fully re-created using the list that was included with it (see link in main post for the cassette).  It involved typing in and saving most of the programs and backgrounds from the book including 4 games at the end.

While typing in the game, I found a couple of references to the cassette.  One in the table of contents and one after the code in the 1st game at the end of the book.  It cost 1800¥ and you had to contact the company that made the book to order it directly from them.  They offered a Family Basic V2.0 version but not a Family Basic V1.0 version of the cassette

The cassette has all the data on side A and side B could be re-recorded.  It looks like one of the last owners decided to try to record the audio from Side A to Side B, possibly to get it to work properly.  I think there is some distortion in the background on the tape that is messing it up.  I was able to use Noise Removal in Audacity to get rid of enough distortion so I could at least load the name on one or two of the programs, but never a full program.

I'll upload the scans of the tape and included stuff at some point in the future.

[ozidual]

I scanned in the book `Shogakukan Encyclopedia 191: You Can Make It Too!! Family Computer Games` and then typed up the programs in it.  They're 2 separate uploads on archive.org - see the links in main post. 

The book is a step-by-step guide teaching Family Basic similar to the Lets Play With Family Basic book.  This one focuses more on how the sprites are created and how they can interact with backgrounds.  It introduces backgrounds by having you make an image of a Famicom and then manipulate that image.  There are comics in between each chapter, and the final comic talks about making sure not to play too long, the upcoming FBv3.0, and the excitement of some new technology called Famicom Disk system. 

There were 5 games at the end though only 3 of them could be converted into NES roms playable without a keyboard.  I'll be honest, I have no clue how the 5th game works.  It appears to be one of those love tests.

Enjoy!

[UglyJoe]

I scanned in the book `Shogakukan Encyclopedia 191: You Can Make It Too!! Family Computer Games` and then typed up the programs in it.

Awesome! Can't wait to dig into this one.

I'll be honest, I have no clue how the 5th game works.  It appears to be one of those love tests.

Looks like it asks for two ages and then runs some algorithm?  My Japanese isn't good enough to know what the results are, haha.  And it makes you type in ザ to finish entering your age (instead of pressing enter or whatever).  Pretty weird.

FYI, with that one in particular your txt file has a syntax error:

Code Select Expand

310 D$=M1D$(DA$,2,1)
The "M1D" there should be "MID".


Thanks so much for doing these scans, I really appreciate the time and effort it must take.

[ozidual]

Looks like it asks for two ages and then runs some algorithm?  My Japanese isn't good enough to know what the results are, haha.  And it makes you type in ザ to finish entering your age (instead of pressing enter or whatever).  Pretty weird.

FYI, with that one in particular your txt file has a syntax error:

Code Select Expand

310 D$=M1D$(DA$,2,1)
The "M1D" there should be "MID".


Thanks so much for doing these scans, I really appreciate the time and effort it must take.

Thanks for checking through that!  I updated archive to fix the txt file and the recording because that was pulled directly from the game.  Usually I type up the code, run the program (trying all paths in the program) and also double check line by line against the original.  I only did the line by line for this one.

That reminds me that I added a corrections.txt file to the book scans because I noticed some coding errors.  Some of those corrections may be to update the code to run on FBv3.0.  Shogakukan 191 uses TR as a variable which I changed to T, but I noticed the Perfect Book also uses TR at one point.  My guess is FBv2.1 and below may be fine with that.  There are definitely errors in there too where for example a `1` was used instead of an `I` though the mistake you found was entirely my own

There may also be mistakes in some of the Japanese text.  I try to match them, but I do not know the first thing about Japanese.

If anyone notices anything that could use corrections, let me know and I'll update the archive. 

[UglyJoe]

Thanks for checking through that!  I updated archive to fix the txt file and the recording because that was pulled directly from the game.  Usually I type up the code, run the program (trying all paths in the program) and also double check line by line against the original.  I only did the line by line for this one.

Sure.  I wrote a lexer for 2.1 syntax so I can sniff out syntax errors pretty quickly (assuming my lexer code isn't buggy!).  I ran all five games through it (Japanese and English where applicable) and they all look good now.

I thought it was funny that some of their code samples have bugs in them.  I guess they're trying to teach you how to debug code

Shogakukan 191 uses TR as a variable which I changed to T, but I noticed the Perfect Book also uses TR at one point.  My guess is FBv2.1 and below may be fine with that.

3.0 added the TRON and TROFF commands (trace on/off) so TR probably became a reserved word.

[ozidual]

Ahh that makes sense. Checking my spreadsheet - TR, ON, and OFF are all given their own bytes for programming purposes.  That probably means my spreadsheet is made for FBv3.0 only.  I guess I'd rather have it all working in FBv3.0 anyway to standardize it all.

Along the lines of code errors in books, I scanned in my copy of 'Lets Play With Family Basic!' (ファミリーベーシックで遊ぼう!) and found a slip of paper in it with code corrections.  It's all uploaded on archive along with Me and My Family Basic Classroom (ぼくとわたしのファミリーベーシック教室) and Game Game 20 (GAME GAME 20 ファミリーベーシックで遊ぼう!).  I updated my links above to include those.

They're all from a company called Micro Design I believe.  I'm still working on getting their Let's Sing With Family Basic to round out the collection.  I'd love to get their box/tape sets with Game Game 20 and Let's Sing as well, but we'll see.  It isn't FB, but I picked up their only other Famicom book which is for Golf. I'll upload that at some point.

I'm working on the audio for a different book right now, but I do plan to do the Game Games 20 and Me and My Family Basic Classroom audio as well.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that I linked my scans of the Famicom Data Recorder when I updated everything above.  Also I just added the Lets Play With Family Basic (ファミリーベーシックで遊ぼう!) tape scans too.  They're still uploading but should be done in the next couple hours.