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Technical Articles

Deep dives into Commodore 64 programming

C64 NMI Setup: Non-Maskable Interrupt Guide

July 2025

C64 NMI guide: Configure Non-Maskable Interrupts for 6502 assembly. CIA timer setup, vector management, dual-interrupt architectures for advanced games.

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Seawolves C64 Engine: 9 Advanced Techniques

July 2025

Seawolves C64 engine secrets: water surface manipulation, torpedo rendering, multi-voice SID effects. Advanced 6502 assembly techniques explained.

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VIC-II Hardware Sprites: A Complete Guide

August 2024

Everything about C64 hardware sprites: registers, positioning, multicolour mode, expansion, priority, and collision detection for game development.

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C64 Raster Interrupts: Timing & Techniques

June 2024

Master raster interrupts on the Commodore 64. Learn how to sync code with the VIC-II beam for stable timing, split-screen effects, and smooth animations.

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C64 Game Development Tools & Languages

June 2024

C64 game development guide: Compare 6502 assembly, cross-compilers, SEUCK alternatives, and hybrid workflows. Choose the right tools for your project.

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6502 Addressing Modes Explained

April 2024

Complete guide to 6502 addressing modes for C64 programming. From zero-page tricks to indexed indirect, with practical assembly examples.

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C64 Memory Map: A Programmer’s Reference

February 2024

Complete C64 memory map for assembly programmers. RAM/ROM banking, VIC-II banks, zero page usage, I/O registers, and memory layout strategies.

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C64 Non-Standard Hues: PAL & NTSC Palette

June 2023

C64 extended palette: Generate non-standard colours through PAL bleeding and NTSC artifacts. Expand beyond 16 colours on Commodore 64.

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C64 VSP Scrolling: Risks & Alternatives

March 2023

C64 VSP scrolling analysis: DMA delay technique benefits vs hardware compatibility risks. Failure rates and safer alternatives for developers.

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Wild Wood C64 Parallax Engine Deconstructed

December 2022

Wild Wood C64 engine breakdown: 8-layer parallax scrolling, interrupt timing, character set management, and colour RAM techniques.

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Deep Winter C64: Sprite Multiplexing Demo

September 2022

Deep Winter C64 tech demo: NMI-powered sprite multiplexing with procedural snowfall. Dual-interrupt architecture for flicker-free rendering.

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Geo-Referenced Sprites for C64 Scrollers

June 2022

C64 sprite positioning: Four approaches to world-anchored sprites with lateral motion in bidirectional scrollers. Source code included.

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C64 Bank-Switched Double Buffer Scrolling

March 2022

C64 double-buffer scrolling: VIC bank switching and memory architecture for smooth multi-layer parallax without visual artifacts.

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C64 Vertical Parallax in Horizontal Scrollers

December 2021

World-first C64 vertical parallax in horizontal scrollers. Hardware registers, charset cycling, bank switching, and FLD techniques.

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Temporal Sprite Sharing Through Frame Alternation

September 2021

C64 toggle-plexing: Display two objects with one sprite through frame alternation. Viability requirements and implementation strategies.

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Luma-Driven Graphics on C64: Colour Guide

June 2021

C64 luma-driven graphics: Expand beyond 16 colours using luminosity-based design. VIC-II blending techniques for consistent visuals.

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Colony: C64 Real-Time Strategy Concept

March 2021

Colony game concept: Real-time strategy mechanics adapted for C64 hardware constraints. Resource management, unit AI, and map systems.

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Parallaxian Kickstarter: C64 Crowdfunding

June 2020

Evaluation of crowdfunding viability for Parallaxian C64 game development. Platform analysis, campaign structure, and decision factors.

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