graphics tweaks

README.md

@@ -3,23 +3,30 @@
 **LabyrinTwo** - a two-player maze duel for the Commodore 64
 (ACME + VICE), in the same spirit as [rabbitc64](../rabbitc64).
 
-A fresh maze is carved every round on a 39x23 lattice where the walls
-are exactly as wide as the corridors. **Player 1** (joystick 2, or
-`w a s d`) runs the corridors toward the green diamond exit while
-dodging the roaming colored enemies. **Player 2** (joystick 1, or
-`i j k l`) rides the corners of the walls with a blinking cursor -
-fire (or `return`) spins the four wall pieces around the cursor by
-90 degrees, reshaping the maze in real time. A spin is denied while
-anyone is standing in one of the four slots.
+A fresh maze carves itself on screen at the start of every round on
+a 39x23 lattice where the walls are exactly as wide as the corridors.
+**Player 1** (joystick 2, or `w a s d`) runs the corridors toward the
+green exit portal while dodging the roaming enemies. **Player 2**
+(joystick 1, or `i j k l`) rides the corners of the walls with a
+bracket cursor - fire (or `return`) spins the four wall pieces around
+the cursor by 90 degrees, reshaping the maze in real time. A spin is
+denied while anyone is standing in one of the four slots (the border
+blips red); the spun pieces flash white.
+
+The look: brick walls and bolted pivot posts from a custom RAM
+charset, every actor (runner, cursor, bullet, enemies) a hardware
+sprite gliding smoothly between the cells, an animated exit portal,
+a raster color band behind the status row, and a fade to black
+between all screens. The menu floats over a dark maze backdrop.
 
 The options screen adds two optional twists:
 
 - **runner gun** - player 1 shoots a bullet with fire/`space`; a hit
   enemy respawns on a random cell after a pause.
 - **spin cooldown** - each spin starts a recharge; further spins are
-  denied until the draining bar on the status row runs out and the
-  readout flips back from *wait* to *ready* (the cursor also dims
-  while recharging).
+  denied until the bar on the status row drains (pixel by pixel) and
+  the readout flips back from *wait* to *ready* (the cursor also
+  turns red while recharging).
 
 Screens: TTG intro (ported from rabbitc64) -> main menu
 (play / options / rules / controls / credits) -> game -> win (back
@@ -45,15 +52,19 @@ acme -DAUTOPLAY=1 -f cbm -o labyrintwo.prg main.asm
 
 ## Files
 
-- `main.asm` - entry point, BASIC stub, per-frame state machine
+- `main.asm` - entry point, BASIC stub, per-frame state machine,
+  the border/status-band raster work
 - `defs.asm` - registers, constants, zero page, macros
 - `intro.asm` - TTG boot logo with the gold color wash
-- `menu.asm` - main menu card
+- `menu.asm` - main menu card over a dark maze backdrop
 - `options.asm` - the optional extras and their toggle screen
 - `rules.asm` - how to play
 - `controls.asm` - joystick + keyboard mappings
 - `credits.asm` - the crew
-- `play.asm` - maze generation (recursive backtracker) + the game
+- `play.asm` - maze generation (recursive backtracker, animated)
+  + the game
 - `win.asm` / `over.asm` - end screens
 - `common.asm` - shared routines: printing, big block font, input, RNG
 - `sound.asm` - single-voice SID SFX driver
+- `gfx.asm` - RAM charset with the custom tiles, the sprite engine,
+  the portal animation and the fade-to-black transition