I have been working on regenerating the (long-lost) source code for Nodes of Yesod, a game I wrote for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum in 1985. I have been picking away at this Z80 disassembly for nearly 20 years, starting with IDA and later moving to Ghidra.

While the project has been technically complete for some time (it reassembles to a binary identical to the shipped game), my goal is to release a fully documented codebase that is actually readable for future developers and historians.

To that end, this weekend, I compared the Claude Code CLI and the Gemini CLI for the specific task of identifying and defining symbols for methods, labels, and constants. In the past, I've run into context memory issues with the web interfaces, but the CLI tools seem to handle this single 30K+ line file very well.

Here is the breakdown:

Claude Code CLI: It is faster and understands the Z80 context with very few mistakes. However, it is significantly more expensive for this volume of work, running into Pro plan rate limits relatively quickly.

Gemini CLI: This allows me to work much longer before hitting rate limits on the Pro plan. It requires more iteration to get the output right, but it is a great workhorse.

The screenshots below show an example of the results, including some ASCII art Claude generated directly from the raw sprite bitmap data, and a section of code constants where both the name and comments were determined or augmented by Claude.

#SinclairSpectrum #OdinComputerGraphics #OldDogNewTricks #RetroDev #RetroGames #ReverseEngineering #SoftwarePreservation #ClaudeCodeCLI #GeminiCLI

User "Shadwell" made this amazing comment on my blog regarding the Odin game Robin of the Wood:

https://blog.stevewetherill.com/2022/02/odin-computer-graphics-part-one-1985.html?showComment=1736538116191#c8388117459926975740

The comment includes a link to this amazing video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfMvgOix2Yg

Since comments on blogger are limited to just text, I'm posting my response here so I can include links and an image.

The image in this post is my rough attempt to show the location of the (long since demolished) Odin office at Canning Place in Liverpool. Additionally, I've included the rough locations where the two photos in the Crash Magazine article referenced in the video were taken.

The photo with the Liver Building in the background would have been roughly here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/cQkc5gLNo9vaZB7y9

And the other photo would have been roughly here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AnkRvSUrxaQAj9SV7

I did watch the video in its entirety (using the handy YouTube auto-caption-translate feature from the original Polish), I was floored to see something like this some 40 years after the game Robin of the Wood was released!

Reading Shadwell's comment really made my day; it is humbling to think about how things we do can have an impact on the lives of others! ❤️❤️❤️

#RetroGames #RobinOfTheWood #OdinComputerGraphics #ZXSpectrum #1980s

Timelapsed construction of Astro Charlie from the 8-bit Spectrum/C64/Amstrad CPC game Nodes of Yesod, rendered in 2x2 stud Lego tiles.

I am using four 12"x12" baseplates for an overall size of 24"x24".

(edited to fix a rendering glitch in the video)

#Lego #LegoMosaic #LegoPixels #NodesOfYesod #AstroCharlie #OdinComputerGraphics #ZXSpectrum #C64 #PixelArt #RetroGames #GameDev

Timelapse coming soon! :)

#Lego #LegoMosaic #RetroGames #PixelArt #NodesOfYesod #AstroCharlie #OdinComputerGraphics

This time it's the turn of Odin Computer Graphics to get the Kim Justice YouTube treatment! Speaking as someone who was there at the time, I can say that Kim's in-depth coverage is fair, balanced, and pretty accurate.

Check out The Story and Games of Odin Computer Graphics:

https://youtu.be/ubrJYO5abAg

#RetroGames #GameDev #KimJustice #OdinComputerGraphics #ZXSpectrum #Commodore64 #8BitGames #Liverpool #YouTube #NodesOfYesod #RobinOfTheWood #Heartland #Sidewize

Here are a couple of snaps of the 8-bit pixel Lego art pieces. These are on a 12" x 12" Lego-style baseplate using 1x1 node bricks, note my hand for scale too (and deliberate mistake).

I have already ordered some genuine lego 2x2 node tiles (smooth surface) plus 4 base plates to make a 24” x 24” piece. That will give a perfectly uniform tile alignment, in addition to a lower surface profile; that said, there is something to be said for the 3D profile of the current set, especially in certain lights.

#astrocharlie #nodesofyesod #odincomputergraphics #zxspectrum #commodore64 #8bit #pixelart #retrogames #lego #legostyle #legopixels #legos #legobricks #80s

Following on from yesterday's post, here's another frame of Astro Charlie from Nodes of Yesod, this time in mid-somersault!

Again, credit to my daughters for the construction, Dad 'directed'. :)

It's on a 12" x 12" Lego baseplate using 1x1 node bricks. Will post some stills of the final items.

#astrocharlie #nodesofyesod #odincomputergraphics #zxspectrum #commodore64 #8bit #pixelart #retrogames #lego #legostyle #legopixels #legos #legobricks #80s

Astro Charlie from Nodes of Yesod in Lego-style pixels. My daughters did this build, with Dad on logistics, materials, video & editing, etc. Yes, I turned my dining room table into a lego pixel factory on Christmas day. :)

I think these are ace, and great for the office/person-cave wall. Will post more pics of the finished result. These are on 12" x 12" base plates.

What do you guys think?

#astrocharlie #nodesofyesod #odincomputergraphics #zxspectrum #commodore64 #8bit #pixelart #retrogames #lego #legostyle #legopixels #legos #legobricks #80s

Continuing my blog series, here is Odin Computer Graphics part 2 where I cover Heartland, Sidewize, and That British Telecom Deal.

https://blog.stevewetherill.com/2022/02/odin-computer-graphics-part-two-1986.html

#retrogames #gamedev #odincomputergraphics #heartland #sidewize #zxspectrum