Update: XAMOS 0.25 is now released, featuring per-pixel collision detection using AMOS syntax.
This update is available from OS4Depot and from the XAMOS SourceForge page.

Screenshot of XAMOS 0.25 on AmigaOS 4.1

This update is also available on various other platforms including Windows, Linux, AROS/x86 and MorphOS.

In addition to building and releasing the OS4 binary, MickJT kindly did a video of the latest XAMOS running on OS4:

@MickJT,

As you no doubt noticed, I have included Makefiles for various platforms to build out of the box. Please post or send a working Makefile for OS4, including all correct linker options (linking options seem the biggest difference needed for different platforms), so I can include it in my next release.

My email is mequa2 (at) yahoo.com

I have already uploaded your OS4 binary archive (including examples and resources drawers) to the XAMOS SourceForge page.

After some cross-platform porting, I have taken a short break at the moment from further development of XAMOS, so 0.242 is still the current release. Next release will either be a minor 0.243 update or a major 0.25 update.

Some tentative plans for later releases - not all will be in 0.25. Before extending language functionality (maybe later this summer) I plan to focus on improving use of SDL first to provide features like the following:

- Full collision detection (needed for games, simple collision already possible)
- Multiple screen support
- Screen Clone
- Bob/Sprite Hot Spots (handles) including with Abk support
- Bob/Sprite/Screen priority switching
- Rainbows (behind screens, simple implementation already done). For background only at first.
- Graphical text

I may also add such features to the Java version jAMOS. It's unclear at this stage whether I plan to continue development of both in parallel, or focus on XAMOS.

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Too early to consider adding at this stage. I was offered an AMOS loader in Java to add to the Java version (jAMOS) - if that eventually goes ahead, it could be ported to XAMOS. The problem will come with supporting all the various AMOS extensions there. Perhaps if I get other developers on board, that part could be worked on.

XAMOS can, however, load .Asc files exported from AMOS. Amiga endlines are supported. The XAMOS syntax is not yet 100% AMOS compatible, though (currently some of it is in a simplified state), and syntax error checking is currently in its infancy, so at this stage it's not that useful.

Original AMOS .abk sprite banks are already loadable in XAMOS. I also have a sprite bank viewer (AbkViewer) for AROS and MorphOS in early alpha release, perhaps that could also be ported to OS4. There is also a Java version of AbkViewer, which is somewhat more mature than the C version at this stage.

To answer some questions about XAMOS which have been posed here:

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XAMOS incorporates high-level emulation of Amiga-style screens, bobs and sprites, without the limitations of original Amiga hardware, accessible through an AMOS-like syntax. This is currently in early stages of development, however already supports playfield scrolling and screen positioning (currently for a single screen only, multiple screen support is planned). Already, bobs will correctly follow the screen, sprites will be overlayed.

Low-level functions like Peek and Poke are not currently implemented. Rainbow support is planned (initially only for background rainbows) and is partly implemented to demonstrate rainbow generations. Dual-playfield support for parallax scrolling is also planned. Support for AMOS games will increase in later versions, this is currently in its infancy.

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Alvyn already supports multiple windows using SDL, this functionality could be added to XAMOS.

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OpenGL support is planned for hardware-accelerated 2D graphics. 3D support is another issue though, it may have to wait for something like XAMOS 3D...

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XAMOS supports true colour, as well as loading original AMOS BASIC sprite banks directly, which are seamlessly converted to true colour.

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XAMOS has the beginnings of simple object orientation already. Its core is based on a custom interpreter I wrote called "MequaScript" which was build from the ground up to support rudimentary OO.

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XAMOS already has support for static data structures. An example is included. Support for dynamic data structures is planned for a later release.

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XAMOS is open source and provided under a BSD-style license. Hence, adding missing extension functionality is possible for any interested developers.

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One could level the same criticism at OS4 itself, though that doesn't seem to be a deal-breaker for many here. XAMOS is also free software, and is not meant to compete with commercial alternatives.

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XAMOS was developed as a hobby project with nostalgic potential, available free of charge with minimal license restrictions on its use of source code. It has many interested parties already.

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Hollywood is a commercial product, XAMOS is free, open-source and heavily inspired by AMOS. And besides, why not have both? Doesn't OS4 need as many languages like this as it can get?

My recent work on XAMOS has focused on cross-platform availability. As such, with its latest port to OS4, it seems to have largely achieved those goals already. This kind of software can benefit greatly from being available on as wide a variety of platforms as possible - and in turn, each platform can benefit from this, and the potential library of games developed on any supported platform. It looks like a win/win for all.

As for the potential for "crapware" coming out of it - no one's forcing anyone to pay for such games, or even try them for free. That could be the job of reviewers. :)

XAMOS developer here.

It appears Michael Trebilcock has already done a build of XAMOS 0.242 for AmigaOS4, available now on OS4Depot.

XAMOS has also been ported to AROS/x86 and MorphOS, among many other platforms including Win32 and Linux, and has even been confirmed working on the Raspberry Pi.

The current version of XAMOS seems to have some performance issues on PowerPC platforms compared to other architectures, apparently due to its use of SDL - it is not yet hardware accelerated at this stage. I'm not sure how it performs on OS4 at the moment.

I would appreciate some OS4 screenshots, and if Michael Trebilcock could get in touch to provide the necessary Makefile to build for OS4, along with any other needed modifications to XAMOS source. I aim to provide OS4 compatibility upstream, which would ease further updates for OS4.

A cross-platform editor for XAMOS is planned, although may need a re-write to work on OS4.

An OS3 version for Classic Amigas with RTG may also be possible, although I cannot guarantee usable performance on vintage hardware.

Note that this software is still in early alpha stage and is under active development.