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authorJuan J. Martinez <jjm@usebox.net>2020-12-30 19:07:31 +0000
committerJuan J. Martinez <jjm@usebox.net>2020-12-30 19:23:41 +0000
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+## Overview
+
+**mplayer** provides easy access to Arkos 2 Minimal Player (AKM) ROM version
+from SDCC.
+
+The library adds support for priority based sound effects, so it is possible
+to have two uninterrupted channels for music and leave the third one for
+effects.
+
+When the priority effects are used, an effect is played if no effect is
+already being played or if the effect being played has less priority. The
+effect number is used as priority, being effect number 1 the one with lowest
+priority.
+
+The player comes with a generic configuration supporting all the features. If
+the songs/effects don't use everything that AKM can offer, it is possible to
+configure the player to remove features saving space and CPU.
+
+Arkos 2 Player is licensed MIT, please check `src/mplayer/akm/` directory for
+further info about configuring the player.
+
+Visit [Arkos Tracker website](http://www.julien-nevo.com/arkostracker/) to
+download the tracker.
+
+## Exporting songs and effects
+
+The player is quite complex and has a lot of options that can be disabled if
+not used, reducing space and CPU use.
+
+**mplayer** is only a fixed interface, and the player is compiled customised to
+the song and effects used by the game.
+
+Currently AKM can only be compiled with **rasm** (included in `./tools`), and then
+processed with `Disark` to generate ASM compatible with `SDCC`. Once that code is
+compiled, it will be relocated by the linker.
+
+Notes on **Disark**:
+
+ - It is not open source yet, so it needs to be put in the PATH. It is
+ distributed as part of Arkos 2 Traker tools.
+ - Because it uses uppercase labels, the variable exported and accessible from
+ C will be all uppercase. For exampler: for `song` we will use `SONG`.
+
+This is automated, and the only counter-intuitive step is making an ASM file
+for **rasm** such as:
+
+```
+;
+; to build the custom AKM player with song + effects
+;
+
+include "song_playerconfig.asm"
+include "effects_playerconfig.asm"
+
+include "../../src/mplayer/akm/akm_ubox.asm"
+
+songDisarkGenerateExternalLabel:
+include "song.asm"
+
+effectsDisarkGenerateExternalLabel:
+include "effects.asm"
+```
+
+See the example game and the commands run automatically for further details.
+
+### Exporting the song
+
+In Arkos 2 Tracker, export the song as "AKM", using "Export as source file" and
+"Generate configuration file for players".
+
+Save the file as `song.asm`.
+
+It should create `song_playerconfig.asm` in the same directory.
+
+### Exporting the effects
+
+In Arkos 2 Tracker, export the effects as "AKX", using "Export as source file" and
+"Generate configuration file for players".
+
+Save the file as `effects.asm`.
+
+It should create `effects_playerconfig.asm` in the same directory.
+