Their story: Effect, a brief history in time
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- Tronic
This is not a formal chronicle, nor an attempt at perfect historical accuracy, but rather a heartfelt recollection, stitched...
This is a brain dump of what I have learned working with the GCC m68k backend, and maybe an attempt to convince someone else to try. This is the first of an unknown number of posts. No promises for how many there will be; I will continue as long as I have something to say and I find it fun.
I got my start with STOS Basic on an Atari 520STfm around 1990. Me and my classmate Tam formed T.O.Y.S. (Terror on Your ST) and I dubbed myself PeyloW. But in the scene, elite sceners wrote assembly; only lamers used STOS or GFA, every scroll text was clear about this. So we bought DevPac 2 and taught ourselves 68000 assembly, starting with snippets embedded in STOS and eventually graduating to full demo screens. The pattern that would follow me for decades was established early: high-level languages for tooling, assembly for anything that had to be fast. STOS gave way to PurePascal in the late '90s, but assembly remained the language that mattered — right through to the Falcon030 demo "Wait", released at EIL 2001.
My active participation in the scene waned, but I never lost sight of it. For years I stayed as an observer, following releases and discussions from the sidelines. Then around 2021 I had an itch, maybe a mid-life crisis: get back to the simpler machines (the kind a single person can keep entirely in their head) and realize a teenage dream of publishing a completed game. C and C++ had become my main languages through University and work, and modern cross-development tools meant I could use them for Atari too. Not just for tooling, but as the scaffolding of the entire project, dipping into assembly only for the bottlenecks. And as my friend AiO likes to joke: C is just a really powerful macro assembler.
GCC Is (No Longer) Written for Us
The m68k was one of GCC's first backends, present alongside VAX in the 1987 GCC-1.0 release. For a long time it was a first-class citizen. But the world moved on, and the backend fell into disrepair, barely in maintenance mode, with no one actively working on it.
To be fair, the great strides made in modern compiler optimization are what keep the m68k backend limping along. For most codebases the result is on par with yesteryear, even if it completely fails at many of the specifics. Even a 68060 fitted into a Falcon with a CT63 is ancient by modern CPU standards. The optimizations that GCC's middle-end applies (instruction scheduling, loop transformations, register heuristics and reordering) are tuned for modern highly parallel superscalar CPUs, and when they miss on m68k, they miss badly.
Take the inner loop of a simple memory copy (mikro will recognize this one), in C:
*dst++ = *src++;
*dst++ = *src++;
*dst++ = *src++;
*dst++ = *src++;
Any experienced m68k programmer would expect (a0)+ and (a1)+, post-increment addressing, the most natural idiom on our architecture. The compiler should be able to generate this just as-is — it is how the code reads. Here is what stock GCC-15.2 produces at -O2:
.L3:
move.l (%a0),(%a1) | plain indexed, no post-increment
move.l 4(%a0),4(%a1)
move.l 8(%a0),8(%a1)
lea (16,%a0),%a0 | pointer update separated from accesses
lea (16,%a1),%a1
move.l -4(%a0),-4(%a1) | negative offset — the lea moved too early
The perfectly fine inner loop gets butchered in the name of scheduling for superscalar execution. Instructions get reordered, pointer increments get separated from their memory accesses, and the fourth copy ends up using a negative offset because the lea was hoisted above it. The result is slower and larger than what GCC-2.95 would have produced, and not even close to what an elite scener would have written. For command-line tools and utilities this is tolerable. For realtime demos and games, it is not.
And Yet — GCC Can Work for Us
But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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- Written by: PeyloW
Read more: GCC for asm Experts (and C/C++ Intermediates) - Part 1
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The live stream of this weekend's FOReVER party in Suchá nad Parnou, Slovakia can be found here. As it might be of relevance to understand what you see, this year's topic is "8bit winter games".
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- Written by: 505
Apparently, the Polish developer kTz from Retro Blitter Team known from his latest game Rogul is working on a STE enhanced version of Cannon Fodder, to finally catch up with the Am***.
The friends of the Polish Atariarea portal prepared this nice preview video
Atarimania also lists a WIP version already.
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- Written by: Lotek Style & 505
gwEm writes:
In order to encourage people to enter the Buxton Bytes sample demo showcase I am releasing the full source code to my entry way in advance of the event.
https://github.com/gwEm303/sample_demo
The demo will run on a 1MB STe from a 11 sector 82 track DSDD disk. It incorporates the Kalms ADPCM route, a sample sequencer and three alternative memory management schemes.
As an example, a version of Daft Punk's "One More Time" in mono with a hybrid 25/12kHz sample rate.
I attach an MSA file those who are not keen to assemble the source code may try.
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- Written by: gwEm
PeyloW of T.O.Y.S. have been busy lately by optimizing the GNU C Compiler (GCC) v15.2 to create faster code for 68000 processor.
The improvements include using proper dbra/dbf loops, auto inc/dec of address registers (you know, the stuff that is nice on 68k!).
PeyloW writes in an Atari-Forum post:
At a very high level there are 7 groups of changes made:
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Cost Model - More accurate cost models, allowing gcc to chose better.
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Register Allocation – Adopt LRA, and tune to prefer fewer registers.
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Loop Optimization – Adopt new doloop hooks to enable more explicit use of dbra.
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Memory Access Reordering – More of cleanup pass for other optimisations, try to ensure memory access is sequential.
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Autoincrement Optimization – Which allows more auto increment to be used instead of indexed addressing.
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16/32-bit Optimization – And merging of 2x word accesses into single long access. Also narrow mulu/muls operators to word size if operand sizes can be determined at compile time.
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Various Smaller Optimizations – Grab bag of stuff. Single bit extraction bit btst/tas, and simple peephole optimizations.
While working on GCC, PeyloW also developed a separate tool to count 68000 cycles out of assembler sourcecode to easily check if the compiler changes actually improve stuff - but can certainly can be very useful for other purposes as well.
Both projects can be found on Github, see links below.
🔗 m68k GCC Build Scripts and Documentation
🔗 A detailed writeup of PeyloWs GCC optimizations
🔗 clccnt — MC68k Clock Cycle Counter
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- Written by: evldhs
The annual European Retro Computing Gathering "VCFe" will take place from 1st to 3rd of May 2026, in Munich, Germany. One focus this year are less present machines, the "Beasts of Burden", means more unknown working horses of the retro computer range. If that doesn't attract, keep in mind that may is also beer garden season.
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- Written by: 505
A couple of years ago on Silly venture a music demo was released from a new group; Nutmeg Mine.
The demo may not be the best since sliced bread and we have wondered how the hell Silly Venture could run the demo on an ST as it requires more than 4MB of memory. Maybe they had a zeST?
Anyway, Caulky, the coder of Nutmeg Mine's "Scatman John" demo is now making an attempt to win next year's Meteoriks awards "best writeup". If the category is added as Caulky hopes.
It is an entertaining and detailed description from the start of the demo group to the end of the demo.
🔗 Read the Writeup by Caulky/Nutmeg Mine
💾 Download the demo from Demozoo
💾 Download the demo from Pouet
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- Written by: Asn / Spice Boys
Swedish Atari Klubben's traditional "Slaskhack" is taking place from 20th o 22nd of March 2026 in Falköping. Currently, about 20 visitors are expected.
As the official announcement indicates, there is room for a cozy culture clash between:
"1. Traditionalists! Unite in the separatist group V.I.N.T.A.G.E. (Vampire Is Not The Atari Genuine Experience). The slogan is "Boo for Gigabyte"! (club chairman).
2. Forward-thinkers! The club chariman probably cried a little when color TV was introduced and called SVT in anger when we got more TV channels."
Sounds like a place to be!
And reminds me of this! ;)
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- Written by: 505
The overly talented AY-musician Pator traditionally active on the ZX spectrum scene published an alpha version of a new AY/YM tracker working in the webrowser. Bitphase has a slick interface and comes with full pattern and instrument editor. This looks like a modern and flexible solution for creating AY/YM tracks.
The slick Bitphase frontend
You will find a few demo tracks in the tracker, e.g. Pator's great Kizuna track he did for the related smfx/Joker demo.
Also, there are good news in Atari matters. Timer effect support is on the plan, and of course those timer based sounds are going to be made exportable as well. While the track so far had .psg export, just today spkr/smfx put a cherry on the cake and implemented .sndh support. So by this day we have a new Atari tracker I would say!
SNDH-export - the most important feature, obviously!
All this raised our interest, so with the help of spkr/smfx we were able to conduct a quick interview with the creator himself!
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- Written by: 505
Read more: Pator just does it! Bitphase - a new Atari (not only) tracker
Excuses for lazy Atari pixel artists get more and more troublesome to make up, as "Agent_M" recently published a new PI1-oriented pixel painting tool for Windows.
NeoDegas may come handy for some quick pixels
Features as listed by the author:
- Full PI1 format support (load/save .PI1 files)
- 6 drawing tools: Point, Line, Rectangle, Circle, Fill, Selection
- 16-color palette with live editing (RGB sliders)
- Color swap function to reorganize your palette
- Copy/paste selections
- Undo system (10 levels)
- Magnifier window (16×16, 32×32, or 64×64)
- Status bar with coordinates and tool info
- Clean, efficient interface
🔗 NeoDegas website and download
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- Written by: 505
The fourth issue of this nice paper based magazine has been published in January 2026.
It also features coverage by Krusty/Benediction and spkr/SMFX on the subject of "plasma" effects, discussing the range of effects summarized under this effect label on various platforms and at different angles.
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- Written by: 505
TheNameOfTheGame, a long time user at the Atari-Forum recently released his take on Phase scrolling on the Atari STe.
The examples cover both infinite horizontal and vertical scrolling using a tile map. The assembler source is is available and the examples can be built with VASM, but likely easy to get going with Devpac as well.
Horizontal scroller demo in action
🔗 Github page with the sources and example binaries
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- Written by: evldhs
Whilst we’re waiting for further updates on the Thrust-resembling ‘Cavey Taxi’, Chicane has taken it on himself, to apply some of the techniques and knowledge gained in making the 50 FPS racing game ‘FaSTer’ on the STE, to update the ST version of Lotus 2.
The updates are STE-specific, so you can expect usage of the STE hardware to enhance the original’s gameplay. The STFM version being somewhat stripped down in comparison with the Amiga version according to Chicane. The aim being, as with Lotus 1, to bring this as close to the Amiga as possible.
There is a work in progress on Youtube, it is unclear when this is going to be released, or even if the whole game is going to be updated. A likely outcome could be a single level ‘proof of concept’ release. Chicane thinks that the third part may be a bit too much even for the STE to run decently.
YouTube link below. Yes it is a bit glitchy at this early stage.
CiH for Atariscne.org - Feb 2026
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- Written by: CiH
Vulture/Odyssey of Synergy Megademo fame (you remember their awesome guest screen "Symbiosis", do you?) published a very interesting article on his and the general Dutch demoscene roots, including some remarkable photo material and current project information.
Odyssey's guest screen stood out of the usual ST demoscreen mass as it featured some beautiful pixel art, advanced design and also some entertaining storytelling elements
Side-note for the more obsessed ones: the blog post also includes an optional "spot the havoc" riddle!
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- Written by: 505
Joska from Norway who brought us "L'Abbaye Des Morts" for the Falcon
some years ago released a new funny and addictive game called:
"DINO RUN"
There are several incarnations of this type of game, which is some
sort of "Flappy-Bird-On-The-Ground" and now we have a Falcon version.
Watch out for the Pterodactyl!
🔗 https://atari.joska.no/dinorun/
🔗 https://demozoo.org/productions/387581/
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- Written by: Lotek Style
In the second part of this interview we will focus on TAEDIUM VITAE, the latest Dune demo on Falcon that was released at the winter edition of SillyVenture 2025. This time I have also invited Jade (gfx) and Virgill (music) to join Thadoss (code) as they were essential parts in the making of that great demo.
I have to add that Virgill thought that his fellows had done a great job answering this interview and that he did not see what could be added. Too bad but his decision is respected.
STS: First of all, why “Taedium Vitae”? There seems to be different meanings to these ominous words and latin has never been my thing so that some explanations are more than welcome.
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- Written by: sts
Manu writes:
Registrations for Gemtos 2026 are open. You just need to download the registration form from the official site or request it from me via
🔗 Gemtos 2026 website with registration from
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- Written by: Manu
This year we are turning it up a notch with three categories to choose from.
All challenges are non competitive and purely for the fun of it, so do not be shy. All contributions are welcome at Buxton Bytes.
The gathering itself takes place from 8 - 11 May 2026. We will watch all entries together at the event, and everything will then be released afterwards via the usual channels.
Can we beat last year’s haul? Let’s find out.
CHALLENGE 1 - SAMPLE DISK
You know the score. Make us a sample disk.
The only rule is that all data must fit on a single disk. Please prove this by submitting your entry as a .MSA or .ST file.
ST, STe, Falcon, TT and others are all welcome.
Use 68k, STOS, GFA, Omicron or whatever you like. We really do not mind.
CHALLENGE 2 - INTRO WITH RIPPED ASSETS
Submit an intro that uses ripped material.
Ripped code, graphics and or music are all encouraged. You can also include original code and assets if you want, or not at all. Reuse is art.
As above, use any language or DCK. It is all good.
CHALLENGE 3 - “INTERESTING SCROLLTEXT”
Interpret this however you like.
No rules. All entries welcome.
BUT WAIT, THERE IS MORE...
For the first time ever, or maybe not, entries can be submitted to multiple challenges.
So why not make a sample disk with ripped assets and an interesting scrolltext, and take part in all three in one go??
QUESTIONS
Find us on Discord: https://discord.gg/3mmdyAqRnq
Email us at
Please send entries to
The deadline for all submissions is 5pm on Saturday 9 May 2026.
CREDITS FOR THE INVITROS
Text: Tronic / Effect
Code: Tommy Tommy Tomtoms
Gfx: Some teenagers from the 80s
Ziks: Mad Max (probably)
Thanks: Tat / Avena for Minymiser
All invites are STe only. Sorry everyone else.
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- Written by: Tronic
Some decades ago I decided to follow the white rabbit... down the rabbit hole. Once you start collecting you stumble over more and more "easter eggs". Hidden secrets that the majority of sceners are not aware of.
Follow me down into the deeper dungeons of scene collectables that you might have never heard of before.
Note: This is not about reviewing releases and it's not about imposing my opinion on you. I simply want to show you some gems that are out there.
Let's begin with the obvious...
Jochen Hippel Give It A Try [Thalion THCD 1]
https://www.discogs.com/de/release/1808727-Jochen-Hippel-Give-It-A-Try
Thalion as a record label? Yes indeed... even if there was only one release. I guess you already know Jochen Hippel's 'Give It A Try' album from 1990. This is a hard-to-get-item. Sold on Discogs for 10 to 25 Euros... but you have to find somebody who is selling this.
I managed to buy a copy back then through ASM's (Aktueller Software Markt) mail order catalogue, which was my favourite German game magazine back in the day. All MP3s are freely available on Demozoo but it will be much harder to obtain an original release of the CD in physical form. Self-made copies are floating around in the scene.
They came up as prizes in a competition years ago... Jochen even signed them. One of these copies is in my collection as well.
Let's take a closer look into the tracks:
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- Written by: Lotek Style
Ilmenit, known for his impressive size coding intros and the game "Adam is me" just released a first version of his cross-platform music tracker for composing sample-based music targeting Atari XL/XE 8-bit computers.
Features as stated on Github:
- 3-channel polyphonic playback using VQ-compressed samples
- 3 octaves (C-1 to B-3) with pitch control via 8.8 fixed-point multipliers
- Pattern-based sequencing with variable-length event encoding
- Real-time audio preview that closely matches Atari hardware output
- Export to Atari executable (.XEX) via MADS assembler
- Self-contained project format (.pvq) with embedded samples
- Multi-format audio import — WAV, MP3, OGG, FLAC, M4A, and more
- Timing analysis to verify IRQ cycle budget before export
- Optional per-note volume control (at lower sample rates)
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- Written by: 505
