1984 · Commodore 64 · Preservation workspace
Understand the machine.
Edit only what is proven.
This workbench connects every safe visual edit to an exact address in the canonical Gnome program. Unknown bytes stay untouched.
Editing boundary
Safe- 96 × 64-byte VIC-II sprite slots
- 128 custom 8×8 character glyphs
- 10 internal fixed-width entity names
- Credits and start prompt with strict lengths
- 13 proven world glyph operands across four decoded layouts
- No-op builds remain byte-identical
Research
Primary world constructor decoded
The World lab separates complete runtime-observed frames from the partial constructor model at $0E0B–$1016. Collision, depth, and remaining structured blocks are still under investigation and remain read-only.
Screen construction · $0E0B–$1016
World laboratory
Compare complete runtime-captured VIC-II frames with the partial constructor model and native VICE-proven depth geometry.
VIC-II graphics · $4800–$5FFF
Sprite laboratory
Every preview is decoded directly from a 64-byte slot. The catalogue uses multicolor previews while reporting runtime-observed modes per slot. Exact title-table timing, controlled gameplay captures, and visually scored candidate families are separated by evidence level. Animated previews preserve repeated timing frames.
runtime startup pointer
Animation evidence gallery
Green groups are code- or runtime-backed. Amber candidates are visual research leads.
Unproven · visual adjacency only
Candidate animation families
These reels compare neighbouring, silhouette-similar slots. They are not promoted to canonical groups until a runtime reader or table link is found.
Canonical bank · nothing hidden
All 96 sprite slots
Every original slot remains visible here as a static frame, whether animated, provisional, or currently unclassified.
Sprite
Paint the selected hardware colour · Shift-click or right-click erases · arrow keys change slot
Custom charset · $6400–$67FF
Character foundry
Codes $80–$FF are program-resident glyphs. The lower half is copied from character ROM during startup.
Character
Hardware constraint: exactly 8 rows × 8 one-bit pixels.
Rules recovered from code and controlled runtime states
Game Logic
Primary objectives and actors, scoring paths, the two-stage state flow, and evidence-backed enemy parameters.
Primary state · $27D8–$2838
Enemy Behaviour Lab
VIC collision chain · $733C–$7C5C
Combat & Collision Evidence
SID writers · $D400–$D418
Audio Evidence Lab
Primary objectives
Scoring
State flow
Entity evidence
C64 screen-code records · $986D–$995A
Text & entity names
Fields are fixed in place. The builder pads safely and rejects overflow or unsupported characters.
Visible text
Internal entity table
Evidence browser
Reverse engineering
Memory classifications, raw bytes, and recursively discovered code paths remain linked to C64 addresses.
Deterministic binary compiler
Build & byte diff
Every output derives from the canonical image. Unknown bytes and original load address are preserved exactly.
Build invariant
Changed address ranges
Build to inspect exact changes.
VirtualC64web · local pinned runtime
Play / test current build
Builds load directly into a same-origin browser C64. Cursor keys move the joystick; Space is fire.
▶
Emulator is idle
Your project is built and validated before the C64 starts.
Preparing emulator…
Technical record
Project documentation
The repository holds the long-form evidence, formats, deployment notes, and unresolved questions.