I want to learn Assembly to make games on the Apple II. What are the old books to learn 6502 Assembly and the Apple II itself (memory, screen management) ? And is it absolutely necessary to learn BASIC before Assembly ?
Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
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Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#2Pretty much the best resource available:
Check the books section and find something that compels you.
Also, don't forget the HUGE number of resources for 6502 assembly programming that are available in the https://archive.org/ magazine and book sections:
https://archive.org/search?query=6502
Rodney Zaks' books are great - I like especially "6502 Games", which taught me a lot back in the day:
https://archive.org/download/6502g/6502Games.pdf
I'm also especially fond of the easy6502 emulator - its a very handy tool to have while studying 6502 techniques:
https://skilldrick.github.io/easy6502/
Its not absolutely necessary to learn BASIC before Assembly, but it will definitely help you understand the resources of the machine better if you can debug BASIC ROM code. My personal 6502 platform of choice, the Oric-1/Atmos machines, has a pretty great ROM disassembly available, from which a lot of great knowledge can be obtained - but it does of course first require an undersanding of BASIC.
In case you're curious, the Oric-1 ROM Disassembly:
https://library.defence-force.org/books/content/oric_advance...
(You can get an Oric emulator named Oricutron, or you can access a virtual Oric here: https://oric.games/ ..)
Good luck!
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#3This is the book I used when I was writing serial drivers for Apple II ProDOS: https://archive.org/details/6502_Assembly_Language_Programmi...
And I have a vague memory of this book: https://archive.org/details/aiimp/mode/2up
Not sure what level you're at, but I can't remember if this is the text Jef Raskin wrote, but it's a decent backgrounder: https://archive.org/details/aiirm/mode/2up
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#4I believe one of the "standard works" to learn 6502 back in the day was Programming the 6502 by Rodnay Zaks. It's out of print, but it was printed in a lot of copies so you should be able to find one second-hand.
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#5I'm seconding the recommendation to look at Rodnay Zack's books. For example, I really enjoyed Advanced 6502 Programming. It's a project-based tutorial for a custom 6502 machine. The design and schematics are in the book.
https://archive.org/details/Advanced_6502_Programming/mode/2...
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#6I remember looking at the way graphics work on the Apple II and it looked pretty crazy lol with how memory layout worked to generate pixels.
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#7The answer would depend on what programming experience you have?
Do you have any assembly language experience ? with other targets?
ie have you used an assembler ( and maybe linker ) before.
Are you familiar with hex? bytes, bits etc , You will learn this and much more ...
Id look for a book that targets Assembly programming on a Apple 2, ie not a book on general 6502 programming.
Such a book Id expect to discuss things like Apple 2 memory map , Apple 2 hardware and how they are used in assembler language.
I googled phrase Apple 2 assembly language programming for beginners?
and lots of very good looking links popped up.
You aim is a challenging task. Much to learn. Good luck. However entirely do able these days.
My background is electronics engineer, embedded programing on in assembler (some Motorola processors and others) and C for a few years before moving on to other things ....
The book Assembly Lines: The Complete Book available as a FREE PDF download from .... site https://ct6502.org/product/assembly-lines-the-complete-book/
INCLUDES All 33 of Roger Wagner’s Assembly Lines articles from Softalk magazine, plus appendices, in one complete volume.
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#8The answer would depend on what programming experience you have? Do you have any assembly language experience ? with other targets? ie have you used an assembler ( and maybe linker ) before. Are you familiar with hex? bytes, bits etc , You will learn this and much more ... Id look for a book that targets Assembly programming on a Apple 2, ie not a book on general 6502 programming. Such a book Id expect to discuss thi…
I have litteraly no programming experience, that's partly why I want to learn 6502 Assembly.
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#9This is the book I used when I was writing serial drivers for Apple II ProDOS: https://archive.org/details/6502_Assembly_Language_Programmi... And I have a vague memory of this book: https://archive.org/details/aiimp/mode/2up Not sure what level you're at, but I can't remember if this is the text Jef Raskin wrote, but it's a decent backgrounder: https://archive.org/details/aiirm/mode/2up
I don't have any programming experience.
Re: Ask HN: Books to learn 6502 ASM and the Apple II
#10For Apple-II specific info, consider
The Assembly Lines book -- https://archive.org/details/AssemblyLinesCompleteWagner
Understanding the Apple IIe -- https://archive.org/details/understandingapp0000sath
Understanding the Apple II -- https://archive.org/details/understanding_the_apple_ii