This code appears in the following versions (click to see it in the source code):
Code variations between these versions are shown below.
This routine sets the screen to show the number of text rows given in X.
It is used when we are killed, as reducing the number of rows from the usual 31 to 24 has the effect of hiding the dashboard, leaving a monochrome image of ship debris and explosion clouds. Increasing the rows back up to 31 makes the dashboard reappear, as the dashboard's screen memory doesn't get touched by this process.
This variation is blank in the Cassette, Disc (flight), Disc (docked) and Master versions.
TAX \ Copy the number of rows to display into X
LDA #6 \ Set A to 6 so we can update 6845 register R6 below SEI \ Disable interrupts so we can update the 6845 STA VIA+&00 \ Set 6845 register R6 to the value in X. Register R6 STX VIA+&01 \ is the "vertical displayed" register, which sets the \ number of rows shown on the screen CLI \ Re-enable interrupts