romdevtools 0.27.0 → 0.29.0

package/examples/snes/templates/racing.c

@@ -1,198 +1,828 @@
-/* ── racing.c — SNES PVSnesLib top-down racing scaffold ────────────
+/* ── racing.c — SNES Mode 7 racer (complete example game) ────────────────────
  *
- * Endless 3-lane top-down racer for SNES. LEFT/RIGHT switches lanes
- * (edge-detected), obstacles slide down at speed that grows with
- * score. Collision triggers a 60-frame game-over freeze + auto-reset.
+ * A COMPLETE, working game — title screen with a live rotating-attract road,
+ * 1P time trial and 2P relay duel, lap timing, persistent best time (battery
+ * SRAM), music + SFX, and the SNES's signature hardware feature done for
+ * real: a ROTATING PERSPECTIVE Mode 7 ground plane. Steering yaws the
+ * camera and the whole world swings around the car, F-Zero style.
  *
- * tcc-65816 is C89 — declarations at block top.
+ * THIS FILE IS MEANT TO BE FORKED AND MODIFIED into your own game — even a
+ * very different one. The markers tell you what's what:
+ *   HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing) — dodges a documented SNES footgun; reshape
+ *     your gameplay around it (see TROUBLESHOOTING before changing).
+ *   GAME LOGIC (clay) — track shape, physics, scoring, tuning, art: reshape
+ *     freely.
+ *
+ * What depends on what:
+ *   data.asm — font + car sprite tiles, the Mode 7 HDMA tables (WRAM bank
+ *     $7E — see why over there), the m7_build hardware-multiply table
+ *     builder, and sram_read16/write16. Load-bearing.
+ *   hdr.asm — THIS PROJECT OVERRIDES the stock header to declare battery
+ *     SRAM (CARTRIDGETYPE $02 + SRAMSIZE $01). Delete that file and saves
+ *     silently stop existing — the build still succeeds.
+ *   snes_sfx.{h,c} + snes_sfx_data.asm + apu_blob.bin — the SPC700 sound
+ *     driver (music + 2 one-shot samples). #include'd, not separately built.
+ *
+ * ── HOW THE MODE 7 CAMERA WORKS (read this before touching any of it) ──────
+ * Mode 7 is nothing but a 2x2 matrix + a center: for each screen pixel the
+ * PPU computes
+ *     mapX = A*(SX + HOFS - CX) + B*(SY + VOFS - CY) + CX
+ *     mapY = C*(SX + HOFS - CX) + D*(SY + VOFS - CY) + CY
+ * and samples the 1024x1024px map there. One matrix per frame = a flat
+ * rotated/zoomed plane. The racer look needs a DIFFERENT zoom per scanline
+ * (far rows zoomed out, near rows zoomed in), so we rewrite the matrix
+ * EVERY 2 SCANLINES with HDMA — zero CPU during the frame.
+ *
+ * Per scanline band we want camera yaw θ and zoom λ(line):
+ *     A = λcosθ    B = -λsinθ      ← a plain 2D rotation, scaled
+ *     C = λsinθ    D =  λcosθ
+ * With  HOFS = camX-128  (so SX+HOFS-CX ≡ SX-128, screen-centered)
+ * and   VOFS = camY-line-FOCALF (so SY+VOFS-CY ≡ -FOCALF, a constant), each
+ * line shows the map rotated by θ about (camX,camY), pushed FOCALF*λ(line)
+ * "forward", spread λ(line) wide. λ(line) = SCALE_NUM/(line-FOCAL) is the
+ * classic perspective hyperbola: line 56 (horizon) sees 5.75x zoomed-out
+ * shimmer, line 223 (your bumper) sees 0.5x (2x magnified) asphalt.
+ *
+ * Why VOFS is per-line too: VOFS = camY-line-FOCALF changes by -1 each
+ * line — a second tiny HDMA table. And HOFS/VOFS double as BG1's MODE 1
+ * scroll for the HUD strip, which is why both tables hold 0 for lines 0-55
+ * (scrolled HUD text is the classic bug here).
+ *
+ * Per frame the CPU does exactly this (m7_stage → data.asm's m7_build):
+ * 168 hardware multiplies to refill the back-buffer tables, then 4 register
+ * writes + 2 table patches at vblank (m7_commit). ~30% of a frame, all in.
+ *
+ * VRAM BUDGET (Mode 7 owns words $0000-$3FFF — it has NO base register):
+ *   $0000-$3FFF low bytes  = the 128x128 Mode 7 tilemap
+ *   $0000-$017F high bytes = 6 ground tiles (8bpp linear, 64 bytes each)
+ *   $4000- OBJ tiles, $5000- HUD font, $6800- HUD text map
+ *   Anything you add below word $4000 lands ON the road map — don't.
  */
 
 #include <snes.h>
 #include "snes_sfx.c"
 
-extern char tilfont, palfont;
-extern char tilsprite, palsprite;
-extern char tilbg, palbg;       /* wallpaper tile + palette (data.asm) */
+/* The title screen renders this — examples({op:'fork'}) stamps your game's
+ * name here automatically. Keep it ≤16 chars of A-Z 0-9 space dash. */
+#define GAME_TITLE "EMBER CIRCUIT"
+
+extern char tilfont, palfont;          /* HUD font + text palette (data.asm)   */
+extern char tilsprite, palsprite;      /* car sprite page + OBJ palette        */
 
 /* consoleVblank() copies the dirty text tilemap to VRAM during VBlank.
  * No public prototype in console.h, so declare it; call once per frame. */
 extern void consoleVblank(void);
 
-/* BG1 wallpaper map: a full 32x32 screen of the 4-colour tile so the
- * playfield reads as a real backdrop, not flat blank. Filled at runtime. */
-static u16 bg_map[32 * 32];
-
-#define LANE_LEFT_X    72
-#define LANE_MID_X    124
-#define LANE_RIGHT_X  176
-#define PLAYER_Y      180
-#define MAX_OBSTACLES   4
-
-/* oamSet's FIRST arg is a BYTE OFFSET into OAM (slot N → N*4), not a slot
- * number — passing the raw slot corrupts OAM → black/garbled (SNES-1). */
-#define SPR(slot) ((slot) << 2)
-
-typedef struct { s16 x, y; u8 alive; } Car;
-
-static Car player;
-static Car obstacles[MAX_OBSTACLES];
-static u16 score;
-static u8  spawn_timer;
-static u8  game_over_timer;
-static u16 prev_pad;
-static u8  player_lane;
-
-static const s16 lane_x[3] = { LANE_LEFT_X, LANE_MID_X, LANE_RIGHT_X };
-
-static u8 aabb(Car *a, Car *b) {
-    return a->x < b->x + 8 && a->x + 8 > b->x
-        && a->y < b->y + 8 && a->y + 8 > b->y;
-}
-
-static void reset_run(void) {
-    u8 i;
-    player_lane = 1;
-    player.x = lane_x[1];
-    player.y = PLAYER_Y;
-    player.alive = 1;
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) obstacles[i].alive = 0;
-    score = 0;
-    spawn_timer = 0;
-    game_over_timer = 0;
-}
-
-static void spawn_obstacle(void) {
-    u8 i;
-    for (i = 0; i < MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) {
-        if (!obstacles[i].alive) {
-            obstacles[i].x = lane_x[(spawn_timer * 13) % 3];
-            obstacles[i].y = 0;
-            obstacles[i].alive = 1;
-            return;
-        }
+/* data.asm exports — the Mode 7 machinery + SRAM helpers. The tables live in
+ * a WRAM bank-$7E RAMSECTION (tcc puts C globals in $7F; HDMA needs a bank
+ * byte we control). See the HARDWARE IDIOM blocks in data.asm. */
+extern void m7_build(void);
+extern u16 sram_read16(u16 offset);
+extern void sram_write16(u16 offset, u16 value);
+extern u8 m7_ab0[], m7_cd0[], m7_ab1[], m7_cd1[];   /* matrix HDMA tables x2 */
+extern u8 m7_vo0[], m7_vo1[];                       /* M7VOFS tables x2      */
+extern u8 lam8_tab[];                               /* per-band zoom, λ>>3   */
+extern u8 hdma_mode_tab[], hdma_hofs_tab[];
+extern s8 m7_cos, m7_sin;                           /* m7_build inputs       */
+extern u16 m7_dst, m7_vdst, m7_vstart;
+extern u8 telem[];                                  /* headless-test block   */
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * The screen split. Lines 0..HORIZON-1 are a Mode 1 strip (BG1 = the text
+ * HUD, backdrop colour = sky); from line HORIZON down, HDMA flips BGMODE to
+ * 7 and the SAME BG1 becomes the perspective ground. One BG, two
+ * personalities, zero CPU. HORIZON must be a multiple of 8 so whole text
+ * rows sit above it (56 = rows 0-6 usable for HUD text). */
+#define HORIZON   56
+/* Perspective: λ(line) = SCALE_NUM / (line - FOCAL), 8.8 fixed point.
+ * FOCAL is the virtual eye line (above HORIZON so the divisor never hits 0).
+ * FOCALF is the constant forward push — together with λ it sets how far
+ * ahead each row looks: row 56 sees 5.75*48 ≈ 276px ahead, row 223 ≈ 24px. */
+#define FOCAL     40
+#define SCALE_NUM 23552u
+#define FOCALF    48
+
+/* HDMA table geometry — MUST match the dsb sizes in data.asm. 84 entries x
+ * 2 lines cover lines 56-223; entry stride 5 = count byte + 4 matrix bytes. */
+#define AB_BYTES   426            /* 1+4 strip header + 84*5 + terminator    */
+#define VO_BYTES   256            /* 1+2 strip header + 84*3 + terminator    */
+#define N_BANDS    84
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay — reshape freely) ──────────────────────────────────────
+ * Mode 7 ground tiles. LINEAR 8bpp: 64 bytes per tile, ONE BYTE PER PIXEL,
+ * no bitplanes — the byte IS the CGRAM index (the one tile format on the
+ * SNES you can author by typing numbers). Index 0 = transparent (backdrop
+ * sky would leak through the ground) so ground pixels use 2..9; index 1 is
+ * the text colour, indices 16+ would collide with nothing (free to grow). */
+#define T_GRASSA 0
+#define T_GRASSB 1
+#define T_ROAD   2
+#define T_DASH   3
+#define T_KERB   4
+#define T_FINISH 5
+static const u8 m7_tiles[6 * 64] = {
+  /* tile 0 — grass A (mid green, dark speckle) */
+  3,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,  2,2,2,2,2,2,3,2,  2,3,2,2,2,2,2,2,  2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3,
+  2,2,3,2,2,2,2,2,  2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,  2,2,2,3,2,2,2,2,  2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,
+  /* tile 1 — grass B (dark green, mid speckle) */
+  2,3,3,3,3,3,3,2,  3,3,3,2,3,3,3,3,  3,3,3,3,3,3,2,3,  3,3,2,3,3,3,3,3,
+  3,3,3,3,3,2,3,3,  3,2,3,3,3,3,3,3,  3,3,3,3,2,3,3,3,  2,3,3,3,3,3,3,2,
+  /* tile 2 — road (asphalt, light speckle) */
+  5,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,  4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,  4,4,4,5,4,4,4,4,  4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,
+  4,4,4,4,4,4,5,4,  4,5,4,4,4,4,4,4,  4,4,4,4,4,4,4,4,  4,4,4,4,5,4,4,4,
+  /* tile 3 — road with centre-line dash (cols 3-4, yellow) */
+  5,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,  4,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,  4,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,  4,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,
+  4,4,4,8,8,4,5,4,  4,5,4,8,8,4,4,4,  4,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,  4,4,4,8,8,4,4,4,
+  /* tile 4 — kerb (4x4 red/white checker — reads as rumble strip when
+   * the perspective squeezes it) */
+  6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,  6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,  6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,  6,6,6,6,7,7,7,7,
+  7,7,7,7,6,6,6,6,  7,7,7,7,6,6,6,6,  7,7,7,7,6,6,6,6,  7,7,7,7,6,6,6,6,
+  /* tile 5 — finish checker (4px white/grey) */
+  9,9,9,9,7,7,7,7,  9,9,9,9,7,7,7,7,  9,9,9,9,7,7,7,7,  9,9,9,9,7,7,7,7,
+  7,7,7,7,9,9,9,9,  7,7,7,7,9,9,9,9,  7,7,7,7,9,9,9,9,  7,7,7,7,9,9,9,9,
+};
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — the circuit ─────────────────────────────────────────
+ * The track is a ring road on the 1024x1024 map: centre (512,512), inner
+ * radius R_IN, outer R_OUT. A ring needs no waypoints: "on the road" is two
+ * compares against per-row half-width tables, and laps are quadrant
+ * crossings (below). Reshape: ellipse, figure-8 (two rings + a flag),
+ * waypointed splines — anything; only the tables + paint loop change. */
+#define MAP_C    512
+#define R_IN     320
+#define R_OUT    416
+#define R_MID    368
+#define KERB_W   10            /* px of rumble strip each side of the road  */
+#define LAPS     3
+#define TIME_CAP 59999u        /* 999.98s — a DNF cap so idle runs end      */
+
+#define SPD_MAX     0x0300     /* 3.0 px/frame, 8.8 fixed                   */
+#define SPD_MAX_OFF 0x00C0     /* crawl cap in the grass                    */
+#define ACCEL    6
+#define DRAG     3
+#define BRAKE    16
+#define OFF_DRAG 14
+#define TURN     0x00C0        /* heading change per frame held, 8.8 of a
+                                * 256-unit circle. At full speed that turns
+                                * a 163px-radius circle — over twice the
+                                * authority the R_MID ring needs, so every
+                                * inch of track is makeable flat out. */
+
+#define CAR_X 120              /* 16x16 car, screen-centered near the bottom */
+#define CAR_Y 188
+
+/* SRAM layout: [0]=magic "EC", [2]=best time (frames), [4]=best ^ 0xA5C3.
+ * Magic is written LAST in best_save so a torn write never validates. */
+#define SRAM_MAGIC 0x4345u
+
+/* Game states — the shell every example shares: title → play → result. */
+#define ST_TITLE  0
+#define ST_READY  1            /* "PLAYER n PRESS START" (the 2P relay handoff) */
+#define ST_RACE   2
+#define ST_RESULT 3
+
+static u8 state;
+static u8 mode_2p;             /* 0 = time trial, 1 = relay duel             */
+static u8 run_player;          /* whose run is on track (0/1 = pad port)     */
+static u16 run_time[2];        /* finished run times, in frames              */
+static u16 best;               /* best 3-lap time ever (0 = none recorded)   */
+static u8 sound_ok;
+
+/* the camera IS the car: map position (8.8 sub-pixel) + yaw heading */
+static s32 posX, posY;         /* map px in 8.8; wraps at 1024px (0x40000)   */
+static u16 camX, camY;         /* integer px, derived each frame             */
+static u16 heading;            /* 8.8 angle: top byte 0..255 = 0..360°, 0 =
+                                * north (-Y), 64 = east — clockwise on map   */
+static u16 spd;                /* forward speed, 8.8 px/frame                */
+static u8 lap;
+static u16 race_frames;
+static u8 offroad, on_kerb;    /* surface flags (edge-detected for SFX)      */
+static u8 quad, accum;         /* lap tracking: quadrant + signed progress   */
+static u16 prev_pad0, prev_padR;
+static char tbuf[8];           /* "SSS.HH" time formatter output             */
+
+static u16 inner_px[128];      /* ring half-widths per map row (boot-built)  */
+static u16 outer_px[128];
+
+static u8 backbuf;             /* which HDMA table set m7_build fills next   */
+static u16 front_ab, front_vo; /* fresh tables, committed at next vblank     */
+static u16 ab_base[2], vo_base[2];  /* WRAM addresses of the two table sets  */
+
+/* sin in s1.6 (64 = 1.0), 256 angle units per circle. cos(a)=sintab[a+64]. */
+static const s8 sintab[256] = {
+     0,    2,    3,    5,    6,    8,    9,   11,   12,   14,   16,   17,   19,   20,   22,   23,
+    24,   26,   27,   29,   30,   32,   33,   34,   36,   37,   38,   39,   41,   42,   43,   44,
+    45,   46,   47,   48,   49,   50,   51,   52,   53,   54,   55,   56,   56,   57,   58,   59,
+    59,   60,   60,   61,   61,   62,   62,   62,   63,   63,   63,   64,   64,   64,   64,   64,
+    64,   64,   64,   64,   64,   64,   63,   63,   63,   62,   62,   62,   61,   61,   60,   60,
+    59,   59,   58,   57,   56,   56,   55,   54,   53,   52,   51,   50,   49,   48,   47,   46,
+    45,   44,   43,   42,   41,   39,   38,   37,   36,   34,   33,   32,   30,   29,   27,   26,
+    24,   23,   22,   20,   19,   17,   16,   14,   12,   11,    9,    8,    6,    5,    3,    2,
+     0,   -2,   -3,   -5,   -6,   -8,   -9,  -11,  -12,  -14,  -16,  -17,  -19,  -20,  -22,  -23,
+   -24,  -26,  -27,  -29,  -30,  -32,  -33,  -34,  -36,  -37,  -38,  -39,  -41,  -42,  -43,  -44,
+   -45,  -46,  -47,  -48,  -49,  -50,  -51,  -52,  -53,  -54,  -55,  -56,  -56,  -57,  -58,  -59,
+   -59,  -60,  -60,  -61,  -61,  -62,  -62,  -62,  -63,  -63,  -63,  -64,  -64,  -64,  -64,  -64,
+   -64,  -64,  -64,  -64,  -64,  -64,  -63,  -63,  -63,  -62,  -62,  -62,  -61,  -61,  -60,  -60,
+   -59,  -59,  -58,  -57,  -56,  -56,  -55,  -54,  -53,  -52,  -51,  -50,  -49,  -48,  -47,  -46,
+   -45,  -44,  -43,  -42,  -41,  -39,  -38,  -37,  -36,  -34,  -33,  -32,  -30,  -29,  -27,  -26,
+   -24,  -23,  -22,  -20,  -19,  -17,  -16,  -14,  -12,  -11,   -9,   -8,   -6,   -5,   -3,   -2,
+};
+#define COS8(a) (sintab[(u8)((a) + 64)])
+#define SIN8(a) (sintab[(u8)(a)])
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — integer sqrt for the ring tables (boot only) ───────
+ * Classic shift-and-subtract: no multiplies, ~16 iterations, exact. */
+static u16 isqrt32(u32 v) {
+  u32 r = 0, bit = 0x40000000ul;
+  while (bit > v) bit >>= 2;
+  while (bit) {
+    if (v >= r + bit) { v -= r + bit; r = (r >> 1) + bit; }
+    else r >>= 1;
+    bit >>= 2;
+  }
+  return (u16)r;
+}
+
+/* Per map row r: the ring's horizontal cross-section is
+ *   inner_px[r] <= |x - 512| <= outer_px[r]
+ * (inner hits 0 across the top/bottom straights — the road spans the middle
+ * there). These tables are BOTH the tilemap painter's input and the entire
+ * runtime collision model: "am I on the road" is two compares. */
+static void build_ring_tables(void) {
+  u16 r;
+  s16 dy;
+  u32 dy2;
+  for (r = 0; r < 128; r++) {
+    dy = (s16)(r * 8 + 4) - MAP_C;
+    dy2 = (u32)((s32)dy * dy);
+    outer_px[r] = (dy2 >= (u32)R_OUT * R_OUT) ? 0
+                : isqrt32((u32)R_OUT * R_OUT - dy2);
+    inner_px[r] = (dy2 >= (u32)R_IN * R_IN) ? 0
+                : isqrt32((u32)R_IN * R_IN - dy2);
+  }
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * Mode 7 VRAM upload. Mode 7 interleaves map and tiles in the SAME words:
+ * the LOW byte of each word is a tilemap entry, the HIGH byte is tile pixel
+ * data. VMAIN picks which stream you're writing ($00 = step after $2118
+ * low-byte writes, $80 = step after $2119 high-byte writes) and the DMA
+ * B-address must match ($18 low / $19 high). Mismatch them and BOTH planes
+ * come out as woven garbage (the classic Mode 7 bug) — dmaCopyVram7 exists
+ * for exactly this pairing. PPU off (we run pre-setScreenOn) or vblank only.
+ *
+ * The map is composed in WRAM as SPANS (grass template, road span, then
+ * kerb/dash/finish dabbed on top) and DMA'd in one burst — pushing 16K
+ * tiles through a tcc-compiled `REG_VMDATAL = tile` loop costs ~4s of
+ * boot; memcpy + DMA is a blink. The grass checker only depends on r&7,
+ * so 8 templates cover the field.
+ * Column math: tile x covers px 8x..8x+7, centre 8x+4; |8x+4-512| ≤ w
+ * ⟺ x ∈ [(508-w+7)>>3, (508+w)>>3]. */
+static u8 map_build[128 * 128];   /* boot-only staging buffer ($7F WRAM) */
+static u8 grass_rows[8][128];     /* static: >255 bytes of locals overflows
+                                   * tcc's 8-bit stack-relative addressing */
+
+static void upload_m7_vram(void) {
+  u16 r, x, in_, out, mid, x0, x1;
+  s16 dy;
+  u32 dy2;
+  u8 *row;
+  for (r = 0; r < 8; r++)
+    for (x = 0; x < 128; x++)
+      grass_rows[r][x] = (((r ^ x) & 7) != 0) ? T_GRASSA : T_GRASSB;
+  for (r = 0; r < 128; r++) {
+    in_ = inner_px[r];
+    out = outer_px[r];
+    dy = (s16)(r * 8 + 4) - MAP_C;
+    dy2 = (u32)((s32)dy * dy);
+    row = map_build + (r << 7);
+    memcpy(row, grass_rows[r & 7], 128);
+    if (out >= 8) {
+      x0 = (u16)((508 - out + 7) >> 3);
+      x1 = (u16)((508 + out) >> 3);
+      for (x = x0; x <= x1; x++) row[x] = T_ROAD;
+      /* centre-line dash ring (radius R_MID), dashed every other row pair */
+      if (dy2 < (u32)R_MID * R_MID && (r & 2)) {
+        mid = isqrt32((u32)R_MID * R_MID - dy2);
+        row[(508 - mid) >> 3] = T_DASH;
+        row[(508 + mid) >> 3] = T_DASH;
+      }
+      /* infield hole + its kerb ring */
+      if (in_ >= 8) {
+        x = (u16)((508 - in_ + 7) >> 3);
+        x1 = (u16)((508 + in_) >> 3);
+        row[x] = T_KERB; row[x1] = T_KERB;
+        if (x1 > (u16)(x + 1))
+          memcpy(row + x + 1, &grass_rows[r & 7][x + 1], (u16)(x1 - x - 1));
+      } else if (dy < 0) {
+        /* top straight: the start/finish stripe crosses the road at x≈512 */
+        row[63] = T_FINISH; row[64] = T_FINISH;
+      }
+      row[x0] = T_KERB;
+      row[(508 + out) >> 3] = T_KERB;
     }
+  }
+  dmaCopyVram7((u8 *)m7_tiles, 0x0000, sizeof(m7_tiles), 0x80, 0x1900);
+  dmaCopyVram7(map_build, 0x0000, sizeof(map_build), 0x00, 0x1800);
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * One-time skeletons for the HDMA tables (the per-frame DATA comes from
+ * m7_build in data.asm — read its header for the table grammar). Counts,
+ * strip headers and terminators never change, so they're written once here;
+ * the build loop then only touches the 4 (or 2) data bytes per entry. */
+static void m7_tables_init(void) {
+  u16 e, p, line;
+  u8 *ab, *vo;
+  u8 b;
+  ab_base[0] = (u16)(m7_ab0);  vo_base[0] = (u16)(m7_vo0);
+  ab_base[1] = (u16)(m7_ab1);  vo_base[1] = (u16)(m7_vo1);
+  for (b = 0; b < 2; b++) {
+    u8 *cd;
+    ab = b ? m7_ab1 : m7_ab0;
+    cd = b ? m7_cd1 : m7_cd0;
+    vo = b ? m7_vo1 : m7_vo0;
+    /* HUD strip: hold identity 56 lines (these lines are Mode 1 text) */
+    ab[0] = HORIZON; ab[1] = 0x00; ab[2] = 0x01; ab[3] = 0; ab[4] = 0;
+    cd[0] = HORIZON; cd[1] = 0; cd[2] = 0; cd[3] = 0x00; cd[4] = 0x01;
+    vo[0] = HORIZON; vo[1] = 0; vo[2] = 0;
+    p = 5;
+    for (e = 0; e < N_BANDS; e++) { ab[p] = 2; cd[p] = 2; p += 5; }
+    ab[p] = 0; cd[p] = 0;
+    p = 3;
+    for (e = 0; e < N_BANDS; e++) { vo[p] = 2; p += 3; }
+    vo[p] = 0;
+  }
+  /* per-band zoom: λ(line)>>3 so it fits the 8x8 hardware multiplier.
+   * Sampled at each band's second line (56+2e+1) — splits the 2-line error. */
+  for (e = 0; e < N_BANDS; e++) {
+    line = HORIZON + e * 2 + 1;
+    lam8_tab[e] = (u8)((SCALE_NUM / (line - FOCAL)) >> 3);
+  }
+  /* BGMODE split: mode 1 for the HUD strip, then one write of mode 7 that
+   * holds to the bottom (terminator keeps the last value). */
+  hdma_mode_tab[0] = HORIZON; hdma_mode_tab[1] = 0x01;
+  hdma_mode_tab[2] = 1;       hdma_mode_tab[3] = 0x07;
+  hdma_mode_tab[4] = 0;
+  /* M7HOFS: 0 through the HUD strip ($210D doubles as BG1's Mode-1 H scroll
+   * — a camera value here scrolls your HUD text sideways), then the camera
+   * value from HORIZON down. m7_commit patches bytes [4],[5] every frame —
+   * hardware re-reads the table each frame, no re-arm needed. */
+  hdma_hofs_tab[0] = HORIZON; hdma_hofs_tab[1] = 0; hdma_hofs_tab[2] = 0;
+  hdma_hofs_tab[3] = 1;       hdma_hofs_tab[4] = 0; hdma_hofs_tab[5] = 0;
+  hdma_hofs_tab[6] = 0;
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * Wire the 5 HDMA channels — onto channels 2-6, and the CHOICE is
+ * load-bearing: a channel cannot serve general-purpose DMA and HDMA in the
+ * same frame, and PVSnesLib's runtime owns two channels for GP-DMA:
+ *   ch0 — dmaCopyVram (console text upload, oamInitGfxSet, consoleVblank)
+ *   ch7 — the VBlank ISR's OAM DMA (vblank.asm writes $4370-$4375 EVERY
+ *         frame). Park HDMA on ch7 and the ISR silently rewrites the
+ *         channel's params each NMI — your table stops landing and OAM gets
+ *         fed table bytes instead. (Found the hard way; see TROUBLESHOOTING
+ *         "HDMA channel fights the OAM DMA".)
+ * So: 2=BGMODE, 3=M7A/M7B, 4=M7C/M7D, 5=M7HOFS, 6=M7VOFS.
+ * DMAP transfer modes are the whole trick:
+ *   mode 0 = 1 byte → reg          ($2105 BGMODE)
+ *   mode 2 = 2 bytes → reg,reg     (write-twice regs: HOFS/VOFS lo,hi)
+ *   mode 3 = 4 bytes → r,r,r+1,r+1 ($211B,$211B,$211C,$211C = A lo,hi,B lo,hi)
+ * Mode 3 exists precisely FOR the Mode 7 matrix — 4 bytes feed two
+ * write-twice registers per line. */
+static void road_hdma_on(void) {
+  REG_DMAP2 = 0x00; REG_BBAD2 = 0x05;            /* → $2105 BGMODE  */
+  REG_A1T2LH = (u16)(hdma_mode_tab); REG_A1B2 = 0x7E;
+  REG_DMAP3 = 0x03; REG_BBAD3 = 0x1B;            /* → $211B/C M7A,M7B */
+  REG_A1T3LH = front_ab; REG_A1B3 = 0x7E;
+  REG_DMAP4 = 0x03; REG_BBAD4 = 0x1D;            /* → $211D/E M7C,M7D */
+  REG_A1T4LH = (u16)(front_ab + AB_BYTES); REG_A1B4 = 0x7E;
+  REG_DMAP5 = 0x02; REG_BBAD5 = 0x0D;            /* → $210D M7HOFS    */
+  REG_A1T5LH = (u16)(hdma_hofs_tab); REG_A1B5 = 0x7E;
+  REG_DMAP6 = 0x02; REG_BBAD6 = 0x0E;            /* → $210E M7VOFS    */
+  REG_A1T6LH = front_vo; REG_A1B6 = 0x7E;
+  REG_HDMAEN = 0x7C;                             /* channels 2-6 live */
+}
+
+static void road_hdma_off(void) {
+  REG_HDMAEN = 0x00;
+}
+
+/* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — reshape gameplay around this; see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+ * Per-frame Mode 7 work, two halves:
+ *
+ * m7_stage — runs DURING the frame, fills the BACK buffer: heading → cos/sin
+ * (one table lookup), point m7_dst/m7_vdst at the buffer HDMA is NOT
+ * reading, then m7_build (data.asm) does the 168 hardware multiplies.
+ * Rebuilding the live table instead shears the ground mid-frame.
+ *
+ * m7_commit — MUST run inside vblank, right after WaitForVBlank: flip the
+ * channels to the fresh tables (A1Tx is only re-read at the top of each
+ * frame), write the write-twice center regs M7X/M7Y (lo then hi — a single
+ * write half-latches and the ground leaps), and patch the camera into the
+ * HOFS table. */
+static void m7_stage(void) {
+  u8 a = (u8)(heading >> 8);
+  m7_cos = COS8(a);
+  m7_sin = SIN8(a);
+  m7_dst  = (u16)(ab_base[backbuf] + 5);   /* first entry's count byte */
+  m7_vdst = (u16)(vo_base[backbuf] + 3);
+  m7_vstart = (u16)(camY - HORIZON - FOCALF);
+  m7_build();
+  front_ab = ab_base[backbuf];
+  front_vo = vo_base[backbuf];
+  backbuf ^= 1;
+}
+
+static void m7_commit(void) {
+  u16 hx = (u16)((camX - 128) & 0x1FFF);
+  REG_A1T3LH = front_ab;
+  REG_A1T4LH = (u16)(front_ab + AB_BYTES);
+  REG_A1T6LH = front_vo;
+  REG_M7X = (u8)camX; REG_M7X = (u8)(camX >> 8);   /* write-twice, lo→hi */
+  REG_M7Y = (u8)camY; REG_M7Y = (u8)(camY >> 8);
+  hdma_hofs_tab[4] = (u8)hx; hdma_hofs_tab[5] = (u8)(hx >> 8);
+}
+
+/* Leave the split: full-screen Mode 1 text (the result card). HDMA's last
+ * BGMODE write said "mode 7" and the scroll regs hold camera values —
+ * restore both or the text screen comes up as rotated garbage. */
+static void full_text_screen(void) {
+  road_hdma_off();
+  REG_BGMODE = 0x01;
+  REG_M7HOFS = 0; REG_M7HOFS = 0;   /* = BG1HOFS: write-twice, zero it */
+  REG_M7VOFS = 0; REG_M7VOFS = 0;   /* = BG1VOFS                       */
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — SRAM best time (see sram_* in data.asm) ──────────── */
+static u16 best_load(void) {
+  u16 v;
+  if (sram_read16(0) != SRAM_MAGIC) return 0;
+  v = sram_read16(2);
+  if (sram_read16(4) != (u16)(v ^ 0xA5C3u)) return 0;
+  return v;
+}
+
+static void best_save(u16 v) {
+  sram_write16(2, v);
+  sram_write16(4, (u16)(v ^ 0xA5C3u));
+  sram_write16(0, SRAM_MAGIC);      /* magic LAST — torn write = no record */
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — text helpers ──────────────────────────────────────── */
+static void fmt_time(u16 f) {       /* frames → "SSS.HH" into tbuf */
+  u16 s = f / 60;
+  u16 hh = (u16)((f % 60) * 5 / 3); /* x100/60 without overflow */
+  tbuf[0] = (char)('0' + (s / 100) % 10);
+  tbuf[1] = (char)('0' + (s / 10) % 10);
+  tbuf[2] = (char)('0' + s % 10);
+  tbuf[3] = '.';
+  tbuf[4] = (char)('0' + hh / 10);
+  tbuf[5] = (char)('0' + hh % 10);
+  tbuf[6] = 0;
 }
 
-static void render_score(void) {
-    char buf[6];
-    u16 v;
-    s8 i;
-    buf[0]='0'; buf[1]='0'; buf[2]='0'; buf[3]='0'; buf[4]='0'; buf[5]=0;
-    v = score;
-    for (i = 4; i >= 0; i--) { buf[i] = '0' + (v % 10); v /= 10; }
-    consoleDrawText(22, 2, buf);
-}
-
-/* Draw the road out of font glyphs on the text BG (no extra tile data):
- * solid '|' shoulder lines outside the outer lanes and dashed ':' lane
- * dividers between the three lanes. Lanes sit at text cols 9/15/22, so
- * dividers go at 12/18 and shoulders at 7/24. Text grid is 32x28. */
-#define ROAD_TOP_ROW   4
-#define ROAD_BOT_ROW   24
-#define ROAD_EDGE_L    7
-#define ROAD_EDGE_R    24
-#define ROAD_DIV_1     12
-#define ROAD_DIV_2     18
-static void draw_road(void) {
-    u8 r;
-    for (r = ROAD_TOP_ROW; r <= ROAD_BOT_ROW; r++) {
-        consoleDrawText(ROAD_EDGE_L, r, "|");
-        consoleDrawText(ROAD_EDGE_R, r, "|");
-        if (r & 1) {
-            consoleDrawText(ROAD_DIV_1, r, ":");
-            consoleDrawText(ROAD_DIV_2, r, ":");
-        }
+static void draw_best(u16 x, u16 y) {
+  if (best) { fmt_time(best); consoleDrawText(x, y, tbuf); }
+  else      consoleDrawText(x, y, "---.--");
+}
+
+static void clear_row(u16 y) {
+  consoleDrawText(0, y, "                                ");
+}
+
+static void clear_rows(u16 a, u16 b) {
+  u16 y;
+  for (y = a; y <= b; y++) clear_row(y);
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — car placement + state entries ───────────────────────
+ * Spawn: on the top straight just EAST of the finish line, heading east
+ * (heading 64). The car drives clockwise by default but the lap counter is
+ * direction-agnostic — run it backwards if you like. */
+static void place_at_grid(void) {
+  posX = (s32)(MAP_C + 24) << 8;
+  posY = (s32)(MAP_C - R_MID) << 8;
+  camX = MAP_C + 24;
+  camY = MAP_C - R_MID;
+  heading = 64u << 8;
+  quad = 0;                          /* dx>0, dy<0 — see lap counter */
+  accum = 0;
+}
+
+static void title_enter(void) {
+  clear_rows(0, 27);
+  consoleDrawText(9, 1, GAME_TITLE);
+  consoleDrawText(9, 2, "BEST"); draw_best(15, 2);
+  consoleDrawText(6, 4, "A - 1P TIME TRIAL");
+  consoleDrawText(6, 5, "B - 2P RELAY DUEL");
+  place_at_grid();
+  spd = 0;
+  m7_stage();                        /* fill a table set before HDMA reads */
+  road_hdma_on();
+  oamSet(0, CAR_X, CAR_Y, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+  oamSetEx(0, OBJ_LARGE, OBJ_SHOW);
+  state = ST_TITLE;
+}
+
+static void run_reset(void) {
+  place_at_grid();
+  spd = 0;
+  lap = 1;
+  race_frames = 0;
+  offroad = on_kerb = 0;
+}
+
+static void ready_enter(void) {
+  run_reset();
+  clear_rows(0, 6);
+  consoleDrawText(1, 1, mode_2p ? (run_player ? "P2" : "P1") : "1P");
+  consoleDrawText(4, 1, "TIME 000.00");
+  consoleDrawText(17, 1, "LAP 1/3");
+  consoleDrawText(4, 2, "BEST"); draw_best(9, 2);
+  consoleDrawText(6, 4, run_player ? "PLAYER 2 TO THE GRID"
+                       : (mode_2p ? "PLAYER 1 TO THE GRID" : "TO THE GRID"));
+  consoleDrawText(10, 5, "PRESS START");
+  prev_padR = 0xFFFF;   /* swallow the press that ENTERED this state — without
+                         * this, the A that picked 1P on the title instantly
+                         * green-lights the run (classic edge-detect reuse bug) */
+  state = ST_READY;
+}
+
+static void race_enter(void) {
+  clear_rows(4, 6);
+  if (sound_ok) sfx_play(1);        /* green-light blip */
+  state = ST_RACE;
+}
+
+static void result_enter(void) {
+  u8 newbest = 0;
+  u16 t1 = run_time[0], t2 = run_time[1];
+  u16 winner_t = t1;
+  if (mode_2p && t2 < winner_t) winner_t = t2;
+  if (winner_t < best || best == 0) { best = winner_t; best_save(best); newbest = 1; }
+
+  full_text_screen();
+  oamSetVisible(0, OBJ_HIDE);
+  clear_rows(0, 27);
+  consoleDrawText(10, 6, mode_2p ? "DUEL  OVER" : "RUN COMPLETE");
+  consoleDrawText(9, 10, mode_2p ? "P1" : "TIME");
+  fmt_time(t1); consoleDrawText(15, 10, tbuf);
+  if (mode_2p) {
+    consoleDrawText(9, 12, "P2");
+    fmt_time(t2); consoleDrawText(15, 12, tbuf);
+    if (t1 < t2)      consoleDrawText(9, 15, "PLAYER 1 WINS");
+    else if (t2 < t1) consoleDrawText(9, 15, "PLAYER 2 WINS");
+    else              consoleDrawText(12, 15, "DEAD HEAT");
+  }
+  consoleDrawText(9, 18, "BEST"); draw_best(15, 18);
+  if (newbest) consoleDrawText(8, 20, "NEW TRACK RECORD");
+  consoleDrawText(10, 24, "PRESS START");
+  if (sound_ok) sfx_play(2);        /* finish flourish */
+  state = ST_RESULT;
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — driving model ───────────────────────────────────────
+ * Forward motion integrates the heading: dx = spd·sinθ, dy = -spd·cosθ
+ * (heading 0 = north = -Y). The multiply stays in s16: (spd>>2) ≤ 192 times
+ * |trig| ≤ 64 = 12288 — tcc's s16 multiply is fine at 2/frame, it's the 168
+ * PER-LINE multiplies that needed data.asm's hardware multiplier. */
+static void integrate_motion(u8 a) {
+  posX += (s32)(((s16)(spd >> 2) * (s16)SIN8(a)) >> 4);
+  posY -= (s32)(((s16)(spd >> 2) * (s16)COS8(a)) >> 4);
+  posX &= 0x3FFFF;                  /* wrap at 1024px (the map wraps too)   */
+  posY &= 0x3FFFF;
+  camX = (u16)(posX >> 8);
+  camY = (u16)(posY >> 8);
+}
+
+/* Surface at a map point, from the ring tables: 0 road, 1 kerb, 2 grass.
+ * Sampled 24px AHEAD of the camera — that's where the car sprite's nose
+ * sits on screen (see the camera math in the header: the bottom-centre
+ * pixel shows cam + λ(223)·FOCALF ≈ 24px forward). */
+static u8 surface_at(u8 a) {
+  u16 sx = (u16)((camX + (((s16)SIN8(a) * 24) >> 6)) & 1023);
+  u16 sy = (u16)((camY - (((s16)COS8(a) * 24) >> 6)) & 1023);
+  u16 in_, out, adx;
+  s16 dxs;
+  u8 row = (u8)(sy >> 3);
+  in_ = inner_px[row];
+  out = outer_px[row];
+  dxs = (s16)sx - MAP_C;
+  adx = (u16)(dxs < 0 ? -dxs : dxs);
+  if (out == 0) return 2;
+  if (adx > out + KERB_W || (in_ > KERB_W && adx < in_ - KERB_W)) return 2;
+  if (adx > out - KERB_W || (in_ > 0 && adx < in_ + KERB_W))      return 1;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — lap counting by quadrant walk ───────────────────────
+ * The map centre splits the world into 4 quadrants; driving the ring visits
+ * them in order. Each adjacent crossing nudges a signed counter (+1
+ * clockwise, -1 counter-clockwise); ±4 = a full circle = a lap, counted
+ * exactly at the finish-line quadrant boundary. Backtracking un-counts
+ * itself — you can't farm laps by wiggling over the line. */
+static void lap_check(void) {
+  s16 dxs = (s16)camX - MAP_C, dys = (s16)camY - MAP_C;
+  u8 q = (dys < 0) ? (dxs >= 0 ? 0 : 3) : (dxs >= 0 ? 1 : 2);
+  u8 d;
+  if (q == quad) return;
+  d = (u8)((q - quad) & 3);
+  if (d == 1) accum++;
+  else if (d == 3) accum--;
+  quad = q;
+  if (accum == 4 || accum == (u8)-4) {
+    accum = 0;
+    lap++;
+    if (lap > LAPS) {
+      run_time[run_player] = race_frames;
+      if (mode_2p && run_player == 0) { run_player = 1; ready_enter(); }
+      else result_enter();
+      return;
     }
+    if (sound_ok) sfx_play(1);
+    tbuf[0] = (char)('0' + lap); tbuf[1] = 0;
+    consoleDrawText(21, 1, tbuf);
+  }
+}
+
+static void race_update(void) {
+  u16 pad = padsCurrent(run_player);
+  u8 a = (u8)(heading >> 8);
+  u8 surf;
+
+  /* throttle / brake (8.8 speed) */
+  if (pad & (KEY_A | KEY_B)) { if (spd < SPD_MAX) spd += ACCEL; }
+  else if (spd > DRAG) spd -= DRAG; else spd = 0;
+  if (pad & KEY_Y) { if (spd > BRAKE) spd -= BRAKE; else spd = 0; }
+
+  /* steering = yaw. THE Mode 7 moment: this one += is what swings the
+   * whole world around the car. */
+  if (spd > 0x0010) {
+    if (pad & KEY_LEFT)  heading -= TURN;
+    if (pad & KEY_RIGHT) heading += TURN;
+  }
+  a = (u8)(heading >> 8);
+
+  /* surface response */
+  surf = surface_at(a);
+  if (surf == 2) {                                   /* grass */
+    if (!offroad && sound_ok) sfx_play(2);           /* one thump on exit  */
+    offroad = 1;
+    if (spd > SPD_MAX_OFF) spd = (u16)(spd - OFF_DRAG);
+  } else {
+    offroad = 0;
+    if (surf == 1) {                                 /* kerb rumble strip  */
+      if (!on_kerb && sound_ok) sfx_play(1);
+      on_kerb = 1;
+      if (spd > DRAG * 2) spd -= DRAG;               /* mild scrub         */
+    } else on_kerb = 0;
+  }
+
+  integrate_motion(a);
+  lap_check();
+  if (state != ST_RACE) return;     /* lap_check may have ended the run */
+
+  race_frames++;
+  if (race_frames >= TIME_CAP) {    /* DNF cap — idle runs still end */
+    run_time[run_player] = TIME_CAP;
+    if (mode_2p && run_player == 0) { run_player = 1; ready_enter(); }
+    else result_enter();
+    return;
+  }
+  if ((race_frames & 7) == 0) {     /* HUD time, every 8 frames */
+    fmt_time(race_frames);
+    consoleDrawText(9, 1, tbuf);
+  }
+}
+
+/* ── GAME LOGIC (clay) — title attract: the world pirouettes ─────────────────
+ * The car parks on the grid and the camera yaws slowly — the cheapest
+ * possible demo that rotation is real (and the first thing a fork breaks
+ * if the matrix handedness gets flipped). */
+static void attract_update(void) {
+  heading += 0x0020;
+}
+
+/* Headless-test telemetry — written once per frame into the bank-$7E telem
+ * block (data.asm). A test harness finds it by scanning WRAM for the
+ * "EC"+0xBD signature, then steers the car from real game state instead of
+ * parsing pixels. Costs 14 byte-writes per frame; delete freely. */
+static void telem_update(void) {
+  telem[0] = 'E'; telem[1] = 'C'; telem[2] = 0xBD;
+  telem[3] = state;
+  telem[4] = lap;
+  telem[5] = (u8)(heading >> 8);
+  telem[6] = (u8)((sound_ok << 7) | (mode_2p << 1) | run_player);
+  telem[7] = (u8)camX; telem[8] = (u8)(camX >> 8);
+  telem[9] = (u8)camY; telem[10] = (u8)(camY >> 8);
+  telem[11] = (u8)spd; telem[12] = (u8)(spd >> 8);
+  telem[13] = (u8)race_frames; telem[14] = (u8)(race_frames >> 8);
+  telem[15] = accum;
 }
 
 int main(void) {
-    u16 pad;
-    u8 i;
-    u16 bi;
-    s16 step;
-
-    consoleSetTextMapPtr(0x6800);
-    consoleSetTextGfxPtr(0x3000);
-    consoleSetTextOffset(0x0000);   /* tile index = (char-0x20); font is at the BG char base */
-    consoleInitText(0, 16 * 2, &tilfont, &palfont);
-    setMode(BG_MODE1, 0);
-    /* consoleInitText DMAs the font but does NOT set the PPU BG base
-     * registers — point BG0 at the same font ($3000) + map ($6800). */
-    bgSetGfxPtr(0, 0x3000);
-    bgSetMapPtr(0, 0x6800, SC_32x32);
-
-    /* BG1 = full-screen wallpaper so the playfield never reads as blank.
-     * Tiles -> VRAM $2000, map -> VRAM $4000 (clear of sprites $0000 and
-     * the console gfx $3000 / map $6800). Map entries use palette block 1
-     * (0x0400) so the wallpaper palette doesn't disturb the console font
-     * palette in block 0 (HUD/road text stays legible). */
-    bgInitTileSet(1, (u8 *)&tilbg, (u8 *)&palbg, 1,
-                  32, 32, BG_16COLORS, 0x2000);
-    for (bi = 0; bi < 32 * 32; bi++) bg_map[bi] = 0x0400;
-    bgInitMapSet(1, (u8 *)bg_map, sizeof(bg_map), SC_32x32, 0x4000);
-    bgSetEnable(1);
-    bgSetDisable(2);
-
-    /* 2 sprite tiles × 32 bytes = 64 bytes */
-    oamInitGfxSet(&tilsprite, 64, &palsprite, 32, 0, 0x0000, OBJ_SIZE8_L16);
-
-    consoleDrawText(2, 2, "SCORE");
-    consoleDrawText(6, 26, "L/R SWITCH LANES");
-    draw_road();   /* shoulder lines + dashed lane dividers (font glyphs) */
-
-    /* Hide all OAM. */
-    for (i = 0; i < 1 + MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) oamSet(SPR(i), 0, 240, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0);
-
-    setScreenOn();
-    sfx_init();
-    reset_run();
-    prev_pad = 0;
-
-    while (1) {
-        /* Stage OAM. */
-        oamSet(SPR(0), player.x, player.y, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0);
-        for (i = 0; i < MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) {
-            u16 ey = obstacles[i].alive ? obstacles[i].y : 240;
-            oamSet(SPR((u16)(1 + i)), obstacles[i].x, ey, 3, 0, 0, 1, 0); /* gfxoffset = tile INDEX 1 (SNES-5; was 32) */
-        }
-        oamUpdate();
-        render_score();
-        WaitForVBlank();
-        consoleVblank();
-
-        pad = padsCurrent(0);
-
-        if (game_over_timer > 0) {
-            game_over_timer--;
-            if (game_over_timer == 0) reset_run();
-            prev_pad = pad;
-            continue;
-        }
-
-        if ((pad & KEY_LEFT)  && !(prev_pad & KEY_LEFT)  && player_lane > 0) { player_lane--; sfx_play(1); }
-        if ((pad & KEY_RIGHT) && !(prev_pad & KEY_RIGHT) && player_lane < 2) { player_lane++; sfx_play(1); }
-        player.x = lane_x[player_lane];
-        prev_pad = pad;
-
-        step = (s16)(2 + (score / 500));
-        if (step > 4) step = 4;
-
-        for (i = 0; i < MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) {
-            if (!obstacles[i].alive) continue;
-            obstacles[i].y = (s16)(obstacles[i].y + step);
-            if (obstacles[i].y >= 224) obstacles[i].alive = 0;
-        }
-        spawn_timer++;
-        if (spawn_timer >= 36) { spawn_timer = 0; spawn_obstacle(); }
-
-        for (i = 0; i < MAX_OBSTACLES; i++) {
-            if (obstacles[i].alive && aabb(&player, &obstacles[i])) {
-                game_over_timer = 60;
-                sfx_play(2);  /* crash */
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-        if (score < 65500) score++;
+  u16 pad, padR;
+
+  /* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing — see TROUBLESHOOTING) ──
+   * Init order: console text pointers FIRST (the font/map live ABOVE word
+   * $4000 because Mode 7 owns $0000-$3FFF and has no base register to move
+   * it), then mode, then VRAM uploads while the screen is still off. */
+  consoleSetTextMapPtr(0x6800);
+  consoleSetTextGfxPtr(0x5000);
+  consoleSetTextOffset(0x0000);
+  consoleInitText(0, 16 * 2, &tilfont, &palfont);
+  setMode(BG_MODE1, 0);
+  bgSetGfxPtr(0, 0x5000);
+  bgSetMapPtr(0, 0x6800, SC_32x32);
+  bgSetDisable(1);                  /* BG2/BG3 carry garbage in mode 1 —    */
+  bgSetDisable(2);                  /* the road + HUD both live on BG1      */
+
+  /* CGRAM: Mode 7 is 8bpp, the tile byte IS the palette index — so the
+   * ground colours share the font palette's block. 0 = backdrop = the sky;
+   * 1 stays white (text); 2..9 are the ground inks the tiles use. */
+  setPaletteColor(0, RGB5(11, 18, 28));   /* sky                  */
+  setPaletteColor(2, RGB5(6, 18, 6));     /* grass mid            */
+  setPaletteColor(3, RGB5(4, 13, 4));     /* grass dark           */
+  setPaletteColor(4, RGB5(11, 11, 12));   /* asphalt              */
+  setPaletteColor(5, RGB5(15, 15, 16));   /* asphalt fleck        */
+  setPaletteColor(6, RGB5(26, 5, 4));     /* kerb red             */
+  setPaletteColor(7, RGB5(31, 31, 31));   /* kerb/finish white    */
+  setPaletteColor(8, RGB5(30, 27, 6));    /* centre-line yellow   */
+  setPaletteColor(9, RGB5(20, 20, 21));   /* finish grey          */
+
+  build_ring_tables();
+  upload_m7_vram();
+  m7_tables_init();
+
+  /* Mode 7 statics: M7SEL=0 wraps the 1024px map (the looping world!);
+   * matrix gets sane vblank defaults, HDMA rewrites it every band anyway.
+   * ALL of these are write-twice (lo then hi) — single writes half-latch. */
+  REG_M7SEL = 0;
+  REG_M7A = 0x00; REG_M7A = 0x01;
+  REG_M7B = 0x00; REG_M7B = 0x00;
+  REG_M7C = 0x00; REG_M7C = 0x00;
+  REG_M7D = 0x00; REG_M7D = 0x01;
+
+  /* OBJ: 16x16 car at VRAM $4000 (clear of the Mode 7 area). The car page
+   * is laid out for large sprites: quadrants at page tiles 0,1,16,17. */
+  oamInitGfxSet(&tilsprite, 1024, &palsprite, 32, 0, 0x4000, OBJ_SIZE8_L16);
+
+  setScreenOn();
+
+  /* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing) — sfx_init AFTER setScreenOn, and CHECK
+   * the return: a wedged SPC700 must not take the video down with it. ── */
+  sound_ok = (sfx_init() == 0);
+  /* ── HARDWARE IDIOM (load-bearing) — one frame between init and the first
+   * command. sfx_init returns the instant the SPC echoes the jump command,
+   * but the driver then spends ~50 port writes initialising the DSP BEFORE
+   * it seeds its command edge-detector from $2140. Send a command in that
+   * window and the seed swallows it — music silently never starts (found
+   * via getAudioState: voice 1 pitch 0, ARAM prev_cmd already = 3). A
+   * WaitForVBlank is thousands of SPC cycles — deterministic cure. ── */
+  WaitForVBlank();
+  if (sound_ok) sfx_music_play();
+
+  best = best_load();               /* battery SRAM — 0 on first boot */
+  prev_pad0 = prev_padR = 0;
+  backbuf = 0;
+  title_enter();
+
+  while (1) {
+    pad = padsCurrent(0);
+
+    if (state == ST_TITLE) {
+      attract_update();
+      if ((pad & KEY_A && !(prev_pad0 & KEY_A)) ||
+          (pad & KEY_START && !(prev_pad0 & KEY_START))) {
+        mode_2p = 0; run_player = 0; ready_enter();
+      } else if (pad & KEY_B && !(prev_pad0 & KEY_B)) {
+        mode_2p = 1; run_player = 0; ready_enter();
+      }
+    } else if (state == ST_READY) {
+      /* the handoff reads THE RUNNER'S pad — port 1 (controller 2) when
+       * it's player 2's run. That's the whole 2P wiring: padsCurrent(1). */
+      padR = padsCurrent(run_player);
+      if ((padR & (KEY_START | KEY_A)) && !(prev_padR & (KEY_START | KEY_A)))
+        race_enter();
+      prev_padR = padR;
+    } else if (state == ST_RACE) {
+      race_update();
+    } else { /* ST_RESULT */
+      if (pad & KEY_START && !(prev_pad0 & KEY_START)) title_enter();
     }
-    return 0;
+    prev_pad0 = pad;
+    telem_update();
+
+    /* Build the back-buffer HDMA tables NOW (takes ~30% of the frame),
+     * then commit them in the next vblank. Result screen = plain Mode 1,
+     * nothing to build. */
+    if (state != ST_RESULT) m7_stage();
+    oamUpdate();
+
+    WaitForVBlank();
+    if (state != ST_RESULT) m7_commit();   /* vblank-only writes — first! */
+    consoleVblank();
+  }
+  return 0;
 }