POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

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kamelito
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POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by kamelito »

Hi,
Jordan Mechner said that it'll release the source code if he find it, it's done now. (almost)

http://jordanmechner.com/blog/2012/03/p ... ode-found/
That way an Oric version will be easier.
Kamel

update : http://twitter.com/#!/jmechner/status/1 ... 12/photo/1
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skype pseudo : kamelitoloveless
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kamelito
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by kamelito »

/kml
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JamesD
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by JamesD »

FYI, it's still incomplete.
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by mmu_man »

Just found someone wrote about it in details:
http://fabiensanglard.net/prince_of_persia/index.php
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NekoNoNiaow
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by NekoNoNiaow »

kamelito wrote: Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:39 pm source code posted.
https://github.com/jmechner/Prince-of-Persia-Apple-II
mmu_man wrote: Mon Jun 18, 2018 7:39 pm Just found someone wrote about it in details:
http://fabiensanglard.net/prince_of_persia/index.php
In addition to what mmu_man posted, Jordan Mechner also updated the repository in May of that same year with a lot of additional files, around 50 000 of them, so it seems reasonable to assume all files are there now.

So this begs the question: who is going to tackle the adaptation?
Knowing in passing that since Ubisoft owns the license, you can kiss an authorization goodbye as I doubt they are retro friendly in the least.

This said, I know a few people there who probably know a few guys who worked on the POP games at Ubi (and I guess DBug does too) so who knows, maybe we could ping them and see what comes out of it? ;)
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by Dbug »

The biggest technical hurdle on all these projects is generally the conversion of graphics so they work on the 6 pixel wide matrix.
Many games used animation sequences hardwired on multiple of 8, with gameplay tweaked so things happen on multiple of movements... and it must be particularly complex in Prince of Persia considering the number of pixel perfect jumps that are required.

That being said, it's a game I always admired on the basis of the rotoscoping method used to generate the graphics... and always hated playing, really felt like going through a maze designed by some perverted person happy to see you fail in the most horrible ways :)
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by ibisum »

I can't say I have much love for PoP either, as a game, but the idea of having a conversion for Oric is interesting. It seems to me that the Wurdle demo was headed in that direction: having a similar kind of feel/vibe with rotoscoped animation and Twilighte-level cleverness with colour placement.

PoP sure is interesting - and there is no doubt a lot be learned from the sources; but I feel the same about Wurlde.
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by Dbug »

Imo, the way to go is to do what Jonathan and Chema have done: They more than ported games, they also extended them, and made them more playable than the originals. (case in point, I never managed to finish Stormlord or Impossible Mission on the Atari ST, I did manage to finish the Oric versions)
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by Chema »

I looked at the blog of the C64 conversion a long time ago, as I was curious about a possible conversion for the Oric. There are mainly two/three main problems to solve:
- What Dbug said: the 6 pixel wide scans. That is a real nightmare. It was in SkoolDaze, where I tried to keep the original graphics, thus dealing with more memory to move (things get slower) and many little things to solve, from coordinates, to animations, some scripts and I had to re-do all the tiles for the school picture aswell). If we change the graphic size to ease things, a simply reduction to 3/4 could look awful. And then comes the color thing... again more redesigns...
- The Oric lacking any hardware help. In the C64 version the characters are made with sprites, so they are quite efficient; and both the Apple II and the C64 can change the base address of the screen data, so hardware double buffer exists. Not on the Oric. We have to use software sprites and update the screen in a completely different way (probably by changing only areas which are modified). Will it perform as in the original with all those smooth animations when fighting, etc?
- IIRC the original ran on the Apple II, but requires 128K of RAM. The C64 version needs some extra memory too. We would have to do with disc loading/saving. This could be possible. I have not looked at the game details to see, but I bet it could be done.

And I am with Dbug. If a conversion is to be made, I'd make it different... If possible with some new additions and modern touches... This could result in a whole new game, which is good so we don't face legal issues :)

In any case, if there is one Golden Rule it is that if you are to make a version of another 8-bit game, make it exact or better. If it is not possible, make it different somehow. Never inferior. We want the Oric to shine :lol:
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by polluks »

FYI the BBC port of 2018 also requires 128K
https://bitshifters.github.io/posts/pro ... -beeb.html
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Re: POP source code found (Prince of Princia)

Post by ThomH »

Dbug wrote: Sun Jun 24, 2018 9:44 am Many games used animation sequences hardwired on multiple of 8, with gameplay tweaked so things happen on multiple of movements... and it must be particularly complex in Prince of Persia considering the number of pixel perfect jumps that are required.
Minor observation: the Apple II has only seven pixels per byte. It'll be multiples of seven if it's multiples of anything.

Actually, it doesn't even really have seven pixels per byte; which you plot dictates the colour. So exactly how you count it varies. But seven bits are serialised into video output.
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