Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Want to talks about games you like, would like to see developed on the Oric, it's here.
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iss
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by iss »

On 2nd: It's nice as proposed! An alternative can be (in pseudo C code):

Code: Select all

while(!detect_hack())
{
     message("Plug the VSync cable ...");
     if(key_pressed())
     {
        calibrate();
        break;
     }
}
if cable is already plugged or user plugs it, process will continue automatically.
if key press occurs - do calibration and continue with out the hack :).
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Dbug
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Dbug »

Chema wrote:The second question, when am I going to detect it? I think the user needs time to plug the Vsync cable after loading the game, so I guess I need to print a message such as "Plug the VSync cable if you have one and press a key". Then, after the keypress, perform the detection. If no Vsync is detected, jump to the calibration screen, else skip it.

I cannot think of a more automatic (or transparent) way, and it will be a bit of an inconvenience to the average user. Any ideas?
As I suggested in my mail earlier today, If you already have a working IRQ code that does not get out of sync over time, then you do not need to use the VSync hack at all during the game: Just keep your IRQ, same code path, much simpler.

Where the VSync hack helps, is to automatically setup your calibration screen.

So what I suggest, is that you always go through your calibration screen, but if you detect that the VSync hack is enabled then you use it to set sane starting values to your IRQ, and then the user will press the usual key if he is happy, or use up/down if things are wrong for no matter what reason.

Now, for a purely human point of view, I would be happy if you replaced the RED/GREEN by something else like BLUE/CYAN or WHITE/BLACK or BLACK/YELLOW, because RED and GREEN together tend to bleed horribly on many screens :)
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Chema
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Chema »

A quick post to say that detection of VSync is working. The code I posted before was wrong (I thought the bit was always 1 when no VSync cable was plugged). I borrowed some code from dbug's double sine demo and got it working. And it does as iss suggested: a message saying "Plug the VSync cable or press a key" appears. If you plug the cable (the real one or by selecting the option in Oricutron), the game starts directly, else it goes to the calibration screen.

I also changed the colors of the calibration screen. Dbug was right and they look horrendous in my TV too.

So maybe this will be the first game to support the VSync cable :) Dbug, do you still have yours? If so I can send you a demo so you can test if it works...
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ibisum
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by ibisum »

I set up for some testing on my Atmos last night, but ran into power-supply problems .. so tonight I'm going to make the V-Sync cable hack and I'd be prepared to test that for you if you like ..
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Chema
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Chema »

Hi again folks :)

Yesterday Dbug tested the version of the game which supports the VSync cable mod (and autodetects it) and it seems to work nicely. That is good news.

Now there is a game that can benefit of such an easy to do add on, so why not having it in our Orics :) Ok. I don't have it, because I burn my fingers and destroy all the connectors as soon as I try to solder anything :oops:

More good news is that you can have the option active in Oricutron and the game will start synchronized with the raster beam without need for user-driven calibration!

I am now concentrating on improving the game based on the suggestions of the testers. Mostly with things like keyboard bounces in some menus, and small glitches like that. And also adding things that I think were quite good (and simple, for now) ideas!

So a beta version is nearer!
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Chema
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Chema »

In the process of adding suggestions from alpha testers :)
hof.png
hof.png (53.21 KiB) Viewed 15276 times
Still under construction, but it is nearly there. Don't hesitate to contact me with suggestions/bugs/glitches... whatever.
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Iapetus
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Iapetus »

Chema wrote:In the process of adding suggestions from alpha testers :)
hof.png
Still under construction, but it is nearly there. Don't hesitate to contact me with suggestions/bugs/glitches... whatever.
This looks just amazing, on tv with pal blending must look great.
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Godzil »

If it's not perfect, it's near :)

Dbug wrote:
Chema wrote:Now, for a purely human point of view, I would be happy if you replaced the RED/GREEN by something else like BLUE/CYAN or WHITE/BLACK or BLACK/YELLOW, because RED and GREEN together tend to bleed horribly on many screens :)
Ho and with a pseudo composite cable, both colour are nearly the same, I tried to show Oricium on a video projector that didn't loved the RGB output of the Oric, use the pseudo-composite cable I have (but making only grayscale level) I was unable to differentiate the Red and the Green. The contrast is too similar in this case. So if it could be one color with 1 bit (Red,green or blue) and one color with two bits (cyan, magenta or yellow) it would be better I think.

Of course, choosing color that does not make colour display become blind ;)
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Dbug »

Chema wrote:In the process of adding suggestions from alpha testers :)
Nice :)

I did not notice at all that Chema was first and Dbug last in the list ;)
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Godzil »

Dbug wrote:
Chema wrote:In the process of adding suggestions from alpha testers :)
Nice :)

I did not notice at all that Chema was first and Dbug last in the list ;)
Isn't it?


And he have 12340 point and you 0 :shock:
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Chema
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Chema »

:lol:

Well, at least I can read those sentences in white characters :)

Hall of fame done, still 5.9K free. Now for the next one in the list...
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Chema »

Solved some more issues today, but little advance in "big" areas.

I think it may be worth it to post a video of the current state of the game, so you don't get bored reading this thread :)

Not only the alpha testers are going to see it running, eh? :lol:

Enjoy! Any feedback is welcome!

http://youtu.be/4yLFHSy3i54
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by Hialmar »

Awesome as always :)

I love the music as well.
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ibisum
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by ibisum »

.. /notes down the save-game codes for future reference. :)
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Re: Fast scrolling game howto, anyone?

Post by maximus »

:D José !! usted es el mejor :mrgreen:
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