Area 88 (U.N. Squadron SE) [100% complete!]

earok · 29 March 2016, 06:09

Final release is done and in the zone! Or through my site - http://earok.net/game/area-88-un-squadron-se

Dusted off an old project, I don't know if I'll do anything further with it or not. Here's what it's looking like so far

[ Show youtube player ]

My general idea for hacking UN Squadron was along the lines of:
* Half the speed that the game runs at
* Double the framerate

I think the second half can be achieved to some extent (on faster processors than a 68000 at least) by using either pure CPU or hybrid blitter/CPU copy routines - that's currently outside of my assembly hacking skills, but I did have some luck with the first half.

The scroll rate is hard coded to a value of 4 (pixels/frame?), just halving that to 2 was fairly straight forward.

The enemy projectiles were harder - there's some sort of routine that generates the speed values (possibly sine/cosine function? I can't follow the code) but reducing the loop from 2F cycles to 2E cycles cut the speed by around half.

I haven't made any adjustment to the speed that the enemies follow paths at yet, I made some inroads into that but I don't fully comprehend it yet.

I think I prefer the game running slower anyway, it's perhaps a little too easy/boring now but it at least looks smoother!

Gzegzolka · 29 March 2016, 08:37

I have never like UN S on amiga, maybe Your hack will change that. I think it's worth to try.

dlfrsilver · 29 March 2016, 11:03

The problem with UN squadron, is that it uses basically a software engine, because it's an ST port.

The graphics are quite ugly for an amiga, usual Tiertex crap job.

Gzegzolka · 30 March 2016, 13:38

OK. I do some small research for myself. I play UN squadron on MAME and on SNES. Than I play it on winuae, I play Z-out, X-out, ProjectX, Agony, and few more. There is something wrong with speed of this game on amiga. I can stand crappy graphics that looks nothing like on SNES or Arcade, but mechanics (or I should say execution) is what kills this game and ruin joy. It's normal that lot of stuff is happening is shmup, but You should always see what's going on. Here speed of sprites and projectiles it too high.
Will it be easier? A little.
Will it be boring? No, it will be finally bit more enjoyable.

Also, could it be possible to remove first screen with two pilots and planes when game starts? Those two faces looks nothing like anime/manga and do not fit game style.

Retro-Nerd · 30 March 2016, 13:46

It's a mess. Not worth to pimp it in any way. Play the good SNES version instead.

earok · 30 March 2016, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gzegzolka

Also, could it be possible to remove first screen with two pilots and planes when game starts? Those two faces looks nothing like anime/manga and do not fit game style.

A big part of the reason I was looking at the project is that I'm a fan of Area 88, the anime show that the game is based on (more the 1980s version than the 2000s one)

So yes, I'll do something about that

possibly change the title to "Area 88" too.

If you'd like, I can post what I've done so far - just the changes I've outlined in the video (plus a small hack to the WHDLoad slave so it doesn't version check)

dlfrsilver · 30 March 2016, 19:35

:/ hehhhhh......... Well if only they did actually for amiga instead of atari ST first, things would have been different......

viddi · 30 March 2016, 20:22

Yes, please upload the hack! I like it.

Gzegzolka · 30 March 2016, 22:27

I'm interested in that hack too

s2325 · 30 March 2016, 22:37

earok · 31 March 2016, 00:35

@s2325 hahaha!

Well, I've zoned it as is. You have to use the WHDLoad slave included as I've hacked out the file integrity check so it'll run.

viddi · 31 March 2016, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by earok

@s2325 hahaha!

Well, I've zoned it as is. You have to use the WHDLoad slave included as I've hacked out the file integrity check so it'll run.

Thanks mate.

Amiga1992 · 08 April 2016, 14:31

Found this today, it's pretty nice!
[ Show youtube player ]

Solo Kazuki · 07 April 2017, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akira

Found this today, it's pretty nice!
[ Show youtube player ]

Actually this intro remake looks almost as latter anime (TV) series of Area 88 (Area 88 (JP) = U.N.Squadron).

Some scene from TV series for comparision.

[ Show youtube player ]

It's sad that Tiertex makes this classic video game very mediocre in Amiga version.

earok · 07 April 2017, 23:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solo Kazuki

It's sad that Tiertex makes this classic video game very mediocre in Amiga version.

Yeah I think.. part of what put me off this project was that no matter how much work I sunk into making it more playable, it'd never hold up to the sublime SNES edition.

DamienD · 08 April 2017, 00:02

...or the awesome original Arcade version that I could finish on 1 credit back in the day

Fond memories from my youth

ransom1122 · 08 April 2017, 02:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

...or the awesome original Arcade version that I could finish on 1 credit back in the day

Fond memories from my youth

Great arcade game, very impressed.

nobody · 08 April 2017, 07:37

Where can we get this version. I think you did a great job, much better now.

DamienD · 08 April 2017, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobody

Where can we get this version. I think you did a great job, much better now.

earok uploaded it to The Zone! a while ago...

It's on the EAB File server under "TheZone/files".

File is called "un squadron hack [UN Squadron speed hack, slows down scrolling and projectiles by approximately 50% (enemy formations remain at 100% speed)].zip"

earok · 11 April 2017, 11:49

I had a quick look at it recently, and managed to crack the enemy patterns (so I can slow them down too).

Each pattern is ten bytes long (ie five words).

* 1st Word = The behaviour type. I think: 1 = normal, 2 = change pattern, such as try to ram the player when close, 5 = foreground decoration. Not sure of other settings.
* 2nd Word = Countdown in frames. Eg this counts down by 1 every frame, and when it reaches 0 it goes to the next pattern.
* 3rd Word = XSpeed. Self explanatory
* 4th Word = YSpeed. Self explanatory.
* 5th Word = Animation index. By fiddling with this variable you can make a helicopter turn into a plane, or a tank turn into a power pole etc.

So I can slow it down by decreasing X/Y speed and increasing the number of frames. To be honest most vehicles probably don't need to be slowed down much, but the helicopters in particular look bad since the frame rate's so slow and they're moving so fast..

But the real pain of it is the data isn't stored in a single table or file, it's stored very randomly all over the executable so there's no easy way to find where the patterns are other than watch variables in the WinUAE debugger. As such, I've only been bothered to slow down level 1 so far. (I also deleted the foreground power poles just to reduce slow down)

At some stage I may finish this as a minor SE - no sprite fixes, probably a new title screen and maybe new palettes. No promises though, it's still not a fantastic game.

Edit: Oh, and I made the player slightly slower too, down from 3 pixels/frame movement to 2 - makes it feel a bit smoother.

29 March 2016, 06:09	#1
earok Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Auckland Posts: 3,539	Area 88 (U.N. Squadron SE) [100% complete!] Final release is done and in the zone! Or through my site - http://earok.net/game/area-88-un-squadron-se Dusted off an old project, I don't know if I'll do anything further with it or not. Here's what it's looking like so far [ Show youtube player ] My general idea for hacking UN Squadron was along the lines of: * Half the speed that the game runs at * Double the framerate I think the second half can be achieved to some extent (on faster processors than a 68000 at least) by using either pure CPU or hybrid blitter/CPU copy routines - that's currently outside of my assembly hacking skills, but I did have some luck with the first half. The scroll rate is hard coded to a value of 4 (pixels/frame?), just halving that to 2 was fairly straight forward. The enemy projectiles were harder - there's some sort of routine that generates the speed values (possibly sine/cosine function? I can't follow the code) but reducing the loop from 2F cycles to 2E cycles cut the speed by around half. I haven't made any adjustment to the speed that the enemies follow paths at yet, I made some inroads into that but I don't fully comprehend it yet. I think I prefer the game running slower anyway, it's perhaps a little too easy/boring now but it at least looks smoother! Last edited by earok; 26 July 2018 at 09:39.

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29 March 2016, 08:37	#2
Gzegzolka Registered User Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Warszawa / Polska Posts: 1,858	I have never like UN S on amiga, maybe Your hack will change that. I think it's worth to try.

29 March 2016, 11:03	#3
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,412	The problem with UN squadron, is that it uses basically a software engine, because it's an ST port. The graphics are quite ugly for an amiga, usual Tiertex crap job.

30 March 2016, 13:38	#4
Gzegzolka Registered User Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Warszawa / Polska Posts: 1,858	OK. I do some small research for myself. I play UN squadron on MAME and on SNES. Than I play it on winuae, I play Z-out, X-out, ProjectX, Agony, and few more. There is something wrong with speed of this game on amiga. I can stand crappy graphics that looks nothing like on SNES or Arcade, but mechanics (or I should say execution) is what kills this game and ruin joy. It's normal that lot of stuff is happening is shmup, but You should always see what's going on. Here speed of sprites and projectiles it too high. Will it be easier? A little. Will it be boring? No, it will be finally bit more enjoyable. Also, could it be possible to remove first screen with two pilots and planes when game starts? Those two faces looks nothing like anime/manga and do not fit game style.

30 March 2016, 13:46	#5
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,436	It's a mess. Not worth to pimp it in any way. Play the good SNES version instead.

30 March 2016, 19:35	#7
dlfrsilver CaptainM68K-SPS France Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Melun nearby Paris/France Age: 46 Posts: 10,412	:/ hehhhhh......... Well if only they did actually for amiga instead of atari ST first, things would have been different......

30 March 2016, 20:22	#8
viddi Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Age: 44 Posts: 4,007	Yes, please upload the hack! I like it.

30 March 2016, 22:27	#9
Gzegzolka Registered User Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Warszawa / Polska Posts: 1,858	I'm interested in that hack too

30 March 2016, 22:37	#10
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 43 Posts: 17,789

31 March 2016, 00:35	#11
earok Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Auckland Posts: 3,539	@s2325 hahaha! Well, I've zoned it as is. You have to use the WHDLoad slave included as I've hacked out the file integrity check so it'll run.

08 April 2016, 14:31	#13
Amiga1992 Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: ? Posts: 19,645	Found this today, it's pretty nice! [ Show youtube player ]

08 April 2017, 00:02	#16
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	...or the awesome original Arcade version that I could finish on 1 credit back in the day Fond memories from my youth

08 April 2017, 07:37	#18
nobody Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: GR Age: 46 Posts: 1,416	Where can we get this version. I think you did a great job, much better now.

11 April 2017, 11:49	#20
earok Registered User Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Auckland Posts: 3,539	I had a quick look at it recently, and managed to crack the enemy patterns (so I can slow them down too). Each pattern is ten bytes long (ie five words). * 1st Word = The behaviour type. I think: 1 = normal, 2 = change pattern, such as try to ram the player when close, 5 = foreground decoration. Not sure of other settings. * 2nd Word = Countdown in frames. Eg this counts down by 1 every frame, and when it reaches 0 it goes to the next pattern. * 3rd Word = XSpeed. Self explanatory * 4th Word = YSpeed. Self explanatory. * 5th Word = Animation index. By fiddling with this variable you can make a helicopter turn into a plane, or a tank turn into a power pole etc. So I can slow it down by decreasing X/Y speed and increasing the number of frames. To be honest most vehicles probably don't need to be slowed down much, but the helicopters in particular look bad since the frame rate's so slow and they're moving so fast.. But the real pain of it is the data isn't stored in a single table or file, it's stored very randomly all over the executable so there's no easy way to find where the patterns are other than watch variables in the WinUAE debugger. As such, I've only been bothered to slow down level 1 so far. (I also deleted the foreground power poles just to reduce slow down) At some stage I may finish this as a minor SE - no sprite fixes, probably a new title screen and maybe new palettes. No promises though, it's still not a fantastic game. Edit: Oh, and I made the player slightly slower too, down from 3 pixels/frame movement to 2 - makes it feel a bit smoother.

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