Games where the Atari ST version was.....

Originally Posted by idrougge

You may not need to preshift sprites, but without hardware scrolling, you may want to preshift backgrounds nevertheless. And your precious 512 kB memory must hold two codepaths instead of one.

Since I did some here mentioned blitter enhancements for Atari ST games (GGS blitter scroll, now Uridium, + couple others) I need to say couple words here.
I did GGS fine scroll first using STE HW scroll capabilities, but it needed some trickery with timers because not whole screen scrolls. Then came idea to use blitter for drawing background on screen - and it did it very fast with all needed shifts for fine scroll. So, no any background preshift was necessary.
And holding many preshifted backgrounds not just takes lot of RAM but makes all it slower when some change on background happens (like destroying some object) - because you need to draw changes on all preshift phases in moment of destroying.
I did all usual (possible ?) ways: there are versions with 4-8-16 preshift phases, and by 8 and 16 phases there is visible slowdown by mentioned background changes. There is special version for TT, where CPU does all shifts during background draw on screen - and it's 32MHz 32 bit CPU with much faster barrel shift matches approx. 8 MHz blitter in speed.

Considering 2 codepaths: I seen solutions with 2 paths in same executable, and solutions where diverse executables were loaded depending on available HW, so no, it must not take extra RAM. Especially if HW depending code section is small in size. And why should some scroll or sprite draw code be large ?

[Seiya]

Shortgrey Amiga version

Shortgrey Atari ST version

[turrican3]

Originally Posted by Gordon

Has Nitro been mentioned? Apparently this version has pedestrians and traffic on Atari but not on Amiga.

Yes i saw it too !!! but the music is so much better on the amiga !!!

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by lordofchaos

One thing that a lot of die hard ST users say is, the STE had much better hardware than the ST and they didn't use it properly, or it was a lazy rushed port. All that stuff being completely irrelevant, history has already been played out, all the excuses after the fact doesn't change anything. The ST was an OK machine, was never great, it filled a nice gap in the market for being affordable.

There will never be a game like Elf Mania or Lionheart on the ST, even with all the time in the world. Hypotheticals are all very fine but in the end that's all they are. I love the ST, it was my first 16-bit computer, but I realise the machines limits. Can't we just say the ST was a fine machine but will forever live in the Shadow of the Amiga.

Shadow Of The Amiga - Possible game title? Haha!

On EAB we have Galahad and Meynaf porting ST games to Amiga etc, but where are those ST coders patching ST games to add STE features... We win :-)

[roondar]

Originally Posted by Methanoid

On EAB we have Galahad and Meynaf porting ST games to Amiga etc, but where are those ST coders patching ST games to add STE features... We win :-)

You might have to return that medal there

As it turns out there are a number of ST->STE 'ports', including R-Type Deluxe ( [ Show youtube player ]), Pacmania (https://youtu.be/07MIDzSEp58) and of course, the recent Atari STE version of Ghouls And Ghosts (https://youtu.be/ZWOHrtpAKlU).

Both platforms have great coders doing great work

[StingRay]

Originally Posted by roondar

both platforms have great coders doing great work

+1

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by roondar

You might have to return that medal there

As it turns out there are a number of ST->STE 'ports', including R-Type Deluxe ( [ Show youtube player ]), Pacmania (https://youtu.be/07MIDzSEp58) and of course, the recent Atari STE version of Ghouls And Ghosts (https://youtu.be/ZWOHrtpAKlU).

Both platforms have great coders doing great work

They do.. just having a bit of banter

[Nosferax]

Both machine were great and I did and still do own and play with both. Trying to get my hand on a 1040STE to complement my 520STFm, just like I got an A1200 to complement my A500.

[kamelito]

Originally Posted by Methanoid

On EAB we have Galahad and Meynaf porting ST games to Amiga etc, but where are those ST coders patching ST games to add STE features... We win :-)

http://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2018/...games.html?m=1

[Methanoid]

Originally Posted by kamelito

http://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2018/...games.html?m=1

Thanks for that... Got two STEs here too

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by Seiya

Shortgrey Amiga version

Shortgrey Atari ST version

That game name sounds familiar to me. It was advertised at the end of Odyssey by Alcatraz, before the final credits rolled. It looks like the same people were behind it.

[Seiya]

Originally Posted by Foebane

That game name sounds familiar to me. It was advertised at the end of Odyssey by Alcatraz, before the final credits rolled. It looks like the same people were behind it.

you remember right:

[SquawkBox]

Bio Challenge (from Delphine software) looks somewhat different on the ST. The shades are more pastel apparently, and it plays a little faster.

[lilwshu]

The positives I have seen from games on the ST are 1. They mostly fill the screen and 2. They are all in the same position on the screen, neither of which are true for Amiga games.

[kremiso]

Forgotten Worlds was imo better on ST
well ok, graphically little different, sound worse...
just a bit more smooth and playable, despite also that missing some arcade levels

still dreaming of a better port of this one for the Amiga

[SquawkBox]

Night Hunter from UBI Soft scrolls on the miggy, while on the ST the main character needs to reach the opposite side of the screen for the next piece of blood sucking / bat or werewolf changing action to take place. Also, the sprite of Nosferatu seems slightly different in each version, the eyes less injected with blood on the ST most notably.
Unrelated bit of trivia, for some reason, the coders couldn't manage (or didn't have time) to port that game on the C64.

[SSJTrunks69]

Chuck Rock, (Amiga version looks brighter, while Atari ST version looks darker)

[rKickrkds]

Atari St version of Tennis Cup. My favorite tennis game. The irony being this is a ST port of an Amiga game. Instead of being worse or as good, it is better.
ST version is faster and has smoother animation (noticeable when hitting the ball). Biggest kick in the teeth, the sound is much better on the ST. Unlike the Amiga version it has crystal clear digital sound samples, hitting ball noise plop, clean voice output of 15 love etc with french accent, not in the Amiga and it has lower noisier versions. St has very clean voice output and digitized instruments.

Another one I played a lot and noticed a difference (not a really good game but I liked it) Sonic Boom. St version had smoother scrolling. Also another rare one where Amiga music was irritating in this game compared to the ST soundtrack.

[skan]

Originally Posted by rKickrkds

Another one I played a lot and noticed a difference (not a really good game but I liked it) Sonic Boom. St version had smoother scrolling. Also another rare one where Amiga music was irritating in this game compared to the ST soundtrack.

Mhmh dunno, Amiga version seems better honestly...
[ Show youtube player ]

[SuperFuryAnimal]

Blood money was slower from memory on the ST than the Amiga, still good but slower.


But then the machines were blitter rivals!!