coders wanted for shenandoah - Page 19

derSammler · 13 November 2007, 14:17

Just noticed while testing the game on my father's PC that at least on-board graphics cards are very bad in upscaling the background layers... Could everyone who tested the demo (in screen mode 1, 640x480 Windowed) please tell me if the background looked like this:

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=241

or if there were scaling artifacts? If there were artifacts, please let me know the brand and model name of the graphics card.

gimbal · 13 November 2007, 19:25

Curiousity: when you know the brand and model, how do you plan to tackle the problem? Try to find known issues + workarounds using google? I never find a solution that way myself

The thing I always fear the most is when the game behaves differently on systems other than the ones I have at home, because I simply have no clue how to debug those problems :s

derSammler · 13 November 2007, 19:36

Depends on the result. If only crappy on-board cards are affected, then I don't care at all. Those cheap "integrated graphics" are causing problems with all kind of games, since they weren't designed for games. I may add some detection code and let the user know if his graphics cards is known to cause problems, but that's it. Gameplay is not affected anyway, only the background layers will look a bit odd.

But if the problem is more common and happens with better graphics cards as well, then I might have a problem. I could simply fix it by not letting the hardware do the upscaling, but then I would lose up to 40% speed. Maybe I do two builds in the end, one with hardware scaling and one without...

Konrad · 14 November 2007, 00:40

Do you use floating point calculation for upscaling ? Did you try using integers (Ganzzahlen) for this ?

derSammler · 14 November 2007, 11:00

I'm using integers, though they are converted to floats before they are passed to DirectX. But a value of 2.0 (or 200 respectively) can be expressed as integer as well as float, so it shouldn't matter anyway.

starlord · 16 November 2007, 10:44

Oh MAMA!!!

My eyes just fell off for a minute there.

This thing is simply great (I can't think of anything else to describe it).

Sorry, though: All I got is a buggy P2 400mgz with no sound. Hardly good for testing this.

Hey, windows: check your message box.

meynaf · 19 November 2007, 17:35

Do you still need an amiga coder in here ?

I won't have much time for it, but I think I might help for the amiga version, if you tell me where to start, as I know next to nothing about your game...

Konrad · 19 November 2007, 17:49

WindowsKiller codes the windows version of this game. They're looking for someone coding the Amiga version, so you'll have to start from scratch, although WindowsKiller could supply you with graphics, levels, enemy patterns and sounds.

@WindowsKiller:
Correct me if I'm wrong.

derSammler · 19 November 2007, 18:36

Yes, that's correct.

A good starting point would probably be the old source code of the Amiga preview.

Though I'm not sure if it's a good idea to start with the Amiga version NOW, as we developed and still develop new ideas while working on the PC version, and olandrobo seems to constantly changes his mind on various things.

I guess it's best to wait until the PC version is done, then writing an Amiga port is much easier because no further changes will happen. Unfortunately, the PC version will not get done this year but very early next year.

starlord · 19 November 2007, 22:08

But nevertheless, we would be honoured to welcome you in the project: we WILL need amiga coders at one point.

You'll just have to be patient.

meynaf · 20 November 2007, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by starlord

But nevertheless, we would be honoured to welcome you in the project: we WILL need amiga coders at one point.

You'll just have to be patient.

Oh, I'm patient, no problem.

But remember to MP/mail me when the time comes...

derSammler · 20 November 2007, 14:00

@meynaf: I've uploaded the source code of the old Amiga preview to the zone. In case you want to have a look at it. Or would you rather start from scratch?

meynaf · 20 November 2007, 14:11

I'll probably do both : look at it, then start from scratch (maybe keeping some parts of the actual code).

starlord · 21 November 2007, 16:40

In that case, welcome to the shenandoah team, mon ami!

nujack · 21 November 2007, 18:59

@meynaf: I would be honored to test the Amiga-version on my A4000 if you want.
I couldn't understand why this game was not released after a preview on the CD32Gamer-magazin. It had enough potential to become a hit.

meynaf · 22 November 2007, 09:51

I'll boot up my A1200 this week-end and have a look at that.
But don't expect anything soon...

starlord · 22 November 2007, 12:49

But it WILL become a hit. I'm sure of it!

derSammler · 27 November 2007, 14:14

I've also uploaded the music files with a description of how to use them in the game, as I did some changes to make the music fit better.

starlord · 25 January 2008, 05:44

Hello to all! I'm sorry not to have been able to greet you my best wishes for 2008 but I had a computer crash. Now I can say it though, happy new year 2008 to all.

This goes for you too windows, and you olandrobo! Remember to keep the community updated on future progress reports regarding shenandoah. Also should you need me to hunt for something (info, programs, anything), feel free to ask.

best regards.

derSammler · 26 January 2008, 21:44

Quote:

Remember to keep the community updated on future progress reports regarding shenandoah.

There's not too much interesting stuff to tell currently. If all goes well, you can play the game at end of March. Until then, I'm not going to post any updates.

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13 November 2007, 14:17	#361
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	Just noticed while testing the game on my father's PC that at least on-board graphics cards are very bad in upscaling the background layers... Could everyone who tested the demo (in screen mode 1, 640x480 Windowed) please tell me if the background looked like this: http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=...&postcount=241 or if there were scaling artifacts? If there were artifacts, please let me know the brand and model name of the graphics card.

13 November 2007, 19:25	#362
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,973	Curiousity: when you know the brand and model, how do you plan to tackle the problem? Try to find known issues + workarounds using google? I never find a solution that way myself The thing I always fear the most is when the game behaves differently on systems other than the ones I have at home, because I simply have no clue how to debug those problems :s

13 November 2007, 19:36	#363
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	Depends on the result. If only crappy on-board cards are affected, then I don't care at all. Those cheap "integrated graphics" are causing problems with all kind of games, since they weren't designed for games. I may add some detection code and let the user know if his graphics cards is known to cause problems, but that's it. Gameplay is not affected anyway, only the background layers will look a bit odd. But if the problem is more common and happens with better graphics cards as well, then I might have a problem. I could simply fix it by not letting the hardware do the upscaling, but then I would lose up to 40% speed. Maybe I do two builds in the end, one with hardware scaling and one without...

14 November 2007, 00:40	#364
Konrad Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Germany Age: 43 Posts: 743	Do you use floating point calculation for upscaling ? Did you try using integers (Ganzzahlen) for this ?

14 November 2007, 11:00	#365
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	I'm using integers, though they are converted to floats before they are passed to DirectX. But a value of 2.0 (or 200 respectively) can be expressed as integer as well as float, so it shouldn't matter anyway.

16 November 2007, 10:44	#366
starlord Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: france Posts: 209	Oh MAMA!!! My eyes just fell off for a minute there. This thing is simply great (I can't think of anything else to describe it). Sorry, though: All I got is a buggy P2 400mgz with no sound. Hardly good for testing this. Hey, windows: check your message box.

19 November 2007, 17:35	#367
meynaf son of 68k Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lyon / France Age: 51 Posts: 5,355	Do you still need an amiga coder in here ? I won't have much time for it, but I think I might help for the amiga version, if you tell me where to start, as I know next to nothing about your game...

19 November 2007, 17:49	#368
Konrad Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Germany Age: 43 Posts: 743	WindowsKiller codes the windows version of this game. They're looking for someone coding the Amiga version, so you'll have to start from scratch, although WindowsKiller could supply you with graphics, levels, enemy patterns and sounds. @WindowsKiller: Correct me if I'm wrong.

19 November 2007, 18:36	#369
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	Yes, that's correct. A good starting point would probably be the old source code of the Amiga preview. Though I'm not sure if it's a good idea to start with the Amiga version NOW, as we developed and still develop new ideas while working on the PC version, and olandrobo seems to constantly changes his mind on various things. I guess it's best to wait until the PC version is done, then writing an Amiga port is much easier because no further changes will happen. Unfortunately, the PC version will not get done this year but very early next year.

19 November 2007, 22:08	#370
starlord Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: france Posts: 209	But nevertheless, we would be honoured to welcome you in the project: we WILL need amiga coders at one point. You'll just have to be patient.

20 November 2007, 14:00	#372
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	@meynaf: I've uploaded the source code of the old Amiga preview to the zone. In case you want to have a look at it. Or would you rather start from scratch?

20 November 2007, 14:11	#373
meynaf son of 68k Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lyon / France Age: 51 Posts: 5,355	I'll probably do both : look at it, then start from scratch (maybe keeping some parts of the actual code).

21 November 2007, 16:40	#374
starlord Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: france Posts: 209	In that case, welcome to the shenandoah team, mon ami!

21 November 2007, 18:59	#375
nujack Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Leipzig/Germany Age: 49 Posts: 459	@meynaf: I would be honored to test the Amiga-version on my A4000 if you want. I couldn't understand why this game was not released after a preview on the CD32Gamer-magazin. It had enough potential to become a hit.

22 November 2007, 09:51	#376
meynaf son of 68k Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Lyon / France Age: 51 Posts: 5,355	I'll boot up my A1200 this week-end and have a look at that. But don't expect anything soon...

22 November 2007, 12:49	#377
starlord Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: france Posts: 209	But it WILL become a hit. I'm sure of it!

27 November 2007, 14:14	#378
derSammler Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Posts: 1,667	I've also uploaded the music files with a description of how to use them in the game, as I did some changes to make the music fit better.

25 January 2008, 05:44	#379
starlord Zone Friend Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: france Posts: 209	Hello to all! I'm sorry not to have been able to greet you my best wishes for 2008 but I had a computer crash. Now I can say it though, happy new year 2008 to all. This goes for you too windows, and you olandrobo! Remember to keep the community updated on future progress reports regarding shenandoah. Also should you need me to hunt for something (info, programs, anything), feel free to ask. best regards.

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