Next game to port?

[d4rk3lf]

Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja is mediocre port (I'd say.. okayish).
But the movements (of enemies), is pretty jerky.

Do you guys think that, rather then re-creating te whole port again, would be possible to just somehow patch the game, so it's smoother?

Arcade:
[ Show youtube player ]

Amiga:
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[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by d4rk3lf

Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja is mediocre port (I'd say.. okayish).
But the movements (of enemies), is pretty jerky.

Do you guys think that, rather then re-creating te whole port again, would be possible to just somehow patch the game, so it's smoother?

Arcade:
[ Show youtube player ]

Amiga:
[ Show youtube player ]

The problem is always the same :

in order to get better colors, an A1200 is required. There's no way to reduce so many colors to 32. you have 4-5 differents sprites per level, each with 16 colors, never mind the amount of colors needed for backgrounds.

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by saimon69

I think is the same Ghosts'n'Goblins arcade board, hence since an almost perfect port of G'n'G was made on Amiga, a similar port should be doable with the required assets reductions - the post nuclear setting should help too since will be mostly scorched land and burned buildings; parallax might be lost but is not a big deal here

[ Show youtube player ]

It runs on the Section Z arcade hardware. It uses 2xz80. GNG use a 6809.

GNG use 128 colors. Trojan use 256 colors (if we speak in computer palette).

Just the sprites takes 80 colors all in all, since you have 2-3 differents on screen, this means 48-64 colors. bosses for some levels are alone on screen.

This game on average displays 80-100 colors on screen dynamically.

[d4rk3lf]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

in order to get better colors, an A1200 is required. There's no way to reduce so many colors to 32. you have 4-5 differents sprites per level, each with 16 colors, never mind the amount of colors needed for backgrounds.

But I don't want more colors.
I am perfectly fine with graphics as it is (same with Street Fighter 2 and Final Fight)).
Meaning... I understand that compromise have to be made.
Even fine with the lack of parallax..

Just asking for Bad Dudes, is it possible to get smoother movements, with some patch?
Seems like opponents are on 15fps or something...

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by d4rk3lf

But I don't want more colors.
I am perfectly fine with graphics as it is (same with Street Fighter 2 and Final Fight)).
Meaning... I understand that compromise have to be made.
Even fine with the lack of parallax..

Just asking for Bad Dudes, is it possible to get smoother movements, with some patch?
Seems like opponents are on 15fps or something...

Code wise there is possibly room for improvement. The coder told me that he had to lower the expectations because the game had to run on Atari ST, which was clearly not the computer made for Dragon Ninja (too much sprites, too many things to move around).

However, i don't think the Amiga can push DN at 50fps.

[dlfrsilver]

Ok, i have in case of need extracted, seperated each sprites of Trojan, with the good palettes

Next step, extracting the backgrounds with the correct palettes

[jotd]

@dennis sorry can't do, we need a Z80

@mcgeezer it makes perfect sense to create a poll. You don't want to create a port noone cares about. And you may have overlooked an already existing port.

You could edit the games to remove the ones that already were created in the meantime, though (Space Invaders, Gradius)

[d4rk3lf]

@dlfrsilver
Ahh, you spoke with coder?
That's very cool.

Yeah.. that explains it... same reason, as with so many other games (Final Fight for example)...
But forget Bad Dudes... how hard is to apply the patch to Amiga games?
I am totally ignorant on the subject, and I very rarely hear "patch" for Amiga games (unless it's WHDload stuff).
Or modding the game...

I guess (since, nobody talks about it) it's so much work, that is easier doing the port from the start...

[jotd]

I was thinking about Bad Dudes. Without the source maybe it's more difficult, but of course reverse engineering it is easier than re-creating it from scratch.

The graphics are okay, but I think mcgeezer now targets AGA and 1:1 port. Bad Dudes doesn't have the same levels at all. The train & truck levels in particular are VERY short and completely different. At least it remotely looks like the arcade game (unlike Shinobi!!)

But yes, at least you have everything running already and work in increments. Like I'm currently doing for Supercars 2 AGA port.

That's a project I would be interested in (not saying I'm going to do it).

One could imagine pimping Pang (which is already very good), adding AGA colors (the crab shares the palette with the bubbles: it is green with bubbles are green..), the missing in-game tune (england stage) and more colors to the balls (not too difficult) and replace the arctic level by the original one (a lot of breakable blocks, I suppose their collision engine wasn't optimized enough when they realized that this level would crawl). Having the source code would help... but we don't have it.

That's a project I would be interested in (not saying I'm going to do it either).

[sandruzzo]

Originally Posted by dlfrsilver

I'd say 256x240.

At the moment, i have all the sprites and tiles with the right colors

256*208 would give more Free dma slots...

[BippyM]

Originally Posted by DamienD

This thread and poll are useless.

Graeme ports whatever games he likes anyway; which is fine.

Not really sure why he bothered asking people for their opinions in the first place, if being totally honest.

Right....

• Firstly mcgeezer and any other user can create and post any thread they want as loing as they are not breaking any rules.
• Secondly, mcgeezer and any other developer might want to get a feel for waht people want to see, they might want to get some ideas of projects they can do. This makes this thread, and any like them worthy of EAB.
• If someone doesn't want to create/port a game then that is their decision, and your riling up and constant grief/posts you mention on these things is ridiculous.
• Developers often do some of these thjings for free, they also have the right to do what they enjoy. If you don'y like it, and it doesn't bother you then stop getting involved with these threads.

I have cleaned this thread up now. Everyone keep it on topic please.

[d4rk3lf]

Originally Posted by jotd

The graphics are okay, but I think mcgeezer now targets AGA and 1:1 port.

Yeah, you are right... I was talking more broadly.. not thinking on mcgeezer specifically, but anyone who code.. anyone who want's to do OCS too.

And Dragon Ninja is just my example, for the question. .. not really dying to see it ported. But kudos if anyone attempts it (as with any other ports)!

Personally, I'd like to see people think more objectively about porting, and what Amiga REALLY lacks, so we can make it's library even more richer.
For example, one of my favorites are 1vs1 fighting game. I know that it would be really awesome getting a nice port of Street Fighter 2, but then I am thinking, we already have such a nice port of Mortal Kombat 1 and 2, and couple of Amiga exclusives really nice fighting games, so I am really already happy in that department.
But from the other side, Amiga is lacking brawlers like desert for the rain. Except for average (nice port, but average game) Golden Axe, there's nothing even close to quality brawler. I know of the upcoming Metro Siege, but we are talking about ports here.
So, for me personally, priority would get Final Fight waaay before Street Fighter 2.

One more example: Fast paced basketball game like NBA Jam.
It doesn't have to be attractive as NBA Jam, it's just have to be fast paced (small players... yes... sure).. 2 vs 2.. fast passing the ball.. fast dunking.. fast shooting for 3 or 2..
Never saw anything like it on Amiga (and I am pretty sure it can do it), and there's couple of very nice arcade games that is like that.

That's when I get a little bit surprised when someone say he wants port of Wonder Boy!
Wonder Boy, seriously?
After all these millions of great Amiga platformers, we really need another one? It's nice game and all.. but still...

Sorry for the long post, everybody creates what he likes to create, and I have no objections there... just a bit sorry if it's created something that is already in Amiga library, and even much better
(Ruff'n'Tumble >>>>> Wonder Boy).

[DanScott]

Originally Posted by sandruzzo

256*208 would give more Free dma slots...

would also seriously shaft the gameplay.. but ho-hum

[jotd]

@d4rk3lf yeah too many platformers. The source of NBA Jam is available BTW. Of course it's a different processor, of course it needs a complete rewrite

I love Dragonninja arcade that's one of my favorite arcade games. I also love Pang. Seriously maybe if I do something working with Supercars 2 I'll give Pang a try. I'm not as talented as mcgeezer to create games from scratch so I'll go for the "pimp" route.

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by jotd

@d4rk3lf yeah too many platformers. The source of NBA Jam is available BTW. Of course it's a different processor, of course it needs a complete rewrite

I love Dragonninja arcade that's one of my favorite arcade games. I also love Pang. Seriously maybe if I do something working with Supercars 2 I'll give Pang a try. I'm not as talented as mcgeezer to create games from scratch so I'll go for the "pimp" route.

Pang is a game using real 64 colors on screen (screen is splitting in strippes, each with its 16 colors palette).

[khph_re]

Pang was very well done, personally I would like to see games that were converted badly, or did not appear on the Amiga at all.

[dlfrsilver]

Originally Posted by khph_re

Pang was very well done, personally I would like to see games that were converted badly, or did not appear on the Amiga at all.

I also share this view

The problem is still A500 or A1200 ? Yet again, the A500 has been juiced to the maximum, while AGA plateform is "untouched".

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by DanScott

Don't look at the hardware specs... look at the actual game

Agreed... looks like a Ghosts 'n' Goblins engine and that was done very well on the A500.

Certainly do-able.

[mcgeezer]

Originally Posted by jotd

The graphics are okay, but I think mcgeezer now targets AGA and 1:1 port. Bad Dudes doesn't have the same levels at all.

I wouldn't specifically say I target AGA, it's just what I think will best do the game justice... for example, I'm thinking about doing Kung Fu Master because it's a nice short challenging game... but I'd do that on A500.

Originally Posted by d4rk3lf

Yeah, you are right... I was talking more broadly.. not thinking on mcgeezer specifically, but anyone who code.. anyone who want's to do OCS too.

A much better version of Dragon Ninja could be done on A500 for sure, it's kind of nicely set out similar to the way Rygar was which enables colour splits down the screen to get the best out of dual playfield - you'd probably be looking at 25fps. AGA though could do it arcade perfect - no problem.

I'm surprised there's not much love for Side Arms, great two player shooter that I played alot in the arcades and a great AGA challenge. I've not done a shooter yet.

[jotd]

There's an unfinished good port of Kung Fu Master for ages now, but nothing seems to move ATM.

Side Arms is a very good game. Haven't played in a while now, but I remember completing it (with not that many credits). And AFAIR Amiga version is really not that good.

Dragonninja!!!... You're picking the right games whatever you choose!