Monolith Production's Blood for a Amiga - Page 3

BSzili · 24 July 2021, 21:26

Great to hear! I'm slowly hacking away at making the menus for joystick settings. The PSXPort support is already in place, so that's also coming.

Havie · 28 July 2021, 22:26

Finally had time to try this out and WOW!!!! This is an amazing port of a great game that I have never played before - how did I miss it?

Thanks for all your hard work and is super smooth on V1200 in 320x200 mode, pretty smooth in 640x400 too!

Is there a way to show FPS?

utri007 · 28 July 2021, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havie

Is there a way to show FPS?

Press T and then write rate, then press enter.

Havie · 28 July 2021, 22:56

Thanks!

I have tried both the 040 and 060 on the V1200. Both run but the 060 has messed up font and textures. 040 seems to run absolutely fine. Will now go and test FPS.

Havie · 28 July 2021, 23:11

Ok - so had a look at frame rate.

At 320x200/240 - frame rate on V1200 sits around 40 fps(dropped to 35 at one point). At 640x400/480 then get just under half this at 13-15 fps. Obviously this depends on complexity of screen and number of bad guys.

So if you are used to play AB3D2 then 640 mode will seem nice and smooth but when you change to 320 there is a massive difference!

Morale of the tale - play at 320...

Detail setting doesn't seem to make a difference?

Should have said that this is all in RTG mode as don't know how to get to AGA mode (yet).

utri007 · 28 July 2021, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havie

Should have said that this is all in RTG mode as don't know how to get to AGA mode (yet).

If you don't have RTG, it uses AGA.

Check icon tool types. There is a FORCEMODE=PAL commented out. Remove () and it uses PAL 320 x 256, put NTSC it uses 320 x 200.

BSzili · 29 July 2021, 05:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havie

Ok - so had a look at frame rate.

At 320x200/240 - frame rate on V1200 sits around 40 fps(dropped to 35 at one point). At 640x400/480 then get just under half this at 13-15 fps. Obviously this depends on complexity of screen and number of bad guys.

So if you are used to play AB3D2 then 640 mode will seem nice and smooth but when you change to 320 there is a massive difference!

Morale of the tale - play at 320...

Detail setting doesn't seem to make a difference?

Should have said that this is all in RTG mode as don't know how to get to AGA mode (yet).

I'm glad it's running well. Blood has the heaviest game code on top of Build, so 640x480 is probably a bit too much.
To force specific screen modes, you can use the tooltypes described here in the "Fullscreen" section.
The detail slider adjusts the number and type of particle effects visible on the screen.

Havie · 29 July 2021, 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSzili

I'm glad it's running well. Blood has the heaviest game code on top of Build, so 640x480 is probably a bit too much.
To force specific screen modes, you can use the tooltypes described here in the "Fullscreen" section.
The detail slider adjusts the number and type of particle effects visible on the screen.

Whoops - that's what comes of failing to read the manual!

BSzili · 31 July 2021, 06:04

I updated the public test version. There's now joystick support for both CD32 controllers and PSX gamepads connected via PSXPort, you can find the settings in "Options / Controls ... / Joystick". I recommend the Classic preset for CD32 and the Modern one for PSX as a starting point. I also fixed some glitches for the tall pixel (320x200 and 640x400) modes, for example the level and episode name on the Map. The precache system received some improvements too, loading saved games should be much faster if the level didn't change.

I found that the sound code has a lot of overhead which makes some later levels unplayable. I lowered the default number of voices from 16 to 8 to reduce the CPU load. If you have already started the game, change "NumVoices" to 8 in nblood.cfg, or simply delete nblood.cfg if you didn't customize any of the settings yet. I'm planning to make some changes to minimize the mixer overhead, and some of these are already in place in this version.

Havie · 31 July 2021, 17:43

Great - thanks for the update, PSX controller here I come...

BSzili · 01 August 2021, 16:07

I'm looking for testers with CAMD-compatible MIDI devices. If you have one handy and would be interested in trying out the MIDI support, drop me a PM.

Hedeon · 01 August 2021, 16:29

Cool! Loved the MIDI music of Blood. You know what I am waiting for ;-)

BSzili · 01 August 2021, 17:03

I know, I know!

Unfortunately some serious performance issues surfaced that I must fix (not just the sound mixer, the framerate tanks on some levels for an unknown reason), but every file I open I also remove the gunk from it, so I'm getting there. As the saying goes: after you finish the first 90% of a project, you have to finish the other 90%.

Hedeon · 01 August 2021, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSzili

I know, I know!

Unfortunately some serious performance issues surfaced that I must fix (not just the sound mixer, the framerate tanks on some levels for an unknown reason)[/I].

Please don't remove features for the sake of performance or rather make them conditional (so not included when compiled for 68k) :-)

I actually do have a Roland SC-55 MKII which works perfectly with ScummVM WOS, but I am reluctant to test it with 68k games/programs.

arti · 01 August 2021, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSzili

I'm looking for testers with CAMD-compatible MIDI devices. If you have one handy and would be interested in trying out the MIDI support, drop me a PM.

You can test CAMD on Winuae with munt, a Roland mt-32 emulator,
works really good.

BSzili · 01 August 2021, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedeon

Please don't remove features for the sake of performance or rather make them conditional (so not included when compiled for 68k) :-)

I actually do have a Roland SC-55 MKII which works perfectly with ScummVM WOS, but I am reluctant to test it with 68k games/programs.

I don't intend to remove features, my goal is to improve the performance, which should benefit other platforms as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arti

You can test CAMD on Winuae with munt, a Roland mt-32 emulator,
works really good.

I'm currently testing it with WinUAE, but due to some incompatibility some instruments or channels simply don't play. I didn't have the same issue on real hardware, that's why I'm looking for testers. This is with the Microsoft GS Wavetable synth that worked fine with other programs, but I'll try munt as well to see if it makes any difference.
edit: Well what do you know, with munt everything plays back normally. There must be something in Blood's MIDI tracks or the EMIDI playback routine in JFAudioLib the MS Synth doesn't like. Anyway, I'm still looking for testers to see if the performance is improved

Estrayk · 03 August 2021, 15:22

Captured from a real A1200 060 AGA + MIDI Roland SC-88

[ Show youtube player ]

gimbal · 03 August 2021, 16:39

Sounding great!

I always especially liked the sound effects of Blood. Especially the cultist babbling is something else.

BSzili · 03 August 2021, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimbal

Sounding great!

I always especially liked the sound effects of Blood. Especially the cultist babbling is something else.

Crudux cruo!

gimbal · 05 August 2021, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSzili

Crudux cruo!

Geroxe bibox malax!

28 July 2021, 22:26	#42
Havie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: UK Posts: 1,893	Finally had time to try this out and WOW!!!! This is an amazing port of a great game that I have never played before - how did I miss it? Thanks for all your hard work and is super smooth on V1200 in 320x200 mode, pretty smooth in 640x400 too! Is there a way to show FPS? Last edited by Havie; 28 July 2021 at 22:37.

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24 July 2021, 21:26	#41
BSzili old chunk of coal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hungary Posts: 1,289	Great to hear! I'm slowly hacking away at making the menus for joystick settings. The PSXPort support is already in place, so that's also coming.

28 July 2021, 22:56	#44
Havie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: UK Posts: 1,893	Thanks! I have tried both the 040 and 060 on the V1200. Both run but the 060 has messed up font and textures. 040 seems to run absolutely fine. Will now go and test FPS.

28 July 2021, 23:11	#45
Havie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: UK Posts: 1,893	Ok - so had a look at frame rate. At 320x200/240 - frame rate on V1200 sits around 40 fps(dropped to 35 at one point). At 640x400/480 then get just under half this at 13-15 fps. Obviously this depends on complexity of screen and number of bad guys. So if you are used to play AB3D2 then 640 mode will seem nice and smooth but when you change to 320 there is a massive difference! Morale of the tale - play at 320... Detail setting doesn't seem to make a difference? Should have said that this is all in RTG mode as don't know how to get to AGA mode (yet).

31 July 2021, 06:04	#49
BSzili old chunk of coal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hungary Posts: 1,289	I updated the public test version. There's now joystick support for both CD32 controllers and PSX gamepads connected via PSXPort, you can find the settings in "Options / Controls ... / Joystick". I recommend the Classic preset for CD32 and the Modern one for PSX as a starting point. I also fixed some glitches for the tall pixel (320x200 and 640x400) modes, for example the level and episode name on the Map. The precache system received some improvements too, loading saved games should be much faster if the level didn't change. I found that the sound code has a lot of overhead which makes some later levels unplayable. I lowered the default number of voices from 16 to 8 to reduce the CPU load. If you have already started the game, change "NumVoices" to 8 in nblood.cfg, or simply delete nblood.cfg if you didn't customize any of the settings yet. I'm planning to make some changes to minimize the mixer overhead, and some of these are already in place in this version.

31 July 2021, 17:43	#50
Havie Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: UK Posts: 1,893	Great - thanks for the update, PSX controller here I come...

01 August 2021, 16:07	#51
BSzili old chunk of coal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hungary Posts: 1,289	I'm looking for testers with CAMD-compatible MIDI devices. If you have one handy and would be interested in trying out the MIDI support, drop me a PM.

01 August 2021, 16:29	#52
Hedeon Semi-Retired Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Leiden / The Netherlands Posts: 1,993	Cool! Loved the MIDI music of Blood. You know what I am waiting for ;-)

01 August 2021, 17:03	#53
BSzili old chunk of coal Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hungary Posts: 1,289	I know, I know! Unfortunately some serious performance issues surfaced that I must fix (not just the sound mixer, the framerate tanks on some levels for an unknown reason), but every file I open I also remove the gunk from it, so I'm getting there. As the saying goes: after you finish the first 90% of a project, you have to finish the other 90%.

03 August 2021, 15:22	#57
Estrayk Registered User Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Spain Posts: 511	Captured from a real A1200 060 AGA + MIDI Roland SC-88 [ Show youtube player ]

03 August 2021, 16:39	#58
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,906	Sounding great! I always especially liked the sound effects of Blood. Especially the cultist babbling is something else.

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