09 July 2020, 03:49 | #181 |
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Given that it's just 16 colors, why not an AGA dual-playfield modification? Then the background layer routine could be replaced with a scroll routine, freeing up performance. If the background is drawn in a separate pass, you could even just replace that bit of code in the existing code and leave the rest unmolested, then find the frameskip routine and set it to 25fps (I assume game logic would break and everything would run too fast then, but this would initially just be for proof of concept).
A first test would be to find the routine that draws the background layer and just NOP the call to it (or BRA/JMP ahead if it's inlined). If it's that easy a change, then the background draw/scroll routine can be replaced wholesale without changing the rest of the code of the game. |
09 July 2020, 06:01 | #182 |
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For my Proxima 3 Aga,I've used a very simple solution since all THAT ram: second and third layers were built into chip and in order to scroll them, I've just change bitplane pointers. For Foreground same shit, it was build into fast-ram, and with cpu, I just copy strips...
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09 July 2020, 10:01 | #183 |
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Doing it on aga would be easy, 50 frames no problem.
Ocs is a different story. |
09 July 2020, 10:05 | #184 | |
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09 July 2020, 10:05 | #185 | |
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Would be easy to get this going at 50 fps and the game looking like it does. add/edit: I see McGeezer already covered this.. |
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09 July 2020, 10:29 | #186 |
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In fact it was!
Last edited by sandruzzo; 09 July 2020 at 10:46. |
09 July 2020, 10:45 | #187 |
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09 July 2020, 10:48 | #188 |
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09 July 2020, 11:12 | #189 |
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09 July 2020, 11:55 | #190 | |
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Copy the background layer over writing planes 1 and 2. Copy Blit all the foreground tiles that are on the near edges Copy Blit all the foreground tiles that are on the outer edges on planes 3 & 4 Cookie Blit the foreground tiles that are on the outer edges on planes 1 & 2 Cookie Blit the sprites I havent quite worked out what it's doing for the screen rebuild on the sprites, it's doing something weird. Certainly interesting to look at this. |
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09 July 2020, 15:26 | #191 |
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09 July 2020, 15:31 | #192 | |
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I think at that time the Europeans were just trying to find their footing with SHMUPs. R-type was just released in japanese arcades a year earlier, and the ideas of what a good SHMUP should have in it were not around at that time. (and yeah, X2 is shit... ) |
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09 July 2020, 16:32 | #193 | |
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Please understand, I really hate Xenon 2. I find it unplayable and one of the most overrated games of the 16 bit era. So, I agree with you that Xenon 2 is a bad game. However, there's still something I want to point out.
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Well, IMHO anyway. Last edited by roondar; 09 July 2020 at 16:39. |
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09 July 2020, 16:47 | #194 |
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I like it. Period.
And my opinion has the very same f*ucking weight as yours. Period. That said and back on topic, some interesting thoughts have emerged from the thread, makes me wonder if stable 25fps framerate was really impossible to achieve or within reach with just some different approach. |
09 July 2020, 17:15 | #195 |
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09 July 2020, 21:01 | #196 |
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I personally don't think the A500 could manage a steady 25frames with the design brief of Xenon 2.
I think if they had reduced the weaponry a little, it could still have been a hectic game and had a lot going on, but the design brief for Xenon 2 simply wouldn't allow it. Sure, in a screenshot, having all that shit on screen looks impressive..... less so when its in motion. I think if the Bitmaps hadn't been so adventurous, less could have been more. |
09 July 2020, 22:59 | #197 | |
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Which it did. You almost could not believe this game is real back in the day when you saw advertisements of it. |
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10 July 2020, 10:33 | #198 | |
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That was not addressed to you mate ...and I know you hate X2 just because of the alien shop anyway!
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10 July 2020, 11:53 | #199 | ||
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This is my view as well, to each their own
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Removing the background layer or going Dual Playfield (with a 3/2 split) and properly using hardware sprites (for all the bullets if possible) should help a lot, though. But overall it'd probably have been better for steady FPS if the limits of the various platforms had been taken into account in the design of the game. Especially for the Amiga version as the hardware is different enough compared to other platforms to necessitate using Amiga specific solutions to get the best possible results. |
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10 July 2020, 12:49 | #200 |
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Indeed, but I admit I'm biased 'coz I'm a BitmapBros fanboi ever since!
Yeah, I'm a fanboi, but I can see the wasted chance. |
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