Final Fight GFX 16 color test

[Master484]

This is a Final Fight arcade graphics conversion test to 16 colors.

In the attachment there is an ADF with a demo, so that you can see this actually running on an A500.

Here's a screenshot of the end result:






So, what I did here is that the characters were converted to 14 colors, leaving two colors for the copper. And then the sky, the building and the street were colored with those 2 copper colors.

Only the beginning of the level is there, but the coppers are designed in such a way, that the full level could be done in this way. And the sky copper color is still "free" in the space between the windows and the street, so it can be used for the trashcans and other stuff that would come later in the level.

And even if the coppers wouldn't be enough, the palette itself can handle many things on it's own.

This was just a quick test, so it's not 100% perfect, a few things could still be made better. But it gives a good idea of what the 16 color mode + copper is capable of. 52 colors on screen and looks about as good as the arcade version. And most importantly, the characters stand out really well from the backgrounds.

Demo is made with Blitz Basic 2 and running speed is 6 or 7 characters at 25 FPS. Brute force redraw is used, so it's a screen sized Blockscroll + blits. However, in this demo the Blockscroll doesn't follow the actual scroll (didn't bother to make it so, because I'm not doing the whole level), so you'll see some glitches at the right side of the bitmap. But just press space to clean the screen.

I'l later post some images on how the screen looks without the coppers and on so.

[TCD]

Looks really good Just tried it with the most common A500 quickstart in WinUAE 4.10.1 and is this the glitch that you mean:
?

[jotd]

how many colors on the screen total? 16 (disregarding copper of course) ? or 32?

Great palette. Looks like the colors used in most new games.

[Master484]

is this the glitch that you mean

Yes, that is the glitch. What you're seeing there is a side effect of the screen redraw not moving with the scroll + triple buffering. We just have to live with it for now, unless an improved version of the demo is made.

how many colors on the screen total? 16 (disregarding copper of course) ? or 32?

16 colors in the screen palette, of which 2 are reserved for the copper.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Master484

Yes, that is the glitch. What you're seeing there is a side effect of the screen redraw not moving with the scroll + triple buffering. We just have to live with it for now, unless an improved version of the demo is made.

It is a cool proof of concept for sure Let's see if somebody does something with it.

[jotd]

very good! looks like the palette used in Metro Siege (from the screenshots), which is really impressive.

What would rock would be the same in AGA dual playfield 14+2 copper colors for background 16 colors for characters. No background redraw because both layers are independant. Plus you can use big sprites for some stuff.

TBH, I'm not really believing in someone releasing the full game, after all the failed attempts on this particular game of all those years. There are a lot of levels and it's a lot of work. Personally I'm focusing on less ambitious projects ... that I have a chance to complete.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by jotd

TBH, I'm not really believing in someone releasing the full game, after all the failed attempts on this particular game of all those years.

[pixie]

That's fast as f!! :O

[Retro1234]

Ha ha brilliant work again Master484. Can I see a picture without the copper please.

[Master484]

Ok, here's the background image without the copper effects:



Also the sprites are there below the image.

All RGB values of the palette are now in OCS color space, unlike in the earlier US Gold version recolor that I posted in the other thread.

So, the 2 greens, that are the colors 0 and 1, are the ones reserved for the copper. Color 0 is used in the sky and the street. Color 1 is used in the building, the junkyard and also in the street.

Notice how the street is basically just 2 colors, so the 16 or so grays that it had in the arcade version are completely removed, and replaced with this random 2-color pattern, that is then copperized every line.

Also as mentioned, Color 0 is not yet fully used; it's free for action in the space between the windows and the street, and could be used either for the trashcans or the crates in the alleys, that arrive later in the level.

And of course the actual Amiga sprites aren't used either. They could be placed behind the bitmap, and used for doors or the trashcans, or something...so instead of moving objects, they would just bring more colors to the screen. Also an ASM programmer could probably multiplex them to get the energy bars and the timer to the game screen itself, and this way we would get rid of that black status panel area above the game screen, making the whole thing look 100% like the arcade.

That's fast as f!! :O

Thanks to Blitz Basic 2.

[Retro1234]

Hi, I don't understand how you have 2 coppers? I never knew this was possible.

[Retro1234]

Anyway looking at the other levels I'd say this is deffently possible graphically.

The junk yard is a bit of a pallete waster out of all the levels.
Why don't don't you colabriate with Brick Nash?

[Master484]

Hi, I don't understand how you have 2 coppers? I never knew this was possible.

It's totally possible to change 2 or more colors on a single Y-line. In Blitz Basic this is done using the DisplayRGB command's "Copoffset" parameter.

Why don't don't you colabriate with Brick Nash?

Because that would mean doing the whole game, and recoloring all character animation frames manually. Taking part in a potentially multi-year collaboration project like this basically means turning a free time hobby into a part time job. The recoloring alone would take months to complete, assuming that there is motivation to work on it a few hours every single day.

The "Final Fight Enhanced" project by Brick Nash looks really good so far, and I hope he manages to make the full game. The most important thing here is the coding. Almost anyone can recolor graphics and design cool looking coppers for a level, but only a few people can actually program these games.

And once the programming for the full game is done, then an "enhanced even more" version could be made, using these graphics. At that point it would be much easier, because then we know how the levels look in their final form, and which tiles and animation frames are actually in the game. And at that point the only things required would be a graphics swap and a copper plan for every level.

[Retro1234]

Can you upload a picture of just the copper

[Tsak]

Originally Posted by Retro1234

Hi, I don't understand how you have 2 coppers? I never knew this was possible.

Originally Posted by Retro1234

Can you upload a picture of just the copper

I've also explained how this works in the Metro Siege thread. Check below:

https://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p...&postcount=105

[Retro1234]

Thanks Tsak never new that - know of any other games apart from Lionheart know of any other games that did this?

[jotd]

I think that Devil's Temple uses that trick.

[skyzoo73]

Originally Posted by Master484

This is a Final Fight arcade graphics conversion test to 16 colors.

In the attachment there is an ADF with a demo, so that you can see this actually running on an A500.

Here's a screenshot of the end result:






So, what I did here is that the characters were converted to 14 colors, leaving two colors for the copper. And then the sky, the building and the street were colored with those 2 copper colors.

Only the beginning of the level is there, but the coppers are designed in such a way, that the full level could be done in this way. And the sky copper color is still "free" in the space between the windows and the street, so it can be used for the trashcans and other stuff that would come later in the level.

And even if the coppers wouldn't be enough, the palette itself can handle many things on it's own.

This was just a quick test, so it's not 100% perfect, a few things could still be made better. But it gives a good idea of what the 16 color mode + copper is capable of. 52 colors on screen and looks about as good as the arcade version. And most importantly, the characters stand out really well from the backgrounds.

Demo is made with Blitz Basic 2 and running speed is 6 or 7 characters at 25 FPS. Brute force redraw is used, so it's a screen sized Blockscroll + blits. However, in this demo the Blockscroll doesn't follow the actual scroll (didn't bother to make it so, because I'm not doing the whole level), so you'll see some glitches at the right side of the bitmap. But just press space to clean the screen.

I'l later post some images on how the screen looks without the coppers and on so.

Truly impressive how a good choice of palette can make a difference in perceived quality. Good work !

[Master484]

Can you upload a picture of just the copper

Here:



The copper colors 0 and 1 are on the left.

Notice how the street is just 2 classic copper rainbows side by side, yet they manage to create a nice looking high color texture pattern with minimal hassle.

But from this image we can see that things could still be improved, for example the building coppers could be smoother if some in-between shades would be added. And as mentioned, the sky copper is "free" between the windows and the street.

[saimon69]

This mean building custom copperlists for every stage, fair for me, i just hope the code supports it