TMS9918 with 48 sprites, more than 16 colors on the same screen?

[kl99]

Check out this thread from the Colecovision forum:
http://atariage.com/forums/topic/216268-my-first-test-on-the-tms9918/

 

Maybe this can be used also on our system? Both systems share the same VDP.

[sometimes99er]

Apparently it is possible to reuse sprites further down the screen. If 48 sprites (double sized) are possible then 96 sprites (not double sized) should also be possible. Moving them vertically will be an extra challenge. Tursi has proved that you could use the VDP collision detection to get a fix on a scanline or thereabout which should be good enough. Maybe the fifth sprite on a line can be used too. Otherwise you basically have to count you way down the screen using the CPU. Reusing sprites later which for certain has been drawn.

 

Tursi has demonstrated more than 16 colors using the flicker technique. One frame show one color and the next shows another. The two may blend more or less to form a new color. You could also display green, then green, then dark green, and restart, in theory introducing more flicker, but also more than 105 colors.

 

Here's a demo of 105 colors. You might have to turn on CPU Overdrive to enjoy.

 

 

Edited January 9, 2014 by sometimes99er

[+Vorticon]

Can't seem to be able to run the demo...

[sometimes99er]

The demo is a cartridge. Just changing colors rapidly. The performance of the video below will depend on your system. Some of the "new" colors will flicker and some should be almost steady.

[media=544,416]http://sometimes.planet-99.net/pic/tri.swf[/media]