To blank line or not to blank line

[jbs30000]

As I'm working on my game and working out the bugs, one thing I can't decide on, should I use no_blank_lines or not? I'm leaning against it, but I'm curious what others think. Below are a couple of snapshots, including one from the actual arcade game that I'm basing this game on. What looks better, lines or no lines?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

As I'm working on my game and working out the bugs, one thing I can't decide on, should I use no_blank_lines or not? I'm leaning against it, but I'm curious what others think. Below are a couple of snapshots, including one from the actual arcade game that I'm basing this game on. What looks better, lines or no lines?

 

I think no blank lines looks better, except for the fact that the color changes on the last line (if there's a color change from one row to the next). If you can space the playfield rows apart so the color changes are hidden (by an empty row), or if you can work in the color changes so they look good (such as brown dirt under the green grass), then I'd say go with the no blank lines option. But if it's too hard to avoid unwanted color changes, then maybe the blank lines would look better.

 

It's too bad there's no way to mix the two on the same screen-- some rows with blank lines, and some rows with no blank lines. I wonder how hard it would be to customize the kernel to do that?

 

Michael

[jrok]

It's too bad there's no way to mix the two on the same screen-- some rows with blank lines, and some rows with no blank lines. I wonder how hard it would be to customize the kernel to do that?

 

Michael

 

Great question. I've been trying to experiment with blank lines in a project, without much luck. Is there a good thread that explains how blank lines operate in the bB kernel?

 

Jarod.

[yuppicide]

I think Michael said what I would have said.

[Impaler_26]

The Question is if you can afford to lose missile0. I personally think the game looks better with blank lines and you won't have to worry about color changes.

 

AFAIK the no_blank_lines option also uses more cycles...

Edited January 14, 2009 by Impaler_26

[mos6507]

Blank lines give the graphics more of a texture. I vote blank lines.

[jbs30000]

Texture?

[BigO]

I don't think I'd have come up with the word "texture", but yeah I get that. I can't explain any better, but they look more refined, more detailed and just more pleasant/interesting to look at.

 

Without seeing the examples, I believe I would have thought the opposite.

Edited January 15, 2009 by BigO

[roland p]

Can the question-mark-blocks be done without blank lines? It would be easier to distinguish them from the stones.

[MausGames]

I like it better without the blank lines, but I think the real question is where are you going to get the cycles for a scrolling playfield? Without that, it isn't smb, or even anything like it.

[Impaler_26]

Can the question-mark-blocks be done without blank lines? It would be easier to distinguish them from the stones.

I think it would be nice to use the ball-sprite for the blocks but then you could only have one block per screen...

[jbs30000]

I don't think I'd have come up with the word "texture", but yeah I get that. I can't explain any better, but they look more refined, more detailed and just more pleasant/interesting to look at.

 

Without seeing the examples, I believe I would have thought the opposite.

Well, part of the reason I’m thinking of leaving the lines in, is that the shapes look a little bit better. With no blank lines, some objects look kind of square when they’re not supposed to. Of course also, all the objects look solid, which is nice.

Can the question-mark-blocks be done without blank lines? It would be easier to distinguish them from the stones.

As you can see, I’m making the question-mark-blocks hollow, and the other blocks solid. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough playfield pixels put question marks inside of the blocks.

I like it better without the blank lines, but I think the real question is where are you going to get the cycles for a scrolling playfield? Without that, it isn't smb, or even anything like it.

I thought about trying to make it scroll, but for a lot of reasons I’m not going to. Also, this is only going to be World 1-1 more than likely. If it turns out OK, I might go back and try to improve it, as well as do the other levels. But, except for the scrolling, I’m going to try and make this level as faithful to the original as possible, if I can.

Can the question-mark-blocks be done without blank lines? It would be easier to distinguish them from the stones.

I think it would be nice to use the ball-sprite for the blocks but then you could only have one block per screen...

Hmmm, or I could draw the screen more than once, and each time place the ball in a different location, but I'm afraid that's what I'm going to have to do with the other player sprite if there's more than one enemy on the screen at the same time. Anyway, just making the question mark boxes hollow works. And they won't flicker like they would if I used the ball.

Edited January 15, 2009 by jbs30000

[STGraves]

How did you enable both no_blank_lines and playercolors without having an error?

[+Random Terrain]

How did you enable both no_blank_lines and playercolors without having an error?

He probably used no_blank_lines and player1colors:

 

randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-batari-basic-commands.html#kernelopchart

[pacgreg]

I really like the bricky effect made by blank lines.

[Papa]

There are ways to make the lines disappear and still use lines and get the player1 sprite colors! Just use the same background color as the parts that you want to lose lines on. I use this in a couple of my games and it works nicely.

[STGraves]

Thanks i will try that.

[STGraves]

I haven't been capable of getting it to work, but i dont want the player1 colored, i need the player 0 and no blank lines.

[+Random Terrain]

I haven't been capable of getting it to work, but i dont want the player1 colored, i need the player 0 and no blank lines.

 

Why would it matter if it's player0 or player1? If you need only one multicolored sprite, just use player1.

[STGraves]

It matters because player0's model requires color, and player1's model is just one straight color. That's why i need them backwards.

[+Random Terrain]

It matters because player0's model requires color, and player1's model is just one straight color. That's why i need them backwards.

If you are talking about the sprite frames and color data, just change the numbers. For example, change player0color: to player1color: and player0: to player1:.

[STGraves]

And what will be the number for the current player1?

[+Random Terrain]

And what will be the number for the current player1?

 

player0

[Papa]

So you're wanting Player0 to be single color and have colors for Player1 and still have "no blank lines" enabled, right? If that's the case then you could just change which sprite your are controlling with the joystick and whatever effects to that particular sprite.

 

What I meant by changing the colors to match is that if you have lines in your playfield that you don't want then change the background to that color and they will disappear. In Titan Axe use this method to eliminate much of the lines in the playfield by blending it in with the background color.