Graph2fnt & game programming

[Lord-Chaos]

We have seen that high quality pictures are possible with Graph2fnt, which can be used in demos or slideshows.

 

But I wonder if Graph2fnt pictures could be used in new ATARI games ?

 

I mean high-quality pictures which use many DLIs etc.

 

IMO there are several genres where these pictures could be used :

 

- graphic adventures like the Magnetic Scrolls games.With the proper technique the pictures of Guild of thieves or The Pawn could have been similar to the ATARI ST/AMIGA graphics, but unfortunately the XL versions only show standard Graphics 15 4-color graphics.

 

But new adventure games with static graphics could use this technique, since only about 50-75% of the screen is used (rest for text window), so enough CPU-time would be left, although disk-access while the parser is working could be problem (screen must be switched off).

 

This would be a little more problematic if someone tries to port for example "Zak MC Kracken" or writes something similar since such games have larger-than-screen areas which require scrolling.

 

- games with many static pictures like the Cinemaware classics - Defender of the Crown etc. These games have not much animation in them.Especially Defender of the Crown - usually only a bit color-cycling on the AMIGA, that could be replaced with character-animation.

 

- role-playing games like "The Bard´s Tale" or similar, which display monster graphics in a window.I once did a Bard´s Tale - clone using the 256 color mode, it wasn´t finished, but the demo is available.

With Graph2fnt higher resolution pics are possible without too much CPU-time loss, since the AMIGA pictures I used are 16 color or less.

 

This would also work with the dungeon graphics, which is mostly static.With character animation, even something like burning torches could be made.

 

- most turn-based strategy games have not much action and something

like "King´s Bounty" (prequel to Heroes of Might&Magic) would be possible,it was done for the C64.Their graphics is mostly static and units don´t move smoothly (just jump to the next position).

 

-Board games like Chess could be done, too or business/trading simulations like

"Kaiser" could be done like the ATARI ST/AMIGA versions (there is an graphically enhanced version of "Kaiser" on the ATARI ST.Kaiser is

a German trading/strategy game,released in the 80s).

 

I think it´s not useful for 3D wireframe-action games or other games which manipulate the screen too often and unpredictable (color clashes would be a problem and CPU-time shortage).

 

And 2D action- platform , space- games could not use "highest quality" pictures - means it would not make sense to have a game with superb graphics and max DLI changes but running only at 1fps , but this would be no problem IMO since even on the AMIGA the best graphics modes weren´t used for ingame graphics , so for action games a "light" version

of this technique could be used.

 

Thimo

[analmux]

...And 2D action- platform , space- games could not use "highest quality" pictures - means it would not make sense to have a game with superb graphics and max DLI changes but running only at 1fps  , but this would be no problem IMO since even on the AMIGA the best graphics modes weren´t used for ingame graphics , so for action games a "light" version

of this technique could be used.

 

Thimo

 

Yes, true.....wait for the SmartFont demo, my current project. It's a graphicsmode similar to G2F or MCS, but with a bit less colorcells (large/coarse color blocks) so far less DLIs needed. All in the hypercharmode I'm playing with. In this mode some amazing things must be possible.

[Tezz]

Hi,

 

analmux..

wait for the SmartFont demo, my current project. It's a graphicsmode similar to G2F or MCS, but with a bit less colorcells (large/coarse color blocks) so far less DLIs needed. All in the hypercharmode I'm playing with. In this mode some amazing things must be possible.

Any progress on this 'mux? it sounds very interesting. I think these programs could be made into game construction tools which would cut down on the amount of work involved and will make for more creativity not having to put most of your efforts into getting the code to work. Using all of these type of tools will make the task fun. It's not nessasarily a lamers game construction kit but just usefull tools to cut down the amount of toil involved

 

Personally I would love to see a map designer tool appear utilising simpler DLI and PMG routines for the static areas such as the scores etc. and a playfield area built from tiled chrarcters also using simple DLIs. with scrolling routines. This way just the actual "game" code itself will need to be writen which will of course be coded by hand.

[analmux]

Hi,

 

analmux..

wait for the SmartFont demo, my current project. It's a graphicsmode similar to G2F or MCS, but with a bit less colorcells (large/coarse color blocks) so far less DLIs needed. All in the hypercharmode I'm playing with. In this mode some amazing things must be possible.

 

Any progress on this 'mux? it sounds very interesting. I think these programs could be made into game construction tools which would cut down on the amount of work involved and will make for more creativity not having to put most of your efforts into getting the code to work. Using all of these type of tools will make the task fun. It's not nessasarily a lamers game construction kit but just usefull tools to cut down the amount of toil involved

 

Well, ...progress: The ideas of how to make it work are getting clearer for me every day. By the way: SmartFont is NOT a graphics editor but a very special graphics mode that's generated with Antic 4 with PM underlays (MCS) and Pseudo-PM-bases (to be explained later). As softwaresprites are needed, a complex or Smart font-handler is needed, that's why I called it SmartFont. I'm planning to use this graphicsmode in the Flashcart game I have in mind, and for that game, yes, I will eventually write a levelmap editor.

 

As I'm going on a camping trip with my love I will have no time to demonstrate anything coming week, but wait for more.

 

By the way....Tezz, as you are rather new on this forum, did you see my scrolling MCS demo of a Nintendo-Mario-3 Levelmap?

 

Search for scrolling MCS topic and download it (in this (8bit) section). Or look here:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43043

 

This is the achievable graphics quality with PM underlays AND scrolling. Now imagine some softwaresprites buzzing around on the screen and a little parallax-scrolling and you'll have SmartFont graphics.

 

By the way: Sourcecode is included, so you may understand a little bit (if you're a coder) how it works. However the scrolling MCS graphicsmode is still a prototype gfx-mode, and it doens't make use of Pseudo-PM-bases yet (only something similar).

 

greetings,

[Tezz]

Analmux

By the way: SmartFont is NOT a graphics editor but a very special graphics mode that's generated with Antic 4 with PM underlays (MCS) and Pseudo-PM-bases

 

Yes I did realise this, I guess I was talking about two things at the same time. Your new mode idea sounds like a great idea. A really would love to see a good level/map designer appear soon using such a mode. I'm wondering how much of an overhead in performance your new mode will require especially using a software sprite routine.

 

Soon I hope we will have the following great development tools for games:

G2F for title/loading screens

RMT for music tracks

Smartfont or similar routine for in-game graphics mode

Smartfont level designer with integrated software sprite editor for total control over level construction.

 

By the way....Tezz, as you are rather new on this forum, did you see my scrolling MCS demo of a Nintendo-Mario-3 Levelmap?

I did see your Nintendo-Mario-3 posts earlier, I have been reading through the forums for some time before I joined as it were. Mario looks like an impressive project underway, It will be very good to see the included software sprites "buzzing around". Have you seen the unfinished Pacland sources that the Harequin guys have on their jetboot jack site?

That was looking good, it's a shame that the Harlequin games never saw the light of day.

 

Look forward to your progress on Smartfont and Mario.

Enjoy your trip