MagicEngine
Forums
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
 Japanese English 

SGX VPC demo
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    MagicEngine Forum Index -> General
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Tomaitheous
Elder
Elder


Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 306
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 5:00 am    Post subject: SGX VPC demo Reply with quote

Ok. This is an SGX demo that shows off a transparency trick using the VPC. There are a number different tricks you can do with the VPC, this just shows off one of them.

Here is the readme
Code:

8/30/06.  SGX Demo VPC #1

 This is a one of few SuperGrafx VPC demos. This demo shows a simple
and easy transparency effect. The effect is achieved by setting the
VPC regs $0008/$0009 to $77. The sprite from VDC #1 needs to be set
to low priorty, the same sprite needs to exist in VDC #2 (as high
priority) and in the same position of the sprite of VDC #1, but
assigned to an alternate palette (lighte/darker or different HUE/
color). When the two sprites pass infront of the an opaque part of
BG 1, the sprite from VDC #1 will be set behind the BG from VDC #1
 - causing the sprite from VDC #2 to show on top.

 You can control the sprite with the D-pad. Button I cycles through
4 H-sync settings - none (normal), sin wave, VDC #1 BG blur, disable
VDC BG (turn off effect).

 As of this writing the demo only runs on mednafen(0.6.3) with the
SGX option or the real SuperGrafx hardware.


You can download the demo - here.

A few pics..





-Rich
_________________
www.pcedev.net
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Squaresoft74
Elder
Elder


Joined: 19 Apr 2002
Posts: 366
Location: France

PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Neat stuff ! Very Happy
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Peperocket
Member
Member


Joined: 20 Apr 2005
Posts: 30

PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Test on a real supergrafx, well...very nice effect !!!

Great job !!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Tomaitheous
Elder
Elder


Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 306
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks guys Very Happy

I just want to update some things on Charles SGX doc.

Quote:
For 01b, VDC #1 sprites are shown behind the VDC #2 background. However,
the VDC #1 background has missing sprite-shaped areas where it's sprites
are, even though they are hidden behind both background layers.


When in this mode if a VDC #1 sprite is set to low priority, there is not cut out of the VDC #1 background. Also, in all modes - sprites from VDC #1 always appear infront of sprites from VDC #2 unless back ground data is sent in it's place. Otherwise the above demo wouldn't work. <- there might be one exception to this though as there some testing I still need to do.

I'll post another VPC demo in a few days.



PS: A big thanks goes to Charles MacDonald for validating info about the VDC bus, the VPC, and for writting the SGX doc.

PSS: Chris, just a little info that I thought was interesting. According to Byuu's doc, the SNES offical interlaced mode is a switch between 262(odd) lines and 263(even) lines. I looked at your demo and it looks like your switching line modes at RCR 240. What about setting the timer on line 240 so the interrupt happens on line 262 for odd and 263 for even - to change between modes? I'm curious to see if the PCE interlace mode can be worked to work on a HD/proscan TV as well as a standard interlaced TV.

-Rich
_________________
www.pcedev.net
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Paranoia Dragon
Elder
Elder


Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 366
Location: New Iacon

PostPosted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would like to see someone do a transparency demo for the regular PCE. The best effect I've ever seen, is from Shapeshifter. Probably the 2nd best is Dracula X. It is something we at Frozen Utopia would like to utilize eventually. I think there might be a project coming up where this would come in handy Very Happy
_________________
Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Tomaitheous
Elder
Elder


Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 306
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PD, you got any screen shots of said games? I don't remember the transparency effects for those games. There are a quite few different tricks for the original PCE, but they're all quite limited. I know Nod already knows about the Jackie Chan silhouette trick.
_________________
www.pcedev.net
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Paranoia Dragon
Elder
Elder


Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 366
Location: New Iacon

PostPosted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm, I don't have any screenshots made, but I could make some. I could also make Shapeshifter available for you, but uploading it to my lil' webpage. And I know where you can get Drac X online. Just LMK what you want. In the meantime, I'll work on some pics of those asap.

BTW, I know Xavier is working on a transparency effect for his Sonic game, though I haven't heard any news about it lately. I already provided him with Shapeshifter so he could try to figure out how it was done. It really is the best transparency I've ever seen on the Turbo. Wish I still knew someone from Icom, to see if I could get any info on how they did it.
_________________
Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Kaminari
Elder
Elder


Joined: 19 Apr 2002
Posts: 1432
Location: Paris, France

PostPosted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could try contacting Infinite Ventures, the current holder of all ICOM's IP (including the original MacVenture collection). Maybe someone there knows how to get in touch with the previous developers or the original head honcho -- Tod Zipnick I believe.
_________________
Kaminarimon HES Music Archive | Tokugawa Corporation | YouTube Channel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Tomaitheous
Elder
Elder


Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 306
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PD: I have both games, I just don't remember the effects for the games. I actually haven't gotten very far in ShapeShifter.

I didn't know Xavier was working on a transparency effect. I haven't seen him on the Frozen Utopia forums for quite a while. Is he active on the necstasy forums with his PCE dev projects?


Kaminari: it wouldn't be to hard to step through the code in a debugger. How far into the game is the effect anyway?
_________________
www.pcedev.net
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Paranoia Dragon
Elder
Elder


Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 366
Location: New Iacon

PostPosted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Xavier's been around the forums, but hasn't posted much lately. But from what I've heard, he has made some progress in the game.

For Shapeshifter, the first part where they use transparency is after you get the jaguar ability. As you go above the caves where you got that ability, you eventually come to a temple. It's either right before, or right after that temple(maybe both) where there is blue water you can go in, & eventually you get the shark ability, & go into a water world. There's an area later on, after getting the rock troll ability, & you fight a boss, that is right next to some pits filled with bright green water(or it might've been purple, for some reason I can't remember, but it looks really cool). It really does look like a transparency effect you'd maybe see on the SNES.

For Drac X, there's water in the 2nd upper level(the castle), when you fall underneath the floor, & you fight the mermen. There's water there, & I remember it being pretty well done, but not as good as Shapeshifter. But, if you fall into the water, from what I remember, his body turns blue, at the same level as the water, rather then like Bonk, where he automatically turns blue when he touches the top of the water. It could be, that they just took alot of time, making frames of his body turning blue for every horizontal line, but, I'm no programmer. For all I know, that might've used up alot of memory, that could've been used for the level.

I'll try to come up with some pics soon. If I don't post anything here in the next day or 2, just remind me.
_________________
Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Paranoia Dragon
Elder
Elder


Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 366
Location: New Iacon

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, checked both games. For Shapeshifter, unfortunately, the transparency only works on real hardware. Although, I haven't tested it on other emulators.

Dracula X, either it doesn't work with ME, or they just use a flicker effect. I thought they had done a good job at it, but, it's been awhile, so, I guess it's up to Shapeshifter to solve the mystery of transparency.
_________________
Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
ccovell
Regular
Regular


Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 100
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great demo, Rich!

As for the transparency, don't both games just change the sprite/BG palette where the split is? That would be the simplest way for a game to do it.
_________________
http://www.chrismcovell.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Tomaitheous
Elder
Elder


Joined: 27 Sep 2005
Posts: 306
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PD: I'll try out Shapeshifter with mednafen. I have a feeling it's what Chris stated - an hsync interrupt palette change.

Similar to this, except the BG palette is probably static and the sprite palette is dynamically changed.

Chris, would you be interested in a simple(I think) project?

Btw, David - is the Bloody Wolf submarine first boss bug going to be fixed in the next release of ME?

-Rich
_________________
www.pcedev.net
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dmichel
Admin
Admin


Joined: 04 Apr 2002
Posts: 1166
Location: France

PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tomaitheous wrote:

Btw, David - is the Bloody Wolf submarine first boss bug going to be fixed in the next release of ME?


Nope, not in the next PR, I'm planning a big bug hunt for 1.0 final, that will be the next next release.
_________________
David Michel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Paranoia Dragon
Elder
Elder


Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 366
Location: New Iacon

PostPosted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tomaitheous wrote:
PD: I'll try out Shapeshifter with mednafen. I have a feeling it's what Chris stated - an hsync interrupt palette change.

Similar to this, except the BG palette is probably static and the sprite palette is dynamically changed.

Chris, would you be interested in a simple(I think) project?

Btw, David - is the Bloody Wolf submarine first boss bug going to be fixed in the next release of ME?

-Rich


Hmm, I've seen that demo before. Never really thought of it being used for a transparency effect. But you're the expert here.

To get to the part with the water as quick & burdensome as possible. I suggest using the code that gives you infinite lives & gems. When you go to the Chancellor or whatever he is, where the save & load features are, just keep doing a clockwise pattern for awhile & then leave. I noticed, on my current setup in ME, I see a green bar around ME when the code is activated. And thru my testing the code recently, it does seem to take awhile to get it to work.
_________________
Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    MagicEngine Forum Index -> General All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group