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Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 6:04 pm
by tcat
Hi,

Just to report some progress with `level9' game engine.
It now compiles, shows some info on startup asking for a game file.

file size: 79810 bytes
data space: 47936 bytes

NOTE executable file size is fairly big compared to ATARI port, which is roughly 25K, and AMIGA 45K.

Specific QL code in `ql.c' needs implementing a few routines, currently set as dummies.
Will need a lot more work to do, we can start w/o compressed game bitmaps as Rich suggests, graphics is going to be the most difficult part.

Tomas
level9 game interpreter
level9 game interpreter
level9.png (2.05 KiB) Viewed 4262 times

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2017 6:54 pm
by RWAP
An excellent start - it would be worth adding this to the page of the original Level 9 interpreter as well as Github - once it is working then we can hopefully look at general improvements

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2017 6:35 pm
by tcat
Hi,

Just pushed `level9' to GIThub.
https://github.com/SinclairQL/level9

Tom

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 4:24 pm
by tcat
Hi,

When `bitmaps.o' removed from the build, and adding `-O2' to CFLAGS, makes final executable smaller.
`level9' - file size 58416, data space 48400 bytes.

It seems doing things with `Knight Orc' data files for DOS,

Code: Select all

knork1_dat
knork2_dat
knork3_dat
taken from `Abandonware' pages as hinted by Derek.
Level 9 interpreter with `Knight Orc' adventure
Level 9 interpreter with `Knight Orc' adventure
knightorc.png (8.04 KiB) Viewed 4142 times
Tomas

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 6:33 pm
by tcat
Hi,

I have also build Gtk2+ version of `level9', can be possibly used to source graphics from the games. Seems to also support `magnetic' engine.

EDIT, Amiga or Atari game versions may have nicer graphics with more level of detail

Tomas
`Knight Orc' DOS version running under Gtk2+
`Knight Orc' DOS version running under Gtk2+

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 7:59 pm
by RWAP
At least it all looks like good progress so far and I am impressed.

As for graphics, I wonder whether any of the graphics modes could more easily be converted to either the 32 bit RGB mode of QPC2, or 8 bit RGB mode of Aurora as an initial version which might encourage others to have a go at producing a native QL graphics mode.

The other option, if we can find the ST graphics files would be for those to be converted using the SToQL Convertor and stored as QL bitmaps

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:45 pm
by tcat
The other option, if we can find the ST graphics files would be for those to be converted using the SToQL Convertor and stored as QL bitmaps
As many adventures have also their `ZX' text-only counterparts, we may use `Speccy' game files, surely smaller in size, though with somewhat reduced dictionaries. And combine with `Atari ST' graphics.

EDIT
Also not all graphics need be included in QL native versions, as when a PIC file is not found, it is silently ignored by the engine.

I was also thinking of looking for earlier `level9' versions, they may offer smaller code, though not as complex, possibly not supporting all games.

We currently have build v5.1, but v2.0 for Atari is within 25K only!

Tomas

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:53 pm
by thorsinclair
As for graphics, I wonder whether any of the graphics modes could more easily be converted to either the 32 bit RGB mode of QPC2, or 8 bit RGB mode of Aurora as an initial version which might encourage others to have a go at producing a native QL graphics mode.
Or to the graphics mode invented by Omega which is basically the flipping of two screen, one in mode 4 and the other in mode 8. The result is very good as I think: http://omega.webnode.com/screen/ql-dithvide/

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:36 pm
by RWAP
thorsinclair wrote:
As for graphics, I wonder whether any of the graphics modes could more easily be converted to either the 32 bit RGB mode of QPC2, or 8 bit RGB mode of Aurora as an initial version which might encourage others to have a go at producing a native QL graphics mode.
Or to the graphics mode invented by Omega which is basically the flipping of two screen, one in mode 4 and the other in mode 8. The result is very good as I think: http://omega.webnode.com/screen/ql-dithvide/
Yes - if that could be done - but remember that the screen would need to be split to allow the text to be shown at the same time..... Might need to try and get the author of Dithvide involved in this :)

Re: Expanding the range of QL Adventures

Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:51 pm
by tcat
Hi,

Just looking into `dithvide' code by Omega, it makes use of second screen and works on plain QLs, fouling human eye site into perception of more colours.

With adventures, it may work by cloning current screen having text and graphics frames, then updating just a graphics region of the second screen, and finally calling the flicker `magic', which is only 2K of code.

It might be also an idea to combine with `RLE' compression to safe space, as it seems we need to store dual pictures.

If I got the idea right.

Tomas