CPCTelera : CPC+ Sprite Hardware

[Arnaud]

Hello,
here a little demo of the implementation of the CPC+ Sprite Hardware in CPCTelera.

I'm now working to make the code as comprehensible as possible (asm and example) before release it (here and on a Github CPCTelera branch).


On the screnshot 22 colors are used in mode 1 
Hardware Sprites are really easy to use and can be mixed on screen with "classical" software Sprites in the same time.

Arnaud

For more detailled informations on HW Sprites : http://www.chibiakumas.com/z80/platform4.php#LessonP32

Repository : https://github.com/Arnaud6128/cpctelera/tree/cpcplus_asic

[XeNoMoRPH]

Awesome Smooth sprites !!!  ,

I have captured it on video

[Arnaud]

Great to make this video 

Honestly, the CPC+ makes all the work.

[asertus]

It's a pity this sprite support was not in the original 464, or at least in the 6128, the MSX2 were done those things quite well..

[TotO]

The shame is that PLUS sprites requires to copy data (byte) instead of updating address pointers.
The MSX had poor sprites (1 bit, 4 per raster line) and not descent screen scrolling at all.

By the way, the CPC was more close to a PC than a MSX/Coleco into its design and had been better to have blitting functions to do what we want with our imaginations, instead to be limited by a fixed sprite system that conditions the types of games, demo, ... you can program with them.

[zhulien]

I wonder if then, if a small genlock circuit can be made with hardware sprites external to the CPC RAM, but genlocked into the display before output to the screen?  Maybe not just sprints, but copper functions and perhaps even display lists.

[TotO]

I wonder if then, if a small genlock circuit can be made with hardware sprites external to the CPC RAM, but genlocked into the display before output to the screen?  Maybe not just sprints, but copper functions and perhaps even display lists.

Sure. Or best, a Graffiti like display system.

[zhulien]

Sure. Or best, a Graffiti like display system.

That is actually a good idea for a future CPC generation, but in a way so that existing CPC owners can buy a CPC-Graffiti as an option

[norecess464]

The shame is that PLUS sprites requires to copy data (byte) instead of updating address pointers.

Actually, it's not that bad! Updating a sprite the lame way (cf. without using advanced techniques) using 256 LDIs takes 256*5 NOPs = 1280 NOPs, which represents 6.4% of available CPU time for 1 frame (19968 NOPs).

Tip: If you have let's say 4 sprites to update, and if your game design allows it, then use 4 frames to update 1 sprite (instead of 1 frame updating 4 sprites).

[TotO]

Sure, the limitations are always the best challenges to produce some clever codes. We love "CPC" for that.

[andycadley]

Yeah, it's really only awkward from a multiplexing point of view, because you can't easily re-use a sprite unless the image is the same as a previous one. Or unless they are far enough apart and your timing pretty good.

[Arnaud]

Update :
- All my functions are nearly finished and commented and i have added "Raster lines interrupt" feature, now there are 34 colors for Mode 1 
- Finally my demo became a little game, we have to escape from the Asteroid Field (my five years old son really like it )

Arnaud

[Ast]

@Arnaud : you'll have to find a tittle now   

[Arnaud]

Hi,
here the CPCtelera project (v1.5) for CPC+ Sprite Hardware :
- Game demo in cpcplus/src
- Asic functions in cpcplus/src/asic

And tested on real CPC Plus.

All remarks are welcome 

Next step is to send to a branch in Github/cpctelera

[attach=1,msg177248]

[Arnaud]

Hi,
the repository fork from cpctelera/cpcplus_asic is online :
https://github.com/Arnaud6128/cpctelera/tree/cpcplus_asic

You can directly download a version of cpctelera including asic functions and the game example.

The raster interrupt lines has been reviewed and optimized and by @ronaldo.

[norecess464]

@Arnaud
I quickly looked at the implementation.
In file cpct_asicSetPalColour.asm, cpct_asicSetSpritePalColor.asm and the likes, I suggest to replace

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ld   hl, #ASIC_PALETTE_COLOUR by

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ld   h, #ASIC_PALETTE_COLOUR >> 8 (or equivalent based on SDCC syntax)

[norecess464]

@Arnold
also, for

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cpct_asicSafeInterruptHandlerHook:   di       ;; Disable interrupts you don't need the DI instruction, interrupts are already deactivated when triggered

[norecess464]

@Arnold
you can replace

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ld  a, #00                     ;; Reset CRTC default interrupt at 300hz by

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xor a

[norecess464]

(I like the way CPCTelera is documented, good stuff !)

[Arnaud]

Hi @norecess,
thanks for review.

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ld   h, #ASIC_PALETTE_COLOUR >> 8

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#ASIC_PALETTE_COLOUR = #6400 = #0x1900
ld h, #ASIC_PALETTE_COLOUR >> 8 = ld h, #0x19
but L should be set to 0x00.

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cpct_asicSafeInterruptHandlerHook:   di       ;; Disable interrupts you don't need the DI instruction, interrupts are already deactivated when triggered

Ok and interrupts have to be reenabled at the end.
This modification may be also applied to cpct_setInterruptHandler. What do you think about this @ronaldo ?

you can replace

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ld  a, #00                     ;; Reset CRTC default interrupt at 300hz by

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xor a

Of course 

(I like the way CPCTelera is documented, good stuff !)

This is the hard work of @ronaldo 

[MacDeath]

Just discovered that nice little demo...

Very good.
Seems the AmstradPLUS is now getting awoken and its true potential starts to show.

very imperfect machine, that's what makes it interesting, and it is still some sort of CPC anyway.
surely with some blitter it would have been a great proper 8bit Atari STe and one of the kickassest 8bit around... perhaps some additionnal character attributes system could have been great as well. 

Just imagine : character attribute system, you can choose between 16 palettes and chose mode per character... 

but yeah this wasn't, good sport though...

[mr_lou]

5 years later......

Has anyone tried/used this?
I wanted to take a closer look, but I can't get through the setup.sh file of the cpcTelera fork. It fails.
(Original repo from ronaldo installs fine).

So I tried copying the asic / cpcplus_asic folder to ronaldos folder and run setup.sh again. Doesn't work.
Tried compiling the cpcTelera project "Avoid the asteriods" containing the asic folder. Doesn't work.

Does anyone have any helpful info I'm missing?

[Arnaud]

Hi @mr_lou,
i just merged cpcplus_asic branch with the origin/development.

CPCtelera compile and example Asteroids runs.

Have fun with it 

PS :
All is in my repository : https://github.com/Arnaud6128/cpctelera/tree/cpcplus_asic

[mr_lou]

Thanks. Yes now setup works.

But I can't compile the cpcplus project, and my own projects also fail when trying to compile.

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make
preobjs: 'obj/dsk/.folder obj/.folder obj/asic/.folder obj/asic/firmware/.folder obj/asic/macros/.folder obj/asic/video/.folder obj/asic/sprites/.folder'
[cpcplus]
[cpcplus] === PREBUILD PROCCESSING DONE!
[cpcplus] ============================================================
[cpcplus]
/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/tools/sdcc-3.6.8-r9946/bin/sdcc -I/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/src -Isrc -mz80  -c  src/stars.c -o  obj/stars.rel
/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/tools/sdcc-3.6.8-r9946/bin/sdcc -I/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/src -Isrc -mz80  -c  src/planet.c -o  obj/planet.rel
/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/tools/sdcc-3.6.8-r9946/bin/sdcc -I/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera/src -Isrc -mz80  -c  src/main.c -o  obj/main.rel
src/main.c:189: warning 196: pointer target lost const qualifier
src/main.c:234: error 78: incompatible types
from type 'void function ( unsigned-char auto) fixed'
  to type 'void function ( unsigned-char fixed) __z88dk_fastcall generic* fixed'
make: *** [/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera//cfg/global_main_makefile.mk:46: obj/main.rel] Fejl 1


And one of my own projects, suddenly can't find cpct_akp_setFadeVolume.

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?ASlink-Warning-Undefined Global '_cpct_akp_setFadeVolume' referenced by module 'main'
make: *** [/home/misthalu/Programmer/cpctelera-cpcplus_asic/cpctelera//cfg/global_main_makefile.mk:67: obj/Preview.ihx] Fejl 1


[mr_lou]

Oh, the audio problem is probably this: https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/programming/(cpctelera)-cpct_akp_setfadevolume-problem/
Trying now.

Yup, that works.

But can't compile the cpcplus project.