Author Topic: Perfect Pix (Read 15418 times)

Rhino · « **on:** 15:21, 16 July 16 »

Hi,

I'm proud to present Perfect Pix, a set of graphic tools with 3 extended video modes to get images of an unusual quality on a 8-bit machine:

* Mode R -> Up to 384x272 pixels and 16 freely selectable colors from a palette of 27.

* Mode B0 -> Up to 192x272 pixels and 136 colors from a palette of 378.

* Mode B1 -> Up to 384x272 pixels and 307 colors, divided into color 0 + up to 34 palettes of 9 colors per line.

You must run the tool on real hardware to see the true visual result.

Perfect Pix by Batman Group :: pouët.net

Updates:

* v1.00

- First release.

* v1.01

- Added message if upper memory is full by too many ROMs.

* v1.02

- Bug fixed in the converter exporting overscan screens.
- More upper memory free for greater ROMs compatibility.

* v1.03

- Improved controls in Paint tool by adding CONTROL + keys to move the pointer to scroll the zoom window (similar to OCP Art Studio).
- Added warning message in the converter when source image exceeds the image size limits managed with the Paint tool.
- Additional upper memory free for greater ROMs compatibility.

roudoudou · « **Reply #1 on:** 16:34, 16 July 16 »

Wow! That's a great tool! With documentation, sources, thank you!

GFXOR · « **Reply #2 on:** 16:58, 16 July 16 »

EXCELLENT ! Merrvelllllous ! Fantastic !
The B1 mode impressed me. The picture is really precise. Did you try on some complicated pics ? It is really pitched, I like it.
As you know I am more "accustomed" to the other modes. But it will help to make them more popular.
I juste used the viewer to see the pics on the CPC. Not the java tool yet.

Scarlettkitten · « **Reply #3 on:** 19:09, 16 July 16 »

That looks like a fantastic tool, can't wait to have a go with it. Cheers x

ronaldo · « **Reply #4 on:** 19:24, 16 July 16 »

Really amazing work, @Rhino . Congratulations!

Just a question, Is it possible to have a version of PPP that uses firmware for file I/O? I'm trying to use PPP on a M4 board and I can't load/save pictures to/from the SD card.

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #5 on:** 19:37, 16 July 16 »

I did not have time to say it before, but it is a wonderful tool!

Maybe I can use it for the loading screen of our adventure

Targhan · « **Reply #6 on:** 20:08, 16 July 16 »

Looks very interesting. I'm no graphist, but when painting, is it user-friendly to have such as huge zoomed picture and a tiny unzoomed part ? It seemed counter-productive to me, but I might be wrong.

Rhino · « **Reply #7 on:** 21:22, 16 July 16 »

Thanks for the feedback!

@GFXOR
I've only done a few example images, almost all in mode B0. The tool arises from the need to include some hi-quality graphics in the game I'm developing, so I had not much time to experiment.

@ronaldo
The I/O part is in Basic. I have not SD card support to test, what exactly is the problem?

@||C|-|E||
Great to hear that! Btw, B0 and B1 could be used in a game (and not only on the cover or loading screen) if memory allows.

@Targhan
You may be right, although personally I have not noticed a big problem testing the tool. On the other hand, current dimensions are conditioned by the interruptions.

I am also interested to know feedback about the mouse usage. The tool supports Multiplay and AMX compatibles, but I could only test in a Logitech.

Regards

TFM · « **Reply #8 on:** 22:27, 16 July 16 »

Thanks for sharing

GFXOR · « **Reply #9 on:** 06:47, 17 July 16 »

The Load fonction does not work when you have ROMs installed (a RAMcard).

Rhino · « **Reply #10 on:** 11:24, 17 July 16 »

Quote from: GFXOR on 06:47, 17 July 16

The Load fonction does not work when you have ROMs installed (a RAMcard).

If you type "print himem" just before run the tool, what value you get?
After loading the tool, there is very little free top memory, and this could be the problem.
Thanks!

GFXOR · « **Reply #11 on:** 12:38, 17 July 16 »

? HIMEM
42531
Ready

Rhino · « **Reply #12 on:** 14:22, 17 July 16 »

Quote from: GFXOR on 12:38, 17 July 16

? HIMEM
42531
Ready

OK, the tool reaches 42708 after removing user-defined chars, so anything consuming 40 or more bytes of top memory is a problem.
I will try to reduce the code, but with 128kb, there is not much free memory after handling overscan screens with two frames.
What lower value for HIMEM should I respect for a good compatibility?

Targhan · « **Reply #13 on:** 00:49, 18 July 16 »

There is no "official" value for the Himem, as technically any ROM can reserve any memory it needs. I have about 10 Roms in my Ramcard, yet I managed to run Perfect Pix without problem. To me the only sensible thing to do is have a little loader that checks the Himem and displays a message like "Please remove some Roms" if there is not enough memory...

Rhino · « **Reply #14 on:** 12:00, 18 July 16 »

Quote from: Targhan on 00:49, 18 July 16

There is no "official" value for the Himem, as technically any ROM can reserve any memory it needs. I have about 10 Roms in my Ramcard, yet I managed to run Perfect Pix without problem. To me the only sensible thing to do is have a little loader that checks the Himem and displays a message like "Please remove some Roms" if there is not enough memory...

I modified the loader to alert when Himem is too low.
Links in pouet and this post are already updated.

Thanks!

Skunkfish · « **Reply #15 on:** 12:08, 18 July 16 »

Is the naughty HIMEM mis-spelling intentional?

Rhino · « **Reply #16 on:** 12:12, 18 July 16 »

sorry hehe

TFM · « **Reply #17 on:** 20:34, 18 July 16 »

Having more ROMs brings good chance to have a command like |ROMON7 or |ROMON,7 or maybe |ROMOFF,x,y,z.
EDIT1: Runs fine with FutureOS
EDIT2: When using too much ROMs I get an error 28,0 when attempting to load a file (version 1.0),

ronaldo · « **Reply #18 on:** 20:58, 18 July 16 »

@Rhino: It hangs after the message "Accessing Files...". Thought that may be due to using custom I/O routines, but it might be done to collision with other roms.

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #19 on:** 03:12, 19 July 16 »

Everything looks really amazing, I am so happy with this tool

[attachimg=1]

And this is not retouching by hand, just a "quick" conversion.

Rhino · « **Reply #20 on:** 11:18, 19 July 16 »

@TFM, @ronaldo
The latest version (1.01) should display a message and not run the tool if there are memory conflicts.

@||C|-|E||
Looks great for a quick conversion!
I'm thinking the amount of adventure games that would seem Amiga games with that kind of graphics

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #21 on:** 13:28, 19 July 16 »

Given the proper framework we could do amazing games, for sure. Of course, we would need to use RAM expansions and something like the X-MASS, but it could be amazing

Rhino · « **Reply #22 on:** 13:53, 19 July 16 »

Quote from: ||C|-|E|| on 13:28, 19 July 16

Given the proper framework we could do amazing games, for sure. Of course, we would need to use RAM expansions and something like the X-MASS, but it could be amazing

Or a solution like that Targhan did for Orion Prime, loading from disk on each screen.

roudoudou · « **Reply #23 on:** 14:03, 19 July 16 »

Quote from: ||C|-|E|| on 13:28, 19 July 16

Given the proper framework we could do amazing games, for sure. Of course, we would need to use RAM expansions and something like the X-MASS, but it could be amazing

How many games are really using 128k nowadays on CPC?

||C|-|E|| · « **Reply #24 on:** 14:22, 19 July 16 »

Not many, but with these screens the game would be pretty bulky

However, it is true that using X-MASS, that is as fast as the RAM, maybe 128KB would be enough.

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Author Topic: Perfect Pix (Read 15418 times)