big list CPC+ mockup

[MinuS]

Have you seen this list ? --->  http://cpcrulez.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4553&p=16960#p16960

Awesome !! 

Full of good ideas for new games or games exist in "plus" mode

[Gryzor]

Wow, some great  stuff in there.

Some of those titles clearly cannot be converted (Speedball 2? How many sprites is that?) and I'm surprised there are not more adventures in there (early Sierra adventures run at 160x200 for instance), but a lot to look at (if you first log into Imageshack)!

[Nich]

Have you seen this list ? --->  http://cpcrulez.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4553&p=16960#p16960

Awesome !! 

That my my initial reaction on seeing these screenshots! However, I wonder how much time has been spent on converting and retouching them?

[Badstarr]

Really Bizarre! I was just dreaming up a CPC+ version of Another World while I was at work today, it might seem strange to say it but I actually think it could be done pretty darn well on a plus machine with a reduced screen maybe, shame Lord Sugar didn't see fit to up the memory to 512k.

[MacDeath]

Well, what memory are you talking about ?

If this is ROM cartridge yep... 512K ROMs would have helped a lot.
We could even have had some games like Populous perhaps...


Concerning 512K RAM... this is perhaps too much for no gain at the time.

256K of RAM would have been more realistic and actually quite enough.
but even 160K would have been quite enough to buff up the games into more deepness and content.
Gotta remember a 3" disk is 180K only per face... also Tape...

And as there was a console version of the system, too much RAM wouldn't help as you get all the game on ROM already... even with a pork heavy Compression you may not need that many RAM...

Correct thing could have been a 128K RAM for the console and no Tape version and a 6256PLUS.
And 256/512K cartridges with a proper new OS (not only the LocoBasic cartridge, which was good only in that it enabled to emulate the old CPC.)

But hey, a second ASIC wouldn't hurt too actually.
They tried too hard to put too much thing into a single ASIC, which was then ot enough.

[Badstarr]

Well the reason I was thinking more RAM is due to the fluid way the game plays on the 16 bits, as I remember you rarely hear the disk churning on the ST until a cinematic scene pops up. I'm pretty sure on my 1 Mb ST there was some improved sound al la Prince of Persia but nothing really beyond that so 512Kb seems to be the lower limit on the 16 bit machines. When I was typing up my original post I did mention a cart might be the way to go but I took it, out not sure why.


I believe that if the Plus range had been a run away success there would have been a version of Another World for them, it might have been great or it might have been a letdown, however I'm confident todays CPC coders could do something amazing with a port of this game.



After looking at the 3D scenes in the BF demo and looking at the cinema scenes in Another World it suddenly looks all possible. I don't want to restart the 'debate' that blew up around the pre calculated 3D GFX but I think they would work great for the cinematic scenes in another world, the question is could the realtime 2D polygons of the actual game be reproduced effectively on the CPC+ with 128 Kb of RAM? Or would it all have to go on a ROM?


I just think Another World on the Plus would be a hell of an achievement all we would need is some talented coders to take up the challenge! Any takers?!

[spybro]

If an Atari Xe/Xl can do it

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than imagine what CPC+ can do

[MacDeath]

Well, the ram would perhaps mostly be needed to get all the cinematic in reserve, ready to be played when needed
For the reste it's just some sort of Prince of persia I guess

[TFM]

More connected RAM will always make the GFX better. Because you can't constantly reload GFX from disc.

If you have more RAM you can show more RAM in the _same_ level for example.

More RAM also allows the use of faster (but larger) routines for Sprites for example.

IMHO you never have enought RAM ;-)

[Badstarr]

Quite funny to see the Atari XE version, quite good for a machine that I've heard is horrible to code on! I think a CPC+ version would quite frankly clean its oscillators! Perhaps someone could have a go at making a proof of concept, I might have a go myself after I've finished my GX4000 mod. I think it should be complete by christmas at the rate its going so that seems like a good winter night challenge to me   

[Bryce]

I can't comment on how easy an XE is to program, but from a Hardware point of view it's a fantastic machine

Bryce.

[TFM]

I can't comment on how easy an XE is to program, but from a Hardware point of view it's a fantastic machine

Bryce.

Agree! But for sentimental reasons I like the 800XL at least as much. However, I never owned one of them, but my friends did and we spend quite some hours in front of the nice Atari computers (second most beloved behind my CPCs).

Back to the game...
Well, to make a CPC converson wouldn't be that hard to do at all. But it *would* actually be a lot of work due to the complexity of the game.

[MacDeath]

Atari XE

The varied models from the Atari 8bit family were quite strange...

Pokey is said by its fans (not coolers) to be even better than SID, but I also heard it is a bit out of tune, yet it also has 4 channels which is quite good.


Buto n the video I think it is completely messy.


Not bad on the paper, lots of colours, lots of video modes, Hardspritesand so on...

But to be clear, they only "discovered recently" how to display more than a 160x200x4 mode on screen... sort of.

While not as severe limitations as speccy rustic simpliciy... you must really juggle with a lot of limitations or specificities...



On the other hand, a good CPC while not as impressive technically, do have "simplier" video modes were the only limitation is the number of colour on screen which is good..

[TFM]

I mean... honestly the game itself isn't so special... but it had a cool & long intro, that was special (during it's time)...


Well, the Atari version shown before seems to lack the introduction story, and what remains is just another jump and run game.... a pity.

[Badstarr]

I loved that intro! That cool black Ferrari sliding into view made my nine year old head spin when I saw the preview disc given away with ST Format (I believe it was anyway) Quite an entrance for a Quantum Physicist Uber Geek!


Yeah the game is pretty much swim, walk, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick,kick, ARGHHH! RUNAWAY! Wake up in a cage with scary looking guy and a bad head... pretty much your usual Friday night out in these parts!


Yet... it somehow manages to hook you in with that dark aesthetic, it's so visually appealing and almost worth dying countless times to see those cut scenes it keeps you interested its a classic in almost every respect!

[Bryce]

Agree! But for sentimental reasons I like the 800XL at least as much. However, I never owned one of them

Let me know when you move back to Germany. I have literally boxes full of 800XLs, I'm sure I could spare one for you. I have also designed a multicart that stores 32 Games (great that the Atari didn't have any crap ACID type protection ), so you can have all your favourite games at the flick of a switch.

Bryce.

[spybro]

I loved that intro!
it's so visually appealing and almost worth dying countless times to see those cut scenes it keeps you interested its a classic in almost every respect!

Those that havent played it in its original form(especially the amiga original version) cannot understand
It is propably one of the best games ever produced


Apart from the intro I even loved more the ending
Do not forget to try the High resolution version

Another World: High Resolution Collector's Edition - Palais, Arena and Bath - 6th-8th (Final) Levels

[TFM]

Ok, gameplay is good, but gfx and sound-effects are poor imho.

[Badstarr]

I suppose graphics and sound of Another World are kind of love 'em or hate 'em. I personally like the sparse simplicity of this game, it manages to look cinematic a lot of the time and has lots of background/foreground action, for the time it was produced I can't think of anything that comes close! The use of polygons was a masterstroke too. To me the only thing that that has managed to eclipse it in terms of ground breaking visuals and cinematic aesthetic in my opinion is Metal Gear Solid.

[TFM]

Sure, right, and I must admit the game has throughout the same style and my guess is that this kind of style may has been en vogue in the time the game was made.

[TotO]

Ok, gameplay is good, but gfx and sound-effects are poor imho.

I think the opposite.
Another World is a impressive artistic game, but lack with it's poor gameplay.

[Badstarr]

It's certainly not a pick up and play game, you definitely have to learn it; how to make Lester move at the right time in the right way it can be a little frustrating, you have to learn a new skill, this is something I quite like in a game. It gives a game some character. Modern games in my opinion lack any real learning curve and play mostly the same. I just get bored too quickly with things like call of duty these days. Put any 3D shooter on a PS3 and you can't really tell the difference between titles, some people like that but not me.

[dragon]

I like more flashback,but the two are great games.



SNES Longplay [093] Flashback: The Quest for Identity

[TFM]

I think the opposite.
Another World is a impressive artistic game, but lack with it's poor gameplay.

Honestly I didn't play it. I just watched the Video. If you look at the figures from a comic style POV then the GFX may be artistic. However not so much mine in that case. But one can't have a fight about taste

[MacDeath]

I think l'Aigle d'Or 2 was in the same vein...(well, not exactly)
And looked good on CPC/PLUS.


But I couldn't find a longplay...

Xyphoes, what are you doing ?




I had a friend who lend it to me but i just couldn't play it because I didn't uderstand, also perhaps because I had not the antipirate test device....


I loved Prince of Persia 2 too... awesome VGA graphics.