SHINOBI Gfx restoration

[sigh]

I guess a regular dithering would work just fine...


Also I guess being on an Amstrad, the "320x200" limit is pointless, should be Full screen, this could enable for bigger logos more faithfull to the original as it would compensate for the Mode0.


The sega logo per example could be in 1x2 mode 0 "square" pixels...


So for the shinobi.

Liking that one a lot!

[SyX]

Please Syx, give informations...

MacDeath, you can find a nice explanation in this post, and if you have any doubt only ask.

Basically "mode 5" is a screen in mode 1 resolution with a width of 288 pixels (the height that you like, each scanline with mode 5 applied takes 100% of cpu, less scanlines with mode 5 more things you can do). With respect to the colours, one ink (pen 3) is fixed for all the screen (the most used colour in the picture), 2 inks (pen 1 and 2) are fixed for each scanline (the 2 more used colours in each scanline, of course you can change them each scanline) and the last ink (pen 0) changes each 48 pixels (6 times for each scanline).

And the great idea was made it artist friendly, instead of typical coder friendly. Pulkomandy made that adding support to graf2x (the files generated can be used directly in a cpc floppy with the mode 5 viewer).

In the last year ReSeT party, Pulko took part with this picture:


But sincerely, i don't know if for a loading screen the use of rasters, maybe a little overkill... at least we used the nice disk loader that arnoldemu made for the Batman demo or we made a cartridge version for the CTC-AY expansion

[Mr. DVG]

Thank you so much for your valuable explanations, I will treasure ...

I understand that you use graphics programs and photo editing then adapting them to the specific technical and graphic dell'Amstrad CPC.

Even if you are not exceptional but I feel the need to try my conversions on the original machine, the ConvImgCpc allows me to save a screen format. Scr you can then upload directly to the CPC ...

How can I get the same result working on a screen with external programs?

[MacDeath]

You first work the picture with any other "true" graphic app, then you pass it through ConvImgCPC just for the convertion.
As implied by its name : it is a convertion tool, mostly.


If you know well enough the CPC limitations, it pass directly with no problem into convimgCPC.


I made a custom palette with paint.net to have CPC colours.


cinvimgcpc can read bmp pictures, those bmp don't modify the pixels (no compression) so you have to save your picture with this.


Also you have to work with the target image size/resolution. and be precise on pixels and colours.


basic 16k Mode 0 : 160x200
basic 16k Mode1 : 320x200
full screen "24k" : may vary, but mostly 384x272 in mode1.


it is somewhat "unsafe" to have a greater safe zone than vertical 256pixels  IMO...


"Safe zone" means it is actually displayed on most monitor.


Horizontal is quite often well displayed entirely but you could aim at 368 (mode1) , vertical on the other hand, but other may tell this better than me.


So do your picture in 384x288 or 384x272 but aim at a "safe zone" of 368x256.
(this is a personal approximation, of course)

[Mr. DVG]

I understand perfectly, there is quite a bit of work on ... thanks for the info! 

[ivarf]

The limitations of Mode 5 sounds like the colourlimitations of all the other computers. Not our beloved CPC

[TotO]

Don't expect Mode 5 on Shinobi...

[TFM]

Rasters and disc loading - sounds like fun coding to me. Well, if you use an OS that leaves you the second register set then I see no problem (just some fun ;-))

[fano]

Rasters and disc loading - sounds like fun coding to me. Well, if you use an OS that leaves you the second register set then I see no problem (just some fun ;-))

Interesting , i'd be curious to see this in action and deployed technic (especially how you manage synchronisation on screen)

[mr_lou]

Don't expect Mode 5 on Shinobi...

For what kind of game can we use MODE 5 then?
I'd love to see something like Knytt or Within a Deep Forest on the CPC. (Meaning, not those games, but something similar).
Was discussed some time ago, but kinda stalled.
Mockups for MODE 1 minimalistic graphics platformer

[TotO]

Mode 5 may be nice for a dedicated game designed for, like your linked project.
I hope that you will finish it!

I said that more about Shinobi because fano has posted this easy "wiki project" for the community will be able to work on a great CPC game revamp.
It's something simple to do (I can achieve that in a week), and nobody done more than 1 map (nice work) in 6 months...
After that, you expect new weapons, arcade inter-sequences, a title screen and now mode 5?

Please... Stop to speak about a dream ; Just do it! 

[arnoldemu]

Mode 5 uses *all* the cpu time during the display, so the cpu time is limited to the top and bottom borders.
Not sure what would fit into that time.

[arnoldemu]

Interesting , i'd be curious to see this in action and deployed technic (especially how you manage synchronisation on screen)

a moving raster the width of the screen is entirely possible.
but having it stationary... I can think of one way, but the code would not be simple.

but I would like to see it

[TFM]

Interesting , i'd be curious to see this in action and deployed technic (especially how you manage synchronisation on screen)

Basically the raster has the higher priority (no split line though!), the FDC delivers every 25 ys iirc. So yes, doable, but "a lot of fun" to realize. And between raster routine and fdc routine you switch registers using EXX.

[fano]

Basically the raster has the higher priority (no split line though!), the FDC delivers every 25 ys iirc. So yes, doable, but "a lot of fun" to realize. And between raster routine and fdc routine you switch registers using EXX.

Yep, i was thinking to that too but i was wondering how you can synchronize correctly this with a position on screen as you have to wait  for FDC and drive.I'd like to see that and good luck for the one who will code that, that looks like highway to hell 

[TFM]

Haha! Pretty much!

[Mr. DVG]

I'm only testing for fun ...

[MacDeath]

your screenshots are antialiased, so unusable in order to try other palettes...

[Mr. DVG]

In what way? Talk of the posted screens or files on the disk?

[Mr. DVG]

These are better? 

[Mr. DVG]

I would also add the final screenshots taken from the arcade version (nothing special, there are two colors at the end) ...

[TFM]

I would also add the final screenshots taken from the arcade version (nothing special, there are two colors at the end) ...

This picture has exactly four colors. Give it a try in Mode 1. It will look way better 

[Mr. DVG]

This picture has exactly four colors. Give it a try in Mode 1. It will look way better 

It is true, but I am very fond of the mode 0 of the CPC, and then I saw that most of the work for this hypothetical retyling of Shinobi are made in that mode ...

[TFM]

Using MODE 1 instead of MODE 0 would just double the resolution in X. There is no draw back in this case. Further you could use dithering in addition 

[TotO]

I agree.