the best 3d shooter

[litwr]

I am curious what is the best 3d shooter for the CPC? A new superfast 3D shooter has just been released for the BK0010 platform -

- this computer is slower than the CPC, it has only 16 KB of RAM and handles 256x256 4 color graphics.  The code size is 8 KB, sources are available.

[Prodatron]

256x256x4, so does it have 16k VRam?

[litwr]

256x256x4, so does it have 16k VRam?

It doesn't have dedicated VRAM, it has 32 KB RAM (expandable to 48 KB). The 256x256 graphics takes exactly 16 KB.  It has one graphic mode that uses simple 2 bpp chunky rendering.  More details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronika_BK
I have made the same optimized code for the BK and CPC, the results show that the CPC is 30-50% faster.

[Gryzor]

Fast it certainly is. Good? Hmmmmm...

[McArti0]

Elektronika Mother of Tetris 

[litwr]

Elektronika Mother of Tetris 

Yes, you can run the original Tetris on the BK0011 that is an expanded variant of the BK0010.  The BK0011 is close to the CPC6128, it has 128 KB of RAM and about 20% faster CPU. You can watch the play on the original hardware -

[litwr]

Fast it certainly is. Good? Hmmmmm...

If you try it, you will definitely get that Wolfenstein 3D feeling. However monsters are a bit too blurry. 

[cpcitor]

> A new superfast 3D shooter has just been released for the BK0010 platform -

Thanks for mentioning this game.

>  I am curious what is the best 3d shooter for the CPC?

Everyone has their answer, not the same for everyone.
* Starion is remarkable for its framerate see e.g. despite its repetitive gameplay. Controls are nice with a 3D radar making you aware of where are interesting things.
* 3D starstrike has a less good framerate. The basic (mostly shoot, sometime dodge elements) yet varied gameplay (obviously Star Wars without mentioning it) makes it more interesting, though.
* Starglider is more ambitious, flying over a planet with a number of elements, with a poorer framerate making it frustrating, e.g. .
* Elite is the most ambitious, where you fly freely in space, potentially hyperjumping through the whole galaxy if you can buy enough fuel, trading goods (or choosing the pirate career). 3D rendering culls hidden lines, wow! Music is a nice rendition of "the Blue Danube" , making the inspiration from 2001 movie obvious. 3D radar is excellent for situational awareness. Controls would be okay but poor framerate makes you clumsy. Overall it was too damn hard to enter space stations, killing you often.

What do you think?

[cpcitor]

The code size is 8 KB, sources are available.

The binary is easy to find (e.g. pouet, demozoo).
I can't find the source. Where is it available?

[roudoudou]

* Elite is the most ambitious, where you fly freely in space, potentially hyperjumping through the whole galaxy if you can buy enough fuel, trading goods (or choosing the pirate career). 3D rendering culls hidden lines, wow! Music is a nice rendition of "the Blue Danube" , making the inspiration from 2001 movie obvious. 3D radar is excellent for situational awareness. Controls would be okay but poor framerate makes you clumsy. Overall it was too damn hard to enter space stations, killing you often.

What do you think?

back in days, i played Elite a lot
3D was not super fast but playable
about space station, take your time to be perpendicular to the entry and rotate like the station. it's not that hard and you can quickly get autopilot
then it's a little boring, trading to get money, buy canons and shot every people
great game anyway

[McArti0]

I have made the same optimized code for the BK and CPC, the results show that the CPC is 30-50% faster.

Will you show this version on CPC?

[GUNHED]

256x256x4, so does it have 16k VRam?

It doesn't have dedicated VRAM, it has 32 KB RAM (expandable to 48 KB). The 256x256 graphics takes exactly 16 KB.  It has one graphic mode that uses simple 2 bpp chunky rendering.  More details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronika_BK
I have made the same optimized code for the BK and CPC, the results show that the CPC is 30-50% faster.

Nice!!! 

[McArti0]

Elektronika BK it's near PDP-11 clone.

[BSC]

Starion is remarkable for its framerate

True dat, I was blown away back in the days when seeing it for the first time. I just watched the YT video, still pretty impressive! Haven't played many of the other games, though, so for me it would be Starion indeed.

[ComSoft6128]

Starion is remarkable for its framerate

True dat, I was blown away back in the days when seeing it for the first time. I just watched the YT video, still pretty impressive! Haven't played many of the other games, though, so for me it would be Starion indeed.

Until I read your posts today Starion had totally escaped me, thanks

Wiki page:
https://gryzor.info/index.php/Starion

Interview with David M  Webb at ZX Spectrum Games:
https://zxspectrumgames.blogspot.com/2010/04/spectrum-games-programmer-interview.html

[litwr]

I can't find the source. Where is it available?

github
EDIT. However IMHO it is not easy to convert the PDP-11 assembly to the Z80 assembler.  This conversion is much easier for the 6502.

I have made the same optimized code for the BK and CPC, the results show that the CPC is 30-50% faster.

Will you show this version on CPC?

I have several multiplatform projects that have variants for the BK and CPC:
xlife-8
the number π calculator
superfast Mandelbrot

Elektronika BK it's near PDP-11 clone.

The BK0011 can run DEC OS's that don't require memory protection.  The BK0010 can use a very limited variant of RT-11 too.  There is even a port of an ancient DEC Unix for the BK0010!

[McArti0]

I have made the same optimized code for the BK and CPC, the results show that the CPC is 30-50% faster.

Will you show this version on CPC?

I have several multiplatform projects that have variants for the BK and CPC:

Do you have BK3D shooter code for CPC?

[litwr]

Do you have BK3D shooter code for CPC?

  I have just shared news about this masterpiece of code.

[XeNoMoRPH]

[Gryzor]

But... that's not 3D, is it? Otherwise we'll have to include every Op Wolf-type game...

[XeNoMoRPH]

[Prodatron]

* Starion is remarkable for its framerate

Yes, really crazy! And it's especially fun when you compare it to the C64 version. The CPC version is 3 times faster or even more 

[XeNoMoRPH]

[Gryzor]

5 hours? That's a lot of game for your money!

[HAL6128]

You should play it, super cool game, highly enjoyed it. (But not a 3D game)