I need coder to finish CPC projects...

[DaDMaN]

Hi everybody.

As many know, Syx has unilaterally decided to break his collaboration with me to the point of not talking to me or answer my messages. It seems that Syx don't have enough time for me and our projects and prefers to spend his free time to other matters or other people. 

Therefore I ask for help here to complete some projects started by me with Syx in the past.

If there is any programmer who wants to finish projects as Uwol or CPC-USB interface (Vdrive), please contact me.

The only thing I'm asking is seriousness and compromise to complete projects.

Thanks to all guys.

DaD.

[Bryce]

Hi DaDMaN,
        I don't have a lot of spare time (almost none in fact) and I don't code either, but if you need any help on the Hardware side (CPC-USB), then let me know.

Bryce.

[DaDMaN]

Hi DaDMaN,
        I don't have a lot of spare time (almost none in fact) and I don't code either, but if you need any help on the Hardware side (CPC-USB), then let me know.

Bryce.

Bryce, your help will be perfect and necessary to accelerate the completion of the project, of course. One of the ideas I have in mind is to merge your project with mine.

My dream project is to have USB functionality, DKtronic's compatible 512Kb RAM expansion and 512Kb FlashROM expansion on the same interface.

Thus, we would have all the functionality needed today in an Amstrad CPC (USB peripherals like keyboards, mouse, joysticks, serial communication, network cards, mass storage devices,..., and 512Kb additional RAM and FlashROM to update the "interface ROM driver" when needed).

For months I am in communication with Konamiman (creator of NestorSuite, a TCP/IP stack for MSX, including telnet, ftp and twitter clients working on MSX-DOS). Both live in the same city and we are sharing monthly #retroactivo podcast issue.

We intend to design an interface equivalent for MSX and in return he would code the TCP/IP stack and clients programs for Amstrad CPC.

What do you think about it?

Cheers,


DaD.

[Bryce]

Send me a PM with some information about what stage the project is at and what the hardware currently looks like. Then I can see what's done and what still needs to be done.

Bryce.

[MacDeath]

Concerning UWOL perhaps you should ask at CPCrulez...

[DaDMaN]

Concerning UWOL perhaps you should ask at CPCrulez...

??


Publié: 11 Juil 2011, 13:20

http://cpcrulez.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?p=16862#p16862

[MacDeath]

oops, sorry, i just remembered they already told you to come her...

[arnoldemu]

I can't help with this project, (well not at this time) I have too many others which need my time (and these take priority).

But my question is:

How much of this project is done?

Is the problem bug fixing now, or is there still much to add?

The preview videos show a game that seems almost complete....

[DaDMaN]

I can't help with this project, (well not at this time) I have too many others which need my time (and these take priority).

But my question is:

How much of this project is done?

Is the problem bug fixing now, or is there still much to add?

The preview videos show a game that seems almost complete....

All game logic, control logic, main sprites routines optimizations are missing. I have compiled resources only anyway (and all my graphics and musics work). SyX has the source code. I can try to send him a message again asking for UWOL source code. Although he will not answer my private messages, I'm afraid. He doesn't usually participate in the threads in which I participate.


It would really be something interesting that he replies to this thread. I know that yesterday SyX was reading this thread and said nothing about it, of course. This means we will probably have to code all the game from scratch as I doubt SyX send me the source code to continue the project.


By now, there isn't any coder to continue the work. SyX will be happy about that. I think there are some good coders over here (as SyX is, no doubts) but wanting to complete the projects.


The truth is that it will be great if SyX came back to contact me and we could continue our unfinished projects. But that will not happen...


Cheers.

[TFM]

My dream project is to have USB functionality, DKtronic's compatible 512Kb RAM expansion and 512Kb FlashROM expansion on the same interface.

Thus, we would have all the functionality needed today in an Amstrad CPC (USB peripherals like keyboards, mouse, joysticks, serial communication, network cards, mass storage devices,..., and 512Kb additional RAM and FlashROM to update the "interface ROM driver" when needed).

Well, this is exactly what we call the Symbiface2. And it woudln't be a good idea to invent the wheel a second time.

It's very important to keep expansions compatible to each other. Bryce always keeps it that way, and this is indeed very important.

If we have too many different expansions, then the CPC becomes a poor PC clone, where everyone has other expansions cards and needs different drivers. In this case nobody would developp software for it.

We have that problem already condidering hard-discs, there are three(!!!) commercial solutions at the moment! This is way too much.

So please, what ever you create, please keep it compatible!


BTW: I can help you with drivers and software, to manage hardware.

[DaDMaN]

Well, this is exactly what we call the Symbiface2. And it woudln't be a good idea to invent the wheel a second time.

It's very important to keep expansions compatible to each other. Bryce always keeps it that way, and this is indeed very important.

If we have too many different expansions, then the CPC becomes a poor PC clone, where everyone has other expansions cards and needs different drivers. In this case nobody would developp software for it.

We have that problem already condidering hard-discs, there are three(!!!) commercial solutions at the moment! This is way too much.

So please, what ever you create, please keep it compatible!


BTW: I can help you with drivers and software, to manage hardware.

I don't remember where the USB connector is on my Symbiface 2 to plug my pendrive on it and load programs.    Symbiface II is a good piece of hardware but not the solution. I can plug my pendrive on any computer, copy data or programs, unplug and plug it on my CPC (with CPC powered on) and access data (and save data too) to this pendrive from AMSDOS with native FAT16/FAT32 support thanks to the microcontroller interaction programmed by me leaving Z80 free of work. With my interface you can READ,WRITE,LIST files from BASIC without any kind of ROM based program, using two pair of "IN/OUT" instructions. Maybe you preffer use CF-Cards or IDE Drives with SymbOS (or your FutureOS) loaded; I preffer to use my USB pendrive from BASIC instead. 

But my interface (that includes an USB Host chip) can use an USB hub and connect several USB periferals like USB lan interfaces (including wifi ones), printers, serial communication cables (fast connection between real CPC and PC for debugging)... Not only USB mouses and keyboards. USB host recognitzes all of them and you "only" need to program a driver.

I don't call my USB interface, Symbiface, sorry... If you think that adding 512K of RAM and Flash ROM to my USB interface is like make a Symbiface "clon", you are really wrong then.

Now a days, Symbiface II is an "inutile" interface without SymbOS or FutureOS operating systems. RAM expansion and loading ROMS are the only working parts of SYMBIFACE when you don't load SymbOS. Or you can use any kind of "exotic" hdd formats not recogniced natively by actual PC operating systems to use HDD from BASIC... My interface simply works. You only need to power on your CPC, nothing else.

Anyway, I will design interface in my way. I don't care if my interface isn't currently compatible with an useless interface (Symbiface without SymbOS or FutureOS).

You don't need to own my interface when completed if you don't want one. And if you don't want to program a driver for FutureOS, then... ok. I will be still using my Pendrive from "BASIC" to load and save games and programs. 

[TFM]

I don't remember where the USB connector is on my Symbiface 2 to plug my pendrive on it and load programs.   

Well, ok, that is on the expansion card of the sf2. (unreleased, but shown in spain on a meeting). But IDE is as good as. Both are for mass storage.

Symbiface II is a good piece of hardware but not the solution. I can plug my pendrive on any computer, copy data or programs, unplug and plug it on my CPC (with CPC powered on) and access data (and save data too) to this pendrive from AMSDOS with native FAT16/FAT32 support thanks to the microcontroller interaction programmed by me leaving Z80 free of work. With my interface you can READ,WRITE,LIST files from BASIC without any kind of ROM based program, using two pair of "IN/OUT" instructions. Maybe you preffer use CF-Cards or IDE Drives with SymbOS (or your FutureOS) loaded; I preffer to use my USB pendrive from BASIC instead. 

But my interface (that includes an USB Host chip) can use an USB hub and connect several USB periferals like USB lan interfaces (including wifi ones), printers, serial communication cables (fast connection between real CPC and PC for debugging)... Not only USB mouses and keyboards. USB host recognitzes all of them and you "only" need to program a driver.

I don't call my USB interface, Symbiface, sorry... If you think that adding 512K of RAM and Flash ROM to my USB interface is like make a Symbiface "clon", you are really wrong then.

Now a days, Symbiface II is an "inutile" interface without SymbOS or FutureOS operating systems. RAM expansion and loading ROMS are the only working parts of SYMBIFACE when you don't load SymbOS. Or you can use any kind of "exotic" hdd formats not recogniced natively by actual PC operating systems to use HDD from BASIC... My interface simply works. You only need to power on your CPC, nothing else.

Anyway, I will design interface in my way. I don't care if my interface isn't currently compatible with an useless interface (Symbiface without SymbOS or FutureOS).

You don't need to own my interface when completed if you don't want one. And if you don't want to program a driver for FutureOS, then... ok. I will be still using my Pendrive from "BASIC" to load and save games and programs. 

Why so offensive? I only asked for compatibility as far as possible.

I'm not telling you that the sf2 is the best expansion ever made. I just want to emphasize that compatibility is very important. Because - and I know that - you also want much people using your creations. Else you wouldn't tell about them here.

So for example, if you use f.e. a PS2 mouse then keep it compatible to the SF2, if you don't do that... well, then you just create something nobody can use.

And about SOS, I'm really the wrong person to talk to 

[DaDMaN]

Well, ok, that is on the expansion card of the sf2. (unreleased, but shown in spain on a meeting). But IDE is as good as. Both are for mass storage.
 
Why so offensive? I only asked for compatibility as far as possible.

I'm not telling you that the sf2 is the best expansion ever made. I just want to emphasize that compatibility is very important. Because - and I know that - you also want much people using your creations. Else you wouldn't tell about them here.

So for example, if you use f.e. a PS2 mouse then keep it compatible to the SF2, if you don't do that... well, then you just create something nobody can use.

And about SOS, I'm really the wrong person to talk to 

Not offensive... Google translator by the way. It's so difficult for my write in english, so don't call me "offender". You can try to speak with me in spanish if you think is the best solution.

I make the efford  to write in english (like you do) so that everyone can understand me. But do not ask me to be funny or tell jokes in my sentences in a language that I don't use.

All I need is you (and all others) understand me when I write or I try to explain something. Let's go then...

An IDE interface is as good as an USB interface, but is NOT the same. IDE (or Compact Flash) disk drives are more EXPENSIVE and harder to find (CF). Are bigger, needs aditional power supply and is really "difficult" for someone to connect CF cards or IDE drives on a convencional PC to copy data. I can put my cheap pendrive on my pocket, go to my CPC, plug in on it, load and copy data, unplug (without powering off my CPC), put back my pendrive on my pocket and go to my laptop and plugin on it to read CPC data or copy some CPC games... You can try it with your CF Card or your IDE drive if you want... You need an IDE to USB powered adapter or an USB card reader at least on your PC and power off your CPC... Is not the same.

But you are really wrong thinking about USB interface as "mass storage interface" only... This is the major difference with SF2 "IDE" or PS/2 port. Don't you think?

And about compatibility... What kind of compatibility "you need" on my USB interface with SF2? There aren't any USB interface documentation for Amstrad CPC so there are nothing to "clone" here. Maybe you are telling me that I MUST to make my USB interface compatible with the unreleased USB expansion card made for the SF2? Send me documentation about this expansion and "I can try". 

There are only 3 parts on my interface:

1. USB interface... (Now a days the only one for CPC... I must to do my USB interface compatible with what? SF2 IDE interface? SF2 PS/2 mouse port? It's ridiculous. USB interface is NOT ONLY for mass storage devices or mouse).
2. DK'tronics 512K RAM expansion... (Is compatible with DK'Tronics as SF2 expansion is as I know)
3. 512K FlashROM... (As I said, my intention is to merge MegaFlashROM from Bryce with my interface, so my FlashROM will be 100% compatible with Bryce one).

And PS/2 mouses are increasingly being less used now a days and harder to find/buy than an USB one.

I don't understand what kind of compatibility are you needing then on "my new" interface... And I don't understand why to make an USB host interface for Amstrad CPC can be a problem now with "compatibilities" with "another" hardware. Or maybe my poor english is the problem? Who knows...

[Bryce]

Unfortunately, the only real popular (and software supported) mouse solution from the 80's was the AMX Mouse, which needs to be connected to the Joystick port. So a really compatible mouse solution would need a flylead to the Joystick port. My AMX Mouse Adapter (PS/2 or USB) did this in a standalone device. It did nothing else, just mouse, but it did have the advantage that lots of software worked directly with it, without the need for extra drivers or patches. I'm not sure if it would be worth the extra connection and hardware to add this to your universal USB host solution?

Bryce.

[MacDeath]

I would like to know the difficulty in porting the game on CPC...

Ok, let's check the classical speccy port stuff...

UWOL on speccy :

=Coloured game : a few bits are put in the attributes I guess...be it only for the foreground/background...
=masked sprite : from what it look in the Youtube videos... the platforms are colourfull, yet the background and sprites are of the same colour, so the sprites are masked too...

=no scrollings... good point for a CPC...


So...
=sounds ? easily portable as it almost is from speccy (just got to mod because of different clocking...)
=Graphics : you did them already.
=Sprites : Being masked, the are actually 2bpp... so the same weight as amstrad equivalent.

as the graphix are cartoonish, mode0 is quite efficient.

Most differences :
=Backgroiunds would be a bit heavier, Datawise...
=Of course good old VRAM screen is heavier anyway...


is it to be 464 or 664 or 6128 ?


To be fair, to re-use large parts from the RickDangerous engine would be great for such game.


but i guess you aimed at a better display than only "256x192"...
With perhaps bigger sprites ?



Concerning Mouse, I still dream about a mouse connected to the Analog port of the PLUS... would be great for such machine.

[Bryce]

Analogue wouldn't really work for a mouse, they are digital, or how do you propose it should set the values? Analogue value = mouse position, or analogue value = mouse speed?

Bryce.

[steve]

I read once about a graphics input device that used two potentiometers, one was fixed to a point at the top of a drawing surface,and had a straight bar attached to it, the other end of this bar had the second pot attached with a second bar attached to it, the end of this second bar was used as a pointer which was moved around by the operator, the computer would read the values of the two pots and calculate the position of the pointer relative to the top pot.

If this is an adequate explanation of what I am thinking of, it might be a fun little project.

[Bryce]

I know the device you are talking about. In fact there was on being offered on ebay.fr a few weeks ago. Very strange device, it looked like a mixture between graphics tablet and a game of hangman. Can't remember who made them, they were big and very plastic looking.

Bryce.

[DaDMaN]

I would like to know the difficulty in porting the game on CPC...

Ok, let's check the classical speccy port stuff...

UWOL on speccy :

=Coloured game : a few bits are put in the attributes I guess...be it only for the foreground/background...
=masked sprite : from what it look in the Youtube videos... the platforms are colourfull, yet the background and sprites are of the same colour, so the sprites are masked too...

=no scrollings... good point for a CPC...


So...
=sounds ? easily portable as it almost is from speccy (just got to mod because of different clocking...)
=Graphics : you did them already.
=Sprites : Being masked, the are actually 2bpp... so the same weight as amstrad equivalent.

as the graphix are cartoonish, mode0 is quite efficient.

Most differences :
=Backgroiunds would be a bit heavier, Datawise...
=Of course good old VRAM screen is heavier anyway...


is it to be 464 or 664 or 6128 ?


To be fair, to re-use large parts from the RickDangerous engine would be great for such game.


but i guess you aimed at a better display than only "256x192"...
With perhaps bigger sprites ?



Concerning Mouse, I still dream about a mouse connected to the Analog port of the PLUS... would be great for such machine.

Technically, game engine is almost working. Resolution used on Amstrad CPC is 288x240 game screen (144x240 Mode 0 resolution) and 288x16 with two screen splits in Mode 1 for game info and scores. Titles and sprites uses 24x24 pixels (12x24 Mode 0). Actually, as you can see in the video, we have up to 10 animated precompiled coins at background at 25fps without problems. This version was designed to work with 128K machines and a cutted versión (without background animations, bonus levels and other extras) was planned for 64K machines.

128K version will use my new "remastered" songs using Arkos Player (you can hear my songs in my blog entry and compare it with the original ones made for spectrum with WyzTracker).

Amstrad CPC version is rewritten entirely in pure assembly to make it run faster possible on our machines. Spectrum, Genesis and C64 ports are writen in compiled C and game screen is LESS than 256x192. If 256x192 resolution is a bit poor for our Amstrad CPC monitor (big border areas) imagine less resolution (240x128 including scores areas)...

Here you can see a real comparison of screen sizes between versions: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_u2camLVKn_E/TOeul3oh6NI/AAAAAAAAAak/FgU46NrqPk4/s640/comparativa_rgb.png

And here you can see my entire review with some screens and with my music versions: http://ladrillopixeles.blogspot.com/2010/11/proyecto-uwol-quest-for-money-amstrad.html

DaD.

[Gryzor]

Ooh, spanish... but the screenies are great!

[MacDeath]

off topic :

Analogue wouldn't really work for a mouse, they are digital, or how do you propose it should set the values? Analogue value = mouse position, or analogue value = mouse speed?

But can't analog also be used as "pseudo-digital" ?
I guessed Tennis cup 2 did this...

Also good old mouse use "potentiometers" (despite in a digital way) to read the ball movement, but I guess this would need to redo entirely the electronic inside the mouse.

an analog mouse could then perhaps have variable speed more easily according to the way you move it.

[Bryce]

A mouse that uses potentiometers? Where did you see that?

Send me a link if you have one.

Bryce.

[MacDeath]

Well, I guessed the "wheels" were some kind of "potentiometers" but I suppose I was wrong.... oops.

[Bryce]

Old mouses/mice/mees with a ball are connected to small coding wheels (plastic wheel with slits cut into it) and an infrared source and sensor on either side. When the wheel turns and the light goes throught the slits, these pulses are counted to measure how far the mouse has moved. There one wheel for X and one for Y.

This diagrams and photo explain it in pictures, better than my confusing words:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mouse_mechanism_diagram.svg

The coding wheels are the black parts to the left and above the ball.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Logitechms48.jpg

Bryce.

[OCT]

mees

Didn't know that these ever existed, even as a word.

with a ball are connected to small coding wheels (plastic wheel with slits cut into it) and an infrared source and sensor on either side. When the wheel turns and the light goes throught the slits, these pulses are counted to measure how far the mouse has moved. There one wheel for X and one for Y.

This diagrams and photo explain it in pictures, better than my confusing words:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mouse_mechanism_diagram.svg

But isn't that image oversimplifying things a bit? If experience from the construction of Your New Robotic Overlords we build here at Cyberdyne Systems is any guide, one would need two photodetectors per axis/wheel (each having possibly 2 slits/holes as well, unless shaped in an appropriate geometry) to determine the rotational direction.