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General Category => Games => Longplays, reviews and other gaming vids => Topic started by: ukmarkh on 14:22, 03 January 23

Title: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: ukmarkh on 14:22, 03 January 23
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: andycadley on 15:01, 03 January 23
I always found it odd that this was described as "Mode 7 style scaling" when it's anything but. It's more like a kind of barrel scroll and while it's unusual to see on an 8 bit, I'm not convinced it made for a great game. The section in one of the Mickey Mouse games on the megadrive (where you are chased by a moose) used a similar technique to much better effect.
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: ukmarkh on 15:42, 03 January 23
For an 8bit, it's close enough ;) I like it, good challenge. 
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 15:47, 03 January 23
Yeah, it's a software barrel scroll, and a small one at that, but such is the limitation imposed by being a 4MHz Z80 with a 16KB display!

The car turns very nicely. The collision detection is a bit janky though. Levels are short and not very wide.

Gotta say it might have been better to remove the barrel to have a full-screen vertical scroll, but with the nicer turning animation...

I wonder if a modern demo group could knock up something a bit more impressive?
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: ukmarkh on 16:02, 03 January 23
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 15:47, 03 January 23Yeah, it's a software barrel scroll, and a small one at that, but such is the limitation imposed by being a 4MHz Z80 with a 16KB display!

The car turns very nicely. The collision detection is a bit janky though. Levels are short and not very wide.

Gotta say it might have been better to remove the barrel to have a full-screen vertical scroll, but with the nicer turning animation...

I wonder if a modern demo group could knock up something a bit more impressive?
I'd be interested to know for sure what type of scroll was used. I'm personally impressed. I don't know if Rob Buckley or Stephen Lond Baker peruse these parts, but would be good to know more. There's a section or two when the road becomes quite wide, so I suspect it could be improved. Star Driver 2?  
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: andycadley on 16:22, 03 January 23
Quote from: ukmarkh on 16:02, 03 January 23
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 15:47, 03 January 23Yeah, it's a software barrel scroll, and a small one at that, but such is the limitation imposed by being a 4MHz Z80 with a 16KB display!

The car turns very nicely. The collision detection is a bit janky though. Levels are short and not very wide.

Gotta say it might have been better to remove the barrel to have a full-screen vertical scroll, but with the nicer turning animation...

I wonder if a modern demo group could knock up something a bit more impressive?
I'd be interested to know for sure what type of scroll was used. I'm personally impressed. I don't know if Rob Buckley or Stephen Lond Baker peruse these parts, but would be good to know more. There's a section or two when the road becomes quite wide, so I suspect it could be improved. Star Driver 2? 
As mentioned above it's called a barrel scroll, because it sort of resembles a patterned barrel being rotated. Normally the effect would be continued such that it gets smaller again at the bottom, but that would look even weirder in a racing game. It already looks a bit like you're racing around a small moon.

It was pretty unique though, especially for such a late game and I wonder if the technique could have been optimised further. Adds an interesting feel to what is essentially a Spy Hunter-esque vertical scroller at least.
Title: Re: Star Driver Long-play | Mode 7 style SNES graphics on the Amstrad CPC
Post by: ukmarkh on 16:46, 03 January 23
Quote from: andycadley on 16:22, 03 January 23
Quote from: ukmarkh on 16:02, 03 January 23
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 15:47, 03 January 23Yeah, it's a software barrel scroll, and a small one at that, but such is the limitation imposed by being a 4MHz Z80 with a 16KB display!

The car turns very nicely. The collision detection is a bit janky though. Levels are short and not very wide.

Gotta say it might have been better to remove the barrel to have a full-screen vertical scroll, but with the nicer turning animation...

I wonder if a modern demo group could knock up something a bit more impressive?
I'd be interested to know for sure what type of scroll was used. I'm personally impressed. I don't know if Rob Buckley or Stephen Lond Baker peruse these parts, but would be good to know more. There's a section or two when the road becomes quite wide, so I suspect it could be improved. Star Driver 2? 
As mentioned above it's called a barrel scroll, because it sort of resembles a patterned barrel being rotated. Normally the effect would be continued such that it gets smaller again at the bottom, but that would look even weirder in a racing game. It already looks a bit like you're racing around a small moon.

It was pretty unique though, especially for such a late game and I wonder if the technique could have been optimised further. Adds an interesting feel to what is essentially a Spy Hunter-esque vertical scroller at least.
Yes, I only referred to it as scaling as that's what 'AA' called it. Rob Buckley referred to it as "impressive 3d scrolling". I believe there might have been plans for a sequel, but when 'AA' died, the scene died with it. 
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