Recent posts

#1

Programming / Re: XML parser in Z80

Last post by norecess464 - Yesterday at 23:52

For the Amstrad CPC, I would recommend the IFF file format (Amiga). Yes, it's a binary format, but it's easy to parse and extendable, like XML.

However, if you really prefer a human-readable format, I would suggest JSON or YAML instead, as they both offer the same functionality as XML but in a more compact form.

#2

Programming / Re: XML parser in Z80

Last post by Prodatron - Yesterday at 22:29

What I always learned about the CPC is, that nothing is impossible haha

But yes, I love the AKS XML format a lot on PC side e.g. for merging multiple AKS songs into one including re-using instruments

https://github.com/Prodatron/symsys-sounddaemon/blob/main/convert/aks_merge.py
https://github.com/Prodatron/symbos-wiki/wiki/SoundD-%E2%80%90-creating-sound-files

Thanks so much for all this great stuff, the Sound Daemon (and much more) wouldn't be possible without it.

#3

Programming / Re: XML parser in Z80

Last post by Targhan - Yesterday at 22:07

but what is you usecase

Probably to load an AT song on Ayane. Bad news, AT1 is very bloated (a one-liner from C#, handy but terribly inefficient), and AT2 and AT3 have slightly different format (the latter not official yet, so you should wait for the official release). However, I honestly doubt people will load an AT song on a CPC software, but this is my opinion only.

#4

V

Games / Re: Hero Quest CPC Plus CPR wi...

Last post by viddi - Yesterday at 20:43

Any chance to get a "final ancient" version with better menu font colours?

Yes, that may be the last change I made before final release.

Awesome!

#5

Games / Re: Hero Quest CPC Plus CPR wi...

Last post by abalore - Yesterday at 20:27

Any chance to get a "final ancient" version with better menu font colours?

Yes, that may be the last change I made before final release.

#6

V

Games / Re: Hero Quest CPC Plus CPR wi...

Last post by viddi - Yesterday at 20:11

Any chance to get a "final ancient" version with better menu font colours?

#7

Emulators / Re: CPCEC a new emulator from ...

Last post by cngsoft - Yesterday at 19:25

Loads of work and worry, little (if any) spare time... Here's a new patch but don't expect anything really big:
20250321 -- minor patch fixing the sRGB calculations (Gigascreen would "darken" images in motion because it assumed Gamma 2.0 instead of 2.2), several colour palettes (CPCEC: OLD+PLUS; ZXSEC: ULA+ULAPLUS; MSXEC: V9938) and a bug in the scarcely used GZIP writer. MSXEC now supports 8-MB cartridges and new cartridge headers ("ROM_ASC8", "ROM_AS16", "ROM_KON4", "ROM_KON5", "ROM_NEO8", "ROM_NE16", "ASCII16X") and patches a bug in the V9958 YAE video render.

#8

Games / Re: Hero Quest CPC Plus CPR wi...

Last post by abalore - Yesterday at 17:28

The loading screen looks very good but I would prefer it with more vibrant colours, and if it is a cpr version I would use the Plus/GX4000 palette. Here you are some options, the first one in classic CPC colours.

It is very difficult to improve the game graphically in mode 1 if you can´t use the four colours everywhere. I have made a mock-up with a different palette, using another colour for shading in the area outside the game and I have arranged some icons.
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Well... I much prefer the colours Abalore chose. More readable

Well, to be honest the colours have been chosen by TotO, with the only limitation that color indexes need to give a good result in a green monitor. Using Plus palette is not an option for this game since it's mandatory for me to work in all models and the patches don't allow much room for adding conditional code.

Anyway, this version is ancient story already, I'm working in a mode 0 version coded from scratch. Everyone is invited to mock graphics for it!

#9

Games / Re: MODE 1 > MODE 0 wishlist

Last post by lmimmfn - Yesterday at 15:20

many of those awful mode1 speccy sh**ts often also had terribad game engines beyond any redemption.

I mean, check for Black Tiger or WonderBoy Monsterland... and you'll know.

Bad use of rasters, small screen, many routines or engine code strategies unfit for CPC, tailored to run on a Speccy 48 with tape... or just coded by a poorly paid british student in 2 weeks.

Your Black Tiger looks brilliant, i think it could be improved just slightly by using a split raster for the upper scores(i.e. using red, white and more like the arcade font) etc.


I messed around with that blue part of the play area also adding white, not sure if it works and making it look too busy, i think the red in the scoreboard works though

#10

Programming / Re: XML parser in Z80

Last post by Prodatron - Yesterday at 14:52

Would anyone have that in their drawers?

I started an XML2DOX converter many years ago (for displaying websites in SymZilla), but I would have to dig this out again.
You probably don't want this for AKS files, but what is you usecase?
Otherwise you would need an Unzipper as well, I can recommend you a fast one