Re: R: [stella] RESCUE.BIN update

Subject: Re: R: [stella] RESCUE.BIN update
From: Greg Troutman <mor@xxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 1997 10:09:13 -0700
Piero Cavina wrote:
> 
> > Da: Greg Troutman <mor@xxxxxxx>
> > A: stella@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > Oggetto: [stella] RESCUE.BIN update
> > Data: domenica 14 settembre 1997 9.44
> 
> Please excuse me, but the #*@! Explorer always puts the headers in Italian
> and I haven't yet found a way to change that...
> 
> > There's a lot of weird changes to the graphics, and I'm not sure I
> > really like them.  One thing about adding all the single scanline color
> > changes to the player graphics is that it just doesn't look good with a
> > plain black background
> 
> I like the new colours and hate the sounds... :)
> Advice: always try to include a decay in the volume of each sound effect...
> that's what I've done in Oystron, and I think this makes them sound better.

Okay, I'll try and figure that out.

> 
> > Missiles have been added to the kernel, but for now only half the full
> > functionality: the asteroids turn to spaceships when you rescue a guy,
> > and the spaceships shoot at you pretty viciously.
> 
> Be careful, I've been hit before I could take off from the platform. This
> shouldn't happen...

Hmm.  It shouldn't ever hit you before you take off.  The missiles are
not even drawn in that portion of the kernel ;)  I'd guess you moved
only a single scanline or two and moved into a missile that had been
fire instantly upon the landing.   That's obviously too quick and
difficult and I'll adjust it somehow.

> >  I figure I can just duplex one missile register at
> > 30fps, alternating the bad guy missiles with the player's shots, but the
> > game logic to pull that off will take me a while longer.
> 
> I think that what is really missing is the retro-rockets fire, especially
> in the landing phase... ok, I know it's difficult! :)
> Maybe you could use the player's missile for this, making it wider than a
> missile, and shifting it a few pixels back and forth, up and down from
> frame to frame. Don't know if it would look like fire, but it might be
> better than nothing.

I was thinking about this.  I should be able to split up one missile
between the two player shots, and the retro rockets, but divvying up the
frames three ways gives me a priority problem.  I'll try and make that
happen and just see how it ends up looking, I guess.
> 
> Also, you need the spaceship explosion. If your kernel can't accept
> animations, try background color-cycling...

Yup.  I'm saving this for last, because I'm pretty sure I can fit it in
after I do a bunch of optimizing I haven't felt like doing yet...  If
for some reason it doesn't fit, then flashing background will have to
do.
 
> > I'm going to be pretty busy with my day job the next week or two, so I
> > probably won't be able to make many significant changes for a while.
> > But let me know what you think and I'll try and incorporate anything I
> > can that seems worthwhile
> 
> You're at a very good point with the kernel, soon the game will need fine
> tuning so you'd better find some free time :)

Hehe, maybe I'll get fired for not having my mind on the job ;)

--
mor@xxxxxxx
http://www.crl.com/~mor/

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