Search found 3070 matches

by Einar Saukas
Mon Mar 25, 2024 1:11 pm
Forum: ZXDB Fixes
Topic: Little bugs in the database 6
Replies: 131
Views: 5049

Re: Little bugs in the database 6

Regarding the MicroSolver series mentioned here: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/17556/ZX-Spectrum/Digilog_Basic-Kompilator I'm working on preserving a utility from that series, and on the last pages of the Swedish manual, they list the programs included in the series. Find it easier to menti...
by Einar Saukas
Fri Mar 22, 2024 4:35 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: A new data compressor called ZX0
Replies: 280
Views: 20009

Re: A new data compressor called ZX0

zara6502 wrote: Fri Mar 22, 2024 7:30 am And the second question is, how often is "copy from last offset" used?
Often enough to be worth it.

Anecdotal evidence otherwise doesn't mean much...
by Einar Saukas
Fri Mar 22, 2024 4:07 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: A new data compressor called ZX0
Replies: 280
Views: 20009

Re: A new data compressor called ZX0

1. len(5) (literals ABCDE, 0 we do not set it as this is the beginning of the stream and the literals will be the first) 2. 1 + len(4) + offset(5) (for ABCD) 3. 1 + len(3) + offset(4) (for ABC) 4. 1 + len(3) + offset(3) (for ABC) 5. 0 + len(3) (last offset for ABC) In this case, how do we understan...
by Einar Saukas
Thu Mar 21, 2024 11:00 pm
Forum: Brand new software!
Topic: The Elves of Maroland
Replies: 10
Views: 413

Re: The Elves of Maroland

Or update the latter entry to multi-language.
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:35 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: A request for new tags
Replies: 22
Views: 464

Re: A request for new tags

marenja wrote: Sun Mar 10, 2024 5:21 pm Can we also have a tag for games with multiple genres?
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/list?group_id=1073
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 20, 2024 5:34 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: A request for new tags
Replies: 22
Views: 464

Re: A request for new tags

Please add 2 tags for bosses. - first one for the final boss, e.g. Draconus https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/list?group_id=1072 - and another for level bosses, e.g. Silkworm; this tag is also for games that have several bosses but have no separate levels https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/list?group_id...
by Einar Saukas
Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:34 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Progamming with Chatgpt 4/ copilot
Replies: 13
Views: 372

Re: Progamming with Chatgpt 4/ copilot

bluespikey wrote: Tue Mar 19, 2024 1:59 pm I really will be out of a job in a few years.
Unless you are one of those programmers whose code DO work :)
by Einar Saukas
Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:26 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: New Database Model ZXDB
Replies: 517
Views: 106280

Re: New Database Model ZXDB

A new ZXDB release is available!
by Einar Saukas
Tue Mar 19, 2024 3:21 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: NIRVANA NIRVANA_spriteT routine… where?
Replies: 3
Views: 227

Re: NIRVANA NIRVANA_spriteT routine… where?

My apologies for not explaining it better in the manual! The section of the manual about "NIRVANA API" doesn't refer to the source code. It refers to the provided API for ZX Basic (available from the link you mentioned) and z88dk (currently inside the official z88dk distribution). If you a...
by Einar Saukas
Sun Mar 17, 2024 9:26 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: 2d and other graphics modes
Replies: 5
Views: 222

Re: 2d and other graphics modes

All these examples are 3D perspective.

Notice how parallel lines meet towards the horizon (especially the road), and all objects (cars, enemies, walls, etc) get smaller in the distance.
by Einar Saukas
Sun Mar 17, 2024 2:04 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: 2d and other graphics modes
Replies: 5
Views: 222

Re: 2d and other graphics modes

Other options for flat 2d are 1st-person (usually a view from a racing car, a crosshair for FPS shooters) Behind view (racing genre is the only that comes to my mind) Your description sounds like 3D perspective... Do you have any examples? Perpendicular 2.5D Graphics looks for me same as `Diagonal-...
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:34 am
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Devfinitive Edition (Mike Richardson): vote
Replies: 24
Views: 585

Re: Devfinitive Edition (Mike Richardson): vote

I expected more votes for Thanatos! Become a dragon. Rescue a sorceress about to be sacrificed, carrying her on your back. Breath fire on a village, or grab an archer with your claws then drop him from high above to hit others. How cool is that? By comparison, Turbo Esprit is a great game, but it's ...
by Einar Saukas
Mon Mar 11, 2024 6:07 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: New Database Model ZXDB
Replies: 517
Views: 106280

Re: New Database Model ZXDB

Another ZXDB update is available!
by Einar Saukas
Sun Mar 10, 2024 1:14 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

Let us see user's case to seek for games. I know a cool game, e.g. renegade or double dragon and i am impressed with its graphics mode, that oblique 3d. I want to see other games that are like renegade and i click link "oblique 3d". But i see that `3d painter` and `pippo`. No. That's like...
by Einar Saukas
Sat Mar 09, 2024 3:10 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

https://i.postimg.cc/mgGC4gRK/Clipboard-03-09-2024-02.jpg This (top-down?) oblique projection was used in many games with RPG Maker, here Vampires Dawn. As you see the characters are drawn from a side view but that still fits nicely. I agree it looks nice. However that's not oblique or 3D. In ZXDB ...
by Einar Saukas
Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:53 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

Lethargeek wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:31 pm and who said you can't have 2d characters moving on the ground in 3d world? :P
Sure, almost every 3D game for the Spectrum have 2D characters. When done properly (like in Renegade) it looks great.
by Einar Saukas
Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:38 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

This looks like perspective projection. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/SCRtoImage.php?SCR=/conv_scr/p/Pandemia.scr&border=0 All objects are oblique. Except each side of the screen has a different angle. The last level of Renegade uses the same idea. However it doesn't look wrong because the si...
by Einar Saukas
Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:19 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

But these from the same list look wrong . https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/SCRtoImage.php?SCR=/conv_scr/p/Pippo.scr&border=0 https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/SCRtoImage.php?SCR=/conv_scr/p/Painter3D.scr&border=0 Agreed. The background view is top-down but the characters are sideways.
by Einar Saukas
Sat Mar 09, 2024 2:10 pm
Forum: Games/Software
Topic: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?
Replies: 21
Views: 434

Re: Oblique 3D Graphics - true or not?

This one is something vice versa for me, i feel walls of this image as inverted and absolutely unreal. The world is like turning upside down. Or may be you are looking down but still the picture is not realistic. https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/SCRtoImage.php?SCR=/conv_scr/d/Desolator.scr&borde...
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 6:36 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler
Replies: 31
Views: 727

Re: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler

sn3j wrote: Tue Mar 05, 2024 1:46 pm If anyone's interested I can pm the code.
Or you could release your demo, source code and documentation as a new entry in the archive!
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 5:45 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: A request for new tags
Replies: 22
Views: 464

Re: A request for new tags

One option is, we can start classifying games into 2 separate tags "Multiple Boss Fights" and "Final Big Boss Fight", with possibly a few games on both. Depending on how many titles we find for each group (and how many "gray areas"), we may decide later to merge both gr...
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 5:10 pm
Forum: ZXDB Discussion
Topic: A request for new tags
Replies: 22
Views: 464

Re: A request for new tags

marenja wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:07 pm All Renegade bosses on video seem to be of the same size so i think there is no final super boss.
The final boss in Renegade is clearly everyone else's boss. He carries a pistol and can shoot at the player, all others are unarmed.
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:13 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler
Replies: 31
Views: 727

Re: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler

ParadigmShifter wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:07 pm Adding and removal are both O(n log n).
Actually O(log n).
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 4:03 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler
Replies: 31
Views: 727

Re: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler

Ah, I've looked up the DB for Dijkstra and A-Star before trying myself, but the search didn't turn up results. I like the idea of storing the path lengths directy in the maze. I am using 8-way movement (instead of the 4-way in your algorithm) but this could be worked out by adding either 2 or 3 to ...
by Einar Saukas
Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:50 pm
Forum: Programming
Topic: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler
Replies: 31
Views: 727

Re: Simple path finding algorithm in assembler

Evil Genius wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:44 pm Idle curiosity: can this be adapted for multiple terrain types with differing movement costs, even at a limited range of say, 6 or 8 hexes?
In case of PATHFINDER, support for weighted terrain would require using one priority queue (implemented as binary heap) instead of a simple queue.