Atic-Atac Isometric Version

People are still making stuff for the Sinclair related machines. Tell us about new games and other software that runs on the Spectrum, ZX80/ZX81, Pentagon and Next.
redballoon
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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A new hero emerges! Here's a look at our very own Knight and how he likes running.
Wait til you see him running around the game map, though, which you'll see this coming Saturday.
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Excellent!
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stupidget
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by stupidget »

Another reason to think about getting a Spectrum Next :D

http://www.indieretronews.com/2018/12/u ... s.html?m=1
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Daren
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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redballoon
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Here we go, the reveal of the official title of the game, “Melkhior’s Mansion”, the logo and the other 3 characters you'll be able to play as in the final game.
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stupidget
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by stupidget »

This is looking superb.

I love the fact that it’s a new game, based on an all time classic, but, also being released on brand new Spectrum Hardware! :D
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Looking forward to it! :geek:
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ZXDunny
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by ZXDunny »

So what's the chances of an Atic-Atac style overhead Fairlight? :D
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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redballoon
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Daren
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by Daren »

Yep, Speccy version of Melkhior's Mansion in development.
https://twitter.com/BobsStuffGames/stat ... 10981?s=19
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Ast A. Moore
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by Ast A. Moore »

Well, Bob clearly knows what he’s doing. SokoBAArn! was excellent.
Every man should plant a tree, build a house, and write a ZX Spectrum game.

Author of A Yankee in Iraq, a 50 fps shoot-’em-up—the first game to utilize the floating bus on the +2A/+3,
and zasm Z80 Assembler syntax highlighter.
Daren
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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stupidget
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Daren wrote: Tue Apr 23, 2019 8:55 pm A look at the Caverns area...
https://twitter.com/EricRetro/status/11 ... 67360?s=19
Love the knightlore werewolf head on top of the wall 👍
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by redballoon »

If anyone is popping along the Play Expo Manchester this weekend, you can play a demo of both the PC and Spectrum Next version at the Spectrum Next stand. I’ll be there along with Richard and Kev so they can answer any questions while I’ll drone on about Spectrum graphics.
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by Daren »

Great, see you there!
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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Did you get along to see and try both the PC and Next demos, Daren? Sorry that I never got to chat you you if you did - there were tons of people I never got to meet.

We’ve had some great feedback and nice comments regarding it so that’s been really encouraging.
1 thing that’s changed already is that the original PC version was running at 30fps deliberately to make it feel more retro and the Next version was running at 60fps, so it was a long smoother. A lot of people commented on how they preferred the 60fps, so Richard has updated the PC version to run the same.

Work now continues, the Expo demo banished to an archive folder never to be seen again, a review of how you pick up and store objects to be done (but that means it might not necessarily change) and discussions about the use of the cooked chicken turning to its skeleton to represent your health...
Daren
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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redballoon wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 1:28 pm Did you get along to see and try both the PC and Next demos, Daren? Sorry that I never got to chat you you if you did - there were tons of people I never got to meet.
I did, yes. Didn't have a go, just watched others on them. Mightily impressed, can't wait to get them! Played on the real Next that was there, on Baggers in Space. Looking forward to receiving mine!
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DouglasReynholm
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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redballoon wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 1:28 pm 1 thing that’s changed already is that the original PC version was running at 30fps deliberately to make it feel more retro and the Next version was running at 60fps, so it was a long smoother. A lot of people commented on how they preferred the 60fps, so Richard has updated the PC version to run the same.
I love the fact that due to the retro gameplay and graphic style doubling the frame rate is a quick update. Really looking forward to this, the original game is only one of a few from the era I find really compelling still.
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djnzx48
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by djnzx48 »

Can the Next run at 60Hz? I thought it was still configured to 50Hz (or slightly higher). Does it have a mode designed for modern monitors?
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

Post by redballoon »

Yip, apparently so. I have no idea of the technical gubbins behind it all, though. The Next version is being being converted by Kev Brady, who is 1 of the Spectrum Next team, so he knows the hardware. The first time I saw the Next version running was on the Friday night there before the Play Expo And was informed by Kev that it’s running at 60fps.
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Seven.FFF
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Re: Atic-Atac Isometric Version

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The Next runs at both 50 and 60, over VGA, and HDMI and RGB. Only the 50 mode has accurate PAL timings. The 60 mode has accurate Timex NTSC timings.

As you might know, the Next is an FPGA machine, with reprogrammable hardware and a large FLASH memory which can hold 30 different cores to boot into. Other cores like QL, BBC Micro and Arcade machines are possible.

The main core is a super-spectrum, supporting all of the features from the classic Sinclair, Amstrad, Timex and Investronica models, plus some popular Brazilian and East European clones. There is a mechanism to turn the necessary features on and off, meaning you can boot the main core into a bunch of machine personalities matching the various Spectrum models. These personalities support standard esxDOS 0.8.6 and the three classic multiface models - virtual divMMC and multiface hardware is included in the FPGA, you don’t need to own one of these devices.

So going back to the original timings point, all things being equal, and assuming you have a capable display, it makes sense to boot most of the personalities into 50Hz mode, except the Timex models which run more accurately in 60Hz mode.

The main core can also run Paul Farrow’s ZX-80, ZX-81 and Jupiter Ace emulators, and you can configure these as boot personalities too. Strictly speaking these are not fully accurate recreations, as they run with the 128K spectrum personality settings and are still really a Spectrum doing a good job of running programs for another machine. But they’re a very nice addition, and don’t preclude the later development of dedicated cores for those machines.

Finally there’s the Next personality, which has every super-spectrum core feature enabled. It also has an extended BASIC, developed by Garry Lancaster on top of his earlier +3e work. Some of the new Next-specific features available from machine code and BASIC are a 256 colour per pixel 256x192 mode, 256 colour per pixel sprites which can extend into the border, a 320x240 tilemap mode which extends into the border, four channel 8 bit sampled sound, a fast DMA chip for copying data or feeding the DACS at regular intervals, a copper copro for making screen effects or feeding the DACS in precise timings, a new memory model that lets you put any of the Next’s 223 8K RAM banks at any of eight slots in 64K addressable memory, a unified disk API that supports +3DOS, IDEDOS and esxDOS calls all with LFN support, a new Next-oriented multiface, a fast serial port running up to 2meg baud which supports WiFi/wired connections, and lots more.

Most of these features can be used in the other classic machine personalities too, but most new games and enhanced classic games will be built for running in the Next personality.

Going back to timings, finally, not every monitor and TV out there supports 50Hz, and 60Hz timings are not always suitable for running many classic programs at, so there is also a range of six other display friendly timings from 49-59Hz. These ones preserve the authentic number of cycles per line and lines per frame for accurate timings, but do so at the expense of speeding up the master clock, so everything runs slightly faster. Out of all these display options pure 50Hz over an RBG-SCART cable will give the best compatibility for running timing-critical Spectrum and Pentagon demos.

For new games, devs can obviously pick any feature, timing and display combination which makes sense for the game. Kev will have chosen 60Hz/fps as it provides more fluid movement and runs on more displays out there than 50, and covers a larger screen area due it having less vertical lines per frame. And also because it’s an exact multiple of Richard’s original 30fps mode, which would have made the conversion much easier. I believe he will also support 50, but 60 is the showcase mode.

Sorry for the long answer, but hopefully it gives a better sense of how the Next is a layered set of compatibility-friendly features, and how the timings and screen modes fit into that.
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