Game versions 48K vs 128K
Game versions 48K vs 128K
What benefits do 128K games have if there are special 128K versions of games ? Do they have only AY sound and option to load all levels only once?
Do many 128K games have additional materials - graphics, animations? Probably they have additional stories like Switch Blade has? Or maybe intro, finall cut.
Golden Axe or Heroes of the lance has additional pictures and story i think. But i am not sure.
Are there many games that give a player any additional features inside the game? Star pilot has weapons shop in 128K version. Maybe other games have additional levels, more weapons that didn't fit into 48K RAM?
Do many 128K games have additional materials - graphics, animations? Probably they have additional stories like Switch Blade has? Or maybe intro, finall cut.
Golden Axe or Heroes of the lance has additional pictures and story i think. But i am not sure.
Are there many games that give a player any additional features inside the game? Star pilot has weapons shop in 128K version. Maybe other games have additional levels, more weapons that didn't fit into 48K RAM?
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
I'm not an expert in hardware, but another advantage of the 128K models, in addition to the ones mentioned,
is the ability to utilize the so-called 'Shadow Memory'; a memory bank pointing to $4000, which can be used for example, to create a double buffer and display smoother, higher-quality graphics on the screen.
There might be someone around here with more expertise on this topic who can explain it better.
is the ability to utilize the so-called 'Shadow Memory'; a memory bank pointing to $4000, which can be used for example, to create a double buffer and display smoother, higher-quality graphics on the screen.
There might be someone around here with more expertise on this topic who can explain it better.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Slightly Magic had more screen furniture on the 128k.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Some nice detail around a handful of games that took advantage of the 128K - https://www.gamesradar.com/best-spectrum-128k-games/
- Rog
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
It was discussed many times here and on WOS but I'll leave searching for these old threads for others
Here you can can check which +3 disk games have some additional content:
https://zx-pk.ru/threads/31635-spisok-i ... t-s-3.html
(the forum is in Russian but the list is in English)
Here you can can check which +3 disk games have some additional content:
https://zx-pk.ru/threads/31635-spisok-i ... t-s-3.html
(the forum is in Russian but the list is in English)
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Road Blasters 128 had AY sound and also had horizontal stripes at the side of the road to give a better sense of speed.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Yeap, the difference is obviousworcestersource wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 1:16 pm Slightly Magic had more screen furniture on the 128k.
128K images:
48K images:
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
There's really two different situations, which can heavily influence the answer:
A game that runs on both 48 and 128 machines. This probably accounts for the vast majority. Because you wouldn't want the game to break on 48k, you're limited in how you much you can really add. Commonly using the extra memory to store multiload levels and maybe some AY music, leaving the rest largely untouched was the easy option. If you wanted to get fancy some extra background graphics or animations or a non default font might be included. All little touches that don't actually change the game in any meaningful way.
128K exclusives. Once you get into this territory you can expand your options somewhat. Larger maps, or just a bigger world which doesn't need to be broken up into separate loads. Or a wider variety of tiles within a level, again because you don't have to think in terms of loadable chunks. The hardware page flipping can be used to get better screen updates and you can use the AY sound for key audio cues, if desired, rather than having to dedicate CPU time to he beeper.
A game that runs on both 48 and 128 machines. This probably accounts for the vast majority. Because you wouldn't want the game to break on 48k, you're limited in how you much you can really add. Commonly using the extra memory to store multiload levels and maybe some AY music, leaving the rest largely untouched was the easy option. If you wanted to get fancy some extra background graphics or animations or a non default font might be included. All little touches that don't actually change the game in any meaningful way.
128K exclusives. Once you get into this territory you can expand your options somewhat. Larger maps, or just a bigger world which doesn't need to be broken up into separate loads. Or a wider variety of tiles within a level, again because you don't have to think in terms of loadable chunks. The hardware page flipping can be used to get better screen updates and you can use the AY sound for key audio cues, if desired, rather than having to dedicate CPU time to he beeper.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
I've found viewtopic.php?t=8155 but I'm sure there are more with a similar topic.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Is there any 128K game known to use this technique? It's quite common in the demoscene.
I seem to recall that the game 'Navy Seals' was mentioned in an article in Microhobby magazine as using a double buffer with the page flipping technique.
Is there a way to find out without having to deep dive into assembly language?
If so, a new group coul be created for these games.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
An emulator that can set a breakpoint on bit D3 of I/O address 7FFDh could be used to confirm it. Whether it's "interesting" enough for anyone to spend time investigating is another question I guess.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Thank you!rog wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:20 pm Some nice detail around a handful of games that took advantage of the 128K - https://www.gamesradar.com/best-spectrum-128k-games/
About The Abbey of The Crime I highly recommend this game to anyone who hasn't played it yet. There's an English version available for those who don't understand Spanish on SC.
This game has a uncommon feature that makes good use of the extra memory available in the 128K models: it allows you to save the game state as 'checkpoints' (SYMB + 1,2,3 ..9) at any moment in memory and continue from there by loading with SHIFT + number if something goes wrong later on. This feature, overlooked by many due to piracy and the lack of a manual, contributes to its reputation as a nearly impossible game to finish without assistance.
However, with these saved 'checkpoints' in memory, it becomes much more accesible.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Thank you for the info. I'll take a closer look at it. Personally, I'm interested.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
I would have thought that any game that uses a backbuffer that is fully redrawn each gameloop on 128K would use that since it avoids having to copy the backbuffer to the screen?
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
You'd think that, but it often wasn't the case. Probably a lot of developers had routines built for the 48K, which often used linear screen layouts, and didn't fancy re-writing them for a pure 128 solution. Also banking on the Speccy 128 was a bit janky - having to have the "normal" screen still paged in at 4000h regardless of which screen you were drawing to was a bit crap tbh.ParadigmShifter wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 8:56 pm I would have thought that any game that uses a backbuffer that is fully redrawn each gameloop on 128K would use that since it avoids having to copy the backbuffer to the screen?
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
there's at least one example (+3 corsarios) where the backbuffer is normal page5 screen that is never displayed directly during the gameAndyC wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:25 pm You'd think that, but it often wasn't the case. Probably a lot of developers had routines built for the 48K, which often used linear screen layouts, and didn't fancy re-writing them for a pure 128 solution. Also banking on the Speccy 128 was a bit janky - having to have the "normal" screen still paged in at 4000h regardless of which screen you were drawing to was a bit crap tbh.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Well if you don't redraw everything every frame you can use any address as a backbuffer so that address will probably do.
My version of Manic Miner did use a backbuffer (but only 16 character rows high) but I only copied parts that changed to the screen so there's no point switching to drawing that instead since you'd need to copy it to the other buffer each frame.
My version of Manic Miner did use a backbuffer (but only 16 character rows high) but I only copied parts that changed to the screen so there's no point switching to drawing that instead since you'd need to copy it to the other buffer each frame.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
City connection has 4 more countries, extra intro, extra visual and sound efects, and loads more.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Renegade on the 128k had an extra level, the bad guys would fall at and angle and bounce if you knocked them down at the edge of the platform or pier plus it had the throw move. These features were all missing in the 48k version. Plus it had AY sound & music on the 128k.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
I loved the games that appeared like standard 48K loads, as in they didn’t have a 128K version on the B side, but if they were loaded in 128K mode, you got extra features. Off the top of my head Glider Rider, Renegade, Auf Wiedersehen Monty and Death Wish 3 did this. There were loads more games.
When upgrading from a 48K to a +2, it was so good going back to older games and discovering all this extra stuff. I still remember being blown away by Auf Wiedersehen Monty with its brilliant soundtrack and speech.
When upgrading from a 48K to a +2, it was so good going back to older games and discovering all this extra stuff. I still remember being blown away by Auf Wiedersehen Monty with its brilliant soundtrack and speech.
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Is there an English hack of this on the Spectrum? I’d love to play it but never found the English version.
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Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
Yes, posted once at Planeta Sinclair
Re: Game versions 48K vs 128K
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/4 ... del_Crimen
The file called AbbeyOfCrime-EnglishBeta.tzx.zip