20 replies to this topic

[4nic8]

I've uploaded 4 colors patch for db mode to File Sharing!
DOWNLOAD THE PATCH


I managed to make a patch for all DB graphics libraries to expand it to 4 COLORS! However it flickers a bit but you should at least try it!

Instead of initializing db mode use 'set_4grays();' (you can also set contrast to 11). To close 4 grays mode use 'close_4grays();'.

All db graphic functions will work fine with this patch!!!

To use 2 grays you have to update set pix functions.

+--------------------------------+
| buffer1 | buffer2 | color |
| 1 | 1 | black |
| 1 | 0 | dark gray |
| 0 | 1 | light gray |
| 0 | 0 | white |
+--------------------------------+

4 colors example

PS) I know that I posted about it in other topic but I just think that the patch shouldn't be overlooked

PS 2) I tried it with TankWar and it works just fine!

[Orwell]

Well, you can optimize it a little more

Are you sure the colors you get are stable? i mean, in most case when you try a new gray mode by drawing vertical stripes you can easily get 5 nice different colors for example, but if you do exactly the same with horizontal stripes you have only 3 colors left... So this mode is unexploitable for a real program.

I've made a lot of tests to try the different configurations, and i think i tried your solution too, but i didn't choose it for my own gray mode so maybe i had found some problems in it... Anyway, we can try your solution again

[4nic8]

The truth is that it flickers a little bit but for me it's good enough.

Just try 4 colors version of Tank War: http://www.ee.pw.edu.../dp/tankwar.exe

and write what do you think about this graphic mode. You can just write IT ROCKS or IT SUCKS if you don't want to write too much, because I really want to know what the majority thinks about it.

[Orwell]

Well i've tested it now... And you're right, it does flicker a lot

Sincerely i would say its a little sad, because the 4th color was supposed to improve the graphics and to give us a better image on screen... And now with this flicker i find it even worse than with the 3 original colors


BTW, the tests for my libs are over, i just have to write the readme file and some examples before uploading it

[madjar]

hihihihi...
on the french forum, we're talking about some 5 colors mode...

I'll test all that tomorow

[mastermage]

Edit: Of course madjar but 5 levels of gray take 3 buffers, it's slower

humm I'll say IT ROCKS on rom 1.01, on other roms IT SUCKS
It almost doesn't flicker on rom 1.01 because the video refresh is faster than in other roms.

[4nic8]

humm I'll say IT ROCKS on rom 1.01, on other roms IT SUCKS

Oh! I have rom 1.01 and I thought it worked the same on every rom, that's why I like it so much! LOL

However it would be nice if db games have option to choose normal 3 colors mode or 4 colors patch - *dreamer*

[4nic8]

Tank War 4 colors for ROM 1.01: HERE

Tank War 4 colors for OTHER ROMS: HERE

OK, and how it works now???

[Orwell]

However it would be nice if db games have option to choose normal 3 colors mode or 4 colors patch - *dreamer*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is not allways possible... for example the functions i use in db mode (DrawLib 1.4b) need the 4th combination for the mask of the sprites, so i cannot use it for another color

[Deimos]

Unfortunately, i must say it flickers like hell (rom 1.03), so the game looks like it had lower famerate than it actually does. This mode has a potential, it just needs more work to make it look good on roms other than 1.01. Now the light gray colour is barely noticable so on normal contrast it loks like the game had 3 colors plus it flickers. On high contrast, the light gray is fine but the rest of colors are crappy. I think that the brightest colour should be a bit darker.
So my opinion is: it can rock, after a few adjustments

[huhn_m]

well, I'm trying a little arround with my <{GNULINUX}> engine at the moment
(though this will not be my project for this years comp I think) and
I DO have 5 color (white / 3 gray / black) and it runs smooth and clean.
I tried 7 color mode and it flickered a litte and the differences between some colors were not quite plainly visible so I abandoned this mode.

Try REAL asm. I think it works well. I use Int 1Ch @ mode DB by the way.
I do only code in ASM. It rocks

[4nic8]

TRY NOW:
http://www.ee.pw.edu...dp/tankwar3.exe
This mode really rocks - 0 flickering on ROM 1.01

please try it and tell how it looks on other ROMs

[Deimos]

Hey, it doesn't flicker! But there are only two colours now - black and white, no greyscale :/
So it needs a bit more work for 1.03 rom, keep it up, You're getting close

[4nic8]

try now:
http://www.ee.pw.edu...dp/tankwar4.exe

I released patch v 2.0:
http://www.casiocalc...#4-colors-patch

[Deimos]

Better than last time but it flickers again about as bad as on 3rd try...... It's really trirng when You play the game longer

[BradN]

Just in case it's of any use, the actual refresh rate is the same on all ROM versions (and can be changed via port 04), but the interrupt fires only once every (I believe) 3 refreshes on the non-1.01 versions. If you did software timing to guess the middle two refresh points, you could do non-flickering page flipping, but you would be limited to using 1/3 of the processor time (right before the interrupt occurs) to do actual game/whatever processing, assuming you don't want to write your routines in assembly and count the processor cycles to allow correct timing.

[4nic8]

Willingly I'll try that, but on my 1.01 rom it doesn't flicker so there's no way I can test that .

Maybe some programmer with non 1.01 rom will try to fix it that way.

[4nic8]

OK! I've made some test program and I need a volunteer with a rom different then 1.01.
http://www.ee.pw.edu...wj/dp/gray4.exe
Run this program on your calc.
F1 - F2 change grays emulation parameter
F3 - F6 change test screens

Is there any parameter which makes grays flicker less?

[Deimos]

Okay, i'll test it.

[Marco]

I tried it, and I'm sad to say it flickers, too (I have ROM 1.05).

But that?s only a question of adjustment I think. Maybe you should play a bit with the timing rates and also try non - interrupt timing.

The parameters don't improove it, maybe the steps are to large. Can you make it adjustable in smaller steps, too (probably not, when you used interrupts)?

Btw.: I did some tries with color emulation yesterday, too, and achieved 8 Colors stable and 16 Colors flickering a bit in mode CB both; see according threat

[4nic8]

Btw.: I did some tries with color emulation yesterday, too, and achieved 8 Colors stable and 16  Colors flickering a bit in mode CB both; see according threat

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WOW!!! Can u show examples???