Multi-Level Grayscale Kit for xLIB - The screenshot thread

[DJ Omnimaga]

Ok since I saw the new beta of Wabbitemu I figured I would download it and I noticed it had better LCD settings options. I soon managed to set it so it emulate grayscale nearly as perfect as on a real calc but in the screenshots it looks like shit so next time I'll do them with settings set to produce more perfect gray rather than more realistic calculator gray emulation but here are the current screenies for now:

The grayscale editor and interlacer (by Nitacku):


Regular grayscale in action


Scrolling tilemapper in action (cancelled since I no longer have a working 15 MHz calc model)

[kalan_vod]

I still love how the scrolling tilemapper came out! I need to see the source of this

[DJ Omnimaga]

thanks, when I will have a decent demo or set of routines for the grayscale stuff I will probably include the scrolling tilemapper as it is as well, even if not finished, so people can mess around with it or use it. Keep in mind the scrolling thing looks absolutely horrible on a regular 83+ though. Even on SE it looks pretty much like Reuben Quest

[chickendude]

Wow, i can't believe how fast the scrolling mapper runs! I also really like how the HUD looks

[tr1p1ea]

Wow looks awesome! And it doesnt take away from the games speed at all!

[DJ Omnimaga]

Thanks, the HUD was actually pretty easy. To keep the speed I draw it before entering the map routine then during map routine I only draw in the 4x4 area, which in the process speed things up a bit too, not being full screen. Actually the idea for this mapper I had was for a possible Nemesiat sequel (which would kinda be Illusiat 6-II too, since Nemesiat is in fact Illusiat 6 modified to be portable to the old 83 from 1996 and smaller file size) and the original nemesiat used a similar HUD, altough on the home screen.

As for speed, you don't lose much speed compared to 3 level grayscale with the same apps, even at 5 level you would still not lose speed, altough it wouldn't look as good and you would need to sacrifice some speed to try to make the gs looks better and your game wouldn't look nice at all on a 6 MHz calc. Also 5 level grayscale would require slight modifications to Nitacku dithering routines.

The problem with BASIC grayscale is that you need to manually draw the scanlines like you see in most good ASM routines and you must do it will all required pictures. With 3 levels it's not that hard to draw (I did all reuben tiles on calc) but with 4 level or above it's incredibly tricky because you need to trial and error until your diagonal patterns are drawn at the right place on each pic, to create the scrolling scanlines loop. In ASM due to the extremly fast speed you can afford to do the dithering during gameplay and on TI-85 or above then it's even better as you don't need these lines at all. That said, Nitacku dithering routine remove this sprite drawing challenge. If you don't like to draw on calc you do your pics on the PC, then separate the light gray in another one and turn it black and do the same with dark gray, then convert all 3 files to 8xi format (chronological pic numbers) and on calc use the Nitacku program to create the scanlines.

[TIfanx1999]

I'd forgotten how good this looks in action. Truely awe-inspiring stuff. The wabbitemu screenies aren't that bad, even if the do move a little bit slow.

[DJ Omnimaga]

actually they move almost at the calc speed in Opera and Firefox for me, but in Opera 9.2x or below it moves at 10 fps max. They are slighlty slower though

[TIfanx1999]

I use opera too, i just meant the way that wabbitemu does animated gifs

[DJ Omnimaga]

Testing how the grayscale masks sprites under it. Result wasn't too good with plain tiles like the wall but on calc it might look better and even on emu it looks good with irregular shapes like cavern walls

[kalan_vod]

I am really impressed that it runs so well while moving! Got to work on a project now

[DJ Omnimaga]

thanks. My next step (if I get the time) is to try making the tilemapper with collision detection, preferably with 4 directional movement. I am curious at which speed it will run

[TIfanx1999]

Not to shabby .Guess we will see. I'm excited to see what kinda speed can be cranked out. YaY!

<(^o^<)(>^o^)><(^o^<)(>^o^)><(^o^<)(>^o^)>

[DJ Omnimaga]

What happened to these Kirbys?

[TIfanx1999]

Cant use the normal mouth as it puts a smiley in the middle and ruins it, so i had to comprimise . ^_^