Escheron: Shadow over Ragnoth

[Iambian]

I think he means that the slowdown would occur just in general while looking at/using a menu. I had this issue as well with the bag in Ash:Phoenix; since the game was rewriting all the text every frame, the gray looked really crappy. I ended up writing a separate routine for the inventory menu that would only update the screen whenever a button was pressed, but it cost me a lot of space

Ah, that's not really much of an issue with E:SoR, since it manages its version of a textshadow buffer rather efficiently. It runs as a 4x4 tilemapper so the text is rather ... aligned... but what I get out of it is the ability to not write to areas to the screen that are not defined in this "textmapper". This is a real asset when updating cursor positions, since the only thing on the textshadow are the characters that form the cursor.

Still, when looking at the inventory, the textmapper *does* have to do a lot of work since it is updating more of the screen than it is usually used to. The real slowdown I'm worried about is what is happening with the printf macro when it is rebuilding the "textshadow" buffer during one of its frames.

To a normal player, this degradation of grayscale quality *might* be tolerable, since it only happens when something onscreen is changing. I'm a little worried about that one frame. Ought I be? Or am I just setting my expectations too high? I mean, I want to make this incarnation "cleaner" and from the scheme I'm coming up with, it has the potential of just being visually messier.

The only reason I'm adopting the scheme is because it makes managing data across pages almost infinitely easier. I'm sure it's a worthy goal to pursue if it means getting the game out earlier, but still. To sacrifice something for a quicker release is also rather upsetting in my eyes. On a slightly better note, I managed to make some core routines faster, so maybe I'm just imagining things.

If anyone wants to try to improve on this textmapper, give it a go. All registers are free for use, including shadow registers. I'm currently using the stack pointer to extract two 4x4 pairs at a time. Space is not (much of) an issue, though don't try unrolling loops. http://iambianet.pastebin.com/XCWgLzUK

Maybe "tomorrow," I'll lay down new groundwork for the next menu system. I've spent too much time reading fanfiction...

[DJ Omnimaga]

Hmm I see, well good luck

[Iambian]

Wellsirs. The menu system is up and running after a few failed attempts. I'm liking how it's both leaner and simpler to work with, so I'm guessing that it won't be much longer before I can reconstruct the stuff. On that note, I've gotta check up on Kerm's SourceCoder thing to see if it'll spit out the data I need to get the graphics going. Once that's done, I'll be going full speed ahead in making the thing looking like it was a while back.

Also, I'm going to start a new thread soon to indicate that this project has been rebooted. To top it off will be the original screenies that Zera pulled off the site when there was that heated dispute some time ago.

EDIT: I haven't tested out *all* the new menu system's features quite yet. These new features lets me create more dynamic menus should I need to.

[Eeems]

Sweet
How exactly does your data structure for your menu's look?
Can't wait for the new thread actually

[Iambian]

Sweet
How exactly does your data structure for your menu's look?
Can't wait for the new thread actually

This post is to satiate your curiosity. The following is pulled straight from the project:

Code: Select All | Copy To Clipboard

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

;============================================================================= ;Note: During initialization stage, any data that is set to -1 will cause that ;      value to be, instead, loaded from the indicated register ; ;Menu system data and routines formatting: ;Initializer formatting     | Internal memory structure ;Ofs Reg Description        |Ofs Description ;+00  A  Menu slot (0-7)    |+00 Cursor X ;+01  C  Starting cursor X  |+01 Cursor Y ;+02  B  Starting cursor Y  |+02 dX ;+03  E  dX                 |+03 dY ;+04  D  dY                 |+04 X boundary ;+05  L  X boundary         |+05 Y boundary ;+06  H  Y boundary         |+06 Current X position ;+07 IXl LSB Routine Table  |+07 Current Y position ;+08 IXh MSB Routine Table  |+08 LSB Routine Table ;                           |+09 MSB Routine Table ; ;Routine Table (structure semi-variable) ; ;+0    Maskouts %Dl Md 2n y= Up Rg Lf Dn  : Count # of bits =n. n=#of words ;+1*2n Addresses from Dl to Dn in that order (left shift)

[Art_of_camelot]

Great to see (re)progress as always!

[DJ Omnimaga]

Wellsirs. The menu system is up and running after a few failed attempts. I'm liking how it's both leaner and simpler to work with, so I'm guessing that it won't be much longer before I can reconstruct the stuff. On that note, I've gotta check up on Kerm's SourceCoder thing to see if it'll spit out the data I need to get the graphics going. Once that's done, I'll be going full speed ahead in making the thing looking like it was a while back.

Also, I'm going to start a new thread soon to indicate that this project has been rebooted. To top it off will be the original screenies that Zera pulled off the site when there was that heated dispute some time ago.

EDIT: I haven't tested out *all* the new menu system's features quite yet. These new features lets me create more dynamic menus should I need to.

Cool to hear, I can't wait for new screenshots

[Iambian]

I've almost got the title screen back to the way it was. It's a breeze coding in the new things once all the little details are filled in. I'm happy with my cross-page call and jump routines. The next challenge will be to use the grayscale layer effects instead of contrast effects to give the look that should've been captured on the emu's screenshots to begin with (they weren't). Since I'm not messing with contrast anymore, it should ease a few worries that other projects had with respect to changing contrast and rendering the game illegible, or worse, unplayable.

Gotta work the menu system a wee bit more. Forgot to add special support for the 2nd button.

[Hot_Dog]

Gotta work the menu system a wee bit more. Forgot to add special support for the 2nd button.

Yeah, the 2nd button would be a good idea

[Binder News]

since this is 34 pages long, can I get a quick summary of what the heck this is. (yes I did look at the first post. and the second, third, and fourth pages) It looks AWESOME!!! I just want to know what it is.

[ztrumpet]

Here you go:

A grayscale RPG for 15 MHz calculators, currently being coded by Iambian. Total progress is around ~40% completion. (currently working on the battle engine)

This thread will serve as the official project discussion. Progress updates will be posted here.

Eons ago, before the time of man, a powerful entity known as Yaldabaoth brought forth into existence a pantheon of gods. Each of these gods was conscripted into his service, and each was given the responsibility of governing the various elements of the mortal sphere. Using their powers of creation, the pantheon gave birth the world of Escheron, and the mortal men who would walk its surface.

Mankind flourished on Escheron, and there he built many lustrous kingdoms. With the passing of time, mankind began to approach a level of unparalleled technological progress. The pantheon's governance was no longer necessary to protect and maintain the mortal sphere, and so Yaldabaoth recalled their powers. Many gods did not wish to surrender their powers so willingly, leading to a great conflict within the pantheon. All but few gods were destroyed at their own devices, and the essence of their powers was left lingering in the wake of their conflict. Many of man’s kingdoms fought to claim this power for themselves. Some succeeded, and Escheron saw an age of conquest that set a precedent for centuries of suffering and warfare. The Arcanians—the self-appointed guardians of these powers—finally came into their possession, and sealed themselves away in the ruins of the realm of the gods for all eternity. The conflict had finally come to a rest. Time passed, and such accounts were held only to be legends of a past mythology...

Centuries later, the kingdom of Asnoth, and the neighboring kingdom of Ragnoth to the South, have come into a proclamation of war. Lord Leonis of Asnoth has become paranoid of the secrets held by the descendants of the Arcanian people of Ragnoth. Fearing they might one day break the seal on the realm of the gods and unleash the gods’ power once more, he has petitioned a figure known only as the Shadow Lord to seek-out the secrets of the Arcanians and eradicate their kind.

Enter Maya Anson: A young girl, and the last descendant of the Arcanians. 10 years ago, her home village was taken under the military occupation of Asnoth’s Royal Guard, and her family slaughtered by the forces of the Shadow Lord. She has hence been orphaned into civil resistance, and is now leading a campaign to liberate her village from the occupation, once and for all.

Maya Anson 
Age 17
A young girl from the Province of Ragnoth. Maya was orphaned into civil resistance after her home village was invaded by the forces of Asnoth, and her family put to slaughter. Since then, she has known only violence as her village has struggled to overcome the oppression of Asnoth’s constant military occupation.

Edmund Giovane 
Age 32
Ex-Captain of the Knights Asnoth, and liaison to the prince. Edmund was relegated and exiled from the territories of Asnoth amid a royal scandal. He has vowed to return for the prince’s sake, and serves Ragnoth’s resistance faction to this end.

Prince Gielgud 
Age 15
The youngest of the royal family, and former heir to the throne of Asnoth. Prince Gielgud is being held prisoner pending an investigation of a scandalous affair involving the Captain of the Knights Asnoth.

Princess Rose 
Aged 21 (presumed deceased)
Princess Rose was the eldest sibling of the royal family. During Asnoth’s campaign against the Arcanians, the princess led many unsuccessful protests in opposition to her father’s obsession with war. 2 years ago, Princess Rose vanished, and her pendant—a family heirloom—was found discarded near a river. Many believe she was driven to suicide in a desperate outcry against the war; some believe she is still alive, and chose to estrange herself from the royal family.

Glenn Oswald 
Age 25
Childhood friend of Maya, who fled the Province of Ragnoth during Asnoth's occupation.  Although a superior fighter, Glenn often questions the strength of his own character, believing he can never make restitution for abandoning his people.

Lord Leonis 
Age 56
A powerful monarch who rules the Kingdom of Asnoth. Lord Leonis was once considered a just and compassionate ruler, but many have begun to question his leadership in lieu of a proclaimation of war against Ragnoth and the Arcanians.

The Dark Knight 
Age Unknown
A mysterious figure clad in dark armor. The Dark Knight appears to be a sellsword, or possibly an opportunist. Although his alignment—or his interests in Asnoth's affairs—remains unclear, some suspect he may have a more personal involvement in the war.

The Shadow Lord 
Age Unknown
An eerie and malevolent figure serving as Leonis' right-hand man. The Shadow Lord led Asnoth into the war with the Arcanians, and was personally responsible for much of the slaughter that took place. Some suspect he may be manipulating Lord Leonis to fulfill his own agenda.

[Binder News]

Ok, thanks. VERY awesome.

[DJ Omnimaga]

Indeed. I really hope this gets finished

[Iambian]

Got the title screen up and running again. The task ahead of me is putting together the tilemapper again, and then restructuring all the data that goes along with it and goes alongside it. Almost overwhelming, this task is.

Also, I'm using "cleaner" effects to hide some of the grayscale imperfections during long loading. Improvements need to be made for the real calc, but I'll get to doing that later.

EDIT: So in this screenshot, for the first time ever, you get to see what was originally planned for the title sequence. The flashing effect, that is. Might want to improve it.

[DJ Omnimaga]

Nice to see progress . I also like the lightning effects on the title screen before the menu appears.