Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!munnari.oz.au!goanna!minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au!s902255 From: s902255@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au (Andrew Vanderstock) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer Subject: Re: Lemmings - a tutorial Part V (last) Message-ID: <1991Mar27.075413.10708@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au> Date: 27 Mar 91 07:54:13 GMT References: <23788@well.sf.ca.us> <1991Mar25.125929.19793@starnet.uucp> Organization: RMIT Computer Centre, Melbourne Australia. Lines: 60 sschaem@starnet.uucp (Stephan Schaem) writes: > Dont forget: the target market for game is A500 with 512K. > If you have you own dos, it will work on V.000001 and V99999.1 > of the software if they have the same boot procedure. > If the market was A3000, it would be something else! > What should be done is DEFENECTLY NOT: a general version > of a game. > I would love to do a 512k version and 1meg version of my game > but for the 1meg version, alot of problem arise! > Since the market is not defined you risk big with returns! > And right now, some compagnie try to start something and other > survive.Those can do mutch to change ANYTHING, the big one can. > To anyone: WRITE TO WHO IT WAY CONCERN. > Well if you really want something changed! I know of only 2 people > in the US that would want an HD version of my game...Do you think > that kind of thing push developers! > And in europe the subject never apear... So we those settings, > people try to push the machine to the limit with that in mind! Well the best way to solve all these problems is : a) knock AmigaDos/Intuition down (but saving the context so that you can return the user to AmigaDOS when the game is either paused (and my idea of a pause is : an icon which when single clicked, stops the action; when double-clicked, restores AmigaDos and retains only a small loader and context information for the game, and leave an icon on the WB screen, which when double clicked, re-loads the game, and restores it from the context info saved previously.) b) hard disc installable. A definite must. I hate having to re-boot before and after a game. I also like HD's speed. Easy done : Create a folder with all the files on *one* disc, and just load system dependant overlays. When installing on HD, just drag the folder. c) runs on *any* set up. This means for the most part ignore the 68020's extra (nice) op-codes, and ignore MOVE , SR for any version of the game. Keep overlays to a minimum, but load a 512k overlay manager for the little machines around, a 1 mg + overlay for the rest. Try to recognise the ram in the bay door slot. A lot of people have this ram, but because a lot of games have boot-block loaders, they can't configure the ram. I would let the user run AmigaDos to get the ram added, and keep all nice references for this ram (ie where is it? what is it? chip? slow? how much?) You would also need 68020 (and '30 and '40) drivers if you want to make more playable games for the rich set. (IE more frames per second better use of caching/ram/certain instruction sequences, better (&/or) larger graphics. But simply have an overlay which can be loaded in, and added into the code to replace another overlay which is used for the A500 + modulator set. Just my $0.02 Andrew Vanderstock s902255@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au