Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!rutgers!njin!uupsi!sunic!news.funet.fi!tut!mt87692 From: mt87692@cs.tut.fi (MIT) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer Subject: Re: Mike Farren Tutorial. Message-ID: Date: 30 Mar 91 22:11:22 GMT Sender: news@funet.fi (#Kotilo NEWS system ) Distribution: comp Organization: Tampere University of Technology Lines: 78 Nntp-Posting-Host: kaarne.cs.tut.fi Hello, Since I'm again (*sigh*) one reason (I posted arcticle considering why Farren plays Lemmings after flaming it) for this flood of letters I would like to point out my opinions on matter of games (I spend most of my time playing games). I refer to programs in this arcticle meaning both games and utilities. DISCLAIMER: I speak for myself. I'm intending to earn my living with programming (games if I can live with doing only games) but so far I have made only some utilities and half-finished products. Every program must work on all existing Amiga platforms matching or overtaking the requirements. I say existing because you can't test your programs on non-existing platform. Some programs might need extra memory, HD or new OS, but those programs can have marketing problems. There is no use using assembler if speed and size are not essential but on the other hand everything should not be made with higher language either. It does not actually matter if you are using the hardware directly or using the system but for some things system is not fast enough. There are some drawbacks using direct hardware control which I noticed when I tried to run my programs for the first time on a productivity mode WB on A3000:-( Especially amiga has much special hardware which makes it easy to make fast programs using the custom hardware, there is no use copying the scrolling area around because there are bitplanepointers which can be used for scrolling and only a small amount of data must be drawn. There is no use making long processor loops for copying since there is a blitter. Actually carefull planning is the most importang thing in the coding, not language or hardware/OS selection. Every program can be put on the HD since "everybody" uses HD's when they are writing and testing programs. Basically there are some reasons for the finished programs not to be HD installable: 1) Protection must be manual protection for hd-games which leads to manual xeroxing, 2) Because custom floppy-loaders are faster and more data can be but on one disk so it's easier to sell for people with inexpensive platform, 3) OS requires memory so some compromises much be made in order to make it work on 512K of memory. The third reason is perhaps the most diffucult one because it greatly affects the outlook of a program. Multitasking is a whole different thing. Multitasking eats resources, processor speed and memory which affects as jerky animation and less "features". On the other hand it gives the user a change of what he wants to do in the same time. Multitasking can not be used for fast arcade programs because they lost the playbility if the movement is jerky. Strategy type games can easily multitask. Every program is restoring the OS and can be exited in the developing stages so every program can easily made exitable if there is enought memory. Perhaps restoring the multitasking in pause mode is the best solution for arcade type games. All available memory must be used if user wants to give all memory to one program. CONCLUSION: All programs can be made exitable and hd-installable if there is enough interest. Multitasking can be sometimes made during the actuall playing session. => The reason for non-exitable and non-hd-installable programs is not the skills of a programmer but rather it is the marketing. For this reason I'd say Farren should send his letter to the distributor too (In this case Psygnosis). MIT -- /// AMIGA /// Pal A2k rev6.2, Kick1.3, 1MB chip, 8M fast \\\ /// 2x3.5"floppy, Supra WS & Q105S, 2090A & 40M HD. \\X// MIT