Using Photoshop for Falcon images

[Justin Payne]

Does anyone here create graphics on their PC and then convert them to a format for the Falcon? I figure it's much easier to do something in Photoshop and then just move it over to the Falcon, for game graphics. If so, what tools would you suggest on the PC for the conversion? I'd like to be able to use True Color 640x480 for title screen and 256 640x480 for the game itself.

[pixelmischief]

I use Grafx2, which is a PC port of DeluxePaint. Nice, simple pixel editing with layers and animation.

[Christos]

It can be any format you like as long as you have the proper decoder in your code. I guess the best format would be tga. There are many image loading examples you can find online.

 

But, 640x480 in true colour can only be displayed on RGB with interlacing and 640x480x256 (which will also be interlaced on rgb) would be too slow (unless we are talking about a one screen game). So you may need to consider those constraints.

[Justin Payne]

Thanks Christos,

 

So, I didn't expect to use 640x480xTC for the game. That's interlaced and would only be good for a title screen BUT you have my curiosity about your 640x480x256 interlaced statement. I was going off this page (http://www.atari-wiki.com/index.php/Atari_Falcon) and that doesn't say it's interlaced. Can you clarify this limitation?

Also, you know, that's a good point. It's just a graphic format. I should be able to decode any graphics image and display it. Duh. Thanks for that.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Justin Payne

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Does anyone here create graphics on their PC and then convert them to a format for the Falcon? I figure it's much easier to do something in Photoshop and then just move it over to the Falcon, for game graphics. If so, what tools would you suggest on the PC for the conversion? I'd like to be able to use True Color 640x480 for title screen and 256 640x480 for the game itself.

I do editing on PC. but with Paint Shop Pro 9 (later versions are destroyed by Adobe). Saving it as simple BMP is best for later conversion to Falcon screen format. I don't know about PC SW what can convert to Falcon screen format, but doing such converter is really not big deal.

 

Everything on TV or RGB monitor for oldies (with TV frequencies) with vertical res over 300 is interlaced.

[Zogging Hell]

Xn-View has a good range of conversion options, and there is actually an Atari version of the N-Convert batch conversion program that you can download on the same site, so you can use it both ways. Irfanview is also a good option, as it supports a few Atari formats. Both are lightweight and I've been using both for years.

[Christos]

The basic problem with interlace is that it is going to flicker. The falcon can display 320x480 hi colour on vga or 640x480 @256 colours. Rgb is much more versatile but with interlace. Most games will use 320x240 either 256 or hi colour. It should be enough

[Justin Payne]

I'm sure you guys are explaining it correctly but something just ain't kicking in for me. Here are the resolutions for the Falcon (below). Anything with interlaces will only be used for title screens, if that, but let's just say I don't use interlace. Everything else should be fine to use. Is there any reason why I shouldn't use one of those non-interlaced modes for a game...other than a concern for color depth?

 

2 color, normal, TV: 640x200, 2 colors, 1 plane
4 color, normal, TV: 640x200, 4 colors, 2 planes
16 color, normal, TV: 640x200, 16 colors, 4 planes
256 color, normal, TV: 640x200, 256 colors, 8 planes
True color, normal, TV: 640x200, true color
4 color, interlace, TV: 640x400, 4 colors, 2 planes
16 color, interlace, TV: 640x400, 16 colors, 4 planes
256 color, interlace, TV: 640x400, 256 colors, 8 planes
True color, interlace, TV: 640x400, true color
2 color, normal, VGA: 640x480, 2 colors, 1 plane
4 color, normal, VGA: 640x480, 4 colors, 2 planes
16 color, normal, VGA: 640x480, 16 colors, 4 planes
256 color, normal, VGA: 640x480, 256 colors, 8 planes
4 color, line-doubling, VGA: 640x240, 4 colors, 2 planes
16 color, line-doubling, VGA: 640x240, 16 colors, 4 planes
256 color, line-doubling, VGA: 640x240, 256 colors, 8 planes

[Christos]

There are various reasons. Firstly if you go for something like 640x480 true colour you will physically not be able to display it on a vga monitor. Most of the resolutions you show don't produce square pixels, basically a 640x240 resolution is going to to look strange. Last but not least higher resolutions with the larger colour depths are too bandwidth hungry meaning your game will be slow.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Christos

[Justin Payne]

Ok, so stick with 256 colors for games. Anything with more colors, a fixed screen. Right?

[calimero]

Does anyone here create graphics on their PC and then convert them to a format for the Falcon? I figure it's much easier to do something in Photoshop and then just move it over to the Falcon, for game graphics. If so, what tools would you suggest on the PC for the conversion? I'd like to be able to use True Color 640x480 for title screen and 256 640x480 for the game itself.

 

 

Depends what language you would use on Falcon and if there are libraries for loading e.g. BMP, GIF... than you can whatever program you like

[Justin Payne]

Most likely C or Assembly Language. I was going to try GODLIB using a C cross compiler.