Direct mode code?

[Ecernosoft]

Hello!

Ok, so ICT2 might be being slowed down because I'm wondering how to make the best use of the 7800.

Also, I wanted to say ICT1 is done. It's to the point where I'm happy with it. I might make more levels though.

I heard about direct mode allowing for more colors so I was wondering if someone had the source code for it and could share it with me. 

Thanks!!

 

Now, I also want to make sure that the entire source is ONE FILE.

I don't use MADS- and despite there being some files for it in another place I wasn't able to use them due to it being a multi-file program.

 

Thanks.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[+SmittyB]

The direct / indirect bit on a DLL entry doesn't affect the number of colours available to an object.

[Ecernosoft]

22 minutes ago, SmittyB said:

The direct / indirect bit on a DLL entry doesn't affect the number of colours available to an object.

I know. In one of the other posts, someone said that using lots of sprites you could get a "Color cell" mode with more colors and (maybe?) less DMA.

The less DMA part comes from where if your tile is blank, you can point it to the holey DMA area to save on cycles.

[Ecernosoft]

Also, if you have extra RAM in your game can you put your DLL's and DL's in that area?

[+Pat Brady]

4 minutes ago, Ecernosoft said:

Also, if you have extra RAM in your game can you put your DLL's and DL's in that area?

Yes.

[Ecernosoft]

4 minutes ago, Pat Brady said:

Yes.

Nice!

[Ecernosoft]

This is what I'm refrencing:

Or maybe like this:

(202) Atari 7800 Graphics Modes & Max Sprites Tested - YouTube

Apparently 7800 can manage 200 or more sprites at once!

Edited September 3, 2022 by Ecernosoft

[Traxx]

Some games use direct mode that you can have a look at,Choplifter,Kung Fu Master,Sentinel.

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by Traxx

[+SmittyB]

There is no separate 'direct mode' on the 7800. Each object is either direct or indirect based on its display list entry and the difference is that a 'direct' object's graphics pointers are the address of the graphics data, and for an 'indirect' object the pointer is to a list of offsets (essentially a tile map) from the address set by 'CHARBASE' with which to get the graphics data.
Nearly every 7800 game will use a combination of direct and indirect objects to draw the screen at various points.

[Ecernosoft]

5 minutes ago, SmittyB said:

There is no separate 'direct mode' on the 7800. Each object is either direct or indirect based on its display list entry and the difference is that a 'direct' object's graphics pointers are the address of the graphics data, and for an 'indirect' object the pointer is to a list of offsets (essentially a tile map) from the address set by 'CHARBASE' with which to get the graphics data.
Nearly every 7800 game will use a combination of direct and indirect objects to draw the screen at various points.

Yes there is in a way.
Direct mode= just graphics, the 16 bit ptr points to gfx data.

 

inidirect mode: the 16 bit ptr points to RAM and it acts as a row of chars 1 or 2 bytes wide, N chars long.

[Ecernosoft]

36 minutes ago, Traxx said:

Some games use direct mode that you can have a look at,Choplifter,Kung Fu Master,Sentinel.

 

Source code?

[Traxx]

1 hour ago, SmittyB said:

Each object is either direct or indirect

That is what I'm referring to when I say games that use direct mode

Edited September 4, 2022 by Traxx

[Ecernosoft]

42 minutes ago, Traxx said:

That is what I'm referring to when I say games that use direct mode

I know.

[Traxx]

2 hours ago, Ecernosoft said:

Source code?

For Kung Fu master?I only started looking at it today,only things I have documented is the DisplayListList and DisplayList.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Traxx

[Ecernosoft]

Ok

[+TwentySixHundred]

Mate take a breath, you're basically the only member posting and it's constant. Also many of these simple posts which are random conversations should be DMs to Traxx. Sorry i get you're excited, however a lot of these posts have zero meat on the bone for anyone else.

[Ecernosoft]

On 9/4/2022 at 11:41 PM, TwentySixHundred said:

Mate take a breath, you're basically the only member posting and it's constant. Also many of these simple posts which are random conversations should be DMs to Traxx. Sorry i get you're excited, however a lot of these posts have zero meat on the bone for anyone else.

You are right