technical help with yars' revenge

[ma3a_operat0r]

hey everybody. i've recently started playing yars' revenge (and love it!), and was just wondering how the shield around the qotile and the "neutral zone" are drawn. are they playfield? i've noticed that they're drawn on separate frames (courtesy of the print screen key while playing it with stella ).

 

also, how is the effect where the yar changes color when over the neutral zone possible? it looks as if he's a bit transparent, which is certainly something the 2600 wasn't capable of, was it...?

 

thanks for the technical help everybody, and there may be questions following , because i'm pondering porting it to C64 . in case you want to answer them now, such questions will include stuff like how the destroyer missile increases its speed (i.e. with higher levels, or with higher score?)

 

thanks everybody,

-duncan

[Susuwatari]

I'm not sure how the grphics were done as I haven't looked at the code but the neutural zone only looks transarent because the pixels oscilates failry rapidly. Next time you see a fan, look at it while it's running. Does the blade seems transparent? Same thing.

[Great Hierophant]

You are correct, both the neutral zone and the shield are playfield graphics. The z26 emulator has the options of turning on and off the playfield and the player, missile and ball objects.

[ma3a_operat0r]

thanks for that