The problem with CPC was that when companies wanted something fast, they used the Spectrum source code and games sucked. However, have a look at v=C_GDjT1tivo . This is a CPC remake with excellent graphics, scrolling, sound and speed.
I'm not that aware of what a CPC can do, but the Spectrum version was simply a programming triumph for that machine. It was playable, had good colour gfx, although sadly naff sound & music. Although, had I been decision maker on the Speccy version I would have ditched colour altogether for the fastest possible speed.
Was this converted from the spectrum version? If so it was done very badly, even looks like it's using the spectum graphics. The Amstrad can do so much better than this.
actually, it looks even worse than the Spectrum version, it looks like they really fucked this one ... Spectrum version is more colorful and at least had some sound effects ...
the cpc had 16k of video memory, 640x200 pixels, lack of hardware sprites meant trick programming for fast moving games. learned all I know on this baby
cpc made a good word processer something people forget, all my school and college work, my folks business was run on one for years
The one major problem that most other 8 bit computers had versus the 64 was lack of hardware sprites and hardware scrolling capabilities. In my opinion, that makes a lot of games on the 64 "look better" than on similar systems from other companies.
@jkeelsnc unfortunately the 8 HW sprites were certainly not enough for games like R-Type, where you had to use some software rendering which on a <1 MHz CPU was a tough task I know some sort of multiplexing was possible but then the games easily ran into flickering troubles and still being limited to 8 sprites/scanline... plus all those washed C-64 colors did not help to impress people either... a friend of mine literally refused to get a C-64 because of its colors and went for Master System!
So... I was just making sure I knew what I was talking about, because you made me question what I knew to be true. The Plus is an Amstrad, whats your problem! Your just an idiot. That tried to make out that the Amstrad was a crap computer by trying to belittle it. And guess what, you failed!
If you can prove that Agent X 2 isn't running at 50fps then I'll shut up, other than using your obviously crappy vision to guess. I know how to do this, lets see if your technical enough to work it out.
Are you crazy or something... of course I understand the scrolling techniques; I asked the god damn question. I asked a very technical question stating clearly the theory behind this subject, my question was not about the tech behind how it is done, but simply if the CPC could do it or not, that way I wouldn't have to trawl through hundreds of games or dig out my old programming books from over 20 years ago.
your clearly stated theory was all messed up. you said coarse scrolling was scrolling 1 pixel. coarse scrolling is scrolling a whole byte or character at a time.
Jesus, I've had to deal with Spectards in the past but never 64tards. I believe that this can be done with clever programming using a CPC not a plus, which is why I worded it differently.
I think your being unfair on the CPC... I kinda get the impression that your hanging onto one of its smallest weaknesess and trying to say 'look everyone, the CPC is pants'. UKMARKH has shown some fine examples of CPC games that look as good if not play better than similar games on the C64. I don't know what all this pixel this, or pixel that is about, I just know if it looks good or bad.
The way I see it, you both seem like clever people, but its not worth arguing to this length over machines that are 20 or so years old... you both seem sure of what your saying, I haven't got a clue what your both on about, I owned a C64 as a kid but never even heard of an Amstrad until a year ago. The CPC is good, seems as good as the C64 -- but things have moved on... maybe this conversion about old computers should.
The Amstrad can do pixel scrolling, but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling. I've had enough of this crap now, if you want a technical debate no problems... but to suggest i'm making fake claims when that's all you've done is hypercritical.
Shut up fool, you still haven't answered any of my questions and I don't know about every game ever made on the CPC, i'm not as sad as you! I gave you an example of a side scrolling game running at 50fps (Agent X 2), I met you halfay like i've already said... and Star sabre scrolls good enough to compete with any shooter on the C64 or Speccy. To deny this just shows you up for the idiot I and everyone else now thinks you are.
hahaa. just saw ur post on cpczone. u dont really understand what fine and coarse scrollign are!
and one guy said "The plus could do pixel scrolling but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling"
and u came back here and said "The Amstrad can do pixel scrolling, but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling."
u copied and pasted what he said but changed PLUS to AMSTRAD!!! A bit misleading huh?
And you still haven't answered my questions... and another one for you...? show me a C64 or Spectrum that can output 784×384 pixels, that use the overscan area using 27 colours...?
Anyway, fine scrolling can only carry so far; to get full fine scrolling over long distances on the screen you must couple fine scrolling with coarse scrolling. Don't even get me started on the C64's low res, weak sprites and dull colour palette... not to mention its really poor MOS CPU running at 0.985 MHz. Anyway what's all this rubbish about anyway, Metal Gear runs at 30FPS and is one of the best side scrollers of all time.
LOL, this rubbisgh is u making claims u couldn't back up
u were slagging the spectrum cos u thought I must be a fan. now your going to start with the 64. i don't have time for that. i already wasted all that time trying out those games u listed. :P
basically u said the amstrad can do anything the C64 can. i challenged u to give example of amstrad games showing the kind of scrolling found in C64 games and u couldn't,, so maybe u should be more careful about making fake claims? just a thought!
So your saying, and let me get this straight... Star Sabre, a horizontal shoot-em-up on the CPC doesn't compare or compete with scrolling on the C64 or Spectrum? and remember, you've already failed to answer any of my questions, I've produced an example game that scrolls at 50fps and you say I can't back up what i'm saying... either your sadly deluded or typing this from within a mental hospital.
I think you're just genuinely shocked that games could run on the Amstrad at 50fps with decent scroll. Like I've said before, Metal Gear runs at 30fps and is very playable. Good programmers can get the Amstrad scrolling smoothly, its harder I'll admit, but achievable. You're to hung up on the techy side of things, without fully understanding the bigger picture or the true meaning of what your actually saying. and the game I used as proof is Agent X 2!
The video is average. I still think that 8-bit Atari rules, check the latest software bits to find out who rule the jungle :) Greets for Amstrad peeps, anyway :)
The Amstrad was the best of the 8 bit(ish) home computers. I know a lot of people say Commodore 64 but I had them both and the C64 was a close second.
Big mistake friend. The Amstrad was way easyer to code , it's true, but the c64 had a better res. mdoes, a slighlty more powerfull cpu and a far better spu.
too much loading kinda like a psx game (JK :) ) Seems like the amstrad has better scrooling then the MSX did. the MSX was a decent system but for gaming I can't really agree.Amstrad is starting to interest me...time to search for a emulator!
Actually, if I recall correctly then the difference isn't so significant. On the Spectrum only the low 16kb is shared with the video circuits, meaning you get the full 3.58Mhz on any code in the high 32kb. On the CPC, all memory is shared, allowing a memory access only every 4 cycles wherever you put your code and making the CPU function more slowly than on a Spectrum. Essentially, the CPC's greater video quality and complexity means that RAM is less available for the CPU.
Yes, the Amstrad had hardware scrolling... the sprites however had to be handled by the software. The Amstrad could do anything the C64 or Spectrum could do, in fact the Oliver Twins who wrote the Dizzy and other games preferred it to the other 8-bits. But its all down to personnal opinion and each machine had its strengths and weaknesses.
try doing a 1 pixel fine horizontal scroll @ 50 frames a second on the amstrad. add to that a whole bunch of sprites all moving @ 50 f.p.s. Aint gonna happen my friend!
the amstrads hardware horizontal scroll can only do coarse scrolling.
Agent X II, Mission Genocide, Prohibition, Zap't'Balls (You could never do this on a Speccy), Super Cauldron, Trantor, Tank Busters, Fres Attack(using 80 column mode), Cybernoid... I can go on?
Tornado Low Level is a game that runs with incredible fast fullscreen scrolling when it was released back in 1986. It uses the 8 bit block mode hardware scrolling and runs at 50fps super fast and silky smooth. Hope this answers your question, I have one for you?
ukmarkh said "Agent X II, Mission Genocide, Prohibition, Zap't'Balls (You could never do this on a Speccy), Super Cauldron, Trantor, Tank Busters, Fres Attack(using 80 column mode), Cybernoid... I can go on?"
+
"Tornado Low Level"
LOL!! Dude.... none of those games has a 1 pixel fine horizontal scroll @ 50 f.p.s! half of them don't even scroll horizontaly at all
all those comments and u didn't even address what i wrote!!! i wonder why???
Your not doing yourself any favours here? I met you half way and gave you games running at 50FPS with Agent X II, Trantor, Fres Attack(the later meeting all your requirements) and if you can be bothered to sniff around my you tube vids you'll see Star Sabre a perfectly good horizontal shooter... you didn't even answer my question? Instead you concentrate on what you suspect to be one weakness on the CPC and ignore all the staements i've made about several weaknesses of the Speccy.
Read that again and maybe you'll stop naming games that dont match that requirment. Fresattack doesn't scroll in 1 pixel steps! It scrolls a whole byte chunk at a time!!
forget the spectrum. your claim was "the Amstrad could do anything the C64 or Spectrum could do"
C64 huh? so where are the amstrads horizontal finescrollers @ 50f.p.s?? the best you could do was meet me "halfway"? or a quarter of the way maybe.
Horizontal scrollers (e.g. R-Type, Darius), also known more simply as "horizontal shooters" or "side-scrolling shooters" are in abundance on the CPC. Another question for you, show me a game on the Speccy that can do hardware scrolling effect call Rotovision?
How many video graphic modes did the Speccy have? The CPC has:
# Mode 0: 160×200
# Mode 1: 320×200
# Mode 2: 640×200
# Mode 3: 160x200
With a possible total amount of 768 x 270 pixel (540 interlaced) the CPC was the 8bit homecomputer with the highest screen resolution ever with a colour palette of 27 colors was supported.
The Spectrum had the simplest hardware of the three. As a result, it suffered from colour clash and the internal speaker was dire. Clever programming of the CPC's 6845 can produce overscan, different resolutions (although with the same pixel density) and smooth pixel scrolling. The Amstrad had superior graphical capabilities to the Spectrum.
Careful timing of palette switches allows all 27 hardware colours to be visible in any display mode. Due to high CPU use, programs with variable CPU load, such as games, would not usually change the palette more than six times per frame (the frequency of the CPC's hardware interrupt).
Changing the video address in mid-frame, which itself is only possible by fooling the CRTC into thinking that the end of frame has occurred, splits the screen in two separate areas that can be hardware-scrolled independently.
The custom VGA (Video Gate Array) chip could also be reprogrammed in the middle of the frame. Changing the display mode, for example, allows the programmer to divide the screen into a colourful playing area and a high resolution score area -- as in Sorcery by Virgin Games
HAve you seen the Amstrad remake of this? Wow, it's a major improvement.
Infact you wouldn't believe it was running on a 6128
LarryBundyJr 3 months ago
The problem with CPC was that when companies wanted something fast, they used the Spectrum source code and games sucked. However, have a look at v=C_GDjT1tivo . This is a CPC remake with excellent graphics, scrolling, sound and speed.
nikosgwc 6 months ago
Why do people even play on things like Amstrad...
maiki60fps 8 months ago
@maiki60fps nostalgia can be a real bitch my friend.
123doomdoom 1 month ago
Wow, the graphics are even worse than the Spectrum version. This computer is capable of much better than this!
Braddo82 10 months ago
it kindy fun but no deal
bobyard123 1 year ago
Comment removed
fanoplusplus64k 1 year ago
CPC can do better than this... ...and we'll demonstate it soon ^_^
fanoplusplus64k 1 year ago
I'm not that aware of what a CPC can do, but the Spectrum version was simply a programming triumph for that machine. It was playable, had good colour gfx, although sadly naff sound & music. Although, had I been decision maker on the Speccy version I would have ditched colour altogether for the fastest possible speed.
SamusDrake 1 year ago
Was this converted from the spectrum version? If so it was done very badly, even looks like it's using the spectum graphics. The Amstrad can do so much better than this.
CoolDudeClem 1 year ago
@CoolDudeClem Corrcet, This WAS convcerted from the spectrum. The amstrad like you said ca do way way better than this.
Tomsthumb 1 year ago
This looks just like a port of the ZX Spectrum version ,
it doesn't utilize the CPC's color capabilities at all :(
robotwo 1 year ago
@robotwo
actually, it looks even worse than the Spectrum version, it looks like they really fucked this one ... Spectrum version is more colorful and at least had some sound effects ...
jarjar2b 1 year ago
is it me or is this version like the ZX's and it looks a biit worst?
Corad4 1 year ago
This version is the definition of DISAPPOINTMENT. An arcade faithful
conversion ruined by horrible graphics and slow controls. I still played it
to death back in the day - big fan of RType and with games back then you
just got what you were given and were grateful for it. I never really liked
the 'mode 1 look' anyway, it only worked in a few games in my
opinion, like Head over Heels. Mode 0 would have looked miles better with RType.
MrAntagonism75 1 year ago
8Bit-power! Who needs fancy 32 bit computers that constantly need hardware updates to run games!
edzzzwin 1 year ago
This conversion of R-Type is horrible.
"Star Sabre 128k" is much better on Amstrad CPC.
MrAchsel1000 2 years ago
was this 1971 or 1972 ?
mignonhenne 2 years ago
shit like the spectrum conversion way better on the c64
malc1976 2 years ago
Why can't you put sound in your vieos !!!
macdeath69 2 years ago
Oh, and I just saw the flamed debate wether CPC can or not...
On the other hand there are some stuff a CPC can do and C64 cannot, and a shitton a speccy cannot too.
Is it decently possible to put 27 colours in one 8x8 character with a C64 or a speccy ?
Or even in the entire screen ?
Well, CPC can.
macdeath69 2 years ago
27 colors in a block, right. But more likely 2 or 3 in this version ^^
Don't forget sprites and music also...
eurominet 1 year ago
One of the best games for cpc
ckokpenno 3 years ago
the cpc had 16k of video memory, 640x200 pixels, lack of hardware sprites meant trick programming for fast moving games. learned all I know on this baby
cpc made a good word processer something people forget, all my school and college work, my folks business was run on one for years
mazz75 3 years ago
Not the best port, but i liked it, as it was long and difficult..
I had infinite lives, and it was still difficult as hell...
macdeath69 3 years ago
The one major problem that most other 8 bit computers had versus the 64 was lack of hardware sprites and hardware scrolling capabilities. In my opinion, that makes a lot of games on the 64 "look better" than on similar systems from other companies.
jkeelsnc 3 years ago 7
@jkeelsnc unfortunately the 8 HW sprites were certainly not enough for games like R-Type, where you had to use some software rendering which on a <1 MHz CPU was a tough task I know some sort of multiplexing was possible but then the games easily ran into flickering troubles and still being limited to 8 sprites/scanline... plus all those washed C-64 colors did not help to impress people either... a friend of mine literally refused to get a C-64 because of its colors and went for Master System!
maiki60fps 8 months ago
what are the best examples of 1 pixel scrolling for the 8-bit micros?
jesusarnold 4 years ago
Commando, now that was a good game on the Speccy, I'll download it and do the same.
RETROSABRE 4 years ago
So... I was just making sure I knew what I was talking about, because you made me question what I knew to be true. The Plus is an Amstrad, whats your problem! Your just an idiot. That tried to make out that the Amstrad was a crap computer by trying to belittle it. And guess what, you failed!
ukmarkh 4 years ago
If you can prove that Agent X 2 isn't running at 50fps then I'll shut up, other than using your obviously crappy vision to guess. I know how to do this, lets see if your technical enough to work it out.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
we weren't talking about the PLUS and you know it. dont even try that sh**!
at cpczone u asked can the AMSTRAD finescroll horizontally 1 pixel a frame @ 50 f.p.s.?
they said NO but the plus can. and another guy said the plus can do it with artifacts.
then u came back here and said the "amstrad" can.
how can u even keep going with this after that??? you must have some really thick skin!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Are you crazy or something... of course I understand the scrolling techniques; I asked the god damn question. I asked a very technical question stating clearly the theory behind this subject, my question was not about the tech behind how it is done, but simply if the CPC could do it or not, that way I wouldn't have to trawl through hundreds of games or dig out my old programming books from over 20 years ago.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
your clearly stated theory was all messed up. you said coarse scrolling was scrolling 1 pixel. coarse scrolling is scrolling a whole byte or character at a time.
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Jesus, I've had to deal with Spectards in the past but never 64tards. I believe that this can be done with clever programming using a CPC not a plus, which is why I worded it differently.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
so u had to ask some one else the question but then reworded his answer cos u THINK it could be done on the cpc???
but u can't show 1 game that does it.
i'm not going to do this any more because u don't even have the sense to be embarassed and it hurts to watch.
u have way too much emotion invested in this old computer my friend. just think about that PLEASE!!!!
kthnxbai!!!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
I think your being unfair on the CPC... I kinda get the impression that your hanging onto one of its smallest weaknesess and trying to say 'look everyone, the CPC is pants'. UKMARKH has shown some fine examples of CPC games that look as good if not play better than similar games on the C64. I don't know what all this pixel this, or pixel that is about, I just know if it looks good or bad.
RETROSABRE 4 years ago
but i don't think the amstrad is "pants". lol
ukmark said the amstrad can do everything the 64 can.
i asked a specific question.... can the amstrad do a 1 pixel horizontal scroll @ 50 f.p.s with a whole bunch of sprites all moving @ 50 f.p.s..?
i asked this to show his claim was false. instead of saying 'OK it can't do that' he went on a rant and kept trying to dodge the truth.
maybe i look like a jerk to u, but all i did was call him out on his propiganda. i don't think the amstrad sucks!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago 2
anyway..... at first when he said it can do everyhing the 64 can do, i just said "that's not true"
he wanted me to explain so i gave the 1 pixel horizontal scroll @ 50 f.p.s. as an example.
so that's how we got on to that. :/
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
The way I see it, you both seem like clever people, but its not worth arguing to this length over machines that are 20 or so years old... you both seem sure of what your saying, I haven't got a clue what your both on about, I owned a C64 as a kid but never even heard of an Amstrad until a year ago. The CPC is good, seems as good as the C64 -- but things have moved on... maybe this conversion about old computers should.
RETROSABRE 4 years ago
"but things have moved on... maybe this conversion about old computers should"
hahahaaa. u know what. i agree!!!
i think i'll go play some games.... on the spectrum! ;)
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
The Amstrad can do pixel scrolling, but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling. I've had enough of this crap now, if you want a technical debate no problems... but to suggest i'm making fake claims when that's all you've done is hypercritical.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
so then name an amstrad game that does it!!! o_O 1 pixel a frame @ 50 f.p.s. that's all i ask.
u keep trying to deflect. u should just accept I caught u out and move on.
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Shut up fool, you still haven't answered any of my questions and I don't know about every game ever made on the CPC, i'm not as sad as you! I gave you an example of a side scrolling game running at 50fps (Agent X 2), I met you halfay like i've already said... and Star sabre scrolls good enough to compete with any shooter on the C64 or Speccy. To deny this just shows you up for the idiot I and everyone else now thinks you are.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
i didn't answer any of your pointless questions because they were lame attempts at deflection.
agent x 2 doesn't move at 50 f.p.s. anyone with any technical knowledge and experience with the 64 + amstrad can see how wrong u are
and i didn't say star sabre isn't a good game. again you're trying to deflect.
ukmarkh - the amstrad can do anything the 64 can do.
me - can it do this?
ukmarkh - blah blah blah blah deflect deflect deflect. shut up fool!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
hahaa. just saw ur post on cpczone. u dont really understand what fine and coarse scrollign are!
and one guy said "The plus could do pixel scrolling but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling"
and u came back here and said "The Amstrad can do pixel scrolling, but only a small amount of 8x8 pixels, and had to be used in conjunction with course scrolling."
u copied and pasted what he said but changed PLUS to AMSTRAD!!! A bit misleading huh?
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
I believe Trebmint is wrong anyhow, as i'm convinced like a later post suggested, that it can be done in software.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
LOL! he said it could probably be done in a really TINY window.
did u forget to mention that detail here???
u are getting desperate my friend. if u happily lie to yourself like this, how can i even discuss any of this with u? its pointless..... :/
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
And you still haven't answered my questions... and another one for you...? show me a C64 or Spectrum that can output 784×384 pixels, that use the overscan area using 27 colours...?
ukmarkh 4 years ago
Anyway, fine scrolling can only carry so far; to get full fine scrolling over long distances on the screen you must couple fine scrolling with coarse scrolling. Don't even get me started on the C64's low res, weak sprites and dull colour palette... not to mention its really poor MOS CPU running at 0.985 MHz. Anyway what's all this rubbish about anyway, Metal Gear runs at 30FPS and is one of the best side scrollers of all time.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
LOL, this rubbisgh is u making claims u couldn't back up
u were slagging the spectrum cos u thought I must be a fan. now your going to start with the 64. i don't have time for that. i already wasted all that time trying out those games u listed. :P
basically u said the amstrad can do anything the C64 can. i challenged u to give example of amstrad games showing the kind of scrolling found in C64 games and u couldn't,, so maybe u should be more careful about making fake claims? just a thought!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
So your saying, and let me get this straight... Star Sabre, a horizontal shoot-em-up on the CPC doesn't compare or compete with scrolling on the C64 or Spectrum? and remember, you've already failed to answer any of my questions, I've produced an example game that scrolls at 50fps and you say I can't back up what i'm saying... either your sadly deluded or typing this from within a mental hospital.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
what amstrad game have u mentioned that finescrolls horizontally 1 pixel a frame @ 50 f.p.s.?
not one my friend. not one!!!!
hence u failed to back up your claim that the amstrad can do everything the 64 can.
a word of advice. self delusion can be a dangerous thing. i hope yours doesn't spread to more important things than argueing about old computers!!!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
I think you're just genuinely shocked that games could run on the Amstrad at 50fps with decent scroll. Like I've said before, Metal Gear runs at 30fps and is very playable. Good programmers can get the Amstrad scrolling smoothly, its harder I'll admit, but achievable. You're to hung up on the techy side of things, without fully understanding the bigger picture or the true meaning of what your actually saying. and the game I used as proof is Agent X 2!
ukmarkh 4 years ago
lol. agent x 2 DOESN"T scroll 1 pixel a frame @ 50 f.p.s.
if u think it does then no wonder you're so confused!!!
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Agent X 2 scrolls at 50fps, as for 1 pixel a frame, I doubt it... but I've met you half way.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
Sorcery was probably the best game on the amstrad or Elite
dazjport 4 years ago
The video is average. I still think that 8-bit Atari rules, check the latest software bits to find out who rule the jungle :) Greets for Amstrad peeps, anyway :)
GreyMSB 4 years ago
The Amstrad was the best of the 8 bit(ish) home computers. I know a lot of people say Commodore 64 but I had them both and the C64 was a close second.
kyletitterton 4 years ago
Big mistake friend. The Amstrad was way easyer to code , it's true, but the c64 had a better res. mdoes, a slighlty more powerfull cpu and a far better spu.
noobsolo 4 years ago
Actually the CPC had a more powerful CPU
djevalwildside 4 years ago
too much loading kinda like a psx game (JK :) ) Seems like the amstrad has better scrooling then the MSX did. the MSX was a decent system but for gaming I can't really agree.Amstrad is starting to interest me...time to search for a emulator!
DemoniusX 4 years ago
have you checked out a cpc yet dude ??
make sure you play these games..... a few of the great amstrad cpc games:Switchblade,
Rick Dangerous 1 & 2,Gryzor,Burnin Rubber,
Robocop,Cybernoid 2,Netherworld,North & South,
Prince of Persia,Barbarian,Robocop 2,Navy Seals,
Turrican 2,Smash TV,Prehestorik just to name a few.... :)
cpc4eva 4 years ago
could the amstrad scroll at all in hardware or not.
walter0bz 5 years ago
Nope. Just like the spectrum.
This game is a direct speccy conversion. The graphics are quite bad.
mcklain 4 years ago
Comment removed
alaggan 3 years ago
Actually, if I recall correctly then the difference isn't so significant. On the Spectrum only the low 16kb is shared with the video circuits, meaning you get the full 3.58Mhz on any code in the high 32kb. On the CPC, all memory is shared, allowing a memory access only every 4 cycles wherever you put your code and making the CPU function more slowly than on a Spectrum. Essentially, the CPC's greater video quality and complexity means that RAM is less available for the CPU.
80Thom80 2 years ago
Yes, the Amstrad had hardware scrolling... the sprites however had to be handled by the software. The Amstrad could do anything the C64 or Spectrum could do, in fact the Oliver Twins who wrote the Dizzy and other games preferred it to the other 8-bits. But its all down to personnal opinion and each machine had its strengths and weaknesses.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
ukmarkh said "The Amstrad could do anything the C64 or Spectrum could do"
lol. That's so not true.
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Why do you say its not true? At least explain yourself...
ukmarkh 4 years ago
try doing a 1 pixel fine horizontal scroll @ 50 frames a second on the amstrad. add to that a whole bunch of sprites all moving @ 50 f.p.s. Aint gonna happen my friend!
the amstrads hardware horizontal scroll can only do coarse scrolling.
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago 5
Agent X II, Mission Genocide, Prohibition, Zap't'Balls (You could never do this on a Speccy), Super Cauldron, Trantor, Tank Busters, Fres Attack(using 80 column mode), Cybernoid... I can go on?
Tornado Low Level is a game that runs with incredible fast fullscreen scrolling when it was released back in 1986. It uses the 8 bit block mode hardware scrolling and runs at 50fps super fast and silky smooth. Hope this answers your question, I have one for you?
ukmarkh 4 years ago
ukmarkh said "Agent X II, Mission Genocide, Prohibition, Zap't'Balls (You could never do this on a Speccy), Super Cauldron, Trantor, Tank Busters, Fres Attack(using 80 column mode), Cybernoid... I can go on?"
+
"Tornado Low Level"
LOL!! Dude.... none of those games has a 1 pixel fine horizontal scroll @ 50 f.p.s! half of them don't even scroll horizontaly at all
all those comments and u didn't even address what i wrote!!! i wonder why???
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Your not doing yourself any favours here? I met you half way and gave you games running at 50FPS with Agent X II, Trantor, Fres Attack(the later meeting all your requirements) and if you can be bothered to sniff around my you tube vids you'll see Star Sabre a perfectly good horizontal shooter... you didn't even answer my question? Instead you concentrate on what you suspect to be one weakness on the CPC and ignore all the staements i've made about several weaknesses of the Speccy.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
1 PIXEL FINE horizontal scroll @ 50f.p.s. dude
Read that again and maybe you'll stop naming games that dont match that requirment. Fresattack doesn't scroll in 1 pixel steps! It scrolls a whole byte chunk at a time!!
forget the spectrum. your claim was "the Amstrad could do anything the C64 or Spectrum could do"
C64 huh? so where are the amstrads horizontal finescrollers @ 50f.p.s?? the best you could do was meet me "halfway"? or a quarter of the way maybe.
lol.. long live the 8bit wars! ;)
ihatebuzzwords 4 years ago
Horizontal scrollers (e.g. R-Type, Darius), also known more simply as "horizontal shooters" or "side-scrolling shooters" are in abundance on the CPC. Another question for you, show me a game on the Speccy that can do hardware scrolling effect call Rotovision?
ukmarkh 4 years ago
How many video graphic modes did the Speccy have? The CPC has:
# Mode 0: 160×200
# Mode 1: 320×200
# Mode 2: 640×200
# Mode 3: 160x200
With a possible total amount of 768 x 270 pixel (540 interlaced) the CPC was the 8bit homecomputer with the highest screen resolution ever with a colour palette of 27 colors was supported.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
The Spectrum had the simplest hardware of the three. As a result, it suffered from colour clash and the internal speaker was dire. Clever programming of the CPC's 6845 can produce overscan, different resolutions (although with the same pixel density) and smooth pixel scrolling. The Amstrad had superior graphical capabilities to the Spectrum.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
Careful timing of palette switches allows all 27 hardware colours to be visible in any display mode. Due to high CPU use, programs with variable CPU load, such as games, would not usually change the palette more than six times per frame (the frequency of the CPC's hardware interrupt).
ukmarkh 4 years ago
Changing the video address in mid-frame, which itself is only possible by fooling the CRTC into thinking that the end of frame has occurred, splits the screen in two separate areas that can be hardware-scrolled independently.
ukmarkh 4 years ago
The custom VGA (Video Gate Array) chip could also be reprogrammed in the middle of the frame. Changing the display mode, for example, allows the programmer to divide the screen into a colourful playing area and a high resolution score area -- as in Sorcery by Virgin Games
ukmarkh 4 years ago
the Amstrad was bloody great. still is !
khisanth75 5 years ago
Heh, they'd port shmups to anything back then.
alien3456 5 years ago
you're right HBKLIQ..typical unfinished Amstrad game!
sabinotube 5 years ago
this game was so hard to finish, i could never defeat the massive ship level..great game
HBKLIQ 5 years ago
amstrad sucked balls
jomardelange 5 years ago
and your mother sucked amstrads
yaume 5 years ago 11
Touche
jomardelange 5 years ago
@yaume and your mother sucks big fat cocks and licks balls and kisses ass
skunkkey666 1 year ago
The amstrad was excellent.
stevenup7002 4 years ago