Atari 8bit Turrican engine

Thnaks to Pecus and Pirx from Our5oft to find this piece of code about a try to port Turrican game on a Atari 8bit machine.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• 8bit
• retro
• turrican
• demo
• game
• atari
• 130xe
• 800xl
• 800

[Ahle2]

I don't think it would be possible to do Turrican in 50 FPS with large sprites like the C64 version, even with all available tricks in the world..

Many people believes that the Atari was superior because it had a larger palette and a faster CPU. Well, was it? (ofcourse not)

[mcappp]

Both machines 130XE and c64 are very capable machines. Some things Atari can do better, other things C64 do better. I'd prefer finally the old 1979 Atari tech, impressive what can do with a machine from that year.

[boghead]

Looks gr8 :)

[mcappp]

Actually is Gr.15 160x100 with 5 colors (black, white, green, Blue and purple)

[zombiemod]

Yup but with only 4 colours per scanline, if you scroll left or right to a new area of the map, your new area has to share the same colours as the old area. Thats the limitation that the C64 does not have.

BTW the C64 also allows character set redefinition, smooth scroll in horizontal and vertical, change screen mode on raster lines.

Why I'm arguing about a 27 year old machine is anyone's guess!!! lol

[zombiemod]

I can see from the video the scrolling is fine. It's the colour limitations I am on about. Due to 4 colours per scanline at 160 x 192, your maps will all have a "samey" colour scheme to them if your games scroll horizontally.. You can't vary the colours on a per-column basis as you can with the C64.

[R6502A]

I keep getting Error, try again when I post the vid link:

Seach for : "Atari 8-bit - Project-M (game Wolfenstein 3D)" and click on the first video. The C64 could not dream of such a game.

[R6502A]

@Ahle2

Let's see the C64 attmept this. Please don't post that wanting M.O.O.D demo as a response. Lol!

[olynxmano]

@zombiemod

The Atari beats the C64 in 3D BY FAR, and EVERY DAY.

[olynxmano]

@R6502A

Atari can actually display more than 21 colours per scanline, which is more than the C64 has at all. Programming logics is the clue.

[1xWertzui]

Your fanboy argument made me smile! :) And also thanks for the lots of technical information (if they're nearly accurate)

A pity there weren't/aren't any Atari 8bit computers in Hungary, I wan't to have one in my collection, no matter if it is better than the C64 or not.

But I only know the C64 so I that's what I can prefer.

[zombiemod]

@R6502A As it so happens, if you use multiplexed sprites, you can parallax scroll the background without any character trickery. Indeed many C64 demos use multiplexed sprites for scrollies while keeping a stationary background.

[zombiemod]

@R6502A OK - I'll bite. Give me some amazing Atari soundtracks that are better than, say, Commando on C64 or Rambo First Blood Part 2 loader. Give me examples of technical achievements that surpass Mega Apocalypse on C64 (speech samples + faux 4 channel audio)

[zombiemod]

@R6502A So what if you can get 5 colours on a scanline? On a C64 you can get 16, at a 320 x 200 resolution, without any DLI tricks or "extra-halfbrite" trickery.

[R6502A]

@zombiemod If you look at the design of both machines. The Atari 8 bit is elegant and the design ideas were improved apon to produce the c64 fanboy's beloved Amiga. Plain and simply the the c64 is crass!

C64 fanboys please, pretty please stay in your candy coloured ear muff world and leave the Atari 8 bit alone.

R6502A

[R6502A]

@zombiemod : Yet Another myth is the SID (Changed music as we know it) device that they all rave about is leaps and bounds ahead of POKEY. yes it is if you like listening to 3 channel music through ear muffs.