214 replies to this topic

[Michalson]

And I just ran into another snag - my technique will produce completely different results if you are running an LCD screen that is stretching the image. (CRT monitors are just fine since they never "scale" the image to another resolution)

LCD running text mode at it's native 640x400 resolution (no LCD scaling)



LCD running text mode scaled to the screens native 1024x768




(And yes, these had to be taken with a digital camera. Unless DOSBox can perfectly emulate the VGA standard [even things that wouldn't seem important for a software emulator], there is no way to make a digital screenshot of what you are seeing)

[d000hg]

Quote:

Original post by Michalson I can't get the timing to work properly on my 6400 color (no dithering) mode 3 text mode, so at the moment I'm not in.

How does text mode support 6400 colours without dithering?!

scgrn:Didn't you enter last time?

[Endurion]

I'd like to submit a basic frame app working with the windows console buffer, but i'm having some problems.

Since i've never used the windows console before i took several parts from other code i found. I got a screen buffer working but i can't eliminate some flickering in windowed mode.

I have a CHAR_INFO array for the characters and every frame i'm using WriteConsoleOutput to copy the complete array to the console buffer. There is some flickering although i'm writing the same content again and again.

Basically i'd like to

A) approve the framework for the GDC contest (yes, there is a movement sample inside, but that's just for showing how to implement it)

B) eliminate the flicker

Anybody could take a peek and fix the flickering problem?

The framework can be found here. It contains a VS 2003 solution file together with the source code and a binary.

The base class is from Apoch but modified to use the array. There're still some old functions inside that will be removed yet.

[d000hg]

Good idea to offer up your framework - you are saying we can use it once it's fixed, right?

I'm approaching from a D3D angle and am currently throwing together a small framework (well a class really) which I might release in a day or two if anybody cares - although if you're going to use someone else's base I reckon you'd choose a well-known library like the ones capn_midnight suggested, instead of my ropey attempt! I'm only doing it because I think the framework is likely to be useful for future application.

[benryves]

Quote:

Original post by Endurion B) eliminate the flicker

Press Alt+Enter? Fullscreen mode should eliminate flicker...

[Endurion]

Yeah, the framework would be for all to use for the contest (and beyond if you wish).

benryves: I've read through your pages as well. I know the flicker is gone with fullscreen (pressing Alt-Enter), but seriously, this got to be possible in windowed mode as well. After all it's an emulated display.

[Michalson]

Quote:

Original post by Endurion Yeah, the framework would be for all to use for the contest (and beyond if you wish). benryves: I've read through your pages as well. I know the flicker is gone with fullscreen (pressing Alt-Enter), but seriously, this got to be possible in windowed mode as well. After all it's an emulated display.

It's not a very well emulated display - or rather it was designed to be a scrolling console for plain text that uses little CPU, not an accurate emulation of VGA text mode [for example palette and character font changes don't affect the windowed console].

[Endurion]

Well, i cleaned up the framework and added nice color enums. I'm not going to enhance this framework anymore, but i'd like to have it certified for the contest.

It contains functions to set a character/color, writing a text string and provides (very) basic input facilities.

Everybody is free to use it for the contest, so you can start at the game content asap.

It is Windows based, and comes with a VS 2003 solution file. The link is the same as before: Click me!

Have fun!

[capn_midnight]

Quote:

Original post by Endurion Well, i cleaned up the framework and added nice color enums. I'm not going to enhance this framework anymore, but i'd like to have it certified for the contest. It contains functions to set a character/color, writing a text string and provides (very) basic input facilities. Everybody is free to use it for the contest, so you can start at the game content asap. It is Windows based, and comes with a VS 2003 solution file. The link is the same as before: Click me! Have fun!

looks good, thanks for the generosity.

In your example app you didn't have any different foreground colors. Is this a limitation of your framework, or just an oversight for the example?

[Endurion]

Just an oversight of the example actually. Pass in the combined enums for the bg color and fg color.

Upon inspection i found that i managed to take the wrong defines for the color enums. I fixed the enums and also added the samples for the other display variants.

URL stays the same: Here.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

[scgrn]

Quote:

Original post by d000hg ... scgrn:Didn't you enter last time?

I entered the last 1W1B contest, but I've never done the 3H-GDC. It sounds like a blast... I'm really looking forward to it.

[Thevenin]

If I wasn't so busy this week, I'd have joined this contest within a heart-beat.

Console applications rox!

[d000hg]

Quote:

Original post by scgrn Quote: Original post by d000hg ... scgrn:Didn't you enter last time? I entered the last 1W1B contest, but I've never done the 3H-GDC. It sounds like a blast... I'm really looking forward to it.

Yeah it IS fun. I found it to be almost exactly like an exam with an essay question:

Spend a while planning what you're going to do.

Panic when you realise 1/2 an hour has gone and you've not started yet.[/li]

Frantically start coding.

Frantically create some horrible 'artwork' in Paint.

Start to get into it as a compilable application which renders something is reached.

Panic some more as you realise only 30min is left and you still have just a framework on which to build a game.

Throw together some basic gameplay, leaving out the majority of what you wasted the first 30min planning.

Frantically zip and email the entry when you remember that the deadline is when it should be sent, not when you should stop coding.

Collapse/get beer/watch on the forums and enjoy the others who are still desperately trying to figure out how to submit their entry.

So a lot like an exam really - a middle period of actually getting on with it surrounded by panic at either end. I think I'll copy and paste this as my post-mortem for the contest THIS time, actually.

[paulecoyote]

I'm sorry if someone has already answered this, but are you allowed to include sound and music composed outside the 3 hour period?

[d000hg]

That is a good question. What about freely available resources from the web, as well? Realistically few of us could add sound if we had to make it ourselves at all, let alone in 3 hours! And adding sound to a 3H contest entry would be a rare bit of polish indeed.

By the way...


This is my D3D console mode emulator. Firstly, capn_midnight is there anything to make you think this would not be allowed? Secondly, is anyone keen on using it? There's a couple of utility functions I might add but it currently has the ability to set a character, write a string, and draw a dithered block between 2 colours.

[Edited by - d000hg on February 8, 2006 8:51:56 AM]

[capn_midnight]

public domain sound and music is fine.

your D3D emulator looks fine.

[ToohrVyk]

I might enter as well. But it's a bit late for me (I'm at GMT+1) so then again, I might not.

[GodlyGamr]

There still is gonna be a theme right?

I'm guessing the N/A under theme right now is for "not announced" as opposed to "not applicable"...

[paulecoyote]

Quote:

Original post by capn_midnight public domain sound and music is fine. your D3D emulator looks fine.

By that you mean music that either is freely distributable or you have the permission / the distribution rights too?

Cos I have a friend who composes stuff and he might be up for me using his own original material.

[paulecoyote]

another question - anyone know of any good .Net 2 console input examples suitable for controlling a game?

Trying to get my head around DllImporting GetKeyState and GetKeyboardState and don't seem to be getting very far.

It's odd cos I could do this keyboard control in C++ no troubles, but I kind of want to do this in C# 2 [smile]