SpritesMind.Net

I thought I’d share the latest test version of my SNES Mode 0 shmup level, as it ties back to the original discussion on the various levels of parallax possible on each of these classic fourth-generation consoles:

Mode 0 shmup test level (read the description)

How many layers of parallax can you ...

Since I'm here, here's a few more representative SNES-accurate standard 8bpp images I recently made using Rilden's Tiled Palette Quantization tool just to see how good they could look at a minimum before any other tricks are employed:
11.png
12.png
13.png

Of course, you'd need to scroll the ...

Until someone tries to truly push the SNES to output something beyond the 8bpp 256-colour 256x224-resolution images that are possible as standard in Modes 3 and 4 on the system, the following representative examples of stock-SNES-spec accurate images as they would be viewed in pixel perfect mode on ...

Here's what I think in terms of where each system has an actual meaningful advantage over the other in real games you sit there and play rather than specs on bits of paper:

Genesis almost always has a higher horizontal resolution, which usually means more view of the level ahead; can have more ...

Good to know. Thanks.

The PCE has a high resolution mode that allows blending colors to move beyond its palette. The Genesis can also do this... on composite output on a TV that filters composite input. Blending colors really eats into detail, though, which is why having the high resolution mode on the PCE makes ...

So, is this combing basically constantly present in Sonic 2's 2-player mode then?


Pretty much. High end TVs used to have modes where they did various processing on interlaced signals to make them look better. Given how little interlace tends to be used any more, I'm not sure what most modern ...

I know it's a nitpick, but it's not 2048 direct color mode. It's a 256 RGB (3:3:2) direct color mode.. with 8x8 color " emphasis " bits support. That's a HUGE difference. It's super misleading when you present it as "2048 direct color mode". That said, the alternative 8bit palette color mode with ...

I don't think anyone has made a decent converter for images using S/H.. at least not publicly.


That's true :(

I came across this one - Bitmap MD from Markey Jester https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcRDfi2XVMk
But it's not show full MD/Gen (color wise) potential. At least I can't repeat Toy ...

Anyway, for mode 7 - I think anything at the level of the SMW demo or better is really nice. You don't have to be technically inclined to know as a gamer, back then, that when mode 7 was used - pretty much all BG layering were removed (I think even magazines pointed out this limitation) - so ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iq8nQ2Bd80
^ This was dead simple to do. There's no crazy code or optimizations. It's just a simple concept and execution. Lot of cpu resource left over too in the frame.

You know, I just realised something. Having mentioned previously that your parallax demos ...

OK. Thanks for the info.

OK, cool. Thanks very much.

Can the Genesis DMA during HBlank, and if so, what's the difference between how it works compared to the SNES' HDMA?

What are the advantages/disadvantages of each of the approaches there?

Because, I think I've read the Genesis can DMA during active scan and the SNES cannot, which seems like a huge ...

Thanks for all the considered responses, TmEE. This is really helping me understand a lot of this stuff much better. I mean, it's still complex, but it's becoming more comprehensible. :D

"It is why your game logic needs to fit into one frame and be short enough that it won't spill into the passive ...