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Acorn Arcade forums: News and features: A whole new batch of games from eQ R&D
 

A whole new batch of games from eQ R&D

Posted by The Doctor on 19:48, 9/10/2002 | ,
 
Having made a first release of their SDL programing library for RISC OS, eQ R&D have also released 5 games.
  • Bomberman
  • Glutton
  • Madbomber
  • Munchman
  • Roids
They vary in quality but show what can be done with the new SDL library.
My favourite of these is Bomberman. This is a Bomberman style game (surprise!) with nicely animated high resolution graphics.
There is no sound at the moment, but I see no reason why this couldn't be added at some point in the future.
 
  A whole new batch of games from eQ R&D
  (08:26 10/10/2002)
  Guest (11:07 10/10/2002)
    David Boddie (12:51 10/10/2002)
      Jason Tribbeck (13:45 10/10/2002)
        John Hoare (14:22 10/10/2002)
          Jason Tribbeck (14:45 10/10/2002)
            Guest (16:09 10/10/2002)
              Jeffrey Lee (16:19 10/10/2002)
                Guest (10:48 11/10/2002)
                  Jason Tribbeck (15:14 11/10/2002)
                    Jason Tribbeck (15:15 11/10/2002)
                      The Doctor (15:53 11/10/2002)
                        Guest (10:19 12/10/2002)
                          Michael Drake (12:02 12/10/2002)
                            Simon Challands (20:23 12/10/2002)
                              Guest (20:42 12/10/2002)
                                Guest (22:28 12/10/2002)
                                  Simon Challands (01:47 13/10/2002)
                                    Jason Tribbeck (07:53 14/10/2002)
                                      The Doctor (14:26 14/10/2002)
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87111, posted at 08:26, 10/10/2002
Unregistered user Cool. SDL for RISC OS.

ArcCommand Windows and Linux was written using SDL, and I had to write SDL-like routines for RISC OS (even if they were just stubs).

(Actually, it was the other way around - the game was written for RISC OS and then ported to SDL - but support for both still had to be present)

My only concern with SDL is that it copies from a temporary screen buffer to the main screen buffer, rather than using screen bank switching, and is probably why some of the games are slow. Oh, that and the fact that SDL seems to only support BMP files as the bitmap formats (but that may have changed).

Also ArcCommand uses threads, so I'd need that anyway ;-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87112, posted at 11:07, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87111
Unregistered user Sounds great - keep it up all!

A.W.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
David Boddie Message #87113, posted at 12:51, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87112
Unregistered user Jason Tribbeck wrote:

"""
Cool. SDL for RISC OS.
"""

It's about time! Nice one, eQ R&D!

"""
My only concern with SDL is that it copies from a temporary screen buffer to the main screen buffer, rather than using screen bank switching, and is probably why some of the games are slow. Oh, that and the fact that SDL seems to only support BMP files as the bitmap formats (but that may have changed).
"""

SDL supports more image formats if you use the SDL_image extension. Pygame (www.pygame.org) supports this transparently so that PNGs, for example, can be used instead of BMPs.

"""
Also ArcCommand uses threads, so I'd need that anyway ;-)
"""

That's a bit of a showstopper. It's a shame that ArcCommand isn't available anymore.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87114, posted at 13:45, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87113
Unregistered user David Boddie wrote:

"""
It's about time! Nice one, eQ R&D!
"""

Agreed.

"""
SDL supports more image formats if you use the SDL_image extension. Pygame (www.pygame.org) supports this transparently so that PNGs, for example, can be used instead of BMPs.
"""

Ahh - changed since I looked at it!

"""
It's a shame that ArcCommand isn't available anymore
"""

Very much so!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
John Hoare Message #87115, posted at 14:22, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87114
Unregistered user Haven't you got a new game coming up, Jason? How's that going?
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87116, posted at 14:45, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87115
Unregistered user Not slated for release until Marchish. I'm looking forward to the long winter evenings to get some real work done on it!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87117, posted at 16:09, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87116
Unregistered user Any chance of a demo of it for my website?
Cheers!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jeffrey Lee Message #87118, posted at 16:19, 10/10/2002, in reply to message #87117
Unregistered user /me looks forward to a port of freecraft - www.freecraft.org ;)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87119, posted at 10:48, 11/10/2002, in reply to message #87118
Unregistered user Can you tell us any more about this game?

A.W.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87120, posted at 15:14, 11/10/2002, in reply to message #87119
Unregistered user It's a replacement for ArcCommand, but with a map, missions, powerups, different enemies (well, more than two at least!). It's mainly a rewrite of my (unreleased) pre-ArcCommand game I wrote in 1994, but with better graphics.

It may also become a commercial game (but probably very cheap - £10 probably) because I want to spend a lot of time on it. However, if I don't think it's that good, then it'll be free ;-)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87121, posted at 15:15, 11/10/2002, in reply to message #87120
Unregistered user Oh, and I also anticipate it'll be a CD game only...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
The Doctor Message #87122, posted at 15:53, 11/10/2002, in reply to message #87121
Unregistered user Damn, I wasn't logged in last time.
Well, now that I am, is there any chance of a demo being made available for me to put up on my website?
Cheers!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87123, posted at 10:19, 12/10/2002, in reply to message #87122
Unregistered user I'll take a look at this in the fullness of time as part of my ports stuff, and see what can be done, but it won't be the immediate future.

Peter Naulls.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Michael Drake Message #87124, posted at 12:02, 12/10/2002, in reply to message #87123
Unregistered user It seems eQ R&D have also just ported TinyGL, a small implementation of OpenGL.

See:
http://www.eqlab.org/english/acorntgl.html

Mike
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Simon Challands Message #87125, posted at 20:23, 12/10/2002, in reply to message #87124
Unregistered user A port of Allegro would be nice, then we could get Elite: TNK converted easily (instead of my really mashed together mess which just about runs, but I'm as sure as hell not going to let anyone here see it!)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87126, posted at 20:42, 12/10/2002, in reply to message #87125
Unregistered user sweet
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #87127, posted at 22:28, 12/10/2002, in reply to message #87126
Unregistered user TheDoctor
I think Paul is still working on a port of this for RISC OS. Not sure how he's getting on, (might email him to find out) but if he decides not to go ahead, then I know someone else who may be prepared to do it.
Cheers!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Simon Challands Message #87128, posted at 01:47, 13/10/2002, in reply to message #87127
Unregistered user Nice. I just hacked in a few SWI calls to various simple OS routines (the equivalent of doing PLOT in BASIC) to see if most of it worked, and I got something that compiled and was just about recognisable as Elite. I could possibly have produced something playable, given time, but if someone else is willing to put in the effort...
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Jason Tribbeck Message #87129, posted at 07:53, 14/10/2002, in reply to message #87128
Unregistered user ThD: You'll have to wait until later (probably January)

In actuality, there is a copy on my web site. Just that:

a) You need to know where it is (it isn't explicity linked)

b) You need to know **which** web site (since I seem to have about 40 domains)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
The Doctor Message #87130, posted at 14:26, 14/10/2002, in reply to message #87129
Unregistered user No problem, I'll try and remember to hassle you around January then ;-)
Cheers!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 

Acorn Arcade forums: News and features: A whole new batch of games from eQ R&D