MSX was bad programmed?

Resident (63)

26-03-2010, 21:01

hi all,
i give a new life to a MSX VG8020....
works great! I'm testing some games and...
i have a doubt.... sometimes msx games are horrible in graphics and sound,
sometimes they are good.... if you look at r-type scrolling (horrible) and at
road fighter scrollig (fast and good) ...
it seems that programmers never used this machine in the right way,
i mean c64 was programmed at 1000% of his possibility, msx no?
or the problem is the Z80 based architecture, too similar to spectrum,
so many games are port from spectrum?

By flyguille

Prophet (3031)

26-03-2010, 21:10

the problem of horizontal scroll is that in MSX1 like VG8020 you needs to scroll in a *blocky* way (each block is a character of 8x8 pixels), in msx1 is no way to use bitmap mode.

Road Fighter is also a blocky scroll of 8x8, but as it is FAST, you don't notice the blocky scroll.

Try the Firebird for MSX2 and you will see what is a good scroll!.

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5672)

26-03-2010, 21:43

Contrary to popular belief, there's loads and loads and LOADS of nicely scrolling MSX games.
MSX2, ofcourse.
To show just a few:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNrNr1xbljY

I'm compiling a YouTube movie to prove that even MSX(1) is capable of handling smooth scrolling just fine.
Which is quite some work actually, so don't strap your seatbelts just yet. ;)

By the way, with MSX2 machines, vertical scrolling is hardware supported; horizontal scrolling isn't.
For smooth horizontal- or multi directional scrolling, look at some MSX2+ games.
MSX2+ and Turbo-R machines have a way better video chip which also has some features aboard to scroll smoothly and mask borders automatically.
You can even summon these functions from MSX-BASIC.

By Abobo

Resident (63)

26-03-2010, 23:02

Road Fighter is also a blocky scroll of 8x8, but as it is FAST, you don't notice the blocky scroll.
.

??? is it blocky???
are you sure?

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10109)

26-03-2010, 23:28

Just run an emulator at 5% speed or something, and behold

By Abobo

Resident (63)

27-03-2010, 00:19

yes it's blocky

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5672)

27-03-2010, 05:40

Hey, don't look at games from 1985 for smooth scrolling.

The only exception is Konami's "Pippols".
It's also from 1985, scrolls slower but smooth as can be.
But we all know that Konami was revolutionary at multiple levels.

By Abobo

Resident (63)

27-03-2010, 11:31

I found another game with a very good vertical scroll , it's GYRODINE

By Abobo

Resident (63)

27-03-2010, 11:41

and what about this one?

Theseus

scroling and animations like an AMIGA!

By Abobo

Resident (63)

27-03-2010, 11:56

Contrary to popular belief, there's loads and loads and LOADS of nicely scrolling MSX games.

I'm compiling a YouTube movie to prove that even MSX(1) is capable of handling smooth scrolling just fine.
Which is quite some work actually, so don't strap your seatbelts just yet.

Yes , those 3 games (PIPPOLS , GYRODINE , THESEUS ) are for MSX 1 and they have a very good scrolling..

WE HAVE TO PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT MSX WAS CAPABLE OF THAT AND MORE....

Let's join the cause

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10109)

27-03-2010, 14:30

There's a difference between hardware scrolling on MSX2/+/C64/Amiga and trick scrolling on MSX1. To say that an MSX1 is 'capable of scrolling' would stretch things a bit too far if you ask me. Tricks also imply limitations in one or more areas, like colors and character enemies/players.