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Shadow
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 355 |
'HCL-plasma' - how does it work?
That fullscreen-fast-plasma-thing that we saw quite a few versions of in Edge Of Disgrace (with sprite zoomer on top, in sideborder, with techtech etc.) - what's the theory?
It is pretty obvious from speed and size that it is not done using per-pixel-code...
My theory was that it was done using FPP-technique, ie. we have a base-plasma-picture, and then by displaying cleverly chosen lines from this base-picture we get the plasma.
I did some prototyping on PC to test this theory, but I can't get anything that looks correct. Am I barking up the wrong tree here? |
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HCL
Registered: Feb 2003
Posts: 728 |
Quote: it's Graham's invention. I think the mod's should change the topic title if possible, before the credit will go to HCL in the scene's mind. :P
Yepp, shit like that always happens. When you reach a certain level of popularity, people will start giving you credit for stuff that others made.. That also happens to Graham. e.g. the all-border sprite-zoomer from ComaJob, which ppl think is Graham's invention, but just look at this.. Fierce Creations or was it Design Overdose. And many more examples in *real life*(tm).
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Oswald
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 5096 |
Quote: I didn't intend to step on any toes by calling it 'HCL-plasma', I just thought that everyone would know what I meant then, since the type of plasma I'm talking about has appeared in a few BD demos now (Royal Arte, Cycle, Edge Of Disgrace).
Seems like I have the technical theory correct then.
I have a precalced picture that looks about what a single frame from a normal per-pixel-double-sine-plasma looks like.
Then in the displayer I pick y-lines from that above plasma indexed on a double-sine.
However somehow it don't get that 'plasma'-feeling in it.
But now we hear that HCL has added some kind of extra X-component magic to it, which would explain why it looks even better in EoD. I'll have to start Cycle again and compare the last-part-plasma there.
better calling it FPP plasma, as the technique (*drums*) was invented by Graham. :) |
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Oswald
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 5096 |
Quote: Yepp, shit like that always happens. When you reach a certain level of popularity, people will start giving you credit for stuff that others made.. That also happens to Graham. e.g. the all-border sprite-zoomer from ComaJob, which ppl think is Graham's invention, but just look at this.. Fierce Creations or was it Design Overdose. And many more examples in *real life*(tm).
was there an fpp plasma before graham's one ? |
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Cruzer
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 1048 |
Shadow: You also might wanna "cycle" the colors, i.e. have a constant that you add to the sine values, which is incremented for every line in the generated pattern. Anyway, experimentation is the way to go for getting the plasmatic feel. It usually takes a lot of trial & error before it looks good.
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HCL
Registered: Feb 2003
Posts: 728 |
Quote: was there an fpp plasma before graham's one ?
No, but a sprite-zoomer. |
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Shadow
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2002
Posts: 355 |
Aha! So the base-picture IS recalculated each frame, no wonder I couldn't get it to look right! |
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Testa
Account closed
Registered: Oct 2004
Posts: 197 |
Quote: How a simple version works:
step 1: have an FPP routine of your choice. It's gonna need to be sprite FPP if you're in the borders, natch, charfpp if you don't, bitmap fpp if you want more colours, or some crazy assed fun combination.
step 2: for each possible FPP line (you need as many of these for maximum smoothness) calculate a sinus line for finalY=yval for this line. You can do this each frame, or once and just move the y sinus.
step 3: calculate each y line in your raster IRQ, and set the FPP display list appropraitely from a table based on the y output.
step 4: display fpp according to display table.
maybe i'll upload one appropriatly commented and commentated to codebase later this week, if people are interested in such things.
sad panda, what do you mean with bitmap fpp, i understand sprite fpp and char fpp but never heard of bitmap fpp...
i am just curious.....
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HCL
Registered: Feb 2003
Posts: 728 |
You can do bitmap-fpp just like char-fpp, at least the 20-cycle timing will allow fpp-behaviour. |
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Testa
Account closed
Registered: Oct 2004
Posts: 197 |
Hcl: Nice i didn't know ,do you know a demo with this effect ?or do you mean the already mentioned plasma fpp?.
and what about fli fpp?.. works fli fpp the same as bitmap fpp? or am i totally wrong once again.....
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QuasaR
Registered: Dec 2001
Posts: 145 |
Quote: No, but a sprite-zoomer.
But I think, Graham was first with this kind of zoomer, presented in Parts. |
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