Topic: dink's FBN Development & Fixes thread

[Gab75]

I'm looking forward to see (and try) the next FBA release!

... ehm, if I could have a dispensation for my "driver requests limit" ... I'm joking!   

[dink]

Yesterday was a nice day, I spent all day working on and tweaking the avi writer code.  First I had to write code to flip the screen so games like Mr. Do's Castle & Warp Warp wouldn't be upside-down and backwards.  This took nearly the entire day of trial and error because I didn't know a thing about processing raw screen data. (I'm a bit slow as well.)
At this point, all the games are now at their correct orientation when viewed from the recorded .avi. 
There was another problem - though - even at the highest compression rate, the video quality looked horrible, like an old vhs recording - even worse when uploaded to youtube. (see the first test, links below)  The resulting file size was huge as well.  At 1x1 pixel mode, especially on older games the compressor basically thinks data like that is static.  If you think about it - in tv/movies/etc even the smallest things usually tend to be bigger than a pixel or 2, and that's what the compressors are made for.  To get around this problem, I doubled-up the pixels before feeding them into the compressor - and - tada, perfect compressed video. (see the second test video, below)

First test of the avi writer, yesterday evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPBKHlPY144

Second test, about 3 hours later.  Exact same compression settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-FWlWTf_4o
Notice any differences?

best regards,
- dink

[Gab75]

The differences between two videos are "huge" ! Great work!

To get around this problem, I doubled-up the pixels before feeding them into the compressor - and - tada, perfect compressed video. (see the second test video, below)

... indeed the native resolution is 240p in the first video, while it's 480p in the second one.

[Haze]

for YouTube videos you really want to be outputting in a format that ends up as a 60fps video, the difference is night and day.  I think that means at least 720p (so the vertical resolution of your upload must be 720 or above) and maybe some other bits and pieces.

You might not notice it on centipede, but any games which flicker sprites every other frame are unwatchable using the 24/30fps YouTube encodes most things at.

[Haze]

As a followup, check this as an example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHK4jLW9jsc

0:25 seconds in

if you view the video in YouTube's 720p60 mode the flicker on the character looks correct, you can see the sprite flicker to show invulnerability as it would in the emulation

if you view it at the 480p mode (not 60fps) then the flicker doesn't render correctly - in some cases this can result in sprites that flicker becoming completely invisible in the emulation.  The charging effect on the sword used shortly after suffers from the same issue.

While YouTube isn't exactly helpful with this it simply doesn't make sense to upload emulation videos at anything less than 720p60 if you want to avoid them becoming mangled.

[dink]

Haze,
thanks for the tips & info.  I always hated that effect when every other frame caused the  sprite to flash, and the video encoder only sampled every other frame.  So the video really has to be in 720p for 60hz video?  YT won't allow any lower resolution run at 60fps? :/

best regards,
- dink

[dink]

FBA news for today...

fix-o-rama
Dingo, the classic by Ashby from '83 had issues with the music playing way too fast, its alright now.

Joe and Mac Returns, after playing the new version to the end with my buddy Zazzone over the 'net, I noticed a little bug in our deco16 rowscrolling.  oops.

Caveman Ninja, after fixing deco16's rowscrolling for Joe and Mac Returns, I wanted to play through Caveman Ninja to make sure I didn't mess IT up.  I remember spending a week fixing the rowscrolling in Caveman Ninja waaay back when I didn't know anything about graphics.  Graphics are OK. .. but...

Caveman Ninja pt.2, Some of the sound effects weren't right, and the tempo of the music would go offbeat sometimes.  now its perfect   timer issue.

best regards,
- dink

[Gab75]

Haze,
thanks for the tips & info.  I always hated that effect when every other frame caused the  sprite to flash, and the video encoder only sampled every other frame.  So the video really has to be in 720p for 60hz video?  YT won't allow any lower resolution run at 60fps? :/

best regards,
- dink

Potentially the videos can run to 60 fps at any resolution, however (IIRC) the YouTube codecs support "60Hz" only in HD and FullHD resolutions (720p60 and 1080p60)...

[dink]

this boggles my mind.  can't seem to get the rowscroll working right in the ending of Joe and Mac returns, the ending of Caveman Ninja and the intro to Mutant Fighter.  If I fix the clouds for Caveman Ninja[back layer], then the "Produced by..etc."[front layer] text is cut off.  And I definately can't get it working right in all 3 games at once.  I'm posting these states here so I can go back to it at a later time - or - if someone wants to join in on the  fun.

[iq_132]

I'd guess (without looking) that the issue is due to the y scrolling. It needs to be added to the row scroll offset selection. Not sure if before or after...

[dink]

I'd guess (without looking) that the issue is due to the y scrolling. It needs to be added to the row scroll offset selection. Not sure if before or after...

I tried doing just that, similar to how the latest MAME does it, even.. no dice :/

[dink]

Added some games to the Marine Boy driver.

[Gab75]

Added some games to the Marine Boy driver.

Thanks a lot! 
I really like to see again the games of the early 1980s... they remind me the childhood ! 
Watching SEGA Hopper Robo another SEGA '83 game came to mind (that I liked much)... Yamato... 

[iq_132]

Nice!

[Arcadez]

@dink more new games up and running in FBA nice one!!