HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kjb@cgl.citri.edu.au (Kendall Bennett)
Subject: Re: Triple Buffering: NOT!
Organization: Collaborative Information Technology Research Institute
Date: 26 Dec 92 03:48:54 GMT

vanderby@mprgate.mpr.ca (David Vanderbyl) writes:

>eker@loria.fr (Steven Eker) writes:
>>If your frame redraw code takes longer than one video frame, one way of speeding
>>things up is to use triple buffering rather than double buffering.
>[explanation deleted]

>Triple buffering is completely useless. (Almost) Here's why.

>Let's say your screen redraw takes 0.9 of the frame rate time.
>No problem, right?  You simply draw each frame and wait for
>the vertical retrace.

>Now let's say your screen redraw takes 1.1 of the frame rate time.
>If the frame rate is 1/30 second per frame then your redraw takes
>1.1/30 of a second.  So in 1 second you need to draw 30 frames for
>a total of 1.1/30 * 30 = 1.1 seconds.  It doesn't matter how many
>buffers you use, you can't do 1.1 seconds worth of drawing in 1
>second.

Right, so using double buffering in your example, it takes 1.1/30 seconds
to draw the frame, which is longer than a single frame video refresh.
Note, you _cannot_ flip the page unless the video in inside a vertical 
refresh. In this case, it is not, and you will need to wait an extra
0.9/30 of a second waiting for the refresh to flip the page, which could
be spent redrawing the next frame in the third buffer. Think about it.

>To the person who posted their triple buffering idea:
>Please state that you idea is just that, an idea. (and in this
>case not a very good one.)  It will save a lot of people from
>being misled.

Could I please ask that people like you who like to express your
opinons on subjects, continue to do so in a manner that does not offend
anyone. It is very easy to _think_ you know the answer to a subject, but
it is quite possible that your answer is incorrect (MORAL: never take
anything anyone says at face value, always add that pinch of salt...)


+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Kendall Bennett                          | Internet:                     |
| RMIT Advanced Computer Graphics Centre   | kjb@citri.edu.au              |
| CITRI Building, 723 Swanston Street      | rcskb@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au    |
| Carlton Victoria 3053 AUSTRALIA.         |                               |
+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
| CoSysop (Bossman), PC Connection Australia:               +61 3 688 0909 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: colin.buckley@rose.com (colin buckley)
Subject: help with Phar Lap D
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 02:27:27 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 01-03-93 21:21
C(>  mov  es:[di], al  ;ES contains the selector to A000h, di the offset

C(>When run, the code gives this error message:

C(>Fatal error 286.3330: General protection fault detected.

Indeed.  You can not use segment overrides in protected mode.  I don't
know how protected mode differs, but try using DS instead of ES so you
won't have to override.
.----------------------------------------------------.
| Colin Buckley                                      |
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada                           |
| InterNet: colin.buckley@rose.com                   |
|                                                    |
| So Eager to Play, So Relunctant to Admit it...     |
`----------------------------------------------------'
---
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Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: kjb@cgl.citri.edu.au (Kendall Bennett)
Subject: Re: Why are PC graphics so horrible?
Organization: Collaborative Information Technology Research Institute
Date:  4 Jan 93 01:56:03 GMT

saxena@bohr.physics.purdue.edu (Virendra K. Saxena) writes:

>	I rented a Super Nintendo for a couple of days and was totaly amazed 
>by its graphics capabilities.  The question I have is why can the PC not do
>the same things that the SNES can.  The SNES double and triple scrolls with no  slow down, and it easily moves large sprites around the screen(street fighter 2 and tmtm 4).  The SNES is based on an 8 bit proccessor, while most pcs this day are based on 32 bit processors.  Why don't we see such high quality games on 
>PCs?  The CPU is definetely powerfull enough, and the resolution is higher then the SNES.

What you are seeing in action is 'hardware assist'. The SNES no doubt has
hardware to automatically handle the double and triple scrolling graphics,
and special bit blitting hardware to move the sprites around the screen.

Machines like the SNES are designed specifically for games, and thats
it. The PC is a business machine, not a games machine, so the graphics
are not designed specifically for games. 

Take the Amiga's for example. These machines were designed from the start
to have built in hardware assist for graphics and sound - and the games
are awesome...

+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
| Kendall Bennett                          | Internet:                     |
| RMIT Advanced Computer Graphics Centre   | kjb@citri.edu.au              |
| CITRI Building, 723 Swanston Street      | rcskb@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au    |
| Carlton Victoria 3053 AUSTRALIA.         |                               |
+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+
| CoSysop (Bossman), PC Connection Australia:               +61 3 688 0909 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: ewebber@access.digex.com (Eric Sean Webber)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Timed SCREEN CAPTURE vs. HOTKEY activated
Date: 2 Jan 1993 00:28:41 GMT
Organization: DIVERSIFIED ETC. P.O. BOX 952 Greenbelt, MD 20770 USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
Keywords: TIMED Screen capture

Hello,

    I am looking for a timed SCREEN CAPTURE facility so as to circumvent
those targeted applications whose exclusion of other keystrokes prevents
HOTKEY activated screen capture programs from getting a chance to kick in.

For example, you could set this type of screen capturer to record whatever
is on the screen exactly two minutes from when you start it.  Then you
would quickly bring up the targeted application and bring up the
particular screen you wish to capture and then wait for your time
activated screen capturer to kick in, and wha la, you caught that sucker !
: -)

Drop me a line if you know of one or want to work on developing one with
me.

Eric.    : % )



Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: ghost@next08pg2.wam.umd.edu ()
Subject: anivga  + VGA editors
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 18:38:03 GMT

In article <#p#@byu.edu>  writes:
> Hi all!
> I'm about to begin work on a graphic/adventure game, and I already need  
some 
> help.  Is there a good shareware package out there that will allow me to 
> create and edit VGA images ( using 256 colors )?  
> If anyone could help me, I would greatly appreciate it.
> 
> Curtis
> curtisn@sasb.byu.edu


is there one that i can use ANIVGA's grab.exe
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Software development in Russia?
From: vnoble@dhvx20.csudh.edu
Date: 22 Dec 92 17:53:18 PST
Organization: CSU, DOMINGUEZ HILLS


Hi out there in NETland!

I am contemplating investing some money in software development in Russia and
selling it here in US.  It seems to be a good idea since software is a heavily
labor-consuming product with little hardware investment required to start it
out.  As you know, Russia now has a lot of skillful mathematicians, physisists
and programmers who are actively seeking an opportunity to earn any hard
currency.  With exchange rate at rediculously low level and the cost of labor
which is THE cheapest in the world, Russia looks like a heaven for software
development.  Besides, I was born there and lived there until about 5 years
ago, so it is reletively easy for me to establish right contacts.

I would like to solicit your opinion on the following matter.  Short time ago I
encountered an ad of a Russian software company offering different products such
as computer graphics, PC games, learning packages for children with game
elements, and so on.  My question is: Can I try to become a distributor of
their products in US and what kind of agreements are generally required? If I 
had a distribution or licencing agreement with those guys, how would I go
about selling this stuff here? Is there a market for, say, PC games or 
learning packages?  How can I interest big software resellers like CompUSA
or Egghead to carry them? Unfortunately, I do not have any experience in
selling software, so any info on this will be highly appreciated.

You can E-mail me at Vnoble@dhvx20.csudh.edu.

Thank you for taking time to read this.

Vladimir Noble

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: colin.buckley@rose.com (colin buckley)
Subject: Royalties/Profits
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 00:13:06 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 12-22-92 16:45
T(B>There is an old saying that goes, "The person who knows HOW to do
   >something will always have a job working for the person who knows WHY".

It's his idea, but I expressed it.  The copyright is mine, I hold all
rights.  If he wanted ~30% alone for the idea, what does he think
is gonna happen during our "large game" where there concept was
totally mine, and he had little input on development, and money
making potential is much greater.

   >I say you should probably give him what he wants and be glad that you

I did...

T(B>The only exception to this would be if you put up $$ to begin with. Then
   >the percentages are well established. Someone who risks $$ always has
   >priority over the person who just contributes know-how.

I am risking cash.  I've got to market the game, which is shareware terms,
basically means, I've got to upload long distance, and mass mail to
everyone I can find.

Also time is money to me, he's still at school, and isn't to my knowledge
looking for a part time job, he lost nothing except some spare time.
I spent 3 weeks minus 3 days going full time at it.

T(B>Wrap it up and move on to the next idea. Next time you might consider
   >having all interested parties put up their share of the $$ that
   >would be involved in building the prototype or some reasonable amount
   >to be considered earnest money. This establishes a firm percentage
   >take of the profits and helps to ensure that everyone has something
   >vested. The alternative to this would be to sell your services for
   >a fee and give-up any take in the profits except for royalties.

We'll probably end up in a legal battle over our big game at this rate.
.----------------------------------------------------.
| Colin Buckley                                      |
| Toronto, Ontario, Canada                           |
| InterNet: colin.buckley@rose.com                   |
|                                                    |
| So Eager to Play, So Relunctant to Admit it...     |
`----------------------------------------------------'
---
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From: shrydar@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Christopher Phillips)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Royalties/Profits
Date: 24 Dec 1992 08:01:52 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: tartarus.uwa.edu.au

colin.buckley@rose.com (colin buckley) writes:

>On completion of the game, when the question finally came up, I was shocked
>he want 50%, and it left me almost speechless, and I basically ended
>up agreeing to giving him 40% for ~1/2 a week worth of graphics and
>coming up with the original concept ("Batting coach hitting baseballs
...

Moral to this story:

Bring up 'the question' _before_ any work is done.

Christopher Jam.
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: wang@cs.uiuc.edu (Eric Wang)
Subject: Re: skewed map
Reply-To: wang@cs.uiuc.edu
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 02:13:37 GMT

Jacob.Hartog@f99.n121.z1.fidonet.org (Jacob Hartog) writes:

> Assuming you have a coordinate plane with its origin at a given point.
> Does anyone have any idea how you would get the x,y of points on that
> in terms of another coordinate plane skewed off the original one n
> number of degrees with its origin at a different point.

Assuming that all info is stored in a global coordinate system (x,y),
and that the player defines some local coordinate system whose origin is
located at (xc,yc) in the global coord sys, and is furthermore rotated
theta degrees with respect to it, then a point (xl,yl) in the local
coordinate system translates back to a point (x,y) in the global
coordinate system by

    x = xl cos theta - yl sin theta + xc
    y = yl cos theta + xl sin theta + yc

This stuff is taught in any introductory computer graphics class.

Eric Wang
wang@cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: colin.buckley@rose.com (colin buckley)
Subject: Copyrights of old gam
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 00:12:58 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 12-22-92 16:45
B(>Do you think people would invest the same amount of effort in "discovering"
  >(since you prefer the word) new games and going to the trouble to flesh
  >them out if they knew they'd just be ripped off?

The competition doesn't appear overnight.  No one would bother ripping him
of unless he had some success with the game first, proving the demand for it.
He always has the claim of creating the original version, that would
hold weight with some people.
---
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Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: collins@blkbox (Chad R. Collins)
Subject: Re: Goto [variable] in C++ ?
Organization: The Black Box, PO Box 591822 Houston, TX 77259-1822 
Distribution: rec.games.programmer
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 04:03:59 GMT

kinsman@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Aphoriel/Kinsman) writes:

>This is a question from someone new to C...

>How could I set up C code so that a program goes to a function where the name
>of the function is placed in a string variable? The specific use I'm thinking
>of is for an adventure game, where the function the parser calls depends on
>the verb the player used in typing in his command.. I could set it up as:

>-If verb_parsed is 'eat' then call eat_function
>-If verb_parsed is 'give' then call give_function

>and so forth, but this is awful... How could I write it in C to look like:

>-Go to [verb_parsed + string_holding_parameter_characters]

>Like that.

>Thanks in advance,
>-Sean Givan / Aphoriel/Kinsman

	Well, I don't know the specifics of what you are doing, but you might
want to look into the switch/case statements....

Chad R. Collins
collins@blkbox.com

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: colin.buckley@rose.com (colin buckley)
Subject: What rez are these
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 03:44:50 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 12-27-92 22:37
EW>        1.  What rez (320x200x256 for example) are the following games in:
EW>                a. Wolfenstien 3D

It's one of the modified Mode 13h routines, which one beats me, but from the
size of the pixels I'd guess it's 320x200 or 320x240.

  >                b. LEMMINGS VGA

It uses 640x480x16 for the Title and inbetween screens, and 320x200x256 for
the actual game.

EW>        3.  Where can I find out more about

EW>                 a. XLIB
  >                 b. XBLT

From the authors who are here, I'm sure they responded in EMail.  If
your .com site doesn't forbid uuencoded EMail, you can get both from them.
XLIB is the more complete one and free.

  >                 d. Fastgraph,

Since you're calling from a .com site, you should find Fastgraph online
or atleast in your area on some board.  Search for Fastgraph Lite, I haven't
looked at it in ages, but I remember file names like FGL_134A/B/C.ZIP.
Fastgraph itself is commerical.  If you have any back messages available
you'll find Fastgraph Lite.  It was posted recently.

Fastgraph offers routines for CGA to 4 planar VGA modes.  XLIB and XBLT
do the 4 planar VGA modes only.  Ted Gruber is the author, if you
have any pascal or shareware conferences on some PC networks in your
area you'll find him or his wife, Diana.  They'll mail you a disk if you
can't find it in your area.
---
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From: u9999aer@elm.circa.ufl.edu (Cathryn Lasky)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Goto [variable] in C++ ?
Date: 1 Jan 93 07:09:08 GMT
Distribution: rec.games.programmer
Organization: University of Florida, Gainesville

In article <1992Dec28.144429.1427@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca> kinsman@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Aphoriel/Kinsman) writes:
>This is a question from someone new to C...
>
>How could I set up C code so that a program goes to a function where the name
>of the function is placed in a string variable? The specific use I'm thinking
>of is for an adventure game, where the function the parser calls depends on
>the verb the player used in typing in his command.. I could set it up as:
>
>-If verb_parsed is 'eat' then call eat_function
>-If verb_parsed is 'give' then call give_function
>
>and so forth, but this is awful... How could I write it in C to look like:
>
>-Go to [verb_parsed + string_holding_parameter_characters]
>
>Like that.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>-Sean Givan / Aphoriel/Kinsman

Hmm, I think this problem has come up several times before.  Unless
there is some nifty new keen way of doing it, I don't think that this
can be done easily.  The best way I can think of offhand is using
a look-up table of function pointers and to tokenize the verb
parameter.  For example:

enum Functions {
  EAT, SLEEP, KILL
};

void (*ftbl)(char *arglist)[MAX_FUNCTIONS];

void DoFunction( int token, char *arg_list )
{
   (*ftbl)(arg_list)[token];
}

You may need to check the syntax, but this is in effect what you do.
To add other functions you simply expand the token values (
"Functions" ) and the ftbl.  This is as simple as you can get.

Brian
From: rgasch@nl.oracle.com (Robert Gasch)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: crobots porting
Date: 23 Dec 92 13:43:57 GMT
Organization: Oracle Europe

I have recently compiled Tom Poindexter's CRobots program on
my sun. Compilation went fine and so I happily started it up
only to get a core dump (It ran fine on a PC) once the game
was running.

Did anybody else ever port this onto a UNIX box? If you did
I'd appreciate hearing from you. I havn't done much tracing
yet as I'm pretty busy these days but I'd appreciate any hints
on this.

Thanks
--> Robert

 
******************************************************************************
* Robert Gasch	       * Der erste Mai ist der Tag an dem die Stadt ins      * 
* Oracle Engineering   * Freihe tritt und den und den staatlichen            * 
* De Meern, NL	       * Monopolanspruch auf Gewalt in Frage stellt          *
* rgasch@nl.oracle.com *                           - Einstuerzende Neubauten *
******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: kludge@hardy.u.washington.edu (Kludge)
Subject: Re: xlib04 & scrolling
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 01:00:24 GMT

In article <1h8k64INN271@ub.d.umn.edu> cbusch@ub.d.umn.edu (Chris) writes:
>
>   Is "real" scrolling available thru xlib04 graphics library.  My
>question boils down to this:  is there 4 different VRAM move routines,
>one for each direction?  Instead of just a showpage(int) routine that
>respositions the virtual screen.
>
>-cbusch@ub.d.umn.edu


  No - it's not necessary.  There's a couple of routines that can do what
you want: x_cp_vid_rect() and x_shift_rect().  Use the second one for
scrolling, since it won't overwrite what it hasn't written yet.  
NOTE: It will *not* do smooth x-coord. scrolling - the x coordinates you
give it are rounded to the nearest 4 pixels.

								--Kludge
From: mike.mcaulay@spacebbs.com (Mike Mcaulay) 
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Timed SCREEN CAPTURE vs. HOTKEY activated
Date: 2 Jan 93 17:58:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SPACE BBS - Menlo Park, CA - 10 Lines + 4gB - 415-323-4193
Reply-To: mike.mcaulay@spacebbs.com (Mike Mcaulay) 


ESW>    I am looking for a timed SCREEN CAPTURE facility so as to circumvent
ESW>those targeted applications whose exclusion of other keystrokes prevents
ESW>HOTKEY activated screen capture programs from getting a chance to kick in.

ESW>For example, you could set this type of screen capturer to record whatever
ESW>is on the screen exactly two minutes from when you start it.  Then you
ESW>would quickly bring up the targeted application and bring up the
ESW>particular screen you wish to capture and then wait for your time
ESW>activated screen capturer to kick in, and wha la, you caught that sucker !
ESW>: -)

I think a better approach would be to key off of the joystick.  I know
there are PD hacks floating around that do this, or you could write your
own.

M.
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Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: hallch@CS.ColoState.EDU (christopher hall)
Subject: Artificial Intelligence for Games
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 18:38:55 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Computer Science Department

Hello all,

     I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any
material related to the use of artificial intelligence in computer games.
Specifically I am searching for material that would be useful in
controlling computer players in a role-playing game.  I am assuming that I
will have to program the different possible actions for the computer but I
would like to know a good and efficient way to go about making the
computer decide which option would be the 'best'.

     Please e-mail any responses to me.  If there is enough interest I will
post a summary in about two weeks.  Also, if you know any other groups that
I could post this to please write and tell me.

                                                Thanks in advance,

                                                Chris Hall


/--------------------------------------------------------------------------\
|    The world cannot end today because it is tomorrow in Australia...     |
|                                                                          |
|       |________          Chris Hall                                      |
| ||OOO||________>         hallch@handel.colostate.edu                     |
|       |                                                                  |
\__________________________________________________________________________/
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer