HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rwirthli@nyx.cs.du.edu (Ralph Wirthlin)
Subject: Re: world generation
Keywords: tec usml map generation
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 15:48:07 GMT

allen@baja.viewlogic.com (Dave Allen) writes:

>Chris Eberhardt (ce@wuee1.wustl.edu) wrote:
>> Anyone have any ideas and/or algorithms to create worlds similar to th

>> ones generated by the game Civilization.  Possibly a little more
>> intelligent in the sense that it could create mountain ranges rather
>> than the seemingly random placement of terrain in Civ.

>I wrote a program to do this.  I posted it to comp.sources.misc a year a
o.
>You should be able to get it from an archive site like ftp.uu.net; look
>for the submission "planet-v1".  It computes climate for the world map
>as well.

>Here is a section of the README file:

>This is the README file for Version 5 of tec, a plate tectonic simulator

>It is written in C and runs on any Xwindows system (X11R4) or any UN*X
>machine using text or PostScript output.  Copyright (c) 1991 by David Al
en.
>You may distribute this freely as long as you leave my name and copyrigh

>notice intact.

>Version history:
>5.  Posted to comp.sources.misc on 3 / 15 / 1991.
>    - Merged with globe display and climate generator
>    - Scope reduced to Xwindow graphics

>TEC draws a map of some imaginary world and puts one big continent on it

>The program then graphically simulates the breakup of this supercontinen
 by
>rifts and the drifting of the continents.  Mountains are built by
>subsuming and by continental collision, and are reduced by erosion.  As
>more time passes, the continents tend to drift back into a supercontinen

>and split up again, forming what some authors call a "supercontinent cyc
e."

>The program produces a map of an imaginary world which contains realisti

>looking mountain ranges and continents which sometimes look like they fi

>together (like South America and Africa on Earth).

That reminds me, several years back there was a group formed that was 
working on the Universe Simulator.  Does anyone have the ftp site where
the various simulations were stored?
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: What about us MAC game developers
From: rossw@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Ross Williamson)
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 20:10:24 GMT
Organization: University of Auckland, New Zealand.

In rec.games.programmer you write:

>>   ( My stuff removed )
>I've done quite a lot of programming on the PC and really appreciate the
>ideas and info presented here in this group.  They have have been more
>than just interesting for me.  I am, however, trying to expand on the
>platforms that I work on, and the Mac is my next choice.  So I have a
>couple of simple questions that are kind of related to games programming.

>1.  What are the available C compilers for the Mac?  I know there is
>    ThinkC, are there any others.

	ok 2 choices really MPW ( gag ) or **** Think C ****
	Thats about it really the pick of the bunch has to be TC really.
MPW is okish but is a bit of a dog to work with and all the people that
I know who program MACs use TC.

>2.  What are the available assemblers for the Mac?
	MPW , TC ( one builtin)   Why program directly in assembler
agreed some things go faster in assembler if you code them directly. 
But don't write it *all* in assembler use in the builtin asm command in TC.

>3.  What books or documentation are recommended that describe graphics
>    and general programming items for the Mac?

	Inside Mac I-VI are a must they will tell you everything you
*ever* need to know.  Covers all the OS routines, user interface, etc. 
OK they're a little pricy but...  well worth the price. 


Ross.

+-----------------------------------+---------------------------+
| Name   : Ross Williamson          | Do you remember when sex  |
| E-Mail : rossw@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz  |  was safe and skydiving   |
| Auckland University, New Zealand  |      was dangerous?       |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------------+
|   Of course these opinions are my own and thank !! for that   |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
From: "jonathan forbes" <jonathan.forbes@canrem.com>
Subject: vectorgfx programming
Reply-To: "jonathan forbes" <jonathan.forbes@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 27 Sep 92 02:10:05 EST

-> I was just wondering if somebody out there is interested in sharing
-> experience in VectorGFX programming (especially on the Amiga) please
-> e-mail me! I would like to talk about the following topics:

Hi, if you find routines or help on 3D graphics routines and vectors,
could you please post the information publically here?  I am also
interested in such routines, for either the Amiga or for MS-DOS (VGA
mode "X"; 256 colours, 320x200 [or something close to this]).

I'd recommend the 3D graphics book by Foley, van Dam, and two other
people (forget their names and the title of the book - I don't have it
here with me) - useful stuff.  For texture mapping, I suggest Phong
shading for high speed, but I'm hardly a pro at this either.

If only someone would come out with a decent set of Amiga graphics
routines; AreaFill() is just too slow for even 30 fps.  Besides, one
can't even use that many colours anyway (don't think it would work out
with HAM; 32 or 64 is really the max under ECS, although AGA looks
promising).  Personally I think the VGA 256 colour mode X is far better
suited for what I'm doing than anything the Amiga ECS has, but I'm the
one who has to port the MS-DOS game to the Amiga...
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: cat@wixer.cactus.org (Dr. Cat)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: What about us MAC game developers
Date: 3 Oct 92 17:29:13 GMT
Organization: Real/Time Communications


   While I am currently developing games for the PC, I'd like to see some
less hardware related discussions also.  I mastered the hardware tricks on
the Apple, the Atari 800, and the Commodore 64 back when there was money to
be made programming games on them, and now it's mostly just useless knowledge
sitting in my head - as much of my PC related knowledge may become someday.
What I really value from all my years programming experience are the
techniques for making games better that work on any machine.

   But you have to recognize what this place is.  It's a haven for tinkerers
to exchange tricks they find interesting, not a place where craftsmen
exchange techniques they've developed over a lifetime of experience.  If you
want to see some fascinating discussions start about strategy algorithms,
techniques for improving user interface, or what have you, don't ask someone
else to start the conversation.  Do it yourself.  Me, I'm working too hard on
making games to have much energy left over for starting discussions.  I'd be
happy to answer questions related to higher level programming and design
issues, but I think there are few here that would care to ask them, and an
endless supply of people just getting started who would love to ask me how to
make a sprite routine.

   I would recommend the Journal of Computer Game Design roundtable on Genie,
where most of the discussion is between professional programmers & designers.
Does get a bit gossipy sometimes, but it doesn't bog down in technical
discussions.  Of course you have to pay for it, which probably rules it out
for most people here.

                                 Dr. Cat
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: phillips@uwa.oz.au (Christopher Phillips)
Subject: Re: So... what are you all doing?
Organization: Elec Eng, Univ of Western Australia
Date: 28 Sep 92 08:57:04 GMT

The two major projects currently on my back burner (hons thesis
due in 3 weeks 4 days..) are both c64 games.

One is based around a wolf3d style perspective, but with
a fantasy/sf bent to it.  Lots of wild and garish super
colourfull texture mapped walls in a new graphics mode
I have only ever seen used in plasma demos.

The other is a shootemup using scrolling bitmapped graphics
and an advanced sprite multiplexor that has taken two years
to get to its current point and really needs me to spend
several months bashing.  I really must get around to
either getting a ram-expansion or writing those virtual mem
routines. Development in 64k is getting diffucult :)


--
Christopher Jam	__________________________________________________
phillips@swanee.ee.uwa.oz.au			c64 forever!!!!
300,000 c64's were sold in the fiscal year ending June 1991 :)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: dhaigh@actrix.gen.nz (David Haigh)
Subject: Mode X and Soundblaster: How?
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 08:27:15 GMT

All of the current Mode X libs are small model.

All of the soundblaster libraries and code I have seen are large
model.

I have been unable to get mixed-model linking to accomodate these
two models.

So, does anyone have any bright ideas, hints, or code???

After all, you HAVE to have sound support these days - and it's a
lot of fun...

Dave.
From: ccsteve@cybaswan.UUCP (s marshall)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Sound in games.
Date: 5 Oct 92 11:50:24 GMT
Reply-To: ccsteve@pyr.swan.ac.uk (s marshall)

Ok, there has been a discussion recently in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games about
the quality of music in PC games.
A while back I ftp'd a copy of VECTDEMO from somewhere, in the docs there
was some info about a couple of the guys who did that demo writing a book
about getting the most from your soundcard, Does anyone know what came
of this, since if it is fairly tech. intensive. I would be interested in
getting a copy.
I'm currently trying to think up some ideas about writing an FM driver
for Adlib/Soundblaster cards.

I want to stay away from writing something to play .mid files, and write
something specifically to try and get the most from the FM chips.

My current thinking is to have something similar to the MOD format

ie the tune file looks like...

Note Definitions - Like samples in mods, but store values for the
		   FM chips to generate a particular sound.
----
Actual Tune      - Again with facilities like mods, to do pitch bends
                   etc.

Is there a format out there already, Am I wasting my time???

Any feedback about this would be most appreciated...
If there isn't a format like the idea I suggested, then if anyone is
interested I think R.G.P would be an ideal place to discuss and develop
one. Since unlike the Game Library attempt a while back, most of the
initial leg-work on this project involves setting out a versatile enough
format to be worth while.

Steve


-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
         Steve Marshall - University College Swansea Computer Centre
     ccsteve@uk.ac.swan.pyr|ccsteve@cybaswan.uucp|ccsteve@uk.ac.swan.vax
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From: pez@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Gomer Wilson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Mouse in ModeX
Date: 30 Sep 92 21:10:18 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

We all know that the BIOS mouse routines don't function properly in
ModeX.  Has anyone successfully written mouse routines that work with 
Modex?  If so, could you post them here, or to an ~rFTP site, or
somesuch?  Great thanks.  

--
Pez!
(pez@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu)
From: sonix@schunix.uucp (Duane Morin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Looking for Tom Poindexter (CROBOTS)
Date: 30 Sep 92 19:37:44 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SCHUNIX Public Access Unix for Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA

I'm trying to contact Tom Poindexter, author of CROBOTS.  From what I remember,
he reads this group.  I have a few questions concerning his program.

If he sees this, or if anyone knows how I can get in touch with him, please
contact me.

Thank you,
 Duane Morin
 sonix@schunix.uucp
 sonix@aol.com
From: mike.mcaulay@spacebbs.com (Mike Mcaulay) 
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Calling all EGA/VGA gurus!  Please read!
Date: 28 Sep 92 20:01:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SPACE BBS - Menlo Park, CA - 10 Lines + 4gB - 415-323-4193
Reply-To: mike.mcaulay@spacebbs.com (Mike Mcaulay) 



I don't know if this is appropriate for this group, but I am pretty
desperate, so here goes:

I am in the process of porting a piece of code from VGA Mode 13h (320 X
200, 256 colors) to VGA Mode 12h (640 X 480, 16 colors).  I have art
that has been algorithmically converted to 320 X 200, 16 colors then
touched up by hand.  I am expanding this art by doubling all of the
pixels on the fly when I load the images into memory from disk, and
leaving 40-pixel-tall blank strips at the top and bottom of the screen.
Hence my final image size is 640 X 400.

My problem is that my blit routine is slow.  I am presently using write
mode 0 (byte-at-a-time) and addressing each of the 4 bit planes
separately.  Since I am inexperienced with Mode 12h and EGA-format
graphics in general, I am wondering if I am missing something.  My
understanding is that in mode 12h I do not have access to page flipping.
Is this correct?  If so, does anyone out there have any suggestions for
fast algorithms for moving rectangular regions from main memory to the
screen in this mode?  BTW, as far as the registers go mode 12h behaves
the same as the old EGA mode 10h (640 X 350, 16 colors) for anyone who
has worked with 10h.

I am under rather severe deadline pressure, so prompt advice of any kind
would be greatly appreciated.  However I don't have any choice about
this -- as kludgy as it sounds (is) I *have* to do it, so please spare
the flames.

Please e-mail me as I do not regularly read this group.

Thanks!

M.
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: VGA MODE 13h Questions. Simple Ones!!
Date: 1 Oct 92 23:13:12 MDT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Utah State University

> Ok, the standard mode 13, 320x200 is very restricted, but it is possible
> to kludge this mode, in a similar way to creating modex, so that
> ALL 256k can be accessed, the screen can be scrolled, and therefore
> flipped, which is just scrolling by a 'page'.  You can change the
> logical width of the screen, you can use set address high and low
> to scroll.  I posted a demo that does all of this...accesses ALL
> 256k, creating a 512x512 virtual screen, and pans around it.  Someone
> who has it may want to post it, or I'll get to it this weekend.
> 
> This may be splitting hairs, I know I'll get flamed because the
> original question was about mode 13 and not a derivative, but
> if you're going through the trouble of using modex, you may as
> well have a choice.  Modex gives higher resolution, but mode13
> gives more free memory for storage of bitmaps and such.

Any mode that accesses all of the VGA card's 256k has a setup similar to ModeX
or the EGA modes.  I recall looking at that demo, and it set up a pseudo-modeY. 
I'll have to look closer before I say more about it, but it was not a mode 13h
and I believe it did require the plane 0, byte 0, pixel 0, plane 1, byte 0,
pixel 1, etc., format.  If it didn't, then I'll have to use your mode.

I do, however, believe you are referring to ModeY, the 320x200x256x4 page mode. 
Mode 13h is just a 320x200x256x1 page mode.

Josh

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: ssalter@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (-=[SLS]=-)
Subject: Re: What about us MAC game developers
Organization: OFSA
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 12:42:37 GMT

rossw@ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz (Ross Williamson)
>	The subject says it all.  Whenever I read this group there is
>nothing of use to anyone except for those developing on PC's.  What
>about the reset of us.  There is more to games programming than 'VGA
>modes' and 'BIOS' there is the way to construct mazes, scenarios, etc. 
>Why is there *never* any discussion on these topics?
>What about programming hints for mac people or just general algorithmic stuff?

Go for it Ross...start a topic!
From: grey@bnr.ca (Bryan Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: Algo Req: World Gen
Date: 30 Sep 92 15:02:47 GMT
Reply-To: grey@bnr.ca (Bryan Miller)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

In article <1992Sep30.124934.23588@wuecl.wustl.edu>, ce@wuee1.wustl.edu (Chris Eberhardt) writes:
|> Anyone have any ideas and/or algorithms to create worlds similar to the 
|> ones generated by the game Civilization.  Possibly a little more
|> intelligent in the sense that it could create mountain ranges rather
|> than the seemingly random placement of terrain in Civ.
|> 
|> My current plan to do the land masses it to generate a random number
|> of circles of random size and then make a second pass through to
|> alter the perimeters and make them not so perfect looking.
|> 
|> Any assistance would be appreciated.
|> 
|> chris eberhardt
|> ce@wuee1.wustl.edu

Check out the code for world generation in Empire. It does some
pseudo-realistic volcanic creation of the land to create mountians,
flats, water, mineral deposits, etc. There's a few constants you
can tweak to get proportions/probabilities you like.

Grey
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: kennehra@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Rich"TheMan"Kennehan)
Subject: Programming the Atari 2600 Graphics chip!!!
Organization: Clarkson University
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 17:04:35 GMT



Hi.  I was wondering if anyone could give me ANY information on
programming the Atari 2600 graphics chip.  Please note that I am 
referring to the customized graphics chip, and not the CPU.  Thanks
in advance for any help you may give me!

- Rich
  kennehra@logic.camp.clarkson.edu
From: aramakri@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Dr. Yowza)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: What is Mode Y?
Date: 3 Oct 92 00:51:20 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania


	Hi,

		By now I'm sure that most of us know what Mode X is,

	but what exactly is Mode Y?  Some people have told me that

	it is 320x400x256 while others say it is 320x200x256x4 pages.

	What's the deal?  Thanks in advance.


						- Dr. Yowza


						[aramakri@eniac.seas.upenn.edu]
From: liebgold@edison.seas.ucla.edu (Dan M. Liebgold)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: SNES and SFII
Date: 29 Sep 92 20:44:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles


Does anyone know what kind of processor the Super Nintendo System has?

and also, does anyone have any information about a version of SFII for the
IBM ever?

thanks
Dan
-- 
------------------------------------------------
Dan Liebgold		  liebgold@seas.ucla.edu
310 DeNeve Dr.		"Bear with my ignorance"				
LA, CA 90024		          (310) 794-4370
From: scarnie@esk.compserv.utas.edu.au (Stuart George Carnie)
Subject: Scream Tracker STMIK
Keywords: tec usml map generation
Organization: University of Tasmania at Launceston
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 00:07:42 GMT


Hi there, if  a n y o n e  has any info about where I can find the latest 
version of the Scream Tracker SDK, or the programmers mod player released by the    
codeblasters, it would be  GREATLY  appreciated..



         Taa,    Stuart...
From: jfreund@menudo.engr.ucdavis.edu (Jason Freund)
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Wolf3d programming stuff
Date: 28 Sep 92 19:32:26 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering - University of California - Davis


	Does anyone have a copy of the article posted somewhere on the net
describing exactly how they did wolf3d?  If anyone cares to explain it, please
post or email me.

Jason Freund
From: sl8nl@cc.usu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Subject: Re: VGA MODE 13h Questions. Simple Ones!!
Date: 29 Sep 92 15:48:29 MDT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Utah State University

> Like is it impossible to access each plane in turn?

Mode 13h is entirely linear...period.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  You have 64k of
memory to work with, which gives you the 320x200x256 colors.

> Can you use the set_address_high and set_address_low to pan the screen
> around?

No.

> Can you use page flipping?

No

> I have the feeling that the answer to all these questions. If so then
> why would anyone want to use this mode? My current scrolly is so
> processor consuming that I can't do anything else!! 

Because it is simple.  there are some applications that don't require it.  As
an example, I have written several games based in that mode.  Lessee, Wing
Commander uses the mode (DPaint's Camera program was able to capture a
screen.).  Most commercial software uses it, also.

> Should I use Mode X from now on? I believe you can do the above
> questions with  this mode, right?

You betcha.  And there are a lot of experts here.  

BTW, I'll be posting a sample demo with source soon that will have module
music, color cycling, a 100 pixel tall scroll, and a graphic equalizer going at
once.  It will be ModeX or Y, not sure yet.

Take care,
Joshua Jensen

Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
From: bill@baku.eece.unm.edu (William Horne)
Subject: Next Computer Olympiad
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 16:39:07 GMT
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Can somebody tell me the date and location of the next Computer Olympiad.
Also, an address to which I could write for more information would be
extremely useful.

I am interested in competitions which compare computer backgammon
programs.  I know that the Computer Olympiad has such a competition.
If there are other competitions, I would like to know about those
too.

If I get a sufficient response, I will summarize and post.

Thanks in advance,

Bill

===============================================================================
Bill Horne                                  | email: bill@chama.eece.unm.edu
Dept. of Electical and Computer Engineering |
University of New Mexico                    | Phone:   (505) 277-0805
Albuquerque, NM  87131  USA                 | Office:  EECE  224D
===============================================================================
--
===============================================================================
Bill Horne                                  | email: bill@chama.eece.unm.edu
Dept. of Electical and Computer Engineering |
University of New Mexico                    | Phone:   (505) 277-0805
Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer
Date: Fri,  2 Oct 1992 00:41:20 -0400 
From: Court Demas <court+@CMU.EDU>
Subject: New Hobbes Lib



Version 3 of the Hobbes ModeX library is out (wow).  It contains a number of
minor changes, and adds mouse routines from Mike Duffy.  I just ftp'd it to
nic.funet.fi, and it will hopefully be in /pub/msdos/games/programming/
hobbes3.zip soon.

Also, to all those who wanted to see my code for Jill-type scrolling in ModeX,
there is a file in the same place called hobbspr2.zip.  You need Hobbes if you
want to compile the source, but you can just try the lame little demo there
if you want.  NOTHING BIG.  It just demonstrates that it is really easy to
scroll around horizontally on an abritrary-size tiled bitmap.
OBVIOUS ADDITIONS:
Double-buffering
working mouse routines
better blts with that xblt code posted a while ago
C++ => C
blah blah blah


I have very close to zero time to work on this stuff.  I would be more than
happy to fix bugs and answer any questions you may have.

enjoy,
court
court+@cmu.edu