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1 of 2 files critical mass bbs
4 items in the archive
  • CRITICAL.EXE
  • SPACEDEB.MOD
  • SPAWNING
  • TS-NOTES.DOC
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04/12/93 12:07am This demo requires a 286+, VGA+, and about 580K+ base memory free. SOME TECHNICAL NOTES I know I always used to love it when a coder would put some hints & tips in his loader (Tran/Ren for one), so I figured I would too. The demo uses a 1280x200 virtual screen, in 320x200 Mode X. To widen the screen, you use the Offset Register at port 03D4H, Index 13H. Mode X is a bit harder to describe, but I can refer you to some Dr. Dobbs articles that will tell you all about it: July, August and September 1991 issues have a column by Michael Abrash called "Graphics Programming" that will get you started with Mode X. His version is 320x240, but Mode X is more than that. It's an entirely different way of addressing video memory. It allows for 4 pages in regular 320x200 (hence the 1280x200 virtual screen is possible - and addressable :), 2 pages in 320x400. Many people often ask me for titles of books, with which to learn VGA programming... the one I'd most recommend is Programmer's Guide to the EGA and VGA Cards, by Richard F. Ferraro, published by Addison-Wesley (ISBN 0-201-57025-4). It's a great book that goes into detail with each of the VGA registers, and doesn't skip registers that it figures you don't need to know about, and shouldn't fuck with anyway. Apparently there might be a new edition coming out (the one I have here is Second Edition), so you might want to wait for that. The MOD-playing routines are GoldPlay, by The Code Blasters. It was a tossup between that, or the STM Interface Kit. I chose the GoldPlay routines because they support more devices, even though the sound quality is a bit worse. Eventually I'll get around to writing my own routines, but right now I simply don't have the time to both code demos, and work on a music system. There's a serious lack of information in the demo-coding scene on the IBM. People are so tight-lipped about the things they develop, that there are very few demos being produced that are actually worth the time to download (at least in North America - damn Swedes! :). Share the wealth! The more you spread useful information, the more demos will be developed. 'Nuff said. Anyway, if you have some questions, you'll just have to get yourself on CRiTiCAL MASS :) . Feel free to mail me about anything. I don't profess to be the God of Demo Coding, but if I can help out a fellow coder in need, I will. <T*S> [iCE] Ottawa, Canada!
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