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EnigmA Amiga Run 1996 February
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EnigmA AMIGA RUN 04 (1996)(G.R. Edizioni)(IT)[!][issue 1996-02][Skylink CD III].iso
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1995-12-08
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Hi!
1. Library systems - good or bad ?
2. Coding of Amiga Graphics Boards - principles
3. Graphics Board hardware
4. Which Boards to support ?
5. Some Notes about Power PC Amigas...
6. Contact addresses...
1. Library systems - good or bad ?
Most "hardware hackers" consider libraries a bad (slow) thing, that is
of no use for game programming. That is not 100% true. As to libraries
to access Graphics Boards there are *TWO SORTS* of libraries, slow libraries
and fast libraries.
Slow libraries access the hardware using high-level interfaces, like the
graphics.library of Amiga OS does. They have mostly no real low-level
interface. There are calls like WritePixel and DrawLine in such a library.
An example for a high-level library is the egs.library of EGS Graphics Boards
(but with some tricks even this library MIGHT be useful for game programming,
to use it UNMODIFIED is of no use, of course...)
Fast library do not provide a "fat" library interface. It basically provides
calls to open screens, close screens, get the base address of the video RAM
and perfrom double Buffering. Writing to the screen is done by yourself (you
use the processor to write to the Bitmap and such stuff, using your own Assembly
code...). Sometimes fast libraries provide code for accessing the Graphics Board
blitters too. An example for a fast library is rtgmaster.library.
More about which libraries are slow and which are fast in chapter 3.
NOTE: You will have to change your mind about libraries. With Graphics Board
equipped Amigas, the only solution for fast games are fast libraries that provide
a low level interface to the Board hardware. Custom Chips are not longer "in".
2. Coding of Amiga Graphics Boards - principles
I wrote down the principles of all available library systems known to me here...
A. Picasso II
This system is used by the Picasso II, and CyberGraphX can emulate it (Probably
the Emulation will slow the thing down, but i tested it with a Texturemapping
demo for Picasso II and AGA, and i got a speedup of AT LEAST 4 times using
Picasso with the Cybergraphics emulation, compared to AGA (A4000/040 + Piccolo
SD64).
The vilintuisup.library supports both High Level and Lowlevel functions.
There are low level functions for :
- Opening a native Picasso Screen (not usable for Intuition...)
- Getting the base address of the video RAM
- Performing Double Buffering
- Changing colors and all that stuff
- Closing the Screen again
Sad thing : Picasso Double Buffering is done using MoveScreen, it is no real
double buffering. But it is said it should be very fast on that Board, the
MoveScreen... you should test this before starting to code... there is no
Triple Buffering available unless you code this yourself.
Because it is very easy to use, runs on many Boards and is Low Level, the
vilintui.library is interesting for game/demo coders, in my opinion.
If somebody has problems with coding the thing, ask me (i know how...)
Will be supported in the game Nemac 4.
B. Rtgmaster.library
Currently in Alpha stage of the developpement rtgmaster.library is a Low Level
(=fast) library supporting :
- Opening a native Screen on the Board
- Getting the Base address of the Video RAM
- Performing Double and Triple Buffering
- Changing Colors and all that stuff
- Getting information about the structure of the Video RAM of the Board
- Closing the Screen again
The initial release will support :
- all EGS Boards (including A2410, G110 and the usual EGS Boards...)
- Picasso II
- all Boards with an installed CyberGraphX system
- ECS and AGA
It is *NOT* needed to deinstall your current WB-Emulation to install this library.
For some things (direct video RAM access under EGS, DoubleBuffering under CyberGraphX
this thing CHEATS...)
This library is freeware.
Will be supported in Textdemo and a handful of other games/demos.
If someone is interested, contact me (i am one of the coders of the thing...)
C. CyberGraphX/cybergraphics.library
This library supports Low Level AND High level calls, but the low level ones
(that is : Getting base address of VRAM) are a bit complicated to use. There
is no Doublebuffering up to now (you can do the same way like with the Picasso II
though...)
There is a new version of CyberGraphics announced for 1996, that shall contain
support for game programmers.
If you want to get CyberGraphX you will have to deinstall other WB-Emulations (EGS...)
CyberGraphX is much faster than EGS (there is no difference for low level calls of
course, as they access the same VRAM :) )
CyberGraphX is at about 40$, it comes for free with DraCo and with Cybervision (and
will come for free with "Power UP" Power PC Board, with additional AGA support,
and Power PC native code (and game programme support, 3D and multimedia functions
and hopefully Low Level functions...)
Probably the first games using CyberGraphX (the old one) will be GLOOM Deluxe and
Alien Breed 3D Special Edition...
If someone has problems with CyberGraphX Programming i could help... soon a
documented demo source about this will be available...
D. EGS
EGS only supports High level functions. It is possible to get as near as possible to
the graphics driver, though, and that way, it is quite okay. But it is not optimal,
of course... EGS supports as many Double/Triple/... Buffers as you wish...
You are NOT able to use IDCMP-Ports with EGS (instead eDCMP of EGS which is similar).
If someone has problems, i could help (documentated demo source available...)
NOTE: Rumour says it, that EGS will be soon dropped... i do not know if this is
true... but CyberGraphX is available for nearly all EGS Boards anyways...
E. HRG
This is the system of the Merlin. It is an "exote", but after
what i heard, it is quite good in the 2.0 release. According
to someone of ProDev, they provide similar features as CyberGraphX,
but only for the Merlin and not for a lot of Boards like CyberGraphX
does, AND they even support Double Buffering what CyberGraphX
currently does not...
F. Graffiti
You can order information from sysop@nostlgic.tng.oche.de
No libraries, you hack in everything yourselves... :) But this
stuff is a bit confusing...
3. Graphics Board hardware
NOTE:
Zorro II is slowest (about 3 MB/sec.)
Zorro II/III autosensing faster on Zorro III systems
Zorro III only is even faster, as to rumours, as an autosensing system
(about 15-30 MB/sec., i saw a lot of different values... probably more near 15 MB/sec.)
DraCo Direct is fastest (but only available for DraCo)
(30 MB/sec. at least, maybe even near 50 MB/sec.)
Another Note :
PCI is, after what i heard, between 50 and 150 MB/Sec. ... so hopefully Amiga Tech.
will build PCI in future Amigas...
A.
Name: Picasso II
Manufacturer: Villagetronic
VRAM Size : 2 MB
Chipset : Cirrus Logic 32 Bit
Bus system : Zorro II
Library : Vilintuisup.library or cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note : There will be a Picasso III in 1996. This Board will be available
for Zorro Systems, A1200, and Mac as far as i heard...
B.
Name: Piccolo
Manufacturer: Ingenieurbuero Helfrich
VRAM Size : 2 MB
Chipset : Cirrus Logic 32 Bit
Bus system: Zorro II/Zorro III autosensing
Library : egs.library or cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note : Out of production...
C.
Name: Piccolo SD64
Manufacturer: Ingenieurbuero Helfrich
VRAM Size : 2 or 4 MB
Chipset : Cirrus Logic 64 Bit
Bus system: Zorro II/Zorro III autosensing
Library: egs.library or cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note : Successor of Piccolo (Because of Piccolo SD64 Piccolo is no
longer in production). One of the 4 fastest Amiga Graphics Boards.
D.
Name: EGS Spectrum
Manufacturer: GVP
VRAM Size: 2 MB
Chipset : Cirrus Logic 32 Bit
Bus system: Not sure (but it runs on Zorro II in any case)
Library: egs.library or cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note: No longer in Production, basically a Piccolo clone
E.
Name: Rainbow 3
Manufacturer: Ingenieurbuero Helfrich
VRAM Size: 4 MB
Chipset: Don't know
Bus system: Do not know
Library: egs.library or rtgmaster.library
Note: Don't know, if still in production
F.
Name: Graffity
Manufacturer: bsc
VRAM Size: 2 MB
Chipset: Cirrus Logic 32 Bit
Bus system: Do not know, but i think it is a ZII/ZIII autosensing Board...
Library: egs.library
Note: Do not know, if this got ever produced, may run with rtgmaster.library
too, not sure... In every case, not longer in production
Do not confuse with "Graffiti", that is something else...
G.
Name: A2410
Manufacturer: Commodore
VRAM Size: 1 MB, as far as i know...
Chipset: ???
Bus system: Zorro II
Library: egs.library or cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note: Out of production.
H.
Name: Retina Z3
Manufacturer: Macrosystems
VRAM Size: 4 MB
Chipset : Do not know
Bus system: Zorro III only
Library: Special Retina stuff (do not know...) or cybergraphics.library
Note: One of the 4 fastest Amiga Graphics Boards
I.
Name: Altais
Manufacturer: Macrosystems
VRAM Size: 1 or 4 MB
Chipset: Do not know, but it is a 64 Bit one...
Bus system: DraCo Direct only
Library: Special DraCo stuff (do not know...) or cybergraphics.library
Note: Probably the fastest Amiga Graphics Board (but using that damned
fast DraCo Direct slots simply is not fair for speed comparisions :)))
This Board is only available for DraCo (4 MB in the 060 DraCo, 1 MB
in the 040 DraCo). But if you use cybergraphics.library your stuff
will run on it... the DraCo Direct slots have about the double speed
of Zorro III.
J.
Name: Merlin
Manufacturer: XPert
VRAM Size: 2 or 4 MB (rumours about 8 and 16 MB Boards, not sure if ever built,
probably no...)
Chipset: Do not know
Bus System: Zorro II/Zorro III autosensing (if upgrade install that autosensing works :) )
Library: HRGSystem.library or cybergraphics.library (maybe rtgmaster.library somedays...)
Note: Merlin is the famous ProDev Board, probably the first modern Amiga Graphics
Board at all. The problem with the Merlin: ProDev did something wrong with it,
and the first version did not run together with some other Zorro III Boards (for
example with the Fastlane controller). After XPert died, ProDev took over Merlin-Support
and updated Merlins, so that problem was solved. But some guys are waiting till this
day, 1 year after the upgrade offer, to get their modified Merlin back. Another
problem with the Board : To get a low price, XPert used SLOW RAM with the Board.
Most Amigans think, Merlin sucks... but i heard with the upgrade and the latest
version of HRGSystem.library it would be quite okay...
K.
Name: Cybervision
Manufacturer: Phase 5
VRAM Size: 2 or 4 MB
Chipset: Trio S3 64 Bit
Bus system: Zorro III only
Library: cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library
Note: Probably the second fastest Amiga Graphics Boards, the fastest one if the Amiga is
not a DraCo (although Piccolo SD64 is faster with WritePixel, if cybergraphics.library
is installed...). As far as i know, it can be directly connected to the Cyberstorm
Board, and there it MIGHT be that it even will be faster than the Altais... but i
do not know... Hopefully Phase 5 will produce a possibillity to connect the Board
directly to their "Power UP" Power PC Board...
L.
Name: Graffiti
Manufacturer: sysop@nostlgic.tng.oche.de
VRAM Size: Uses Amiga Chip Memory...
Chipset: None (uses Blitter, Copper and Main Processor...)
Bus system: Where you plug in the 1084 monitor
Library: None (maybe someday rtgmaster.library)
Note: This is no real Graphics Board, but some sort of HARDWARE HACK. It is slow.
On the other side it is cheap. It has a strange screen display that slows things
down (but will get the speed of an A1200 + Fastram on an unexpanded A1200
AT LEAST). If you do a good job optimizing (saving graphics in Graffiti format
for example) it will be much faster, maybe even like a Zorro II Graphics Board.
If you save graphics in Graffiti format and use only longword access you will get
about 72 fps for 320x256 Fullscreen. The Board has no Screenmodes and no
WB-Emulation available, only for games... (but it should not be that complicated
to port AGA stuff to Graffiti as you can still use Copper/Blitter, and Graffiti runs
on ECS systems too...) I do not know, if the Board is already available.
Other things out there :
- Domino : The thing XPert did before the Merlin. cybergraphics available for it, but
it is damned slow. It is based on a 30$ old PC graphics Board.
- Visiona: I do not know much about this Board, but if i am right, another XPert work
- Rainbow 2 : Old Ingenieurbuero Helfrich work, about that "great" like the Domino.
As far as i know, there is EGS for this Board. rtgmaster.library MIGHT
work with it or not...
- G110 : Old but very fast GVP Board connected directly to the Bus of their turboboards
(that is faster than Zorro III, about 30-50 MB/sec., after what i heard). If
only GVP had lived longer... sigh... they could have done a Zorro III version.
As far as to what i know the Board is a BIT slower than Retina Z3, SD64 and
Cybervision. Only available for A2000. Out of production. Probably the fastest
available Board for A2000. Supports EGS and rtgmaster.library. Was not cheap,
as far as what i know.
All not mentioned Boards are framebuffers or mega-old stuff, that nearly noone owns...
4. What Boards to support
I would :
- support rtgmaster.library or cybergraphics.library at least
- support Graffiti
- Maybe Picasso II
Other things only, if needed (it makes no sense supporting EGS if you already
support rtgmaster.library, because EGS has no advance about it...)
HRG is exotic...
And if you already support cybergraphics.library or rtgmaster.library there
is the question if you need anything of the others...
CyberGraphics would be great as a standard, if it ONLY would support Double/Triple
Buffering like rtgmaster.library... i hope, release 3 will do... and as long
as it does not, i personally will use rtgmaster.library for my game...
5. Some Notes about Power PC Amigas...
In the game/demo developper list, someone replied :
* How should the switch for AmigaDOS to PowerPC be in your opinion ?
PowerPC's should be 100% AmigaDOS compatible but I know that's
not realistic.
This is probably the fear of many Amigans (Amiga DOS to be dropped), but i
am able to calm you. Amiga DOS WILL NOT BE DROPPED !!!
At the Computer 95 i asked the guys of Phase 5 who are doing the Power PC
Amiga (wake up, guys, this is not Amiga Technologies doing Power PC Amiga,
that will probably be licensed work of Phase 5) and they told me the
following :
"
- We work in cooperation with Amiga Technologies.
- Future Power PC products of Phase 5 and Amiga Tech. will be compatible.
- PowerUP Power PC Boards will be out in June/July 1996.
- As software we will use a PowerPC version of Amiga DOS.
- The Amiga DOS port already started, but in June/July 1996 probably
the port is only partially done.
- What is not ported, will be done with 680x0 emulation.
- We will finish to port the Amiga DOS to Power PC as soon as possible.
- Older (680x0) software will run using 680x0 Emulation on Power PC Amigas.
- On a Power PC 604, the 680x0 Emulation will have the speed of at least
an 68040.
- But of course the goal is to do everything in Power PC code, that is
much faster.
- For the Graphics we will use CyberGraphX 3.0 Power PC Native.
- An 680x0 version of CyberGraphX 3.0 will be too available.
- CyberGraphX 3.0 will support AGA and Graphics Boards.
- CyberGraphX 3.0 will include new 3D, multimedia, audio and video functions
that are especially interesting to game developpers.
"
They could not answer, if future Amigas from Amiga Technology will be
compatible as to the GRAPHICS SYSTEM too, but they hope that this will
be so (CyberGraphX 3.0 will be available more than a HALF YEAR before
Amiga Technologies Power Amigas will show up...
So Power PC Amigas will be 100% Amiga DOS compatible... at least as long
that AmigaDOS stuff runs on an 68040, as this will be 68040 emulation...
Power UP Boards will be available in January for developpers, the cheapest
Board (using Power PC 603e) will be at 1000 german marks (that is about 1.3x
the cost of a new A1200). It will be available for A1200, A3000 and A4000
(maybe for A2000 later...).
6. Contact Addresses :
Picasso :
VillageTronic Marketing GmbH
Wellweg 95
D-31157 Saarstedt
Germany
email : goehler@adsp.arkon.sub.org (is this stite still running ?) :
Software and hardware documentation
crest@adsp.arkon.sub.org : Hardware developement
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graffiti :
sysop@nostlgic.tng.oche.de (Jens Schoenfeld, the manufacturer...)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
EGS:
uli@wombat.okapi.sub.org (One of the main programmers of EGS, but he
does not do much more EGS stuff, as far as i know...)
OR
Includes from an older version are on Aminet
OR
Ingenieurbuero Helfrich
Technologie-Zentrum Delmenhorst
Am Wollelager 8
D-27749 Delmenhorst
Germany
(Manufacturer of the Piccolo and the Piccolo SD64)
OR
ftp.orion.etsu.edu (or something similar...)
OR
ftp.uni-stuttgart.de (i am not sure, if the EGS directory still exists...)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
CyberGraphX:
fmariak@chaosengine.ping.de (Frank Mariak)
marvin@sun.ph-cip.uni-koeln.de
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cybervision:
phase 5 digital products
In der Au 27
D-61440 Oberursel
Germany
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retina and Retina Z3 and DraCo Altais :
MacroSystem GmbH
Borgaecker 2-6
D-58454 Witten
Germany
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
rtgmaster.library :
John.Hendrikx@grafix.xs4all.nl
or myself...
MagicSN
haeuser@tick.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de