Re: Now that the source of "Prince of Persia" is out there...

[BLuRry <brendan.robert@gmail.com>]

On Tuesday, April 24, 2012 11:48:19 AM UTC-5, Steve Nickolas wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Apr 2012, BLuRry wrote:
> 
> > There is already some code in there for Apple //gs specific features. 
> > Apparently, it checks for //gs so it can show some sort of SHR closing 
> > scene and also correct VBL behavior.  Other than that, it shouldn't be 
> > too hard to replace the hires drawing with SHR equivalent code and 
> > replace the sound routines.  Jordan documented the data format extremely 
> > well, and the data files from the PC version already have the enhanced 
> > sprites, sound, etc.  You have all the raw materials you'd need to make 
> > a successful backport, I think.
> 
> Prolly.  Though the Atari ST and Macintosh ports have even better 
> graphics, and it would be nice to see just how far the GS can be pushed.

Jordan Mechner once said that the IBM VGA version was one of the most definitive versions.  Though the sprites are more colorful, they look rather cartoonish and lose some of the realism.  For example, the kid doesn't wear a turban in the original sprites or the ones he remade for the IBM version.

http://jordanmechner.com/old-journals/1990/01/january-26-1990/

Maybe a hybrid or a skinnable theme-pack would be a good compromise?

> 
> > One thing that would rock is to replace the disk routines with GS/OS 
> > file read routines so that you can have a plainfiles/hard drive 
> > compatible version.  Again, the source is so well organized and 
> > documented that this should be relatively easy without having to rip 
> > apart everything.  This wouldn't be possible for Apple //e because the 
> > memory requirements are too great: Prodos can't fit.  But a 256k //gs 
> > shouldn't have an issue.
> 
> Yeah.  Was thinking more ProDOS-8 but GS/OS would work too.

P8 would probably work, use less RAM... and importantly get the job done.  So all the memory relocation would need to be rewritten to use a different bank, not hard.

-B