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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Gaming => Topic started by: xeron on February 09, 2003, 04:48:48 PM

Title: Light Guns
Post by: xeron on February 09, 2003, 04:48:48 PM
I got an Amiga 1200 from a friend, and it came with a Phazer Light Gun. I've been reading the Amiga hardware reference, and it seems it is very simple to read light pens and light guns as the Amiga chipset has direct support for them, so I was thinking of writing a freeware Point Blank style game.

It would only work on real Amigas attached to either a TV or real 15KHz monitor (no TV cards or scandoubler support), but I'm thinking that that seriously limits my audience somewhat :) So I'm really just trying to see if anyone out there is interested?

I have found a company in germany still selling this gun (www.sintech-shop.de), although it seems quite expensive (EUR 41.00).

I don't suppose anyone knows if these guns are compatible to any others (like the C64 Phazer gun, the Atari 8-bit gun or that gun that shipped with the Spectrum 128 James Bond pack?) as i'm sure there are Amiga owners with old 8bit machines that have lightguns...

So, anyway, if you have a gun and would be interested in a free Point Blank style game that would require a real amiga (not sure whether i'll target OCS or AGA yet), and a real 15KHz display, please let me know
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: odin on February 09, 2003, 05:19:57 PM
I've got an ancient Atari 8 bit light gun somewhere in the attic, I just might pull it out if you come up with anything =). But I doubt it will keep me entertained more than 5 mins. I find light gun games rather boring.

Anyway you have my blessing :-D.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: DeQuevedo on February 09, 2003, 05:43:02 PM
Hi All!

@Tickly

>I was thinking of writing a freeware Point Blank >style game.

That Would be nice!

Play a gun game on the amiga again, and really cool that will only work with *real* miggys attached to TVs. AGA roolz!!

Have you considered a remake of an old gun game of the 8 bit era? That would not make any legal problems with the permissions I think

Have Fun Infected Incubes!

Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: xeron on February 09, 2003, 05:51:59 PM
There are no legal issues with making a "Point Blank style" game, as long as I don't call it Point Blank, or copy any of Namco's graphics or sound.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: chromozone on February 09, 2003, 07:31:41 PM
Does anyone know of a hardware hack to get
the Play Station 1 or Dreamcaster guns to work
on the Ami as these are available & well built.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: Madgun68 on February 09, 2003, 10:29:23 PM
Quote
So, anyway, if you have a gun and would be interested in a free Point Blank style game that would require a real amiga (not sure whether i'll target OCS or AGA yet), and a real 15KHz display, please let me know


Why not support the mouse as well, with a crosshair for aiming?
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: odin on February 09, 2003, 10:37:17 PM
Cos Zombie Apocalypse I and II can't be topped? :-D
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: FuZion on February 09, 2003, 11:29:08 PM
Yeah, go for it.

I've got 2 of the babies.. 2 player option would defo rock.

FuZion.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: xeron on February 10, 2003, 10:02:21 AM
Well, it seems the gun doesn't work :(

I downloaded disk 1 of Space Gun (and before anyone yells pirate, you can't actually play Space Gun without disk 2 :), and I can get to the gun calibration screen, but although it seems to know when I press the fire button, it always flashes the screen to indicate that it thinks i'm shooting outside the screen area... :(

Oh well, if I see a cheap one on EBay, I'll probably pick it up...

Edit: I've stuck a wanted ad on amibench anyway... I really want a lightgun now  :-D
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: fx on February 10, 2003, 11:34:08 AM
I wonder if a Light Gun for the Sega Master System would work with the Amiga (Master System joypads works fine). Those could probably be bought much cheaper than a real Amiga gun.

And if it works, support for it in AmiMasterGear would be really nice...

Anyone has one to play around with? I think a friend has one so I could probably borrow one.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: xeron on February 10, 2003, 12:04:35 PM
Quote

I've got 2 of the babies.. 2 player option would defo rock.


Unfortunately, the Amiga chipset only supports one light gun or pen.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: monkian_2k on June 23, 2004, 02:59:10 PM
Hi,

I would be very interested in contributing to the game.
What language are you thinking about using?
I've wondered about Master System light guns working on the Amiga before but couldn't find any info anywhere. I cant imagine they are that different.

Have you found out how to actually read the position hit by the gun? library call or simple algoritm?
I managed to find some info on the theory behind getting the target. (a couple of methods)
If only one gun is available then mouse support would be neccesary; as an option for both players.

Anyway, food for thought.

PS. What was that Zombie shooter game, it was an arcade conversion. like Operation Wolf, scrolling up stairs and everytwhere with great graphics.
ZOMBIES RULE!!!! :-o

EDIT
My trojan pack arrived today and I've just had a go on skeet shoot; and it's written in AMOS which was what I was hoping; reading the gun should be easy.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: MAD on June 25, 2004, 12:36:43 PM
Hoya!

Wasn't it Beast Busters?

@Tickly

BTW, you can play every Actionware game with the gun, too! :-)

/me remeber having the game called Light Paser on Atari ST, with the gun of course. Unfortunately, the floppies were DS while my drive was SINGLE-sided...

Be funky

M A D
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: monkian_2k on June 25, 2004, 05:20:35 PM
Yeah BeastBusters; fantastic!!

A query about emulators = do emulators emulate the light gun chip or would that feature need to be added?
TBH I didn't know there was hardware to take care of the guns; just assumed it was all software. If it was all handled by software then having two (or more) guns would be simple to implement. Would this be possible? I mean to write the software to use two guns?

PS. Anyone know why you have to calibrate the Amiga phazer before playing when the SMS one worked straight away.

Oh Man, I might have to unpack my SMS and have a go on Gangster Town and Wanted.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: haymiggan on June 25, 2004, 05:31:26 PM
Quote

Does anyone know of a hardware hack to get
the Play Station 1 or Dreamcaster guns to work
on the Ami as these are available & well built.


You can buy a converter that allows playstation controllers to be used, see the galery, lempkee posted pictures of it.

I've connected a PS1 light gun to it, and its aim works on the TV, but haven't been able to test it properly because of fire buttons needing to be switched around on the gun in order to shoot.
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: Hyperspeed on June 27, 2004, 04:18:36 PM
Do lightguns actually work if you're using a monitor?

I know that mostly you see them pointing at TV sets and some lightguns
don't work with 100Hz TVs.

However the Namco G-Con 2 (the purple thing for PS2 Time Crisis) works
fine on a 100Hz TV so should work on a 1084 or CMK8833?

:-)
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: odin on June 27, 2004, 05:34:53 PM
AFAIK light guns are PAL and NTSC specific and usually don't work with 100Hz (or any other freq.) displays. *shrug*
Title: Re: Light Guns
Post by: Speelgoedmannetje on June 27, 2004, 05:42:08 PM
I rather think it's a combination of two things:
lousy sensor in the lightgun
the drivers for the lightgun on the chipset does not support it.

so even if you would have a lightgun wich is able to work with a 100hz tv, it won't work if you do not alter te lightgun handling routines in the kickstart