Curse of the SDL

[utri007]

Hi

68k software developement is totally halted, or all new software for 68k amigas is useless SDL ports.

I don't know single usefull SDL port to 68k amigas, dozenz of useless crap.

Seems that nobody isn't trying to do native ports anymore.

Sad part of this is that many of use "real amiga" users has quite much cpu power compared to what it used to be ten years ago.

Some how developers just made tens of 3d and few RTS games with support for 040/060.

There is really few games/apps that really take advantage for 040/060, but plenty of games and apps for 000/020 and all new sofware developent is only for UEA users (SDL).

So what kind of apps and games could theoritically run 040/060? Quite much any PC game that that has requiremt something like 486

[utri007]

I just wish that somebody could do native Netsurf port to 68k amigas, after that I could use my amiga quite much more.

Nice thing would be nice car game, like carmageddon 1 and settlers type city buildin game, maybe some sport game??

Yes I know that any mobile phone is more powerfull than my current amiga, but Amiga is hobby and there is lot of unused resources.

http://michael.santovec.us/games/carma2.jpg

There is also freesyndicate, wich should run 040/060, SDL port of it would be useless... but native should run just fine. That for higer resolutions, more colors etc. Freecraft would be nice also... what else? Quite many possible ports...

[utri007]

68k SDL should be declared illegal
There is plenty of people who already are spending lots of time to making SDL ports to 68k amigas, that just....

If they instead making 5 SDL ports, could make 1 native port, that would be much better.

And this is not actually codin, this about "how sdl is useless for 68k amigas"

[utri007]

Great I need to give a try to ScummVM

[utri007]

You are doing great job, your way to do is right way

I understand that somebody wants to get results fast or want to proof of concept, but anything SDL related cant be final solution for 68k amigas.

Is it so, that making SDL port, makes native port easier? After that it is alredy 68k and you just replace SDL code slowly to native code??? <- Question

My personal wish to get native would be Netsurf

[utri007]

Netsurf SDL problem for me is that it requires true type fonts.

Amiga chip / zorro bus is sure slow, but have you tried FBlit? Games like simcity 2000 and napalm get huge speed up to vertical/horzontal scrolling with it, if you promote them to fast mem with FBLit.

But ofcourse there is limitations with 68k amigas, programmers just neet to live with them.

[utri007]

True

[utri007]

Talking about 68k apps and games, sound many time like it would be impossible to do anything to 68k amigas. Wich makes me wonder, how good they were, I mean those who made amaizing apps and games to amiga years ago?? Were they humans or some kind of super creatures with big brains and super natural skills??

[utri007]

Netsurf is designed to run 16mhz system, is it low-end enough

Would be smart to try to find and maybe do some co-operation from Risc OS / Atari scene, there is many projects on

[utri007]

One thing to you reconsider

There is at least two different new 68k systems to becoming. I believe that both of them could have great benefit from native Netsurf.

Modern web brovser is essential to any system and makes your system more the present day

Arthur has kindly released sources of Netsurf SDL to aminet and don't forget that Chris has also promised to help

*Chris has made OS4 port of Netsurf

To get rid of SDL is not just a speed it is also feel of native app. Reaction/Mui gui would give it the feel of the original amiga app

[utri007]

Quite many SDL apps are slow 68k amigas, even when they shouldn't be.

[utri007]

68k Amiga Os is usually hevily patched, so problem is that every patch does some small incompatibility to it and many times it is really difficult solve this kind of problems because many problems are caused interaction of several patches.

So I just woun't install afa os or tt engine. I want to keep my OS lightly patched.

Situation would be different when 68k aros is mature enough to be usefull, I hope. No need to run dozens of patches to get os more prety/usefull/modern.

About speed, I really do belive that SDL is major slowdown for 68k amigas, but we will see is it true, when native scummVM is relased.

It is simply not possible that SDL kind of generic engine would be optimized enough to such low spec machines as 68k amigas are and still be compatiable to high spec machines.

[utri007]

Nobody who have common sense doesn't drem to play halflife with his/her 68k amiga.

There is no modern games for 68k amigas and woun't be. But still... still, amiga is hobby amchine and it is perfectyly possible play games with 320x256 resolution and some strategy games with 640x512 resolution.

It would be nice to use Netsurf with screen 640x512 and 256 colors or maybe even 64 colors. It should work any amiga wich has enough memory. Reducing palette would make memory requirements slower also.

Web browser is tool, so I don't dream to read days pappers with with my 68040/40mhz/64mb/Aga machine, but quite often I want to do/donwload something with it.

I F we are looking games/apps to port to our beloved amigas, we should look projects from 90 centry

Like:

http://liberatedgames.com/
http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Systems/RISC_OS/Software/Games/

AMiga.org members has also dozens of abandoned projects, so it would be smart to ask projects here. IF somebody want to do something and don't want to start from scratch

[utri007]

SDLquake is surpizenly fast

060/66mhz/RTG
With same colordepth and screen size clickboom's quake is 2,5fps faster

040/40mhz/AGA
Clickboom's quake is more than 3fps faster, actually clickboom's quake is almost as fast than SDLquake 060 8,5fps/9,1fps

On 060 both are playable with a little patience, but on 040 system 3fps is difference between totally unplayable and playable.

So when will SDL Netsurf support amiga fonts and 8bit screens??

[utri007]

Conclusion:

SDLquake is 37%-22% less speedy than clickboom's quake

Such a low spec machines every frame is important. Good result any way, I would ques that it is much more worse.