> > not to be picky, but - why would one want to copy from VRAM to VRAM?
> >
> > if you have the adequate knowledge of the hardware, you'd just
> > manually set the display address on the controller to point to
> > the two VRAM chunks consecutively. :)
>
> This was just an example emphasizing the slowness of direct VRAM. If a person was
>constructing his frame in VRAM, he might want to
> copy it to the new buffer (so as not to deal with 2 frame lag region deltas) using
>WinScreenLock(copyScreen), or he might just be
> doing something bidirectional to the one VRAM buffer like an in-place 2d scroll.
>(Which I actually do to speed up text scrolling,
> etc.)
come to think of it.. WinScreenLock( .. copy .. ); does this :P
that would explain its *slooooowness* :P
> > so, basically.. if you create your own offscreen window, and blit
> > the data directly to VRAM - thats the most optimal solution without
> > tweaking anything - which is what everyone does right now.
>
> Well, if that's so, then I guess i didn't need to point it out. :) And I certainly
>never felt that seasoned game programmers
> weren't aware of this, so I really hope i didn't offend anyone on that count.
:) its always nice to know anyhow :P now, we have the info on reference,
maybe you can zap over the testing code you wrote for it - it'll
definately be a good reference point for later. email it directly to
me if you want to :)
> > also, in regards to VRAM, only color devices have it right now :)
> > so performance tests on other Palms may prove pointless :) they
> > will yield RAM -> RAM copy rates, which are a lot higher.
>
> I'm VERY glad you pointed that out! It's excellent news, and it means I only have
>to deal with all these nasty issues on 2 Palm
> devices: IIIc and Prism! Finally we can get Atari ST speed out of this thing! :)
heh - not to mention anything *new* that comes out :P
> > however, the real question is if Palm wants to venture down
> > that line?? do they really care about "pushing the limit"?
> > is the device supposed to be a gaming platform? those are
> > the questions you need to get answers to.
>
> There's no doubt that Palm's strength is in business and basic "I just want a good
>PDA" users. But ultimately, home users will
> battle it out over (perceived) entertainment value. Currently, Palm hardware really
>is only competing on the lower end of the
> hardware market, (i.e., light weight, small, simple, portable) and I hope that
>through 3rd party licenses someone will try to take
> on the high end using the PalmOS. (I love the PalmOS, but when the hardware of an
>iPaq (including their Microsoft Tax) can sell for
> only $499 and a Prism costs $449, there's a big price inequity there.)
maybe Palm is not the one to approach then? Handspring have been trying
to push their platform as a gaming platform (gameface etc) - maybe they
are working on or, are interested in working on something we discussed.
however, handspring is a smaller portion of the PalmOS market :)
> You probably remember, Aaron - back in the days when PCs had CGA/EGA screens and no
>sound, PC users would see full screen animation
> and sound on Archimedes, Ataris and Amigas and just scoff "that's a game machine!
>REAL computers can't do graphics!" Now, they
> judge their PCs by how good they are at games. :) Apple used to FORBID public
>development of games for the Mac (image or
> insecurity?) - now they use it as a sign of their market strength. (Funny given how
>the Apple I was marketed as a game machine :)
oh yeah :) i even programmed good old CGA/EGA stuff.. :P i still recall
the mode 13h (tweaked mode-x) routines i wrote waaaaay back :)) when i
saw the Palm come, i new it would be a great gaming machine - however,
just expect a lot of games that existed on the 286' machines :P
> I know games are a side market for Palm - but I'm willing to try to lay the
>foundation now.
> Who knows, Aaron - next years Palms may be powerful enough for you to write a
>GameBoy Advanced Emulator! OH I would so love it if
> you could have that out on the street before the first GameBoy Advanced sold in the
>US.
shh.. gameboy advance uses an ARM chip... if next Palm was ARM (4.0) -
we would already be working on it. Michael and i discussed this a while
back, and its always nice to think ahead..
<joking>
maybe nintendo signed an agreement with Palm, to delay the ARM release
until the gameboy advance was on the market for a year *grin* :) heh
</joking>
// az
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.ardiri.com/ <--- free games!
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