Wow, Retrograph and Uzebox do look like a wonderful fit. However, I wonder if it's actually possible, given some of the limitations of Uzebox. Can you even run MRI in there?
But if anyone manages, do let us know! I could definitely get into coding for Uzebox if I could code in ruby. > Subject: Re: [ANN] retrograph-0.5 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:04:49 -0500 > > Thanks MenTaLguY! > > I've been making some tools to help me do level design in ruby for the > uzebox (http://belogic.com/uzebox/) and this looks like just the > thing! > > On Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 12:58 AM, Devyn Cairns<[email protected]> wrote: > > WOW! That's pretty cool. It should probably be easier to put into > > Shoes than SDL, that's my experience. But.... WOW! > > > > On Fri, Jul 24, 2009 at 4:44 PM, MenTaLguY<[email protected]> wrote: > >> I sent this to ruby-talk, but it might also be of latent interest to > >> Shoes adventurers. Essentially, Retrograph is the visual equivalent of > >> the bloopsaphone (minus a nice API -- it's all authentic 80s graph paper > >> and hex numbers at the moment). > >> > >> retrograph isn't especially useful with Shoes yet (the only currently > >> supported display is via Ruby/SDL), but I'm hopeful that we can work out > >> some allowances from Shoes so it can render to a Shoes window too. I > >> also have a somewhat nicer API in the works. > >> > >> == What is Retrograph? == > >> > >> Retrograph is a Ruby library which emulates the video > >> display unit from a hypothetical late-80s 8-bit game > >> console. It is similar in capability to the Sega Master > >> System's VDP, with some additional features and direct > >> support for text modes. > >> > >> Retrograph doesn't do its own screen output but rather > >> works with other libraries. Currently, it supports > >> Ruby/SDL, but other output targets are planned for the > >> future. > >> > >> == Where can I get it? == > >> > >> Retrograph is available via RubyGems, or via Rubyforge > >> downloads: > >> > >> http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=8410 > >> > >> Cursory documentation is available on the > >> corresponding github wiki: > >> > >> http://wiki.github.com/mental/retrograph > >> > >> == Feature Overview == > >> > >> * 256x244 pixel display > >> * 16k VRAM > >> * 64 colors total > >> * max 31 simultaneous colors (16 background, 15 sprite) > >> * 40x25 and 32x28 text modes > >> * 32x32 tile background, 8x8 pixel tiles > >> * 64 8x8 sprites, max 8 per scanline > >> > >> == Usage == > >> > >> Retrograph's simulated Video Display Unit (or VDU) is > >> represented by an instance of the Retrograph::VDU class. > >> You can interact with the VDU by writing byte strings > >> into its memory using Retrograph::VDU#write, which takes > >> a start address (in the VDU's 16-bit address space) and > >> a string to write. The method Retrograph::VDU#write_byte > >> is also provided for writing individual bytes. > >> > >> (See the wiki for a map of memory locations.) > >> > >> To render a frame of video with SDL, use > >> Retrograph::VDU#render_frame_sdl, which returns an > >> SDL::Surface containing the VDU output. The returned > >> surface remains valid until the next call to > >> Retrograph::VDU#render_frame_sdl on the same VDU instance. > >> > >> Scanline-based effects are possible if you provide a block > >> to Retrograph::VDU#render_frame_sdl. Ordinarily, rendering > >> will not begin until the block completes, but within the > >> block you can call Retrograph::VDU#wait_scanlines to render > >> a given number of scanlines before continuing. This allows > >> you to make changes to the VDU state part-way through > >> rendering a frame. > >> > >> For example, if we wanted palette entry 0 to be blue within > >> the top half of the display and red within the bottom half > >> of the display, we could write: > >> > >> require 'retrograph/sdl' > >> > >> vdu = Retrograph::VDU.new > >> > >> vdu.write_byte(0x7f00, 0x03) > >> output = vdu.render_frame_sdl do > >> vdu.wait_scanlines(Retrograph::DISPLAY_HEIGHT/2) > >> vdu.write_byte(0x7f00, 0x30) > >> end > >> > >> (For display, is still necessary at this point to copy the > >> output surface to the screen.) > >> > >> Love, > >> -mental > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > ~devyn > > _________________________________________________________________ Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TXT_MLOGEN_Local_Local_Restaurants_1x1
