Uzebox game capabilities

[villekille]

I would like to know, is it possible to produce same kind of games for Uzebox as it was for commodore 64? I understand that without SID, the sounds won't be the same but how about graphics? I know the C64 has a specialized video chip, VIC-II and Uzebox does not have one. How big difference there is in the quality of graphics?

[D3thAdd3r]

Fairly subjective question but Uzebox vs. C64 isn't a totally invalid concept. It's also a bit of an apples and oranges thing. Uzebox is really about it's unique minimalist thing where software replaces support chips. So compared to C64's ram(64k),sound*, and sprites*(112@, 8 per scanline + lots of tricks) it comes short in some ways. You can do lots of novelty demo things with VIC-II but try using the more elaborate ones in a game. Uzebox has a drastically faster and quite capable processor with a completely customizable "soft"-hardware kernel approach. With work it can be tailored to do many things I don't see as possible on C64. It is very different from C64's hardwired slow CPU with support chip trickery. Plus Uzebox's 256 colors without a palette, is more good than bad IMO. Well designed 256 color graphics can make 4BPP palette/scanline tricks look a small blind boy's drawing. *Some arguments could be made to any of these uninformed points of course as I'm no expert on either platform.

I would say most games I've personally seen on the C64 could be done on the Uzebox in a similar fashion, and look better. Beatem' ups, horizontal shooters, and other games requiring big sprites or many per scanline haven't been done YET. Someone may invent a creative approach to this or, failing that, we can all play Mode 2 Arcade Ports! until we contract epilepsy . Don't forget Uzebox's ease of programming either; to me that's the clincher for realistic hobbyist productivity. VIC-II has some nice tricks but tell me this... Wheres the Love?? That's right, the Uzebox will love you personally and unconditionally (certain restrictions apply). If you can get the C64 to do THAT then I shall tip my hat to you sir and bid you a due!

My real and irrelevant answer: game designs that fit well with an existing Uzebox video mode will be graphically *superior in the color department. "Everything is better when programming in C" and sound is so subjective my head hurts. Porting C64 games is very realistic if your into that type of thing...

-Lee

[paul]

Check out some of the games that have already been made here.

I'm sure they will just get better as new techniques (and possibly new hardware) evolve.