A New vector system?!

----- Original Message -----
From: Rodger Boots <rlboots@cedar-rapids.net>
To: <vectorlist@mcfeeley.cc.utexas.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 1999 1:38 AM
Subject: Re: 137179 replacements (again)

> Is there a list somewhere of the instructions for the
> mathbox and/or the vector generator of, for example,
> Tempest or Major Havoc? For example, somewhere
> there is probably a "draw a red line from screen position
> 'A' to screen position 'B'" command.

I'm sure there is-a lot of reverse engineering has been done already (but
not by me)

> More of a curiosity than anything. Was wondering
> how tough it would be to redesign a vector game board
> using modern electronics.

VERY tough, as I am learning. Take about 2 hours a day for 4+ months to get
a test board cobbled together, then ripping 1/3 of it apart because
something obvious (a problem that you never thought of) ruins it so it wont
work; then design it some more...lather, rinse,repeat.

I'm currently working on a hardware solution with many features:

LOTS of control over the beam movement.
Several slew rate ranges/speeds+curve mode(s).
Color and brightness snap (instant) or slewing (for shading).
Can be driven by any computer, NOW!
Some special tricks (I will not disclose these-if they work, too cool!)
NO need to keep re-centering the beam for accuracy.
All vector drawing done in absolute mode-not relative (!)
Positioning error a constant % of line legnth.

It is a analog system, mostly...with digital support for logic.
The board is dumb and does no processing itself-the driving computer
supplies the power.

At this point I need to say-it looks great on paper. I have most of the
circuitry down... and a test board about 1/3 done. I still need to write the
driver software (The first computer to drive it will be an Amiga, for
reasons that will become clear later)
   I am motovated by how I think it will look when I am done-with the proper
software the board could show vectors with full light source shading!
Imagine Asteroids with a dark screen, then firing a shot and having that
light illuminate the rocks only on the side where the light is! (In full
color yet!)

 If I dream about it, it will be (or so it goes...)

I think asteroids with shading would be a good first test- I'd love to do
new Star Castle version too. My own first game idea would have to be a
fighting game with ships, with lots of weapons (at least 4 standard, with
modifications)

> Does the hardware slow down when
> drawing diagonals or just increase the brightness to
> compensate for a higher effective drawing speed.

As I have read from other posts, the beam speed is tightly controlled to
keep brightness constant. My system in devolopment is odd, in that a line
drawn in a certain slew range is constant in TIME, the line gets drawn
faster as it gets longer.
At this time, my board has no compensation for this-I had hoped the driving
computer would handle it, somehow. (we will see...)

Well, I'm tired now...and going to bed! Thank for listening....work will
continue-I WILL finish this project-I will keep everyone posted!

Aaron Howald
ahowald@w-link.net
Received on Wed Jun 9 04:17:44 1999