If you played ' Ghosts'n Goblins ' the first game in the Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise on systems such as the Amstrad, Amiga, Atari, C64 and ZX Spectrum, or the more recent arcade overhaul that was released for the Plus/4. You'll be interested to know that as of just recently, JOTD has started working on Ghost's'n Goblins for the Commodore Amiga as an AGA edition. Although he does state "This will be a AGA-only project I think. The original OCS version by Elite is already very good. Not sure it can be improved (apart from the reuse of the original code)"
New Videos
Here's the latest from JOTD. "A bit early to talk about this project or is it? Skyzoo73(link) did an awesome job with the first level in Scorpion, but after confirming with him again, this isn't going to go further. I asked him if he blessed the fact that I continue the work (from scratch) and he was ok. I also joined IM76 who provided me with the tunes he made for the first level & others. Pretty awesome job too. Graphically, the status isn't too impressive but
- game is fully transcoded
- game boots and shows title screen
- The amiga version will kick ass. I'm going to try new things like interrupt-based blitting and corkscrew scrolling, due for a while. If that works, I'll retrofit all my other games I could quit my job and I still wouldn't have the time for all this.
UPDATE : In regards to the latest videos shown above, JOTD was quoted as saying, "I fixed that damn scrolling. Now all levels are playable. There are a few graphical bugs to iron out, a few gfx enhancements to do, a trajectory issue for the small goblin, also music for last level isn't ready yet. Apart from that it's so great i cannot believe it. Another vid where everything works (level 3). Note the awesome music that IM76 just created for this port."
And that's all we know so far, but as soon as we know more this article will be updated with the latest news!
Sorry poor form on my part made mistakes in the article. Currently on pain meds which are not helping!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you’re not well, best wishes from this loyal reader.
DeleteThanks anon! Gastritis and Gallbladder flare up oh what fun.
DeleteThe ecs version is almost arcade perfect...
ReplyDeleteYes, apart from a bug or two, the original Amiga version is excellent.
DeleteJOTD is essentially re-writing history with these ports. It's quite amazing.
ReplyDeleteGet well soon, you're doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon!
DeleteThe ECS version is great, especially for 1990. But JOTD's version uses the original code, and AGA makes the colors almost identical. This is so cool, really hope it'll be finished!
ReplyDeleteJust seen this by JOTD "But the amiga version will kick ass. I'm going to try new things like interrupt-based blitting and corkscrew scrolling, due for a while. If that works, I'll retrofit all my other games I could quit my job and I still wouldn't have the time for all this."
DeleteAlright - a preoper arcade conversion finbally. What exactly is corkscrew scrolling?
ReplyDeleteI believe it's this https://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=81634 "It scrolls for ten screens using only a bitmap 352 pixels wide and 256+10 pixels high. This exploits the fact that soft scrolling on the Amiga only offsets a starting pointer into a bitplane. Since Blitz's DisplayBitmap command doesn't do any bounds checking (thankfully), it can be incremented beyond the width of the bitmap scrolled, upon which it "wraps around" to the starting position, but one pixel down. So if you allocate an extra pixel in height for your bitmap (for each screenwidth scrollable — in this case ten), the bitmap is offset down, and all you have to do is blit in new background blocks in the currently obscured part of the bitmap (it's two blocks wider than the visible screen), offset one pixel down for each screenwidth scrolled."
DeleteGood Luck IndieRetroNews guys with meds, hope you'll get better soon. And awesome Gng version, congrats !
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, the beautiful C16 version is out and now the AGA one too... from 8-bit to 16-bit... a significant leap, eh, eh....!!
ReplyDeleteWhen will there be a version for Ryzen 9 9950 with 64GB of RAM and a 12GB GeForce 3060????!!!
I'm eagerly awaiting it....!!
Amazing work yet again. Full salute JOTD. o7
ReplyDeleteGhosts'n Goblins is an iconic classic, an AGA arcade conversion will be very special indeed. The original Amiga version (while a very good recreation in its own right) is a far cry from the arcade - and I don't mean that in a bad way, only that they're quite different, and because of that I'm sure the OCS version will continue to have its place. Also kudos to JOTD for keeping these projects fun - why would anyone want to spend their free time working on a game they don't like??
ReplyDelete"ALL RIGHT RESEVED" ... Haha, the same typo as the arcade version.
ReplyDeleteyes, it's using the original ROM data. I may change that. I will change that!
Delete@JOTD stunning work, finally an arcade perfect version! Would it be possible to improve the annoying horizontal static sprites wobbling when scrolling (original arcade defect)? With a proper smooth scrolling (?) and fixed wobbling, it would be above amazing! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a bug that came with the JOTD conversion 😄. I dont know even how its possible to get that wobbling with scrolling. Sometimes you see that in games, but I thought it could have something to do with video encoding problems, or video compression related artifacts. But yeah, when i looked at an arcade longplay, the land piece that floats in water seems also to get some spasms when the knight jumps on it.
DeleteLooked again at this JOTD conversion, the wobbling is clearly more serious in that and different than in arcade version, but the arcade version also has some smaller problems with that. But JOTD will fix that in coming releases, there is now a possibility to make an even smoother version on Amiga, than the arcade version.
DeleteThis is absolutely amazing. I know this is WIP, but any chance that the music will be less interrupted by the sfx in future versions?
ReplyDeletewell it's a concern, as the tunes use 3 or 4 channels (4 channels mean: no audiomixer possible for SFX). SFX use 1 or 2 (rare) channels.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible for you to switch the music channels? Because I'm pretty sure it will sound better if the sfx uses the melody channel, so only the melody will drop out. Many old games uses this method. As it is now, the bassline drops out, and it disturbs the "flow" of the music. But it's just a suggestion. Your work looks fantastic so far!
DeleteI can probably do that. ATM I'm working on the graphic aspects like scrolling. thanks.
DeleteNever cut the main melody lead with SFX, the game sounds ox the way it works now. Cutting the main lead is a mistake from old games.
DeleteCutting the main lead is absolutely not a mistake. It has proven to be the best compromise if theres not enough channels. Claiming otherwise is the same as saying the majority of developers from the 80s and 90s were all wrong.
DeleteNo. It is proved that cutting te main lead is a mistake in most old games. I have more than 30 years of experience developing games.
DeleteIt seems unplayable for now, the screen flickers all over, it's hard on the eyes, I prefer the original, which worked on a 500.
ReplyDeleteOf cause the original is better at this stage that's a fully featured complete game. This one is still being worked on and even isn't ready for public use.
DeleteYou're the programmer, since you're answering me?
DeleteThe great thing is that no one is stopping you from continuing to play the original on your 500. Meanwhile, this new version can be enjoyed by those who appreciate it... AGA and arcade perfection? Yes, please!
DeleteYou do not need to be a programmer to know that early builds of a game are bound to be glitchy and have unfinished elements. That's why games are only reviewed once they are out and why, of course, you would prefer a polished released game over an in-development one.
DeleteI am really excited for this. It's one of my favorite games!
ReplyDeleteNaaa, why only Aga? ....
ReplyDelete