Go Penguin WIP platformer for MSX 1

Wow! You've come far in a short time. Love the work.

Great to see some love for smooth scrolling platformers here. It's my goal (as well?), to prove that MSX can be a platform/computer for such games. Well, smooth scroll has been done/proven on MSX before, but not enough in final productions in my opinion. If you combine horizontal smooth scroll with platformer, there aren't many titles released.

There is a list of smooth-scrolling platform-games in this thread: https://www.msx.org/forum/msx-talk/general-discussion/top-sc...

I will make a new round-up there, as new additions have been made. And maybe point out a few characteristics in the list as well. Like smooth-scrolling and direction. Examples of horizontal, smooth scrollers are Giana Sisters and Malaika on MSX, and Psycho World and Pentaro Odyssey on MSX2.

Given that list, it is not strange that people (including myself) have been thinking that MSX is not a platform/computer for smooth scrolling platform games.

And... did I say that I appreciate that you're showing progress along the way? :) Keep it up :)

Oops. Good point, thanks. My Bad

would this version be possible in msx?
commodore 64 version

If you want pixel-precise and 60Hz, I don't think it is possible on MSX1/2. But you can get close. For example, the NES or C64 have more colors within a 16x16 block than you can get on the MSX (in screen 2/4). The ground-block is an example from both c&4 and NES which cannot be made 100% identical in screen 2 or 4. -Unless you use screen5. But screen 5, I believe, is a screen that cannot be used for full scroll in 50/60Hz with so many updates on screen every frame. (and BTW: that is why I chose screen 4 in my upcoming, and so far, unnamed, scrolling platform game :) )

The amount of (moving) sprites will also be a challenge in 60Hz when there are many on screen. As when there are several Koopas and Mario breaks a brick (which turns into 4 sprites). My experience is that this is not easy to handle in 60Hz (remember there is collision detection between most of these fellas too). If you can somehow spread the work over 2 or more frames instead and make it look good, it is possible, but it is still a challenge. AND: As we can see from the video, the c64 gets a slowdown here too.

For MSX1 I see too many challenges (flickering sprites, slighlty slower VDP, no palette-control, less VRAM for sprites, no screen adjust - meaning pixel-scrolls will get "color-clash", etc), but for plain MSX2 and up, I know that you can come pretty close if you use all the tricks in the book.

l
this project is y...s, right?
amazing, amazing, I need it!

in MSXFG (First Generation),. we have the malaika Prehistoric Quest

edit:
it's a shame the tam tam twins was abandoned