CompuServe Messages

😀 Well, since I goit several emails today on the subject of AV and Dragon's Lair, I thought I would answer here how I did it. So far, what I have done is, using AmigaVision and a SONY LDP 1200, is author an AV application that fairly effectively re-creates Dragon's Lair. The source of the video is an authentic Dragon's Lair laser disk. (BTW, while available, they aren't all that easy to find). My system is rquipped with a A2300 genlock, which certainly isn't broadcast but gives an good inexpensive video signal on the Amiga's display. Since AV doesn't support a joystick, which is how Dragon's Lair was controlled, I used dpaint to create a simple onscreen joystick that moves U,D,L & R via arrows, and a round button for the fire button. The player clicks on the appropriate arrow or button, and the AV application responds accordingl. The disk itself contains only video and audio information, The program had to be in the arcade machine's ROM's. To create the game] I carefully studied the animations. They consist of a long anim that is Dirk doing everything correctly, and he makes it through the level. There are also various death anim's where Dirk failed to do something and dies in a variety of ways. By looking at these I just decided where in the correct sequence they would occur, and it is at those frames I insert decisions. For example, perhaps in a level Dirk must use his sword to kill a spider. I monitor for all actions, up, down, left, right and fire, and when an event occurs I find out what frame of video s playing. If it is a fire, and it occurs during a specified sequence, (usually around 20 frames), I allow the sequence to continue. But, if the frame is past the allowed 20 frame and the fire button wwas not pressed in the proper interval, then I tell the laser to play the appropriate death anim sequence. The delay between the anim change is quite small, with the SONY LDP 1200 taking .5 to 1 seconds to change. And it is a fairly slow player compared to the better contemporary players. If memory serves be right, that compares very favorably with teh the original arcade game.