underrated graphics trick used on a few Super Nintendo and Genesis games

[tomaitheous]

Does the Genesis also have the equivalent of the color zero plane? Can it's sprites appear on either side of each of the two(?) bg layers?

Yes, the Genesis has the same solid color plane. IIRC, the sega official doc even describes it at such. The Genesis also has the same bug that the PCE has for sprite priorities in relation to a BG layer. Remember that transparency trick in Jackie Chan for the PCE? (Here at 5:07-5:22) The Genesis can do the same. For a lot of systems, the order of the sprites in the sprite list for the graphic processor, determines how they overlap one another onscreen. Like a deck of cards. But if one sprite is set to appear below a BG layer *and* has a higher priority than a sprite on top of the BG layer, a silhouette shape of the sprite will force a section of the BG to appear in its cookie cutter place - when they overlap. Normally you'd use it for complex/dynamic masking situations, but Jackie Chan developers thought of another use for it. It's an interesting trick

[Black_Tiger]

So does that mean that the sprite could've been a tinted version of the regular sprite, instead of a single color silhouette? I'm pretty sure that Shape Shifter has a blue tinted 'Nick Rox-approved' alternate that appears as the main character submerges in water.

Didn't you make a SuperGrafx demo that did the same thing with a space ship?

That Jackie Chan effect reminds me of Genesis games for some reason, so I'm sure I must've seen it in a few.

[Joe Redifer]

It is kind of similar to the "shadow" feature of the Genesis which most developers tend to ignore.

[tomaitheous]

So does that mean that the sprite could've been a tinted version of the regular sprite, instead of a single color silhouette? I'm pretty sure that Shape Shifter has a blue tinted 'Nick Rox-approved' alternate that appears as the main character submerges in water.

Didn't you make a SuperGrafx demo that did the same thing with a space ship?

That Jackie Chan effect reminds me of Genesis games for some reason, so I'm sure I must've seen it in a few.

Look at the video again, the silhouette is more than just a single solid color

Shape Shifter just does a palette update. It's organized in a clever way to fit a scanline update(there aren't 16colors in a single horizontal strip ).

The SGX uses a different hardware trick. It has a special window(hardware) setting like that of the SNES (think SMW when you beat a level and black circle). I can make limited shapes but crazy animations with it. It's like shadow/highlight except it's not just luma intensity - you can do hues.

[TmEE]

It is kind of similar to the "shadow" feature of the Genesis which most developers tend to ignore.

Shadow/highlight feature sets quite a few limitations for the use of background layers and sprites on MD. For example all low priority tiles will be darkened, and sprites with certain color and priority act as either shadow or highlighters (actually I'm not too sure how it works on sprites, but there are some limitations)... for a side view game, its not too useful as you'd have to give up quite a few possibilities. It would work very nicely on top view stuff...

The BG layer + Sprite bug is pretty interesting. I first saw it on MD in Sonic 3 when in Ice Cap stage the snow fell on you and Tails appeared somewhere and you'd see silouette of Sonic when Tails was in front of him.

[Black_Tiger]

Look at the video again, the silhouette is more than just a single solid color

It's hard to make out on YouTube, but I see it now. It makes sense to have a silhouette type transparency for that scene instead of a palette update.

The SGX uses a different hardware trick. It has a special window(hardware) setting like that of the SNES (think SMW when you beat a level and black circle). I can make limited shapes but crazy animations with it. It's like shadow/highlight except it's not just luma intensity - you can do hues.

Is this how you did that Zelda ALTTP transparency demo?

The BG layer + Sprite bug is pretty interesting. I first saw it on MD in Sonic 3 when in Ice Cap stage the snow fell on you and Tails appeared somewhere and you'd see silouette of Sonic when Tails was in front of him.

I'm going to check this out.

[tomaitheous]

If either one of you guys can post some pics of that effect in Sonic 3.

B_T: Yup. (regarding LTTP demo)

[TmEE]

I hope its emulated... otherwise I will have to take a shitty pic of my TV with a webcam...

[TmEE]

sorry for double post...

I totally forgot about this... anyway, here's the pic of it in the attachment, taken from Kega Fusion

[tomaitheous]

Ohh, I thought you meant it was for a transparency effect. That's funny though. Thanks for posting that pic.

[TmEE]

no problem... its a pretty insteresting feature. I have no idea if I could make any use of it.

[tomaitheous]

no problem... its a pretty insteresting feature. I have no idea if I could make any use of it.

http://pcedev.net/MD_DEV/mdtrans.zip

[17daysolderthannes]

I've actually seen this effect used on quite a few later SNES and Genesis games. Batman and Robin for Genesis used it a few times (the big cat boss for one), Exo Squad uses it on the Space Harrier type levels (the screen tilts when you move left and right), I'm sure there are lots of games that use it actually, I just can't think of them right now...

[TmEE]

http://pcedev.net/MD_DEV/mdtrans.zip

That's pretty nice

[matteus]

http://pcedev.net/MD_DEV/mdtrans.zip

Thats very nice!! Have you no plans to develop a Genesis game yourself tomaitheous?