How DOES Rescue on Fractalus work?

[William Kendrick]

Are there any good articles on the graphics methods used in games like
Rescue on Fractulus and Koronis Rift? I was thinking about it since
posting in the 'Best Game?' thread yesterday...

At a Linux user group meeting tonight some folks from
Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor, who produce 8-bit processors based on Z80 which
can do TCP/IP, SSL, webserving, etc., came to talk about SSL in general.

At dinner after the meeting, I was talking with a friend who did some
6502 coding for consumer toys recently, and tried to explain what
Rescue on Fractulus looked like. So, after dinner, I made him come to my
house and fired it up on an emulator, to see if he had any ideas how it
might work.

I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff isn't
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile Graphics).
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)

Anyone got any references they want to share? :)

-bill!
***@newbreedsoftware.com "Hey Shatner, ya remember that episode of
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got cancelled?"

[Jindroush]

Post by William Kendrick
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff isn't
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile Graphics).
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)
Anyone got any references they want to share? :)

Do you mean ATR & disassembler? ;-))))))))))))

[Thomas Meyer]

Post by William Kendrick
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff
isn't using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile
Graphics). Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love
to learn more about it. :^)

I remember an interview with Noah Falstein in an issue of German "Happy
Computer" issue where he said something to the account that the fractals in
Koronis Rift and Rescue On Fractalus were "faked" in some way... They look
like fractal graphics, but since the machines are so slow the algorithms
behind it aren't real fractal mathematics.

But...

http://www.qlam.com/atari/s_rescue.html says:
"I was office mates with fractal wizard Loren Carpenter, the man who was
largely responsible for the fractal mountains in "the Genesis Effect" in
Star Trek 2. We talked about whether there might be a way to do fractals on
an Atari 800... Loren thought about it, said yes, and proved it by borrowing
an Atari and banging out code for the next several weeks at home."

http://www.dadgum.com/halcyon/BOOK/FOX.HTM says:
"I asked Loren if it would be possible to use a simplified form of fractals
on an Atari 800. Loving a challenge, Loren spent some time thinking about
this and decided to give it a shot. We gave him an Atari 800 to take home
and, in the next several weeks, he learned 6502 assembly language and the
hardware specifics of the Atari 800 and came back with a working demo of
fractal-based terrain running at an acceptable frame rate."

Also very interesting:
http://www.zzap64.co.uk/zzap10/lucas_part1.html

Regards,
Thomas

["|]

Post by Thomas Meyer
I remember an interview with Noah Falstein in an issue of German "Happy
Computer" issue where he said something to the account that the fractals in
Koronis Rift and Rescue On Fractalus were "faked" in some way... They look
like fractal graphics, but since the machines are so slow the algorithms
behind it aren't real fractal mathematics.

It depends on what you mean by faked. The fractals in those early
atari 800 computers just weren't calculated in real time, but they are
still fractals.



kvn

[William Kendrick]

Post by Thomas Meyer
But...

<snip>
<snip>
Hehe - Yeah I stumbled across those in my search for info.
Of course, they just say THAT it was done, not the details of HOW ;)

-bill!
***@newbreedsoftware.com "Hey Shatner, ya remember that episode of
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got cancelled?"

[Z.Beeblebrox]

...speaking of Rescue on F...

I see a lot of people really liked that game, and I find it odd.
I guess it's because I never really cared for it at all.
But I do have the "early version" named "jaggi" or something like that.

I'm tempted to load it up and see if there's anything (or something!) I've
overlooked.

So, am I missing something?

-z-

Post by William Kendrick
Are there any good articles on the graphics methods used in games like
Rescue on Fractulus and Koronis Rift? I was thinking about it since
posting in the 'Best Game?' thread yesterday...
At a Linux user group meeting tonight some folks from
Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor, who produce 8-bit processors based on Z80 which
can do TCP/IP, SSL, webserving, etc., came to talk about SSL in general.
At dinner after the meeting, I was talking with a friend who did some
6502 coding for consumer toys recently, and tried to explain what
Rescue on Fractulus looked like. So, after dinner, I made him come to my
house and fired it up on an emulator, to see if he had any ideas how it
might work.
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff isn't
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile Graphics).
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)
Anyone got any references they want to share? :)
-bill!
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got cancelled?"

[Mark Bedingfield]

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
...speaking of Rescue on F...
I see a lot of people really liked that game, and I find it odd.
I guess it's because I never really cared for it at all.
But I do have the "early version" named "jaggi" or something like that.

Behind Jaggi lines;-)

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
I'm tempted to load it up and see if there's anything (or something!) I've
overlooked.

Awesome game, I still remember the first time an Alien lept out at me. I
get the same effect from the Face Huggers in Aliens V Predator on the
Jag. Star Raiders is still the greatest tho.

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
So, am I missing something?

For sure;-).

Mark

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
-z-

Post by William Kendrick
Are there any good articles on the graphics methods used in games like
Rescue on Fractulus and Koronis Rift? I was thinking about it since
posting in the 'Best Game?' thread yesterday...
At a Linux user group meeting tonight some folks from
Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor, who produce 8-bit processors based on Z80

which

Post by William Kendrick
can do TCP/IP, SSL, webserving, etc., came to talk about SSL in general.
At dinner after the meeting, I was talking with a friend who did some
6502 coding for consumer toys recently, and tried to explain what
Rescue on Fractulus looked like. So, after dinner, I made him come to my
house and fired it up on an emulator, to see if he had any ideas how it
might work.
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff isn't
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile Graphics).
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)
Anyone got any references they want to share? :)
-bill!

of

Post by William Kendrick
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got

cancelled?"

[THE6502MAN]

Post by Mark Bedingfield
Awesome game, I still remember the first time an Alien lept out at me. I
get the same effect from the Face Huggers in Aliens V Predator on the
Jag.

Or in Dungeon Master on the ST. on the 1st level, behind the portacullus,
the mummy raises his arms and screams.... That scream made me jump RIGHT out
of my seat!

[Docrotcod]

I didn't care for it either until I figured out how to play. Keep in mind
this was back in the day when there was no Internet and I had to figure it
out for myself.

Thomas

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
...speaking of Rescue on F...
I see a lot of people really liked that game, and I find it odd.
I guess it's because I never really cared for it at all.
But I do have the "early version" named "jaggi" or something like that.
I'm tempted to load it up and see if there's anything (or something!) I've
overlooked.
So, am I missing something?
-z-

Post by William Kendrick
Are there any good articles on the graphics methods used in games like
Rescue on Fractulus and Koronis Rift? I was thinking about it since
posting in the 'Best Game?' thread yesterday...
At a Linux user group meeting tonight some folks from
Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor, who produce 8-bit processors based on Z80

which

Post by William Kendrick
can do TCP/IP, SSL, webserving, etc., came to talk about SSL in general.
At dinner after the meeting, I was talking with a friend who did some
6502 coding for consumer toys recently, and tried to explain what
Rescue on Fractulus looked like. So, after dinner, I made him come to my
house and fired it up on an emulator, to see if he had any ideas how it
might work.
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff isn't
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile Graphics).
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)
Anyone got any references they want to share? :)
-bill!

episode

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
of

Post by William Kendrick
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got

cancelled?"

[Z.Beeblebrox]

i don't think i ever really figured it all out.
for one, i never saw an alien.
i'm going by memory (from the 1980's here!) but i recall
flying around, landing and rescuing people. but they were few and far
between!
i was bored, just as much as playing one of those flight sim games.

-z-

Post by Docrotcod
I didn't care for it either until I figured out how to play. Keep in mind
this was back in the day when there was no Internet and I had to figure it
out for myself.
Thomas

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
...speaking of Rescue on F...
I see a lot of people really liked that game, and I find it odd.
I guess it's because I never really cared for it at all.
But I do have the "early version" named "jaggi" or something like that.
I'm tempted to load it up and see if there's anything (or something!) I've
overlooked.
So, am I missing something?
-z-

Post by William Kendrick
Are there any good articles on the graphics methods used in games like
Rescue on Fractulus and Koronis Rift? I was thinking about it since
posting in the 'Best Game?' thread yesterday...
At a Linux user group meeting tonight some folks from
Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor, who produce 8-bit processors based on Z80

which

Post by William Kendrick
can do TCP/IP, SSL, webserving, etc., came to talk about SSL in general.
At dinner after the meeting, I was talking with a friend who did some
6502 coding for consumer toys recently, and tried to explain what
Rescue on Fractulus looked like. So, after dinner, I made him come to

my

Post by Z.Beeblebrox

Post by William Kendrick
house and fired it up on an emulator, to see if he had any ideas how it
might work.
I can tell, with a fair bit of confidence, that the 3D terrain stuff

isn't

Post by Z.Beeblebrox

Post by William Kendrick
using any Atari-specific 'tricks' (like DLIs and Player/Missile

Graphics).

Post by Z.Beeblebrox

Post by William Kendrick
Obviously, it's some kind of fractal code... but I'd love to learn more
about it. :^)
Anyone got any references they want to share? :)
-bill!

episode

Post by Z.Beeblebrox
of

Post by William Kendrick
http://newbreedsoftware.com/bill/ Space Trek where your show got

cancelled?"

[Nearl J Icarus]

i don't think i ever really figured it all out. for one, i never
saw an alien. i'm going by memory (from the 1980's here!) but i recall
flying around, landing and rescuing people. but they were few and far
between! i was bored, just as much as playing one of those flight sim games.

I liked the game as well. I liked the duels you could have with the mountain
top fortresses. I remember when I had the first alien jumped on my ship. I sat
there stunned a minute trying to figure out what to do. If you left the door
open too long, an alien could get inside the ship.

[Firulais]

It never happened to me...
Never in all the years i played rescue on fractalus, an alien jump on my
ship :(
i believed that was a lie

Post by Nearl J Icarus

i don't think i ever really figured it all out. for one, i never
saw an alien. i'm going by memory (from the 1980's here!) but i recall
flying around, landing and rescuing people. but they were few and far
between! i was bored, just as much as playing one of those flight sim games.

I liked the game as well. I liked the duels you could have with the mountain
top fortresses. I remember when I had the first alien jumped on my ship. I sat
there stunned a minute trying to figure out what to do. If you left the door
open too long, an alien could get inside the ship.

[Thomas Meyer]

Post by Firulais
It never happened to me...
Never in all the years i played rescue on fractalus, an alien jump on
my ship :(
i believed that was a lie

It wasn't. It happened to me when I was playing the game back then and I was
TOTALLY uninformed. The volume was way up and the graphics and sounds were
so sudden that I almost fell from my chair. LITERALLY! Of course, the game
was lost because the alien smacks the front window of the craft and you die.
:-/ This happens when you don't open the airlock in advance. Also, the guy
running towards your craft has a green helmet...

Thomas

[Andreas Magenheimer]

Yep!
the same thing happened to me... really funny....

On the other hand: What do you have to do in Koronis Rift ?!? I never
found out, allthough I did have an original version with manual. Was it
really your goal to collect all items/specimens you found and then a)
keep them or b) sell them...?!? I always kept a few items and since
they helped me in no way, I soon decided to sell everything I found.
This way the game got boring after a short while...

so again, what to do there ?!? Make all the Rifts empty - is that all
there is to do ?!? I have not found any item that made my "car" (tank,
hovercraft,... whatever it might have been) faster or that gave me
better weapons or such... So, why should one keep the items ?!? And
furthermore what`s it good to sell the items ?!? Do you get money or
what ?!? What to do with the money then ?!??? Ok, after all I did not
like Koronis Rift. The same fractals as in Fractalus (but green instead
of brown) and for me a rather boring gameplay... -Andreas.

Post by Thomas Meyer

Post by Firulais
It never happened to me...
Never in all the years i played rescue on fractalus, an alien jump on
my ship :(
i believed that was a lie

It wasn't. It happened to me when I was playing the game back then and I was
TOTALLY uninformed. The volume was way up and the graphics and sounds were
so sudden that I almost fell from my chair. LITERALLY! Of course, the game
was lost because the alien smacks the front window of the craft and you die.
:-/ This happens when you don't open the airlock in advance. Also, the guy
running towards your craft has a green helmet...
Thomas

[Hidehiko Ogata]

Post by Thomas Meyer
Also, the guy
running towards your craft has a green helmet...

<spoiler ahead>


























Even that clue is taken away in later levels... then it gets REALLY
scary, believe me ;).

(I don't think aliens inhabit earlier levels, which I guess was why OP
didn't meet any. Well-balanced difficulty curve anyhoo.)