FERGUSON@TMASL.EXXON.COM (04/22/89)
As long as you use GPR raster ops and BLTS, you can make things fly
on an Apollo. If you use gpr_$read/write_pixels, things will move
much more slowly, but give you much more control over colors and
details. If you create multiple memory bitmaps, you could keep
the background in both display memory, and in a main memory bitmap.
You could also have a main memory bitmap which holds characters, or
other moving objects. Then, you only need to use gpr_$pixel_blt
for calls;
to place an object, gpr_$pixel_blt(object_bitmap,window,status);
to erase it, gpr_$pixel_blt(background,window,status);
To move objects, just place/erase, place/erase, etc.
If you need faster than that, I can't help you. If you're using GMR2D,
or GMR3D, you'll really need to switch. The GMR packages are display-list
oriented, so each element in the picture is read/written to and from
disk files(slow...).
The other thing to do is create a paint package or buy one that lets you
draw (like Deluxe Paint for Amigas & Macs) into standard GPR bitmaps.
Then you don't have to rasterize things on paper.
By the way, does anyone know of a good paint program for $100 or less for
Apollos? How come all workstation software is a factor of 10 times
as expensive as PC software? The code's practically the same, and I
....oh I just remembered. There's fewer workstations, and less volume.
Pardon me while I correct myself.
Happy computing.
Scott Ferguson
Ferguson@erevax.bitnet