Edmonton, AB
Was reading that it takes 80-150 hours to colorize a DMD display, what is the process to color a game?
(Topic ID: 181930)
Hopkins, MN
I'm guessing they have to pull each of the slides out of the original display ROM... which are encoded as 2 bit grayscale (4 possible values between 2 bits). Then one by one the frames get colored in an image editing suite (likely Photoshop)... and probably encoded back as a limited palette color image (like a GIF) and stored on an extra chip in the Color DMD. I'm guessing the MPU sends requests to the same hardware addresses as would happen with the regular display board but the Color DMD instead of serving up the grayscale image it serves up the new image.
There's no "easy button" to click and colorize each frame, one would guess. There are some good tools for DMD editing, though... one of them is called DMDPaint (Google should find it for you). (Unsure if DMD paint handles full color though).
ETA: I gleaned most of this stuff from doing some ROM hacking the past few weeks. I haven't pulled frames from any display roms to this point yet... was mostly looking at game code.
Quoted from chadderack:I'm guessing they have to pull each of the slides out of the original display ROM... which are encoded as 2 bit grayscale (4 possible values between 2 bits). Then one by one the frames get colored in an image editing suite (likely Photoshop)... and probably encoded back as a limited palette color image (like a GIF) and stored on an extra chip in the Color DMD. I'm guessing the MPU sends requests to the same hardware addresses as would happen with the regular display board but the Color DMD instead of serving up the grayscale image it serves up the new image.
There's no "easy button" to click and colorize each frame, one would guess. There are some good tools for DMD editing, though... one of them is called DMDPaint (Google should find it for you). (Unsure if DMD paint handles full color though).
Uggh, I was JUST about to say that...
Thanks for the info... Didn't think this was an easy task. Makes me appreciate the color so much more!
Thanks everyone !
Randy used to be more open about how the biscuits were baked. Explained the basics at seminars at shows a few times. Then people started making knockoffs of the early stuff, and he got less interested in sharing. The color engine today can do far more than it did back then, too.
Quoted from chadderack:Hey dude, good to see you around. Ever get your MB? (I've been away for a bit)
Haha. Nope. But I've had many slip between my fingers. I've picked up a few pins tho. I've taken some time off as well. Good to see you round these parts!
Quoted from PopBumperPete:Little men with sharpies
Lol
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