Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis macintosh?

[Muyfa666]

Does the mac-version of Indy4 differ any from the PC-version? I'm asking because I'm trying to get a hold of it, and the mac-version is really cheap to come by.

[clone2727]

Does the mac-version of Indy4 differ any from the PC-version? I'm asking because I'm trying to get a hold of it, and the mac-version is really cheap to come by.

I don't think so. I have both versions and they are very similar.

[Robo-X]

The Mac version had better sounds and graphics than the PC version. The better graphics works only when you use the original indy app. The data files are more or less the same for both PC and Mac though and work just as well in ScummVM.

//Rob

[clem]

The better graphics works only when you use the original indy app.

that implies that the Mac version uses a superior scaler than ScummVM - can anyone verify that?

[eriktorbjorn]

that implies that the Mac version uses a superior scaler than ScummVM - can anyone verify that?

Aaron Giles mentions on his SCUMM page that LucasArts used a scaler called "epx", but doesn't give any further details. I vaguely remember someone claiming it was pretty much the same as AdvMame2x, but I don't know for sure.

[Robo-X]

Yes the Mac version used epx for graphics and djm for sound as seen on this screenshot.



With epx on:



with epx off:



This is with running the original indy app from 1992.

[Kaminari]

Yep... this is Scale2x alright. I remember playing The Dig Mac on my Amiga with such a filter.

[Herrscher]

Yes the Mac version used epx for graphics and djm for sound as seen on this screenshot.

Why not make additional screenshots with ScummVM filters for camparison to see which one really is better?!?

BTW, how does the djm sound filtering stuff sound different? Any clues?


EDIT: Oh, I read "Sound Smoothing System" the first time...

So if this is *just* a "Sound and Music System", this could also be the Mac version of a regular sound output system, nothing special, he!??

The better graphics works only when you use the original indy app.

that implies that the Mac version uses a superior scaler than ScummVM - can anyone verify that?

Actually, it just means the original Mac app was superior to the PC one.

Aaron Giles mentions on his SCUMM page that LucasArts used a scaler called "epx", but doesn't give any further details. I vaguely remember someone claiming it was pretty much the same as AdvMame2x, but I don't know for sure.

That would match: The german guys from Tentakelvilla mention this:

Von der Originalgrafik mit dem EPX-Algorithmus von Eric Johnston bei LucasArts hochskaliert. Dieser Algorithmus erzielt ähnliche Ergebnisse wie AdvMAME2X von ScummVM, ist aber entgegen Gerüchten nicht identisch. Die Windows-Versionen haben zusätlich noch eine optionale Kantenverhältniskorrektur auf 480 Zeilen und benötigen daher zum Interpolieren Echtfarbengrafik (wie bei ScummVM).

-->

Scaled up from original graphics with the EPX-algorithm by Eric Johnston at LucasArts. This algorithm gets similar results to AdvMAME2X of ScummVM, altough it is not identical (despite the rumors). The Windows versions do have an additional edge-aspect-ratio-correction to 480 lines and that for do need true color graphics for interpolating (like ScummVM).

[Herrscher]

BTW, why not just contact him and ask...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Johnston

Oops, this seems to be the wrong one...


http://www.lucasarts.com/20th/profiles_eric.htm

This looks far better...



BTW: SNES9X seems to have it: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/27 ... ainer_link

WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.5 adds the followiing:

* Added EPX and hq2x filters.

They're GPL, right?!

[Kaminari]

Why not make additional screenshots with ScummVM filters for camparison to see which one really is better?!?

EPX is the same thing as Scale2x/AdvMAME2x. They both look identical.

ScummVM with AdvMAME2x

[Herrscher]

Why not make additional screenshots with ScummVM filters for camparison to see which one really is better?!?

EPX is the same thing as Scale2x/AdvMAME2x. They both look identical.

Scaled up from original graphics with the EPX-algorithm by Eric Johnston at LucasArts. This algorithm gets similar results to AdvMAME2X of ScummVM, altough it is not identical (despite the rumors). The Windows versions do have an additional edge-aspect-ratio-correction to 480 lines and that for do need true color graphics for interpolating (like ScummVM).

Mhhh... how can you be so sure about that?? Please take the time and do a pixel-by-pixel comparison...

[fingolfin]

Well, epx and AdvMAME2x / Scale2x are 100% identical.

I am absolutely certain, since I know both algorithms -- the one from the public source code, the other because it was at least once documented in a public place, namely in an issue of the MacTech Journal. Which I happen to own, it sits on a shelf a couple meters away from me.

[fingolfin]

To be a bit more specific: This is the June 1999 issue of MacTech, page 41. It names page 692 of the book "Tricks of the Mac Game Programming Gurus", Hayden Books, 1995, by LucasArts' own Eric Johnston, as the source of the algorithm!

And as I just discovered, that article even is online, so you can check for yourself: http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech ... index.html

I hope this finally settles this discussion. BTW, i once also erroneously believed the two algorithms to be different. Never say an old horse can't learn a new trick

[Kaminari]

Please take the time and do a pixel-by-pixel comparison...

If you take the time to compare my shot with the one from Robo-X, you'll see that they are absolutely identical.

[Herrscher]

And as I just discovered, that article even is online, so you can check for yourself: http://www.mactech.com/articles/mactech ... index.html

Hehe, I found the same link when googling for the EPX stuff for my last post.

I just didn't post the link as I didn't read it yet, and didn't want to post spam.


Just being curious, why are 2 (in SNES9X 2 + epx = 3) scaler implemented in ScummVM, when they are EXACTLY identical??