![[Short Animated GIF of Sprint Cars Action]](AnimatedRaceFragment.gif)
I (Alexander G. M. Smith) worked on this three dimensional prototype game on the Sega Genesis in 1993 and 1994 at Artech Digital Entertainments (17 employees at the time, mostly working on other projects), in Ottawa Canada, under remote direction from Carl at Sega. The idea was to see if the Genesis could do 3D fast enough to make a game which could use a 3D headset. That's why you can look all the way around the car's cockpit, and look up and down too. The end result wasn't fast enough to be a good game, so that's why the project was ended. Also, the Sega 32X (Mars) faster CPU + Video adapter for the Genesis was around the corner, and the Sega Saturn and other later hardware that could do better 3D were in the pipeline too.
![[Outlaw Racing Sprint Cars final title screen]](TitleFinalOutlawSprintCars.jpeg)
Dylan at Gaming Alexandria contacted me in August 2020 with a few questions about the game. I had made a full backup (10 boxes of floppy disks) but they were lost in a company move. However, I did have 45 minutes of video taped examples from running the milestones in that backup, and my notes. Rather than sending clips by e-mail, I decided to do a better job of telling the story of the project by including my development notes interspaced with video clips of each milestone, censored to remove last names.
![[Typical 3D View of Sprint Car]](Typical3DViewOfSprintCar.jpeg)
This is what we were able to accomplish, at about 7 frames per second. There are a few obvious tricks you can see. The actual 3D area is a smaller part of the screen so less memory and time were needed to draw it. There wasn't enough time to draw the ground, so a solid colour was used in the background artwork and we'd stick in a few 3D objects (tires, potholes) occasionally. Though you could turn on ground, but the frame rate would drop in half.
![[16 Colour Palette and Dithered Colours from it]](DitherPalette.jpeg)
Still, 3D is quite a feat on the Genesis. No floating point math, so all the calculations are done with fixed point integer. There isn't a facility for drawing textured polygons, and not even a bitmap mode for the screen memory, just a tiled screen with sprites on top. All of that drawn picture has to fit in the 32KB video memory too. We did that by arranging the tile patterns in a special order so that the pattern data was almost a bitmap - just with really odd indexing of columns of pixels (pixels were sequential in memory in the vertical direction but the columns were jumbled up).
You do have a few megabytes of ROM cartridge memory to store your programs and data. So you can do seemingly silly but fast things like having a subroutine for scaling texture bits from ROM to a particular destination height (basically a bunch of move instructions in a row), with a different subroutine for each possible height.
Its video hardware is colour palette based tiled graphics. Our choice of video mode gave us effectively 4 bits per pixel and 16 colours in the palette. You can get a few extra colours by dithering, at the cost of pixel resolution.
Anyway, here's the log where you can watch me stumble from sprites are good because they do transparency to implementing drawing transparent pixels because sprites are always on top so can't be mixed in with other 3D graphics.
Oh, why is there a log? Time sheets and SR&ED is why. The government has a tax credit for scientific research and experimental development, if you document it.
Note that the video clips are on my personal server, which isn't always up.
Try again later if they aren't working, or send me an e-mail.
Mar 05 1993:
10:42 ARTECH Start reading SEGA manuals at home.
14:59 End work.
3:13 PATRIOT R&R free time from Rod XXX, okayed by Rick. He said to
take Friday off after the new Patriot was delivered.
Weekly running total: -13:05 - 37:30 + 45:07 = 5:28 hours deficit.
Mar 08:
9:00 ARTECH Try out new light harp.
9:27 ARTECH Time Sheet. Includes time setting up the cannibalized punch
clock (punch clock readings start at 9:35).
9:56 SEGA Hunt around for parts to make a development station. Install
all sorts of software (compiler, Windows, SEGA stuff). Fiddle.
16:52 End work.
Mar 09:
8:34 ARTECH Time Sheet.
8:43 SEGA Finish installing development system. Much rearranging of Patriot
stuff to make things fit on the hard disk. Start looking at Sega
3D test code.
11:41 Break.
11:50 SEGA Resume examining existing code.
15:45 PATRIOT Help Phill look at some code.
15:55 SEGA puzzle about bitmap structure used.
17:26 End work.
Mar 10:
8:59 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:05 SEGA back to the puzzle. Weird bitmap makes it hard to understand
rest of their undocumented code.
10:09 Break.
10:20 SEGA Talk to Rick, explain what I've found out about how it works.
Talk about schedules.
11:16 Break.
12:44 SEGA Try to examine code, get ready to use new data and 10 panel
one sided scroll.
18:19 End work.
Mar 11:
8:31 ARTECH Time Sheet.
8:39 SEGA More figuring out their code, while rearranging their demo to
our requirements (10 panels, more widely spaced). Set up RCS stuff.
Think about requirements for 3D graphics, and sprites. Can't use
their code.
16:58 End work.
Mar 12:
9:09 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:15 SEGA hack up demo to make view area 150 by 150.
16:43 End work.
Mar 13:
14:03 ARTECH Time Sheet, write down Simon Says idea for Paul.
14:10 SEGA hack continues. Get my own display routine going, with pseudo-
clipping (doesn't crash if off screen but doesn't look good).
20:35 End work.
Mar 14:
8:57 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:00 SEGA Milestone 1 continues.
13:24 Break.
13:40 SEGA continues.
15:29 Break.
15:39 SEGA continues.
21:15 End work.
Weekly running total: -5:28 - 37:30 + 58:41 = 15:43 hours surplus.
Mar 15:
8:54 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:06 SEGA Get those pesky perspective calculations done. Prepare demo for
upload to SEGA, including a readme. Done!
16:05 End work.
19930315 Sprint Cars Milestone 1.mp4 19930315 Sprint Cars Milestone 1.mpeg
Mar 18:
9:18 ARTECH Locate missing lamp. Discover burnt out bulb. Buy a new one.
9:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:55 SEGA Start milestone 2: scaling polygons horizontally, they call it
"vertically sheared panels". First clean up include file organization
then figure out how to get C compiler working.
16:47 End work.
Mar 19:
9:03 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:07 SEGA Continue with setting up C compiler (have to make a runtime
library).
12:55 Lunch
13:22 ARTECH General meeting.
13:57 SEGA continue studying the compiler.
15:00 Break.
15:35 SEGA continues.
16:57 End work.
Weekly running total: -15:43 - 37:30 + 21:32 = 0:15 hours deficit.
Mar 22:
9:06 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:14 SEGA Make runtime library for C compiler on Sega.
10:11 Break.
10:21 SEGA runtime library continued. Got hello world working.
17:07 End work.
Mar 23:
9:13 ARTECH Time Sheet.
9:17 Break.
9:24 SEGA Start on milestone 2, horizontal strip bitmap stretching.
17:01 Break.
17:11 SEGA resumes. Design done, a start to coding milestone 2.
20:20 End work.
Mar 24:
9:21 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:27 SEGA resumes.
9:51 Break.
10:00 SEGA resumes.
11:02 Break.
11:05 SEGA resumes.
12:05 Break.
14:07 SEGA resumes.
15:32 Break.
15:43 SEGA resumes, add perspective mode to main C code. Fix bugs in the
polygon drawing (graphics look better now - was doubling lines).
19:50 End work.
Mar 25:
8:48 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:55 SEGA finish off milestone 2 (polygon drawing works, add vertical
perspective, new floor tile images). Uploaded to Sega.
14:03 SEGA start on milestone 3: scaled sprite images. Upon thinking about
it, it seems like a waste of time and memory, why not just draw
the cars on the bitmap?
16:54 End work.
19930325 Sprint Cars Milestone 2.mp4 19930325 Sprint Cars Milestone 2.mpeg
Mar 26:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:59 SEGA Further thought - sprites are useful for transparency. Also an
Artech general meeting (reported on Sega progress).
12:24 Break.
13:21 SEGA sprite scaling continued.
13:59 Break.
14:10 SEGA.
16:08 End work.
Weekly running total: -0:15 - 37:30 + 40:56 = 3:11 hours surplus
Mar 29:
8:36 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:52 SEGA sprite scaling continues.
9:30 PATRIOT check on Marine landings. Clean up loose ends. Find out that
get_terrain_type isn't working correctly.
11:42 SEGA sprite stuff.
15:32 Break.
15:40 SEGA continues.
16:46 End work.
Mar 30:
9:16 SEGA continues.
12:04 Break.
12:48 SEGA continues.
14:20 PATRIOT help Phill with terrain data bugs.
14:40 SEGA continues.
15:21 PATRIOT read accurate negative review.
15:34 SEGA continues.
16:44 End work.
Mar 31:
8:47 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:04 PATRIOT check some bug reports.
9:07 SEGA Sprite stuff continues. Still working on entering code.
9:14 Break.
9:36 SEGA.
11:18 Break.
12:47 SEGA.
16:47 End work.
Apr 01:
9:14 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:20 SEGA continues. Just can't get those hardware sprites to show up.
Finally get them working. Phone call to Carl XXX to ask about their
other speed improvements (dynamically writing code for blitting so
that variable source image sizes can be used). Work on demo of
sprite scaling.
16:48 End work.
Apr 02:
9:05 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:08 SEGA Sprite demo. Speed is a tad slow, try speeding it up by making
blitter functions that are sprite memory layout specific.
Integrate car pictures. Upload milestone 3 to Sega BBS.
17:36 End work.
Weekly running total: 3:11 - 37:30 + 37:00 = 2:41 hours surplus
19930402 Sprint Cars Milestone 3A.mp4 19930402 Sprint Cars Milestone 3A.mpeg
Apr 05:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:09 SEGA Milestone 4. Work on making picture bigger. Also do a demo
of two walls and a floor and a car.
16:47 End work.
Apr 06:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:06 SEGA meeting to talk about SEGA library code. Speedup of blitter
functions by optimizing code generator program. Make demo for Carl
at Sega.
17:05 End work.
19930406 Sprint Cars Milestone 3B.mp4 19930406 Sprint Cars Milestone 3B.mpeg
Apr 07:
9:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:28 SEGA start making track with 3D code to place panels.
10:08 PATRIOT Make and test backup of the data files (about 8 megabytes).
11:21 Break.
13:02 PATRIOT backup.
14:51 SEGA 3D track planning of code.
17:00 End work.
Apr 08:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SEGA 3D Track finish off planning for simplified 2D calculations,
start coding.
15:15 PATRIOT Help Phill & Larry prepare Patriot upload. Lots of disaster
recovery from Phill's hard disk crash.
16:50 End work.
Apr 09: Statuatory holiday.
Weekly running total: 2:41 - 37:30 + 36:51 = 2:02 hours surplus
Apr 12: Paid holiday (nice of Artech).
Apr 13:
8:02 ARTECH Maintenance (find monitor screen, clean it and Sega monitor).
8:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:23 SEGA Work on 3D stuff continues. Noticed rumours of Sega 3D head
mounted display on sci.virtual-worlds newsgroup over the weekend.
11:39 Break.
11:53 SEGA resumes. Got first 3D test working, 20 frames per second for
driving around in a 12 wall segment world.
16:51 End work.
Apr 14:
8:43 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:50 SEGA 3D continued. Clean up code.
11:14 Break.
13:17 SEGA continues. Works with light harp!
13:27 PATRIOT look at bug report list and categorize some for Phill.
13:35 SEGA resumes. Got some new pictures from Grant of hay bales.
16:46 End work.
Apr 15:
8:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:56 SEGA conversion of 3D wall perspective code to assembler resumes.
Finished. Make milestone 4a (52 wall round track) and send to Sega
by end of day.
16:48 End work.
19930415 Sprint Cars Milestone 4A.mp4 19930415 Sprint Cars Milestone 4A.mpeg
Apr 16:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:58 Break.
9:13 SEGA clean up source code in preparation to send it to Sega (remove
Artech library code that isn't used). Send it (ART4ASRC.ZIP).
10:45 ARTECH Help Paul get sound sampler working on the Amiga.
11:17 SEGA modify polygon drawing code to draw solid colour images for
polygons that are too large to draw using bitmaps. Also draw
partially off-screen polygons more nicely.
12:14 Break.
13:47 SEGA continues.
14:25 ARTECH Talk to Phil XXX and look at his hard disk contents.
14:36 ARTECH general meeting.
15:19 SEGA continues.
16:47 End work.
Weekly running total: 2:02 - 37:30 + 36:06 = 0:38 hours surplus
Apr 19:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 PATRIOT Reformat new orders text files to fit on the options screen.
I've got the text editor that does word wrap...
10:13 SEGA continues. Get off screen recomputation of Y at edge of screen
to work for large off screen distances.
11:41 ARTECH Read March Compute review of Theater of War and Megafortress.
12:05 Break.
13:12 SEGA continues. Partially off screen polygon drawing corrected.
16:47 End work.
Apr 20:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:06 SEGA draw extra wide polygons in solid colour.
12:09 Break.
14:27 SEGA work on inner wall.
16:15 Break. Watch Steve get over 200,000,000 in Stones n' Bones pinball.
18:28 SEGA resumes. Fix some overflow problems with perspective.
19:16 End work.
Apr 21:
9:23 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:34 ARTECH Back up Sega and other stuff from Phil Armstrong's computer.
11:17 Break.
13:00 ARTECH Resume backup.
13:38 SEGA Make walls shorter and maximum height taller for vertical strip
bitmaps.
16:42 End work.
Apr 22:
8:48 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:53 SEGA Start on head tilt computations. Stop. Work on making track
look better (raise camera higher off ground, make half of screen
green (for inner part of track to look like grass), make a lower
inner wall (that you can see over), plain brown road).
12:26 Break.
13:00 SEGA finish off sky and clouds, change camera base height, start 3D
tilting code.
16:47 End work.
Apr 23:
9:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:20 SEGA 3D tilting camera stuff continues. Expect it won't work because
tilted walls won't have vertical sides.
16:50 End work.
Weekly running total: 0:38 + 33:01 - 37:30 = 3:51 hours deficit.
Apr 26:
9:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:36 SEGA continue 3D camera tilting (make sky horizon move corresponding
to tilt angle).
13:27 ARTECH Fix up Paul's old 286 PC for Mark. First install an EGA card
to work with the monitor, then figure out hard drive type, then
avoid a loose expansion slot socket (hard drive wouldn't boot).
14:50 SEGA resumes. Finish off elevation and horizon. Fix a bug. Write
documentation. Do speed tests comparing various bottlenecks. Added
aspect ratio correction.
18:46 End work.
Apr 27:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:02 SEGA Give report to Rick, collect network rumours for Rick to see,
about Mondo 2000 article and Sega rumours. Work on sprites and depth
sorting. Most time spent writing assembler QuickSort routine.
12:08 Break.
12:45 SEGA resumes. Finish & test quicksort routine.
17:47 End work.
Apr 28:
9:10 SEGA Go over performance with Rick, plans for work (put everything
in milestone 4 and then get more feedback for making milestone 5).
Also neat idea of doing parallax by drawing a second distant outer
wall.
9:48 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:52 SEGA Try second outer wall experiment. Works as expected.
11:17 Break.
13:03 SEGA resumes. Work on sprite drawing and memory management.
16:50 End work.
Apr 29:
8:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:49 SEGA Sprite memory management resumes.
12:15 Break.
12:39 SEGA resumes.
18:45 End work.
Apr 30:
8:43 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:47 SEGA resumes, fix up coding bugs in sprite management and test.
Scalable sprites memory management system works ok.
10:45 ARTECH General meeting.
11:20 SEGA Now improve DMA by turning off screen near bottom and top when
there is work to do.
12:43 Break.
13:20 SEGA resumes. Lots of fiddling around with horizontal interrupts.
Most of afternoon to decode how they work. Then fiddle with timing.
20:15 End work.
May 01:
11:04 SEGA resumes. More timing fiddling.
12:40 Break. Andras & John visit. Upload PrtDrvGen to Marcel at
Computers/Ordinateurs 2000.
14:42 SEGA resumes. Add DMA during edges of screen and vertical blanking
periods.
19:35 End work.
May 02:
11:28 SEGA put back frames per second counter. Fix up a few glitches due
to interrupts messing up initialization and zero length DMAs.
14:28 SEGA work on placing sprites of racing cars in 3D space, including
depth sorting them.
16:31 End work.
Weekly running total: -3:51 + 55:28 - 37:30 = 14:07 surplus.
May 03:
8:43 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:04 ARTECH Collect a couple of ethernet board serial numbers so that
Roger can fill in warrenty cards. Collect SEGA rumours.
9:30 SEGA meeting with Rick to talk about work plans (features needed for
milestone 4 (really 5) and milestone 5 (really plus)).
10:05 SEGA Test for multiprocessing DMA (it doesn't), double check for
garbage when readin VH counter. Turn off sprites if no sprites
displayed.
11:02 SEGA make milestone 4 (really 5). Fewer wall panels, zoom in so that
field of view corresponds to TV screen seen from a distance. Don't
loose camera position when stopping following. Other details.
16:15 End work.
May 04:
9:12 SEGA Improve car motion code (drive in right direction around track,
follow a circular path rather than wall hugging).
12:20 Break to see business trade show.
14:19 SEGA try new graphics.
16:48 End work.
May 05:
9:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:41 SEGA Package milestone 4. Make new main screen that fits updated
3D window (moved down because top and bottom of screen chopped off).
11:16 Break.
13:04 SEGA New screen. Talk to Rick about Carl XXX's call (wants clipping to
avoid things that disappear when partially behind camera). Move
control panel bezel into the same scroll plane as the 3D bitmap.
16:46 End work.
19930504 Sprint Cars Milestone 4B.mp4 19930504 Sprint Cars Milestone 4B.mpeg
May 06:
9:07 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:11 SEGA Finish moving screen to scroll bitmap. Start on 2.5D clipping.
Research various clipping techniques (read Computer Graphics:
Principles and Practice).
13:02 Break.
13:41 SEGA more clipping design.
16:09 End work.
May 07:
8:46 SEGA upload milestone 4.
8:57 Break.
9:07 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:12 SEGA Work on implementing clipping.
10:06 ARTECH General meeting.
10:40 SEGA Clipping continues.
11:03 Break.
11:15 SEGA continues.
12:16 Break.
12:40 SEGA continues.
16:17 End work.
Weekly running total: 31:46 + 14:07 - 37:30 = 8:23 surplus.
May 10:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:05 SEGA Clipping.
12:20 Break.
12:39 SEGA Clipping.
13:30 Break.
13:39 SEGA Clipping.
16:45 End work.
May 11:
9:04 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:07 SEGA Clipping (debugging stage).
14:16 Break.
14:32 SEGA Start middle of the source image scaleable polygons.
17:05 End work.
May 12:
10:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:08 SEGA Middle of image bitmap textures.
11:17 Break.
12:57 SEGA texture start offset stuff continues.
16:44 End work.
May 13:
8:54 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:58 SEGA Middle texture.
12:54 Break.
13:14 SEGA middle texture.
15:14 Break.
15:22 SEGA middle texture.
16:46 End work.
19930513 Sprint Cars Milestone 5A.mp4 19930513 Sprint Cars Milestone 5A.mpeg
May 14: Day off.
Weekly running total: 27:32 + 8:23 - 37:30 = 1:35 deficit.
May 17:
9:49 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:58 SEGA Middle texture stuff continues.
12:12 ARTECH Install AmigaDOS 2.1 on Paul's A2000 (tricky bit with hard
drive that needs a floppy to start it up). Even more tricky when the
install script crashes upon detecting a 2090. Install on a spare
drive in the tower and copy files over. Make boot floppy.
15:51 SEGA resumes. Debugging texture stuff. Get it to work, can draw
section of whole image using exerpt of ROM width table.
18:17 End work.
May 18:
8:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:36 SEGA Start algorithmic width table.
10:01 Break.
10:13 SEGA resumes. Finish algorithmic width table.
14:35 SEGA Work on quality track: true oval car movement paths. Upload
new clipping version to Sega.
16:30 End work.
19930518 Sprint Cars Milestone 5B.mp4 19930518 Sprint Cars Milestone 5B.mpeg
May 19:
8:39 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:44 SEGA Quality track car paths.
11:18 Break.
12:59 SEGA resumes. More even wall sizes for straight / curve.
17:01 End work.
May 20:
9:23 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:27 SEGA Quality track. Cars that point in the right direction.
9:52 ARTECH Help Paul install Midget Racer in A2000. Lots of attempts to
get it to work, but overheats or something - crashes randomly.
12:40 Break.
13:53 SEGA continues. Get cars to face in the right direction, also
to stay on the ground.
16:48 End work.
May 21:
8:45 ARTECH Time sheet and Strike Commander screen saver experiments.
9:01 SEGA Quality track. Look at video tape and adjust wall proportions.
12:02 Break.
12:35 SEGA resumes.
16:41 End work.
Weekly running total: 36:33 - 1:35 - 37:30 = 2:32 deficit.
May 24: Victoria Day holiday.
May 25:
8:39 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:46 SEGA Quality track - block houses and general object code to combine
them with wall objects (have fence post objects in a special sorted
order for speed and then other things use the fence posts as corners).
12:36 Break.
13:16 SEGA Quality track. Put in some grandstand graphics and modify wall
heights around the track.
16:52 End work.
19930525 Sprint Cars Milestone 5C.mp4 19930525 Sprint Cars Milestone 5C.mpeg
May 26:
9:03 ARTECH Help Steve switch hard drives on the A3000. Involved taking
apart frame around old hard drive and moving it to new one (annoying
shock mount shim fasteners). Also cleaned a very dirty fan filter
(more taking apart required).
10:49 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:54 SEGA Quality track. Finish grandstand, start scrolling background.
11:35 ARTECH Pack up old hard drive for shipment back to Gayle XXX at
Maxtor, for Steve.
11:49 SEGA resumes.
12:10 Break.
12:56 SEGA resumes. Scrolling backdrop done.
16:49 End work.
May 27:
8:30 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:36 SEGA Quality track continues. Fiddle with graphics, backdrop a bit.
Start doing potholes today.
12:00 Break.
12:41 SEGA Potholes.
16:45 End work.
May 28:
9:10 SEGA Upload last nights version to Carl Mey at Sega. Work on
background for quality track.
9:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:01 SEGA Continues, big 10000 pixel wide background as part of screen
clearing.
18:29 Break for supper at KFC.
19:35 SEGA continues. Assembler and linker can't handle big files.
19:46 End work.
19930528 Sprint Cars Milestone 5D.mp4 19930528 Sprint Cars Milestone 5D.mpeg
May 29:
10:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:37 SEGA Big picture. Clean up graphics. Spend hours with a DMA bug
(the hardware can't do DMA over 512K into the ROM).
18:12 End work.
May 30: (Punch clock is broken)
9:06 SEGA Quality track. Graphics changes, wall height changes etc.
Uploaded Artech5f.zip.
13:14 End work.
Weekly running total: 50:54 - 2:32 - 37:30 = 10:52 surplus.
19930530 Sprint Cars Milestone 5F.mp4 19930530 Sprint Cars Milestone 5F.mpeg
May 31:
8:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:38 SEGA Clean up loose ends (documentation, minor bugs that have been
on the to-do list (like clipping round-off errors)).
12:05 Break.
13:36 SEGA Clean up.
14:50 ARTECH General meeting.
15:38 SEGA Continues.
16:20 End work.
June 1-4:
4 Vacation days used this week, total 4 days since work started in
mid December 1991.
Weekly running total: 10:52 + 36:21 - 37:30 = 9:43 surplus.
June 7-11:
5 Vacation days used this week. Total 9 since work started.
Weekly running total: 9:43 + 37:30 - 37:30 = 9:43 surplus.
June 14-15:
2 Vacation days, total 11 so far.
June 16:
13:27 ARTECH Restore missing files, get computer working again. Meeting to
prepare for Carl's (of Sega) visit tomorrow. Catch up on what's been
happening.
16:10 Break.
16:17 ARTECH Clean up hard disk.
17:03 End work.
June 17:
9:01 ARTECH Help Phill with Patriot data creation problems (files on my
computer but no free disk space).
9:42 SEGA Carl shows up. Continue cleanup.
11:18 ARTECH Continue cleanup (68000 compiler reconfig).
11:34 ARTECH Time sheets.
12:06 Break.
13:53 SEGA Sprint Car meeting.
14:45 ARTECH Time sheet.
14:50 End work.
June 18:
1 Vacation day. Total 12 since work started.
Weekly running total: 9:43 + 30:01 - 37:30 = 2:14 surplus.
June 21-24:
4 Vacation days, total since work started is 16.
June 25:
8:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:08 SEGA Look at DSP prototype.
12:09 ARTECH Clean out Phil's desk. Save important documents etc.
13:05 SEGA Meeting about painting and library setup.
13:48 ARTECH Continue cleanout.
14:10 ARTECH General meeting.
14:50 ARTECH Continue cleanout.
16:32 End work.
Weekly running total: 2:14 + 38:29 - 37:30 = 3:13 surplus.
Total of 16 vacation days used since work started in mid-Dec 1991.
June 28:
8:06 ARTECH More cleanup (mostly washing down desk and fixing up PC (replace
3.5 floppy drive)). Meeting. Talk about Sega library. Explain things
to Chris. Explain to Michael. A bit of DSP manual reading.
16:47 End work.
=====
8:41
June 29:
8:17 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:35 ARTECH More cleanup, of the hard disk this time (backup, install OS/2,
fiddle with high resolution display drivers).
17:01 End work.
=====
8:44
June 30:
8:30 ARTECH Copy files from my computer. Look at DSP stuff a bit (new
archive, old tests).
12:27 Lunch break. Pool party at Paul XXX's place.
14:53 ARTECH more OS/2, DSP operations. Set up new SegaDev system
and find out that it crashes (bad Sega hardware?)
??:?? End work. Whole day is 7:30 due to pool party.
=====
7:30
July 1:
Canada Day holiday.
=====
7:30
July 2:
9:30 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:40 SEGA Talk about library and RCS vs SourceSafe with Chris.
9:47 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:58 SEGA Read DSP book. New SVP manual comes in. Lots of neat (useful)
stuff!
14:08 Break.
14:30 SEGA Continue reading SVP manual. Hmmm, SVP simulator software!
Write up some DSP evaluation milestones.
16:45 End work.
=====
6:53
Weekly running total: 3:13 + 39:18 - 37:30 = 5:01 surplus.
Total of 16 vacation days used since work started in mid-Dec 1991.
July 5:
8:46 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:57 SEGA Read DSP manual
10:18 SEGA Meeting with Rick, Chris, Michael. Talk about work planning.
11:48 SEGA Make up schedules for people.
12:41 Break.
13:13 SEGA Scheduling continues.
13:51 SEGA Read DSP manual.
16:03 SEGA Look at new library code.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:29
July 6:
9:20 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:32 SEGA Look at new library.
11:45 ARTECH Fix Amiga networking by reinstalling software and
resetting everything to defaults.
13:33 SEGA Poke around library some more.
15:30 ARTECH Help Steve unpack his Mac (for 3DO development).
16:49 End work.
=====
7:29
July 7:
8:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:38 SEGA Add deliverables to DSP evaluation milestone document.
10:26 SEGA Artech library code examination and fixup (SetVDPRegister
for constants).
11:05 SEGA Proof read deliverables document.
11:17 Break.
13:01 SEGA Artech library. Some renaming and VDP macros.
15:32 SEGA Read DSP manual.
16:47 End work.
=====
6:38
July 8:
9:09 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SEGA Artech library C runtime integration.
16:00 Write up review of 3D engine.
16:48 End work.
July 9:
8:58 ARTECH Install memory upgrade in my PC, +4M -> 8M total.
9:38 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:42 ARTECH Adjust OS/2 to use new memory.
10:17 SEGA Write 3D driver document.
10:57 ARTECH General meeting.
11:37 SEGA 3D engine document.
13:32 Break.
13:41 SEGA 3D engine document.
16:32 End work.
=====
7:25
July 10:
11:30 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:37 ARTECH Talk to Rick about management techniques when dealing
with customers, programmers, designers, artists.
12:05 SEGA Read DSP manual.
15:01 End work.
=====
3:31
Weekly running total: 5:01 + 40:11 - 37:30 = 7:42 surplus.
July 12:
9:05 ARTECH Get orders from Rick, for milestone today (document graphics
(Grant) and proof reading (Alex), and game update tomorrow (graphics
by Rob, code by Alex)). Distribute orders. Late punch clock sign in
because of Rick interrupt.
9:56 SEGA Proof read milestone document (game design of Outlaw Racing).
10:08 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:15 SEGA Continue proof reading.
11:05 SEGA Check on Michael's scaling routine. Proof reading in effect.
Set things up so that he can fill in the blank (he had rewritten
the whole scaling routine when he just needed to do single strip
scaling - side effect of doing tests in C). Work on improving
bitmap scaling code (allow wider stretches that go beyond table
calculations).
17:06 SEGA Put new artwork in old 3D test game. Run out of patterns, cut
down number of cars.
18:39 ARTECH Floppy disk swapping, so that Sugan has a good drive.
19:41 End work.
=====
10:36
July 13:
9:17 SEGA Show Rick new graphics. Not too impressive.
9:32 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:52 SEGA Upload game with new graphics to Sega BBS, settle on
autodoc standard for Sega coding. Sprint game scaling code
stretch table computation.
12:19 Break.
13:17 SEGA Phone call with Rick and Carl about game design. Take notes.
14:44 SEGA Scaling stretch table work continues. Discover a way
of crashing OS/2.
16:34 End work.
=====
6:19
19930713 Sprint Cars Milestone 6A.mp4 19930713 Sprint Cars Milestone 6A.mpeg
July 14:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:01 SEGA Read new tech bulletins.
9:09 SEGA Watch Sprint racing video tape. Go to Macs to get batteries
for remote control.
9:46 SEGA See how Chris is doing.
9:51 SEGA Read Michael's code. Talk to Michael and Chris.
10:51 SEGA Work on stretch table code some more.
11:17 Break.
13:12 SEGA Stretch table continues.
16:47 End work.
=====
5:57
July 15:
8:58 PATRIOT Reupload corrupt file (verify incorrectness, get modem
hooked up).
9:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:31 SEGA Fix bug that crashes game (something to do with stretch table
pointer going wild). Improve stretch code, integrate Mike's scaling.
16:32 End work.
=====
7:34
July 16:
9:12 SEGA Hook up system for Robin, was cable causing problems!
9:49 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:53 SEGA Small window size test - reduce height of screen. Fix up
sprites so that ones off left side of screen aren't drawn (had
bad left side test).
11:36 Break.
12:50 SEGA Fix up sprites. Nope, seems to be ok. Continue with window
size reduction.
13:08 Break.
13:29 SEGA again. Lots of time fussing around with background and bezel
pictures to get them to line up and fit the new window.
15:22 Break.
16:38 SEGA Go over DSP with Chris.
17:36 SEGA Fix aspect ratio for thinner screen window.
17:44 End work.
=====
5:41
Weekly running total: 7:42 + 36:07 - 37:30 = 6:19 surplus.
July 19:
8:24 ARTECH Look for Artech library source to dread to see if Steve's
problems are with an out of date version.
8:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:39 SEGA Aspect ratio change. Adjust wall pictures to fit full frame.
10:03 SEGA Talk to Michael about block DDA with periodic corrections.
10:22 SEGA Talk to Chris about DSP.
10:28 Break.
10:37 SEGA Work on C runtime for library.
12:10 Break.
13:16 SEGA Runtime continues. Also get Carl's example code from Sega BBS.
Nope, that's the six button code, no scaling code. Well, back to
the runtime library stuff.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:08
19930719 Sprint Cars Milestone 6C.mp4 19930719 Sprint Cars Milestone 6C.mpeg
July 20:
11:43 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:53 SEGA Talk to Michael and Chris.
12:16 Break.
13:05 SEGA Runtime library.
13:26 SEGA Meeting with Paul about design draft.
13:57 SEGA Runtime library.
16:46 End work.
July 21:
9:07 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 SEGA Go over Michael's code. Find a few bugs, write some comments.
10:21 SEGA Runtime library.
11:07 SEGA See what Michael is doing.
11:30 Break.
13:07 SEGA Talk to Chris.
13:21 SEGA Runtime library.
16:47 End work.
July 22:
9:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:30 Break.
9:48 SEGA Look at Michael's code.
10:42 SEGA Library stuff, getting hello world working with new library.
12:30 SEGA Talk to Michael about transparency.
12:50 SEGA Hello world debugging. Mysterious interrupt lack of action,
update Larry's master library.
18:40 End work.
July 23:
10:01 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:06 SEGA Talk to Michael and Chris and Larry. Spend a lot of time with
Larry getting printf working and new video mode stuff too.
12:21 Break.
13:24 SEGA Write up transparency tech doc and comments on what to optimize.
16:46 End work.
=====
5:42
Weekly running total: 6:19 + 32:04 - 37:30 = 0:53 surplus.
July 26:
9:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:24 SEGA Talk to Chris about DSP, looks like he could have
something by Thursday.
9:44 SEGA Start variable zoom test version of the 3D engine. Finish it
and send Artech6D.zip to Carl at Sega (looks fast in fish eye mode).
14:47 SEGA Start on tests for track size etc. Talk to Michael & Chris.
16:45 End work.
=====
7:30
19930726 Sprint Cars Milestone 6D.mp4 19930726 Sprint Cars Milestone 6D.mpeg
July 27:
8:43 SEGA Talk to Chris. There's a hole in the address space with no ROM.
9:08 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SEGA Make an assortment of programs with various track sizes.
9:48 SEGA Talk about autodoc format with Larry, look at Amiga autodocs.
10:24 SEGA Various track sizes continued.
10:34 SEGA Help Chris with DSP / 68000 interlock problem. End up spending
the day fiddling with SegaDev, SNAsm hardware. Finally figure out
that the DSP has a 68000 ROM that copies $300000 RAM to video memory
and that the DSP is incompatible with SegaDev. End up configuring
SNAsm to $100000-$200000 so that it doesn't interfere and is almost
usable (debugger looses control, perhaps due to 1/4 speed hardware).
16:48 End work.
=====
8:05
July 28:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SEGA Prepare for Carl's visit.
9:45 SEGA Help Chris with getting 68000 code into the SNAsm from the
Sierra linker. Also find out where DSP bitmap data is coming from.
11:10 SEGA Think about how to do scrolling control panel.
12:09 Break.
12:44 SEGA Scrolling control panel.
14:08 SEGA Meeting with Rick, Carl and Michael to talk about physics
of car racing.
16:45 End work.
=====
7:00
July 29:
8:58 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:05 SEGA Scrolling control panel. Tests with fat pixel video mode (32
cells wide screen rather than 40) show that switching video modes
trashes VRAM.
10:00 SEGA Prepare source code for Carl that lets you change number of
walls etc.
10:43 SEGA Meeting with Chris, Rick, Carl to talk about DSP and then more
Sprint car racing.
11:58 SEGA Start designing code for car model.
12:05 Break.
13:00 SEGA Design code for car model and various small tasks (install
SMDS software for Mark).
16:46 End work.
=====
6:53
July 30:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 SEGA Car physics. Basically go through physics book.
11:08 Break.
11:12 SEGA New CD-ROM manual, find rotation stuff, show it to Chris. Help
Andre with Mac (show him MPW command to change file creator for a
bunch of files at once).
11:45 SEGA Car physics.
12:11 Break.
13:12 SEGA Car physics.
15:43 SEGA Try test of bitmap car bottoms and sprite car tops.
16:49 End work.
=====
6:41
Weekly running total: 0:53 + 36:09 - 37:30 = 0:28 deficit.
August 2: Civic Holiday
=====
7:30
August 3:
9:14 ARTECH Time sheet and distractions.
9:34 SEGA Check on Michael. Seems to be doing something.
9:51 SEGA Car physics.
11:20 SEGA Get Sega graphics utilities from Steve (siff & viewsega), try to
get them working.
12:30 SEGA Car physics test program in BASIC.
14:28 Break.
14:41 SEGA Car physics test. Get test program working a bit, decide that
rear wheel would be simpler as one wheel pointing at an offset angle
rather than a big and small wheel (big and small worked but was messy).
19:15 End work.
=====
9:48
August 4:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:05 SEGA Car physics continues. Some advice about Sega CD and pinball
game.
11:23 Break.
12:54 SEGA Car physics.
15:00 ARTECH Help Phill and Steve2 with Chyron mystery.
16:02 End work.
=====
5:34
August 5:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:15 SEGA Car physics continues some more.
10:35 ARTECH Watch 3DO update II video tape.
11:05 SEGA Car physics continues.
12:06 Break.
12:48 SEGA Car physics.
13:59 SEGA Write about car physics, requesition cockpit image from Grant.
16:47 End work.
=====
6:55
August 6:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:05 SEGA Write up car physics.
11:52 Break.
14:46 SEGA Get scrolling cockpit graphics converted. Conversion code still
has a bug with big pictures (like the cockpit's 1024x256).
16:44 End work.
August 7:
13:37 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:41 SEGA Try fixing graphics conversion program to handle big pictures
correctly. First try finding OS/2 C compiler. Nope, not on Steve's
hard drive, not on OS/2 CD-ROM, can't find developer's CD-ROM (guess
it's Steve's personal copy).
14:33 Break.
14:43 SEGA Try using Borland C to compile it. Hope 640K is enough for
the big pictures. Need to write some routines for the huge memory
model (Borland's ones take 16 bit size inputs for some reason).
19:44 End work.
=====
5:57
August 8:
10:54 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:58 SEGA Finish porting IFF to Sega program. Then fix it to work with
the big cockpit picture. Done.
17:43 End work.
=====
6:49
Weekly running total: -0:28 + 47:28 - 37:30 = 9:30 surplus.
August 9:
8:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:58 SEGA Do fancy scrolling for cockpit graphics (the parts above and
below the bitmap scroll sideways while the bitmap doesn't. Also
investigate vertical scrolling to simulate small angle tilting of
the screen.
13:05 ARTECH General meeting.
14:00 SEGA Cockpit graphics. Mess with sprites (messy).
19:16 End work.
=====
10:25
August 10:
9:16 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:21 SEGA Cockpit graphics. Clean up sprite mess.
13:52 SEGA Review Sprint Car design document.
15:05 SEGA Cockpit graphics.
17:02 End work.
=====
7:46
August 11:
9:19 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:24 SEGA Cockpit graphics scrolling. Adding vertical scrolling isn't that
simple, horizontal scroll settings have to be scrolled vertically to
match on a line by line basis.
9:50 ARTECH Help Phill scan in some pictures, and do palette tricks.
10:17 SEGA Cockpit graphics. Upload with transparent bitmaps to Carl at Sega.
Wrap up, cleanup (RCS, documentation, backup) for new version.
16:43 End work.
=====
7:24
19930811 Sprint Cars Milestone 6E.mp4 19930811 Sprint Cars Milestone 6E.mpeg
August 12:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:09 ARTECH Fix up time sheet program to make subtotals by task.
9:58 SEGA Integrate code with new Artech Sega library? Discover that much of
it is for big scrolling backgrounds. Only music and compression look
useful. DMA interaction with music needs investigation (lots of DMA
in car game).
10:53 Break.
11:00 SEGA Add GEMS sound to the sprint car prototype. Install
EPROM programmer to make GEMS roms from disk image (can't use the
SegaDev RAM board because it plugs into the parallel port which the
GEMS downloader also uses).
14:12 SEGA Make a program for displaying static pictures on the Sega, upload
three pictures to Carl at Sega.
16:57 End work.
August 13:
8:59 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:03 SEGA Try making a cartridge for the Sprint car game. Well, that didn't
work. Can't seem to get more than 2 roms working, maybe it's the rom
splitter program...
10:36 SEGA Work on technical estimates for the game.
12:03 Break.
14:13 SEGA Help with Pony graphics scanning in ADPro (add scaling
to scan script).
14:40 SEGA Continue technical estimates document.
16:41 End work.
=====
5:32
Weekly running total: 9:30 + 38:54 - 37:30 = 10:54 surplus.
August 16:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:04 SEGA Technical estimates document continues. Guess at sizes of opening
screens and other stuff.
11:23 SEGA Get new version for Michael.
11:34 ARTECH Help Andre with Mac bitmaps and Quickdraw.
12:44 Break.
13:22 SEGA Technical estimates document.
14:15 ARTECH Help Paul and Colleen with moving anims between Amiga and PC
(need to split up into individual frames and reload on PC).
14:32 SEGA Technical estimates document. Talk to Michael about data
structures and sorting fences in with the cars.
16:42 End work.
=====
7:07
August 17:
9:10 ARTECH Help out in meeting about Wildcard port to the Macintosh.
10:37 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:45 SEGA Technical estimates document.
12:01 Break.
14:20 SEGA Talk to Chris about how cell mode varies autoincrement
alternately between 2 and 30.
14:30 SEGA Technical estimates document.
15:42 SEGA Fix up IFF2SEGA to pad odd sprites correctly.
16:33 End work.
====
5:04
August 18:
9:08 ARTECH Give Mark a copy of MED (music editor) and demo it.
Then install ADPro on his Amiga.
10:14 SEGA Sprint car meeting. Priority for sorted scaled cars, to do
a bit of coding to help Michael.
10:38 ARTECH ADPro installation.
11:17 Break.
13:27 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:36 SEGA Add fence sorting and drawing to car drawing in Sprint Car
prototype.
20:42 End work.
=====
9:24
August 19:
9:07 SEGA Fence drawing and sorting continues. Plus rewrite slipping
wheel friction description and write a note on VR version problems.
16:19 ARTECH Read 3DO developer's newsletter.
16:47 Break.
16:53 SEGA Fence drawing resumes. Finally get it working, except for a
few bugs and no more houses or variable walls.
19:26 End work.
=====
10:13
August 20:
9:01 SEGA Show Rick last night's work, upload.
9:47 Break.
10:05 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:13 SEGA Make a music demo cartridge.
10:59 ARTECH General meeting.
11:33 SEGA Music demo continues.
15:47 SEGA Update technical recommendations in design document.
16:26 SEGA Music demo put away erased EPROMs.
16:45 End work.
=====
7:26
Weekly running total: 10:54 + 39:14 - 37:30 = 12:38 surplus.
19930820 Sprint Cars Milestone 6F.mp4 19930820 Sprint Cars Milestone 6F.mpeg
August 23:
9:06 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:15 SEGA Check on milestone document, what's left to do? Estimate schedule,
write up technical document sections on AI and car motion, put in a bug
fix from Michael.
12:00 Break.
12:28 SEGA Schedule creation.
13:48 SEGA Speed up graphics a bit by doing outcode calculation and then see
if screen coordinates need to be calculated.
13:54 SEGA Go over scheduling with Rick.
14:35 SEGA Speed up graphics continues. Get about 0.5 frames/sec.
16:35 End work.
=====
7:01
August 24:
9:20 ARTECH Time sheet. Make OS/2 icon for time sheet program.
9:33 SEGA Read over latest draft of technical specifications, make a few corrections.
10:04 SEGA Add block houses and other obstacles back in.
11:06 ARTECH Read 3DO artist card documentation.
11:57 Break.
12:07 ARTECH Start reading 3DO manuals. Stopped at release notes.
13:19 SEGA Continue with block house additions.
16:20 End work.
=====
6:50
August 25:
9:17 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:26 SEGA Block house mystery bug (things stopped working). Fixed.
11:16 Break.
13:10 SEGA Fiddle with track layout, potholes, etc.
17:03 End work.
August 26:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet and chat with Rick.
9:20 SEGA Finish up new fence arrangement that lets the camera track any object.
13:00 ARTECH Meeting with Andre and Larry to talk about Mac Artech library.
14:46 SEGA More tracking stuff.
16:37 End work.
August 27:
9:05 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:07 SEGA Speed up depth sorting by not sorting things behind the camera.
10:16 SEGA Check on QuickSort stack overflow when things are already sorted.
12:30 Break.
13:48 SEGA Fix up IFF2Sega to check for cells that use colours from two palettes.
14:18 SEGA Backup Sprint Car engine.
14:51 SEGA Add sound to Sprint car engine.
16:28 End work.
=====
6:05
Weekly running total: 12:38 + 33:22 - 37:30 = 8:30 surplus.
August 30:
9:41 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:49 SEGA Sound test. Long parameters, mystery code, other hitches but
finally get sound effects & music working.
15:44 ARTECH 3DO upgrade manuals with new documentation package.
17:04 End work.
=====
7:23
August 31:
9:27 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:30 SEGA Talk with Michael about profiling and reading VH position register.
9:49 ARTECH Floor plan for new office desk.
9:59 ARTECH Meeting with Rick & Michael about Sprint car future. Continues
in meeting with Michael to think about it.
11:24 Break.
11:30 SEGA Physical model meeting with Michael, and other stuff.
13:20 ARTECH 3DO Phone call.
13:28 SEGA Physics model meeting.
15:10 ARTECH Fill out forms to send old 3DO back.
16:06 ARTECH Install new 3DO documentation.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:14
September 1:
9:20 ARTECH Time sheet, employee info form.
9:41 ARTECH 3DO documentation update continues, hopefully with fewer
interruptions.
10:19 SEGA Explain notes on Carl's meeting to Michael.
10:48 ARTECH Set up 3DO next to Macintosh.
11:18 Break.
13:12 ARTECH Play with 3DO audio CD playback (neat visual effects).
13:25 ARTECH Help Andre with memory manager details.
14:18 ARTECH 3DO reading.
15:50 ARTECH Meeting with Andre and Mike to argue about mem_load.
16:15 ARTECH 3DO reading.
16:30 End work.
=====
5:16
September 2:
8:48 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:52 SEGA Get copy of milestones.
8:58 ARTECH 3DO Reading.
9:46 ARTECH Review Andre's memory model description document.
10:01 ARTECH 3DO Reading.
10:45 ARTECH Andre again.
10:48 ARTECH 3DO again.
11:18 SEGA Check over fat bits polygon drawing code.
11:57 ARTECH Review Andre's latest version.
12:13 Break.
13:11 SEGA Fat bits check continues.
13:15 ARTECH Field trip.
14:33 SEGA Fat bits check continues.
15:15 Break.
15:25 SEGA Fat bits check continues. Find the usual math bugs (lumpy walls).
16:32 End work.
=====
6:36
September 3:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:06 ARTECH 3DO Meeting.
9:36 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:39 SEGA Fat bits fixup continues.
10:19 ARTECH New 3DO stuff arrives. Unpack documentation.
11:52 SEGA Fat bits fixup continues.
13:01 ARTECH General meeting.
14:07 SEGA Fat bits fixup continues.
16:31 End work.
=====
7:28
Weekly running total: 8:30 + 33:57 - 37:30 = 4:57 surplus.
September 6: Labour day holiday.
=====
7:30
September 7:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:08 ARTECH Install new 3DO software on the Mac.
10:07 SEGA Fat bits speedup (don't insert correction pixels, just skip source
pixels instead).
10:10 ARTECH Meeting with Rick to talk about serial Chyron problems.
10:20 SEGA Talk to Michael and Chris about physics of off center forces.
10:40 ARTECH Talk to Andre about Debug macros.
11:04 SEGA Write blurb about frame rate problems, with some tests for numbers.
12:13 Break.
13:02 SEGA Improve fat bits by skipping source bits rather than inserting screen
bits.
13:12 ARTECH Read new 3DO mail.
13:21 SEGA Sprint car meeting.
13:38 ARTECH Read new 3DO mail some more.
13:49 SEGA Do some timing tests.
16:46 End work.
=====
6:57
September 8:
8:35 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:43 SEGA talk to Sebastian about Sega hardware.
9:15 SEGA Write up timing results.
10:50 SEGA Start working on overhead view.
11:16 Break.
13:13 SEGA Overhead view.
13:33 ARTECH Show around new employee Andrew.
14:37 SEGA Overhead view.
16:45 End work.
=====
6:13
September 9:
8:04 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:08 ARTECH Paperwork for Roger on vacation days and time worked.
8:18 ARTECH Read some more 3DO documents and try out development system.
16:49 End work.
=====
8:45
September 10:
8:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:53 ARTECH Listen to Rick talk about parenting while waiting for 3DO
meeting (gets held off until Mike XXX arrives).
9:05 SEGA Overhead view.
9:09 ARTECH 3DO meeting.
9:38 SEGA Overhead view. Get new Sega universal controller and protection code.
11:52 Break.
12:58 SEGA Overhead view, integrate new startup code.
13:14 ARTECH General meeting.
14:02 SEGA Overhead view continues.
17:15 End work.
=====
7:18
Weekly running total: 4:57 + 36:43 - 37:30 = 4:10 surplus.
September 13:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SEGA Overhead view continues. Much reorganization to support different
video configurations easily (for integrating shell, overhead view and
game modes).
9:51 SEGA Sprint car meeting.
10:01 SEGA Check over Michael's car scaling code.
11:13 SEGA Overhead view.
12:09 ARTECH Read 3DO manuals.
13:34 SEGA Overhead view.
13:54 Break.
14:06 SEGA Overhead view.
16:47 End work.
September 14:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:01 SEGA Overhead view.
13:26 SEGA Show Andrew how to scan and convert pictures to the Sega.
14:11 ARTECH 3DO meeting about what the 3DO can do.
14:48 SEGA Overhead view, problems with DMA of large pictures.
15:35 SEGA Fix bug in IFF2SEGA for multiple flips (was destroying old flip
bit settings for cells flipped multiple times).
15:51 SEGA Overhead view. Mysterious graphics when picture size different.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:50
September 15:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet, screen cleaning.
9:16 SEGA Overhead view.
14:14 Break.
16:13 SEGA Overhead view, fixing IFF2SEGA some more. Finally get it
working, mostly (just don't change the picture, otherwise timing
changes and things stop working).
17:54 End work.
=====
6:53
September 16:
8:50 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:53 ARTECH 3DO training (read and play).
11:55 Break (lunch with Rick and Paul to talk about game ideas).
12:56 SEGA Try a quick speed test, no inner wall and 10 cars. Yup, fast (14fps).
13:39 SEGA Try animated wall panels. Works as expected.
14:31 SEGA Overhead view of cars.
15:09 ARTECH 3DO reading.
16:11 End work.
=====
6:20
September 17:
9:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:36 SEGA Overhead view code to set up sprites for 25 cars.
13:42 Break.
13:59 SEGA Overhead view sprite drawing & recolouring subroutine.
14:03 ARTECH General meeting.
14:25 SEGA Sprint car meeting.
14:41 SEGA Overhead view continues. Finally get it working!
18:58 End work.
=====
9:08
Weekly running total: 4:10 + 37:36 - 37:30 = 4:16 surplus.
September 20:
9:19 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:24 SEGA Fix up overhead view a bit (better scaling and colours).
12:47 Break.
12:58 SEGA Read developer news.
13:11 Break.
13:44 SEGA Send reply for developer news.
14:03 SEGA Think about Carl's idea of jumping into the middle of the scaling
routine to do edge of screen clipping.
14:15 ARTECH 3DO Meeting with Paul & Mike to discuss museum projects.
15:18 ARTECH Help Andre with colour palettes on the Mac.
16:24 ARTECH Demo 3DO to Paul and a prospective client.
16:34 SEGA Back to Carl's "jump into code" trick, work through technique on paper.
16:45 End work.
=====
6:42
September 21:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:03 SEGA Carl's idea paper planning, start writing code. Get it working.
15:46 ARTECH Help Andre with colour tables. Get some nice crashes.
17:02 SEGA Try speeding up Carl's code by using faster scaling in
non-clipping case. Done.
18:19 End work.
=====
9:22
September 22:
9:19 ARTECH Quest for a replacement light bulb.
9:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:38 SEGA Speed up fat bits code (skip source pixels rather than
inserting screen pixels).
11:18 Break.
13:05 SEGA Continue speeding up fat bits. Initialisation error makes it
lumpy, try to fix it. Nope. Talk about car dynamics with Michael.
15:17 SEGA2 Try a test with different outer space graphics instead of cars.
16:13 SEGA Talk over car dynamics table problems with Michael.
16:38 SEGA Change controls to match design document, set things up to use
car dynamics.
16:47 End work.
=====
5:41
September 23:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 SEGA Put in car controls (joystick handling according to design document).
9:30 SEGA Sidetracked to fixing bug with different sized backgrounds messing
up the bitmap picture.
10:30 BINZOO Help Sugan with palette transitions in ComputerWorks.
11:08 SEGA Background bug fix continues.
11:46 SEGA Car controls.
13:22 Break.
13:35 SEGA Car controls.
16:48 End work.
=====
7:33
September 24:
9:41 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:48 SEGA User controls. Integrate physics simulation code. Work on
user interface and making updates less jumpy.
17:00 End work.
September 25:
11:04 SEGA2 Help Rick test colours and graphics of space game.
11:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:32 SEGA2 Make a separate version of the code for the space graphics demo.
12:29 Break.
12:43 SEGA2 Continue with making graphics demo version.
12:51 Break again to help Sugan check out his motherboard failure.
13:37 SEGA2 Continue with making graphics demo version.
18:04 End work.
=====
6:00
September 26:
10:42 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:45 SEGA Make ROM checksum program that can handle the general case,
needed for making ROMs of several demos and games. Figure out how
to make ROMs for more than 256K games.
16:44 Break.
17:28 ARTECH Read 3DO manual while waiting for ROM programmer.
18:16 End work.
=====
6:50
Weekly running total: 4:16 + 49:27 - 37:30 = 16:13 surplus.
September 27:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:06 SEGA Do game shell for Sprint Cars (mockup graphics).
16:49 End work.
=====
7:49
September 28:
8:41 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:44 SEGA Game shell continues. Make some ROMs for various demos.
16:15 Break.
16:22 SEGA Read and file away new technical notes.
16:32 Break.
17:05 SEGA Show Andrew how to make ROMs.
17:25 End work.
=====
8:04
September 29:
9:10 ARTECH Discuss new floor plan with Rick and company.
9:38 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:45 SEGA Check on Andrew's ROM burning efforts. Erase old ROMs.
10:46 SEGA Upload milestone, make backup.
11:17 Break.
13:11 SEGA Test backup.
13:36 ARTECH Help Mark scan pictures for ComputerWorks.
14:05 Break.
14:12 ARTECH Read 3DO Manuals.
14:53 SEGA Talked to Rick about phone call from Carl about milestone.
15:20 SEGA Do max brake when brake button held down for 1/5 of a second.
16:07 End work.
19930929 Sprint Cars Game Milestone.mp4 19930929 Sprint Cars Game Milestone.mpeg
September 30: Day off.
=====
0:00
October 1: Day off
=====
0:00
Weekly running total: 16:13 + 20:49 - 37:30 = 0:28 deficit.
October 4:
9:18 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:31 SEGA Add more car overhead turn positions.
9:54 ARTECH Try setting up old plywood CD32 Amiga for artists to use.
12:28 SEGA Back to car turning pictures.
12:52 Break.
13:12 SEGA Car turning pictures.
13:21 SEGA Fix overhead view timing so it isn't too fast.
14:05 SEGA Give new code to Michael, talk about crash simulation.
14:34 Break.
14:44 ARTECH Read 3DO manuals.
14:55 ARTECH Clean Amiga tower mouse.
15:11 ARTECH Read 3DO manuals.
16:24 ARTECH Help Andre find Random number function in Artech library.
16:34 ARTECH Read 3DO manuals.
16:47 End work.
=====
6:59
October 5:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SEGA Design Sprint Car track conditions and collision detection.
11:00 Break.
11:08 SEGA Collision geometry continues, read Jaguar press release, back
to collisions.
16:48 End work.
=====
7:30
October 6:
9:13 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SEGA Collision and tracking continues. Function for determining on
which side of a wall a point is.
10:57 Break. Buy a DB-25 male to 50 Centronics male SCSI cable,
$20 + $3 tax = $23. Got paid for it today.
13:11 SEGA Sprint car track section stuff, also look at videos of Sprint Car
interior and crash footage for an hour or two.
15:20 ARTECH Help Larry install OS/2 and CD-ROM drive.
16:20 SEGA Put in new dynamics code from Michael, upload to Sega.
17:08 SEGA Help Andrew with debugger and maze game.
18:10 SEGA Camera to follow steering angle, not just car heading. Fiddle with
various parameters.
20:03 End work.
=====
8:36
19931006 Sprint Cars Game.mp4 19931006 Sprint Cars Game.mpeg
October 7:
9:31 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:37 Break.
9:52 ARTECH Help Ron get DPaint to work with animations on the CD32
(memory problems so need to crop animation down to lo-res size).
11:04 SEGA Camera and steering interaction.
11:15 SEGA Sector and lane code design, also allow for variable sized tracks.
12:31 Break.
13:33 SEGA Sector and lane code design, also allow for variable sized tracks.
16:17 End work.
=====
5:29
October 8:
8:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:28 ARTECH Look for OS/2 video drivers on Steve's computer, find
missplaced Ethernet T connector.
8:40 SEGA Variable sized track (changeable during the game, not just
at compile time like it is now).
10:36 ARTECH Install new OS/2 video drivers.
12:48 SEGA Variable sized track.
13:14 ARTECH General meeting.
14:15 SEGA Variable sized track.
15:06 Break.
15:20 SEGA Variable sized track.
16:44 End work.
=====
8:05
Weekly running total: -0:28 + 36:39 - 37:30 = 1:19 deficit.
October 11: Thanksgiving Holiday.
=====
7:30
October 12:
9:20 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:30 SEGA Variable sized track.
12:44 Break.
13:15 ARTECH Help Colleen get SegaDown working (date doesn't need to be set,
Alt key must be pressed when using SegaDown function keys).
13:42 SEGA Variable sized track.
16:48 End work.
=====
6:57
October 13:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:01 SEGA Variable sized track.
13:01 SEGA Read new Sega tech notes & documentation (about new peripherals).
13:39 SEGA Add house and grandstand back to track. Collision detection
data structure definition.
19:35 End work.
October 14:
9:12 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 ARTECH Clean dust off my computer screens, desk and keyboard.
9:25 SEGA Fast random number generator creation and testing.
17:17 SEGA Make ROMs of the maze game for Andrew and Sebastian, run out.
17:51 SEGA Collision detection.
18:20 SEGA See if erased ROMs work.
18:30 End work.
=====
9:18
October 15:
9:04 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:09 SEGA Collision detection.
12:11 Break.
13:12 SEGA Collision detection. Got planar point location working.
15:43 SEGA Erase a few ROMs to get ready for a new maze game.
15:49 SEGA Collision detection.
16:43 End work.
=====
6:38
October 16:
10:37 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:40 ARTECH 3DO reading, install new version of 3DO operating system,
charge 50% of time since too much fun (poking around, not directly
work related). 5:34 * 50% = 2:47
16:14 End work.
=====
2:50
Weekly running total: -1:19 + 43:51 - 37:30 = 5:02 surplus.
October 18:
9:03 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:15 SEGA Collision detection.
11:38 ARTECH General meeting.
12:00 ARTECH Fill in R&D tax credit time estimates form.
14:06 SEGA Collision detection.
16:58 End work.
=====
7:55
October 19:
9:17 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:21 SEGA Collision detection, 3D car model rendering preparations.
15:31 Break.
15:41 SEGA 3D car model rotation stuff continues (mostly learning 3D package).
19:32 End work.
=====
10:05
October 20:
9:08 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 SEGA 3D graphics of sprint car at all angles continues.
11:02 Break.
13:10 SEGA 3D car graphics, build a version for Carl to evaluate, Rick
sees that it isn't good enough for Carl to tell what's happening.
Add picture of track to overhead view, collision status messages.
17:15 End work.
=====
5:59
October 21:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SEGA Overhead view improvements, status of collision for feedback
while testing. Write up EPROM programming instructions that get
displayed when DOS is booted.
10:21 SEGA Code for displaying pictures of cars from many angles. Finds the
picture closest to the desired direction of view.
12:23 ARTECH 3DO scan in Artech logo for 3DO target picture, so that the
possible televised demo isn't impolite.
12:35 SEGA Car pictures continues.
12:38 ARTECH More 3DO cleanup for TV show.
13:34 SEGA Car pictures continues.
16:46 End work.
=====
7:35
October 22:
8:37 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:41 SEGA Make a wall normal for Michael to use in wall collisions.
Meeting with Rick and Michael about car physics and game play,
more feedback needed too. Speed up point location by checking
on current cell and cell in front.
16:45 End work.
=====
8:08
October 23:
11:57 ARTECH 3DO Study program continues.
17:20 End work.
=====
5:23 / 2 = 2:41
Weekly running total: 5:02 + 42:23 - 37:30 = 9:55 surplus.
October 25:
8:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:17 SEGA Finish speeding up point location.
9:22 ARTECH Install CD-ROM drive on my computer, Larry doesn't use
it much (he's not running OS/2 much). Erase a few EPROMS.
11:19 SEGA Finish speeding up point location. Add engine sounds.
16:46 End work.
=====
7:55
October 26:
9:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:37 SEGA Add skidding sounds and other effects, mix with music.
13:02 SEGA Find out what to do next. Do fatter walls, make wall source
pictures 256 pixels wide and 64 tall (walls and fences are about
4 times wider than taller and there aren't that many of them).
13:27 Break.
13:37 SEGA Wider walls continues.
16:49 End work.
=====
7:06
October 27:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:15 SEGA Wider walls continues, code done so now make test graphics.
11:15 Break.
13:07 SEGA Wider wall pictures continues. Tweek a few things...
Make a demo for Carl to show tomorrow.
18:22 ARTECH 3DO Study and wait for Carl to call back if needed.
19:26 End work.
=====
8:23
19931027 Sprint Cars Game.mp4 19931027 Sprint Cars Game.mpeg
October 28:
8:59 SEGA Inform Rick about Sprint Car demo uploaded yesterday.
9:18 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:22 SEGA Instructions for better demo for Carl.
9:35 SEGA Look for slow speed, tune track collision detection.
17:56 End work.
=====
8:57
October 29:
8:44 SEGA Try to contact Steve XXX to find out about ray tracer
(add his BBS numbers to Roger's terminal program).
8:55 ARTECH Help Andre with editing and debugging under MS-DOS.
9:12 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:17 SEGA Speed up collision detection (thought of a way to do NextCell
more quickly last night). Speed tests of track with 25 cars:
3D view takes 7.8 vertical blanks to draw, 0.9 for car locating,
0.5 for collision detection. All are faster in overhead view.
12:52 SEGA Put in pictures of tractor tires instead of inner fence.
14:22 Break.
14:32 SEGA Continue tractor tires.
16:23 End work.
=====
7:29
Weekly running total: 9:55 + 39:50 - 37:30 = 12:15 surplus.
November 1:
8:13 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:20 SEGA Prepare for making pictures of car at many angles (got
a third party manual for Imagine).
11:26 ARTECH Help Paul with demo, show off 3DO & CDTV.
12:00 SEGA Back to Imagine.
16:49 End work.
=====
8:36
November 2:
9:00 SEGA Get tractor tire pictures from Grant and put in game.
Make backup.
10:56 SEGA Render car pictures.
11:07 ARTECH Make scanner script for Artists that prompts for
scale factor and remembers a few things from session to session.
11:50 SEGA Render car pictures.
15:07 ARTECH Time sheet.
15:13 SEGA More rendering.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:47
November 3:
8:23 SEGA Finish up rendering car pictures.
9:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:40 SEGA Work on putting cars from all angles pictures into the game.
First need to make data files then a database that finds the best
picture given arbitrary 3D angles.
11:16 Break.
13:12 SEGA Continue getting car pictures into game.
16:47 End work.
=====
6:28
November 4:
9:21 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:24 SEGA Continue getting car pictures into game. Meeting with Carl
and Rick: improve graphics by doing ground as a polygon fill,
put in more objects (grandstand). More variation in walls (holes,
trees, cows), black DMA time and add black sprite bezel around
frame (also make bitmap narrower and binocular cutout), steering
feedback marker on steering wheel, wall panels pasted on side of
car wing to show car IDs, custom game sound code (no music during
play, overall engine hum at grandstands), use low angle roll
pictures for cars going around corner.
16:10 End work.
=====
6:49
November 5:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SEGA Car pictures code continues.
10:45 Break.
12:14 SEGA Car pictures code continues.
12:28 Break.
13:01 SEGA Car pictures code continues.
16:15 End work.
=====
5:02
November 6:
11:02 ARTECH 3DO Familiarization.
16:05 End work.
=====
2:31
Weekly running total: 12:15 + 37:13 - 37:30 = 11:58 surplus.
November 8:
9:19 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:35 SEGA Car pictures code.
12:14 Break.
13:37 ARTECH Management meeting with Rick, Paul, Mike, Chris and
Larry to talk about work and responsibility sharing.
14:55 SEGA Car pictures code. Angles aren't quite right, looks wrong
at extreme positions (upside down when it shouldn't be).
16:46 End work.
=====
6:04
November 9:
9:22 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:25 SEGA Car pictures continues, trying to get equators over 90
degrees to use other pictures. Get it working, send a demo
to Carl.
10:36 SEGA Put in statistics collection on which pictures are used.
12:21 Break.
13:35 SEGA Continue statistics collection code.
16:46 End work.
=====
6:10
19931109 Sprint Cars Rotation Test.mp4 19931109 Sprint Cars Rotation Test.mpeg
November 10:
9:19 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:21 SEGA Write up description of what is in the milestone and how
it works. Help Larry try to get battery backed RAM boards
working (failed).
10:55 Break.
13:10 SEGA Continue writing up description.
14:20 SEGA Retrieve old motion physics code, make October milestone
for Carl. Uploaded.
16:22 ARTECH Meeting with Larry, Mike and Chris about project management.
17:04 End work.
=====
5:30
19931110 Sprint Cars Game.mp4 19931110 Sprint Cars Game.mpeg
November 11:
8:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:34 SEGA Sprint Car graphics. Speed up drawing C code (looked at
compiler output and saw how bad it was). Talk to Sebastion
about how program works.
13:28 SEGA Put grandstand back in.
14:03 Break.
14:19 SEGA Grandstanding.
16:44 End work.
=====
7:59
November 12:
9:13 ARTECH Time sheet, explain stuff to Sebastian.
9:21 SEGA Make hole in wall for grandstand to show through, fiddle
with OS/2.
11:04 ARTECH Staff meeting with Rick, Paul, et al.
12:20 SEGA More Sprint Car training for Sebastian.
12:26 SEGA Think about loading small pictures in Sprint Car
as subcell modifications. Need to track VRAM usage.
Explain it to Sebastian, write down design.
13:32 SEGA More hole in the wall stuff.
13:59 ARTECH General meeting.
14:37 SEGA More hole in the wall stuff. Talk to Sebastian.
16:45 End work.
=====
7:32
Weekly running total: 11:58 + 33:15 - 37:30 = 7:43 surplus.
November 15:
8:53 ARTECH Time sheet, brief Michael about Sprint Car etc.
9:21 SEGA More talking to Michael.
10:24 SEGA Check on Sebastian.
10:51 SEGA Start ground polygon code design (read graphics text).
11:47 ARTECH Look at new 3DO operating system (V1.2) that arrived,
install it.
13:59 SEGA Talk to Sebastian, help with small picture coding. Meeting
with Rick & Michael.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:54
November 16:
9:30 ARTECH Staff meeting about the usual stuff.
10:56 SEGA Talk to Sebastian about small picture project.
11:42 ARTECH Call Mortice Kern Systems for pricing for their RCS.
Left a message on their voice mail system requesting more info
sent to old address or fax.
12:05 SEGA File and read new peripherals documents from Sega.
12:58 ARTECH Look into networking.
13:16 SEGA Talk to Rick about Sprint car milestones.
13:38 SEGA Write up ground polygon algorithm (with interruptions to
show of PMGlobe).
15:16 SEGA Work on ground polygons.
16:45 End work.
=====
7:15
November 17: (Doctor appointment in morning)
10:08 SEGA Talk to Sebastian and Michael.
10:37 SEGA Tax R&D paperwork describing research aspects of work on
Sprint Car game library.
11:15 Break.
12:49 ARTECH Talk with Chris about SourceSafe vs MKS revision control
system. Both $400 single user etc. Think of using UUEncode to
make binary (pictures) into text so that the existing (free) RCS
can handle them.
13:08 SEGA Tax R&D paperwork.
14:31 ARTECH Look into RCS stuff for binary data. Should work but it
doesn't.
15:28 SEGA Work on ground polygons, make backup, help Sebastian.
18:40 End work.
=====
6:58
November 18: (Dentist appointment in morning)
10:24 SEGA Talk to Sebastian. Meeting with Rick and Michael to talk
about redoing car motion and adding graphics.
11:27 SEGA Work on ground polygons.
11:52 Break.
12:44 ARTECH Read Chris's art department management proposal.
12:51 SEGA Work on ground polygons.
16:45 End work.
=====
5:29
November 19:
8:58 ARTECH Help Roger estimate number of disks needed for
backing up the Amiga file server. Look for unused directories
and mark them for deletion.
9:20 SEGA Ground polygon.
9:31 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:45 ARTECH Meeting with Rick and producers.
11:35 SEGA Ground polygon and help out Sebastian once in a while
and Michael too.
11:53 ARTECH See how real animation studios handle the art department.
They use a scene by scene artwork folder and signoff sheets.
11:56 SEGA Ground polygon etc.
12:52 Break.
13:27 SEGA Ground polygon etc.
14:09 ARTECH Order an evaluation copy of MKS RCS.
14:12 ARTECH General meeting.
14:52 ARTECH Order an evaluation copy of MKS RCS.
14:56 SEGA Ground polygon etc. Explain graphics needs to Colleen (who is
just now starting work on the Sprint Car graphics).
16:45 End work.
=====
7:12
November 21:
10:53 3DO Playing with their 3D modelling tool and library.
20:07 End work.
=====
4:37
Weekly running total: 7:43 + 39:25 - 37:30 = 9:38 surplus.
November 22:
9:16 SEGA Answer Sebastian's questions.
9:38 ARTECH Staff meeting.
10:34 ARTECH Help Phil XXX with Chyron monitor setup.
11:08 ARTECH Try out SourceSafe and get AutoDoc program. Back up
Amiga tower while reading SourceSafe help files.
13:18 ARTECH Time sheet for whole week at once.
13:49 ARTECH SourceSafe experimentation continues.
14:45 ARTECH Help Andrew and Andre convert pictures on the Mac, then
help Rick with a colour picture he wants to use for testing
a new printing service.
15:25 SEGA Code merge Sebastian's new stuff in with existing. Talk
to Michael about physics and rails.
16:50 SEGA Try out Colleen's new graphics. Lots of trouble trying to
get them to fit (memory ran out).
17:52 End work.
=====
8:36
November 23:
9:23 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:32 SEGA Make a table of legal Sega colour levels in DPaint for Colleen.
9:51 SEGA Clean up code, fit in Colleen's picture and Michael's new
physics user input (add hextant info, tap vs hold detection to
joystick reading interrupt routine).
12:25 Break.
12:37 SEGA Continue with Tap & Hold detection routine. Integrate
Sebastian's code.
16:48 End work.
=====
7:13
November 24:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SEGA Integrate Sebastian's code.
9:37 ARTECH Producer meeting.
9:57 SEGA Meeting with Rick & Chris about milestones.
11:14 SEGA Get chart of picture angles for Rick.
11:23 SEGA Explain Sega user interface guidelines to Sebastian.
11:42 SEGA Work on Tap & Hold detection routine. Update main
program to use new joystick technique. Merge code with Michael.
15:21 SEGA At last! Get back to ground polygon coding.
16:00 SEGA Talk about wall drawing with Colleen.
16:26 SEGA Back to ground polygon coding.
19:04 End work.
=====
9:53
November 25:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:17 SEGA Ground polygon coding continues.
11:23 SEGA Convert car pictures to new palette (stopped). Meeting
with Rick & Michael about game play and other stuff.
12:58 ARTECH Look at MKS RCS evaluation version.
15:18 SEGA Try out cactus picture from Colleen.
15:47 SEGA Ground polygon resumes. Look at videos to figure out
car speeds on curves and straights.
17:12 End work.
=====
8:01
November 26:
9:17 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:20 ARTECH Make backups.
9:34 ARTECH Producer meeting.
9:44 ARTECH Backups resume.
10:50 SEGA Ground polygon. Talk to others a bit about their work.
14:34 ARTECH General meeting.
14:53 ARTECH Pack stuff.
17:35 End work.
=====
8:18
Weekly running total: 9:38 + 42:01 - 37:30 = 14:09 surplus.
November 29:
9:07 ARTECH Moving stuff and setting up in new building on 6 Hamilton
Avenue, Ottawa Ontario Canada.
11:39 Break.
11:57 ARTECH Moving stuff and setting up in new building.
13:48 Break.
13:58 ARTECH Moving stuff and setting up in new building.
16:05 SEGA Background polygon.
16:33 ARTECH Time sheet.
16:39 SEGA Background polygon.
17:04 End work.
=====
7:29
November 30:
14:04 SEGA Meeting with Rick about milestones.
14:09 SEGA Sprint car ground polygon. Mostly getting scan line / road
edge intersections to work for off screen road edges.
16:03 ARTECH Help Rick with touch screen computer for Chyron / sports
statistics project.
16:31 SEGA Ground polygon. Try some new graphics from Colleen.
17:30 End work.
=====
3:26
December 1:
9:26 SEGA Ground polygon.
9:35 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:36 SEGA Help Sebastian (menu & video stuff) and Chris (camera
angles in 3D).
11:17 SEGA Ground polygon.
11:20 Break.
13:32 ARTECH Call up MKS and inform them about decision. Write up
evaluation comments and send back evaluation copy of MKS RCS.
14:02 ARTECH Producers and bosses meeting (behind schedule problem).
15:04 ARTECH Continue MKS writeup. Pack up evaluation version for
shipping back to them.
15:42 SEGA Ground polygon scan line filling subroutine.
20:11 End work.
=====
8:33
December 2:
8:44 ARTECH Time sheet and run around showing workmen stuff.
9:07 SEGA Ground polygon scan line fast filling (BLITing) routine.
9:50 SEGA Show Colleen how to convert ray traced pictures to new palette.
10:08 ARTECH General meeting.
11:30 SEGA More showing Colleen about conversion.
11:35 SEGA Explain work to Sebastian (video objects modularization and
screen size change).
12:06 SEGA Add some new car pictures (new palette).
12:32 SEGA Ground polygon scan line fast filling routine.
13:04 Break.
13:22 SEGA Ground polygon scan line fast filling routine.
14:00 SEGA Get new graphics and reorganise WallPics.lbm file.
15:47 SEGA Ground polygon scan line fast filling routine.
16:30 SEGA More car pictures.
17:12 ARTECH Study Imagine manual and watch cleaners work (and get
things out of their way).
19:00 End work.
December 3: (Morning off taking care of sick dad)
13:29 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:36 SEGA Get new car motion from Michael & integrate, review.
14:35 SEGA Ground polygon scan line filling continues.
15:11 ARTECH Producers meeting. Help Chris remove lights for a while.
15:46 SEGA Ground polygon scan line filling continues.
16:58 End work.
=====
3:29
December 4:
13:04 SEGA Debug ground polygon drawing code. A few glitches but
reasonably good.
18:35 End work.
=====
5:31
December 5:
14:25 SEGA Make outer wall panels independently movable. Add some trees.
21:35 End work.
=====
7:10
Weekly running total: 14:09 + 45:36 - 37:30 = 22:15 surplus.
December 6:
9:35 SEGA Sprint car graphics. Set things up for more shrubs,
explain it to Sebastian, talk to Rick.
10:38 Break.
10:49 Talk to Rick and Phil about new graphics.
11:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:23 SPRINT - Write utility to do wall panel dithering so that
artists don't have to be trained, don't make mistakes, can
use existing tools.
13:30 SPRINT - Instruct Phil on dithering wall panels.
13:44 SPRINT - Try new graphics from Phil.
14:30 SPRINT - Write up milestone readme file. Make October milestone
version SCAR10V2.zip and upload to Carl Mey. Includes some new
graphics from Phil (cars and cactus).
17:57 End work.
=====
8:11
December 7:
9:25 SPRINT - Make backups, instruct Sebastian to do multiple tracks.
10:10 Break.
10:50 SPRINT - Resume working on wall panel dithering utility.
14:03 BONK - Show Chris how to program EPROMs.
14:22 SPRINT - Resume working on wall panel dithering utility.
14:52 BONK - Show Chris how to program EPROMs.
14:59 SPRINT - Meeting with Rick.
15:40 SPRINT - Try random fill textures. Graphics chat with Phil and Rick.
16:10 SPRINT - Put in some more new panels, chain link fence interesting.
16:46 SPRINT - Resume working on wall panel dithering utility.
17:31 End work.
=====
7:26
December 8: Most of day taking care of dad's death.
16:51 SPRINT - Resume working on wall panel dithering utility.
19:41 End work.
=====
2:50
December 9:
9:48 ARTECH - Time sheet.
10:02 SPRINT - Add new wall panels from artists. Talk about track
redesign (low wall on turns, billboards on straight, flag man,
people in distance on turns, a few chain link fences).
11:57 SPRINT - Finish off wall dithering program.
12:24 SPRINT - Get new music and sounds from Mark. Put in game, add
doppler noises for near collisions.
14:51 SPRINT - More new graphics.
14:55 SPRINT - Meeting with Rick and Michael about new car model,
steering is back in with tap increment & decrement style
controls.
15:41 SPRINT - Continue putting in new graphics.
15:56 ARTECH Install video board that works better with OS/2.
17:09 SPRINT - Continue putting in new graphics.
17:34 End work.
=====
7:46
December 10:
8:34 ARTECH - Time sheet.
8:48 ARTECH - Verify that backup of Steve's hard drive has essential
stuff (utility source code).
9:03 SPRINT - Add more wall graphics (inner fence is back).
9:25 ARTECH - Help Mark install DOS on his new computer.
10:50 SPRINT - Explain grandstand drawing to Colleen.
11:00 ARTECH - Fiddle with Smartdrv.
11:23 SPRINT - Fix up dither program to generate a palette for artists
to use.
13:04 ARTECH General meeting.
13:57 SPRINT - Give AutoDither bug to Sebastian to solve.
14:05 SPRINT - Pick a good palette that generates a lot of colours
when dithered.
14:31 SPRINT - Modify track to have billboards on straights. Take
it out again. Try simpler pictures.
16:18 End work.
=====
7:44
Weekly running total: 22:15 + 33:57 - 37:30 = 18:42 surplus.
December 13:
8:32 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:51 SPRINT Look at art disk. Put in new grandstand pictures.
Backup a lot of stuff to free hard disk space.
10:35 ARTECH General meeting.
11:07 SPRINT Back to artwork additions.
11:37 Break.
12:36 SPRINT Help Sebastian with bug.
12:43 SPRINT Make grandstands bigger in the world. Add inner turn
concrete railings.
14:43 SPRINT Add new crash sounds.
15:12 SPRINT Talk about steering with Michael.
15:58 SPRINT Add railings on back stretch. Grandstand with posts.
16:46 SPRINT More grandstand stuff, after marking stable version.
17:35 End work.
December 14:
10:21 SPRINT Tell Michael about thrust idea for doing skidding etc,
look through Sprint Car magazine that artists bought.
10:35 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:43 SPRINT More graphics additions.
11:15 SPRINT Help Sebastian track down bug, seems to be stack overflow.
12:03 SPRINT Fix stack overflow bug.
12:22 SPRINT Pictures, clean up debug stuff to make game look clean.
More graphics (grandstands become fences with people, new railing,
cockpit interior). Send October milestone version 3 to Carl.
16:39 SPRINT Mark versions of code sent, make backup.
16:47 Break.
17:47 SPRINT Resume backup.
18:09 Break.
18:58 SPRINT Fix up video configuration and picture loading code,
end up defining functions for macro sprites and cell sprites.
20:13 End work.
=====
8:03
19931214 Sprint Cars Game.mp4 19931214 Sprint Cars Game.mpeg
December 15:
9:10 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:15 SPRINT Work on video configuration (new graphics module) design.
9:32 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian, explain program structure.
9:43 PRODUCER Meeting.
10:03 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian, explain program structure, new design
of video configuration.
11:36 SPRINT Fix up loadnametable to be C callable.
13:08 End work. Afternoon driving mom to hospital and back.
December 16:
8:56 ARTECH Time sheet, talk to Rick about day's work.
9:17 SPRINT Make slide show of new graphics.
9:27 SPRINT Look at Sebastian's code, guide him a bit.
9:54 SPRINT Talk to Colleen about cell reuse, brush flips, overlap.
10:05 SPRINT Make slide show of new graphics.
11:21 Break.
13:17 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian.
13:33 SPRINT Put in new background from Colleen.
14:00 SPRINT Add some more wall panels to fill in gaps on Rick's &
Carl's request.
14:08 SPRINT Project meeting.
14:31 SPRINT Finish adding wall panels.
15:55 SPRINT Make list of artwork needed, including file names etc.
16:33 SPRINT Finish SetVideoConfig stripped down version.
18:32 SPRINT Continue making artwork list.
19:25 End work.
=====
8:33
December 17:
8:42 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:47 SPRINT Continue making artwork list.
9:35 PRODUCERS Meeting.
9:47 SPRINT Print out list of artwork needed.
10:00 BOINK Help Chris install SNASM in new Sega system.
10:21 SPRINT Continue making artwork list (forgot instructor anim),
hand over old pictures to work from.
10:33 SPRINT Video configuration and Sebastian and graphics.
10:47 Break.
11:25 SPRINT Video configuration change for filling transparent,
debug session with Sebastian.
14:03 SPRINT Get overhead view sprites working again (using new video
memory allocation system).
14:11 ARTECH Meeting with Rick to talk about Sega video & dithering,
see what 3DO animator can do with animations.
15:02 SPRINT Overhead view sprites.
17:01 End work.
=====
7:41
December 19:
13:24 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:29 SPRINT Change things (blimp sprites, main view) to use
new video config / graphics VRAM allocation system.
14:36 Break.
15:19 SPRINT Continues.
17:43 End work.
=====
3:36
Weekly running total: 18:42 + 39:55 - 37:30 = 21:07 surplus.
December 20:
8:58 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:06 SPRINT Finish blimp view changes for new graphics, then start
the main 3D view.
9:34 PRODUCER Meeting.
9:44 SPRINT Continue with fixing up things to use new graphics stuff.
10:51 BOINK Talk to Chris, help him fix a bug.
11:26 SPRINT Update Sebastian.
11:35 Break.
12:26 SPRINT Continue with fixing up things to use new graphics stuff.
13:18 ARTECH General meeting.
13:45 Break.
14:15 SPRINT Continue with fixing up things to use new graphics stuff.
15:36 BITWITS Get video images for Mark off old Amiga backups.
15:58 SPRINT Continue with fixing up things to use new graphics stuff.
17:43 End work.
=====
7:24
December 21:
8:56 BITWITS Get video images for Mark off old Amiga backups.
10:57 SPRINT Continue with fixing up things to use new graphics stuff,
graphics glitch makes a hole in the 3D screen. Hmm, name table
initialisation is intermittent.
13:33 SPRINT Write up new milestone suggestions.
13:56 SPRINT Experiment with car physics ideas (BASIC program).
14:12 SPRINT Help Sebastian with slide show.
14:48 SPRINT Experiment with car physics ideas (BASIC program).
15:36 SPRINT Help Sebastian with slide show.
15:58 SPRINT Experiment with car physics ideas (BASIC program).
16:10 SPRINT Help Sebastian with slide show. Phone busy so can't upload.
16:20 SPRINT Experiment with car physics ideas (BASIC program).
16:56 SPRINT Help Sebastian with sprites.
17:03 End work.
=====
8:07
December 22:
9:37 PRODUCER Meeting.
9:45 Break.
10:05 SPRINT Show panel slide show demo to Rick, was uploaded earlier
this morning to Carl.
10:09 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:24 SPRINT Try out new large size character set. Change code to
use it.
11:33 SPRINT Car physics look at Michael's code.
11:57 Break.
13:43 SPRINT Car physics look at Michael's code.
14:57 PRODUCER Meeting to talk about future work allocation after CES.
15:13 SPRINT Car physics try some ideas about thrust and twist.
17:28 End work.
=====
5:45
December 23:
9:09 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SPRINT Car Physics experimentation.
11:58 Break.
13:29 SPRINT Car Physics experimentation.
14:33 Break.
14:39 SPRINT Car Physics experimentation.
17:32 SPRINT Add new physics to game.
19:48 End work.
=====
9:02
December 24: Paid Holiday
12:10 SPRINT Add new physics to game.
17:34 End work.
=====
12:54
Weekly running total: 21:07 + 43:12 - 37:30 = 26:49 surplus.
December 27: Paid Holiday
14:25 SPRINT Add new physics to game. Get turns working partially.
16:43 End work.
=====
9:48
December 28: Paid Holiday
14:32 SPRINT Add new physics to game. Tune parameters for new
units (conversion from floating point to integer).
17:20 End work.
=====
10:18
December 29:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:21 SPRINT Idea why physics isn't working. Try fixing. Getting there.
19:38 End work.
=====
10:36
December 30:
8:40 SPRINT Talk to Mark about engine sounds.
8:45 SPRINT Lay out menu code for Mike & Sebastian to work on.
10:13 SPRINT Back to physics. Put cockpit pillars back in with
new sprite code. Simple collision reactions.
18:31 End work.
=====
9:51
December 31:
9:06 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SPRINT Try fixing jerkyness of steering by autopilot.
9:37 PRODUCER Meeting.
9:50 SPRINT Resumes.
13:04 ARTECH Look at The Wall game.
13:28 SPRINT Resumes. Finally get it working.
17:34 End work.
=====
8:28
January 1 1994:
15:11 SPRINT Add slipping friction. Wow, almost have a game here!
20:00 End work.
=====
4:49
Weekly running total: 26:49 + 53:30 - 37:30 = 43:09 surplus.
January 3: Paid Holiday
=====
7:30
January 4:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:12 SPRINT Add roll over detection so that having high thrust
makes sense. Talk to Sebastian.
9:30 Break.
10:16 SPRINT menu stuff.
11:38 WSAS Help Phil move TV set to Chyron.
11:52 SPRINT Resume menu stuff.
12:48 SPRINT Continue with physics, traction and roll around corners.
Game is now largely playable as designed!
15:54 SPRINT More menu stuff, demo timeout etc. Lots of polish.
21:44 End work.
=====
11:56
January 5:
8:33 ARTECH Erase EPROMS for various CES games.
8:40 SPRINT Yet more polish. Sprite background for pause menu.
10:04 PRODUCER Meeting. Talk with Rick about tax credit billing,
pre-plans for after CES.
10:24 SPRINT Put in main game sequence. Look for EPROMs.
13:55 Break.
14:58 SPRINT Put in tune car dodads (little pictures of things you
can change).
16:49 End work.
=====
7:13
19940105 Sprint Cars Game CES Version.mp4 19940105 Sprint Cars Game CES Version.mpeg
January 6:
=====
0:00
January 7:
9:22 SPRINT Read Sega developers news.
9:32 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:44 SPRINT Some more menu stuff (car tuning).
12:57 End work.
=====
3:35
Weekly running total: 43:09 + 30:14 - 37:30 = 35:53 surplus.
January 10:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:08 SPRINT Finish up Tune Car menu.
10:11 PRODUCER Meeting.
10:18 SPRINT Finish up Tune Car menu.
10:54 SPRINT Merge in name entering code from Michael.
11:56 Break.
12:35 SPRINT Merge in Sebastian's ski goggles and graphics tricks.
13:00 ARTECH General meeting.
13:28 SPRINT Merge in Sebastian's ski goggles and graphics tricks.
17:04 End work.
=====
7:28
January 11:
9:24 SPRINT Update with new graphics from the artists. Get user name
input stuff to work nicely.
12:27 SPRINT Put in new engine speed noises.
15:30 ARTECH Show Cory how to use the 3D package.
16:30 End work.
=====
7:06
January 12:
9:23 ARTECH Move desk to new spot.
10:05 PRODUCER Meeting. No quorum.
10:13 Break.
10:24 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:39 SPRINT Test game, need to turn off music or sound
effects during race.
10:49 PRODUCER Meeting with Rick.
11:22 Break.
13:28 SPRINT Fix status display to show car info from car being viewed.
14:15 SPRINT Set things up for AI drivers.
14:38 SPRINT Make a version for Carl (write how to drive, adjust graphics).
16:10 SPRINT Set things up for AI drivers.
17:17 End work.
=====
5:37
19940112 Sprint Cars How to Drive.mp4 19940112 Sprint Cars How to Drive.mpeg
January 13:
8:56 SPRINT Look at Indy Car racing on the IBM PC clone.
Pretty impressive yet familiar.
10:14 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:20 SPRINT Put in new background. Involved rearranging VRAM to use
less memory and making a memory allocation system that handles
discontinuous blocks of free memory.
13:57 Break.
14:40 SPRINT Problems with background, talk to Phil about symmetry.
15:31 SPRINT Write up milestone deconstruction. Mixed with helping
Sebastian and the artists.
17:00 End work.
=====
7:21
January 14:
9:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:35 SPRINT Put character set back into main 3D view (VRAM cram).
9:54 Break.
10:45 SPRINT Talk to Michael about race rule implementation.
10:54 SPRINT Back to putting in character set and fixing up a few other
things. Look at F1 racing for steering technique.
12:51 Break.
13:48 SPRINT Fix up VRAM allocation so that horizontal scroll memory
doesn't trash sprites and other things loaded in the small gaps.
15:10 SPRINT Change fences to use smooth non-moire patterns.
16:21 SPRINT Add some custom fields for AI local variables per car,
increase track friction for Carl.
17:01 End work.
=====
5:45
January 15:
8:46 3DO Play around with the 3D library, try to make my own 3D
object and display it. Mostly refamiliarization time.
16:37 End work.
=====
7:51
Weekly running total: 35:53 + 41:08 - 37:30 = 39:31 surplus.
January 17:
8:51 3DO Make backup and test it.
10:01 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:10 SPRINT Put in big steering wheel graphics. Redo car 3D pictures.
Try some more backgrounds.
13:50 SPRINT Continue rendering, tune physics.
14:46 ARTECH Meeting with Rick and Paul.
16:37 SPRINT Continue rendering.
16:46 SPRINT New background.
16:59 End work.
=====
8:08
January 18:
9:19 SPRINT Continue rendering cars in 3D. Call Sebastian at home
and instruct him to do driver instruction.
9:41 Break.
10:31 SPRINT Look at milestone fax from Rick to Carl.
10:44 SPRINT Check on rendering.
10:53 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:58 SPRINT Rendering, tuning, add multiple backdrop pictures,
change global variables to be C rather than assembler.
14:59 SPRINT Merge in Michael's racing rules code.
16:59 End work.
=====
6:50
January 19:
9:11 ARTECH Install pinball game for Phil LaFrance to look at.
9:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:33 ARTECH Look over plan for future work and employee allocation.
9:42 Break.
9:50 SPRINT Merge Michael's code.
11:06 BOING Help Chris install SNASM.
11:23 Break.
13:54 ARTECH Look at producer todo list.
14:00 SPRINT More merging, with Michael's updated stuff coming
back (need to hook it in to other parts of the game). Talk
to Colleen about dithering program and scanned pictures.
16:41 End work.
=====
4:51
January 20:
9:48 SPRINT Give stuff back to Michael.
9:56 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:01 ARTECH Producer todo list, estimate times and resources for
future work.
10:15 SPRINT Make header files for Sebastian's instructor
code to use. Integrate with main program.
12:07 SPRINT Get 3D roll pictures from the Amiga. Dither them.
13:10 Break.
13:18 SPRINT Resumes. Includes writing a utility for chopping an area
out of an IFF file.
15:51 Break while things compile.
16:35 SPRINT Try to get big pictures to fit in cartridge.
16:56 End work.
=====
6:16
January 21:
9:22 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:28 SPRINT Continue cutting out stuff to get pictures to fit.
11:15 ARTECH Write up list of times needed to obtain development
systems and to learn to use them.
11:39 SPRINT Add roll motion for collisions and flips etc.
12:52 Break.
13:08 SPRINT Continue with 3D motion of cars (roll, spin, bounce).
16:54 End work.
=====
7:16
January 23:
12:05 3DO - Try to get cube faces with picture right way around.
Hmmm, seems to be a bug in their code. Guess they never
tested it with a picture of writing.
14:29 Break.
14:54 3DO - Try working around problem. Fix 3DO library, get
spinning cube with pictures right way around.
16:53 End work.
=====
4:23
Weekly running total: 39:31 + 37:44 - 37:30 = 39:45 surplus.
January 24:
9:21 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:34 SPRINT Continue with 3D roll etc. Tie into roll going around
corners and pitching due to engine thrust, as well as collision
stuff. Had to split graphics data file into four parts.
11:20 Break.
12:10 SPRINT Back to flips and rolls.
12:25 SPRINT Fix GEMS development system for Mark (doesn't play).
13:32 SPRINT Back to flips and rolls.
15:12 ARTECH Producer meeting about build plan time & people est.
17:10 SPRINT Back to flips and rolls. Find equivalent angles so
multiple flips that end up being the same as unflipped are
recognized as such.
18:30 End work.
=====
8:19
January 25:
9:18 ARTECH Back up Steve XXX's A3000 onto tape.
10:27 SPRINT Fix crashes when cars go too high off screen. Look at
equivalent orientations to save pictures. Fix gravity roll
pulldown simulation.
16:37 End work.
=====
7:19
January 26:
8:55 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:03 SPRINT Look at Sebastian's physics. Merge Michael's rule code.
10:05 ARTECH Producers meeting. Talk about network, RCS, research
into new game machine development.
10:29 SPRINT Finish merge. Recompile everything to see if it is
up to date. Fixed engine RPM sounds (new sounds, RPM range).
12:00 Break.
13:27 SPRINT Add ski goggles. Fix roll to not be so bumpy.
17:33 End work.
=====
7:11
January 27:
9:09 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:14 SPRINT Test. Decide to take out ski goggles.
11:00 SPRINT Big confab with Rick and the artists on what is wrong
with the game. Take half a page of notes.
12:34 SPRINT Fix a few things. Take out debug message. Change
cockpit to hide garbage. Reset cars unobtrusively after
crashes.
13:30 SPRINT Meeting with Rick about the game faults.
14:00 SPRINT Watch Mark play the game. Fix skid sound so that it
restarts once in a while. Change steering technique.
Manual steering works as expected. Forced turn doesn't work.
17:42 End work.
=====
8:33
January 28:
9:23 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:28 SPRINT Give new main program back to Michael. Work on different
steering UI (drifting lanes on turns doesn't feel right).
10:05 ARTECH Producers meeting, talk about project cycles.
10:36 SPRINT Steering UI. Try mostly manual steering with guidance
down straights if you aren't steering.
13:12 SPRINT More steering, explaining to Rick.
13:43 ARTECH Meeting with Rick & Paul & producers.
14:40 SPRINT Talk to artists about new timing (Carl called).
15:05 SPRINT Back to steering, make a semi-manual mode. Put a
warning message on the screen if you roll over.
16:42 End work.
=====
7:19
Weekly running total: 39:45 + 38:41 - 37:30 = 40:56 surplus.
January 31:
8:46 SPRINT Render a new batch of cars with camera far from car and
zoomed in so that perspective distortions don't show up.
10:01 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:10 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian, back to rendering.
13:11 SPRINT Put in new small character set.
13:13 SPRINT Help Chris with Zax emulator hardware.
13:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:31 Break.
14:00 SPRINT Put small font in game. Many changes all over the
place, add a global font size.
16:28 End work.
February 1:
9:17 SPRINT Get new ray traced pictures from the Amiga (convert to
256 colour etc).
10:47 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:53 SPRINT Try to get touched up car pictures from artists. Fail.
10:58 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian about instruction mode.
11:03 SPRINT Recompile with new pictures. Fix some more of the
items on the fault list.
11:23 SPRINT Meeting with Rick and game review, more faults found.
11:58 SPRINT Fix faults.
13:25 ARTECH General meeting.
13:53 SPRINT Continue, putting in taunt graphics. Merge menu code
for start button enabling.
15:11 SPRINT Change palette and sprites for pause menu colours.
15:18 SPRINT More small stuff. Tune steering limits.
17:00 SPRINT Merge in Sebastian's instruction stuff, talk to Colleen
about touching up car pictures. Mostly merging.
18:28 End work.
=====
9:11
February 2:
8:33 ARTECH Upgrade Mark's A2000 to AmigaDOS 2.1 (ROM installed)
and add to the Amiga Ethernet. Lots of time spent hunting for
a SCSI terminator (25 pin). Used to have two. Give up, move
hard drive to another Amiga where the tape works without
a terminator. Doesn't work (SCSI reselection bug). Try
getting mountlists for it, in case it was GVP boot block.
Nope. Give up. Put it back in Mark's Amiga with new 2.04
ROM and Ethernet board. Will do the backup later over the net.
11:24 Break.
12:54 ARTECH Clean up from installing Amiga stuff, check on Ethernet
cable lengths (wow - we actually have enough).
13:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
13:35 SPRINT Prepare for version to be sent to Carl. Add new car
graphics from Colleen. Start on straightaway. Merge Michael's
racing shell code. Write up documentation for Carl. Upload.
17:30 ARTECH Install network software on Mark's Amiga and try
backing it up.
18:00 Break (really working on nasty install of network software).
22:04 End work.
=====
7:57
February 3:
8:40 ARTECH Install various software packages on Mark's Amiga.
10:25 SPRINT Update Michael.
10:31 ARTECH Backup all the old Amigas to tape by first copying to
a big hard drive.
10:43 SPRINT More rough edges. Put in Phil's new taunt screen. Fix
timing of end of race message.
11:45 ARTECH Back to backups.
12:13 SPRINT Back to fixups. Find bug with null driver field pointer.
Go on to make cars bounce off walls.
12:34 ARTECH Back to backups. Problems copying that much stuff to
the server (disk seek error). Try again.
12:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
12:57 SPRINT Bouncing off walls... Aerial collisions.
14:08 ARTECH Backup.
14:13 SPRINT Bouncing.
14:55 ARTECH Backup. Failed, try copying on server rather than remote.
15:16 SPRINT Bounce off wall.
15:43 ARTECH Backup find corruption with Steve's hard drive, fix.
16:01 SPRINT Bounce off wall.
16:40 End work.
=====
8:00
February 4:
9:25 ARTECH Backup files to tape, now that they are on the tower,
oops doesn't fit on the tape, compress later.
9:52 SPRINT Bouncing off walls. Tune.
10:42 ARTECH Producers meeting.
11:07 BOING Prepare blank EPROMs.
11:17 ARTECH Fix up problem with Mark's MusicX.
13:07 ARTECH Staff meeting.
14:25 ARTECH Make 3D space game cartridge for 3D Sega demo. Fail.
14:48 Break.
15:10 SPRINT Merge new code from Michael.
15:17 Break.
15:24 SPRINT Tune bouncing off walls.
15:27 ARTECH Fix up problem with Mark's PerfectSound, DiskMaster.
15:59 SPRINT Resumes.
16:55 End work.
=====
7:01
Weekly running total: 40:56 + 39:22 - 37:30 = 42:48 surplus.
February 7:
8:44 ARTECH Fiddle with Punch clock to get it to boot (hard drive
is failing). Start compressing old partitions for Amiga
backup.
8:58 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:12 ARTECH Check on compression progress.
9:14 SPRINT Add camera that follows around an object.
10:04 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:09 SPRINT Add camera continues.
13:43 ARTECH Producers meeting with Paul.
14:22 SPRINT Tune camera movements. See need for fractional
camera speeds.
15:36 SPRINT Write up milestone time estimates and code reuse.
17:23 SPRINT Make backup.
17:30 End work.
February 8:
9:03 ARTECH Figure out why LHA stops compressing files on the Amiga.
9:18 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:25 SPRINT Continue milestone writeup.
9:40 ARTECH LHA problems.
9:52 SPRINT Milestones code reuse.
10:15 SPRINT Add 4 bits of precision to camera speed so it doesn't
bounce around as annoyingly. Lots of tuning.
13:48 SPRINT Show RPM and speed in free floating camera view.
14:16 SPRINT Engine on/off noise sound effects.
15:29 SPRINT Clean up driver code to make human players more
flexible (less hard coding).
16:12 End work.
=====
7:09
February 9:
9:25 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:29 SPRINT Add in new sound effects from Mark for abrupt engine
noises when you hit the gas etc.
9:40 SPRINT Go over driver stuff, reorder race results to be in
heat order. Take out DriverField array so that you can have
more than 20 drivers at a day's race even though you will
see only 20 in one race at a time.
13:07 ARTECH Producers meeting with Paul.
13:57 SPRINT Get latest code to Sebastian.
14:10 ARTECH Compression finished, copy backup of old Amigas to tape.
14:30 SPRINT Continue with driver stuff.
19:57 End work.
=====
10:32
February 10:
9:25 SPRINT Continue with driver stuff. Polishing stage.
Also talk with Rick about milestones, graphics style.
10:22 Break.
12:13 SPRINT Back to driver stuff, give them unique names,
add new engine and skid sounds, merge Sebastian's
instructor.
17:48 End work.
=====
6:32
February 11:
9:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:27 SPRINT Talk to Mark about engine noise problems.
10:03 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:34 SPRINT Fiddle with engine noises, get them to work correctly
(was a race condition between sounds).
10:42 SPRINT Let the user decide how much of a race to abort rather
than aborting everything. Tune sounds. Write up changes in
new version.
13:00 SPRINT More polishing. Fix missing skid sound bug (restart
problem). Wait for user to let go of start button before
name entry. Warn about demo mode to avoid confusion, write
function to set up race screen with message. Put demo mode into
message box, gets erased too often otherwise. Clear garbage from
message box when pause menu puts it up. Force a redraw at start
of race so blank box doesn't show up. Wait for buttons to be
released before displaying standings. Look for double heat four
standings problem (was unused semi-main race).
14:37 ARTECH Get blank EPROMs ready for pony game.
14:40 SPRINT Continue. Change car collisions to avoid having cars
stick together. Upload new version to Carl.
16:16 End work.
=====
7:01
Weekly running total: 42:48 + 40:00 - 37:30 = 45:18 surplus.
19940211 Sprint Cars Game.mp4 19940211 Sprint Cars Game.mpeg
February 14:
10:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:21 SPRINT Talk to Sebastian & Michael, check on collision unsticking
code.
10:50 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:55 SPRINT Collision separation code seems to work.
11:02 SPRINT Raise gravity.
11:26 SPRINT Make pause box smaller so that it doesn't hide as much.
11:43 SPRINT Driving just beside wall lets you go through it, fix.
11:55 Break.
13:19 ARTECH General meeting.
13:46 ARTECH Help Mark install Ethernet cable.
14:17 Break.
14:22 SPRINT Driving just beside wall lets you go through it, make it
a bit tougher.
14:37 SPRINT Merge Michael's new AI code. Meeting with Rick. Fix up
code to use correct lane numbers.
16:38 End work.
=====
4:58
February 15:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet. Backup old log data and some utilities.
9:38 SPRINT Write up list of things that need to be done in the
future for Sprint cars Genesis and Mars versions.
10:10 SPRINT Meeting with Rick.
10:23 SPRINT Figure out layout of temporary opening and course
selection screens.
10:43 SPRINT Change game flow to match old flow chart.
11:50 ARTECH Help Phil configure modem (sports statistics project).
11:59 Break.
13:07 SPRINT Change game flow to match old flow chart.
17:03 End work.
=====
6:55
February 16:
9:36 SPRINT File away latest Sega newsletter. A duplicate.
9:41 Break.
9:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:52 SPRINT Get new graphics and flow working.
10:40 Break.
13:33 SPRINT Fiddle with new graphics, have two part title screen.
Talk to Sebastian about Rick's meeting.
15:24 SPRINT Start splitting bitmap screen mode into two, one with
a viewfinder and the other with the usual cockpit view. Get
sidetracked into fixing up new cursor numbers (cursors now made
part of a film strip).
18:10 SPRINT Still working at cockpit vs viewfinder mode. Make it
harder to roll over. Fix gauges for viewfinder.
19:23 SPRINT In middle of making a simple pause menu.
20:49 SPRINT Still going, trying to fix supersonic cars.
21:15 End work.
February 17:
8:30 SPRINT Back at it, get floating camera to start behind car.
8:47 SPRINT Reduce roll amount even more.
9:05 SPRINT Fix race finished message alignment.
9:07 SPRINT No pause menu when Start pressed in demo mode.
9:10 SPRINT Make it easier to press three buttons at once in
simple menu to get secret menu.
9:24 SPRINT Overhead camera view and user options storage.
10:31 SPRINT Show it to artists, seems to be ok.
10:56 SPRINT Talk to Rick.
11:25 SPRINT Stop excessive skidding (tune engine effects).
11:40 ARTECH General meeting.
11:46 SPRINT Stop excessive skidding (tune engine effects).
Increasing skid friction makes manual steering nice, stops
skid problem, but makes game boring. Try tinkering with
engine idle speed decay. Yup, that works well.
13:03 SPRINT Example code for Sebastian.
13:21 SPRINT No race finished message when exit used.
13:45 SPRINT No car is rolled message when trailing camera.
14:10 SPRINT Flash player's cars in blimp view. Make final version.
15:26 SPRINT Enable other AIs.
15:39 SPRINT Make automatic pilot lane changing sharper.
16:20 End work.
February 18:
9:25 ARTECH Set up EIC / CDTV demo for documentary on Artech.
10:13 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:38 ARTECH Set up 3DO demo.
11:31 SPRINT Talk to Chris about future plans.
12:27 Break.
14:23 SPRINT Get menu code from Sebastian, check it over.
15:28 SPRINT Write up list of things that need to be done to
make Mars game.
16:48 End work.
Weekly running total: 45:18 + 33:53 - 37:30 = 41:41 surplus.
February 21:
10:02 SPRINT Talk to Rick about Sprint cars.
10:05 ARTECH Producers meeting and talk with Rick about Sprint
cars and Motocross.
11:12 SPRINT Answer Sebastian's question.
11:21 ARTECH Help Phil with making business cards (was printing in
gray scale rather than bitmap mode).
12:12 ARTECH Time sheet.
12:40 Break.
13:17 ARTECH General meeting.
13:40 ARTECH Make parts list of 3DO stuff for Paul.
13:50 Break.
14:19 SPRINT Look at Sebastian's menu code. Fix up and integrate.
16:12 SPRINT Work on Sprint Car plan.
16:20 End work.
=====
5:12
February 22:
8:58 SPRINT Technical respecification for Sprint Cars.
9:06 SPRINT Meet with Rick to talk about it.
9:23 SPRINT Make flow charts of current and future code for Rick.
10:36 ARTECH Prepare 3DO stuff for shipping.
11:20 SPRINT Make flow charts of current and future code for Rick.
11:56 Break.
14:30 ARTECH Look for packing materials for 3DO box. Pack it up.
15:01 SPRINT Talk to Cory about Imagine and texture mapping.
15:16 SPRINT Think about steering techniques.
15:20 SPRINT Talk to Rick, start working on work plan. Talk to
Chris about polygons and cardboard cars.
17:08 End work.
=====
5:36
February 23:
9:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:53 SPRINT Continue making work plan list of tasks to do for
new Sprint Cars.
10:02 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:36 SPRINT Proof read flowchart.
10:50 SPRINT Work plan list.
11:23 Break.
13:10 SPRINT Work plan list.
14:53 ARTECH Talk about graphics to Michel.
15:47 Break.
15:57 SPRINT Work plan.
16:13 End work.
=====
4:32
February 24:
9:38 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:42 SPRINT Work plan.
10:28 SPRINT Look at hiqh quality renderings.
11:04 SPRINT Meeting with Rick to talk about Carl's visit.
11:42 SPRINT Help Sebastian with linker usage.
11:54 Break.
13:52 SPRINT Make work plan flow diagram (parallel & serial stuff), also
talk to Chris about the 3D system for a while.
16:11 End work.
=====
4:35
February 25:
10:14 ARTECH Time sheet (late start due to shovelling 39cm snow fall).
10:18 SPRINT Look at new renderings. Make an animation.
10:37 SPRINT Work plan flow chart.
10:42 ARTECH Producer meeting.
11:00 SPRINT Help Chris with linker and DSP code loading.
11:20 SPRINT More new rendering fiddling.
11:43 SPRINT Design 3D graphics system.
13:17 ARTECH Producers meeting with Paul.
14:08 Break.
15:22 SPRINT Design 3D graphics system.
16:00 Break.
16:21 PONY Program EPROMs for Paul.
17:07 End work.
=====
5:18
Weekly running total: 41:41 + 25:13 - 37:30 = 29:24 surplus.
February 28: Sick in the morning - bad headache.
14:25 ARTECH General meeting.
14:38 ARTECH Time sheet.
14:50 Break - fiddle with new OS/2 utilities.
15:17 SPRINT Talk to Rick about work flow diagram.
15:31 Break.
15:38 SPRINT Meeting with Rick and Chris to talk about 3D and
games using it. Possible bottlenecks etc.
16:35 End work.
=====
1:36
March 1:
9:21 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:27 SPRINT Meeting with Carl and Vince and Rick and Chris about
Mars and Sprint Cars.
13:00 Break.
14:17 SPRINT Work on 3D design. Watch Michael running programs
on the Zax & DSP emulator.
16:14 End work.
=====
5:36
March 2:
9:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:47 ARTECH Look at archive of Envoy software with an eye to
hooking the CD32 prototype to the network through
SLIP/Envoy (serial port network).
9:59 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:29 ARTECH Back to Envoy search.
10:51 Break.
10:56 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
11:24 Break.
13:20 SPRINT 3D design document continues. Also helping others.
17:09 End work.
=====
5:24
March 3:
9:00 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:04 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
11:24 Break.
13:25 SPRINT Make a list of reasonable milestones for latest
iteration of the project.
15:50 SPRINT Help Sebastian with graphics editor BGI problems.
16:14 End work.
=====
5:13
March 4:
10:02 ARTECH Producers meeting with Rick.
11:20 SPRINT Help Sebastian with graphics (show how to set palette,
how to display pixels).
11:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:47 SPRINT Milestone creation continues.
12:00 ARTECH Set up CD-32 and big TV as an artist workstation.
12:48 SPRINT Milestone creation continues.
13:40 SPRINT Help Sebastian with bad pointer problem.
13:53 SPRINT Milestone creation continues.
14:43 Break.
15:30 ARTECH Work on wish list of things to buy.
15:35 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
16:08 End work.
=====
5:19
Weekly running total: 29:24 + 23:08 - 37:30 = 15:02 surplus.
March 7:
9:15 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:22 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
9:34 SPRINT Show the Imagine 3D editor to Sebastian.
10:00 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:01 SPRINT Make a cube in Imagine for Sebastian so he can
look at the file format.
10:37 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
11:21 Break.
13:15 ARTECH General meeting.
13:32 Break.
14:19 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
14:36 ARTECH Producers meeting.
15:07 SPRINT Talk with Chris about synchronizing milestones.
15:39 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
17:01 End work.
=====
5:05
March 8:
9:26 SPRINT Install Imagine data processing software for
Sebastian to look at. Seems to work nicely.
10:21 Break.
10:36 SPRINT Milestone meeting with Rick & Chris. Tell Michael
to do SVP scaling of walls subroutine.
11:44 ARTECH Time sheet.
11:49 SPRINT Merge Michael's AI code and fix wall bounce (so cars
don't get stuck bouncing against the wall).
14:04 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
17:32 End work.
=====
7:51
March 9:
9:54 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:57 Break.
10:26 ARTECH Producers meeting.
11:22 Break.
13:12 ARTECH Look at Trantor disk for tape backup drivers,
find hard disk and CD-ROM and floptical ones.
13:26 ARTECH Meeting with Larry about network.
14:00 Break.
14:32 SPRINT 3D design document continues.
16:20 ARTECH Help Phil convert ISTV logo (Sports statistics) from
EPS to ILBM format.
16:44 End work.
=====
3:59
March 10:
9:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:02 SPRINT Proof read 3D design document.
12:37 Break.
13:23 SPRINT Look at SVP documentation. Think about setting one
up. Wrestle with hardware. Zax could be damaged (was really
hot when removed from Andrew's computer and also had mangled
cables from loose case top resting on it).
17:06 End work.
=====
6:23
March 11:
9:39 SPRINT Finish installing Zax & SVP emulator. Install software.
Try to get it multitasking under OS/2, switching video modes
seems to be the problem.
13:10 PONY Make Pony EPROMs for Museum demo. Test, find bug, show
Paul.
14:02 SPRINT Read Zax stuff.
14:25 Break.
14:44 SPRINT Read Zax stuff. Get Sprint cars to load (10 minutes!).
16:08 End work.
=====
6:10
Weekly running total: 15:02 + 29:28 - 37:30 = 7:00 surplus.
March 14:
8:48 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:57 SPRINT Back up ray tracer objects and data files used for
making 3D pictures of cars at all angles. Backup code and
data too.
10:17 SPRINT Study Zax and SVP usage. Help Sebastian now and then.
Help Michael with move to SRAM of bitmap buffer, and resulting
DMA glitches.
11:26 Break.
13:05 PONY Prepare blank EPROMs for updated version for museum.
13:10 ARTECH General meeting.
13:35 PONY Continue with EPROMs (remove from old, take off protective
labels).
13:41 Break.
13:46 SPRINT Trying to recompile from scratch. Fix up makefile.
14:04 PONY Program EPROMs.
14:45 SPRINT Talk with Rick.
15:11 SPRINT Make document describing what is needed for polygon
drawing code only.
15:44 SPRINT Study other Zax manual.
16:01 SPORTS Help Phill XXX move a hard drive between computers.
16:36 End work.
=====
6:04
March 15:
9:16 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:23 SPRINT Find replacement face pictures for final Genesis
version of Sprint Cars (test patterns look bad). Read
Zax manual in parallel. Update backups.
10:36 ARTECH Recreate space balls demo (Sega Genesis 3D demo).
10:55 SPRINT Talk to Rick.
11:03 ARTECH Recreate space balls demo continues.
11:09 SPRINT Reading Zax manual.
12:15 Break.
13:30 SPRINT Read SVP manual.
13:37 Break.
13:53 SPRINT Read SVP manual, get example textured polygon code
from CompuServe DDJ for Sebastian.
14:36 ARTECH Move furniture and computers around (computer and
table near the phone so people can take notes while talking).
14:46 ARTECH Talk to Rick about animation system bottlenecks.
15:10 ARTECH Research line cleanup in ADPro and ImageFX.
16:31 SPORTS Help Phill rearrange a palette to free up some colours.
16:42 End work.
=====
5:55
March 16:
8:50 ARTECH Try out bitmap tracing programs to see if they can make
good lines from scanned artwork. Nope, Aldus Freehand seems to
like doubling all lines and making lots of small segments.
9:53 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:02 ARTECH Producers meeting and talk to Chris.
10:34 Break.
10:47 SPRINT Read SVP manual.
11:20 Break.
13:13 ARTECH Talk to Roger about hours worked.
13:18 SPRINT Read SVP manual.
16:28 End work.
=====
5:32
March 17:
9:28 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:37 ARTECH Look at CineMorph to see if it's sequence morph could
be used for inbetweens. Nope, looks terrible.
11:28 SPRINT Read SVP manual, learn how it works, snoop around
13:09 Break.
14:23 SPRINT Help Michael with SVP debugging.
14:28 PONY Help Mark with echo of pony clop noise.
14:40 SPRINT Design 3D track data structures, help Sebastian.
16:40 3DO Look at new shipment of manuals and CDs.
16:51 End work.
=====
6:09
March 18:
8:40 ARTECH Time sheet.
8:45 SPRINT Design 3D track object placement system, worry about
ground polygons.
11:01 Break.
12:17 SPRINT Think up questions for Paul to ask new producer,
prepare last Genesis version for him to take.
12:45 SPRINT Back to design of track and ground. Rethink things so
that different joined stationary objects can share the same
points.
13:58 Break.
14:20 SPRINT Back to design of track and ground. Talk with Rick
about Milestones for Paul to take with him, talk to Chris
about Moto-cross.
16:38 End work.
=====
6:20
Weekly running total: 7:00 + 30:00 - 37:30 = 0:30 deficit.
March 21:
9:13 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:20 ARTECH Look at Clarkson University TCP software package to
see if it can be used to link the PCs and Amigas over
ethernet.
10:01 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:28 ARTECH Look at Clarkson University TCP package.
11:15 SPRINT Look at Michael's DSP version of scaling (slow, looks
bad but it works).
11:26 SPRINT Study DSP code manual and decode IROM contents. Install
DSP assembler etc. Decode IROM.OBJ file and figure out what
subroutines they have sent us (read DSP instructions and
figure out what they do).
17:25 End work.
=====
8:12
March 22:
9:59 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:04 SPRINT Continue decoding IROM subroutines.
11:34 Break.
12:20 SPRINT Continue decoding IROM subroutines.
15:39 SPRINT Measure frame rate in 68K and DSP versions,
DSP is slower (6fps vs 10fps).
17:06 End work.
=====
6:21
March 23:
9:02 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:05 SPRINT Experiment with steering user interface techniques.
9:25 SPRINT Talk with Rick.
9:57 SPRINT Set up SegaDev for faster programming in the SVP.
10:07 SPRINT Learn Sebastian's 3D previewer code for later
improvement efforts when Sebastian is away.
10:12 ARTECH Producers meeting. Talk about project futures.
10:51 Break.
10:57 SPRINT Clean up Sprint Cars disk space (delete unnecessary files).
11:24 Break.
12:48 MOTOCROSS Study Sebastian's code, add perspective and fix
up rotations to look correct.
17:12 End work.
=====
6:40
March 24:
8:51 MOTOCROSS Speed up Sebastian's code a bit (read bitmaps
into memory so they aren't loaded on every draw).
10:12 ARTECH Time sheet.
10:22 SPRINT Move archived Sprint stuff off the hard disk (old
versions of things). Verify backup.
12:59 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Rick and Chris.
14:06 ARTECH General meeting.
14:22 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Chris, decide to use track sections
with only the next N of them displayed, and a string to
select section sequences and attach one section onto the
next (implicit coordinate system).
15:35 SPRINT Write up list of unpaid Sprint stuff, help Michel with
optimising DSP scaling inner loop.
16:47 End work.
=====
7:56
19940324 Sprint Cars Final Game.mp4 19940324 Sprint Cars Final Game.mpeg
March 25:
9:11 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:16 SPRINT Backup old artwork and documents.
10:00 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:10 SPRINT Backup old artwork and documents.
10:33 SPRINT Brief Paul on project status.
10:53 SPRINT Back to backups.
11:24 MOTOCROSS Fix up Sebastian & Rob's new motorcycle model.
12:10 Break.
12:25 MOTOCROSS Fix texture crash bug with Chris. Continue fixing
bike model. Give up.
14:56 MOTOCROSS Look at old Artech 3D tools, show Ron how to use
the 3D object editor.
17:01 End work.
=====
7:35
Weekly running total: -0:30 + 36:44 - 37:30 = 1:16 deficit.
March 28:
8:57 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 ARTECH Talk to Larry about network experiences. Problems with
lack of memory (TSR size and windows) and related number of
simultaneous users (makes buffers bigger). Decide to limit
initial network size and try an OS/2 version of Lantastic. If
that doesn't work, try Novell (about as expensive as Lantastic
for a 20 node network).
9:35 MOTOCROSS Look at rest of Artech 3D tools.
10:08 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:49 MOTOCROSS Get Sebastian's new fixed model data, show it
to Chris.
11:19 Break.
11:47 SPRINT Review 3D design document. Talk to artists about 3D,
show Luc how to group objects.
13:28 ARTECH Fill out CPU description and wish list, talk with Mark
about music wish list (16 bit sound sequencing).
14:14 SPRINT Back to 3D review.
16:04 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Chris about work plan.
17:08 End work.
=====
7:43
March 29:
9:19 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:28 ISTV Look through Byte for information about dongles (copy
protection) and fill in information request form.
10:13 SPRINT Change 3D design to make filled colour polygons more
memory efficient (move cookie cutter to separate memory area),
talk to visiting Phil XXX about 3D used in Megafortress,
fiddle with OS/2 swap settings. Read up on visibility trees.
Look at Artech 3D tree code and utilities, they seem to make
a sorted tree for each object and draw the tree as one chunk.
17:05 End work.
=====
7:46
March 30:
9:05 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:10 SPRINT Work on 3D design document, with an eye to adding
BSP trees as well as a mix of mostly solid colour polygons
and textured ones.
9:58 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Rick, Jessie, Vince and Chris about
Motocross design and Mars (misentered on punch clock as
Sprint car project).
17:13 End work.
=====
8:08
March 31:
9:20 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:23 MOTOCROSS Make list of things that will be needed in the game.
10:02 ARTECH Producers meeting.
10:21 MOTOCROSS Make list of things that will be needed in the game.
11:40 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Chris, Michael, Sebastian, work on list,
look at competing games.
15:56 End work.
=====
6:36
April 1: Good Friday holiday.
=====
7:30
Weekly running total: -1:16 + 36:47 - 37:30 = 1:59 deficit.
April 4:
8:54 ARTECH Reset clocks on artists' computers, fix music machine's
network connection (IP address had been erased), clean my screens.
9:24 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:32 Break.
9:52 SPRINT Clean up 3D design document (was in middle of changes,
just finish them and save it).
10:08 ARTECH Producer meeting.
10:26 SPRINT Clean up 3D design document. Make final backup of
Sprint Cars source code etc.
11:36 Break.
12:33 SPRINT Backup continues.
13:11 ARTECH General meeting.
13:32 SPRINT Backup continues.
13:39 MOTOCROSS Show various high colour paint programs to Ron.
14:14 MOTOCROSS Look at Chris's list of things.
14:59 SPRINT Backup continues, with some Wall testing on Mike's
Sega version, helping Ron with high-colour art tools,
get all of Sprint Cars recompiled successfully from backup.
17:51 End work.
=====
7:40
April 5:
8:51 ARTECH Time sheet.
9:00 SPRINT Add Amiga 3D stuff to backup. Fix up disk that went bad.
10:11 MOTOCROSS Help Luc learn Imagine, and work around memory problems.
12:13 ARTECH Set up CDTV and Genlock for open house.
14:10 MOTOCROSS Meeting with Chris & Michael to talk about track
editor and data structures.
16:24 ARTECH Try installing the Artech demo disk under OS/2. Mostly
works.
17:03 End work.
=====
8:12
And that's the end of that story. MotoCross did ship on the Sega 32X and we went on to doing many more games, until spring 2012 when the company had to close down due to lack of work (Canadian dollar rose too much, and big clients like EA weren't outsourcing work any more).
AGMS20200902