#3949 - Vortex - Thu Mar 13, 2003 4:39 pm
Hello !
I know this sounds like a dumb question, but I am going to ask it anyway:
Which is the best way to implement a menu for a GBA game. I see a couple of different ways to do that:
1. Use tiles to implement the menu items and the background (Modes 0,1,2)
2. Use tiles for the background and sprites for the menu items (Modes 0,1,2)
3. Using a bg picture + sprites for the items (Modes 3,4,5)
4. Using a bg picture and some clever palette manipulation to highlight the menu items (Mode 4)
Using sprites is tempting but considering how big the menu items are in some cases I am not sure there is enought space to do that.
I was wondering which method is used in most of the games.
Your advise will be appreciated.
Thanks
#3952 - Saj - Thu Mar 13, 2003 5:40 pm
Hi Vortex,
The main factor here would be the mode that you have chosen for your game.
Mode 5 is definately out because it's crap!!
(someone out there will probably disagree with this statement...)
In fact, as most 2D arcade games use tile/maps for backgrounds, I would guess that modes 3 & 4 are probably out too.
That leaves you with modes 0,1 & 2.
As mode 0 has no rotation or scaling I would guess that you would choose one of the others.
Also most games by capcom (I would presume other big companies too) use sprites for menu items.
Hope this helps...
#3953 - fnxgames - Thu Mar 13, 2003 5:42 pm
Hi :)
Most games out there uses Tiles for everything, menus included.
I think it depends on what kind of menu u need and which "effects" u
want into it.
For example, think about Street fighter Turbo menu, where, while choosing
your char the bg pic in the background is scrolling and chars are in the same position.
If u want somenthing like that u obviously need tiles.
I use static Mode4 bg + some sprites for my own games, as for now, i
don't need menu special fx, but just an entry point to the game, that is
the main thing i focus on :)
Hope to helped u in some manner,
Bye!
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Federico "FNX" Nisoli
FNX Games
#3955 - tepples - Thu Mar 13, 2003 6:01 pm
I've seen all four methods used in commercial games for PC, NES, GB, Super NES, GBC, or GBA platforms.
I wouldn't suggest a mode-4 menu because you won't be able to easily animate submenus sliding in unless you build the entire sliding layer out of sprites, and with only 16 KB, it'll be quite tough
I'd suggest the method of Tetris Attack for Game Boy, a hybrid between 1 and 2. Use tiles for the non-selected menu items and sprites but use sprites to animate the selected item.
Another method is to put all the menu items on a layer and just make a small "arrow" sprite pointing to the chosen selection
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#3964 - jenswa - Thu Mar 13, 2003 8:50 pm
If you can animatie the backgrounds,
a good way for a menu could then using the backgrounds.
Otherwise keep it a little bit easy and thake some sprites and/or a
combination of sprites and backgrounds.
So this gives you the options mode 0, 1, 2
just to tease, in mode 5 you can build a great shooter with a nice
menu, but the resolution is just low.
If you are used to plotting pixels in mode 4,
then it's even more easy. But i just use it for a nice 256 colour picture.
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It seems this wasn't lost after all.