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Graphics > Differences between modes?

#473 - theSparko - Wed Jan 08, 2003 1:06 am

I've seen graphic modes 3, 5 and 7, what is all this stuff? Also, are there any even modes?

Thanks,
theSparko

#486 - Burre - Wed Jan 08, 2003 2:20 am

Mode 7? Do you mean like in Mario Kart or what? I don't think that there are any HW mode 7 (only 0,1,2,3,4 and 5). :/
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#508 - tom - Wed Jan 08, 2003 7:57 am

mode 0,1 and 2 are character modes.
mode 0: 4 normal backgrounds
mode 1: 2 normal backgrounds and one that can be scaled/rotated
mode 2: 2 scaled/rotated backgrounds

mode 3,4 and 5 are bitmapped modes.
mode 3: 240*160, 15bpp, one page
mode 4: 240*160, 8bpp (paletted), two pages
mode 5: 160*100 (i think), 15bpp, two pages

that are all video modes of the gba. for more info, see http://www.work.de/nocash/gbatek.htm

with mode 7 people usually mean modes like in mario kart, yes. the gba has no such thing, it is done by manipulating video registers during the display period. check out this demo:

http://www.gbadev.org/download.php?section=demos&filename=MODE7SRC.ZIP

#534 - Splam - Wed Jan 08, 2003 2:58 pm

Mode 5 is 160x128 :)

#1055 - tepples - Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:23 am

tom wrote:
with mode 7 people usually mean modes like in mario kart, yes. the gba has no such thing, it is done by manipulating video registers during the display period.

"Mode 7" was a Super NES display mode roughly equivalent to GBA's mode 2, except Super NES mode 7 had only one rot/scale layer. Super NES games such as Super Mario World (some bosses), Cameltry (game), and Actraiser (intro before side-scroller levels) used only the straight rot/scale aspect of Mode 7. Super NES games such as Pilotwings (game), Super Mario Kart (game), and Zelda 3 (map screen) used Mode 7 with hblank DMA in much the same way that the more advanced GBA demos and games do it.

Thus, "mode 7" in the context of the GBA is a slang term for rot/scale character backgrounds (BG2 in mode 1 and BG2 and BG3 in mode 2).
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