Release Jazz Jackrabbit 2

[notaz]

Jazz Jackrabbit 2 is a nice side-scrolling platform game.

So I used static recompilation yet again. This game is around half the code size of StarCraft, but I could do it just a bit over of a week, my tools have advanced somewhat. This game has an extra challenge of using MMX instructions, but I've found that if CPU detection thinks it's running on 486, it skips the MMX code. With this I could stub all MMX code out.

The game seems to be fullspeed (can update the screen 60 time per second), but doesn't feel like it. It does the same on my Linux PC under wine, and according to some googling, it runs poorly on modern Windows too. I didn't have the game back in the day, does anyone know how the game is supposed to run on something like Pentium2 with Win98? What I mean is take for example Sonic in PicoDrive that runs at 60fps and look at how scrolling feels, and then this game, there is certainly a difference.

Get it from the repo:

http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=package.jazz2

Instructions:

1. Install the game on PC.

2. Still on PC, apply the official 1.23 patch (j2patch123r.zip).

3. Copy the whole game's folder from PC to pandora/appdata/ folder of SD card and name it 'jazz2'. When done, Data.j2d (and many other files) should be right in pandora/appdata/jazz2 folder.

If you don't have the game CD to get the files from, here is a shareware version:

http://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=package.jazz2sw

Changelog:

r3:

- added optional fullscreen scaling

- wine: some NEON optimizations in DirectSound mixer

- wine: audio latency reduced yet more

r2:

- added a launcher with some options. If you don't want to change anything, just press enter or space to launch the game.

- added an optional hack to make scrolling smoother

- added an optional hack to slow the game from 70 updates/second to 60. This will match the LCD and make movements smooth, but slow down the game ~15%

- fixed crash handler getting stuck in infinite loop

- fixed random save corruption, saves are now compatible with PC. However saves from older version will not work and crash the game.

- some wine optimizations and speedhacks. Wineserver is now using ~1% of CPU instead of ~10% before.

- fixed occasional black screen on hitting alt+enter

 

[edgex004]

Wow, you make it look easy. Always wanted to play this series too. Thanks!

 

[Rockthesmurf]

I used to really like this game, definitely going to check this out!

 

[Ziz]

This is awesome!

Thank you very much, I LOVE this game! Best jump and run ever!

 

[fusion_power]

Cool stuff. Never palyed that game but I heared alot of good things about it.

The game seems to be fullspeed (can update the screen 60 time per second), but doesn't feel like it. It does the same on my Linux PC under wine, and according to some googling, it runs poorly on modern Windows too. I didn't have the game back in the day, does anyone know how the game is supposed to run on something like Pentium2 with Win98? What I mean is take for example Sonic in PicoDrive that runs at 60fps and look at how scrolling feels, and then this game, there is certainly a difference.

Hm, maybe because it is an PC game? Never that optimized than console games were, especialy not for this time. I'm sure cross platform games like Tomb Raider do still run much better onto the Pandora through console emulation (PSX) instead of using a PC version for a (more or less) direct port or usind DosBox/Wine/whatever. And yes, there were also SONIC games for PC when I remember correctly.But nothing can beat your PicoDrive!

 

[ingoreis]

Very nice,thank You

I am curious what Games com soon from you for us..

...Pandora will never Die

 

[spn-x]

Looks fantastic, thank you

 

[rSl]

cool! jazz rocks!

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

You guys are late,  I was the first one downloaded this one

 

[edgex004]

I won't until I get my baby back!


If I ever have children, they will be jealous of my Pandora.

 

[___]

This is another great release! The last couple of weeks have been awesome! Thanks so much. Brings back a lot of memories!

Have you checked out the plus mod for jj2?

http://www.moddb.com/mods/jazz-jackrabbit-2-plus

I wonder if this could be ported aswell. The mod patches the jj2 binary to load a custom dll on startup. It adds a scripting language, many bugfixes and a load of multiplayer enhancements and gamemodes. Would surely be an awesome addition to the port. I have no idea if the patched exe and dll can be recompiled, though.

 

[ingoreis]

a realy realy nice Game that runs fluid on my Pandora,see here:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/df8SzUJU_V8?feature=oembed

Maybe a Suggestion for your next Game: Age of Empires?

 

[rohezal]

I am very pleased to read that your tools are getting better and better. *Just curious and don't ask for anything* Can they link against open gl via wine via open gl es?

 

[Farox]

Very cool notaz

I also want to suggest a game...Jungle Strike or Desert Strike but i'm most interested on first (as i have a CD rom of it)

 

[Neelix]

This game has an extra challenge of using MMX instructions, but I've found that if CPU detection thinks it's running on 486, it skips the MMX code. With this I could stub all MMX code out.

Out of interest, would it be possible to somehow translate the MMX code into NEON code?

- Neelix

 

[notaz]

The game seems to be fullspeed (can update the screen 60 time per second), but doesn't feel like it.

I've just found the reason for it - the internal logic runs at 70 updates/second, but pandora's LCD is 60Hz and that creates stuttering. It I hack the logic updates to do 60Hz it's then buttersmooth, but the game is then like 15% slower than it should be. I've managed to find camera update function (to maybe make it update at 60fps, leaving other things alone), but it's huge and probably does some other things too...

I also want to suggest a game...Jungle Strike or Desert Strike but i'm most interested on first (as i have a CD rom of it)

Are the PC versions really better than the console ones?

This game has an extra challenge of using MMX instructions, but I've found that if CPU detection thinks it's running on 486, it skips the MMX code. With this I could stub all MMX code out.

Out of interest, would it be possible to somehow translate the MMX code into NEON code?

Yes that would probably work, but would require effort. Without MMX we lose for 16bpp rendering, all other usage has alternative codepaths without MMX, and I doubt it would have huge effect anyway.

Have you checked out the plus mod for jj2?

Yeah but they patch the game at runtime and their dll is bigger than the game exe itself, so this would be lots of additional work.

I am very pleased to read that your tools are getting better and better. *Just curious and don't ask for anything* Can they link against open gl via wine via open gl es?

I don't know, haven't checked that. I think wine depends on lots of full GL things, but maybe glshim would help.

 

[notaz]

a realy realy nice Game that runs fluid on my Pandora,see here:

Thanks for the video, but do you really get such a huge audio lag? Or is it something with the video?

 

[lunixbochs]

I think wine depends on lots of full GL things, but maybe glshim would help.

One of my longterm projects has been to make WINE work completely under glshim. It's not finished yet, but I can pass WINE Direct3D and DirectDraw initialization with my local version.

 

[_jr_]

Since I've always been too slow anyway I wouldn't mind a 15% slower version


Thanks for this port of a great game!

 

[ingoreis]

a realy realy nice Game that runs fluid on my Pandora,see here:

Thanks for the video, but do you really get such a huge audio lag? Or is it something with the video?

Hmm strange,did not rekognized it because my short play before sleeping.

My Originalvideo(MPG) has the Same Lag.

3 Things:

-I startet the Game 4-5 Times in a Row,maybe that is fault

-or maybe my new Driver for Saa7314 TV Card Chipset is fault

-can that lag be because TV Out? (i dont think its because this)

Will try it again this Evening ^_^