Bubble Universe

[Movie Vertigo]

This is my version of Bubble Universe for Acorn RISC OS machines.

Video of it running here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxGOBxy6oAY

It's written in heavily optimised, handcrafted ARM code and should run on any RISC OS machine, from an original Archimedes to a Risc PC. It even runs on a Raspberry Pi with RISC OS 5.28 installed!

On a 200MHz StrongARM Risc PC, where it manages to simulate 16384 particles at 93 frames per second in 480x352 256-colour mode.

If you want to try it out on your own machine, you can download it here...
https://movievertigo.github.io/download ... euniverse/

[lovebug]

lovely jubbly

[trixster]

Very nice indeed!

[Diminished]

Beautiful.

Probably looks nicer on a CRT than an LCD.

[dudleysoft71]

I converted it into a MacOS screensaver, which I use on my machine at work, it's a bit slow because it's using the OS Graphics library to draw all the points, but it still looks nice running.

I've attached the file here, as far as I know it should work for both x86 and Apple Silicon macs.

Bubble Universe.saver.zip

(11.27 KiB) Downloaded 29 times

[Movie Vertigo]

Beautiful.

Thank you!

Probably looks nicer on a CRT than an LCD.

Yes, it looks much better on a CRT. Free hardware based "bloom" effect

[alexandersmith]

This is my version of Bubble Universe for Acorn RISC OS machines.

Lovely to see this, thank you.
The performance seems to be limited to the frame rate defined in the MDF.
If you have (say) two versions of 640x480 with different frame rates, it seems to either:
(a) Choose the lowest.
(b) Accept which mode RISC OS chooses.

According to the manual for the monitor connected to my Iyonix the maximum frame rate for 800x600 is 75Hz so that's as far as I can test it.

I know it's a work-in-progress and I will keep an eye open.

[Movie Vertigo]

The performance seems to be limited to the frame rate defined in the MDF.

Yes, as it's written now, it waits for the vsync to make things buttery smooth.

If you have (say) two versions of 640x480 with different frame rates, it seems to either:
(a) Choose the lowest.
(b) Accept which mode RISC OS chooses.

The different versions for download right now simply select mode 15, 28, 32, or use OS_ScreenMode to select 480x352
There is a different binary for each resolution for speed. That way I can do things like... a) bake in unrolled loops b) Convert certain MULs to shifts, etc.
The BASIC file that assembles the code does a lot of logic to make the optimal code depending on the resolution.

I know it's a work-in-progress and I will keep an eye open.

I intend to release the source code soon, once I've made a few more tweaks. Then you'll be able to select the exact modes you want.

[Movie Vertigo]

I intend to release the source code soon, once I've made a few more tweaks.

Source code now available...
https://movievertigo.github.io/download ... ceCode,ffb

[baz4096]

I've attached the file here, as far as I know it should work for both x86 and Apple Silicon macs.

Fantastic, many thanks! Works pretty nicely on my old 2013 MacBookPro

[simonm]

Love this, awesome work!
Reminds me of Spheres of Chaos. Great game.

[Movie Vertigo]

Love this, awesome work!

Thank you!

Reminds me of Spheres of Chaos. Great game.

Yeah, I loved Spheres of Chaos. Multiplayer was fantastic fun!

[wmd]

How did you record the CRT footage?

[Movie Vertigo]

How did you record the CRT footage?

With a Sony a7sIII.
I set the shutter speed to slightly longer than the refresh rate of the monitor to try and eliminate the black bars. You still get a "brighter" band rolling down the lit pixels, but because they're all single pixels it's hard to spot.