Opened 16 years ago

Last modified 15 years ago

#46 new enhancement

Hardware mode verified libraries (CACA/AA/BB/etcetc)

Reported by: guest Owned by: libcaca
Priority: major Milestone:
Component: core Version: SVN
Keywords: libcaca, lib, textmode, standardized, interface, rendering, all, modes Cc: wilfredguerin@gmail.com
Product: libcaca

Description

There is need for hardware mode interface libs with standard abstract functions, especially for older hardware textmode and mda/cga/etc.

The primary concern is the utilization of diverse hardware (including pre-386 when available) and other terminal clients to their maximal capability regardless of modes available.

A UI interface needs be identical in perception regardless of bw 80x25 or various graphical modes or modern 3d cards.

The critical requirement, is standardized and validated lib for various fundamental drawing (demo style) capabilities to facilitate interface regardless of human language and preferential to graphical representations.

Drawing a glyph using ascii/ansi/termmodes is simple, however optimal drawing of 3d representations with best possible shading and effect rendering gets complex when dealing with diverse hardware profiles.

The goal is to have transparent (cough 3d textmode) methods of interface for (especially kids) various human populations which fully utilizes the interface and processing capabilities of ALL available hardware devices.

Put more simply:

Lib needs to handle ideal textmode rendering of some standard form of data to ALL possible hardware platforms and have the ability to verify the output per device (result image comparison) and transparently utilize any graphical or textmode capabilities to the most optimal for the host system.

vga line drawing, basic shading processes, etc as well as all textmode options with optimal shading and perceptual distinction... The historic textmode variations are my primary concern, as well as the optimal exploit of all hardware varieties.

There is no reason these tons of antique machines are not being used as is or stripped for critical components like video chips and buffer memory for use.

A standard, verified textmode lib which is optimized (away from c towards hw) for host systems is perpetually needed. Moreso, a standard method of verification of the output rendering (video permutations and image analysis) will facilitate accurate presentation regardless of diverse hardware solution.

Change History (1)

comment:1 Changed 15 years ago by Sam Hocevar

Component: libcacacore
Product: libcaca
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