Bregalad wrote:
I prefer myself use the 8x8 mode, because 8x16 mean that each sprite is two consecutive tiles. The tile index is AND-ed with #$fe, clipping the lowest bit, and the even tile (lowest bit to 0) is at the top, and the tile just after it (lowest bit to 1) is at the bottom. The actual lowest bit is the pattern table index instead, so you can adress both pattern table. This will often waste a lot of pattern table, even if you can use both, it often is a huge waste and do nothing but reduce BG tiles space available.
Yeah, I did not get into much detail about the 8x16 sprites. You pretty much summed it up.
I can see when 8x8 sprites are more usefull. I know you like RPG's, where characters are usually 16x16 pixels, right? When they walk, you can animate just the legs (bottom 8 pixels) and keep the head, something not posible with 8x16 sprites, where you'd have to draw the same head twice, wasting CHR space.
I prefer 8x16, however, and I'll also explain why. I enjoy platform games, such as
Sonic The Hedgehog. Characters and enemies tend to be larger, so using 8x16 sprites allows you to effectivelly put more stuff on the screen. Also, there are usually many items in the level (in Sonic's case, spinning rings). On the NES, A big row of rings can only be represented with the background, or it would all flicker a lot. BUT, it is desirable that the same ring graphics be used as sprites, when Sonic looses his rings, for example, or to place a ring where it would not be aligned to the background. In that case, drawing the same ring twice would be a waste of space. I many times want to use the bg graphics as sprites, and that is only possible with 8x16 sprites.
Also, in the case of the spinning rings, if their animation is achieved through CHR bankswitching, it would make much sense to use the ring that's already there, spinning and all, but in the bg side of the patterns. Repeating the animation on the sprite side would also be a big waste of space.
Well, that's why I like 8x16 sprites. Both have advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you're doing.