Extra Half Brite games?

[fishy_fiz]

Thanks for the list. Isn't Agony and other parallax games just using 6 bit planes in stock dual playfield mode? Agony doesn't look like 64 colours bobs + copper lists really. Lionheart used another trick to get round the 16+16 foregroung/background limit too I believe.

Actually it's 8 + 8 for ocs/ecs. Only AGA has 16 + 16  (3bitplanes (8 colors) + 3 bitplanes per playfield or 4bitplanes (16colors) + 4 bitplanes) respectively). It wasnt uncommon however to use 16+16 colors for ocs/ecs, but its not dual playfield mode, rather just a way to save some chipram (data is in 4bit color this way wather than 5bits).


*edit*
Heh,... bizarre. I was going through this thread again and noticed the typo of "wather" instead of "rather". Clicking edit however and the text actually reads "rather". I've also had some problems with the layout being different in the thread than it was typed and appears when you click "edit". Has anyone else encountered any of these strange glitches? Or is this maybe a bit too off topic to so as to warrant a seperate thread ?

[fishy_fiz]

I remember at the time, Universe was said to use a special, carefully chosen HAM6 palette, that did not cause fringing. I'd like to know more about that.
?

I remember magazines at the time reporting they used 256 colors even on ocs/ecs machines, although dont recall them saying it was HAM. Im not saying you're wrong, I've just always been curious about how the got so many colors on ocs/ecs :-)  I'd always put it down to changing color registers multiple times with a base of 64 colors, but that was just a guess.

I used to enjoy reading interviews with developers in the old c64/amiga magzines. Would be good if AGTW or someone interviewed some of the developers of Amiga software that used the hardware in creative ways in my opinion  :-) (assuming theyre contactable).

[fishy_fiz]

Reckon that kinda sums up why todays games don't impress me much, having started of with the VIC 20s 8 colours & the C64s 16 colours and being totally blown away at the time with what people could achieve with so little. It kinda makes todays stuff look like nothing more than a bunch of full colour screen grabs joined together as quickly as possible in order to lull folk in with that initial WOW factor and bugger the gameplay or heaven forbid actually making each game something new and different...

While I agree to a degree that the more retro machines can be used in impressive ways, I'd have to say that the same has in recent times come true of modern games too. Once upon a time modern graphics power was used to hide a weak game, but proportionally I dont think there's a lot of difference between generic use/abuse of modern hardware vs. hardware put to good use for the gaming experience today as there was yesteryear.

 There definately is a lot of stuff driven via audiovisuals nowadays, but I think it's more a parallel to hollywood than it is to abuse gameplay.... big budgets, parent companies/investors not wanting to take risks, etc.

 People arent easily impressed with modern titles these days, eye candy is a given whether the game is good or not, so it cant be hidden behind these days so easily.

Im a big retro game fan, the classic amiga is my favorite system, and I get a kick out of seeing what results can be obtained with aga and so I do get it, but sometimes I think it's easy to look back with rose tinted glasses. Although I agree gaming can be quite generic these days, it again isnt too far different from the amigas heyday, the main thing that's different is the genres. FPS's today, platformers or 2d shooters yesterday.

At the end of the day a well crafted game is a well crafted game and I'll accept all good applicants