Extra Half Brite games?

[Amiga_Nut]

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).

I'm pretty sure the 256 colour graphics of Universe was achieved using palette switching on the fly per scan-line but still using non-HAM screen mode on non AGA machines. In fact wasn't it identical graphics for both?

Could be wrong, but see if I can dig up some blurb on it from one of my Amiga mags.

[matthey]

I believe there was a special version of A10 (flight sim) that used HAM.

[Cammy]

Interesting, only have the AGA CD32 version so will track that down and see what the speed is like compared to stock 32 colour OCS/ECS Shadow Fighter.

The CD32 version isn't AGA, it still uses EHB but it has extra graphics like the guy with the flags who starts the match. Shadow Fighter OCS used dual playfield mode which is two 8 colour (7 + transparency) so it's not a 32 colour game. The AGA version uses two 16 colour playfields so it's 32 colours in a way though.

[yorgle]

Wasn't "James Pond 2: Robocod" also EHB?

[Xanxi]

Can' believe Conquest of the Longbow uses HB. The graphics are awful. That's the only adventure game conversion that i prefer to play on MSDOS with PC-Task.

[Karlos]

Well, it's not just about how many colours you put on screen that mattered, it's how they were used too. After all, Syndicate only used 16 colours for the in-mission graphics (even the PC version which used 640x400 for the in-mission graphics, no more than 16 colours were used).

[Clooned]

Risky Woods from Dinamic Software ( published by EA ) was EHB.

[Franko]

Well, it's not just about how many colours you put on screen that mattered, it's how they were used too. After all, Syndicate only used 16 colours for the in-mission graphics (even the PC version which used 640x400 for the in-mission graphics, no more than 16 colours were used).

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...

[save2600]

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.  

Exactly how I feel. One of the reasons modern gaming seems so generic to me. All looks the same today! At least back then, when you saw a screen shot of something, you could make an educated guess as to what platform it was on. And that's partly what made the games and systems more interesting. Nothing compelling about generic off the shelf parts and standards. Unless they're put to use in creating an affordable and economically sensible computer to run an Amiga or Amiga like OS on  

[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  

[NorthWay]

Was Battle Squadron in EHB?

I always thought that pinball would have been nicely suited for a HAM game.

[Amiga_Nut]

The CD32 version isn't AGA, it still uses EHB but it has extra graphics like the guy with the flags who starts the match. Shadow Fighter OCS used dual playfield mode which is two 8 colour (7 + transparency) so it's not a 32 colour game. The AGA version uses two 16 colour playfields so it's 32 colours in a way though.

So there is no 256 colour version of Fightin' Spirit at all? Hmm can't say I have played the CDs yet (CD32 is kaputt)

[Amiga_Nut]

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...

Wasn't it max 4 colours on screen on VIC-20 from a palette of 16 (only 8 for inside the border though) Anirog Skramble for VIC20 looks pretty good compared to the C64 version except the resolution on VIC is pants.

Anyway each step has produced a marked increase in quality.

VCS/Intellivision/ZX81 to
C64/Atari 5200/Amstrad etc  
Amiga/SNES/Genesis/VGA DOS  
Software 3D on DOS PC/PS1/Saturn/N64  
PS2/Xbox/Dreamcast/Gamecube t
PS3/360/£300 GPU + i7 in PC etc

Ok the last generation is the start of refinement/photo-realism sure but it is still very noticeable to me. Popup in games affects gameplay despite being a technical issue too.

You couldn't do something like Jet Set Radio Future before Xbox level of graphics and what an awesome and original game that was, a true class act. Ditto Shadow of the Beast on anything other than Amiga was a waste of time too. Every evolution will have games worth playing end of story.

But I do believe this is the last generation where any improvements in graphics are going to be barely noticeable and we only have 2 ears so 5.1 sound is enough

[AmigaHeretic]

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 :-)  

They have different tricks for changing the palette per scan like E-Ham and things.

Something fun if you have an OCS/ECS Amiga is to show hundreds of colors at once.

Load up DPaint and select a 32 color mode.  Create 32 colors in a gradient blues or something.  Now create a gradient going left to right across the screen.

Leave dpaint running and go back to Workbench.  Load up 3 more instances of Dpaint, and create different gradients in each instance of Dpaint, reds, greens, yellow, whatever just get unique colors.

Now simply drag the 1st Dpaint down to the bottom 1/4 of the screen, drag the 2nd about 1/2 way, the 3rd copy about 3/4 or the way down, and leave the 4th copy of Dpaint up at the top.

Now you have an OCS/ECS Amiga easily displaying 128 colors at once on your monitor.

That essentially what some of these tricks do, only for hundreds of pallets (on for each line) and they do it really fast.  


People always think Amiga can only show 32 colors (besides HAM), but that's not really true.  Amiga OCS/ECS can show 32 colors Per palette. There isn't a limit on the number of palettes.  So you can create a game with 100s of colors.  Maybe the ground you walk on is 32 colors of greens and browns.  Then the background is 32 colors of blue for the sky.  That's just an easy example of making a game with 64 colors.  

Same thing works in Hi-Res. Amiga is limited to 16 colors per Palette.  In reality you can technically have 1000s of colors on OCS in hi-res too.

[Franko]

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.

I reckon with a lot of todays games you'd be better off just buying the movie on DVD and sitting back and watching it with some popcorn instead of bothering to play the game.

If I wanted photo realistic graphics just to run around shooting everything, I'd be better of dressing up as Action Man and running around the woods at the back of my house with a paint gun shooting the squirrels, much more fun & plenty of healthy exercise too. Don't think the neighbours would notice as there used to my odd little ways by now...

[mel_zoom]

A lot of amiga games changed colours from one line to the next making appear them more colourful.