While I was visiting my parents for xmas I did another marathon
archiving session (Floppy - disk image - CD). I've lost track of how
many times I've said this is the last time. The sessions get further
and further apart, but each time I flip the switch(es) the machines
keep coming back for more. Not bad for 17+ year old boxen.
When I was done w/this batch (61 disk images) and waiting for the lot
to transfer over the serial AppleTalk network (think 10.5MB over a
115KB/s connection), I was leafing through the stack I just did
wondering where things have gone. Aside from the usual gripes (the
manuals use to be awesome, the attention to detail was great, story
lines were more involving, etc.) I'd have to say technology
breakthroughs aren't as exciting.
Remember HAMming mode on the Amiga? Getting 16+ sprites on a C=64
through multiplexing? Rainbow backgrounds on an Atari 2600 (I think by
shifting the color pallet on the VBI signal)? The 'speech' in Castle
Wolfenstein for the Apple? Elite? :)
In addition to all the wonderful things that vintage games had going
for them, many of them had that wow, how'd they do that sort of
feeling. Even Mode 0x13 for the PC (320x200 256 colors, and I think
it was a linear frame buffer too instead of interlaced), even though it
was more or less just poorly documented, was a big thing.
Now some of the advances you've seen in years past: deformable
surfaces, colored lighting, inverse kinematics, more colors, more
polygons, better frame rates, full-screen anti-aliasing, hi-res
textures, etc. while visually impressive, don't seem to have the same
impact.
There was an article I read a few months back how James Bond films
don't get quite the draw they used to. One of the reasons is that 30+
years ago, the technology in the films was futuristic and fascinating.
Now it all seems so plausible, as if its only bleeding edge, or even
just new.
So two questions: Can you think of any technical innovation in games in
the past few years that really jumped out and made you say gee whiz?
Any classic favorites whose technology at the time was just
awe-inspiring?
geek
Merry Xmas from the gang:
http://homepage.mac.com/chisarickd/FamilyPhoto.jpg
Ed (IIgs, back left), Eep (PowerMac 6100, back right), The Apple,
bottom front left, Eep2 top front left.
They all still work (especially Eep2).
/geek
No comments on the background items, ok? Its a storage room now.
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