I was playing around today with making the same image for multiple platforms, just for fun.
I made
- a 16-colour Amiga version
- Amstrad CPC version
- Amstrad Plus version
- C64 version
Also uploaded the original.
Adding imgur link for visitors without a login to the forum: https://imgur.com/a/VOlffWK
Everyone feel free to make more versions. I'm curious what it will look like on other platforms.
SymbOS CPC V9990/MSX2 512x212x16 (1,5:1); photo from a real system:
-mppic.jpg
How many colors in each?
If I am not wrong 16 for all 5 :)
(I wonder why she doesn't have blue Eyes in Mr Lous Plus and Amiga version)
Two more: Amstrad CPC MODE 1 and MS-DOS CGA.
Quote from: Prodatron on 12:39, 11 January 25(I wonder why she doesn't have blue Eyes in Mr Lous Plus and Amiga version)
I wondered about that too! But I just use the tools. :)
Quote from: Prodatron on 12:39, 11 January 25If I am not wrong 16 for all 5 :)
(I wonder why she doesn't have blue Eyes in Mr Lous Plus and Amiga version)
If so, how does the Amiga version look so much better than the Plus one? Palette choice?
Sega Master and Sega Genesis / MegaDrive versions.
Most graphics conversion programs, when they reduce number of colors, choose those that have more pixels on screen, so sometimes important color that does not have many pixels disappears in new palette, but you can set this color manually and lock it, then program will use it. Because your color selection may be better than automatic, especially in MODE 1.
Quote from: ZorrO on 16:04, 11 January 25Most graphics conversion programs, when they reduce number of colors, choose those that have more pixels on screen, so sometimes important color that does not have many pixels disappears in new palette, but you can set this color manually and lock it, then program will use it.
Yea, I'm not graphics artist. Real artists should be able to do much better.
Just wanted to experiment, see how much effort it takes to create multiple versions of some graphics. Doesn't seem to take a lot of effort.
So to me it seems like a good idea for pixel artists doing stock graphics to create multiple versions of their creations, to increase chances of gamedevs finding it useful on their particular platform.
Quote from: Gryzor on 14:37, 11 January 25Quote from: Prodatron on 12:39, 11 January 25If I am not wrong 16 for all 5 :)
(I wonder why she doesn't have blue Eyes in Mr Lous Plus and Amiga version)
If so, how does the Amiga version look so much better than the Plus one? Palette choice?
The Amiga (320x200x16) has the double resolution compared to the CPC Plus (160x200x16).
Quote from: Prodatron on 16:24, 11 January 25Quote from: Gryzor on 14:37, 11 January 25Quote from: Prodatron on 12:39, 11 January 25If I am not wrong 16 for all 5 :)
(I wonder why she doesn't have blue Eyes in Mr Lous Plus and Amiga version)
If so, how does the Amiga version look so much better than the Plus one? Palette choice?
The Amiga (320x200x16) has the double resolution compared to the CPC Plus (160x200x16).
Ah I read the dimensions of the images...
SNES (256x183), 256 colors RGB555. To account for the 8:7 pixel aspect ratio I had to upscale the picture for PC viewing, and some interpolation was necessary. No original HW picture (yet), sorry :)
Please excuse the double posting; I should add that this is for SNES graphics mode 3.
Made more conversions: https://imgur.com/a/Vn6XGPF
Wonderful image! :) well done!
I was expecting a totally different thing, however ;D
I was wondering, how it is physically possible, to
make a disk image compatible with all computers. :doh:
Quote from: St-BeidE(DE/GB) on 11:02, 12 January 25I was wondering, how it is physically possible, to
make a disk image compatible with all computers. :doh:
Probably worth a new topic on its own, but I seem to recall magazines with a cover disk that would work on both Amiga and ST... Not sure how they did that, am I right in remembering that ST's use a an MSDOS disk format?
Maybe a special boot sector for the Amiga and the rest of the disk in DOS format, or were these genuinely mixed format disks?
Quote from: St-BeidE(DE/GB) on 11:02, 12 January 25I was wondering, how it is physically possible, to
make a disk image compatible with all computers. :doh:
McArti0 did this:
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/applications/symbos-3-1-released/msg241441/#msg241441
You can make hybrid discs, which contain both a CP/M filesystem and a FAT12 filesystem.
The first can be read on a native level by an Amstrad CPC (and probably other CP/M machines) and the second can be read on a native level by MSX, Enterprise, NC200, later PCWs, PC, Atari ST (?) [and of course any SymbOS machine].
I think there was another specific thread about this topic here as well.
Quote from: Skunkfish on 14:53, 12 January 25or were these genuinely mixed format disks?
This is very well explained here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhTfBSIANfI
That's also an interesting topic yes. :)
But yea, should probably be split into another thread, if more replies comes along.
I'm personally also a fan of the way Xbox games - when put in a normal DVD player - shows an Xbox logo etc. Not quite as geeky of course, but still...
Making such a disk actually qualifies as a form of steganography, which is the art of "hiding data in plain sight" within some other data - which is also an interesting topic. :)
Did another version: Amstrad CPC MODE 0 interlaced.
I wonder what the cons are with interlaced images. The advantage of course is that we suddenly get a palette of 125 colours instead of 27. And I know that one con is that a lot (most?) emulators doesn't handle it that well, which is why many YouTube videos give a terrible impression.
What other cons are there?
Quote from: mr_lou on 07:24, 27 January 25And I know that one con is that a lot (most?) emulators doesn't handle it that well,
And then CPCEC is used which can easily bind the interl into one color.
Quote from: McArti0 on 09:03, 27 January 25Quote from: mr_lou on 07:24, 27 January 25And I know that one con is that a lot (most?) emulators doesn't handle it that well,
And then CPCEC is used which can easily bind the interl into one color.
Yea, RetroVirtualMachine also does a great job with interlaced colours.
But there are still videos made even today with flickering colours, which can only be because of either poor emulation or bad settings. Maybe that's all it is? Bad settings?
Quote from: mr_lou on 09:27, 27 January 25But there are still videos made even today with flickering colours, which can only be because of either poor emulation or bad settings. Maybe that's all it is? Bad settings?
On a real CPC and monitor, you get horrible flickering colours and it's migraine inducing to look at for any length of time. I'd argue it's poor emulation to conceal that fact by deliberately blending frames to make it look smoother.
Quote from: andycadley on 09:31, 27 January 25On a real CPC and monitor, you get horrible flickering colours and it's migraine inducing to look at for any length of time. I'd argue it's poor emulation to conceal that fact by deliberately blending frames to make it look smoother.
If you mix black'n'white - or two other strong contrasting colours, then it will result in horrible flickering yes. And yes, it is therefor poor emulation to just show a steady grey colour.
But if you pick two colours that are relatively close to each other - which is all you need to produce one of the additional colours from the interlaced palette - then it definitely shouldn't qualify as "horrible" flickering. You may be able to see it, but it shouldn't be annoying to look at.
Quote from: mr_lou on 07:24, 27 January 25Did another version: Amstrad CPC MODE 0 interlaced.
I wonder what the cons are with interlaced images. The advantage of course is that we suddenly get a palette of 125 colours instead of 27. And I know that one con is that a lot (most?) emulators doesn't handle it that well, which is why many YouTube videos give a terrible impression.
What other cons are there?
The effect doesn't work on some modern televisions so if somebody is using a scart lead on a modern tv they'll not see the effect. I've tried it on my tv and only 1 colour out of each 2 was shown.
On an Amstrad monitor some colour combinations flicker more than others.
Does the tool allow various stipple patterns? There are some nice techniques on the C64 which have different stipple patterns that produce some nice colours.
Quote from: mr_lou on 07:24, 27 January 25What other cons are there?
It's often terrible when using scan converters to connect the CPC to VGA/HDMI displays.
Well, the interlaced effect will obviously only work on a 50 hz display, since it switches colour 50 times per second.
So when using a modern LCD screen or a VGA/HDMI converter that changes the refresh rate to 60 hz, we're bound to have issues.
Same problem if doing a 50 fps video - and then upload to YouTube where everyone will watch it on their 60 hz monitor.
An LCD monitor displays interlacing nicely by itself.
To show a flicker on YouTube you have to decide on 50 or 60Hz and watch on such a monitor.
https://youtu.be/DisL4Gj8Tc0
ps. Its not graber. I prepare this from few selected screenshots