Kids These Days think you could actually see the pixels in 8- and 16-bit games.
No game ever looked like Shovel Knight. Ever.
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Stop posting emulator screenshots when discussing graphics of older games
- Thread starter PetriP-TNT
- Start date
Kids These Days think you could actually see the pixels in 8- and 16-bit games.
No game ever looked like Shovel Knight. Ever.
RedAssedApe
Banned
the funny thing is...emulator screenshots is kind of how we remember things though at least until we play them again in their original form. rose colored glasses...nostalgia and all that hah...
the 32-bit era was an era of ugly 3d games
the 32-bit era was an era of ugly 3d games
CRT-Easymode is fairly light. It blends the pixels enough to take the edge off them and makes the contrast better without super dark scanlines:
(that's with the shader's brightness boost set at 1.3, so it's a bit brighter than it's default)
Direct capture shots are great for comparing system capabilities. But I think with some emulators providing pixel perfect video output they can provide a good substitute. Of course if you google image search a game you'll probably get upscaled shots, so often you'll have to take them in an accurate emulator with the most accurate settings yourself.
The narrative trying to be pushed here is weird. Games looked just as great from the ol' Tele as they do through an emulator (without filters and anything that modifies the game's visuals, and that includes filters that try to replicate the CRT look).
I could see pixels in the games back in the day. Televisions didn't smooth and round out sprites or anything.
I could see pixels in the games back in the day. Televisions didn't smooth and round out sprites or anything.
Enter the Dragon Punch
Banned
Those images all look terrible. Was the nose of the devs of these filters glued to their TV when they were younger? That's not how games on CRT looked like from a normal viewing distance.
We are just gonna have to disagree then.
Maybe if you were using a SCART connection back in the day, but here in the states the best we usually had was composite until S-video started making some headway. And that's if we were lucky to own a TV with composite plug, otherwise we'd have to settle for RF, which looked like this:
I'm not going to trust your memory because apparently you think those screenshots look at all authentic.
baphomet
Member
Maybe if you were using a SCART connection back in the day, but here in the states the best we usually had was composite until S-video started making some headway. And that's if we were lucky to own a TV with composite plug, otherwise we'd have to settle for RF, which looked like this:
My NES games look like the picture on the left.
See, I would follow the argument that is disingenuous to post screenshots from emulators for these old games since it doesn't represent the original experience.
But if it means that people who may have missed out on that era of gaming get a second chance at playing these games because it's now crossed the arbitrary line they have for graphics, then power to them.
I know people who would rather play Super Mario 64 via emulator over the direct honest to god cartridge and N64 right beside them, and have it uprezzed to hell. I can't get mad, because it means they want to actually play Super Mario 64.
If posting these screenshots of old games rendering at 4K with ridiculous AA on it gives them the push to try it themselves, I'm all for it.
But if it means that people who may have missed out on that era of gaming get a second chance at playing these games because it's now crossed the arbitrary line they have for graphics, then power to them.
I know people who would rather play Super Mario 64 via emulator over the direct honest to god cartridge and N64 right beside them, and have it uprezzed to hell. I can't get mad, because it means they want to actually play Super Mario 64.
If posting these screenshots of old games rendering at 4K with ridiculous AA on it gives them the push to try it themselves, I'm all for it.
Mine look like something in between because I used composite, the one on the left looks like it's SCART and the one on the right looks like it's RF. Or maybe I'm just remembering wrong idk.
Granted I think using SCART images when discussing how retro games look is legit because that is what the hardware is capable of outputting. You're not using an emulator or anything.
Your NES games had square pixels?
That's fine with me.
Maybe if you were using a SCART connection back in the day, but here in the states the best we usually had was composite until S-video started making some headway. And that's if we were lucky to own a TV with composite plug, otherwise we'd have to settle for RF, which looked like this:
My games never looked that blurred (American, here). Composite cables, as well. Until I got a Saturn and I believe I had S-Video for that system.
Here is some video of SFII (Arcade). This is how I remember my games looked when I played them.
https://youtu.be/jU2eOI4OVPA?t=221
And some images of the 3DO version of Super played through a Mitsubishi MegaView.
baphomet
Member
The original NES only had RF and Composite. Ive got an RGB modded NES outputting into an xrgb mini. It looks gorgeous.
7DollarHagane
Banned
Maybe if you were using a SCART connection back in the day, but here in the states the best we usually had was composite until S-video started making some headway. And that's if we were lucky to own a TV with composite plug, otherwise we'd have to settle for RF, which looked like this:
This is accurate. I remember Zelda 2 like the one on the right.
Well congratulations on your awesome TV, because I'm pretty sure the majority of us had to settle for that RF shit.
Got any pics of Super Mario RPG? You can actually see a huge difference with and without scanlines. The 3D effect of the environments become flat and ugly without them.
baphomet
Member
Totally agree with the OP. Screen shots from emulated games are not representative of the actual game running on actual hardware.
Yet anytime someone mentions a PS1 game their memory of what it looks like is horrific as supposedly it only displayed shitty textures and super low poly characters which isn't true.
It's today's obsession with visuals over anything else.
Yet anytime someone mentions a PS1 game their memory of what it looks like is horrific as supposedly it only displayed shitty textures and super low poly characters which isn't true.
It's today's obsession with visuals over anything else.
Well congratulations on your awesome TV, because I'm pretty sure the majority of us had to settle for that RF shit.
Haha. I think it's just not as bad as some of us recall. This thread is relevant to our interest.
I'd say this is how my NES games looked.
PdotMichael
Banned
Well, talking about recall bias.
Yeah, I made a before and after shot and the second one makes the shading look so much nicer:
It's noble enough to want graphical discussions to not be flooded with high-level emulator shots rendering at higher internal resolutions. Call out the instances where these shots are inappropriate.
If they have the assets to hold up under that level of clarity. Prime can gracefully handle 1080p, I'd say that Mario 64 and Metal Gear Solid can't.
If they have the assets to hold up under that level of clarity. Prime can gracefully handle 1080p, I'd say that Mario 64 and Metal Gear Solid can't.
PetriP-TNT
Member
I mean this picture was posted in the Back In 1995 thread:
The picture is called "compare_people.jpg". Really?
foxuzamaki
Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
I agree
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
Pan the camera out some so we can see that Iwata.jpgthsi is how Super Mario 64 looks for me right now:
i cheated because this is Wii VC with Component cables
JailDesigner
Member
THIS!! I never saw a pixel when I was a kid. Not even with the Spectrum. Only Atari 2600 or the Amstrad CPC mode 0 where noticeably.
Pacman is perfectly rounded. You know the pixels are there, but they are clearly NOT like the modern indie games.
Kids should see a Commodore Amiga in action and drool.
Just so we're clear, I'm not arguing for filtered, or otherwise images being posted as true representations of the games played in the original state. I'm just saying there's nothing wrong with this (with CRT image on right for comparison);
Unaltered, unfiltered image. A direct-screen capture of the software in it's original state. This kind of screenshot accurately displays games as they are meant to be seen, and not in the varied pool of CRT Monitors/Televisions, RF, RGB, Composite and so on cables and cords.
Unaltered, unfiltered image. A direct-screen capture of the software in it's original state. This kind of screenshot accurately displays games as they are meant to be seen, and not in the varied pool of CRT Monitors/Televisions, RF, RGB, Composite and so on cables and cords.
SapientWolf
Trucker Sexologist
Old school CRTs have a really soft image. You're not going to get that sharp pixelated look on them. Also, round pixels vs square like an LCD.
It's like night and day on the statues. I really wish that scanlines were available on Virtual Console and PS Classics because of how much they improve the image quality to these older games.
Exactly!!
My computer screen to browse GAF is 2560 x 1440, and you want people to post pics of NES games at native res of 256 x 240??
PetriP-TNT
Member
Yes. But that's not the point here.
Yes and no. If you are posting a screenshot of Duck Tales, that's ok. If you are posting a 2650x1440 screenshot of Duck Tales when comparing it against other games of similar timeframe, that's not ok. At that point you might as well post a picture of the remake.
And mostly this is a issue with 3D games
ResidentDante
Member
If you want to replicate CRT's with scanlines in emulators, what is the go to of scanline strength? 25/50/75/100%?
baphomet
Member
I posted a picture captured from my NES above. Like I said, mine look like the emulated shot.
Probably 25. The only time I ever saw scanlines was when at the arcades, where they were in your face.
No it's not. CPS games render at 384 x 224 but they are designed for a 4:3 display. Capcom never intended for people to play SFII in squashed widescreen.
RGB makes NES games look great, unlike composhit.
My counter argument, photos from my CRT. Sony Trinitron 28" 4:3, consoles hooked up via RGB as is standard here in the UK:
Remember that RGB is a standard output here in Europe, was fully supported by all TV sets in the 90s and the SNES and PSX outputted in RGB with the use of the standard SCART cable.
That fuzzy Zelda 2 example? Never experienced that. Ever. See those photos I posted? That's how I experienced games in the 90s.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
I own a CRT as well. Losing fidelity is an improvement?