Forum confusion...

[erico]

I wondered about the c64´s brown a while ago.
A bit way off topic, but I read the hardware designer chose those colors because he thought they were fine, just like that.

For me, it feels more like the c64 gfx was designed attempting to make it easier towards drawing more realistic humans (skin wise).
But yeah, there are a lot of browns there, it makes it easy to spot a c64 pic.

[Ruidesco]

A bit way off topic, but I read the hardware designer chose those colors because he thought they were fine, just like that.

Indeed, it was exactly like that. The guy just liked browns and blues a lot.

[Ian Price]

On the contrary, the C64 had many vibrant colours.  A colour output device was expected as standard

Now, we all know that's not true. "Vibrant" is definitely not in the C64's dictionary. 

[MrTAToad]

It does a pretty good approximation and none are tinted green

[Ian Price]

Not vibrant though, are they.

CPC colours aren't tinted green either. The colour output depends on the monitor used. The C64 would be monochrome on a black & white tv. Same difference.

[erico]

Yep, there is a lot of browns and toned down colors on c64.
Talking about vibrant, I´d expect some strong red or yellow.

The CPC on the other hand, has only vibrant colors available (and lots of greens).
That makes for an horror show if you want to shade something.

Both do interesting and amazing results.

By composition you can make the c64 display vibrant colors and the same you can do on cpc to shade stuff.

edit: that is , keeping the display tech off the talk. Samsung´s nowadays tech displays extreme alien colors compared to a standard lcd monitor.

[Ian Price]

Yeah, subtlety and shading wasn't the CPC's strong point, but then games back then weren't particularly subtle. I still prefer the vibrant CPC or even duller C64 colours to the teals and oranges of most games today. I still love the Speccy monochrome games for their style and substance over ability though. And colour clash creates some wonderful pop-art  imagery.

[MrTAToad]

Here is a quick little thing I knocked up...

Spectrums were good for 3D stuff - probably their only advantage

[erico]

Agree with Ian, the color clash has its own charm.
I even love the coco color clash bizarreness when on TV and the blue/green boot thing.

I do prefer the art that takes its hardware capabilities as a tool, instead of trying to mimic full color.
Same as 3d, the ones going for photorealism does not interest me.

Mr.T, nice snippet!
If ran on a window inside windows it won´t cause much effect as if it were ran fullscreen.
In full screen, our eyes adapt and vibrant colors are there.

[Ian Price]

How about this for a bit of awesome - http://symlink.dk/projects/c64key/

Much better than today's crap keyboards



[EDIT] MrT - not heard that music in years. brings back many fond memories.  Commando IIRC.

[erico]

It sure is! specially compared to touch keyboard.

I like the blocky hard keys, they feel safe and you can code while looking at other stuff (a second monitor with a manual etc).
Makes it great to multitask while writing.

It does remind me of old Borroughs terminals same way...

[spacefractal]

look like this thread turned into offtype about old computers.... which is nothing wrong about that.

Spectrum, CPC and C64 have each thier charm, which is depend which people you talk to.

For me, im really liked the sound chip on the C64 very much, and also used Amiga up to Windows 95 came to market. So im was a Commodore man in the young days (hence my current game is a C64 remake).

One of the fun comparisons site is that one:
http://www.retro-sanctuary.com/Comparisons%20Main.html

[Ian Price]

One of the fun comparisons site is that one:
http://www.retro-sanctuary.com/Comparisons%20Main.html

Except that some of the images are wrong: Look at Midnight Resistance - http://www.retro-sanctuary.com/comparisons%20-%20Midnight%20Resistance.html  - The Speccy and Amstrad CPC are swapped.

[MrTAToad]

How about this for a bit of awesome - http://symlink.dk/projects/c64key/

Much better than today's crap keyboards



[EDIT] MrT - not heard that music in years. brings back many fond memories.  Commando IIRC.

Yes, one of my favourite tunes!

[spacefractal]

One of the fun comparisons site is that one:
http://www.retro-sanctuary.com/Comparisons%20Main.html

Except that some of the images are wrong: Look at Midnight Resistance - http://www.retro-sanctuary.com/comparisons%20-%20Midnight%20Resistance.html  - The Speccy and Amstrad CPC are swapped.

just a "spelling error". Its more title over images that got swapped.... not images its self. Cybernoid is also a great example how a game should been done and play nice on all computer platforms.