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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