ZX Spectrum visual style, do you like it?

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by derkoi, Oct 6, 2013.

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Do you like the ZX Spectrum style?

  1. I love it!

    9 vote(s)
    37.5%
  2. I like it.

    6 vote(s)
    25.0%
  3. Not bothered.

    3 vote(s)
    12.5%
  4. Don't like it.

    4 vote(s)
    16.7%
  5. I hate it!!

    2 vote(s)
    8.3%
  1. derkoi

    derkoi Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2012
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    East Yorkshire, UK
    I suspect it's not very popular with younger players but for those who are older than 30 it might be.

    So I was playing around with the visual style and wondered if there's a market for new games that look like ZX Spectrum games.

    Here's my quick test:

     
  2. slamraman

    slamraman Well-Known Member
    Patreon Gold

    Aug 27, 2011
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    Personally I love it, if done correctly, like I Am Level. My kidz even loved that.
     
  3. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    I love it (but I am from the UK).

    As long as the gameplay is great it should be a brilliant game with retro graphics. Speccy looking games are still very popular. Retro gamer (magazine) often feature retro looking 'new' games and the Elite Speccy app apparently does well

    I would get this 100%
     
  4. derkoi

    derkoi Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2012
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    Game Developer
    East Yorkshire, UK
    Thanks for the replies so far :)
     
  5. DannyTheElite

    DannyTheElite Well-Known Member

    Oct 13, 2012
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    As long as it has good gameplay the graphic style doesn't matter to me.
     
  6. AnarKitty

    AnarKitty Well-Known Member

    Oct 10, 2010
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    Minneapolis, USA
    I was always more of a C64 person given the better colors, but games like I Am Level make it work regardless. Go for it.
     
  7. derkoi

    derkoi Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2012
    83
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    East Yorkshire, UK
    I am level is an excellent example that's for sure.
     
  8. Mene

    Mene <b>ACCOUNT CLOSED</b>: <em>Officially</em> Quit iO

    Mar 18, 2012
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    I was around during the ZX81/Spectrum/C64/BBC years so..

    I love it :)
     
  9. cloudpuff

    cloudpuff Well-Known Member

    Sep 12, 2013
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    lazy layabout
    uk
    I'm in the uk and 34 today. I personally am not a fan of the old style graphics, don't get me wrong, I'll enjoy and buy games that use them but much prefer modern graphics. I'll have a play for old times sake but would much rather play Mario kart on the wii than the snes.

    One of my first computers was an Amstrad cpc and I remember typing in code for hours to turn the numbers into a musical keyboard or waiting for what seemed like hours for the cassettes to load the game.
     
  10. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    To me as long as the gameplay is great i dont mind too much about graphics. I was born and bred on games with 'simple' graphics and now i would rather have a platformer which is say 20 meg than some 220 meg taking up space on my device because of its 'pretty graphics'

    I played Mario Kart much more on the SNES and GBA so i prefer those versions. The Wii version was brilliant but nowadays to me its all about what games i can play on my i device. But saying that as i can play Mario Kart (SNES) on my iphone its all good !
     
  11. FlightOfTheFelines

    Jan 28, 2014
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    I'm 33 & from the US but just recently discovered the Spectrum thanks to importing copies of Retro Gamer. I think the visual style is incredible, especially all the dithering & color flashing you find in games like Myth & Rex. An absolutely gorgeous experience.

    I've been creating a masterful collection importing games into Spectaculator. I'm really hoping to get my hands on one of those Elite Systems keyboards since they've gotten their legal problems sorted out, but I think the official app is still pulled :/
     
  12. jerrnej

    jerrnej Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2014
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    Maribor
    Personally I adore the old-school C64, ZX graphics and all, but I think that's because of nostalgia and because I was around when Top Gun the movie was released in '86 :) We should ask some 13 year olds what they think about it. Seems like there are only veterans commenting in this thread :D
     
  13. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    I agree i've seen some youngsters play Speccy games and think it looks terrible. For its time and just 48k its amazing what they did back then

    Again its down to gameplay, i saw an old post of mine which i still agree with now, i would rather have a 20 meg playable game than some 500 meg game with nice graphics but poor controls etc.

    Of course theres nostalgia but basically the games are good fun, same for classic arcade games from the 80's. Just very playable, playability doesnt age
     
  14. jerrnej

    jerrnej Well-Known Member

    Mar 12, 2014
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    That is absolutely true. :)
     
  15. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
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    I tend to draw the line at Amiga quality, that's when you could begin to see personal art styles develop. Before that, a lot of it was up to the imagination.
     
  16. dancj

    dancj Well-Known Member

    Jan 25, 2011
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    Nah. Even back on the Spectrum you could see the distinct visual styles of Matthew Smith, Jon Ritman (or at least the artist he worked with - can't remember the name), Costa Panayi, Stephen Crow, Raffaele Cecco, Ultimate, Bo Jangeborg and others.
     
  17. JCho133

    JCho133 Well-Known Member

    Jul 27, 2012
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    I like it if it's done well, the developer Quantum Sheep is a perfect example of great ZX Spectrum graphics
     
  18. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
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    Screenshot them for comparison, post them and I'd be happy to have my mind changed.
     

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