The problem with playing old games with new technology, argues Textfile’s Jason Scott, is they’re just too perfect. Games like Asteroid were intended to be played with vector displays that, rather than rendering crisp, rasterized images, trace the outlines of each shape using an electron beam, resulting in a warm glow that emanates from the celestial bodies. Scott goes on to give several examples of how such visual “flaws” can be a good thing — when it comes to old software, at least — before offering up a solution that doesn’t involve investing in ancient hardware: monitor emulation. The article on Scott’s blog points to a number of projects striving for imperfection, including HLSL filters for MAME and A Television Simulator.
Stop playing vintage games on new monitors
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