Quantcast

The evolution of water effects

Come on in, the water's lovely

Words: Justin Towell, GamesRadar UK
0 Comments
Email this article
Bookmark
Email this Article
Close

Sonic The Hedgehog (1991 - Master System version)
Perhaps the best 8-bit water effects came from Sonic's first outing on Sega Master System. A mesh of pixels (later adopted by the Saturn in place of proper transparancies - shudder) created an effect the Master System hardware shouldn't have been capable of. It was helped of course by the fuzzy cables of the time - no RF lead could display the tight checkerboard of pixels and so blended it through luck or design to create translucent water. Cartoony surface and waterfall animations continued the art style perfectly. And riding a bobbing log over the surface was the icing on the cake.

Above: The mesh of pixels (left) look like a transparant colour when blurred. Like an old RF lead

 
Latest Features
TalkRadar 28 – givin’ away games!
360 Feature
Nov 21, 2008
Gears of War 2’s best and worst moments
360 Feature
Nov 21, 2008
Filling in the Mount & Blade blanks
PC Feature
Nov 21, 2008
22 kickass Animal Crossing patterns
Wii Feature
Nov 21, 2008
A history of videogame chainsaw killings
360 Feature
Nov 21, 2008
» More Features
Latest News
Gears 2 Up for Five Awards at VGAs N4G
360 News from N4G
Nov 23, 2008
Buy the Gold Lancer...for 99999MS Points! N4G
360 News from N4G
Nov 23, 2008
Bill Cosby: Grand Theft Auto is Entrance Exam for... N4G
360 News from N4G
Nov 23, 2008
Final Fantasy XIII Wins MTV Game Award N4G
PS3 News from N4G
Nov 22, 2008
Tom Hale talks Second Life premium accounts N4G
PC News from N4G
Nov 22, 2008
» More News