[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.05,0:00:07.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There is a certain beauty in well-designed\Npixel art.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.05,0:00:15.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It speaks of a simpler era - a time when sprites\Nreigned supreme.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.17,0:00:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Designed to move across a game's playfield,\Nsprites are two-dimensional images that represent
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.04,0:00:27.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the player, enemies, or other non-static aspect\Nof a game.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.01,0:00:32.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Often drawn with the help of dedicated hardware,\Nthey have been an essential facet of computer
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.10,0:00:37.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,graphics almost as long as games have existed.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.02,0:00:43.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Early sprites were small in size and limited\Nin palette, but as the pace of technology
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.02,0:00:50.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,increased they became larger; more detailed;\Nand much more colourful.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.09,0:00:54.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Huge sprites meant huge arcade impact.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.16,0:01:00.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Games like Strider were held in high regard\Nfor the sheer scale of the action: towering
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.05,0:01:04.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,characters and huge sweeping plasma swords.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.07,0:01:09.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was made possible by the powerful CPS-1\Narcade board - with custom sprite chips capable
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.05,0:01:15.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of drawing 256 16-colour sprites per scanline.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.05,0:01:21.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This was the board that would power Street\NFighter II: a title which would set a benchmark
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.61,0:01:26.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,within the fighting game genre, with large\Nand diverse character sprites coupled with
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.06,0:01:28.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,fluid action.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.76,0:01:35.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It sent the popularity of fighting games skyward\Nand kickstarted a new wave of arcade popularity.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.48,0:01:42.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Graphics might not be important, but they\Ncertainly attract attention.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.19,0:01:49.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One technique that proved particularly popular\Nduring the 2D era was parallax scrolling:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.22,0:01:52.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,splitting the foreground or background into\Na number of layers which move at different
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.04,0:01:57.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,rates, to give the impression of scene depth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.64,0:02:01.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Moon Patrol was one of the first games to\Nmake effective use of the technique, with
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.05,0:02:03.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,its colourful mountain vista background.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.43,0:02:11.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a striking effect - and home computer\Nusers were quick to imitate: with games like
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.00,0:02:15.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Parallax on the Commodore 64 even named for\Nthe scrolling effect.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.00,0:02:22.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the time of the 16-bit machines, it was\Na far more attainable technical feat: and
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.00,0:02:27.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would become a common sight in 2D platformers.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.00,0:02:32.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Shadow of The Beast's colourful implementation\Nimpressed: and as hardware power increased,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.00,0:02:38.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,scenes became more complex: and the blast-processing\Npower of the SEGA Megadrive gave games like
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.09,0:02:41.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sonic The Hedgehog more character than ever.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.03,0:02:49.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was an era of cartoon mascots, and platformers\Nwere en vogue.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.07,0:02:55.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The arcades were no stranger to animated heroes:\Ntie-ins to popular television series such
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.00,0:03:02.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or The\NSimpsons were major draws, and their frantic
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.02,0:03:07.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,paced four-player action was the perfect fit\Nfor the social nature of such amusements.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.03,0:03:14.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On the home consoles, the success of games\Nlike Mario and Sonic inspired a large number
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.05,0:03:19.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of similar games - and the familiarity of\Nfilm licenses made tie-ins like Aladdin a
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.04,0:03:22.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,huge success.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.06,0:03:26.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The colourful world and expressive animation\Nof Disney gave the game a great visual grounding
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.05,0:03:32.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- and ensured its place as a best seller.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.05,0:03:38.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some characters were home-grown: Shiny Entertainment's\NEarthworm Jim had all of the style and flair
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.06,0:03:43.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,expected of the platform genre, but did so\Nwith a new creation: a powered-up worm wearing
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.06,0:03:47.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a cybernetic super suit.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.00,0:03:55.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Its zany sense of humour and unique style\Nmade for a memorable close to the 16-bit era.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.06,0:04:00.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island embraced\Na painted aesthetic: rather than a push for
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.05,0:04:05.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,showy effect or realistic appearance.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.06,0:04:10.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's this style that helps the game's visuals\Nstand up today: while it might not be technically
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.06,0:04:13.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impressive, there is a hand-drawn charm consistent\Nthroughout.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.01,0:04:21.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,By the mid 1990s, sprites were starting to\Nbecome passe: the focus was starting to shift
Dialogue: 0,0:04:22.07,0:04:27.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,towards a new wave of three-dimensional games,\Nand the potential that lay within another
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.76,0:04:29.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dimension.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.04,0:04:35.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's not to say that 2D games went away\Nentirely: there were still plenty about, and
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.07,0:04:39.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mature tech behind them made for some\Nparticularly impressive visuals towards the
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.63,0:04:41.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,end of the decade.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.10,0:04:47.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The lush spritework in games like Metal Slug\Nremains a pinnacle of the style: unbound by
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.66,0:04:52.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,colour or size restriction, and with fantastic\Nanimation.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.54,0:04:59.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some games work best in 2D - and while 3D\Nfighting games eventually rose in popularity,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.04,0:05:04.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there were still plenty of traditional sprite-based\Nones: such as SNK's long-running King of Fighters
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.16,0:05:06.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,series.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.73,0:05:13.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Beautiful, but a dying breed: the best hand-drawn\Nsprites require good artists. However - there
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.35,0:05:21.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are some techniques that serve as a passable\Nalternative.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.06,0:05:26.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Animation is a vital part of making movement\Nin games believable - and in the days before
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.08,0:05:33.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,motion capture, some artists would draw from\Nreality using a process called rotoscoping.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.95,0:05:39.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The original Prince of Persia's sprites are\Ntraced directly from video: A labour intensive
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.88,0:05:46.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,technique, but one that delivers natural-looking\Nmovement with realistic inertia.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.01,0:05:52.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Similar techniques were used in other cinematic\Nplatformers, such as Another World - and Flashback.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.53,0:05:58.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Both made use of rotoscoping for in-game sprites\Nand for cinematic cutscenes: fluid in motion
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.01,0:06:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,yet compact enough to fit on a couple of floppy\Ndisks.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.06,0:06:09.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Digitised sprites were fashionable for a while,\Ntoo - images taken directly from photographs
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.56,0:06:12.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or video of real-life subjects.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.85,0:06:18.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The earliest example is Journey, which featured\Nblack and white images of the band - but the
Dialogue: 0,0:06:18.08,0:06:23.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,technique wouldn't become commonplace until\Nthe early 90s.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.08,0:06:27.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Winners don't use drugs - nor do they have\Nany qualms in slaughtering drug dealers by
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.01,0:06:29.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the dozen.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.04,0:06:35.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Narc was a very early 32-bit arcade machine,\Nwith thousands of on-screen colours and hugely
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.08,0:06:40.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,impressive digitised sprites for its time\N- and unabashed ultra-violence paired with
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.05,0:06:45.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,realistic images certainly courts controversy.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.20,0:06:50.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The realistic characters and large number\Nof animation frames found in fighting games
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.05,0:06:51.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were a good fit for digitisation.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.13,0:06:58.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Reikai Doushi and Pit Fighter paved the way,\Nbut it was one game in particular that flung
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.00,0:07:03.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,such sprites to the forefront: Mortal Kombat.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.81,0:07:09.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Photo-real characters and brutal action made\Nthe game a controversial one - which in turn
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.98,0:07:12.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ensured its popularity.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:13.48,0:07:17.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like Streetfighter II before it, Mortal Kombat's\Nrealistic sprites were particularly influential
Dialogue: 0,0:07:18.31,0:07:23.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- titles like ClayFighter were clearly moulded\Nin its image, and the previously hand-drawn
Dialogue: 0,0:07:24.09,0:07:30.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,riders of Road Rash were replaced by real\Nbikers in the third instalment.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.67,0:07:36.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The impressively-rendered Donkey Kong Country\Nwas perhaps the pinnacle of 2D 16-bit platformers:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.10,0:07:43.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,colourful; beautifully animated; and a smash\Nhit to boot.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.63,0:07:48.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The advent of multimedia technology meant\Nmore room for pre-rendered content and full
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.17,0:07:51.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,motion video.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.59,0:07:56.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Games like Myst took full advantage of the\Nhuge amount of storage space that CDs brought:
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.81,0:07:59.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,enabling atmospheric prerendered backdrops.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.51,0:08:04.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The serene island setting of Myst proved a\Nshining example of what the emergent technology
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.38,0:08:07.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was capable of.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.45,0:08:12.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Most early CD-based games were pure tripe,\Nhowever.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.13,0:08:17.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Games like Night Trap for the SEGA CD are\Nremembered not for their groundbreaking technology
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.03,0:08:24.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- but instead for their awfulness.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.95,0:08:29.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the bluster of new tech, and none of the\Nimpact.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.07,0:08:35.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The future wasn't in interactive movies - and\Nwhile the compact disc's extra storage would
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.10,0:08:40.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,become very useful in the years ahead - FMV\Nwould eventually give way to games with more
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.78,0:08:47.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depth.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.40,0:08:55.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Join me in part three when we'll be delving\Ninto the origins of gaming's third dimension.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.01,0:08:59.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until then, farewell.