Spectrum Computing

On ZXDB exist a feature type called "Rainbow Graphics", inherited from WoS. But doesn't exist any feature named "Border effects" to signal those games that do any interesting effect in border, exactly as Vectron, Aquaplane, Beach Head II, The Sentinel, Paperboy, Super Wonder Boy and many others.

Would be interesting to add it?

I vote yes.

I'm also voting yes!

Could someone please help identify the other programs that should be included in this category?

Jaws had a border colour split on the title screen intended to line up with attributes, but the timing didn't adjust so it was in the wrong place on a 48K (although I think my memory might be of a magazine demo rather than the final release).

My River Raid Tech Demo draws the bridge roads into the border.

There wouldn't be really many games with such effects.
Demos, on the other hand, are a different story.

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 12:59 am Could someone please help identify the other programs that should be included in this category?

I can start gathering them.
To be clear, we have: games that have some sort of border effect, like Birds and the Bees:



Games that sync the border on a basic way:



or more complex ways, like letters:



The idea is to group all of them, right?

Vectron
Super Wonder Boy
Gutz
Biff
Dark Star
Paperboy
Academy
Beach Head II
Venom Strikes Back
TV Game
Hundra
Starion
Octagon Squad
Pippo
Expedice
Defenders of the Earth

and Aquaplane / The Sentinel /Jaws of course.

druellan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 2:21 pm The idea is to group all of them, right?

Yes. Please create a new group called "Border Effects" (group type "Feature"), then add these titles as members.

Thank you!

Also:

Gnarly Simon
Rotatrix
BorderTrix
Knights & Demons DX

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:48 pm Also:

Gnarly Simon
Rotatrix
BorderTrix
Knights & Demons DX

Rotatrix & BorderTrix are technical demos more than games. When you includes demos then add others as Shock Megademo & Overscan.

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:39 pm

druellan wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 2:21 pm The idea is to group all of them, right?

Yes. Please create a new group called "Border Effects" (group type "Feature"), then add these titles as members.

Great!

Also:

• Pud Pud
  Chuckman
  Excalibur
  Skoll Daze
  Back to Skool
  Contact Sam Cruise (I think)
  Locomotion (has a very particular "fake" loading effect)
  Bugaboo

There are games that have very simple border changes, when you got hit, like

• Turbo Esprit
  Deep Strike

I'm also counting those.

zx81 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:52 pm

Einar Saukas wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:48 pm Also:

Gnarly Simon
Rotatrix
BorderTrix
Knights & Demons DX

Rotatrix & BorderTrix are technical demos more than games. When you includes demos then add others as Shock Megademo & Overscan.

Actually Rotatrix is a development tool, not a tech demo.

My own Mazeball falls into that Birds and Bees category of border stripes just being a mildly distracting effect of generating sound fx, but I think you would many other games that do the same

Defender of the Crown (https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=1321)

Press space at the menu to see the Hungarian Flag at the border

There was one game that had a countdown (54321) where the numbers used the whole screen, can't remember the game now just remember being seriously impressed.

Turtle_Quality wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:09 pm There was one game that had a countdown (54321) where the numbers used the whole screen, can't remember the game now just remember being seriously impressed.

Probably Starion https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=4870 ?

Add MIG Busters to the list

Black Hawk is part of the “Birds and the Bees” category.

I remembered Barbarian II having some neat stable border rasters when you completed the game but looking at youtube and the RZX-Archive recording there were none. So I checked my personal ending save state folder, found the Barbarian 2 ending and lo there were rasters. Perhaps they only appear when played on a 48k, seems the 128k just plays music instead.

Here's the rasters:

https://zxaaa.ru/view_demos.php?tag=border

some demos for Pentagon timings

There are times I think I'm a hopelessly disorganised tosser...

Ersh wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:41 am So I checked my personal ending save state folder

...this is one of those times.

Ersh wrote: ↑Tue Aug 13, 2019 10:41 am I remembered Barbarian II having some neat stable border rasters when you completed the game but looking at youtube and the RZX-Archive recording there were none. So I checked my personal ending save state folder, found the Barbarian 2 ending and lo there were rasters. Perhaps they only appear when played on a 48k, seems the 128k just plays music instead.

Here's the rasters:

Oh! Good catch!

More titles!

Draughts Genius
Expedice (also multicolor)
Extreme
Friday the 13th
Jack and the Beanstalk
Giant's Revenge
Rescate Atlantida
Defenda
Swords and Sorcery

More!

Sabrina - https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.p ... 96&id=4298
Afteroids - https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=105
Chequered Flag - https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/index.php?cat=96&id=912

Jet set willy - https://youtu.be/y30XFFcjBMI?t=30

Jet set willy 2 - https://youtu.be/YZsvwsNDbK4?t=43

Sophia and Sophia II both feature border effects:
- the first when Sophia drops a skull into the cauldron;
- the second when end-of-level bosses are defeated.

The code for this effect is based on a similar routine found in Mega-Buck$, which should then be added to the list as well.

Border effect also are used in Spellbound, Knight Tyme and Stormbringer whenever Magic Knight casts a spell.