this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2023
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VHS/TV static, scanlines, and tracking filters are obnoxious and developers need to stop using them. You can't just slap a shit filter over bad graphics and be like "It's the 80s/90s!"
I get the aesthetic and that a lot of developers are pandering to my generation, but it's become the hallmark of shit games for me. Do something innovative.
I overall disagree because in average they are putting more thought into their visuals than many triple-A studios that never see an end to their skin pore-delving levels of realism. But I find it very funny how many indie horror games use VHS effects for no reason as if playable VHS had ever been a thing.
The weird thing about analog horror is that its now being done by people who never experienced the art that they are imitating. Sometimes their interpretations are lacking.
I'll agree with that, they are definitely putting more thought into it. When it's used well, it's great, but it's used so often now that it feels like sloppy design in a lot of games. It's like using the piss/mexico filter to convey being in a third world country in the mid-2000s.
First game I remember with it was Hotline Miami, where it worked quite well for the game. I'd say the tape rewind from that game is iconic. But yeah, it's normally just cheap points for le epic retro gamers
As someone who regularly uses CRTs for gaming, I can say with confidence that there's a ton of poorly done scanline filters out there. I have to question if those implementing them even know what a CRT looks like, because there's a whole lot more to it than just a blank line every few pixels.
Sonic Mania has an excellent set of scanline filters if you want to see them done right.
Low-resolution pixel art lets a game be developed with comparatively-inexpensive assets and lets the brain interpolate the missing information.
My guess is that various obscuring distortions can have a similar effect. If your brain sees it as noise getting in the way of what's really there, it will try to fill in the correct stuff.