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author: admin

generator: pandoc

title: Gex

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admin

2012-12-24T14:26:00+00:00

A pretty wise [interview](http://games.greggman.com/game/gex/) from the

lead programmer of the original Gex game:

Mira had already been working on the graveyard art set and it became clear that 32bit art was a much harder process than 16bit art. Here's an example why. On a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, most side scrolling games use 1000 8×8 pixel cels or less. 1000 8×8 pixel cels all will fit on one 320×200 pixel screen. In other words, go into any paint program, make a 320×200 pixel document. Fill it with graphics. You're done! You've just drawn all the graphics you can have in one level of a 16 bit game. Now go to a 32 bit system. We now have memory for 6 to 12 320×200 screens of graphics per level and we have a CD so we could have even more graphics per level if we loaded graphics from the CD or at least we could make each level use a different 6 screens of graphics.. In simple terms that means each level has at least 6 times the work of an 16bit level... {#mira-had-already-been-working-on-the-graveyard-art-set-and-it-became-clear-that-32bit-art-was-a-much-harder-process-than-16bit-art.-heres-an-example-why.-on-a-super-nintendo-or-sega-genesis-most-side-scrolling-games-use-1000-88-pixel-cels-or-less.-1000-88-pixel-cels-all-will-fit-on-one-320200-pixel-screen.-in-other-words-go-into-any-paint-program-make-a-320200-pixel-document.-fill-it-with-graphics.-youre-done-youve-just-drawn-all-the-graphics-you-can-have-in-one-level-of-a-16-bit-game.-now-go-to-a-32-bit-system.-we-now-have-memory-for-6-to-12-320200-screens-of-graphics-per-level-and-we-have-a-cd-so-we-could-have-even-more-graphics-per-level-if-we-loaded-graphics-from-the-cd-or-at-least-we-could-make-each-level-use-a-different-6-screens-of-graphics..-in-simple-terms-that-means-each-level-has-at-least-6-times-the-work-of-an-16bit-level style="padding-left:30px;"}

Soon to come will be a post on Gex 64 and the pitfalls of game porting.