New 3D Amstrad game: Anaglyph Aliens

19 June 2024


screenshot of large alien made of red and cyan lines offset from each other, so it looks 3D when using 3D glassesI've written a new listing for the final issue of Amtix CPC magazine, which has just been published. It's a game called Anaglyph Aliens that uses 3D red/blue glasses to make aliens fly out of the screen at you.

I've long held an interest in 3D effects. One of the first articles to go live on this website more than 25 years ago was about stereograms, and my book Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps showed you how to make 3D games using Scratch (and included a pair of the glasses).

I was curious about whether it would be possible to create a 3D game for the Amstrad. It all came down to how well the machine's built-in colours matched the lens colours in 3D glasses. While there was some ghosting as a result of colour leakage, the 3D effect worked. I wanted to make sure the game design used the depth as a gameplay element, and not just background scenery, so the aliens fly towards you.

I also wanted the program to make sense as a listing, intended to be read and typed in. In the 90s, listings often had lots of sprite data, which was boring to type in. This wasn't really questioned at the time because there was no other way to get the software, other than buying it on tape which was unviable for most short programs. Now that we can easily download software, there's little appeal in reading or typing in a listing that is unintelligible.

To that end, this listing draws the aliens in BASIC, and then uses a tiny machine code routine to convert them into sprites. I really wish I'd had this idea in the 90s. It would have made Fishtank a more interesting and shorter listing, for a start, even without changing the experience while it was running. Anaglyph Aliens also uses the small machine code routine as music data, so that it's possible to have a (strange) jingle before each game, without needing to type any music data in. (I didn't include this line in the mag version, to save space).

It surprises me when I find myself thinking of a new coding technique on the Amstrad, given I've hardly used the platform for years. It feels like my old programming knowledge from my well-spent teenage coding years is still there, but enhanced by the things I've learned since about user experience and the time I've spent programming in Python and Scratch.

Play Anaglyph Aliens in your browser now, or download the disc. If you don't have a pair of glasses to hand, you can order them cheaply on eBay, or find a pair in Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps.

As I said, issue 12 is sadly the final issue of Amtix CPC. For this last issue, I've also written a short history of the CPC seen through the final issues of the major magazines and a Flash Back review of Highway Encounter. Over the last few years, the magazine has published 12 issues, plus an annual, coming to a total of about 750 pages. It's been a joy to read and to write for. Thanks to the publisher Chris, editor Colin, the contributors and the readers for making it happen. If you have any gaps in your collection, back issues are available here.

Permanent link for this post | Blog Home | Website Home | Email feedback


Dip into the blog archive

June 2005 | September 2005 | January 2006 | March 2006 | April 2006 | May 2006 | June 2006 | July 2006 | August 2006 | September 2006 | October 2006 | November 2006 | December 2006 | February 2007 | March 2007 | April 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007 | July 2007 | August 2007 | September 2007 | October 2007 | November 2007 | December 2007 | January 2008 | February 2008 | March 2008 | April 2008 | May 2008 | June 2008 | July 2008 | August 2008 | September 2008 | October 2008 | November 2008 | December 2008 | January 2009 | February 2009 | March 2009 | April 2009 | May 2009 | June 2009 | July 2009 | August 2009 | September 2009 | October 2009 | November 2009 | December 2009 | January 2010 | February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010 | May 2010 | June 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 | October 2010 | November 2010 | December 2010 | March 2011 | April 2011 | May 2011 | June 2011 | July 2011 | August 2011 | September 2011 | October 2011 | November 2011 | December 2011 | January 2012 | February 2012 | March 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | August 2012 | September 2012 | October 2012 | December 2012 | January 2013 | February 2013 | March 2013 | April 2013 | June 2013 | July 2013 | August 2013 | September 2013 | October 2013 | November 2013 | December 2013 | January 2014 | February 2014 | March 2014 | April 2014 | May 2014 | June 2014 | July 2014 | August 2014 | September 2014 | October 2014 | November 2014 | December 2014 | January 2015 | February 2015 | March 2015 | April 2015 | May 2015 | June 2015 | September 2015 | October 2015 | December 2015 | January 2016 | February 2016 | March 2016 | May 2016 | July 2016 | August 2016 | September 2016 | October 2016 | November 2016 | December 2016 | January 2017 | July 2017 | August 2017 | October 2017 | November 2017 | January 2018 | February 2018 | August 2018 | October 2018 | November 2018 | December 2018 | January 2019 | March 2019 | June 2019 | August 2019 | September 2019 | October 2019 | January 2020 | February 2020 | March 2020 | April 2020 | May 2020 | June 2020 | September 2020 | October 2020 | December 2020 | January 2021 | February 2021 | May 2021 | June 2021 | October 2021 | November 2021 | December 2021 | January 2022 | February 2022 | March 2022 | May 2022 | July 2022 | August 2022 | September 2022 | December 2022 | March 2023 | April 2023 | May 2023 | June 2023 | October 2023 | November 2023 | January 2024 | February 2024 | May 2024 | June 2024 | July 2024 | September 2024 | Top of this page | RSS

Credits

© Sean McManus. All rights reserved.

Visit www.sean.co.uk for free chapters from Sean's coding books (including Mission Python, Scratch Programming in Easy Steps and Coder Academy) and more!

Discover my latest books

100 Top Tips: Microsoft Excel

100 Top Tips: Microsoft Excel

Power up your Microsoft Excel skills with this powerful pocket-sized book of tips that will save you time and help you learn more from your spreadsheets.

Scratch Programming in Easy Steps

Scratch Programming IES

This book, now fully updated for Scratch 3, will take you from the basics of the Scratch language into the depths of its more advanced features. A great way to start programming.

Mission Python book

Mission Python

Code a space adventure game in this Python programming book published by No Starch Press.

Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps book

Cool Scratch Projects in Easy Steps

Discover how to make 3D games, create mazes, build a drum machine, make a game with cartoon animals and more!

Raspberry Pi For Dummies

Raspberry Pi For Dummies

Set up your Raspberry Pi, then learn how to use the Linux command line, Scratch, Python, Sonic Pi, Minecraft and electronics projects with it.

Earworm

Earworm

In this entertaining techno-thriller, Sean McManus takes a slice through the music industry: from the boardroom to the stage; from the studio to the record fair.

Walking astronaut from Mission Python book Top | Search | Help | Privacy | Access Keys | Contact me
Home | Newsletter | Blog | Copywriting Services | Books | Free book chapters | Articles | Music | Photos | Games | Shop | About