Retrospecs

Some recent custom conversions. (Yes, I’m still a sucker for the character engine.) 😀 Generated in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

If all continues to go well, the first beta of Retrospecs v4 might be out and about within the next few weeks. Admittedly, I’d originally planned to have it ready by the end of September, but you can’t win ’em all.

The list of items to complete before the first beta of Retrospecs v4 now fits on a single screen. Sort of. If you zoom out a bit. That said, localisations aside, it’ll be much more polished in comparison to previous betas, as it’ll be feature complete rather than a work in progress. Probably. 🤔

Did a bit more typing on Retrospecs today. Whilst it still needs another pass to tidy things up, it’s actually starting to feel quite nice. So… that’s only taken twelve years 🤔 Anyhow, here’s a quick preview of the Converter as it currently stands… youtube.com/shorts/OsH0p...

Time for a quick show and tell… Here’s the UI revamp before and after for the Emulation Editor - the most dense UI in Retrospecs. I’m not totally happy with it, but I think it’s an improvement on the previous approach, and there’s less custom code, as there’s no custom toolbars. So that’s nice.

UI experimentation mode engaged. 🫡 Yes, it’s busy, but I really needed to try and do things The Apple Way, rather than having to maintain lots of custom code. There’s only one of me after all. Very, very, early days though.

Retrospecs v4 will be a thing then I guess. Probably. 🤔 It’s not quite at the beta stage yet, but it’s up and running using the reworked engine that I’ve been slowly picking away at on and off over the last year or so.

Hmm… I'm becoming increasingly tempted to pull the plug on a potential 1.0 release any time soon. There's things I want the app to be able to do that don't fit within the current semi-flexible pipeline approach, and it would be painful to put out a release and have to maintain compatibility.

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Good to see “Retrospecs yellow” lives on in some form, I suppose. 🤔

Doing more typings of late - trying to move towards a 1.0 release, although there’s still lots to do. It’s fair to say that it’ll always be a (very, very) niche app, but hopefully it’ll be useful to some

If you’re running macOS Ventura or later, you can grab a copy of the beta via the TestFlight link over on pixelprocessor.co.uk

If you use macOS and like pixels, be sure to check it out. Feel free to share to try and help get the word out - it’s a very uphill battle in this day and age.

Next up is something long overdue - The Great UI Tidy-Up™ has finally begun. Although it’s mainly just putting things in boxes. 🤔

What's next, you might wonder? (It'll be the mutator functionality. The mutator functionality will be next.)

It’s coming for my features - is nothing sacrosanct?

Exciting news for macOS pixel processing fans…

Hmm… I think GIF export will be for the chop in the next version. It’s flaky at best and there are better, dedicated, tools for the job.

The second beta of Pixel Processor should now be out and about on TestFlight. 🥳 Link available via pixelprocessor.co.uk if you’d like to have a play.

Ooo… reet posh. If you've a mac running Sequoia or newer, you can also grab the current TestFlight beta over on… pixelprocessor.co.uk

I guess this happened then. 🤔

One side effect of the work on the underlying engine used within Retrospecs is that the Pixel Processor macOS app has lurched back into life to act as a testbed. At some point it might even see a release. Maybe. 🤔

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Retrospecs first appeared in the App Store twelve years ago today, which is a long time by anyone’s standards. There’s not been much in the way of new features recently, but I’ve been slowly working away on some bits and pieces. Here’s a sneak preview of what’s coming later this year.

I’ve been gradually working away on a re-write of the “engine” that generates the image conversions in Retrospecs, and that work is now largely complete. Whilst the original goal was purely to replicate the existing functionality, there’s also some new bits and pieces to play with. So that’s nice.

It’s entirely possible there’ll be a new version of Retrospecs in the next few months. So that’s nice.

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Jingles and all that shit. Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk #ios #pixelart #8bitart #pixelated #8bit #retro #vintage

Where the streets have limited resolution (IBM EGA, Bayer 4x4 dithering.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

You can now unlock the full version of Retrospecs for £1.99/€1.99/$1.99 In addition to the full suite of system and mode presets, the full version contains custom emulation, font and palette editors as well as additional features such as the emulation mutator. Find out more at 8bitartwork.co.uk

The machine must be maintained at all times (Apple Macintosh, Atkinson dithering.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk #retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #macintosh

Who dis? (PICO-8 (Secret palette), Bayer 8x8 dithering.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk #retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #puppy #minischnauzer

There should be a new version of Retrospecs trundling out in the next week or two. Nothing particularly exciting in terms of new features, but the Dragon 32 presets have been overhauled and should now be correct.

The first version of Retrospecs was released in the App Store eleven years ago today. To celebrate the anniversary, you can unlock the full version for $0.99 / £0.99 / €0.99 for the next week. 🥳 Feel free to spread the word. 8bitartwork.co.uk

Sad to hear of the passing of Bill Atkinson, one of the key software developers on the Macintosh, from the QuickDraw system thru to era-defining applications like MacPaint and HyperCard.

Incidentally, it’s Retrospecs 11th birthday on the 13th of June. Based on what’s happened in previous years, I’d say it’s likely that there’ll be a special price to unlock the full version. Total speculation, you understand. 🤔

Hatched (Custom per-pixel emulation using Nintendo Gameboy (Daylight) palette. 60x240, 4∶1 pixel ratio.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

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Embrace (Custom per-pixel emulation using Desert palette. 136x128, Bayer 8x8 dithering.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk #retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #abstract #dithering

Experiencing further degradation Hope you’re all surviving out there. 🫡 (Custom per-pixel emulation using custom palette. 320x240) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk #retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork

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Monkey, puzzled (Custom character emulation using Circlex character set and Nintendo Gameboy Color T1 Reverse palette. 256x192.) Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #abstract #abstractart

“It’s so freeing, it’s beautiful in a way, to have a great failure, there’s nowhere to go but up.” - David Lynch