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Retrospecs

@retrospecs.bsky.social

1.6K followers 210 following 61 posts

A pixel art image processing app for iOS https://8bitartwork.co.uk/ Retrospecs lets you convert images and video clips so they appear as they would on a variety of home computers and consoles from the 70's, 80's and 90's.

8bitartwork.co.uk

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Nov 22

Some recent custom conversions. (Yes, I’m still a sucker for the character engine.) 😀

Generated in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

An abstract character image consisting of a large number of characters over a bright blur of rainbow colours. Most of the characters are the hash/pound symbol.

A pixel art conversion of an image from the excellent The Mitchells vs the Machines animated movie where the dog is sticking its head out of a car window.

An abstract character based image in bright 3-bit RGB primary colours. The overall effect is of a smear of colour.

A conversation of the original Doom title screen into a custom character set and palette. The “characters” consist of chunky squares and diagonals in varying sizes. (You can sort-of recognise that it’s Doom, if you know Doom.)

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · 3d

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

An image of Peter Finch as the newscaster Howard Beale in the 1976 film Network. It depicts a man in his late middle age standing in front of multiple clocks with his hands in the air, shouting in frustration.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · 6d

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

A still from the film Frankenstein’s Island, showing a man wearing a beanie and oversized 70’s sunglasses wiping the side of two machines with prominent dials. It’s rendered in black and white, at it would appear on the original Apple Macintosh.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · 17d

Who dis?

(PICO-8 (Secret palette), Bayer 8x8 dithering.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

#retrospecs #ios #pixelart #8bitart #8bitartwork #puppy #minischnauzer

A Salt and Pepper (Black & white) Mini Schnauzer pup sitting on a patch of grass, staring at the camera. It’s rendered as it would appear on the PICO-8 virtual console, and hence is low resolution, and heavily dithered.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jul 12

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.

A screen from the Retrospecs iOS app, showing a heavily dithered, two colour image of a dog in orange and black above a series of menu options.

Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 13

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

A heavily dithered and pixelated image of a purple balloon against a yellow background.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 7

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.

A black and white, heavily dithered image of Bill Atkinson, pictured here in early eighties. He has a large moustache and wire-framed glasses, beneath a large mop of curly hair.

Rendered using Atkinson dithering algorithm.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 5

I’d be disappointed if it was any other way. 🫡

Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 5

Whilst I admire your optimism, at the eleven year mark I think it’s fair to say that an Android version probably isn’t on the cards.

🤔

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 5

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. 🤔

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 5

Hatched

(Custom per-pixel emulation using Nintendo Gameboy (Daylight) palette. 60x240, 4∶1 pixel ratio.)

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

An abstract image consisting of light and dark green areas of checkerboards horizontal lines of varying density. The image is low resolution and heavily pixelated.

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Reposted by Retrospecs

Julian "Jaz" Rignall @jazrignall.bsky.social · Jun 1

Back in 1991, snitches got the riches... 🤣

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 1

Would love to see the Nick Clegg/AI copyright "argument" version. 🤔

Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jun 1

[ Gingerly opens Xcode. ]

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Apr 26

Whilst I can’t in all honesty condone his jelly habit, these are excellent value products at full-price, let alone when there’s a sale on…

Rod Hull @futurewas8bit.bsky.social · Apr 25

Heads up.. Due to me running out of cash for Green Flavoured Jelly. I've panicked and put a bit of a sale on. So why not grab yourself a bargain before I go broke!😉

Penultimate+2 £47.99 / Penultimate+3 £69.99
Kung-Fu-Flash £29.99 / Fastload Cart £9.99
SD2PET £62.99 / DesTestMax £14.99
www.tfw8b.com

Penultimate+3 for the Commodore VIC20 (Micro SD Card Slot)

DesTestMax diag cart for the Commodore 64

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Mar 24

Thanks for the shout-out - it's very much appreciated. 👍

Reposted by Retrospecs

Keith Stuart @keefstuart.bsky.social · Mar 24

Hello! I an launching a little video game email newsletter with excellent people Christian Donlan and @florencesn.bsky.social! It’s called The Bathysphere and it’s about games we like and interesting books, films and events about games-adjacent stuff! You can subscribe at buttondown.com/Bathysphere

The Bathysphere

A weekly deep dive into video games from Christian Donlan, Florence Smith Nicholls and Keith Stuart. No hot takes, no news, no reviews. Just short essays, recommendations and other nice things.

buttondown.com

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Mar 4

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

An abstract image consisting of light and dark red areas of what appears to be a folded piece of material. The image is low resolution and heavily pixelated, with very obvious signs of dithering.

Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Feb 27

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

An image of a skull, rendered in pixel art in an off-white colour against a dark background. Sections of the image are missing or appear to be corrupted.

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Reposted by Retrospecs

Jake Birkett - Veteran Indie @greyalien.bsky.social · Feb 3

NEW GAME ANNOUNCEMENT!

A 1995 CD-ROM. A game buried for a reason. You flip a card. The screen glitches. Something is watching.
Forbidden Solitaire—a dungeon horror from the creators of Ancient Enemy and Home Safety Hotline.

store.steampowered.com/app/3414580/...

With @slicknicklives.bsky.social

130 650 2.1K

Reposted by Retrospecs

EGVroom @egvroom.bsky.social · Jan 31

CAVE DAVE is out NOW for the Game Boy Color. 💨
Spelunk through retro console themed caves in search of Dave’s beloved PSP. 💣
No two games are ever the same.
Available NOW on @itchio.bsky.social -> thalamusdigital.itch.io/cave-dave-ga...
#GameBoy #GBStudio #GBDK2020 #indiegame

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jan 18

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

An abstract image composed of letters from a custom character pixel font consisting of various low-resolution geometric shapes and checkerboards. The overall impression is of a mass of yellow and black mechanical parts sitting on the left-hand side of the foreground against the backdrop of a clear, teal coloured sky.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Jan 16

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

Reposted by Retrospecs

Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Nov 22

Some recent custom conversions. (Yes, I’m still a sucker for the character engine.) 😀

Generated in #Retrospecs for #iOS - 8bitartwork.co.uk

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Dec 23

Tree ‘n shit. Innit.

Created in #Retrospecs for #iOS - https://8bitartwork.co.uk.

A decorated Christmas tree, with presents around the base, presented in chunky low-resolution, with very large, obvious pixels.

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Retrospecs @retrospecs.bsky.social · Dec 11

MY GOAL IS NOT TO HAVE EVEN LESS MONEY.

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