Dithering Effect

6

nathanielbabiak 2021-06-28 00:57 (Edited)

A nice way to increase the available colors, but only works for static images. Can be used on gradients other than grayscale. Will be incorporated into some splash screens I'm making.

I had really wanted to use it on the sprite expansion library, but as you can see it doesn't look too good on moving images.

DitherEffect.nx | Open in app
2021-06-28 00:57

G-9 2021-06-28 16:55

Nice. How did you do that ?


nathanielbabiak 2021-06-28 17:54 (Edited)

The .nx source file uses a palette, character set, and tilemap that can be viewed in Timo's Gfx editor.

The .nx source file shows how the dithering pattern (checkerboard) is shown on both BG 1 and BG 2, and on BG 2 it's also flipped left-right at the start. The main loop just alternates showing one frame of the "normal" dithering pattern, then one frame of the flipped dithering pattern.

Because the dithering pattern oscillates so quickly, your eyes will be confused by it and you'll think you're seeing six separate shades of solid color, rather than three shades of solid color and three "shades" of dithered color. (If you move your eyes quickly though, you can kinda see the "shimmer" of the oscillation effect even when the image is static. The "shimmer" is super noticeable when the image moves around too.)

The screenshot is faked.


G-9 2021-06-28 17:56

Ohh I can now understand :D
Nice illusion :)


nathanielbabiak 2021-06-28 17:58 (Edited)

Thanks! It looks like others (https://lowresnx.inutilis.com/topic.php?id=1988) have already even taken to exploring this illusion too! Maybe something will come of it...


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