Filmation engine

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Filmation is the trademark name of the isometric graphics engine employed in a series of games developed by Ultimate Play The Game during the 1980s, primarily on the 8-bit ZX Spectrum platform (although also on the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, and MSX platforms).^[1]

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Games 2.1 Filmation 2.2 Filmation II 2.3 Miscellaneous 3 Images 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Introduction

The Filmation engine allowed the creation of 3D flip-screen environments, ideally suited to platform-based arcade adventures. Player characters could move in four diagonal (to the player's perspective) directions, were able to jump over or onto obstacles, and even push objects around the game environment. Ultimate Play The Game first described the engine as:

“	... a unique process whereby you have complete freedom within the confines of your imagination to do as you wish with any of the objects found within Knight Lore	”
	— Ultimate Play The Game, Knight Lore documentation[2]

A second engine, Filmation II, was later created and introduced scrolling rather than flip-screen environments. To avoid obscuring the player character, streets and buildings rendered by this engine would disappear to their outlines when the player character walked behind them. Although Filmation II increased the graphical complexity of the titles that used it, player characters could no longer jump and were confined to essentially simpler two dimensional environments. This simplification was also reflected in the gameplay, with titles using the engine being more straightforward shooter games.

Two later titles developed by Ultimate Play The Game also made use of scrolling 3D environments, though neither made explicit use of either Filmation engine.

[edit] Games

[edit] Filmation

• Knight Lore (1984)
• Alien 8 (1985)
• Pentagram (1986)

[edit] Filmation II

• Nightshade (1985)
• Gunfright (1986)

[edit] Miscellaneous

• Martianoids (1987)
• Bubbler (1987)
• Mire Mare (unreleased, long thought to be Filmation-based but Rare revealed via their website in the late 1990's that it would actually have been more like the top-down Sabre Wulf)

[edit] Images

Filmation in Alien 8	Filmation in Pentagram
Filmation II in Gunfright	Filmation II-like engine in Bubbler

[edit] References

1. ^ Looking For An Old Angle. Crash Magazine, Issue 51. Newsfield. Retrieved on October 3, 2006.
2. ^ Knight Lore documentation. Retrieved on October 5, 2006.

[edit] External links

• On Filmation, a discussion of the engine
• Filmation Viewer/Editor, tool for viewing and creating custom Filmation maps
• Flash 3d isometric engine