Videomation

Videomation

Cover art
Developer(s) FarSight Studios[1]
Publisher(s) THQ[1]
Programmer(s) Rand Siegfried[2]
Platform(s) NES[1]
Release date(s)
Genre(s) Productivity[1]
Mode(s) Single-player[4]
Distribution ROM cartridge

Videomation is a North America-exclusive art application for the Nintendo Entertainment System that was released in 1991.

Summary

Designing a fantasy house through the use of the Videomation drawing program.

This application allows players to create artwork using a mostly freestyle method, with support for full video animation. The game does not support the use of a mouse or any other external component, requiring users to rely on the NES game controller to draw objects. There is a basic grey screen surrounded by graphics stamps. This application utilizes the CHR RAM chip that is also used in a variety of other contemporaneous NES video games. Thirteen different variations of palettes and seven different kinds of tools (including various geometric shapes and the eraser) are available for use in creative compositions.[5] Once the user chooses one of the palettes, there are different colors to choose. The colors include these: turquoise, pink, purple, light blue, and colors that have been dithered.

The game's instruction manual has some ideas for drawing including these: geometric designs with intense patches of color,[6] birds flying over untamed jungles,[6] cars on a race track,[6] and dinosaurs in the user's imaginary backyard.[6]

There is no data storage or export medium, so pictures and video can only be saved by recording a playback of the NES's display through a VCR.[4]

Reception

According to InstallSoftware.com, the game offers a relatively good short-term replay factor while lacking on the long-term replay factor.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Additional release information". Gamervision. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
  2. ↑ "Programmer information". Game Developer Research Institute. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  3. ↑ "Release information". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "# of players information/recording information". Gamervision. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  5. ↑ "Game tools information". DEngel (GameFAQs). Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Instruction manual". NES World. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  7. ↑ "Retro Video Game Evaluation: Videomation (Nes)". InstallSoftware.com. Retrieved 2013-01-12.