The thing with the Genesis (320x224) and DOS games (320x200, VGA Mode 13h) is that they don't even run in true 4:3 aspect ratio. In case of the Genesis, it relies on the console outputting the game vertically stretched in 4:3 to the CRT TV. In case of the DOS games, they rely on the CRT monitor stretching them vertically to 4:3.
Try running games from these two systems through an emulator in their native pixel-perfect resolutions on an LCD can result in distorted proportions like circles being oval shaped - if the developers had the previously mentioned 4:3 stretching/scaling in mind and programmed their graphics that way.
Pixel-perfect Genesis and DOS game screenshots thus are often slighlty disproportioned. This is especially noticeable when comparing screens of different ports, e.g. see Earthworm Jim which was available on SNES, Genesis and DOS:
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/earthwormjim/earthwormjim.htmAnother example of Splatterhouse:
http://nfgworld.com/mb/post/1704;?unb507sess=d652da6d6eec796b73de13c468ee4219Of course it can also go the other way around: If a game was programmed with the DOS 320x200 resolution and monitor stretching in mind, and later got ported to other systems, the other systems get disportioned graphics if the background graphics and sprites do not receiver a complete makeover.
EDIT:
TL;DR: I can't stand it when people put anything in the wrong aspect ratio on Youtube. In some cases you can even tell the difference between 16:10 and 16:9, when people's heads look squished.
EDIT2:
On another note, do you guys remember the PlayStation 2's behaviour of outputting DVD Videos stretched to 16:9 on 4:3 screens with the factory settings? I do, and I also remember that 99% of PlayStation 2 owners didn't bothered changing the settings to Letterbox 4:3.
Even dumber, the PS2 had four options to change aspect ratios, and all of them needed to be adressed to get a correct video output:
1. In the system's menu (only applicable for the menu itself)
2. In some games (for each game, and only if available)
3. In the hidden menu when you play DVD video discs. And to change the aspect ratio you even had to stop the DVD playback, as the console prohibits doing it on-the-fly.
4. Via RGB Scart cables. Due to the console outputting a +5V signal on Pin 10 on the multi AV out, it will switch a PAL TV to an artificial 16:9 widescreen mode. To get the correct proportions, you either needed to cut off the +5V line or use the TV remote to change back to 4:3 everytime you turn the system on.
EDIT3:
I hate, hate, HATE 16:9 videos where the black vertical bars of 4:3 games are replaced with fancy colourful borders or even blurred moving images. What dumb showerpissing moron thought this was even cool and needed? The same goes for any colourful borders when playing old games downloaded from the Xbox Live marketplace. Distracting borders were a funny option on the Super GameBoy, but for f*ck's sake, let this idea rot as a crude 90s invention that should never return. Even the SGB made it possible to have plain black borders as an option.
Topic: Aspect Ratio in Games (Read 1514 times)
