Yet the term Isometric is the most commonly used, as it suit for most of those pseudo 3D games, so we'll use it as a whole, despite sometimes unproperly.
==Inaccuracy on old school Computers==
The isometric and most parallel projection originate from engineering, Architecture, design and technical drawing.
==Types of pseudo 3D "Isometric"==
*4x1 is better for vertically limited display.
==Masked Sprites and Elements==
A proper isometric render always need to get masked sprites so they may appear upon or behind other elements.
A heavy job is needed to define the masks and sprites "priority" so the 3D effect works : the background elements being obscured by the foreground elements.
=Shadows=
Getting the sprites a shadow is a nice way to ease the player's comprehension of the 3D effect and environment, yet it was rarely used.
Head over Heels is notable because when your Sprite (mostly "Head" who could glide in the air) was in "altitude" you may not easily see were it is actually in the X,Z plane.
Yet putting a vertical shadow may be heavier on the CPU and Ram consuming...
*Examples :
**Batman : the Movie (OCEAN) in the Batwing level (4th level, horizontal oblique) so you can see your altitude.
**Hydrofool : as you float in an Aquatic environment, the game would be unplayable without this shadow (just look at the picture, yellow shadow...) to see your coordinates in the X/Z plane and judge at which height you are swimming.
=Video Modes=
The square pixels from Mode1 was usually preferred for real Isometric.
Yet games in mode 0 managed well with it or other parallel projections type too.
Some reasons the Mode1 was anyway quite popular :
*Many isometric games were Speccy Ports.
*the fine square pixels in mode1 also enable to get fine detailed sprites, while the blockier Mode0 would need those sprites to be bigger in order to manage a proper level of details.
====Mode1 :====
Fire Trap
====Mode0 :====
By the way because of the wider pixels, you need bigger sprites to get some details with them, so those games are quite heavy to manage and often quite slow, but delightfull to the eyes...
==Shadows==
Getting the sprites a shadow is a nice way to ease the player's comprehension of the 3D effect and environment, yet it was rarely used.
Head over Heels is notable because when your Sprite (mostly "Head" who could glide in the air) was in "altitude" you may not easily see were it is actually in the X,Z plane.=Level design=
Yet putting a vertical shadow may be heavier on The background elements being obscured by the CPU and Ram consuming..foreground elements, a proper level design is needed so most crucial elements remain visible.
*Examples : Yet this can also used to put hidden features and secret passages too.
**Batman : the Movie (OCEAN) in the Batwing level (4th level, horizontal oblique) so you can see your altitude.
**Hydrofool : as you float in an Aquatic environment, the game would be unplayable without this shadow (just look at the picture, yellow shadow...) to see your coordinates in the X/Z plane and judge at which height you are swimming.
=HUD=
==Level design==a problem with Isometric was the need to put HUD in corners of the screen.
The background elements being obscured by the foreground elements, As a proper level design is needed so most crucial elements remain visibleresult, it was rarely possible to add extra colours thanks to raster interrupts because the HUD often cross the games windows (horizontally).
Yet this can also used to put hidden features and secret passages too.
=Scrollings=
==Video modes==
The square pixels from Mode1 was usually preferred for real Isometric.
Yet *Few Isometric games in mode 0 managed well with it or other parallel projections type tooactually included proper multi-scrolling as an Isometric engine is already quite heavy for the system.
A proper scrolled isometric game would need 2 diagonal scrollings and perhaps a vertical scrolling too, not the easiest to get.
Some reasons the Mode1 was anyway quite popular :Isometric shooters were often exceptions.
*Many isometric games were Speccy PortsH.A.T.E / Alien highway / Highway Encounter.
*the fine square pixels in mode1 also enable to get fine detailed sprites, while the blockier Mode0 would need those sprites to be bigger in order to manage a proper level of details.
==HUD==*Cavalier perspective games were more prone to get scrolling because only a "normal" horizontal scrolling mau be needed.
a problem with Isometric was the need to put HUD in corners of the screen.
As a result, it was rarely possible to add extra colours thanks to raster interrupts because the HUD often cross the games windows (horizontally).
==Scrollings==Some "Beat'hem All" games in approximate Cavalier Perspective managed to get some decent scrolling, often an horizontal one...
Few Isometric Double Dragon series are typical examples of such games actually included scrollings as an Isometric engine is quite heavy for the system, with Horizontal scrolling.
A proper [[Pac-Mania]] is a notable example of multi-scrolled isometric parallel projection game would . its Cavalier Perspective being perhaps more suitable for multi-scrolling as it need 2 only 1 diagonal scrollings scrolling and perhaps a vertical 1 horizontal scrolling too.
Not the easiest to get.
Yet [[Pac-Mania]] is '''Scrolling was often a notable example of scrolled parallel projection game, its Oblique projection being more suitable for scrollings as it need only 1 diagonal scrolling and 1 horizontal scrollingsevere lack in many Amstrad CPC's games anyway.'''