Difference between revisions of "Enhanced Graphics Adapter"

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An '''''Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA)''''' is a piece of hardware developed by [[IBM]] and sold in 1984, which gave IBM personal computers graphics capabilities superior to IBM's the previous graphics adapter the [[Color Graphics Adapter]] (CGA). In 1987, it was superseded by the [[Video Graphics Array]] (VGA), although software continued to support it for years to follow.
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[[Image:EGA - IBM Card.jpg|thumb|256x256px|An IBM EGA card.]]
  
EGA supports four graphics modes and four text modes. It's best graphic resolution is 640x350 with 16 colors chosen from a palette of 60 colors, but most programs which supported it used its more primitive 320x200 resolution with the default 16 colors. The display type was extremely popular for DOS programs through the mid to late 1980s.
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The '''Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA)''' is a piece of display hardware which gives [[IBM Personal Computers]] color graphics capabilities superior to those of the earlier [[Color Graphics Adapter]]. It was designed and developed by [[IBM]] and first sold in 1984, but competing companies quickly reverse-engineered it and sold clones. The display type was extremely popular for [[MS-DOS]] programs through the mid to late 1980s. IBM also sold a more advanced [[Professional Graphics Controller]], but it was out of the price range for home users. The EGA was superseded in 1987 by the [[Video Graphics Array]] (VGA) which added superior color graphic capabilities, although software continued to support EGA for years to follow.
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==Technical Specifications==
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[[Image:EGA Color Palette.png|thumb|256x256px|The complete EGA color palette.]]
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 +
EGA supports four graphics modes and four text modes. Its highest graphic resolution is 640x350 with 4-bit color (16 distinct colors at once, chosen from a palette of 64 colors), but most programs which supported EGA used its more primitive 320x200 resolution with 4-bit color and didn't modify the default color palette. One of the few game companies which frequently modified the EGA palette was [[Maxis]].
  
 
I spent a lot of my childhood acquainted with EGA graphics, not just because a lot of games I played used it, but because it was a very popular [[QuickBASIC]] screen (screen 7). Even though I haven't bothered with it in decades, I still have the default EGA color palette memorized.
 
I spent a lot of my childhood acquainted with EGA graphics, not just because a lot of games I played used it, but because it was a very popular [[QuickBASIC]] screen (screen 7). Even though I haven't bothered with it in decades, I still have the default EGA color palette memorized.
  
* [[:Category:EGA Graphics]]
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{|
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| <p style="text-align:center;">[[Image:King's Quest IV - DOS - Screenshot - Genesta's Bedroom.png|320px]]<br/>Actual data from [[King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella|King's Quest IV]]<br/>(320x200 resolution, 1:1 pixel ratio)</p>
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| <p style="text-align:center;">[[Image:EGA Example - Simulated 320x200.png|320px]]<br/>Simulated monitor (1:1.2 pixel ratio).</p>
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|}
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{|
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| <p style="text-align:center;">[[Image:SimAnt - DOS - Screenshot - EGA.png|320px]]<br/>Actual data from [[SimAnt]]<br/>(640x350 resolution, 1:1 pixel ratio).</p>
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| <p style="text-align:center;">[[Image:EGA Example - Simulated 640x350.png|320px]]<br/>Simulated monitor (1:1.37 pixel ratio).</p>
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|}
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==Software==
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:''All software that used [[:Category: 4-bit Color Graphics|4-bit Color]]''
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These are programs that I think made good use of EGA graphics:
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<gallery>
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Commander Keen 4 - DOS - Map - Bean-With-Bacon Megarocket.png|''[[Commander Keen IV: Secret of the Oracle]]''<br/><br/>Large attractive graphics.
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King's Quest IV - DOS - Screenshot - Genesta's Bedroom.png|''[[King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella]]''<br/><br/>Good use of dithering to simulate additional colors.
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Loom - DOS - Screenshot - Dye Room.png|''[[Loom]]''<br/><br/>Great use of dithering to create gradients.
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Secret of Monkey Island, The - DOS - Screenshot - Island Cannon.png|''[[The Secret of Monkey Island]]''<br/><br/>More advanced use of dithering.
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SimAnt - DOS - Screenshot - EGA.png|''[[SimAnt]]''<br/><br/>Hi-res with a custom palette. Uses red (36), blue (9), and yellow (54).
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</gallery>
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==Documentation==
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<gallery>
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EGA - Manual.pdf|Technical manual.
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</gallery>
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Graphics_Adapter en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Graphics_Adapter] - Wikipedia.
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enhanced_Graphics_Adapter}}
* [http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Raw_EGA_data shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Raw_EGA_data] - Modding Wiki graphic details.
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{{Link|MobyGames|http://www.mobygames.com/attribute/sheet/attributeId,3}}
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{{Link|ModdingWiki|http://www.shikadi.net/moddingwiki/Raw_EGA_data}}
  
  
 
[[Category: Computers]]
 
[[Category: Computers]]
 
[[Category: Computer Hardware]]
 
[[Category: Computer Hardware]]

Revision as of 13:50, 17 March 2020

An IBM EGA card.

The Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) is a piece of display hardware which gives IBM Personal Computers color graphics capabilities superior to those of the earlier Color Graphics Adapter. It was designed and developed by IBM and first sold in 1984, but competing companies quickly reverse-engineered it and sold clones. The display type was extremely popular for MS-DOS programs through the mid to late 1980s. IBM also sold a more advanced Professional Graphics Controller, but it was out of the price range for home users. The EGA was superseded in 1987 by the Video Graphics Array (VGA) which added superior color graphic capabilities, although software continued to support EGA for years to follow.

Technical Specifications

The complete EGA color palette.

EGA supports four graphics modes and four text modes. Its highest graphic resolution is 640x350 with 4-bit color (16 distinct colors at once, chosen from a palette of 64 colors), but most programs which supported EGA used its more primitive 320x200 resolution with 4-bit color and didn't modify the default color palette. One of the few game companies which frequently modified the EGA palette was Maxis.

I spent a lot of my childhood acquainted with EGA graphics, not just because a lot of games I played used it, but because it was a very popular QuickBASIC screen (screen 7). Even though I haven't bothered with it in decades, I still have the default EGA color palette memorized.

King's Quest IV - DOS - Screenshot - Genesta's Bedroom.png
Actual data from King's Quest IV
(320x200 resolution, 1:1 pixel ratio)

EGA Example - Simulated 320x200.png
Simulated monitor (1:1.2 pixel ratio).

SimAnt - DOS - Screenshot - EGA.png
Actual data from SimAnt
(640x350 resolution, 1:1 pixel ratio).

EGA Example - Simulated 640x350.png
Simulated monitor (1:1.37 pixel ratio).

Software

All software that used 4-bit Color

These are programs that I think made good use of EGA graphics:

Documentation

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-MobyGames.png  Link-ModdingWiki.png