Vactrex

Vactrex is an emulator for the 1982 vectrex vector-graphics console — the one with a real CRT that drew lines directly with an electron beam instead of pixels. It comes with Star Stomper, an original vector game written for it, so there is something to play the moment you open the app. THE DISPLAY IS THE POINT Most emulators of this machine draw approximations. Vactrex models the analog hardware: the digital-to-analog converter, the sample-and-hold channels, the X and Y integrators, and the beam-blanking signal. Every line you see was traced by a simulated beam, the same way the original did it — including the dots that make up bullets, mines and explosions, which are drawn by parking the beam and lighting it in place. Phosphor persistence and glow are rendered on the GPU, so bright objects bloom and fading trails linger, the way they do on the real tube. ACCURATE UNDERNEATH -…