Razzle Dazzle
- Initial Release Date
- September 3, 1990 (v4.0)
- Color Palette
- 8/24b
- Max Resolution
- 320x400
- License Status
- Public Domain (to v4.0) / Shareware © Worldwide MicroTronics, Inc.
- Codebase
- C
- Platform(s)
- MS-DOS
- Author(s)
- James R. Shiflett
Description
Razzle Dazzle, initially known as just Dazzle, generated a variety of hypnotizing imagery in high resolution Mode X VGA modes (i.e. 320x400) and later in SVGA modes (i.e. 640x480) using ~30 different image generation algorithms.
Unlike most MS-DOS eyecandy, Razzle Dazzle was a $15 commercial product (beyond version 4.0, which was public domain). Versions here are the public/shareware versions. The commercial version implemented a TSR to automatically launch the program on inactive PCs, supported SVGA 640x480 modes, as well as having expanded visualization modes.
Razzle Dazzle later became a Windows screen-saver known as Razzle Dazzle, described in an extended appendix of the 5.1a version's documentation. It's too long to fully quote here, but I like the phrase...
Behold the beauty of math in all it's glorious colors.
Razzle Dazzle was used to generate a 45 minute music video by Jonn Serrie, which can be viewed today thanks to The Internet Archive. Unfortunately, Worldwide Microtronics Inc. forfeited existence as of 2005. It's unclear if there is any way to get the commercial versions of Dazzle or Razzle Dazzle today.
Dazzle also didn't seem to promote the drug use often associated with eyecandy software. Instead it took a more spiritual approach, reminding the user post each run...
Our creator evidenced by our creativity
...from version 4.2 on. The comment is more throughly explained in the "Programmers Comments" section of the documentation, quoting various Christian scriptures.
Video
Screen Shots
Download
-
Dazzle (Windows DOSBox edition)
The v5.2b version of Dazzle compatible with Windows via DOSBox.
The 360x480 video mode used actually renders in DOSBox at 640x480, preserving the expected wider than tall rectangular aspect ratio. Unfortunately, the doubled pixels impact shaders/filters upscaling the image, leaving things more pixelated than with non-doubled pixels.
-
Dazzle (5.2b)
(v5.2)
(v5.1c)
(v5.1b)
(v5.1a)
(v5.1)
(v5.0h)
(v5.0f)
(v5.0)
(v4.2)
(v4.1)
(v4.0)
MS-DOS versions.