in which way the amiga beat the megadrive

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

@Double D Delicious Damien

Ahhhh Virtua Racing, how could i forget.... didnt that require the 32x dongle?

There was a Genesis / MegaDrive release and also a 32X release: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtua_Racing

I bought the MegaDrive version as soon as it was released. It was a larger than standard cartridge though...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Virtua_Processor and an interesting quote:

The only usage of the SVP was in the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis version of Virtua Racing. Its main task was to calculate the polygonal graphics of the game. The main purpose of the SVP is to render polygons as 8x8 patterns, which the game program transfers to VRAM from the 128K RAM area using DMA.[1] The SVP runs at 23 MHz and can calculate 300 to 500 polygons/second at a maximum of 16 colours. It also has its own small heat sink because it gets warm during operation.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

indeed, the A500 has to load the maps/gfx etc etc.. but arguably its WORKING area is much larger than that of the MegaDrive ?

I repeat my question (I know I am ignorant so that's why I ask):
What ELSE can you do with more work space?
What are the advantages?
What stuff can you do with System RAM that would improve or make better the Megadrive, or what sort of stuff is only possible with system RAM? As I said, I only saw it as space used for storing data, of whatever type, which is what the cartridges are doing.

[s2325]

also Steel Talons http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ScYC8hFzuRU

[Zetr0]

LOL

I think when a game comes with its own built in Co-Processor your on a loose footing as a console goes!!!

but irony there was enough of a sale to to provide the extra expense.... i would love to see inside one of those carts!

[Zetr0]

@Akira

I think this polygon point (forgive the pun) is really touching on the point, with a larger work area pre-rendering can take place, not just in graphics but also music, but with a larger work are, there is more room for routines...

You could argue that the Cart would / could provide all thats needed, and indeed this is true for the most part, but with the more needed the more memory hence more expensive.

Its a huge shame the MegaSeedy never really took off, but Arguably it did show some of the limitations of 64K RAM even if the MegaCD had its own cache.

In the long run, with good programming structure, (i.e. you know you only have 64K work area) you can Pull routines in and out of that area, but this came with time as developers learned to make full use of the platform.

so in a nut shell, yes the Cart system with 64K workspace (for sound / graphics / game routines) will work with good programming but its not the better solution as time / history has shown us.

[Amiga1992]

You are talking about demoscene stuff which has no place in games, or polygon games which i really don't give two asses about ;D
Besides that, anything else? I still don't get the advantage.
Do you need to put routines in work RAM?
The whole game code needs to be put in 64KB or can it be kept in the cart and "loaded" at times? Isn't that where the cart advantage starts? The code needs not to be loaded since it is in a ROM and can be accessed as fast as RAM?

again, excuse my ignorance, but I want a deeper explanation, this intrigues me

[Zetr0]

@Akira

I fear i fail in the ability to explain it fully, but it wont stop me trying..... besides... I must try to catchup to that obscene post count of yours... AND you took a year off....

meh.... I will get there..... i might have to Nab your keyboard... but its worth it!!! that L337 P05T3R prize WILL BE MINE!

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Akira

Cyberdruid, the Amiga is NOT capable of "playing FM sounds". What the hell do you mean with "FM sounds"? We are talking about hardware synthesis and the Amiga lacks any sort of synthesizer hardware to "play FM sounds". H

Any DSP or sound chip can play 'frequency modulation' sounds You can easily set up a software synth producing simple wave forms (which was done I guess) on the Amiga. So even though it's there is no hardware synthesizer inside the Amiga it still is capable of producing the same result. That was what I meant and nothing else. But the main point is which platform had the better sound quality and even if it's subjective IMHO that was the Amiga

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I suggest you do a screen grab of both versions and do a colour count, I think you'll find the Amiga version has the extra colours.

Done, Amiga 18 colours, MD 30 colours and just for the sake of it, SNES 58 colours. (Pictures are in this order too)

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

Any DSP or sound chip can play 'frequency modulation' sounds You can easily set up a software synth producing simple wave forms (which was done I guess) on the Amiga. So even though it's there is no hardware synthesizer inside the Amiga it still is capable of producing the same result.

At a very high processor use. And with 8bit samples, which are of lower quality than the sampling rate of the synth chip of the Megadrive.

Useless, like using samples in a Megadrive.

Cannot say which sound is best. Amiga is best for sampled sound, megadrive is best for synthesized sound.

Originally Posted by Zetr0

besides... I must try to catchup to that obscene post count of yours... AND you took a year off....

Sorry, I took TWO years off or more.
You will never get there.
Muhuhuhahahaha!

[Zetr0]

Originally Posted by Akira

.....

Sorry, I took TWO years off or more.
You will never get there.
Muhuhuhahahaha!

Bah..... Way to go!!!! completely demoralize a Zetr0.... sheesh.... imma gonna go and Hide in off topic..... gonna poke the Alexh-bot with a stick....

before i do go... please note that the MD is an awesome bit of kit for the time, the A500 is also an Awesome bit of kit...

I have them both.... and i wouldn't part with them

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Ian

Done, Amiga 18 colours, MD 30 colours and just for the sake of it, SNES 58 colours. (Pictures are in this order too)

And still the Amiga version looks best But conversions tend to be not as good as the original. There were some really great games on the MD (I had one back then) and I think I got what Akira means now You can't really compare the machines even if they have the same CPU.

[Graham Humphrey]

I did part with my Megadrive... when I got a PS2 about six-and-a-half years ago... how I regretted it...

[Retro-Nerd]

Mmh, is the Mega Drive Gods version in 25FPS too? A shame that the Bitmaps weren't skilled enough to do smooth scrolling games.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

And still the Amiga version looks best But conversions tend to be not as good as the original. There were some really great games on the MD (I had one back then) and I think I got what Akira means now You can't really compare the machines even if they have the same CPU.

The SNES version is best.

It's the only version I can stomach playing.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

I think I got what Akira means now You can't really compare the machines even if they have the same CPU.

There we go!
Now we all understood it is pointless to compare, specially in the year 2008 :P

So what's the next thread, Amiga vs. Atari ST again? :P
What about Amiga vs. SNES :P

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Ian

The SNES version is best.

It's the only version I can stomach playing.

With that sissy purple hero? I'll stick to the original Amiga version, which is good for all Bitmap Brothers games (it's all about the music you know ).

Originally Posted by Akira

There we go!
Now we all understood it is pointless to compare, specially in the year 2008 :P

So what's the next thread, Amiga vs. Atari ST again? :P
What about Amiga vs. SNES :P

I think we should do Amiga vs. MsDos Okay really pointless on the hardware side, but great for arguing about games

[Retro-Nerd]

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

I think we should do Amiga vs. MsDos Okay really pointless on the hardware side, but great for arguing about games

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...ight=Amiga+DOS

[laffer]

Judging from the Gods screenshots, I think the Amiga version looks much better than the SNES one. I much prefer the cool (literally) look of the Amiga version to the pink and more colorful SNES one. It's not only about the number of colors, it's also how they're used.. and making the hero.. pink?!?

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...ight=Amiga+DOS

Hehe, thanks for the link Retro

@laffer
Great minds think alike mate