167 replies to this topic

[gameofyou]

Hey all,

I am wondering if there is any interest in a low-cost flash cartridge for the Jaguar.  I have read about a product called the Skunkboard.  Is this product still produced?  If not, then maybe there would be some demand for a flash cart?

If I get some time, I may look into it.  Is there a good repository for technical info on the Jag somewhere?

Here are some of my previous projects (I just do this as a hobby):
http://www.gamingenterprisesinc.com/

[Jag_Slave]

Not sure if it is still in production (they just released the Skunk 3 not long ago). There are a ton of them floating around though, you can probably find one fairly easily.

I would love to see you create something for the Jaguar nonetheless!

[twoquickcapri]

I think the Goat Store just sold out of Skunk 3. So I think you can only get them used now.

The only "flash cart" I know of in work is this one.
http://www.jagware.o...p?showtopic=841

[kskunk]

gameofyou, on Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:52 PM, said:

I am wondering if there is any interest in a low-cost flash cartridge for the Jaguar.  I have read about a product called the Skunkboard.  Is this product still produced?  If not, then maybe there would be some demand for a flash cart?

If I get some time, I may look into it.  Is there a good repository for technical info on the Jag somewhere?

Cool site!  I especially like your Saturn DataLink design.  I'm a big fan of adding USB to classic hardware.

This is the site that inspired me to create the Skunkboard, and provided most of the technical information I used:
http://www.mdgames.de/jag_eng.htm

You can find the Jaguar schematics there, along with cartridge pinouts and pictures of cartridges.  These days, you can also find the original Jaguar developer manuals and toolchains and so on.  Google will help you find them quickly enough.

As far as the status of the Skunkboard, we've been selling them for years, but sales have really slowed down lately.  My hope is that most people who still collect Jaguar games have a flash cart now, so they can play all the awesome homebrew that's out there and still to come.

There are still a few new Skunkboards going up for sale.  Here is what goatdan says about them:

goatdan said:

We will have an *extremely* limited number of boards back available. There are a few Rev 3s (not Ghosts) that will go up first, and then a period later we'll put up the final Ghost Skunkboards.  We will be announcing when they go on sale through our mailing list, so if you haven't signed up for that and are interested in one, now is the time:  http://www.goatstore...com/newsletter/

But this is probably the end for new Skunkboards.

- KS

[Stephen]

Cool projects.  If you really want to do something "cool", how about making a PC to Nuon interface for loading code via the controller ports?  That I would kill for

[gameofyou]

OK, thanks for all the info guys!

[sh3-rg]

Was there an older version of the Saturn Data Link? I'm sure I have something just like that but not USB.

Anyway, I think there will always be demand for a flash cart, especially a very low cost design that could be used to sell cart on.

[VladR]

Well, if you were able to produce the USB or SD-card reader for Jag, I guess that`s something that majority of Jag users would buy.

What could be the cost (a ballpark figure) of an SD-card or USB reader for Jag ?

[rush6432]

A low cost flash cart to publish homebrew games would be ideal


possible way to tunnel jaglink games via ethernet over tcp/ip (serial to ethernet) (if a fast enough broadband connection) exists

Edited by rush6432, Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:47 AM.

[sh3-rg]

sh3-rg, on Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:51 AM, said:

a very low cost design that could be used to sell games on.

[wood_jl]

Yeah, there'd be interest in a flash cart that is along the lines of Everdrive for Genesis/SNES.

[Zerosquare]

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but is there still an "market" for a flash cart now that about 250 Skunkboard have been sold (IIRC)? The Jaguar community isn't very big, so I think most of the people who wanted a flash cart already bought one.

On the other hand, storing games on a memory card would be interested for people who don't want to spend their time swapping carts / uploading games, and that's something that the Skunkboard doesn't do.

"Full disclosure" : both SCPCD and I are working on similar projects (the JagCF and Jagtopus), though the goals are not quite the same: the JagCF is an expansion cart, Jagtopus is a cheap Flash memory-based cart intended for releasing games on cartridges (it doesn't support USB, and possible usage as a flash cart is just a side-effect). And we don't see other projects as "competition" anyways

[sh3-rg]

Zerosquare, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 3:54 PM, said:

is there still an "market" for a flash cart now that about 250 Skunkboard have been sold (IIRC)?

I think it's possibly quite a bit higher than that. Original run, skunk II, skunk III and ghost skunk. I'd be surprised if it didn't add up to more than 250. I think I own 5 or 6 skunks, hard to remember as they're mostly out on loan around the world

[Shamus]

@Zerosquare: There's one very important thing that your flash cart would do that the Skunkboard can't do: EEPROM support (assuming, that is, that you're still putting that in). That alone would be reason enough for me to buy a few.

[CyranoJ]

sh3-rg, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 4:01 PM, said:

Zerosquare, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 3:54 PM, said:

is there still an "market" for a flash cart now that about 250 Skunkboard have been sold (IIRC)?

I think it's possibly quite a bit higher than that. Original run, skunk II, skunk III and ghost skunk. I'd be surprised if it didn't add up to more than 250. I think I own 5 or 6 skunks, hard to remember as they're mostly out on loan around the world

Don't forget the one spinning around slowly on top of a velvet cushion on a pedestal in a spot-lit glass cabinet!

[Gunstar]

Zerosquare, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 3:54 PM, said:

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but is there still an "market" for a flash cart now that about 250 Skunkboard have been sold (IIRC)? The Jaguar community isn't very big, so I think most of the people who wanted a flash cart already bought one.

On the other hand, storing games on a memory card would be interested for people who don't want to spend their time swapping carts / uploading games, and that's something that the Skunkboard doesn't do.

"Full disclosure" : both SCPCD and I are working on similar projects (the JagCF and Jagtopus), though the goals are not quite the same: the JagCF is an expansion cart, Jagtopus is a cheap Flash memory-based cart intended for releasing games on cartridges (it doesn't support USB, and possible usage as a flash cart is just a side-effect). And we don't see other projects as "competition" anyways

There will always be some demand, especially when these things are released in limited quantities for a limited time; there are new jag owners all the time, there are jag owners who don't always have the money to buy them right when they are available, there are jag users, like me, who come on bad times and must sell stuff to get by, even if they don't want too, they have too (I sold my skunkboard 2 when I had too, and now I would like another).

Personally, I'd like to see someone like Songbird, who continually supplies items, to offer a flash cart, becuase he continues to renew stocks. I've bought and sold just about everything Songbird offers at one time or another when I need to make quick cash for an emergency, and then when I am better off, I buy the products from him again.

[theloon]

A cheap reprogrammable cart is always good news.  There's no publisher for Jag games so at some point one would want to purchase carts.

Also, in another thread people got me to the point where I can compile a Jag binary "Hello World" in C in Windows.  I'm not even a C programmer.  That's a huge step in homebrew capability once a scene developed beyond ASM.  It not a matter of ASM vs. C more than wider development base.

I hope someone comes up with more dev boards soon!

[CyranoJ]

theloon, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 6:05 PM, said:

That's a huge step in homebrew capability once a scene developed beyond ASM.  It not a matter of ASM vs. C more than wider development base.

Wait for RMotion - anyone can make stuff then!

[theloon]

CyranoJ, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 6:24 PM, said:

theloon, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 6:05 PM, said:

That's a huge step in homebrew capability once a scene developed beyond ASM.  It not a matter of ASM vs. C more than wider development base.

Wait for RMotion - anyone can make stuff then!

Can't find any links to that.  I assume you're kidding around though.  Honestly, not all n00bs are out to recreate Doom 3.  I'd be happy with Robotfindskitten at first.

Edited by theloon, Sun Jul 1, 2012 6:28 PM.

[CyranoJ]

theloon, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 6:27 PM, said:

Can't find any links to that.  I assume you're kidding around though.  Honestly, not all n00bs are out to recreate Doom 3.  I'd be happy with Robotfindskitten at first.

Nope, no kidding around.  RMotion is a scripting language designed to work with RAPTOR, to control most of it's functions.  Our plan is to allow people to start making games and apps with no prior knowledge of the Jaguar hardware, 68000, Tom, Jerry, Blitter, Object Processor or C

Not much here at the moment for people to read, but behind the scenes is a bee-hive of activity from the RAPTOR development team. We're getting closer each day.

[theloon]

From the Raptor web page:

Quote

..It is our hope that eventually this will help to reboot the Jaguar homebrew community in a similar way that Batari Basic did for the 2600. It's a tall order - we're aiming high.

So, interest check was successful then!  Seems development and hardware projects are about to lower the bar for those who crave homebrew..

[evilevoix]

I'd love one

[wood_jl]

wood_jl, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 12:46 PM, said:

Yeah, there'd be interest in a flash cart that is along the lines of Everdrive for Genesis/SNES.

Zerosquare, on Sun Jul 1, 2012 3:54 PM, said:

I don't want to rain on anybody's parade, but is there still an "market" for a flash cart now that about 250 Skunkboard have been sold (IIRC)? The Jaguar community isn't very big, so I think most of the people who wanted a flash cart already bought one.

My understanding is that the Skunkboard is NOT a flashcart similar to the Everdrive, which is why mentioned it, above.  However, your reply leads me to believe I am in error?   So the Skunkboard works like an Everdrive - put an entire library on flash memory?   If not, then I reiterate that there's probably demand for a flash cart, as opposed to a developer cart.

[Willard]

im still waiting for the JagCF and the Jagtopus... already have a skunkboard revision 1 so i do not mind waiting a little while for the projects I'm interested in to be completed even if something else is released in the meanwhile.

Edited by Willard, Mon Jul 2, 2012 5:18 PM.

[Zerosquare]

wood_jl, on Mon Jul 2, 2012 4:35 PM, said:

My understanding is that the Skunkboard is NOT a flashcart similar to the Everdrive, which is why mentioned it, above.  However, your reply leads me to believe I am in error?   So the Skunkboard works like an Everdrive - put an entire library on flash memory?

No, you're correct. The Skunkboard, unlike Everdrive-like carts, doesn't have any memory card reader and can only hold at most two games at the same time. If you want to play a different game, you have to connect it to a PC and upload it first.

(For me, a flash cart is any cartridge with flash memory inside ; it seems you use a different definition.)

My point was, even if an Everdrive-like cart would be more practical if you play lots of differents games, I'm not sure people who have already invested in the Skunkboard would be willing to buy a new cart.