Does It HAVE To Be More Than 4K?

[Peter G]

As I think about what I want to do next, a question hits me.

 

Using things like the Superchip RAM gets better play field resolution. And DPC+ gets extra sprites and such.

 

So here's the question -- is any code generated with either of these settings REQUIRED to run on such a cart or a Harmony board? Say I make a Superchip RAM to get a better play field, but I keep it under 4K. As long as I don't try bankswitching, can I just burn it to a chip and put it on a cart, or is that out? And I may as well ask about the DPC+ (I suspect the answer is it WILL need the Harmony boards, but I just want to be clear).

[iesposta]

Superchip is ram on a chip. Even if it is less than 4K, if you use Superchip RAM you will need a Superchip in the cart (or an emulated Superchip, read n).

Carts can still be made with a rom chip and a Superchip. There are many bankswitch formats with Superchip. Off the top of my head there is 8KSC 16KSC.

The Melody Board is a cheaper Harmony Cart and both emulate the Superchip. So Superchip games can be released on Melody boards, then you don't have to take a Superchip from an existing game.

 

The batari Basic DPC+ kernel is using an extended implementation of the chip found in Pitfall II.

(It's more complicated than that, but that is how I think of it.)

DPC+ games will need a Melody board (that emulates a DPC+ chip). And, of course, they run on Harmony or in the Stella emulator.