ColecoVision - The best is yet to come

[uosipa llamxew]

Hi!

 

Since I am officially sick today, I am taking the chance to work full time on my first SEM game...

I have just finished the opening animation. 

 

A few comments:

- graphics are mostly based on the MSX2 version, but with several small enhancements (and a few big ones, like the title screen).

- it isn't a port of the MSX2 version though, since that machine doesn't have hardware scroll (while the SEM does have). The MSX2 version uses static screens, with a screen switch taking place everytime Simon touches a screen corner. The SEM version will take full advantage of the SEM hardware scroll, for smooth scrolling.

- the game itself will borrow elements from both the Famicom/NES and MSX2 versions. Gameplay will be mosty action paced (like the Famicom), but with many items found in the MSX2 version. Stages will be bigger than the Famicom version, allowing more exploration. The key system used in the MSX2 version will be replicated here.

 

The screenshot bellow shows the difference between the Famicom and SEM graphics. This particular scene isn't that different though, but many stages do have noticiable graphic improvements...

 

Eduardo

836381[/snapback]

 

Fantastic! Maybe you could incorporate some sort of password system or stage select screen since the game is so bloody hard?

 

Because I didn't mention it above - Opcode rules!

[opcode]

Fantastic!  Maybe you could incorporate some sort of password system or stage select screen since the game is so bloody hard? 

 

 

Ok, I added lives and stage selection as a hidden feature...

[thegamezmaster]

This sounds interesting for any Colecovision owner. But what is this going to be an add on module or what? I've read the thread and still don't know what it is exactly. Hope anyone can clarify what this is going to be. Thanks.

[opcode]

This sounds interesting for any Colecovision owner. But what is this going to be an add on module or what? I've read the thread and still don't know what it is exactly. Hope anyone can clarify what this is going to be. Thanks.

840630[/snapback]

 

It's an add on module. There will be more info later this year.

BTW, I am now considering to release Pac-Man Collection as a SEM exclusive. Why? Because it's May already and so far I don't have a bank-switch capable PCB finished (or even started). Considering the cost and time necessary to produce such PCB, I am now inclined to go with discs instead. But there are another good reason...

We are planning to offer the SEM in two versions, with or without the A/V subsystem. The SEM is comprised of 4 major sub-systems: memory, disc, video and audio. The A/V version would come with all 4 sub-systems, while the A/V less version (or base system) would come with just the memory and disc sub-systems (though it would be upgradable to the full version). The new Pac-Man Collection would require just the base system (memory and disc) to run, but the disc would also include a updated version to be used with the full A/V module. This new version would include arcade perfect graphics, perfect color palettes and better sound.

In the meantime, I am still working on Akumajou Dracula. The base engine is almost complete. Now Simon is already animating and the screen is scrolling (very smoothly) left/right. Next step is to add hittable objects, like candles. Screenshots (and maybe some footage) soon...

 

Eduardo

[opcode]

Screenshots....

[Stingray]

Getting excited about this!

 

-S

[bradjewell]

Screenshots....

844175[/snapback]

 

you are the god of colecovision....

 

Brad

[birdie3]

Screenshots....

844175[/snapback]

 

Wow!! Castelvania on the Colecovision. I Have never played this particular version but it definately does make me wonder how this game could be improved considering how good the NES version was. How close to being completely finished are you with this hardware project?

[eldunko]

Is your SEM the exact one Coleco would have released back in the 80s or did you have to do some creative work to get all these parts to work together?

[opcode]

Wow!! Castelvania on the Colecovision. I Have never played this particular version but it definately does make me wonder how this game could be improved considering how good the NES version was. How close to being completely finished are you with this hardware project?

845976[/snapback]

 

Hi,

 

Schematics for the memory, disk and video sub-systems are mostly completed, and we hope to have a working prototype later this year.

The CV version of Akumajou Dracula (still looking for a better English name than "Castlevania") will improve the original NES version in many ways, like graphics and sound, as well as play mechanics and game size. I am currently working on the weapon system, and tweaking some things, like: the boomerang cross now needs to be caught when returning, otherwise you will loose it. In other hand it is a more powerfull weapon now. Secondary weapons won't be so easy to find, and in many cases you will need to look for them locked inside chests or buy them from hidden merchants. Stages are bigger, with extra floors which weren't available before. It is going to be a great port....

 

Eduardo

[Retro Rogue]

To Eduardo:

 

I was just reading Ralph Baer's new book and he talks about the laser disc interface capability of the Colecovision and how he wishes someone one day would do something to explote this. Is adding some feature like this on to this new Colecovision a possiblity? Just curious. I would imagine that if you contacted Mr. Baer, he might be able to give you more info on this.

 

Allan

 

 

 

Well, the CV's graphic's chip (or VDP - Video Display Processor) the Texas Instruments TMS9928A is supposed to be able to handle an external video source and mix the signals for the final project using the input signal as background (such as take input from a laser disc and lay graphics over it).

 

Though TI's manual for the 9900 series leads me to believe that this feature was not available on the CV's chip since it states: The TMS9918A is pin-for-pin compatible with the TMS9928A/9929A, except for three pins, the composite video output, the external video input and the CPU clock output. These pins are replaced with the Black/White luminance and composite sync (Y) output and two difference pins, Blue (B-Y) and Red (R-Y) ouputs, respectively.

 

Of am I interpreting their statement wrong?

[Retro Rogue]

I dont mean to be a nag but can someone educate me on how it came to be that the MSX and Coleco systems are so similar?

 

I believe the CV led to the Spectravideo, and the Spectravideo led to the MSX. I am almost 100% sure about the Spectravideo/MSX part.

 

No, the CV was designed independantly of Spectravideo back in '81. Initially started by Coleco themselves and then handed off to a design firm in the midwest. In answer to Ferris' question, it's because (from what I was told by people at that firm) the CV was actually designed with a personal computer architecture in mind rather than a scaled down console architecture (similar to what Atari was originally going to do with the Atari 400 and later done properly with the XEGS). Hence the expansion bus, and "off the shelf" parts.

 

About the MS participation, I think it was just a marketing plot. The MSX was created by Mr Nishi from ASCII Corp. MSX users have found evidences that neither the MSX-Basic neither the MSX-DOS were programmed by MS itself. The only reason for using the MS name was cause ASCII was the MS representative in Japan back in the early 80s.

 

 

Eduardo

833984[/snapback]

 

Several Microsoft historical/profile books cover this, though I don't have any in front of me right now so I'll go by memory. MSX was the brainchild of Kay Kishi (head of Microsoft Japan - Kay's ASCII) in an effort to standardize the "older" 8 bit market in Asia and Europe as Microsoft proper moved on to the "16 bit" PC processor world. He worked with several other companies (mainly Spectravideo) to create an 8 bit "standard" hardware wise that also conviently included a MS Basic interface/dos. My own interpretation is that it was Kay's attempt at "playing Bill Gates" with the pacific rim market which (like Europe) was emerging with a plethora of 8 bit micros.

[JB]

To Eduardo:

 

I was just reading Ralph Baer's new book and he talks about the laser disc interface capability of the Colecovision and how he wishes someone one day would do something to explote this. Is adding some feature like this on to this new Colecovision a possiblity? Just curious. I would imagine that if you contacted Mr. Baer, he might be able to give you more info on this.

 

Allan

 

 

 

Well, the CV's graphic's chip (or VDP - Video Display Processor) the Texas Instruments TMS9928A is supposed to be able to handle an external video source and mix the signals for the final project using the input signal as background (such as take input from a laser disc and lay graphics over it).

 

Though TI's manual for the 9900 series leads me to believe that this feature was not available on the CV's chip since it states: The TMS9918A is pin-for-pin compatible with the TMS9928A/9929A, except for three pins, the composite video output, the external video input and the CPU clock output. These pins are replaced with the Black/White luminance and composite sync (Y) output and two difference pins, Blue (B-Y) and Red (R-Y) ouputs, respectively.

 

Of am I interpreting their statement wrong?

852251[/snapback]

Sounds right.

 

As a secondary note, the use of that feature would be questionable anyways. If I recall, the manual also says you can't feed color signals into it.

...

But I'm not seeing that in the one you linked, so I may be mistaken.

[legeek]

Man this stuff looks awesome Eduardo!

 

Cheers,

Ben

[J.Max]

This thing is going to rock!

[Ferris]

Any new news Eduardo?

[NightSprinter]

Wow, I'm.. speechless.. *is glad he didn't sell his old CV now* My only qualm is how are we going to get playability from the SEM games with existing joystick controllers? Someone else would have to manufacture a brand-new controller (that may still have a keypad) in order to retain playability for games like DemonCastle Dracula (literal translation of "Akuma-Jou Doracula/Dracula) and any other MSX1/MSX2 titles that may be ported. But if this is what I think it's turning out to, I'd be willing to buy the SEM and some games for it.

 

[Off-Topic P.S. to Eduardo] If you haven't read my reply in the Pac-Man Collection thread, I've actually isolated that freeze-up problem to emulator joystick support.

[DominiRican05]

Wow, I'm.. speechless.. *is glad he didn't sell his old CV now*  My only qualm is how are we going to get playability from the SEM games with existing joystick controllers?  Someone else would have to manufacture a brand-new controller (that may still have a keypad) in order to retain playability for games like DemonCastle Dracula (literal translation of "Akuma-Jou Doracula/Dracula) and any other MSX1/MSX2 titles that may be ported.  But if this is what I think it's turning out to, I'd be willing to buy the SEM and some games for it.

 

[Off-Topic P.S. to Eduardo] If you haven't read my reply in the Pac-Man Collection thread, I've actually isolated that freeze-up problem to emulator joystick support.

936433[/snapback]

 

I've grown accustomed to the CV controllers believe or not, especially since I have the extension cables which allow me to sit a lot further from the TV, but it's still far from perfect. I would honestly like to see a joypad designed for the CV, I find them more comfortable than joy sticks in general, and I agree the number pad would have to be included since there are many current games that still utilize it and I'm sure some SEM games would too. Plus, the pause button is invaluable. :-)

 

Overall, I'm very much looking forward to the SEM.

[NightSprinter]

Very much agreed, DR. Or even an improved arcade-style joystick that plugs into a seperate keypad will suffice as well. I would love to see something that would work better, since I can't even really play Donkey Kong now with the current controllers I have.

[DominiRican05]

Very much agreed, DR.  Or even an improved arcade-style joystick that plugs into a seperate keypad will suffice as well.  I would love to see something that would work better, since I can't even really play Donkey Kong now with the current controllers I have.

938031[/snapback]

 

 

Yea my major gripe is the joystick "knob" which is too short for you to get a good grip on. It's really a weird design. There are separate keypads that you can plug into the second joystick port and that way you can use any type of joystick or controller. I've never owned one, but I heard about them from doubledown.

[J.Max]

Any updates?

[opcode]

Hi!

 

Well, I have been studying VDHL a lot lately and I am now considering to move the whole SEM project to FPGA. The biggest advantages would be price and a smaller device size. I already have the complete V9938 source code, as well the Z80 and FM source codes, so the move shouldn't be this difficult. I was even wondering about a complete CV in a chip in fact... I am planning to buy a FPGA dev kit in the next few months, so I could start experimenting with it.

Another advantage of going FPGA is that I would change a few of the V9938 specs which aren't fully appropriated for videogames, but still keep most of the spirit of the original chip. If you are familiar with the V9938, here is what I would change (please remember that I am planning to use the V9958, not the V9938, with the SEM):

 

One the main features in the V9958 which isn't present in the V9938 is horizontal hardware scroll (believe it or not. That was why I was forced to go with the V9958). So I would add it to my modified video (which I will call the V9970).

 

So here is the complete list of changes:

 

- Add horizontal hardware scroll, exactly like the V9958.

- Remove graphic mode 5, which is 512x212, 4 colors. It's a useless mode for a game machine.

- Improve "blitter" speed. It will help a lot, since it is a framebuffer based video, not tile based like the NES or the original CV. However framebuffer modes are more flexible.

 

The biggest weakness of the V9938/V9958 videos is their sprite capabilities, which were ok for a computer video, but not this impressive (even by the 80s standards) for a videogame IC. So here is a list of things I want to change in this area:

 

- Stop vertical scrolling from dragging all sprites with it. It was a plain stupid design decision with the original V9938.

- Create a separated set of 16 color palettes just for sprites (palettes #16-#31).

- Sprites will also use color palettes in graphic mode 7 (the original IC uses a fixed color palette for sprites in this mode, another stupid design decision. They partially corrected it with the V9958).

- Sprites will be 16x16 pixels bitmapped (it was 16x16, a color per scanline).

- 256 sprites patterns max. (It was 64, same as the TMS9928. Too little for a 85-87 video IC). This amount of sprites will requires 32Kb of VRAM, or a full screen page.

- 64 sprites on screen (it was 32, same as the TMS9928. Too little for a 85-87 video IC).

- 8 sprites per scanline (it isn't a change; I am keeping the original V9938 spec here, though this time sprites are bitmapped which is big improvement).

- Remove sprite color table. It won't be necessary anymore (thanks God). Sprite pattern table address register will now be set in 8Kb increments (so you can have just 64 patterns if you want, just like before). Also, since sprites are now bitmapped, sprite patterns can also be used as regular shapes by the video "blitter". There is no need to change the sprite attribute address register, since the increase in size of the attribute table (by 128 bytes) isn't big enough to conflict with other tables. I belive this improved new sprite mode is more "in line" with the background graphic properties.

 

Just as a side node, these new sprite specs are almost the same as the SMS sprite specs, so they aren't unrealistic for a machine released around 85-87.

If you noticed, I am not including the extra YJK modes (256x212, 19K colors) found in the V9958 with my V9970. They are too difficult to work with, and not that usefull for games.

 

If this new video works, I could sell my current stock of V9958s and make a lot of MSX users happy...

 

Eduardo

[gizmomelb]

just in case no one else has mentioed it.. Colecovision in an FPGA:

 

http://home.freeuk.com/fpgaarcade/cv.htm

[Shark05]

Hey,how are you? I'd like to ask a question. I'm new to this website. I've been registered like a week. From the conversations,that i'm seeing on here,it looks like everybody is not just talking about the game,but are in much depth about the games & game systems. I want to know,if i'm doing the right thing,by replying to what i see on here & replying to the right person,about the topic,he/she is talking about. I know you are suppose to chat on here & talk about atari products.I used to have a 2600 when i was in my early teens. Let me know,if i'm doing this right.

 

Shark05

[Pixelboy]

Hey,how are you?    I'd like to ask a question.  I'm new to this website. I've been registered like a week. From the conversations,that i'm seeing on here,it looks like everybody is not just talking about the game,but are in much depth about the games & game systems. I want to know,if i'm doing the right thing,by replying to what i see on here & replying to the right person,about the topic,he/she is talking about. I know you are suppose to chat on here & talk about atari products.I used to have a 2600 when i was in my early teens.  Let me know,if i'm doing this right.

 

Shark05

1011825[/snapback]

Actually, the "Classic Gaming General" sub-forum is for everything else than Atari, although no one will really complain if you mention Atari-related stuff here.

 

First of all, you first have to select the right sub-forum, from here. If you want to discuss a subject related to the Atari 2600, pick the "Atari 2600" sub-forum. Simple as a square, wouldn't you say?

 

Secondly, the post you made isn't related to this thread's main subject, and it would have been better to start a new thread with your question. So once you have selected the correct sub-forum, click on the orange "New Topic" icon and you can start a new thread from there.

 

For the rest of what you should know, click on the "Help" and "Guidelines" links at the top of the page.

 

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