DracIsBack Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 The new scrolling stuff will also help out in 320A/B/C/D mode games too. This is something that is very exciting. Most 7800 games are 160 mode so it will be interesting to see these get explored more, if possible. The development team has basically agreed that the expansion module should go beyond what was originally thought as advanced back in in the day. The big thing here I do find is that you're still keeping in the spirit of the old days, exploring ideas that were on other consoles and bringing them to the 7800. That means we can create much more interesting games for everybody to enjoy. If the expansion module brings more games and programmers to the 7800 that's a good thing surely? If you don't like it, then vote with your wallet but you'll be missing out on some damn good games. That is the key! Good games! Can't wait to see what y'all come up with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underball Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 The ProSystem emulator will be updated to support the expansion module shortly. could you at least post up the latest Prosystem updates, not including the expansion module stuff, so that we can have a pre- and post- expansion module release of it? I know you fixed a number of other issues that had been hanging out like some of the graphics glitches, and I'm sure everyone here would like to be able to use the corrected Prosystem for them properly, since it sounds liek the expansion mmodule and it's games may still be quite a while in design, development, and production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 could you at least post up the latest Prosystem updates, not including the expansion module stuff, so that we can have a pre- and post- expansion module release of it? Unfortunately I'm not going to have time to make an interim release. Besides changes have been started already . Since Curt wants to demo at CGE my main focus is helping the other members of the Jedi Council get their games to a standard that can be demonstrated at the show (should they so wish) by having a working emulation of the module. As well as getting my own game up to scratch and contributing to the project. I know you fixed a number of other issues that had been hanging out like some of the graphics glitches, and I'm sure everyone here would like to be able to use the corrected Prosystem for them properly, since it sounds liek the expansion mmodule and it's games may still be quite a while in design, development, and production. Hopefully you'll be able to see the expansion module in action at CGE. Speaking for myself only I won't be releasing WIP binaries of my game before CGE. You'll probably get a teaser screenshot or two and that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underball Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 (edited) could you at least post up the latest Prosystem updates, not including the expansion module stuff, so that we can have a pre- and post- expansion module release of it? Unfortunately I'm not going to have time to make an interim release. Besides changes have been started already . Since Curt wants to demo at CGE my main focus is helping the other members of the Jedi Council get their games to a standard that can be demonstrated at the show (should they so wish) by having a working emulation of the module. As well as getting my own game up to scratch and contributing to the project. I know you fixed a number of other issues that had been hanging out like some of the graphics glitches, and I'm sure everyone here would like to be able to use the corrected Prosystem for them properly, since it sounds liek the expansion mmodule and it's games may still be quite a while in design, development, and production. Hopefully you'll be able to see the expansion module in action at CGE. Speaking for myself only I won't be releasing WIP binaries of my game before CGE. You'll probably get a teaser screenshot or two and that's it. when is CGE? And look - this is only my opinion, so don't take it as a slight or anything, but Prosystem is an Atariage community project. Greg Stanton graciously posted the source code here so it could be improved upon, because he didn't have time for it anymore. Then Gdement, myself, ZX-81 from psp-updates, and a few others have made a number of changes to update and improve it, posting them as they were incorporated for all to share. I'm sure you've done some great work in fixing things, and we'd all love to see what you came up with. I understand wanting to leave out the emulation of the expansion module until it's done cooking, but at least sharing some of the earlier corrections to the original source code with the rest of us who've spent time working on it in the past would be appreciated. Edited June 4, 2010 by Underball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 when is CGE? July 31st & August 1st, 2010. http://www.cgexpo.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Joe Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Are these games going to come on a "High Memory" 7800 cartridge similar to the ColecoVision Mega Cart? Since memory is so important? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Are these games going to come on a "High Memory" 7800 cartridge similar to the ColecoVision Mega Cart? Since memory is so important? It depends on the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorf Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 The high mem carts are for games that need them. However, there are other very important features that do not necessarily require high memory, like the built in extra RAM for allowing real live backdrop screens and the extra sound channels and more importantly, the awsome PLD assist to the MARIA chip to take a load off Sally the CPU giving developers more processing cycles per frame that would have been wasted on seting up MARIA. I know that Bob(PacManPlus) would have loved to have a few extra cycles to allow for more processing cycles toward the invaders in his excellent Space Invaders cart to allow for individual movement of the invaders instead of all at once(based on what he himself told me that is.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 If one of these will bring a good RPG to the 7800, I'm all for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Joe Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 If one of these will bring a good RPG to the 7800, I'm all for it. I was just thinking the same thing. Midnight Mutants is cool and all for what it is. But it's time to create something Zelda-like for the 7800. You know, something like Zelda 1 would be great! Let's get it done people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) Okay, we've gotten into a lot of discussion for features, additions, push backs, and things kind of stalled a bit, so tonight I've put together a quick design, its essentially a prototyping bus board that will have 4 slots and tomorrow I'll layout a 128K memory card and a Pokey Audio card and for the time being, use the existing High Score cards so that will leave 1 additional slot of a potential other device design card. I've thrown on a 28 pin dip and a 44pin qfp on the board with pin leads to access them if needed from any of the cards installed into the slots and also I put a DB9 on just the heck of it. Just going to doublecheck things tomorrow and order a run of 4-6 boards and get a few of them out to the 7800 coders so the guys can get to work testing their enhanced games. I'd say now 4 of them are spoken for, if anyone wants a board, tell me asap and I'll have another couple of them made, they are 9.5" X 4.5" so running a small run is a little pricey, so if you want a board, its $50 to add it onto the order... Curt Edited June 14, 2010 by Curt Vendel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Joe Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Man this looks great I am so excited. Thanks Curt for another great project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 It in itself is nothing truly special, its an enabling device, it will be the expansion cards that plug into it that are what count, this of course is NOT what the eventual expansion module will be, this is just a prototyping platform, every developed and tested here will go into the final single board design, but for now while designs and idea's are ever changing, this is going to allow me to provide the coders the needed hardware support so they will have a quick and dirty development platform to test out their new games and we can get things ironed out, otherwise this project is going to keep stalling and I'd really like to have something even in its most simple form ready for demo at the end of July for CGE. Curt Man this looks great I am so excited. Thanks Curt for another great project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Joe Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I get that it's just the first step towards development of these games, but just to have some great new things coming down the pipeline for the 7800 is seriously exciting. For so long there were hardly any homebrews or anything new for it and now suddenly the wheels are starting to turn. That's just really really exciting. I hope you guys are able to crank something fantastic out by CGE! GOOD LUCK SIR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) Okay, Expansion bus prototyping system has been ordered, boards will arrive on June 23rd and I'll post photo's once they do arrive... Updated the design just slightly. I realized I made a mistake with the QFP and that we had discussed a 68 pin plcc CPLD for logic and other functions, so I put a test rig footprint on the system board. I also created an SIO connector device and added it onto the design. Everything has been fully marked with i/o pin nummbers, function labels and which way the expansion cards will plug into the slots... Basically the 32 pin 7800 cart connectors are no longer available, however the 36 pin Atari 5200 connectors are the same, just need 4 pins removed and I'm not concerned with the cartridge "key's" on the connectors, so they will work out fine. okay, here the latest rev, time for some sleep... Curt Edited June 17, 2010 by Curt Vendel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gambler172 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Hi Curt Wow,i cannot wait to get one....... Have a look at your emails....... greetings Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 For those of us that can't attend CGE this year, hoping there will be some videos of this in action somewhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 For those of us that can't attend CGE this year, hoping there will be some videos of this in action somewhere! Soon... Errr... Well, as soon as I get some time to work on my game for it . Hopefully there will be something to show in early July. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Can hardly wait to see these expansion modules along with the games made for them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Joe Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Soon... Errr... Well, as soon as I get some time to work on my game for it . Hopefully there will be something to show in early July. Don't forget those Whistles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakasama Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 (edited) Can hardly wait to see these expansion modules along with the games made for them! I think I can guess about three of those games. It would be pretty pointless if it didn't have any games to demo on it. Edited June 18, 2010 by Bakasama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 I think I can guess about three of those games. It would be pretty pointless if it didn't have any games to demo on it. Hmmmmm... What's mine then? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammR25 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 I think I can guess about three of those games. It would be pretty pointless if it didn't have any games to demo on it. Hmmmmm... What's mine then? . Widow! with a bunch of spiders in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Widow! with a bunch of spiders in it. Nope! As far as I'm aware the game doesn't have any spiders in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammR25 Posted June 18, 2010 Share Posted June 18, 2010 Maybe someone stuck some in when you weren't looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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