Pixelboy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Is it possible to code games for SGM and non-SGM? i.e. if SGM is found then run in SGM "enhanced mode". That way people without SGM (most Colecovision owners) would still be able to play the games? It's possible for the sounds aspect (if SGM is detected, use the extra sound channels, otherwise limit music to the native channels) but in terms of RAM, if your game requires more than 1K of memory, then the SGM will become mandatory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 No worries... Really I will make sure to continue to release "regular" 32K games , but I will also take the opportunity to use the SGM specs for more complex games Right, and I will be doing the same thing. On the other hand, if most of the 240 initial pre-orders are fulfilled, the SGM will be owned by the greater majority of todays' CV fans. So whether you make a game that requires the SGM or not, you'll be catering to the same customer base anyway, for the most part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Right, and I will be doing the same thing. On the other hand, if most of the 240 initial pre-orders are fulfilled, the SGM will be owned by the greater majority of todays' CV fans. So whether you make a game that requires the SGM or not, you'll be catering to the same customer base anyway, for the most part. Well said, Luc, exactly my opinion. About graphics, while the SGM doesn't change the graphic chip, the extra RAM can help graphics in many ways. One can for example create one or more frame buffers for dynamic parallax scrolling (by dynamic I mean planes that can be modified on the fly). Or have a dynamic pattern table in RAM. Or have a lot of movable objects on screen using tiles. Those are things you simply cannot do well with a single KB of RAM, and animating right from the VRAM is too slow for practical purposes. Another example is smooth scrolling. You can do that in ROM, but then you are going to need a huge cartridge for all the pattern variations. With the SGM even a regular 32KB cartridge can offer smooth scrolling in a game with several different stages. No to mention games that are a lot more complex. How can you create a huge RPG that keeps track of hundreds of items and enemies scattered all around the game world? With 1KB you cannot. So for me the amount of RAM Coleco included with the Coleco simply restrains the system from its full potential (as a side note, the original CV prototype had a lot more RAM, but you are going to subscribe to the Opcode Club to learn more). So many examples, some of the best chip tune players out there uses self modifying code and you cannot do that with 1KB. Again, I would like to make clear that what we'll be seeing with the first wave the games for the SGM is just the tip of the iceberg. I know of some talented programmers that are jumping aboard and hopefully soon we will be seeing games that were created for the SGM from scratch, taking full advantage of the extra RAM and sound, games that blow away our preconceived notions of what a CV game looks and play likes. Ah..... More news tomorrow.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Ok, some more news: the SGM connectors are here. 250 connectors. The SGM connectors are a special order, manufactured on demand. For the prototype I used a readily available green connector, but these are black, so they will match the SGM case nicely. They are also the most expensive single component of the SGM board. In fact it is a miracle they still produce such connectors, but I am glad they do otherwise.... Pictures soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) And I just got news from Coleco. We are going to have a conference call this weekend. [Edit]: Confirmation sent for all orders placed by September 30th. Edited October 2, 2012 by opcode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixelboy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 And I just got news from Coleco. We are going to have a conference call this weekend. Um... I have a bad feeling about this... Dunno why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Um... I have a bad feeling about this... Dunno why... It is all good, don't worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblenkle Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Maybe Coleco is going to insist Eduardo include a Cabbage Patch doll with each SGM... Um... I have a bad feeling about this... Dunno why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+grips03 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Ed, with SGM SIC is there a way to speed up moving left to right and shooting faster with multiple bullets at the same time, or if others like they way it is today than adds these to the game options menu. Also if two player at same time can be added that would be great. I've always liked the two player Atari mode. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 And I just got news from Coleco. We are going to have a conference call this weekend. Could it be time for a Colecovision Flashback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Could it be time for a Colecovision Flashback? I will be discussing exclusively the SGM AFAIK. I don't think they still have any commercial interest on the ColecoVision, as they are just too small to be able to get any of the licenses for the original games. But who knows. Back in 2006 they had big plans, but nothing came from that, so I wouldn't hold my breath.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 Ed, with SGM SIC is there a way to speed up moving left to right and shooting faster with multiple bullets at the same time, or if others like they way it is today than adds these to the game options menu. Also if two player at same time can be added that would be great. I've always liked the two player Atari mode. thanks Two players competitive are in my plans.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) Quick update: pictures of the SGM connectors. [EDIT]: Prototype uses a green connector. Final version uses black. I was going to place the order for the case mold this week, but it is holiday in China. I will place the order on Monday. Totally off-topic, but we tend to refer to the MSX as something that only came out in Japan and Europe. Well, here is the proof we also got MSXes in the US. A Yamaha CX5II/128. Yamaha released 3 MSX computers in NA, the original CX5M, CX5MII and CX5MII/128. The CX5MII/128 was the final model, and by far the rarest. It is technically a MSX1, however internally it is mostly a MSX2, even including the MSX2 video chip. Even the battery cover is there, just like any MSX2. So you need to replace the BIOS, add more video memory, add the clock chip and voila, MSX2. Another interesting thing is the "128" in the name. That means it comes with 128KB of RAM, probably the largest for a MSX1 ever. Interestingly you cannot use any of the extra 64KB because the MSX1 BIOS lacks the proper Memory Mapper (the mechanism that allowed MSXes to map up 16MB of RAM) routines (though the Memory Mapper hardware is there) and won't detect any of extra memory. Oh, and did I mention that this MSX comes with MIDI and a YM2151 FM chip (the same used in such arcade classics as Gradius II, Contra, Outrun and Afterburner)? That made the CX5M not just a MSX but also a professional music instrument in the 80s. In fact mine came with a FM editor cartridge for creating new sounds on the YM2151. Now... How much did I pay for this gem? $200? $100? $50?..... No, I got this MSX on eBay last week for $20! As I said, it is cheaper to get a MSX in the US than anywhere else. Try to get a similar Yamaha MSX in Japan, you are going to pay around $200. Edited October 3, 2012 by opcode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+pboland Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Totally off-topic, but we tend to refer to the MSX as something that only came out in Japan and Europe. Well, here is the proof we also got MSXes in the US. A Yamaha CX5II/128. Yamaha released 3 MSX computers in NA, the original CX5M, CX5MII and CX5MII/128. The CX5MII/128 was the final model, and by far the rarest. It is technically a MSX1, however internally it is mostly a MSX2, even including the MSX2 video chip. Even the battery cover is there, just like any MSX2. So you need to replace the BIOS, add more video memory, add the clock chip and voila, MSX2. Another interesting thing is the "128" in the name. That means it comes with 128KB of RAM, probably the largest for a MSX1 ever. Interestingly you cannot use any of the extra 64KB because the MSX1 BIOS lacks the proper Memory Mapper (the mechanism that allowed MSXes to map up 16MB of RAM) routines (though the Memory Mapper hardware is there) and won't detect any of extra memory. Oh, and did I mention that this MSX comes with MIDI and a YM2151 FM chip (the same used in such arcade classics as Gradius II, Contra, Outrun and Afterburner)? That made the CX5M not just a MSX but also a professional music instrument in the 80s. In fact mine came with a FM editor cartridge for creating new sounds on the YM2151. Now... How much did I pay for this gem? $200? $100? $50?..... No, I got this MSX on eBay last week for $20! As I said, it is cheaper to get a MSX in the US than anywhere else. Try to get a similar Yamaha MSX in Japan, you are going to pay around $200. Wow! I haven't seen one of those for years. I never owned one, but I remember seeing them in the music magazines back in the day. The Yamaha MSX computer was sold as a MIDI workstation. Once the Atari ST computers came out, many musician junked the Yamaha's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjak Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Payment sent! I can't wait! Thank you so much for putting in so much time and effort, Ed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Quick update: pictures of the SGM connectors. [EDIT]: Prototype uses a green connector. Final version uses black. I was going to place the order for the case mold this week, but it is holiday in China. I will place the order on Monday. Totally off-topic, but we tend to refer to the MSX as something that only came out in Japan and Europe. Well, here is the proof we also got MSXes in the US. A Yamaha CX5II/128. Yamaha released 3 MSX computers in NA, the original CX5M, CX5MII and CX5MII/128. The CX5MII/128 was the final model, and by far the rarest. It is technically a MSX1, however internally it is mostly a MSX2, even including the MSX2 video chip. Even the battery cover is there, just like any MSX2. So you need to replace the BIOS, add more video memory, add the clock chip and voila, MSX2. Another interesting thing is the "128" in the name. That means it comes with 128KB of RAM, probably the largest for a MSX1 ever. Interestingly you cannot use any of the extra 64KB because the MSX1 BIOS lacks the proper Memory Mapper (the mechanism that allowed MSXes to map up 16MB of RAM) routines (though the Memory Mapper hardware is there) and won't detect any of extra memory. Oh, and did I mention that this MSX comes with MIDI and a YM2151 FM chip (the same used in such arcade classics as Gradius II, Contra, Outrun and Afterburner)? That made the CX5M not just a MSX but also a professional music instrument in the 80s. In fact mine came with a FM editor cartridge for creating new sounds on the YM2151. Now... How much did I pay for this gem? $200? $100? $50?..... No, I got this MSX on eBay last week for $20! As I said, it is cheaper to get a MSX in the US than anywhere else. Try to get a similar Yamaha MSX in Japan, you are going to pay around $200. I have the CX5M, picked up in a thrift store about 5 years ago for about $15: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+5-11under Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Quick update: pictures of the SGM connectors. [EDIT]: Prototype uses a green connector. Final version uses black. I was going to place the order for the case mold this week, but it is holiday in China. I will place the order on Monday. Totally off-topic, but we tend to refer to the MSX as something that only came out in Japan and Europe. Well, here is the proof we also got MSXes in the US. A Yamaha CX5II/128. Yamaha released 3 MSX computers in NA, the original CX5M, CX5MII and CX5MII/128. The CX5MII/128 was the final model, and by far the rarest. It is technically a MSX1, however internally it is mostly a MSX2, even including the MSX2 video chip. Even the battery cover is there, just like any MSX2. So you need to replace the BIOS, add more video memory, add the clock chip and voila, MSX2. Another interesting thing is the "128" in the name. That means it comes with 128KB of RAM, probably the largest for a MSX1 ever. Interestingly you cannot use any of the extra 64KB because the MSX1 BIOS lacks the proper Memory Mapper (the mechanism that allowed MSXes to map up 16MB of RAM) routines (though the Memory Mapper hardware is there) and won't detect any of extra memory. Oh, and did I mention that this MSX comes with MIDI and a YM2151 FM chip (the same used in such arcade classics as Gradius II, Contra, Outrun and Afterburner)? That made the CX5M not just a MSX but also a professional music instrument in the 80s. In fact mine came with a FM editor cartridge for creating new sounds on the YM2151. Now... How much did I pay for this gem? $200? $100? $50?..... No, I got this MSX on eBay last week for $20! As I said, it is cheaper to get a MSX in the US than anywhere else. Try to get a similar Yamaha MSX in Japan, you are going to pay around $200. I've got a CX5M! It came as a package deal when I bought a DX7. The only other time I've ever seen an MSX machine was way back in the day at some kind of computer show my brother and I went to. MSX was brand new, and we were convinced at the time that MSX was the future of computing. That didn't quite pan out, but there were some promising features for sure. Our favourite part of course was the built-in joysticks that some of the systems had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 You also got a DX7, eh? Cool! I have a DX7 myself, as well as a bunch of TXs (including TX816), RXs and QXs. I love FM... I need to post pictures of my MSX collection any day. I have some 30 boxed MSXes, about 500 boxed games and applications. Some very rare stuff here... But I think we are derailing this thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 You guys seems more lucky than me when it comes to MSX I WANT TO PLAY PENGUIN ADVENTURE !!!!!!!!!!! DAMN!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIAD Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 You guys seems more lucky than me when it comes to MSX I WANT TO PLAY PENGUIN ADVENTURE !!!!!!!!!!! DAMN!! BlueMSX does a great job of emulating the MSX line of systems and rom, disk and cassette images of MSX warez can easily be found... including Penguin Adventure. I know, it's not the same playing thru an emulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 BlueMSX does a great job of emulating the MSX line of systems and rom, disk and cassette images of MSX warez can easily be found... including Penguin Adventure. I know, it's not the same playing thru an emulator. Yeah, I know .... I can even play it on my MAME cab..... But..... I want the real deal! ..... Or better! Playing it on my ColecoVision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Yeah, I know .... I can even play it on my MAME cab..... But..... I want the real deal! ..... Or better! Playing it on my ColecoVision! You surely will. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 You surely will. A W E S O M E ! ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted October 4, 2012 Author Share Posted October 4, 2012 Ok, getting back on topic (let's create a MSX thread for all the MSX talk, otherwise people looking for SGM information will stop checking this thread). Guess what, we got to 145 orders!! I will be sending the final confirmations in a minute. I was also planning to send an update email later today, but I am just exhausted. So I will send the update tomorrow. But basically if you have been following this thread you already know all the information. BTW, for all you guys who ordered the SGM, in case you haven't done so yet, please subscribe to my emailing list. Please visit my website for information (www.opcodegames.com). That way you make sure you receive all the updates about the module. Thanks again everybody for making this happen. We are surely getting really close now... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroillucid Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Thanks again everybody for making this happen. We are surely getting really close now... We follow the leader! Congrats for the 145 orders! That's REALLY REALLY COOL to see all those ColecoVision Hombrew Supporters! Proud to be in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.