Upcoming Jaguar Game Drive Cartridge

[bbuchholtz]

Great work SainT!

 

My preference would be to avoid the creation of a monolithic custom ROM file, containing box art and save states. I'd much rather use some sort of metadata file and discrete files for save states. Ideally, this would allow users the ability to mix and match save states. It would also help keep the ROM file unadulterated.

 

-Brian

[+Mitch]

Great work SainT!

 

My preference would be to avoid the creation of a monolithic custom ROM file, containing box art and save states. I'd much rather use some sort of metadata file and discrete files for save states. Ideally, this would allow users the ability to mix and match save states. It would also help keep the ROM file unadulterated.

 

-Brian

 

Or just stick all of the related files in the same zip file.

 

Mitch

[Gummy Bear]

Save states?!

Did I miss something?

[+madman]

Save states?!

Did I miss something?

Yep, just the usual spreading of misinformation. Here is what saint actually said re:save states: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/254003-upcoming-jaguar-sd-cartridge/?view=findpost&p=3955588

[Gummy Bear]

Ahh I see.

So he meant normal saves.

 

I got all excited for nothing... Lol

[Lynxpro]

Would it be stupid to have a reader for TXT file versions of the game instructions? And a way to embed that into the file containers?

[SainT]

On 10/29/2018 at 10:48 PM, Lynxpro said:

 

 

SainT, you phukkin' rock, man.

 

What's your encore after you finish this? Tackling a 7800 SD Cart Adapter, you say???

 

I don't think anyone's suggested this before, but an ST Cart SD Adapter could be interesting. There've been some games ported to Cart format in the past. It would certainly load faster than a Gotek and might be less expensive than an UltraSatan...

 

Quite possibly a 7800 cart. It would be a nice break after the Jaguar...

 

I've also got a cheap UltraSatan type device on my mind as well. The cartridge on the ST isn't very useful, sadly.

Edited October 25, 2019 by SainT

[SainT]

Great work SainT!

 

My preference would be to avoid the creation of a monolithic custom ROM file, containing box art and save states. I'd much rather use some sort of metadata file and discrete files for save states. Ideally, this would allow users the ability to mix and match save states. It would also help keep the ROM file unadulterated.

 

-Brian

 

Yep, I went down the route of separate "marquee" files which contain images and details of the games which will be used if present. The EEPROM data will most likely remain separate as well -- {ROMFILE}_[0-9].sav or something for storing multiple EEPROM saves per game.

[SainT]

Would it be stupid to have a reader for TXT file versions of the game instructions? And a way to embed that into the file containers?

 

This could be included in the marquee file. I'm not sure how easy a VERY SIMPLE markup language would be to add images etc into the mix to make for some proper instructions. All possible...

[jericho_21]

 

Quite possibly a 7800 SD cart. It would be a nice break after the Jaguar...

 

I've also got a cheap UltraSatan type device on my mind as well. The cartridge on the ST isn't very useful, sadly.

Oh. That's too bad. Well, it did not hurt to suggest, I guess. I did not know that the ST cartridge port was not useful. Well, if you do create something like UltraSatan, I might be interested in buying it. Thanks.

Edited November 1, 2018 by jericho_21

[bbuchholtz]

Apologies; I misspoke.

 

Yep, just the usual spreading of misinformation. Here is what saint actually said re:save states: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/254003-upcoming-jaguar-sd-cartridge/?view=findpost&p=3955588

[bbuchholtz]

If nothing else, it'd be great if the marquee file was a non-binary format, to allow for some degree of manual editing...

 

 

 

This could be included in the marquee file. I'm not sure how easy a VERY SIMPLE markup language would be to add images etc into the mix to make for some proper instructions. All possible...

[SainT]

The mrq format is very simple, and there's a tool for creating them from PNG's and game details. It needs to be in 16bit RGB suitable for the Jag, so it's pre-processed to make things easier on the Jag's end.

[leech]

Oh. That's too bad. Well, it did not hurt to suggest, I guess. I did not know that the ST cartridge port was not useful. Well, if you do create something like UltraSatan, I might be interested in buying it. Thanks.

If I recall, you can only fit 128KB of space on the ST Cart without doing bank switching. This is from reading various ideas about doing a flash cart for the ST. There wasn't a whole lot of carts for it, outside of copy protection dongles and things like the MIDEX+. I'd actually completely forgotten that the STs had a cartridge port until I was looking at getting some MIDI hardware, and after I'd gotten the NetUSBee.

 

But I did see some work in converting some games so they'd work on a cartridge.

[jericho_21]

If I recall, you can only fit 128KB of space on the ST Cart without doing bank switching. This is from reading various ideas about doing a flash cart for the ST. There wasn't a whole lot of carts for it, outside of copy protection dongles and things like the MIDEX+. I'd actually completely forgotten that the STs had a cartridge port until I was looking at getting some MIDI hardware, and after I'd gotten the NetUSBee.

 

But I did see some work in converting some games so they'd work on a cartridge.

I see. Interesting. In fact, I do have software for the ST that needs a dongle to work. Understood. Thanks for the information.

[NUT]

 

Quite possibly a 7800 SD cart. It would be a nice break after the Jaguar...

 

I've also got a cheap UltraSatan type device on my mind as well. The cartridge on the ST isn't very useful, sadly.

 

Heh, I have another 'little' project for you if you need something different for a change

 

ICD Catbox, new style, with a TCP/IP connection to hook up to users around the world as if they where next to you... anything close to this idea is long gone, sold out, bankrupt or not available world wide at a ridiculously high price...

 

I think you will make a bunch of people VERY happy with something like that

[Gummy Bear]

How about we stop stealing valuable opcycles from SainT's brain and let him finish this first.

[SainT]

 

Heh, I have another 'little' project for you if you need something different for a change

 

ICD Catbox, new style, with a TCP/IP connection to hook up to users around the world as if they where next to you... anything close to this idea is long gone, sold out, bankrupt or not available world wide at a ridiculously high price...

 

I think you will make a bunch of people VERY happy with something like that

 

I've already covered that in the JagSD. I've mentioned before it can route the serial data out over the cartridge port and potentially over TCP/IP to another Jag with a JagSD.

[NUT]

 

I've already covered that in the JagSD. I've mentioned before it can route the serial data out over the cartridge port and potentially over TCP/IP to another Jag with a JagSD.

 

I forgot about that, I can remember something about that indeed...

 

But it's time for a new breakoutbox like the Catbox anyway

 

Would be nice to get something like that with a HDMI upscaler included, simply because it's almost mandatory to use that on any new TV.

Edited November 2, 2018 by NUT

[jericho_21]

 

I've already covered that in the JagSD. I've mentioned before it can route the serial data out over the cartridge port and potentially over TCP/IP to another Jag with a JagSD.

Now that is cool. Networking Jags over the Internet. Has it ever been done yet? It is a great idea. I have heard of the old Cortina setup, but just in prototype form. Maybe I am 180º off on that. I don't know. But, it is a cool idea, nonetheless.

Edited November 2, 2018 by jericho_21

[jericho_21]

Who knows? Maybe the Jaguar can surf the Net with specialized software and a keyboard/mouse for the JagSD. Turn it into a full-fledged Internet terminal. That is probably too contrived, but maybe in the near future. I am not saying now. I would love to see the CD-ROM emulation feature on it, but I understand that is still in the works. So, no worries. I can wait. No rush. Thanks.

[leech]

Who knows? Maybe the Jaguar can surf the Net with specialized software and a keyboard/mouse for the JagSD. Turn it into a full-fledged Internet terminal. That is probably too contrived, but maybe in the near future. I am not saying now. I would love to see the CD-ROM emulation feature on it, but I understand that is still in the works. So, no worries. I can wait. No rush. Thanks.

Then it can fi ally match its "Multimedia" name?

[jericho_21]

Then it can fi ally match its "Multimedia" name?

Agreed. That it would.

[SainT]

A port of EmuTOS has been on my mind. No reason the Jaguar cannot be a "proper" Atari...

[42bs]

A port of EmuTOS has been on my mind. No reason the Jaguar cannot be a "proper" Atari...

IIRC Mathias Domin did this ... some years ago.