Ferris #1 Posted February 23, 2005 Okay so for years I have been hearing rumors to the effect that the Super Nintendo FX chip that was used in games like StarFox and (i think) Donkey Kong Country was none other than the Blitter Chip that had been sprung from Atari at the time, yet I've never been able to confrim this. The Super Nintendo FX Chip was included within the game cartridge its self. Does anybody have any information on this? Even open speculation is welcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clint Thompson #2 Posted February 28, 2005 I seriously doubt it. I would think if anything it would've been the Blitter 2... but even then... again.. I just don't see it. The chip was custom wasn't it? but it rises an interesting question! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferris #3 Posted February 28, 2005 Yeah it was custom... but some people *insist* that Nintendo, Sega and others took some technology from Atari during the 1990s (sram, etc.) and that the FX chip in the SNES titles was essentially Blitter technology that had been either licensed or sold to Nintendo by the Tramiels. Sounds like something Jack would do just to shoot Atari in the foot (i.e. Paperboy, Marble Madness, Tetris etc. on NES) but then again it's only a rumor that I can't seem to prove. This is why im asking around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clint Thompson #4 Posted February 28, 2005 Good point about shooting themselves in the foot.... could hold true! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetboot Jack #5 Posted February 28, 2005 What utter piffle... The SFX chip was developed by Jez San's Argonaut outfit in the UK... I know several of people who worked there, including the guy who was producer on all the SFX projects for Nintendo - sod all to do with Atari, and espcially their feeble ST blitter :-) sTeVE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lost Monkey #6 Posted March 1, 2005 There were several different "helper" chips in SNES/SFC carts too.. There was "SFX" & "SFX2", there was a Capcom chip (in MMX2,3) and others including one that assisted mode 7 games like Mario Kart. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEX #7 Posted March 1, 2005 What utter piffle... The SFX chip was developed by Jez San's Argonaut outfit in the UK... I know several of people who worked there, including the guy who was producer on all the SFX projects for Nintendo - sod all to do with Atari, and espcially their feeble ST blitter :-) Steve, You are correct about the SFX chip design (By Jez San), although I would say typical Bit-Block transfer algorithms reside in the chip, which are from work carried out by previous designers. Atari improved upon these original algorithms (as I am sure Jez did in the SFX) to design in hardware an operational CPU logic that could speed up on screen operations without burdening the CPU. This could speed up some graphical operations on the ST drastically if used correctly, and was one of the most talked about upgrades for the early ST range which was first introduced into the Mega series. I'm only here to defend the ST Blitter from being called "Pathetic", because I don't believe it is Karl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEX #8 Posted March 1, 2005 I'm only here to defend the ST Blitter from being called "Pathetic", because I don't believe it is Karl Steve!!! Sorry, you used the word "Feeble" and not "Pathetic", but they mean the same things sorta!!! :wink: Karl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ferris #9 Posted March 1, 2005 Well it appears as if this was indeed just a rumor as I feared it was. Made too much sense upon hearing it though as it sounds like a typical Jack Tramiel "shoot Atari in the foot to make a buck from Nintendo" situation. Glad this was cleared up a bit. Justin ....and yes, the ST is *not* feeble. I smell an Amiga around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetboot Jack #10 Posted March 2, 2005 I never said the ST was feeble, just the ST blitter was feeble - and it was compared with other blitters, ones designed several years earlier in fact... And no I'm not an Amiga fanboy, thank you... sTeVE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+FujiSkunk #11 Posted March 2, 2005 Sounds like something Jack would do just to shoot Atari in the foot (i.e. Paperboy, Marble Madness, Tetris etc. on NES)... Those games were published and/or licensed by Atari Games (more accurately, Atari Games's home software subsidiary, Tengen), which was a different company. Remember, in 1984, Atari Inc. split into Atari Corp. and Atari Games, and it was Atari Corp. that Tramiel took over. Since Atari Games didn't make any home consoles, they could safely be platform agnostic without hurting their bottom line. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEX #12 Posted March 2, 2005 I never said the ST was feeble, just the ST blitter was feeble - and it was compared with other blitters, ones designed several years earlier in fact... And no I'm not an Amiga fanboy, thank you... sTeVE Steve, I agree that the ST Blitter could have been "more" than it was, and I think it was actually delayed and perhaps even a cost reduced (cut down) version of the already hyped co-pro that was so long in being released by Atari. But, at least it was released! And Steve, we know you are definately NOT an Amiga Fan Boy - A true Atarian through and through :wink: Karl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Curt Vendel #13 Posted March 2, 2005 I never said the ST was feeble, just the ST blitter was feeble - and it was compared with other blitters, ones designed several years earlier in fact... And no I'm not an Amiga fanboy, thank you... sTeVE Actually the Bitblitter in the Mindset (1983) was very impressive, designed by former Atari engineer Chris Rhodes Curt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atari_Owl #14 Posted March 2, 2005 According to John Mathieson: Ben Cheese, who was part of Flare 1 (Konix multi system, the team that went on to do Jag as Flare 2) left Flare just before they started on the Jag, in order to go and do the SFX for Nintendo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carmel_andrews #15 Posted March 11, 2005 they also designed the chip h/w for sam coupe (MGT) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DarkLord #16 Posted March 14, 2005 Well, even if its not true, I wouldn't have been a bit surprised if it was. I mean, look at Sonys' Playstation case design and the unreleased Atari Falcon 040 - Sony even mentions it in their patent document! I consider it a compliment to Atari that the ripples from their influence is still felt, even to this day. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carmel_andrews #17 Posted March 14, 2005 take away all the technology that can be directly/indirectly traced back to something that atari design, invented, created or pioneered and take it all out of the modern set of games systems since the jaguar, and machines like ps1/2,gc, xbox, psp,ds etc all you'll end up with is a case with a pcb screwed into and some of the shelf chips (i.e processor, support chips) and perhaps the cd/dvdrom player, all the bits and pieces that makes these machines tick (graphics/sound etc etc, will be missing...) figure it out for yourselves When you buy an ps1/2,gc, xbox, psp,ds etc all your really buying is Atari technology in someone else's box. wouldn't you rather buy ATARI technology in an ATARI box Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DarkLord #18 Posted March 16, 2005 When you buy an ps1/2,gc, xbox, psp,ds etc all your really buying is Atari technology in someone else's box. wouldn't you rather buy ATARI technology in an ATARI box Sure would. I'd give my left testicle if things had turned out differently. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carmel_andrews #19 Posted March 16, 2005 I'd give my left testicle if things had turned out differently that can very easily be arranged... by Dr Atari.. ha.ha.ha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord