Messages

[PC-FX Discussion / 'enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground']

cool man.  if you do happen to have it, and can find that articles in the news bits section, scan and post it, it would be greatly appreciated.

I think i lost those VG&CE issues when I moved last

[PC-FX Discussion / 'enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground']

I am also looking for the October (or maybe November) 1992 issue of Video Games & Computer Entertainment magazines, or scans of their pages.

In their News Bits section, there is an article on the Hudson 32-bit board with descriptions of the functions of each of the main chips (IIRC).

it's either in this VG&CE (Oct 92) or in this VG&CE (Nov 92)


well, I am 95% certain it's in one of those two.

[PC-FX Discussion / 'enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground']

I'm really bummed that I no longer have EGM's look at the Ironman from 1992.  I think it was in a special CES insert.  they're is a small, shorterned version in EGM that I can take a picture of, but I don't have the somewhat more extensive version.


okay here's the small EGM version

/hudson32crop511x19960ro.jpg

[PC-FX Discussion / 'enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground']

now here is a later piece from Quarterman about the NEC 32-bit.... where they call it  Phoenix

EGM #35, June, 1992 
/nec32phoenix1016x762final762x5.jpg


I believe that Ironman was revealed in May or June that year, but since this is a June EGM, that info on Ironman would not have shown up for another month or so.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Pc Enjin '94 issue6]

whoa, awesome stuff, thankyou.    I don't think I've ever seen much of any PC-Engine magazine before.


edit: I had no idea there was a translation of Warriors of Fate on the PCE  

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Daimakaimura ~ Ghouls 'N Ghosts ENDING MUSIC comparisons]

I've always loved the MD music and it's without doubt my favourite version of all of the tunes.

mine too!

Saturn version makes my toes curl.

is that good, or bad?  (sorry I cannot tell)....

 but I hated the Saturn version of the *ending* music

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / 1941 Counter Attack preview from Super Gaming]

found the Aldynes review, Super Gaming, Fall 1991.  

their Rayxanber II review can also be seen

/aldynesreviewed9op.jpg

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / 1941 Counter Attack preview from Super Gaming]

from the same guys that did EGM, Sendai Publishing Group, here is the
1941 Counter Attack preview from Super Gaming, Winter 1991

/1941sgx17ds.jpg

/1941sgx25jh.jpg

sorry these are not the best quality. they're not scans, they're from my digicam.

Super Gaming was basicly Sendai's import game magazing with the latest softs from Japan for the Super Famicom, PC-Engine, SuperGrafx, MegaDrive, MegaCD, NeoGeo, etc.   there were only 4 or 5 or 6 issues of Super Gaming.

they did a review of Aldynes in another issue -- I'll try to find it.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

Another neat article, though screw the guys who dissed the sound.

well, as much as I love the SuperGrafx, I have to agree with the guys that said the sound was the same as Turbo or 'Lame'  because it was basicly true.
NEC-Hudson didn't upgrade the sound system as they were expected to.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Supergrafx - is it worth it?]

While we're on the subject of Ghouls 'n' Ghosts, take a look what dear old Computer & Video Games had to say about the Megadrive verison.

/gng5bf.jpg

Yeah, right. Great game as it was, there are a hell of a lot of differences.

wow, nice find paul. I've never seen that quote before, since I never read C&VG magazine.  this is typical though, of the nonsense that was said back in 1989.

[PC-FX Discussion / 'enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground']

one of the first rumblings of the PC-FX  ....... about 4.5 years before it came out:

this is from EGM Number 10,  May 1990, page 28


this was about 2 years before Ironman ~ Project Tetsujin was revealed,
and about 4 and a half years (almost 5 years ) before PC-FX came out--given that a May magazine would have news that was discovered from anywhere from January to March.


I just LOVE that quote, even if its hyperbole....
"with enough power to drill all existing systems into the ground"

that's what NEC's 32-bit system, Ironman ~ PC-FX,  should've done to Neo-Geo, SNES, SegaCD,
SNES Sony-Nintendo 'Play Station' CD, 
Sega 32X, and even Saturn..... with the 32-bit Sony Playstation never existing had the Sony-Nintendo CD-ROM alliance held.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / American hype for SuperGrafx Strider started here in EGM!]

hmmm.... well the SuperGrafx does not exactly match up to Capcom's CPS arcade hardware.

True, but Strider didn't come close to max'ing out the CPS system and mostly only used 2 BG layers.

 Given SGX has twice the VRAM of the MD and twice the sprites of the PCE, it'd probably be a little more than barely better than the MD version - but if NEC AVE was doing the port themselves then you never know

well okay, given the best possible candidate developer, I guess an impressive translation of Strider could've been done on the SGX, given that (thanks for reminding me) Strider arcade did not come close to max'ing the CPS hardware.

man, it really all makes me wish NEC and Hudson had come through with a real 16-bit monster of a system with almost Neo-Geo like power. instead of rushing out the SGX in 1989 as they did, they should've worked until late 1990 on a Super Famicom killer, as they were originally going to, and have a true PCEngine2.

[PC-FX Discussion / Namco's Rave Racer for PowerVR cards -could've been on PC-FX]

There never was a PowerVR expansion projet for the FX.

The 3D GPU that equips the FXGA (and should have equiped the PC-FX 3D Adapter) is a HuC6273, a custom chip developed by Hudson and Kubota Comps. Its technical specs are roughly in the same league as the N64 -- about 100.000 polygons/s, 10.000.000 pixels/s, flat shading, Gouraud shading, texture mapping, 320x224 in 512 colours.

wow!  I did not know this at all!

I have only just recently learned of the FXGA, and I really know now anything about it.  I was reading something on it, on that Assembler website.

but I did not know it had an N64-class GPU.   not as powerful as the first generation PowerVR cards (PCX1, PCX2) but still somewhat capable -- and perhaps more capable than what the Tetsujin 3D rendering hardware was going to be, which was axed from the final PC-FX as we all know.

very very interesting, Kaminari. can you tell me more?  is FXGA used for games on the PC-FX, or am I misunderstanding the whole thing ?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / American hype for SuperGrafx Strider started here in EGM!]

hmmm.... well the SuperGrafx does not exactly match up to Capcom's CPS arcade hardware.  in fact, the SGX is completely outclassed in processing power, graphics manipulation, background layers, RAM, VRAM and audio.

as well as on rom memory size compared to CPS roms.  Strider arcade is between 32 and 43  megabits.  the SGX Strider was going to be either 8 or 10 megabits.  it would not have rivaled the arcade or even been close really. better than the Arcade Card CD, yes, but barely better than the Megadrive-Genesis rendition, which dispite fanboism, was really not even remotely near 'arcade perfect' even though it was more than respectable.... actually quite good given the they only had 8-meg to work with and on vastly weaker Sega console. hardware.

It still could've been great though, especially if they put in some new levels not found in the arcade.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / American hype for SuperGrafx Strider started here in EGM!]

long before GameFan even existed, EGM told us that Strider for the SuperGrafx was coming.......

from EGM Number 18 (G.I. JOE on the cover), January, 1991 - page 17

(part 1)
/stridersgx15ol.jpg

(part 2)
/stridersgx28ls.jpg

of course, those images being from the SuperGrafx are highly unlikely.  they're probably from either the arcade version or the Sharp X68000 version which was extremely close to the arcade, much more so than the MD-Gen version, and beyond the capabilities of the SuperGrafx.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

I re-uploaded most of the pics using image shack,us  which does a better job of keeping photos online than photodump.

plus, here's another pic, the EGM review of SuperGrafx

EGM Number 15,  October 1990, page 45

/egmratings1762x10169ik.jpg

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / high res VG&CE TurboGrafx-16 magazine cover]

(VG&CE July 1989)

I always thought this magazine cover (and magazine in general) was really awesome.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / In My Dreams - Battle Ace looks like this]

forget "Mode 7"   that was Nintendo's cheap, crappy implementation
 of arcade-quality effects like scaling & rotation for the Super Famicom.

Sega's "Super-Scaler"  technology for arcades in the 1980s,  used in
Space Harrier, OutRun, AfterBurner II, ThunderBlade, Super Monaco GP,
Galaxy Force II and many others - was 'the real deal'    

The SuperGrafx should've had something close to this that, even if not
quite as powerful as Super-Scaler, but better than Nintendo's lame
'Mode 7' -- sadly, the SuperGrafx did not even have effects on par
with Nintendo's crappy 'Mode 7'.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / In My Dreams - Battle Ace looks like this]

In my dreams, Battle Ace is not the bland-looking game that it really is

with worse graphics than many standard PC-Engine HuCard games

but instead, looks rich and vibrant with 'super graphics'  like this



Galactic Storm by Taito - their knock-off of Sega's Galaxy Force.

[General Gaming / Capcom Classics Collection]

I loved P.O.W.  arcade version.   it's one of the few arcade games I got my dad to play when I was like 14, lol.     it kills the NES version IMO.  

I always wanted a souped up NEO-GEO version, or sequel to it.   there are so many pre-NEO-GEO  SNK games that should've got NEO-GEO upgrades or sequels.  ah well.

[General Gaming / new Pulstar-style shooter for NEO-GEO home cartridge system]

I've always wanted to know about the custom graphics chipset of the
Neo-Geo.  what are the chip names - their specs - can they do true hardware scaling & rotation (like Namco and Sega 16-bit arcade systems) or is it done through software.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

I captured two more small articles, and one larger article, this time previews/comments of SuperGrafx games.



(note that 'The Mountain King' is of course, Granzort)

/picture0086pd.jpg
/supergrafxreview8xz.jpg

[General Gaming / New Pulstar-style shooter for NEO-GEO home cartridge system]

ripped from the-nextlevel.com forum

LAST HOPE for NEO-GEO AES (home cartridge system) is similar to R-TYPE - LAST RESORT - PULSTAR

Homepage: lasthope.ngdevteam.com/
https://twitter.com/ngdevteam






Last Hope is a homebrew or independent developer made game. only 30 to 40 AES cartridges are to be made, apparently.

Initial price was going to be $700   :eek:   but after much outcry from potential buyers,  the developer changed his tune to $550 ...still  :eep:

Story

The evil empire is rushing at light-speed across the galaxies, heading towards Mother Earth. Barely 24 hours ago, they penetrated the last defence line of our galaxy, the Arsion Laser Belt. Millions of innocent people perished in outer space colonies. 70% of our fleet was destroyed during first contact. Our intelligence has now extrapolated their arrival within six days. Conventional weapons cannot stop them. Our last hope is in your hands: The Z-42 Warpstar. Warp into their territories and destroy their leader before they reach Earth.

Features

NG.DEV.TEAM proudly present its first video game on NEO·GEO™.
A tactical shooting game with impressive visuals and excellent arcade gameplay.

*Free 360° rotary protection unit for shooting and dodging enemy fire
*Six stages with checkpoints
*Handdrawn NEO·GEO style backgrounds
*Fully animated CGI enemies
*Superb video game style soundtrack
*Constant 60 fps with up to 4 paralax layers
*Lighting and transparency FX
*Smooth plasma FX

the good news is:  Neo-Geo CD  and Dreamcast versions are planned!


FAQ: http://www.ngdevteam.com/lasthope_faq.htm

LAST HOPE - Information Web Site

F.A.Q last changed 2005-12-13

* For which platform are you releasing this game?

Currently NEO GEO AES (NGH), considering strongly a MVS release.

* What's the pricing?

The final price is not fixed yet.
Pricing depends heavily on production, number of copies and future ports.

MVS: ?
AES: 550USD (considering a shockbox release).

* How many copies will be created?

MVS: ?
AES: Limited release 30-40. Not fixed yet.

* Is a MVS / NGCD / DC release planned?

Yes.

* Print items?

- Offset printed shock box size insert / maybe classic english snap case insert.
- Offset printed CD-booklet manual with baggy.
- Digital printed and factory cutted sticker.

* Casing?

- Currently shockbox / maybe snap case.

* Does this game use the memorycard?

Yes. Game progress, options and score are saved.

* Is this game 100% original?

Yes, all graphics were created new for this game. Artworks were created exclusivly,
while sound FX and music were licenced or newly created.

* Where's a video?

Here: download

* Where can I get a demo?

Currently, no demo is planned.

* Where to find a review?

Reviews are comming soon.

* My question is not on this list.

Email to info@ngdevteam.com

[Buy/Sell/Trade / FS: rare Strider Hiryu for X68000! far superior to ACD!]

forget the mythical SuperGrafx version of Strider, which you will never play, even IF it does exist.

here's something very rare, but a lot easier to obtain: a nearly arcade-identical port of Strider Hiryu for the Sharp X68000 computer.  It blows away both the Megadrive-Genesis  and the Arcade Card CD versions of Strider, by a huge margin.

http://cgi.ebay.com/X68000-Capcom-Strider-Hiryu-Japanese-Game-1989_W0QQitemZ8210259278QQcategoryZ62053QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem



btw, Hudsonsoft, creators of the PC-Engine family of hardware, also had a hand in creating the custom chipset and OS for the X68000!

[General Gaming / Capcom Classics Collection]

btw here's a decent Gamefaqs.com review of CCC for PS2

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/review/R93248.html

Import gamers from the 32-bit era will remember that Capcom released a series of their classic arcade games under the moniker "Capcom Generations" on the Sony PSX and Sega Saturn consoles beginning in August of 1998. This series of nostalgic games ran for 5 volumes, and it was Capcom's attempt to cash in on the then popular "retro-gaming" craze that was so popular during that time (Namco Museum series, Midway Collection, etc).

The Capcom Generations series featured arcade flyers, exclusive artwork, profiles on the development of each game, and in some volumes arranged and remixed soundtracks. Certain features could be unlocked after achieving certain objectives, such as beating the game on a certain difficulty or scoring a specific number of points.

Basically, ALL of the games and features included on the Capcom Generation series are included on the Capcom Classics Collection. So right from the start it was a no brainer. Digital Eclipse (the publishers) just had to emulate North American versions of the games included on the Capcom Generation series and the Digital Eclipse had 95% of their work done.

Unfortunately for the Street Fighter fans, Digital Eclipse chose to emulate the PSX version of Capcom Generations 5 (also known as Street Fighter Collection 2 in North America) for this compilation. Why did they do this incredibly lazy and absurd move is beyond me. The options for the SFII games are EXACTLY those present on Capcom Generation 5 (Street Fighter Collection 2): Versus Mode, Training, Mode, CPU Battle, and Deluxe Versus Mode. It is clearly evident that the PSX version was emulated since you can clearly see the familiar "Now Loading..." text between bouts. I'm pretty sure the PS2 could handle a 14 year old CPS-I game without having a "Now Loading..." screen. The least they could have done was to emulate the Sega Saturn version which had no loading times. Although it is a very minor complaint it just proves that this compilation isn't "arcade perfect" as it claims to be.

And another complaint concerning the SF series needs to be addressed: why were the CPS-I SFII games the only SFII games available on this compilation? What about the original game that started the series back in 1987, Street Fighter? What about the two CPS-II upgrades to the SFII series, Super Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II: Turbo? This further proves that the publishers of this compilation took the lazy route and decided to port the 32-bit conversions rather than go through the trouble of emulating the original arcade games. It's sad, since Capcom Generation 5 for the PSX wasn't 100% identical to the arcade (at least to to the die hard SFII fans).

Now this isn't to say that the Capcom Classics Collection isn't without merits. Digital Eclipse did make one brilliant move: they decided to to include the Arcade version of Final Fight on this compilation, which to me is worth the price of admission. There never has been a true 100% port of the original Final Fight on any console to date. The closest attempt was Final Fight CD for the Mega-CD console, which featured an awesome remixed soundtrack, redrawn and expanded cinemas, cool voice overs in the cinemas (at least in the Japanese version), and an exclusive Time Attack mode. Although that game was incredible, it suffered from the Mega Drive's meager 64 color palette (making it look washed out and pale compared to the arcade version), a few missing items, and it didn't have the original arcade BGMs. Well, the Capcom Classics Collection brings the arcade classic straight onto your PS2 exactly as you have remembered it. So Final Fight fanatics can finally die in peace knowing that there is an 100% arcade perfect port of Final Fight on a home console.

But thankfully Digital Eclipse didn't stop there. They included Forgotten Worlds (yes, the original arcade version, not the Mega Drive port), Legendary Wings, Trojan, Section Z, and Bionic Commando. These games are all arcade accurate (as far as I know) and are well worth their weight in nostalgic value.

The publishers also decided to include Remixed and Arranged tracks of the all the games soundtracks (which wasn't that hard since they were available on the Capcom Generations series to begin with). They also included trivia and unlockable artwork which can be done by completing certain objectives (again, just like in Capcom Generations).

This compilation is truly valuable (especially to non-import gamers who missed out on the 32-bit Capcom Generation series) but you can't help but feel that the list of classics included on this disc is incomplete. What about Saturday Night Slam Masters (Muscle Bomber) and it's upgrade, Muscle Bomber DUO? The only port we had of this game was a mediocre Super NES port. It would have been nice to have an arcade perfect port on this compilation. And what about Strider Hiryu? If that game isn't a Capcom classic than I don't know what is. Where is Darkstalkers? Black Tiger? Block Block? Capcom Baseball? F-1 Dream? Avengers? Tiger Road? Buster Brothers? 1941? 19XX? Eco Fighter? Armored Warriors? Speed Rumbler? Mad Gear? Cyberbots? Dynasty Warriors? Magic Sword? Varth? U.N. Squadron? Carrier Air Wing? Captain Commando? Knights of the Round? King of Dragons? Mega Twins? Side Arms? All of these games are considered Capcom classics by most gamers, yet they are mysteriously omitted.

And then there are some other Capcom classics which I'm sure were omitted because they were licensed properties. Classics like The Punisher (one of Capcom's greatest beat 'em up games of all time), Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom, Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow Over Mystara, X-Men: Children of the Atom, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, NEMO, Willow, and Alien Vs Predator would have been excellent additions. Hopefully a Capcom Classics Collection Volume 2 can rectify this.

And I know this is nitpicking, but the presentation in CCC is downright disgusting. The presentation is extremely poor and low budget, which lets me definitely know that this compilation was rushed. The whole menu layout is presented as if it were on a notebook or looseleaf scrap paper, and it looks incredibly crappy. I don't know what Digital Eclipse was smoking when they thought about designing the menu layout, but it's pure crap. If they were going to emulate the Capcom Generation series, they might as well have copied the presentation and layout Capcom used in the Generation series, which was more pleasing to the eye.

Overall, considering it's incredibly reasonable price ($19.99), the inclusion of Final Fight, and overall nostalgic value, CCC is a good deal. However, those who imported the entire Capcom Generation series Volumes 1 through 5 for their PSX and Saturn might feel ripped off, as they would be playing the same EXACT versions of those games on that they had on the 32-bit consoles, with several extra titles thrown in. The owners of various PC emulators such as MAME shouldn't even bother, as they already have access to the best Capcom has to offer and with more flexible graphics and control options.


PROS:

- An Arcade perfect console port of Final Fight, finally!!!!
- Incredibly cheap (Only $19.99)
- A large collection of Capcom arcade classics on one disk
- Excellent for those who missed out on the Capcom Generation series Vol. 1 through 5 for the PSX and Sega Saturn back in 1998


CONS:

- Very little incentive for those import gamers who own the entire Capcom Generations Vol. 1 through 5 for the PSX and Saturn (considering that is what makes up 90% of this compilation). The only games that you are missing out on are Final Fight, Forgotten Worlds, Bionic Commando, Section Z, Trojan, and Legendary Wings.

- The versions of the CPS-I Street Fighter II games are based on the PSX version of Street Fighter Collection 2 (Capcom Generation 5) and are NOT arcade emulations. Loading times are inexcusable. The original 1987 Street Fighter and the CPS-II SFII upgrades (Super Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II: Turbo) are suspiciously absent, thus making the representation of Street Fighter games incomplete.

- A TON of classics are missing (Strider, U.N. Squadron, Slam Masters, Mega Twins, King of Dragons, Dark Stalkers, etc)

-Very sloppy and poor presentation. The menu design looks like crap, what was Digital Eclipse thinking?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / PC-Engine dial controller for Forgotten Worlds ?]

I wasn't aware of a controller like this. Perhaps you're confusing it with AVE 3 Pad (which was introduced with FW and came boxed with the game)?

well,  I could easily be mistaken.  but I *thought* there was a special rotary / dial controller packed with PCE SCD Forgotten Worlds, but I might be totally wrong and there was only the AVE 3 Pad boxed with the game.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / PC-Engine dial controller for Forgotten Worlds ?]

does anyone have a picture of the special dial-controller for Forgotten Worlds ?  

thanks

[General Gaming / Capcom Classics Collection]

The thing is: Street Fighter 2: TWW, CE, Turbo  , Ghouls N Ghosts and most of the other games are ports of the Playstation versions of the Capcom Generation series, which means most of these games are NOT arcade-perfect, although very very close.   The ending music in Ghouls N Ghosts is different.  there are a few frames of animation missing when Arther powers himself up with the golden armor.    In SF2 TWW, the arcade glitch tricks are all gone.  there is no proper arcade-operators test/ configuration menu as there is with say, arcade Tekken 1,2,3 that is included with PS2 Tekken 5.

the games that were not part of the Capcom Generation series such as Final Fight and Forgotten Worlds, seem to be of better quality, no major complaints, although you still don't have the original arcade ROM, but a port.

playing all of these games on MAME, or other CPS emulators, gives you a truer arcade experience.  but the Capcom Classics Collection games offers you a close-enough experience to the arcade without any real major downgrades such as those you would experience playing on a 16-bit era system like PC-Engine, Genesis, SuperGrafx, SNES, PC, Amiga, etc.

[General Gaming / Holy Mother of....new Ghouls'n'Ghosts for PSP -pics inside!]

Here you go, working pics:

[General Gaming / Holy Mother of....new Ghouls'n'Ghosts for PSP -pics inside!]

/goku19nf.jpg
/goku24sb.jpg
/goku36iu.jpg
/goku45jv.jpg

OMFG!

[PC-FX Discussion / Namco's Rave Racer for PowerVR cards -could've been on PC-FX]

In 1996, Namco pledged support for the first-generation PowerVR PC 3D accelerator cards.    Through press releases from NEC and Videologic,   3 Namco arcade games were announced for PowerVR:    Rave Racer,  Air Combat 22 and Tekken

None of them ever came out.

Here is Rave Racer on PowerVR, running at 30 FPS  (half the framerate of the arcade)





PowerVR Rave Racer was either an Alpha game, or just a demo.    It was shown off at various industry trade shows in 1996.   It was seen on television.  but it was probably never completed (AFAIK) and definitally never got released....

To me, this is sorta like the 'SuperGrafx Strider'  of unreleased 3D arcade games for the home.


the thing is, there were rumors of a PowerVR card upgrade for the PC-FX.

it makes perfect sense, because NEC manufactured the Videologic-designed PowerVR chips.  NEC and Videologic had this partnership with Namco where Namco would port some of its arcade games to PowerVR as I said.     If NEC had made a PowerVR upgrade for the PC-FX, it is very likely that Namco PowerVR PC games could run on a PowerVR-upgraded PC-FX.

this non-english webpage seems to imply the very same thing, a PowerVR upgrade for PC-FX. 
http://pcengine.free.fr/histo4.htm


Rave Racer - Arcade version





I also remember reading in Intelligent Gamer magazine of a rumor or possibility of a PowerVR upgrade card for the PC-FX.     

a PowerVR upgrade card for PC-FX makes a lot of sense, IMO.

 
It would have solved the PC-FX's issue, of lack of polygon capabilities, which were gutted from the PC-FX of 1994.  remember the original 32-bit NEC-Hudson Ironman system (aka Project Tetsujin) of 1992 apparently had 3D polygon graphics capability, even if limited. 

Now obviously the 3D polygon capable 32-bit Ironman ~ Tetsujin system could not have had nearly as much polygon 3D performance as PowerVR of 1996.

It also seems possible that a PC-style PowerVR card upgrade for PC-FX could have been a reality since the console was shaped much like a PC and had room (a slot) for a PC-style video card,  unlike say, any of the Turbo Duo, SuperGrafx or PC Engine consoles.


Regarding the game Rave Racer itself,  it was an awesome sequel to Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer 2.   Rave Racer never came out on any home platform.  it is not to be confused with the completely different
and unrelated Rage Racer for Playstation.   

in short,
*Rave Racer Arcade - fully made, for the System22 arcade board. released in arcades in 1995

*Rave Racer PC: for powervr 3d cards:  partly made in 1996, never released

*Rave Racer for PC-FX: only a possibility had Rave Racer for PC been completed and released, and if NEC went ahead with a 3D card upgrade for PC-FX.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Dai Makai-Mura ~ Ghouls 'n Ghosts Japanese Commercial]

http://gameads.gamepressure.com/tv_game_commercial.asp?ID=2475

not much, but kinda cool to see a SuperGrafx commercial  

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / please explain to me the plan for 3 different Ys 4 games]

thanks for the reply Keranu.

found something interesting (i know i'll find more as i do more searches)

9/29/1991

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=43368%40ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU&output=gplain

There's an interesting ad in the latest issue of Famicom Tsushin.
Basically, it's a company campaign-ad for the newly formed Sega/Falcom
Ltd.  As John Leo posted a while ago, Falcom and Sega are now one!
In case you're not too familar with the name Falcom, Falcom is the
company responsible for creating all the Ys series, Sorcerian and
other numerous RPG (and ARPG) titles that have essentially been ported
to all the systems.  Ys for example was first on the MSX, then Master
System and then on the PC Engine.  Ys 3 is also available on the Super
Famicom and will soon be out for the Mega Drive courtesy of Nihon Telenet.

Falcom is also probably the most popular game company in Japan that
produces RPG games extensively.  With their latest joint venture with
Sega, they have planned to write some new RPGs and ARPGs on the new
Mega-CD.  This is indeed an exciting news for all the Sega users
out there, and this could also mean that Ys 4+ series will be only
available on the Sega machines.

of course, it never happened this way.....


November 1993....

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=2c4k46%2498%40aludra.usc.edu&output=gplain

On the other hand, Sega of Japan's support for the Mega CD has just plain
SUCKED.

Their partnership with Falcom which has been going on for 2 years has amounted to  zero games so far. We probably have to wait until 1995 for Ys 4.

April 1995....

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=Z63fRH8.vicvideo%40delphi.com&output=gplain

There was a big press conference as well as some magazine ads of merge
 between Sega and Falcom in 1994. It was quite a big news back then since
 Falcom is one of the most popular game companies. The company is also called Sega-Falcom now (with a new logo).

SEGA/Falcom was a joint venture between the two SEPERATE companies.  One
was not bought out by the other.  In fact, after Popful Mail, the joint-
venture blew into a million pieces, never to produce another game.  It's
another reason Ys 4/Mask of the Sun never came out for the MEGA-CD.
 
FALCOM still exists on their own, as does SEGA.  SEGA/Falcom does not.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / please explain to me the plan for 3 different Ys 4 games]

I would like to hear as much detail as possible, from as many people as possible  (different people recall and know different things!)  about the original plan for three different Ys 4  / Ys IV games.  

there was originally going to be an Ys 4 on PC-Engine Super CD-ROM,  MegaCD-SegaCD and  SNES-Super Famicom.     the Sega MegaCD version was going to be called Mask of the Sun, if I recall.  was it?    anyway the title is less important than the content.   the few details that I remember (right or wrong) are: Falcom and Sega were working together on the MegaCD version and it was different from the SNES/SFC version,   *maybe* somewhat more similar to the PCE SCD Ys 4,  but still different.

the MegaCD version got cancelled, which was crushing to me. almost as crushing as the cancellation of MegaCD  Phantasy Star 4: The Return of Alis.


so again. please tell me anything you can about the MegaCD  version of Ys 4!

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

updates:

original post updated with 2 articles I forgot to get: EGM Number 8 - page 4 and page 26.

also, I replaced two of the pictures with better versions:  
EGM Number 2 - page 4
EGM Number 6 - page 4

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

]great articles!  well, i don't have time to read them now, but just had to thank you in advance!  rock on!  greatly appreciated!  your speculation was fun to read!

thanks dude  ^__^

random, quick feedback:

1. The x68000 was expensive hardware... I don't know if it (or even a scaled down version) would have been feasible for a console at that time.  Rather than the $300-500 range, i think a console based on the x68000 would have been a bit more... and then, the CD-ROM (cd-rom3) would have made it even more expensive. yes, it would have been KILLER, but I don't think it would be affordable.  

the X68000 was indeed expensive. very expensive. more than a Neo-Geo by far.  $1500 or more in 1987, and probably through-out the late 1980s.  

but by 1990, the Neo-Geo came out for $400 (base unit) and was much more powerful than X68000.  so, a PC-Engine2 with more power than X68000, and either slightly less, the same, or slightly more power than Neo-Geo would've been possible.  especially since Neo-Geo hardware was done by late 1989 and PC-Engine2 would have a half-year more of development time. ^__^

"2. We all know how companies throw around console specs (during development, and even later, when the specs are nailed down, just to confuse the competition).  Unfortunately, in the EGM articles, I don't know how sincere these hardware specs were (or how intensive development had been) on 16-bit NEC and Namco units... regardless of what NEC and Namco had been saying"

well, there were no actual specific hardware specs for either the Namco 16-bit home unit, or the 16-Bit P.C. Engine2, other than that, the P.C. Engine2 was said to be true 16-bit and have better graphics and audio than original PC Engine.  and that the Namco console was comparable to the Super Famicom. no specific specs. no CPU MHz,  sprites, RAM, colors, etc.    but it is true, we don't know how accurate the EGM reports really were.

3. It definitely seemed as if the Supergrafx was rushed (otherwise, it was the product of a string of bad decisions)... had SGX been released as a technically superior machine... I wonder how it would have affected the PC-FX console.  Would this site exist?  Considering aaron's love for PC-FX, one has to wonder

If SGX had been released as a technically super machine in all areas compared to Megadrive/Genesis, Super Famicom/SNES and at least rivaled Neo-Geo if not surpassed it a little, I think the SGX would have been around and going strong through 1994 well into 1995.  but I don't think it would have negatively affected the PC-FX at all.  maybe made the PC-FX stronger, and NEC might have released the full blown IronMan / Tetsujin, of which only a fraction of it exists in the PC-FX, from what I read.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

EGM Number 2 - July 1989 - page 4
/pcengine2july19896ib.jpg[/img]

page 32
/pcengine2july198926he.jpg[/img]


EGM Number 3 - August-September 1989  - page 28
/pcengine2augsept19892ui.jpg
/pcengine2augsept198928ev.jpg

page 74
/pcengine2augsept198936nf.jpg

you will notice that Namco's 16-Bit system is usually mentioned right near the P.C. Engine 2 - and then the two almost become intertwined.

the way I count it:

1.) NEC and Hudson's own 16-Bit  PC Engine2, intended for 1990 - not released
2.)  Namco's 16-Bit 'Super System' - intended for 1989 or 1990 - not released by Namco themselves, nor by NEC and Hudson under the PC Engine2 name

3.) NEC and Hudson's own scaled-down 8-Bit PC Engine2 is released as the SuperGrafx, in November 1989 with Battle Ace.


my speculation - based on some facts
The 8-bit version of the P.C. Engine2, the SuperGrafx, was clearly rushed onto the Japanese market in late 1989. this was most likely one major reason for its downfall.   Now, going by the earlier EGM articles about the original 16-bit P.C. Engine2,  that machine was not due until 1990 at the soonest.   

I think NEC and Hudson should've finished development of the 16-bit version of P.C. Engine2 and released it in say, mid 1990, a few months ahead of the Super Famicom's late 1990 release date.   the 16-Bit P.C. Engine2  *could* have been a very, very powerful machine, easily surpassing the Nintendo SFC, since SFC was actually a technologically older machine that dates back to 1988-89 and, itself was cut back significantly in its specs  before launch. 

The original SFC was going to have a 68000 CPU and significantly greater pesudo-3D capabilities like full, true sprite scaling & rotation.  the Mode 7 scaling & rotation built into the final SFC was much less than what was originally planned. that is why many early SFC/SNES games have DSP and accelerator chips in them (not even counting the SuperFX polygon chip of years later).   

Anyway, so, a 16-Bit P.C. Engine2  could have been in development through all of 1989 and well into 1990, just up until its release in, say, September 1990.   It could have been roughly, more or less, NEO-GEO class hardware.    If you look back 3 years from 1990, to 1987, the same year the original P.C. Engine came out, there was a very powerful 16-Bit computer released in Japan that had Hudson chipset and OS technology: the Sharp X68000.   this machine was not only more powerful than the P.C. Engine released the same year, but also still conciderably more powerful than the SuperGrafx released 2 years later in 1989, and more powerful than the weaker Super Famicom that was actually approved for production. 

now imagine what Hudson could have done, with a high powered console which comes out in 1990: the true sucessor to the P.C. Engine, the 16-Bit P.C. Engine2.    .....a P.C. Engine2 that is poweful enough to kill the downgraded Super Famicom (because of the mentioned cutbacks to the SFC Nintendo made),  compete with SNK's Neo-Geo, and also be used in arcades  (like Neo-Geo MVS), and also handle the most intense 'super scaler' arcade games from Sega like Space Harrier - OutRun -
 After Burner II - Thunder Blade  - Galaxy Force 2 - Power Drift - Super Monaco GP - etc  as well as any of the lesser, single 68000 non super-scaler Sega System16 arcade games (Shinobi, Altered Beast, Golden Axe) and Capcom CPS or decent translations of future CPS2 games.

the main thing is, Japanese developers would be THRILLED to work on such a P.C. Engine2 platform. even if it cost consumers $300-$400.  The games could still be on larger, thicker 'Super-HuCards'  --and while more expensive than standard HuCards, would still cost significantly less than Neo-Geo home cartridges.  note that, dispite Neo-Geo's high cost for both the console and the games, it was a massive, massive success in comparison to the 8-bit SuperGrafx, which bombed worse than Sega's 32X or SegaCD.


in my ideal made-up scenario: CD-ROM1 and CD-ROM2 are for the 8-Bit P.C. Engine and TurboGrafx (which does not have the '16')  while the...Super-CD-ROM2, or lets call it Super CD-ROM3, is exclusively for the 16-Bit P.C. Engine2 and American version, the 16-Bit SuperGrafx, or 'SuperGrafx-16'   ^__^ 

in my made-up senareo, NEC-Hudson's console release  schedule is something like this:

8-bit P.C. Engine in Japan in 1987 - TurboGrafx in USA in 1989.
CD-ROM1 in 1988 - CD-ROM2 in 1989 |  CD-ROM2 in USA in 1989

16-bit P.C. Engine2 in Japan in 1990
released as the SuperGrafx-16  in USA in 1991

P.C. Engine2's Super CD-ROM3 in Japan in 1991 
SuperGrafx-16's Super CD-ROM3 in USA in 1992


4 games launch with the P.C. Engine 2 in Japan in mid 1990:
-a Battle Ace game that kicks ass and rivals the arcade Galaxy Force
-a Ghouls 'n Ghosts port that truly rivals the arcade (like X68000)
-an exact port of R-Type II
-an awesome sequel to Keith Courage, Granzort with amazing graphics

follow-on games for later in 1990 or in 1991 include:
arcade-exact or enhanced ports of  Forgotten Worlds, Thunder Blade, OutRun, AfterBurner, 1941, Galaxy Force, a supercharged Strider that really beats the arcade!   more non-arcade games including some RPGs and Legendary Axe 3,  and a shmup Aldynes that blows away any horizontally scrolling shooter in the arcade, including Neo-Geo's Last Resort. 

then P.C. Engine2 ~ SuperGrafx-16 charged Super CD-ROM3 games start to hit in 1991-1992 including more RPGs, like Ys V and another Far East of Eden game.

in total, 40 Super HuCards and 14 Super CD-ROM3 games are released, totalling 54 games for the two-format P.C Engine2 ~ SuperGrafx-16.

The P.C. Engine2 ~ SuperGrafx-16 remains a fairly expensive system that competes with the NEO-GEO and SEGA CD.   it does die off by 1994, but has a more respectible life than the real SuperGrafx did.  it becomes a HIGHLY, HIGHLY sought-after system in the mid to late 1990s.

the Ironman ~ Tetsujin ~ PC-FX  is released in 1994 in Japan, and 1995 in the U.S. with full backward compatibility with standard P.C. Engine ~ TurboGrafx HuCards and CD-ROM1, CD-ROM2, but has NO P.C. Engine2 ~ SuperGrafx-16   SuperHuCard or Super CD-ROM3 compatibility, making the  P.C. Engine2 - SuperGrafx-16 and SuperCD-ROM3 a must-have system to run the games.

emulation for computers in the late 1990s is able to emulate the standard PCE-TG HuCard and CD games, but NOT the more complex P.C. Engine2 - SuperGrafx-16  games, again, making the real hardware and software very sought-after and valuable, and a joy to collect for its arcade-exact
(or better) renditions of arcade games and elaborate non-arcade games that are exclusive.

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / old articles on P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx]

Some EGM articles w/ pictures on the P.C. Engine-2 ~ SuperGrafx

EGM Number 6 -  January 1990 - page 4
/pcengine2shapeofthings7qa.jpg

page 22



EGM Number 8 - March 1990

page 4
/supergrafxforatestdrive2ea.jpg

page 26
/pcengine30ak.jpg

page 52-53

/supergrafxarticle15tb.jpg


It gets more interesting with the P.C. Engine-2 connection to the Namco 16-bit system, which was nipped in the bud before the deal could go through.