Website updated with some ISOs of some of my demos + other news

[ccovell]

Hi, folks.  I've updated my website after a long hiatus.  Please check out the news on my main page, as well as some PCE ISOs on my creations page:

https://www.chrismcovell.com/index2.html

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Ahh, ladies.  They're time stealers, but sooo worth it.

Any update on Downland's progress?

[CrackTiger]

Awesome. I just have one question, which I've been curious about for years. How do you run a SuperGrafx CD game? If the console is switched to SuperGrafx mode, won't the System Card not work?

[ccovell]

Huh?  The Supergrafx can take either of the Japanese CD units and run CD games just as well as the PC-Engine can.  If it's the extra RAM you're worried about, don't worry.  The CD unit has RAM from bank $80-$87, the SCD uses RAM from bank $68-$87, and the SGX has its own RAM from bank $F8-$FB.  They don't interfere with each other.

[nat]

I've never had any reason to run my SuperGrafx in anything but SGX mode. I've never even flipped the little switch that supposedly toggles between modes. It's run everything I've thrown at it-- CD, SGX, SCD, PCE Hu, etc in the default SGX mode. I'm kind of at a loss as to why they even included the toggle switch.

[guyjin]

there's one game that runs on SGX and pc-engine - i guess if you only had a supergrafx and wanted to see it without super graphics...

[ParanoiaDragon]

Actually, there are some PCE games that don't run in SGX mode, I think Space Harrier is one of them.  Either way, I know I have atleast one game that won't run in SGX mode.

[nat]

Weird.

[CrackTiger]

Every PC Engine HuCard I tried when I first got my first SuperGrafx didn't work, until I flipped the switch to PC Engine mode. Of course, it was kinda worn & dirty on the outside and filthy on the inside (looked like some cola had spilled inside).

So if PC Engine games run fine in SuperGrafx mode, then why have a switch at all? For the rare game that doesn't work?

[nat]

Every PC Engine HuCard I tried when I first got my first SuperGrafx didn't work, until I flipped the switch to PC Engine mode. Of course, it was kinda worn & dirty on the outside and filthy on the inside (looked like some cola had spilled inside).

So if PC Engine games run fine in SuperGrafx mode, then why have a switch at all? For the rare game that doesn't work?

That's what I'm askin'. I have like 100 JP PCE games, and every single one works in SGX mode. Granted, I don't have the JP version of Space Harrier to try out, but it seems pretty silly to include a switch for one single game.

[ccovell]

A switch is always a good idea for making new hardware that might break backwards compatibility.  Wasn't Outrun also a little weird on the Sgx?  Basically, NEC Avenue were a bunch of hackish coders who couldn't program games according to spec.  cf: Bonanza Bros., Altered Beast, etc etc that don't want to be forwards-compatible.  Space Harrier, too, of course.

[CrackTiger]

Well, at least they included the switch. Other consoles aren't so friendly with early software (like the Genesis).

[ParanoiaDragon]

A switch is always a good idea for making new hardware that might break backwards compatibility.  Wasn't Outrun also a little weird on the Sgx?  Basically, NEC Avenue were a bunch of hackish coders who couldn't program games according to spec.  cf: Bonanza Bros., Altered Beast, etc etc that don't want to be forwards-compatible.  Space Harrier, too, of course.

I think you're right, it might actually be Outrun I'm thinking of.