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GBA, the future of handheld gaming...
Rotating sprites,
Mode 7 graphics,
32 bit games,
Hey???? Hold on a sec...
So you're trying to tell me that this pathetically small handheld device has the power of a PS1. Certainly some gamers seem to think it does, but this is simply NOT true!
Although the GBA may have a 32bit processor, it certainly doesn't have the PS1's graphics card, sound board, texture mapping etc, etc...
Which makes me wonder, how many other consoles have "lied" about their power...
Well, the earliest example is the Atari Jaguar... that "64 bit" console released in the early 90s. Sure, it had the right number of bits, but none of the technology to use it!
A bit on from that there was the Mega Drive... the 16 bit console that actually used duel 8bit processors that weren't as efficient as a proper 16bit processor...
Following that we had the Saturn that was so underpowered compared to the PSx (both sega and ninty didn't realise how important 3d gaming was until the psx came out!), that sega just stuck another processor in... in a completely random architecture! The result was a powerful console, but one that needed so much time and money to squeeze life out of that only Sega bothered!
Adn now we're stuck in a situation where all the consoles are 128 bits... a notation that is now meaningless! Instead it's all about the clock speed of the processor, and the architecture of all the componenets of the console. Add onto this the fact that in games other effects can be used, and this makes it impossible to judge the "more powerful" console. Suffice it to say, Xbox comes out on top, with GC following, and the PS2 not far behind (developers have had time to refine techniques on the Ps2).
But it's the games that count....
Sonic
Rotating sprites,
Mode 7 graphics,
32 bit games,
Hey???? Hold on a sec...
So you're trying to tell me that this pathetically small handheld device has the power of a PS1. Certainly some gamers seem to think it does, but this is simply NOT true!
Although the GBA may have a 32bit processor, it certainly doesn't have the PS1's graphics card, sound board, texture mapping etc, etc...
Which makes me wonder, how many other consoles have "lied" about their power...
Well, the earliest example is the Atari Jaguar... that "64 bit" console released in the early 90s. Sure, it had the right number of bits, but none of the technology to use it!
A bit on from that there was the Mega Drive... the 16 bit console that actually used duel 8bit processors that weren't as efficient as a proper 16bit processor...
Following that we had the Saturn that was so underpowered compared to the PSx (both sega and ninty didn't realise how important 3d gaming was until the psx came out!), that sega just stuck another processor in... in a completely random architecture! The result was a powerful console, but one that needed so much time and money to squeeze life out of that only Sega bothered!
Adn now we're stuck in a situation where all the consoles are 128 bits... a notation that is now meaningless! Instead it's all about the clock speed of the processor, and the architecture of all the componenets of the console. Add onto this the fact that in games other effects can be used, and this makes it impossible to judge the "more powerful" console. Suffice it to say, Xbox comes out on top, with GC following, and the PS2 not far behind (developers have had time to refine techniques on the Ps2).
But it's the games that count....
Sonic
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AliBoy wrote:
That is not right. The PS2 is 128
> bit but the way the X-Box is designed it only has a 32 bit CPU which was chosen
> for a good reason. If you want to know why they chose a 32 bit cpu then ask and
> I will try explain it. Won't be till late tonight or tomorrow though.
Ok. Do it as soon as you get the chance/time.
I'll be interested to hear.
That is not right. The PS2 is 128
> bit but the way the X-Box is designed it only has a 32 bit CPU which was chosen
> for a good reason. If you want to know why they chose a 32 bit cpu then ask and
> I will try explain it. Won't be till late tonight or tomorrow though.
Ok. Do it as soon as you get the chance/time.
I'll be interested to hear.
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
>Suffice
> it to say, Xbox comes out on top,
Even more ironic, since the X-Box is a 32-bit system?
>Suffice
> it to say, Xbox comes out on top,
Even more ironic, since the X-Box is a 32-bit system?
Strafex wrote:
> The Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube and Xbox all have 128 pins (bits) in their main
> processing chip.
That is not right. The PS2 is 128 bit but the way the X-Box is designed it only has a 32 bit CPU which was chosen for a good reason. If you want to know why they chose a 32 bit cpu then ask and I will try explain it. Won't be till late tonight or tomorrow though.
> The Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube and Xbox all have 128 pins (bits) in their main
> processing chip.
That is not right. The PS2 is 128 bit but the way the X-Box is designed it only has a 32 bit CPU which was chosen for a good reason. If you want to know why they chose a 32 bit cpu then ask and I will try explain it. Won't be till late tonight or tomorrow though.
A good developer working on a SNES can triupmh over a poor developer working on a GameCube (an easy console to develop for). It IS all about the developer.
The Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube and Xbox all have 128 pins (bits) in their main processing chip.
Therefore, they are equally powerful?
Other people then go as far to say that the bit rating is completely irrelevant.
Well it's still as important as the polygon count or any of the other specs you see.
It's only when you put them all together that you see how powerful a machine is...
Basically, it's down to what devellopers can make out of them.
Therefore, they are equally powerful?
Other people then go as far to say that the bit rating is completely irrelevant.
Well it's still as important as the polygon count or any of the other specs you see.
It's only when you put them all together that you see how powerful a machine is...
Basically, it's down to what devellopers can make out of them.
Or†ega wrote:
and we all know Mario 64 showed the whole gaming world how
to do a proper 3d platformer.
I agree
and we all know Mario 64 showed the whole gaming world how
to do a proper 3d platformer.
I agree
Dringo wrote:
The N64 was all designed around 3D hence the 3D stick.
Did you know, if he could go back in time, Shigsy would have replaced the 3D stick with another D-Pad. In my opinion, he only used the stick to keep Nintendo's reputation of innovation kicking. I don't think he belived it was important to the gaming. In my opinion, I think the N64 would have struggled without it. It gave the console an edge of the unoque for quite a while, and many of the games released would have been much less responsive.
The N64 was all designed around 3D hence the 3D stick.
Did you know, if he could go back in time, Shigsy would have replaced the 3D stick with another D-Pad. In my opinion, he only used the stick to keep Nintendo's reputation of innovation kicking. I don't think he belived it was important to the gaming. In my opinion, I think the N64 would have struggled without it. It gave the console an edge of the unoque for quite a while, and many of the games released would have been much less responsive.
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
> Although the GBA may have
> a 32bit processor, it certainly doesn't have the PS1's graphics card, sound
> board, texture mapping etc, etc...
The GBA uses the same 32bit RISC processor that the PocketStation used!!
> Although the GBA may have
> a 32bit processor, it certainly doesn't have the PS1's graphics card, sound
> board, texture mapping etc, etc...
The GBA uses the same 32bit RISC processor that the PocketStation used!!
I thought he emant Nitnendo didn't realize it as Nintendo did hence the 3D stuff they managed to do in the end.
I think Sonic was refering to the SNES, not the N64. Because the psx came out way before the N64, and we all know Mario 64 showed the whole gaming world how to do a proper 3d platformer.
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