From: alumni106@camins.camosun.bc.ca (Max Sterling)
Subject: SNK: no-lifes or gods? (was Re: TTI (NEC) TurboDuo)
Organization: Camosun College
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 06:36:56 GMT

In article <1992Nov15.174222.18339@news2.cis.umn.edu>, donnell@tuna.micro.umn.edu (BogusMan) writes:

> I beleive there are some anime games planned for the Neo Geo game 
> system, and I hope so, because it is the best game system on the market today.
> 24 bit processing and all.

Sounds to me like someone else has been reading those "Bigger, Badder, 
Better!" trash rags they put in EGM on occasion. Actually, that's 
bullshit. It uses EXACTLY the same processors as the Genesis/Megadrive 
for EXACTLY the same functions (ie. a 68000 chip for the main processor, 
and a Z80 chip for sound), so it's REALLY only a true 16 bit system. The 
way they came up with 24 bit was by adding the bit lengths together for 
each chip. The 68000 (16 bit) + Z80 (8 bit) = 24 bit, they say. In that 
case, the Gen should ALSO be 24 bit. Using the same logic, the Amiga 
should be 68000 (16 bit) + Agnus chip (16 bit) + Denise chip (16 bit) + 
Paula chip (16 bit) + Gary chip (16 bit) = 80 bit, which is obviously 
false. It doesn't surprise me that they'd do this, tho'. Originally, 
they were advertising the Ne0-Ge0 as a 32-bit system. it beats me how 
they came up with THAT figure.

> Graphics are stunning, sound is awesome, it is essentially a video game 
> console for your home, with a great controller.

Maybe so, but didn't you notice any scratchiness in the sounds? Didn't 
you notice how choppy the animation was? I've seen smoother animation on 
the FAMICOM!

> They set them up at arcades around town as actual .25 cents a pop games!

Same here, but IMHO, it's not worth it because of the ridiculous 
difficulty level. Also, the system's basically like the SGI systems - 
all flash and glitter with no substance whatsoever. Also, since they 
make their cartridges SO BIG, (330 MegaBITS, BTW, NOT MegaBYTES), they 
use that as an excuse to use sloppier programming techniques than 
someone who's just starting to learn BASIC, and because of the cartridge 
size, they don't use ANY of the techniques which other game systems HAVE 
to use, since there's almost GUARANTEED to be enough room on the 
cartridge! This, naturally, results in the MASSIVE games which the 
genesis or SNES could EASILY do in about 5% of the space, and then they 
charge you about twice the price of a new Super Famicom system because 
of "all the extra work they put into it". Also, the system ITSELF costs 
the price of 2 Amigas right now, and the system is so poorly designed 
that even the JOYSTICKS take up more room than the Genesis! IMHO, the 
Ne0-Ge0 isn't worth the plastic it's made out of. If I were you, I'd 
spend my money on something else and let those money-grubbing no lifers 
at SNK have their delusions of grandeur without you. Mata ne.

                                                -=]> Max <[=-

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Kup- "This reminds me of the time when my   +-> Kup- "You ever SEEN a Regulan|
|      my platoon was stranded on Regulan IV;|         Metal Monger, lad?"    |
|      there we were, only SEVEN HUNDRED of  |   Hot Rod- "Uh, no,..."        |
|      US, against THREE WHOLE REGULAN METAL |   Kup- "TRUST me! We were      |
|      Mongers!"                             |         outnumbered!           |
|Hot Rod- "Seven HUNDRED of YOU? Against     +--------------------------------+
|          THREE of THEM? Aw, come on, Kup!"-+ alumni106@camins.camosun.bc.ca |
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Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime