jbm@uncle.UUCP (John B. Milton) (01/28/90)
Facts about the Atari Lynx b=bits, B=bytes (god this is going to go on forever) Processor: 65C02 at 4MHz RAM: 64KB 16 bit multiply and divide unit, accessed as memory mapped I/O Display: 160 x 102, 8K RAM, active matrix, made by Citizen Graphics: 16 colors from a pallette of 4096, one pallette change per scan line Sprites: Hardware sprites, scale, flip, collision, etc. Audio: 4 channels, 8 bit D/A per channel Comlynx speed: 625Kb, no physical device limit, access by asm macros Cartridges range from 1Mb to 16Mb All info on the cartridges is flashed out in 4K chunks and unpacked on the fly There is no built-in ROM Standard language: 6502 macro assembler Two different kinds of developement systems, both use Amiga parallel port: Howard/Howdy: ICE, logic state Pinky/Mandy: Romulator All development hardware currently being hand build and tested. All development software is currently Amiga dependant. Sprite construction tools available Graphic and sound formats are IFF Peripherals: lots talked about, none officially in production Games coming: Gauntlet, Rampage, Chips Challenge, Psynophobe, Ninja Geidan Atari will offer cartidge production services for outside companies. Rough cost on 1Mb cartridges with a sticker on them is $10 each in 5000 minimum quantity. To get on the small-fry game developers' waiting list, Fax a description of you company, capabilities, experience and what games you want to port/create to (708) 629-6699, Attn: Craig Erickson. He's a busy man, so just let him know you're out here for now. It is very easy to believe that Atari is ready and willing to cooperate with outside developers. Since Atari has lawsuits pending against Nintendo, it would be a very hypocritical of Atari to attempt some of the things ^ does. The information above was obtained in a phone conversation with Craig. I do not, nor ever have worked for Atari. If I were in Atari's shoes I would be getting detailed hardware specs widely distributed to anyone who wants them. I think there are a great many wonderful games out there lurking in the minds of video game junkies and programmers. In some ways I can understand Atari overpricing development systems to keep non-serious individuals from tieing up the resources of their internal departments. I think a copy of the specs and a discount coupon should be mailed directly to each and every Amiga owner. There are hundreds of Amiga programmers that would kill to hack on the latest and greatest incarnation of the Amiga graphics hardware. There are also a tremdous number of Aplle ][ programmers out there, who have for years though, "can you imagine the stuff we could write with a faster processor and graphics hardware?" I think the infusion of new thought on this new product would far outweigh the extra effort it would take on Atari's part to contact those people. They could even sell the effort off to a marketing or magazine company. My kids are 3 and 5, and all I used to hear was Nintendo. After a couple of hours with the silly cartridge that came with it, all I hear now is "Dad can I play with that new video game?". Things do change. John -- John Bly Milton IV, jbm@uncle.UUCP, n8emr!uncle!jbm@osu-cis.cis.ohio-state.edu (614) h:252-8544, w:469-1990; N8KSN, AMPR: 44.70.0.52; Don't FLAME, inform!