new NES

[SirPoonga]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143042

[namzep]

I've seen some info on that system.  It looks great but I'm really curious to see how it plays the games.  I especially want to get the wireless NES controllers that that company is also selling.

[ChadTower]

I definitely want one IF it's better than the NeoFami on a chip that is inside it... which it may not be.  Those NeoFami chips are notoriously buggy.

[Stingray]

It's certainly the slickest looking Famiclone that I've seen. I expect I'll buy one.

-S

[SirPoonga]

I don;t think I'll get one, I have nester and a dreamcast

[JB]

As I've said before, it's pretty.

"The hardware's actually much more powerful than the original NES. We'll support 16 colors instead of 4. We do support stereo sound, and we did write in a rumble protocol. We do have some future plans of releasing some new software, so we'll be able to produce better graphics, better sound, and have vibration. Our audio processing can play .wav files so we can have full-on music. We can do voiceover. The software can be quite complicated and upscale compared to the original [NES] software."

So I guess it's not the same old FamiClone chip...
With any luck it'll be a bit more faithful in NES mode than the competition...

[ChadTower]

From the comments:

they don't need a picture of a queer but the console is cool.

 

Funny that they didn't announce all that extra capability when they were taking preorders.

[Scott84]

Now only if someone could make a NES cartridge with an SD card or something so we can have every game on one cartridge 

[Level42]

Where's the European version  I don't need one, never liked the NES, for me it indicated the end of an era. It was the start of the "videogames are for kids" thinking in the industry....sorry

[Stingray]

It was the start of the "videogames are for kids" thinking in the industry.

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. People thought videogames were for kids when I got a Pong console for xmas in 1975.

-S

[ChadTower]

It was probably the Trix Rabbit on the box.

[testicle187]

As I've said before, it's pretty.

"The hardware's actually much more powerful than the original NES. We'll support 16 colors instead of 4. We do support stereo sound, and we did write in a rumble protocol. We do have some future plans of releasing some new software, so we'll be able to produce better graphics, better sound, and have vibration. Our audio processing can play .wav files so we can have full-on music. We can do voiceover. The software can be quite complicated and upscale compared to the original [NES] software."

So I guess it's not the same old FamiClone chip...
With any luck it'll be a bit more faithful in NES mode than the competition...

Could the original NES only support 4 colors?  I am pretty sure that is a total mistake on their part.

[JB]

As I've said before, it's pretty.

"The hardware's actually much more powerful than the original NES. We'll support 16 colors instead of 4. We do support stereo sound, and we did write in a rumble protocol. We do have some future plans of releasing some new software, so we'll be able to produce better graphics, better sound, and have vibration. Our audio processing can play .wav files so we can have full-on music. We can do voiceover. The software can be quite complicated and upscale compared to the original [NES] software."

So I guess it's not the same old FamiClone chip...
With any luck it'll be a bit more faithful in NES mode than the competition...

Could the original NES only support 4 colors?  I am pretty sure that is a total mistake on their part.

I believe they mean 4 colors per sprite.
Which sounds right to me.  I'd have to rummage the specs up again.

[testicle187]

I guess that would make a lot more sense.  Even atari could display 4 colors total.

[GGKoul]

I actually have one on pre-order... 

[JB]

I guess that would make a lot more sense.  Even atari could display 4 colors total.

The Ataris were actually very strong in the color depth area.
It was rather easy to get the entire pallete out on the screen, and even the original VCS/2600 had a larger pallete than the NES to start with.

[geomartin]

This definitely sounds like a must have!  I wish Atari had gone this route with one of the Flashback consoles.  Here is the link for pre-orders

http://www.playmessiah.com/onlinestore/index.htm

Geo

[RayB]

4 colors per sprite, and for character blocks (for background graphics).

I forget what the total palette was. Atari's displaying of "all colors at once" was a hack and only really displays them in bars. (Raster interrupt effect. Was used alot on the C64 too).

[JB]

4 colors per sprite, and for character blocks (for background graphics).

I forget what the total palette was.

If I recall...
The NES has a pallete of 64, but 6-8 entries are variants of black.

Atari's displaying of "all colors at once" was a hack and only really displays them in bars. (Raster interrupt effect. Was used alot on the C64 too).

Actually, it's not a hack, as the 2600 and 5200 operated on a per-scanline basis anyways. 
Especially the 2600, as it only has enough RAM to deal with one scanline at a time, and that line has to be generated as it is drawn to the screen.

I THINK the 7800 was scanline-based too, but I'm not sure.

[Level42]

No, the 5200 didn't operate on a scanline basis, it was basicaly an Atari 8-bit home computer and I think that handled graphics very differently (much more advanced) then the 2600.
It had both the ANTIC and GTIA graphics chips just like the 8-bit machines, very powerful for that time. And definitly NOT scan-line based !
The 8-bit computer line feautured 256 colours and player-missile (sprite) graphics.

[JB]

No, the 5200 didn't operate on a scanline basis, it was basicaly an Atari 8-bit home computer and I think that handled graphics very differently (much more advanced) then the 2600.
It had both the ANTIC and GTIA graphics chips just like the 8-bit machines, very powerful for that time. And definitly NOT scan-line based !
The 8-bit computer line feautured 256 colours and player-missile (sprite) graphics.

Yes.
But the hardware, while not near as low-level as the 2600, was still very scanline-oriented.
Heck, the first thing you do graphics-wise is upload a "display list" that tells the hardware what mode to use for each screen region, on a line-by-line basis.

I actually LIKE line-based solutions. At least for the time, they were far more powerful than full-frame ones.
Hard to say now, since there aren't any line-based solutions available anymore.


BTW, the 2600 had player-missile graphics, as well. It just only had 2 players and, IIRC, onetwo missiles(which makes the wide variety of 2600 games that much more impressive, particularly object-heavy titles like Space Invaders and Chess).

And PM isn't QUITE the same as sprites. There's some odd diffrences between conventional sprites and the PM setup, not the least of which is the missile sub-object.

[Pik4chu]

Atleast its a semi-reasonable price (59.99)  Still neat either way.  The SD idea would be totally cool but nintendo would never let that fly. if you want you could just DIY a box+emulator+card reader. Anyways,  Don't think I will get one as my original NES still works just fine! (surprisingly).  What they should do is build 1 box that can run NES/SNES (not at the same time of course) now that would be worth buying IMO.

[JB]

Atleast its a semi-reasonable price (59.99)  Still neat either way.  The SD idea would be totally cool but nintendo would never let that fly.

I'm surprised they haven't put out cease&desist letters at Messiah yet.

The hardware patents are gone, but they can still slpa 'em with a case design copyright.
This IS the same company that bought and destroyed large #s of NES and SNES carts to keep the prices up in the N64 era.

What they should do is build 1 box that can run NES/SNES (not at the same time of course) now that would be worth buying IMO.

SNES is harder to clone.
Though once you do, you get pretty close to a 2-in-1 box.
SNES is largely compatible with the NES. There's only a few changes that need to be done as far as I know(though they ARE signifigant ones).

[ChadTower]

I'm surprised they haven't put out cease&desist letters at Messiah yet.

Messiah claims to have legal clearance from Nintendo.

[JB]

I'm surprised they haven't put out cease&desist letters at Messiah yet.

Messiah claims to have legal clearance from Nintendo.

I'm even MORE surprised now. I thought Nintendo's policy on this stuff was very much "LALALALA WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

[shmokes]

I think they have a verbal agreement that went something along the lines of:

Messiah:  If you agree to give us clearance to make this product please indicate so by saying, "LALALALA WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

Nintendo: LALALALA WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

Messiah:  Golden!

[AlanS17]

Well Nintendo isn't making any more NES's or NES cartridges. Might as well make its signature titles (SMB, DK, Metroid, Zelda, etc) keep/gain some popularity. That's what drives sales of their newer systems, anyways. Plus we're not talking about emulation or anything. We're talking about playing original cartridges.

I think it's pretty cool. I have about 30 NES catridges, but all 4 of my decks are busted. I'm looking forward to it, and I might even consider it for $60.

[Tahnok]

Well Nintendo isn't making any more NES's or NES cartridges. Might as well make its signature titles (SMB, DK, Metroid, Zelda, etc) keep/gain some popularity. That's what drives sales of their newer systems, anyways. Plus we're not talking about emulation or anything. We're talking about playing original cartridges.

Exactly, I don't see how Nintendo could stop them. They are creating hardware that they engineered themselves (it's not a pirate system), it just happens to play old Nintendo games.

[JB]

Well Nintendo isn't making any more NES's or NES cartridges. Might as well make its signature titles (SMB, DK, Metroid, Zelda, etc) keep/gain some popularity. That's what drives sales of their newer systems, anyways. Plus we're not talking about emulation or anything. We're talking about playing original cartridges.

Exactly, I don't see how Nintendo could stop them. They are creating hardware that they engineered themselves (it's not a pirate system), it just happens to play old Nintendo games.

The pirate systems are reverse-engineered too. And the hardware patents have long since expired.

Nintendo can only sue the famiclone manufacturers for copyright violations. Usually in the form of unlicensed distribution of Nintendo's software.

[ChadTower]

Exactly, I don't see how Nintendo could stop them. They are creating hardware that they engineered themselves (it's not a pirate system), it just happens to play old Nintendo games.

If it visually resembles the NES too closely, Nintendo could sue them for visual copyright.  That is why the Famiclones look so different.

[SirPoonga]

If it visually resembles the NES too closely, Nintendo could sue them for visual copyright.  That is why the Famiclones look so different.

diggnation said they can do this because the patent has expired for the NES.

[JB]

If it visually resembles the NES too closely, Nintendo could sue them for visual copyright.  That is why the Famiclones look so different.

diggnation said they can do this because the patent has expired for the NES.

But the case design would be copyright, not patent.

And in the US, copyright law amounts to "If you are younger than Mickey Mouse, you are protected by copyright law."

[M3talhead]

............I'm still buying one.

[MrTroy]

I'm getting one as well. I thought this thing wasn't coming out till AFTER the patent expired. And on top of that. What would be the point of sueing them? Nintendo won't lose any money on it's sales. If the hardware is actually an improvement over the original, they aren't actually violating anything are they?

Before I do my normal BYOAC forum babbling let me stop talking.... I'm getting one.

[JB]

I'm getting one as well. I thought this thing wasn't coming out till AFTER the patent expired.

The patent expired YEARS ago.

If the hardware is actually an improvement over the original, they aren't actually violating anything are they?

Maybe.
Could also be directly compatible and NOT violate any laws.



But either way, the patent expired quite some time ago. Hardware issues are unenforcable.

[ChadTower]

Hardware functionality issues are unenforceable.  Hardware appearance issues, visual issues, are still copyrighted.

[shmokes]

Looks like Chad nailed it.  The thing is terrible.  Click for review

[ChadTower]

The article is heavily slanted.  This guy looks like he was going to tear the thing a new one no matter how good it is.

Castlevania III is a known compatibility issue.  The game doesn't even work properly on the top loader, IIRC, and that's official Nintendo hardware.  It doesn't work on any Famiclones either.

With River City Ransom, he implies that he played it in one part, then says "God knows how else it

[ChadTower]

One of that article's comments had this URL:

http://nesdev.parodius.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=698

THAT should be a really good discussion on the NEX, what it is and is not, and how good it is or is not.

[2600]

I thought it was odd how they laid out the controllers.  One of the links, or links to a link, mentions it.  The Black buttons are Start and Selet, Red buttons are Turbo, then there are two trigger buttons that are A and B.

The links like the nesdev one, etc give a much better overview and technical discussion of it shortcomings and why.  Very good read.