New Genesis + Sega CD game: Demo now available!

[Lartrak]

Found out about this a while ago. There's a new (from the ground up) RPG coming out for the Genesis and Sega CD. It's called Pier Solar. Interestingly, it's going to be a 64 megabit game, making it the largest title on either the SNES or Genesis (at least, I'm not aware of anything larger than the 40 megabit Star Ocean). Unlike some similar projects I've seen before, the people seem very dedicated and there's obviously been a lot done already. Headed for a release date on the 20th Anniversary of the Megadrive - in the fall of 2008. So it is a ways away. I'm planning on pre-ordering when they get to that stage, but I'm a bit of a Genesis collector and player to this day (played Kid Chameleon and Streets of Rage 2 yesterday, heh).

Anyway, here's the official website. There's a trailer which has some in-game footage. Sprite work looks good, though I do think the anime-styled portraits they show are a bit wonky.

http://piersolar.com/

Direct link to teaser trailer..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjhX0dugtWY

Anyway, I know there are some Genesis/Mega Drive fans on here, thought you'd like to know.

For the demo, head to the website. Standard Genesis ROM.

[Ex-Cyber]

Looks nice; I especially like the artwork; too much stuff on Genesis looks like it was drawn for Amiga or PC and then dithered down to the 9-bit palette.

I should dig around the Tavern and see if I can find out how they plan to map 64Mbit (Genesis can't do it natively, at least not without abusing the expansion port address space, which some unlicensed carts unfortunately seem to).

[Lartrak]

Looks nice; I especially like the artwork; too much stuff on Genesis looks like it was drawn for Amiga or PC and then dithered down to the 9-bit palette.

I should dig around the Tavern and see if I can find out how they plan to map 64Mbit (Genesis can't do it natively, at least not without abusing the expansion port address space, which some unlicensed carts unfortunately seem to).

What's unfortunate about abusing the expansion port address space?

What unlicensed games are over 32 megabits? Wikipedia infers this in the bank switching article, but doesn't list specifics..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_switching

They're apparently also doing some tricks to increase color count for Pier Solar. I'm assuming similar tricks to those used in Ranger X, though supposedly it will support 200 colors (why 200? I dunno).

[RMD]

Looks rather good I will actually probably buy this one as long as it doesnt come in a stupid american Sega CD case.

[melancholy]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Either way, this is still a cool project and depending on cost, I might get the Sega CD version.

[Lartrak]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Either way, this is still a cool project and depending on cost, I might get the Sega CD version.

From what I read on the forums, they're releasing the game on both formats. Sega CD version will have superior music (for obvious reasons), but the cart version will have a bit better visual effects for technical reasons.

I'll be going for the cart version personally. Or possibly both, depending on the price point.

On a side note, a production run of Genesis carts would be considerably more expensive. Anyone have any idea how much more? I'm imagining they'll be putting out something like 500-1000 carts on the initial run. Beggar Prince came out at $40, and they weren't losing money on it. I'm guessing for the completed product (clamshell, instructions, cart, insert) the price range is between $10 and $15 on a decent sized run - but that's really just a guess. I do know a site that sells raw NES circuit boards and they were like $2, and the casing was like $3. Hmmm.

[Ex-Cyber]

What's unfortunate about abusing the expansion port address space?

It's for the expansion port, not the cart. That's where a Sega CD (including built-in Sega CD hardware as in CDX and X-Eye/Wondermega) is mapped, so mapping cart hardware there can cause problems when SCD hardware is present.

What unlicensed games are over 32 megabits?

I don't have titles, and I don't know of any that are over 32Mbits of ROM, but some are 32Mbit of ROM and also have SRAM and/or protection hardware (actually, Sega even used RAM/ROM switching for 24Mbit games with SRAM, presumably because the standard SRAM location is at the 16Mbit offset). One specific game that does come to mind is Beggar Prince, which is 32Mbit, has SRAM, and reportedly can't save on CDX or X-Eye/Wondermega (although I heard that was fixed in the most recent run).

On a side note, a production run of Genesis carts would be considerably more expensive. Anyone have any idea how much more? I'm imagining they'll be putting out something like 500-1000 carts on the initial run. Beggar Prince came out at $40, and they weren't losing money on it. I'm guessing for the completed product (clamshell, instructions, cart, insert) the price range is between $10 and $15 on a decent sized run - but that's really just a guess. I do know a site that sells raw NES circuit boards and they were like $2, and the casing was like $3.

It really depends on how they handle the clamshell and cartridge case; even with a few thousand units, tooling costs would add up quick. The ROM itself (more likely factory-programmed EPROM such as Oki's "P2ROM", which has a modest MOQ, although it would be cool if they could actually manage mask ROM) would be fairly cheap by comparison. I heard that Tototek had a source for them (or had them custom-made) recently, though...

[butters]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Because not everyone bought a Sega CD. I still have my Genesis, but I never ended up getting a Sega CD.

[Veggita2099]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Because not everyone bought a Sega CD. I still have my Genesis, but I never ended up getting a Sega CD.

Yea I got rid of my Sega CD a long time ago. I still have my genesis though (actually have 3 of them that I bought broken and repaired). Looks like it could be a good game though.

[melancholy]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Because not everyone bought a Sega CD. I still have my Genesis, but I never ended up getting a Sega CD.

Yea I got rid of my Sega CD a long time ago. I still have my genesis though (actually have 3 of them that I bought broken and repaired). Looks like it could be a good game though.

Fair enough.

[Dreamcast4life]

For the SCD version, just get an emulator when you buy the game, problem solved .

[butters]

For the SCD version, just get an emulator when you buy the game, problem solved .

The point is to play it on the original hardware on a TV. It's never the same on a computer monitor.

[APE]

I guess I'm slightly confused on this, but is this the same game just published on two different formats? Because I guess I don't understand why they are putting the money into a Genesis cart (which I imagine has to be quite expensive) when they are also just making a Sega CD version too (which is on much cheaper CD media).

Because not everyone bought a Sega CD. I still have my Genesis, but I never ended up getting a Sega CD.

Yea I got rid of my Sega CD a long time ago. I still have my genesis though (actually have 3 of them that I bought broken and repaired). Looks like it could be a good game though.

I sold my SCD to Bluey.

[Christuserloeser]

Some scenes from the upcoming demo ROM to be released September 1st:

[Nico0020]

beautiful looking

[Eviltaco64X]

Yeah, that looks really good, actually.
I'll buy a cart if they're not too expensive.

[Ex-Cyber]

I'm impressed by the use of color, at least as far as I can judge it on YouTube. Bad color use (especially overuse of heavy dithering) is a common problem in Genesis games, and it looks like this one avoids it nicely.

[Nico0020]

I wonder if there will be differences between the CD version and the cart version? I'd like to pick up the cart, but if the game is toned down a bit in some way i'll pick up the CD version and play it on my xbox as I never had a segaCD.

[Christuserloeser]

While color usage varies among Genesis games, the main technical problem with most games is the sound driver: 99% of all Western games use GEMS which is by far the worst sound driver they could possibly have chosen. This game will use a custom sound driver and I am looking forward to the cartridge version with its FM sound.

[Lartrak]

I wonder if there will be differences between the CD version and the cart version? I'd like to pick up the cart, but if the game is toned down a bit in some way i'll pick up the CD version and play it on my xbox as I never had a segaCD.

CD version has better audio but inferior visual effects, as well as having load times while the cartridge version obviously won't. I'd say go with the cart, but then again, the soundtrack IS very good.