Official Feedback Issue 105

[merman]

Really enjoyed this issue. Jamie Mann's piece on XBLIG clones was good with the mini-interviews, and Damien's Dungeon Master piece felt really fresh and interesting with insights into the creation process. Best of all was the Tempest piece - superb work by Paul. So much content.

Just a couple of things to point out. In the EA Instant Expert piece, the screenshot is from Jordan vs Bird rather than the original One on One.

And the Mire Mare piece. When US Gold obtained the Ultimate label and back catalogue, there was no Kixx budget label. So there's no way they were planning to put Mire Mare out on that. What is more likely is that US Gold signed the rights to all games still in development at Ultimate, but with the company's resources concentrated on Rare and the NES progress was slow or non-existent and it was cancelled.

[markopoloman]

The Mire Mare article was a sad end to what could have been Was a good read though

[mlucifersam]

I'm glad you found a link at least between 'Batty' and Ultimate mentioned in the 'Mire Mare' feature.

I remember being at Ocean a few months into 1987 when Gary Bracey came in and proclaimed "I've got a tape of the new Ultimate' game". We loaded it up and up came a bat and ball game. For years I was sure that game was 'Batty'. Ocean were converting 'Arkanoid' at the time (!!) and we didn't hear of it again until it was given away on the front of 'Your Sinclair'.

I've mentioned that a few times over the years and everyone looks at me like I'm not with it.

You have clarifed to me that I didn't imagine it!!

[NorthWay]

The processor does 16-bit operations internally but exposes 32-bit data externally for the address bus (it does have some internal 32-bit operations, but no-one calls it a 32-bit processor).

A fine time to get teoLOGICAL(thank you, I'll be here all week long) on CPUs this:

(Everything to the best of my knowledge, correct me where I am wrong)
The logic address space is 24 bits. The top 8 are ignored internally by the 68000. Apple/M$ used to stuff things in there(i.e. when storing pointers in memory). Bites you HARD in the ass when you upgrade later.
The chip has 24 address pins. (Not really, but it is anyway.) Hence the above.
The chip has 16 data pins.
The registers are 32bit wide.
The instructions can work on 8, 16, or 32 bits at a time.
All instructions take a multiple of 2 cycles to execute.
The fastest instructions take 4 cycles. There are instructions that affect a full 32bit register in 4 cycles.
If an instruction needs to access memory it takes an extra 4 cycles for each byte/word, and 8 cycles for a longword (this because it needs to do two memory reads to get 32 bits over a 16bit bus).
BUT, to get back to the quote: The "wiring" model internally is AFAIK 16 bits that get chained together for 32bit results. Which might be why it takes so many cycles to do just about anything (IMO). Kind of like how the 6502 family can't help itself reading two bytes even for instructions that are only 1 byte long, it's just the internal operations of it.

The programming model is a 32bit processor. For performance optimizations you need to roll up your sleeves and weave in and out of a 16bit and 32bit perspective.

Addendum:
The 68010 adds a minimal cache/prefetch that boosts minimal loops. It's major selling point however, was to fix the fuckup that prohibited the 68000 to be virtualized properly. I wish Moto had refused to sell the 68000 after they finished the 68010.
68020 adds more addressing modes and instructions, has 32 address pins, 32 data pins, 256 byte instruction cache, higher clockrates, external FPU. (AmigaBASIC from M$ dies.)
68030 adds 256 byte data cache, higher clockrates.
68040 adds 4K instruction cache, 4K data cache, faster instructions, internal FPU.
68060 adds a few more caches for branch targets and some more I can't remember. Dual execution units and faster instructions. Higher clockrates.

[ncf1]

The Apple IIGS needs to be discussed next I reckon. A lovely machine, certainly amidst the pack, right in there with the Amiga and Atari ST, actually got me into a few scraps and schoolyard fights as I valiantly defended the machine, not entirely sure why, probably because I just loved to fight.

Needs to be looked into. Criminally forgotten in my opinion.

[NorthWay]

The Apple IIGS needs to be discussed next I reckon. A lovely machine

The eye of the beholder and all that?

It reminds me of the CPC: Writes a graphics check the cpu/hw can't cash in.
Looks nice, sounds nicer, and a poor old 65816 to shove it all around. System balance is an eternal censored.

[martyg]

Issues 103, WTF!!!!!! had the making of Double Dragon....one of the biggest most important games of all time and they slap a picture of an Atari 2600 on the cover

yeah, one of the worst decisions they have made. Some very strange choices over the last few months.

35th Anniversary of the console on the 40th anniversary of the brand. Not sure how those dots don't connect.

[RetroMartin]

As I said, loving the cover, need to find time out of the stupid Olympic schedule (damn work!) to go pick up a copy.

[DreamcastRIP]

My god, what happened to the letters pages and 'From the forum'? They're positively anorexic this month.

[ChipTune]

Great issue. Terrible cover.. It's not very easy on the eye and look messy. Both the other two shown in the mag were much better.

Loved the 'History of controversy article' - very good indeed, and the Atari ST article is interesting as I never really knew much about them and I like the boxout style bits 'amiga beaters' and 'st exclusives'.

FINALLY some decent coverage given to xbox indie games, a sure step in the right direction (great to see Cursed Loot mentioned, and I just purchased Relic Raider as it's a fun amidar / Oh Mummy clone), but some real trash covered (Wacky Karts for example). Still it's good to see the coverage and I enjoyed reading it.
I hope we can see more coverage on Indie gaming, I would advice leaving out the garbage that clogs up the xbox indie channel and go for decent titles and long awaited indie stuff. To give you some examples; the La Mulana remake and 'You Have To Win The Game' both for PC and the amazing Aqualibrium on XBLIG, all much more deserving that the crap that featured this month (Plasmania / jewel fever / spitfire.. urgh)

This isn't really the overhaul I was expecting based on comments about a big change in indie and homebrew coverage but it is nice to see it in the mag anyway.

From what I have read so far it is a good issue. Look forward to reading the Dungeon Masters, Image Works, and EA articles in full later!

[paranoid marvin]

Great iussue, some neat features including ST and DM - very nice

Can't believe DT didn't make it on the cover- love the one used, but it could have been used in a non-Olympic month? The DT one looked awesome

[ncf1]

just started to get tucked into it.. I loved the cover, looks just like one of those old APC or Your Computer magazines.. Iain Lee got me laughing.. nice start so far!

[retrosofer]

I like this cover, its better than the ones on past issues, the Pong and 2600 ones were terrible.

[The Laird]

and the Atari ST article is interesting as I never really knew much about them and I like the boxout style bits 'amiga beaters' and 'st exclusives'.

I wasn't expecting that! Glad you enjoyed it!

[BennyTheGreek]

brilliant

St article and mire mare are the 2 highlights for me....

just absolutely lovely - thanks