Okay, after all the philosophical threads about 'what killed MSX', 'what should have been different in 1983-1992' etc. etc. I think it's time to look to the future.

First of all... let's suppose the MSX revival is going to happen in a way like Nishi suggested in Tilburg 2001, so..(very, very simply put

Step 1 - Revival through software. MSXPLAYer and EGG releasing commercial MSX software titles, putting the name 'MSX' back on the map.

Step 2 - A one chip MSX computer for about $100, based on FPGA, built-in UNL (for translating to and from 189 different languages) and wireless (radio/satellite-based) internet connection. Backwards compatible with the old MSX computer either through software emulation (MSXPLAYer) or hardware emulation (FPGA).

Of course, there will be many steps between the Step 1 and Step 2 I just mentioned, and I'm quite sure there were numerous changes in the one-chip design as well already.

However... let's discuss what could harm and what could benefit such a revival. This thread is not intended as an 'is the revival going to happen or not' thread. So please don't fill it with messages saying you do or do not believe in it. We have other threads about that. If you absolutely do not believe in the revival, consider this situation hypothetical .

The thing that first comes into my mind to make it a success is: a large ammount of software.

But hey, it's already there!
The extensive ammount of software is definatly an advantage..

Very important : new MSX hardware shoud be portable. Old MSX games are really funny despite they have 15 or 20 years, but this kind of games only will remain (and the revival will be successful) if people can play them anywhere.

Very important too : link capability. Net playing is the future, in any platform.

I impressed by MSX because it's gaming abilities. But for a new MSX I really want sophisticated and serious applications. It should be backward compatible of course.
The new MSX must be very cheap, otherwise non-msxers will not be interrested in buying one.
And, hey, what about its shape, a in-keyboard style is what I prefer.
and, I'm dreaming, it will emulate PC as well.

I think that the wireless Internet connection is a must.

But I would like NOT to see some kind of 'advanced mobile phone' like Nokia's N-Gage http://www.n-gage.com
or Nokia Series 60 phones.

A good point to discuss is the grade of portability of that new MSX; like a mobile phone? like a PDA? like a small portable computer bigger than a PDA or a mobile phone? with integrated TFT screen?

And about the software... I would like to see Konami supporting with soft that new machine. I think that we all agree that Konami was/is half the spirit of MSX.

And I agree with MSX-Association that the hypothetical new MSX should be launched first in Japan. I think that a new MSX in the Japanese market, whatever were its technical specifications, would cause furore.

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A good point to discuss is the grade of portability of that new MSX; like a mobile phone? like a PDA? like a small portable computer bigger than a PDA or a mobile phone? with integrated TFT screen?

I think like a small laptop, 9'' or 10'' TFT, but this could be expensive...

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I think like a small laptop, 9'' or 10'' TFT, but this could be expensive...

That new MSX could have a small TFT for basical functions and a TV/monitor output for full computer usage. I'm just giving ideas

There already are a lot of threads on what the new MSX should look like etc... The question in this thread is: "What does the MSX Revival need to become a success?"

Who mentioned that the msx should emulate pc? Well, i'd be hot if i could install the linux kernel (modified or not) on it.

We know you like Linux. But Linux isn't what MSX needs to be succesfull. Also it doesn't have to emulate a PC to run Linux. (Wasn't it the intention to run an MSX emulator on Intent on Linux?)

To be succesful it should appeal to teenagers. Very simple.

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There already are a lot of threads on what the new MSX should look like etc... The question in this thread is: "What does the MSX Revival need to become a success?"

A new MSX computer. Without a new MSX computer there's no "MSX revival". Or you are going to promote something that there's NOT on the market?

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Who mentioned that the msx should emulate pc? Well, i'd be hot if i could install the linux kernel (modified or not) on it.

Linux??? Are you joking? Linux is a very powerful OS but it isn't user friendly. It's in the opposite side of what MSX has been.

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A new MSX computer. Without a new MSX computer there's no "MSX revival". Or you are going to promote something that there's NOT on the market?

There already IS a MSX Revival! It's not just about a new MSX. It's about interest in the MSX system, activity among users/developers, etc...

A new MSX would be the RESULT of the MSX Revival, not the other way around.

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Linux??? Are you joking? Linux is a very powerful OS but it isn't user friendly. It's in the opposite side of what MSX has been.

You don't think Linux running on the new MSX would be just your average garden'n'kitchen Linux, do you?!
It will mainly run Intent as a GUI (the same thing MSX PLAYer already runs on), and the Linux kernel is about the best OS kernel you can find.

Maybe you should read some of the other MSX Revival threads, discussions about OS etc...

I will think not as an emotional MSX user, but as an executive from a company that want to make profit, and have to make decisions (good ones) in way not to spend money without the possibility to have return... So what I would do is not necesserily what I would like to be done:

To me the one-chip-msx would be a chip to be used in portables. Why? Because portables is the fashion nowadays, and is increasing fast in the market. The new MSX as a computer system would be very cool for the MSX users like us, but not for the majority of the consumers in the world. (We are a lot of people? Yes, but even though a very very VERY small percentage of the consumers in the world. So, making a system for only us is not comercially interesting, at least not to big companies).

So why having a cell-phone, PDA, mini-games, "palm-gadget" MSX compatible would be comercially interesting? Because, a big company could buy this idea, and hundred of units would be solt in the entire world.

Let's face it: the MSX system is very cool, but very late for our times... But perhaps it is still powerfull enought for portables nowadays... So it is very clever to use an old computer system in those. The MSX 1.0 games is still very more cool than many java games in the cell phones around the world. And THIS is another thing that is interesting... The MSX system have already a lot of titles of games already-made! And a bunch of freaking-fan-users still developing software to MSX like us, is a garantee that there will be a starting number os developers to the new system.

So... I believe that the One-Chip-Msx is going to be exactely like this. A chip. I don't believe we are going to se a small MSX-device or etc.

Do I think this is going to be a sucess? Honestly? No. If I had to bet my bucks, I would bet all my money in the Java-enabled cell phones and portables.

But with the stuff that Nishi have, it is still a clever move (or a clever try).

UNLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nishi could be thinking to launch the new one-chip-msx AS a new portable game device... This way the new msx would be sold like a little-msx-device to run games (but, I hope, with the possibility to use the DOS, BASIC, etc... like an old msx).


This way what I think that the MSX Revival would need to become a success is to release as a Turbo-R, and not as a MSX2.0 as i think they are going to do.

(actually, I dont think this is not going to be what they need to become a success, but still that is what i would like to see very much) hehe


AND... As the Operation System, they should use the Uzix..

All Konami Rom Cartridges games HAVE TO be re-released in a single ROM cartridge for the new MSX machines (5 Mb approx.)...

The cost doesn't matter!!!!