Seems off topic, but it isn't.

I am putting together an expansion module for the ColecoVision, using a lot of stuff familiar with MSXers. My module has a dedicated sound CPU (a second Z80) with 32KB of RAM. The main CPU can communicate with the sound CPU thru a latch port (for sending sound codes) and by taking the sound CPU bus and directly accessing the sound RAM (for loading a sound program and data).
The sound CPU will control 3 sound chips: a SCC, an YM2151 and a MSM6294 (ADPCM, four channels).
The sound CPU is already implemented in my prototype, and I have made some testing with a SCC cart I had here. I was able to play all the sounds I had created for the MSX version of Pac-Man (using SCC), as well as some Knightmare tunes taken from the MSX SCC version.
To make sure that there will be SCCs available when I decide to produce the final module, I ordered 200 SCC chips last week. And I am planning to order the remaining sound ICs later this month.
But the module is more than a sound module. It also has extra RAM memory (the CV came originally with only 1KB!) and will have a new video chip. I was considering the V9958, since it is backward compatible, but then I realized that I could be a bit bolder and go with a V9990. Well, I have a GFX9000 here, so I opened it, plugged the PCB into a connector on my prototype (which I had used previously to test the SCC) and voila! I just made a quick test and it is working. The only problem now is find out how many V9990 ICs are still around. I sent a request for quote to my chinese supplier and I am now waiting...

Well, maybe some of you remember I was programming a remake of Castlevania/Vampire Killer for the V9958 (with hardware scroll), but if I ultimately decide to go with the V9990, then I would need to create a far more sophisticated version. Since I had used the MSX2 version graphics for my V9958 remake, I thought it would be a good idea to use the X68K version as a start point for the V9990 version. So I created some mockups, which aren't completely accurate but could give me an idea about what to expect.
If all things go right, I end using the V9990 and manage to complete Castlevania Redux, the I would port the CV version for the MSX (with GFX9000). I think a 7.14MHz MSX could handle the game easily, though I would need to use the Moonsound instead the YM2151/MSM6295.

Pictures and videos bellow (the V9958 version was created with BlueMSX. Not sure why the final file is so large)…

www.opcodegames.com/download/dra.zip Castlevania Redux V9958 video
www.opcodegames.com/download/Image13.gif Castlevania Redux V9990 (mockup)
www.opcodegames.com/download/Image31.gif Castlevania Redux V9990 (mockup)
www.opcodegames.com/download/DSC01760.jpg CV expansion module prototype


Eduardo

Wow! Looks good.
Maybe after this you can port Castlevania Symphony of the Night from PSX to GFX9000
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050815/castlevania-sotn-01.jpg

funny, cool. etc.

Really impressive!, that's a lot of work for only one person!. Respect! 8O
About the mockups, sure the X68000 it's the best version; but by no special reason I've always found the colors of the main sprite from the X68K version, a bit, I don't know,....bland

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funny, cool. etc.

yes, to say the (very) least...

That's quite a lot of work indeed, and very ambitious! Congratulations!

Your 'all in one card' project is amazing.
As for Castelvania, is it the same 'episode' as the 1986 one on MSX2 with better graphics/scolling/sounds or another story?
Sin

awesome!!! hope you are able to finish this project, i can not wait to play the game on my MSX!!

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Quote: funny, cool. etc. yes, to say the (very) least... That's quite a lot of work indeed, and very ambitious! Congratulations! Your 'all in one card' project is amazing. As for Castelvania, is it the same 'episode' as the 1986 one on MSX2 with better graphics/scolling/sounds or another story? Sin

The X68K version is a remake, though it has some different stages (it's still Simon there). However I am planning to, at least, bring back some the original music (the X68K version has some of the original music, but not all of them). And if I can convince wolf to join the team later, that would be like a dream project to me. BTW, I also hope to add some of the exploration elements of the MSX version, as well as some of the MSX exclusive items. The idea would be to make some of the stages more like the MSX/Famicom version (though not exactly the same), so the player can feel like he/she has been there before (so the title, Castlevania Redux, "revisited".

Eduardo

Gretings for your work, but a natural question rises in my mind...
Why all this work on a custom HW that, apart from you and few dozen people, none will never see?
What about continuing your project on MSX2+ ? Or, even better, on MSX2 but with horizontal scrolling?

That sounds pretty cool. I never played a Colecovision but I have an Adam computer that might still work. Would your upgrade module work with it also?

So much interesting retro hardware to play with, so little time...

There is a colecovision emulator for msx.

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There is a colecovision emulator for msx.

That has not a lot to emulate because the hw is almost the same.....

yeah I know.. hence the

Colecovision doesn't have the wait state... but I can remove that from the msx

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Colecovision doesn't have the wait state... but I can remove that from the msx

In fact the CV does have the wait state.

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Gretings for your work, but a natural question rises in my mind... Why all this work on a custom HW that, apart from you and few dozen people, none will never see? What about continuing your project on MSX2+ ? Or, even better, on MSX2 but with horizontal scrolling?

Because like a few dozen people I have a GFX9000 here, which doesn't get a lot of use. And second because I promised Rob (from Sunrise) that I would do something for the GFX9000. Furthermore, if we have a few hundred MSX users with a GFX9000 and I can sell a few hundred expansion modules for CV users, then the user base would end being more than just a few dozen people, right?

Eduardo