FX-Unit Yuki: The Henshin Engine for TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine

[esadajr]

btw "We", basically only need someone to buy that gorgeous limited edition PC Engine console to meet the next stretch goal.

Maybe "dinner with the development team" should have also been part of the ultimate reward.

[glazball]

Honest question here from someone who is still trying to decide whether to back or not:

What happened to Lucretia?

[OldRover]

Lucretia is still in development. The code is done, just working towards finishing the graphics now. Sarumaru is working on it when he can but most of his time has been spent on HE since it's his baby. I could release LDP right now and it'd be totally playable... it just wouldn't look too good, as half the levels would have large colored blocks for enemies rather than proper sprites.

[esteban]

Honest question here from someone who is still trying to decide whether to back or not:

What happened to Lucretia?

Still in development, still awesome, still gonna be absolutely amazing.

[NecroPhile]

I have to say a lot of people have been asking this question.  No, really.  A lot of people come up to me and they ask me.  They say, 'What happened to Lucretia'?  And I tell them look, we know what's up with Lucretia.  We've had almost eight years of the worst kind of games you can imagine.  Oh my God, I can't believe it.

Lucretia is a game with sprites and background tiles.  Look, if you want to know what Lucretia is, do you want to know what Lucretia is?  I'll tell you.  First of all there's witches, by the way, I love witches.  It's probably my favorite slutty halloween costume, no it is my favorite slutty halloween costume (no fatties).  You know what, it's probably more like slutty nurse but with a hat.  A pointed hat.

So it's gonna be YUGE?

[NightWolve]

At first I was like, wait a minute, when did esteban go for that kind of joke ? No way!!!

[esteban]

hahahahaha!

[esteban]

BLOODGOOD FOREVER

[NightWolve]

BLOODGOOD FOREVER

That's not half bad for Christian folksy music... Typically it's kind of hokey/embarrassing.

[esteban]

Nightwolve, my attempts to get Rover to compose a Christian Metal song to be included in Henshin Engine have failed.

[NightWolve]

Yeah, sure, but we know that would never happen between the two of you... 

[esteban]

Yeah, sure, but we know that would never happen between the two of you... 

Yeah

[Dicer]

BLOODGOOD FOREVER

To hell with that

[blueraven]

[Dr.Wily]

The only time I was OK with an *exclusively* chip (PSG) soundtrack on a CD-ROM was when (1) all the data was used for Red Book audio accompanying cinemas and/or (2) all the data was used for compressed video...

An other way to think : keep the feeling of the platform. Redbook audio does not uses specifics audio abilities of the hardware. It's just audio CD.

Otherwise, I was always disappointed when a developer didn't take advantage of the opportunity for Red Book soundtrack.

Because sound devellopers kept the feeling of the soundchip. Recent example like Pier Solar. It uses Mega-CD's soundchip or Genesis' YM2610. (Sonic CD or Popful Mail are also good examples) On PC-Engine you can use PCE's sound chip + IFU's PCM sound chip. Redbook is an easiness.
   

In short, the Henshin Engine soundtrack blends the best of both worlds—PSG "inspired" songs that have the chiptune aesthetic at their core, but with composer free to be more creative than a purely PSG soundtrack.

The quality is not the "purity" of the sound but the arrangements, by using abilities of the sound chip. There no good or low quality between redbook and hardware produced music. Just a different approach.

Listen at Magical Chase BGM Magical Chase,

Street Fighter II
 SSF2

or Snatcher Snatcher.

These games have wonderful soundtrack only using sequenced music with the HU6280.
   

I hear you, though... It would be amazing to have a complete Red Book *and* PSG soundtrack that could be switched back and forth "on the fly" (see Vasteel)... But that would be placing a *ridiculous* additional burden on an already-burdened development team.

That is a best argument than "I was always disappointed when a developer didn't take advantage of the opportunity for Red Book"
At the time, redbook was used by the devolopers because it more simple to compose music for than to program directly a sound chip.

But nowadays, the chiptune became acceptable. It's no more a gap between "real audio" and "electronic rendered audio". For preserve the authenticity of the support, you may use real chiptune, not a fake BGM simply recorded on audio CD.

[OldRover]

A few things about using PSG music...

-More CPU time required
-More work required to get sound effects working; music channels have to be cut temporarily to allow sound effects to play
-More space in RAM required that could be better-used for other things

These are all important details when using HuC, of which Henshin Engine's code is about 90% (about 10% assembly). On top of that, the overwhelming majority of CD-based games back in the heyday of the PCE used Redbook audio. Also, "nowadays" is irrelevant; we are still using the same technology as they used "back then"... it's not like the PCE has been upgraded. ;)

Also, the KS broke $28k with authority.

[NightWolve]

To me, Redbook audio is what captures the true feel of a Turbo/PC Engine CDROM game, as you were getting only chiptune music from every other game console you owned growing up in that era like NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc. all the portables, etc.

The legendary soundtracks that are remembered and beloved such as Ys I-IV and Gate of Thunder would not have the historical status that they do had they been programmed and limited to PSG... The lure of the CD was precisely due to allowing any kind of music to play, no limits.

[NecroPhile]

With more than half the games on CD (most of which using at least some redbook tracks if not all), it's stupid to say redbook is 'fake'.  Good music is good music, regardless of whether it's chip generated or not.

[BigusSchmuck]

With more than half the games on CD (most of which using at least some redbook tracks if not all), it's stupid to say redbook is 'fake'.  Good music is good music, regardless of whether it's chip generated or not.

Amen. I'm curious on how the parallax was achieved through HUC? Or was that the 10% assembly part?

[Dr.Wily]

-More CPU time required

irrelevant, many game especially shooters use PSG with a lot of scrolling and sprite + BGM music with sometime PCM sounds.

-More work required to get sound effects working; music channels have to be cut temporarily to allow sound effects to play

More work to develop sound engine OK. Channels cut it's not a problem with 6 channels + IFU's PCM. Don't forget that the limitations is a part of the chiptune feeling. If you make a retro game on real hardware push the trip to the bitter end.
 

-More space in RAM required that could be better-used for other things

Hey, I feel here not be honest with yourself. Which System Card Henshin Engine uses ? The System card 3.0 I suppose. There is 2 Megabits of RAM in there + internal RAM, this is not enough to put few kilobyte of sound code ?

These are all important details when using HuC, of which Henshin Engine's code is about 90% (about 10% assembly). On top of that, the overwhelming majority of CD-based games back in the heyday of the PCE used Redbook audio.

The overwhelming majority of CD-based games used redbook only because it's new and surprising at this time compare to chip music + easier to develop than coding music on metal.

Also, "nowadays" is irrelevant; we are still using the same technology as they used "back then"... it's not like the PCE has been upgraded. ;)

You don't understand, it's not tech speaking but historical context speaking. At this time, the majority of music was hardware produced with electronic feeling with beep and blop. When a sound designer chose to put BGM using redbook he uses "real" instruments to make the diference versus "primitive" chiptune. This is a step forward for the gamers side "the music is more realistic" and they understand advantage of audio CD VS chip music.

But nowadays there is no advantage for using CD VS chip music and the fake progress of redbook in video game became irrelevant.

And today, you put chiptune on redbook whereas at the time, nobody would have thought to put chip music on redbook. Because chip music is produced by a chip and "real" music is recorded on redbook. There is a nonsense here no ?

To me, Redbook audio is what captures the true feel of a Turbo/PC Engine CDROM game, as you were getting only chiptune music from every other game console you owned growing up in that era like NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc. all the portables, etc.

Redbook has no feeling. Is just a medium. And if you want the true feeling of PC-ENgine CD you must record some 90' synth, not chiptune.

With more than half the games on CD (most of which using at least some redbook tracks if not all), it's stupid to say redbook is 'fake'.  Good music is good music, regardless of whether it's chip generated or not.

Yes your right, good music is good music regardless of whether it produce. But I prefer a singer in live compared to a guy who sings in playback. Redbook is playback and does not use all PC-Engine hardware.

[TurboXray]

Hey, I feel here not be honest with yourself. Which System Card Henshin Engine uses ? The System card 3.0 I suppose. There is 2 Megabits of RAM in there + internal RAM, this is not enough to put few kilobyte of sound code ?

Unless you've coded a game in HuC for the  system card 3.0, homebrew no less, then you have no platform to speak on this issue. Old Rover is no stranger to coding on the PCE. Can things always be compressed further - usually, sure - but Old Rover's priority is making a game first and foremost. I'm sure there are a lot of things he's already considered. A chiptune engine (software) and song (data) are not inherently free - they do require system resources as well as talent and familiarity with the hardware.

 You simply have a bias for chiptune sounds of the core system. That's fine, but that doesn't mean you get to ignore the vast library that used Redbook audio (with some of the most memorable tunes regardless of not being huc6280). Or invalidate Redbook audio with some revisionist perspective or such; it's part of the system and a valid choice for homebrew. End of debate.

[Arjak]

Better start planning that documentary, guys! We've passed the second stretch goal!

[NightWolve]

To me, Redbook audio is what captures the true feel of a Turbo/PC Engine CDROM game, as you were getting only chiptune music from every other game console you owned growing up in that era like NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc. all the portables, etc.

Redbook has no feeling. Is just a medium. And if you want the true feeling of PC-ENgine CD you must record some 90' synth, not chiptune.

Redbook allows for any "feeling" you want. It "just" allows for the best possible music, and that's all I care about and what MOST care about...

I'm not interested in lost causes like purposefully grinding down great music to the blips and beeps of chiptune standards for the sake of capturing the "retroness" of carts or HuCards, etc. It's a CD game and will take full advantage of CD standards, including Redbook audio tracks.

Whatever floats your boat though. The composer and developer are likely not interested in ruining their music, so there's your simple answer. You think Ryo Yonemitsu would've appreciated great Ys tracks like "The Boy Who Had Wings" getting grinded down to PSG style ? I doubt it...

It's funny though you wanna passionately argue over this in a senseless argumentative fashion, but at least it's a better distraction than Joe Redifer's hissy fit.

Redbook is playback and does not use all PC-Engine hardware.

Oh noooo, what a crime! Heh. The trade-off is the user will get the best possible music the human ear can process, but less challenge for the hardware...  So the "problem" is what exactly ?? ...


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarumaru/henshin-engine-the-game-pc-engine-tg-16-pc-steam

420 backers
$28,270
49 hours to go

Thanks everyone!



Despite the fact that we have saboteurs registered here in our own PCE forum family that have an ax to grind with PCEFX as a whole, or members on this development team, along with the issues externally, the project has done amazingly well from when it looked like it wouldn't even cross the first goal and end in embarrassment!!

[Sadler]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarumaru/henshin-engine-the-game-pc-engine-tg-16-pc-steam

420 backers
$28,270
49 hours to go

Thanks everyone!

Make that 421 backers.

[CrackTiger]

Dr Wily, when people reference things like "HuC", the point they're making is that homebrew PC Engine development is very challenging and the dev kits licensed developers used bitd are unavailable. Elaborate chiptunes are particularly difficult to do still, but there are also very few people available who can make them with the existing tools.

Unlike HuCard games, Henshin Engine actually does make use of all of the hardware, as it features WSG, adpcm and redbook sound.

Henshin Engine is also on track to provide the most bang for  the buck as far as aesthetics proportionate to development time. The game is also using 16 x 16 pixel tiles instead of 8 x 8, in order to achieve this balance.

If you and some friends are capable of churning out a PC Engine game within a year on the same level of overall production value as the top quality CD games from bitd, we'd all be happy to play it.

[deubeul]

Personally, redbook audio is one of the main reason I fell in love with the PCE BITD, that's what made it so unique back  then, and that's why I always preferred CDs above HuCards. And that's probably why I couldn't play MD or SNS, I didn't find any excitement playing them.

I'll always remember my first experience with my first CD  game:

Spriggan, stage 1 >> Hyper fast scrolling + the fantastic CD audio track = BOOM!!! instant Obey for life.

[Gredler]

Dr Wily, when people reference things like "HuC", the point they're making is that homebrew PC Engine development is very challenging and the dev kits licensed developers used bitd are unavailable. Elaborate chiptunes are particularly difficult to do still, but there are also very few people available who can make them with the existing tools.

Unlike HuCard games, Henshin Engine actually does make use of all of the hardware, as it features WSG, adpcm and redbook sound.

Henshin Engine is also on track to provide the most bang for  the buck as far as aesthetics proportionate to development time. The game is also using 16 x 16 pixel tiles instead of 8 x 8, in order to achieve this balance.

If you and some friends are capable of churning out a PC Engine game within a year on the same level of overall production value as the top quality CD games from bitd, we'd all be happy to play it.

This is exactly right, Mr Wooly needs to read any of the Catastrophy threads (and new line of huc thread) and you'll see plenty of struggles trying to get a talented musician to work within the confines of the platform. If you or someone you know is able to and wants to make good chiptunes on the platform please let me know, because a it stands there are no musicians "stepping up to the mic" for making PCE homebrew tunes.

[TurboXray]

I'd like to point out that while there is a lot of talent in the chiptune music scene, across a lot of system, the tools they use are NOT meant for dev purposes - only make music on the system itself. PCE has very little tools, the most popular one at the moment in the "scene" is DefleMask. That is NOT a valid option for homebrew because the "cooked" output, disregarding some bugs, is waaaayyy too large for hucard or CD rom projects (won't fit in CD ram). On Famicom, Famitracker is popular, but even that has ~serious~ limitations for homebrew - to the point were devs just don't use it. I could go on and on - but the point is that these new development tools aren't geared towards practical music solutions for homebrew or just game development in general.

 Squirrel exists, but it's not a WYHISWYG or whatever type of tool. There's no sample support, which I feel it part of the PCE chiptune sound (with either directly via each channel or the ADPCM channel). So it's limited as well. It's a realistic and practical option, but there needs to be more mature toolset surrounding it to be effective (IMO, which is why most people shy away from it). Most people develop the music on another platform, and down convert it to generic mml. Even with a mature toolset surrounding it, I'd still argue that the system card PSG player is only average. But outside of writing everything from scratch - this is your best bet for chiptune development on PCE. And honestly, outside of Arkhan's awesome examples who seems to intuitively know his way around sound/instrument generation in PCE MML, I haven't seen anything worth getting excited over for PCE mml stuff (apologies to the chiptuners out there have produced stuff).

 So saying something like PCE homebrew should have chiptunes, is kind of a tall order.

[OldRover]

I love using Squirrel, but I found that it causes some issues with straight-up HuC. Whenever I would use it for music playback in a program that makes use of multiple scroll() regions, it would introduce a lot of flicker issues. I am not sure if this is a CPU load issue or just a "gimme all teh timer!" thing but because of it, I don't use it for any kind of action game unless I am only planning to use a single scroll(). For RPGs that don't go too crazy with the graphical effects, it's great... in fact, Mysterious Song II uses Squirrel for its PSG effects playback. You simply couldn't ask for a more robust sound system in this case. Henshin Engine, on the other hand, would have numerous issues if I used it, so instead, I use a heavily modified version of Bt Garner's snd.c, which is a lot less demanding, though obviously a lot less feature-packed than Squirrel. I cannot recommend Squirrel enough to anyone making a hucard game, as there is literally nothing better and it does a great job in most circumstances.

[TurboXray]

If you use Vblank IRQ timing instead of TIMER IRQ timing for the sys card PSG player, then it shouldn't interfere with scrolling. Maybe that was part of the problem? (PSG player using TIMER instead of V_INT) Unless HuC is doing something else (something weird), and/or PSG player is extremely slow.

 I can definitely see using the syscard PSG player for just sound FX type of setup, as long as it didn't use the TIMER interrupt routine. Kind of strange that the PSG TIMER interrupt doesn't set a flag and immediately re-enable interrupts to keep VDC interrupts from being delayed. I would have thought that would be standard design for a multi-interrupt driven system. I mean, this is what a lot of hucard games do when using both interrupts (Air Zonk for example; music on the TIMER int, samples on TIMER int, line scrolling on VDC H-int). Does Squirrel not allow the setting the PSG player of which timing mechanism to use? I.e. V-int vs TIMER-int?

[OldRover]

psgOn() allows you to set either vsync or timer as its argument. I have only ever used the timer argument, as the example file states that using vsync limits the speed.

[OldMan]

Take a look at the HuC scroll function some time.  If I remember right, it doesn't run on VSync, it runs on HSync. And I seem to remember it sorting the scroll areas on every call.

I could be wrong, though. It's been a while.

[OldRover]

I am pretty sure you're right on that one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

It uses Mega-CD's soundchip

What?

also, you don't need to just use "90s synths", as games back then also used studio rock bands.

Unless you think I'd need to go buy strictly 1980s musical gear to record a studio rock soundtrack for a game, in order for it to be authentic?

Also, anyone who says they'd be able to tell the difference between most of that stuff is probably lying.

Also, the Henshin Engine soundtrack isn't chiptunes.

It's "chiptunes".

It's that stuff people started doing recently that sounds chip inspired but is full of all kinds of non-chip things.

EDIT:

I love using Squirrel, but I found that it causes some issues with straight-up HuC. Whenever I would use it for music playback in a program that makes use of multiple scroll() regions, it would introduce a lot of flicker issues. I am not sure if this is a CPU load issue or just a "gimme all teh timer!" thing but because of it, I don't use it for any kind of action game unless I am only planning to use a single scroll(). For RPGs that don't go too crazy with the graphical effects, it's great... in fact, Mysterious Song II uses Squirrel for its PSG effects playback. You simply couldn't ask for a more robust sound system in this case. Henshin Engine, on the other hand, would have numerous issues if I used it, so instead, I use a heavily modified version of Bt Garner's snd.c, which is a lot less demanding, though obviously a lot less feature-packed than Squirrel. I cannot recommend Squirrel enough to anyone making a hucard game, as there is literally nothing better and it does a great job in most circumstances.

Try using VSYNC.  The only problem is, if your game is slowing down, the audio is going to slow down too.  I believe that's what the example means.  I'd have to look again because it's been awhile.

and yeah, the scrolls use HSYNC, not VSYNC.



but, I am using the timer mode for Atlantean, with more scrolling regions than your game, so I am curious what flickering you are experiencing.

[OldRover]

but, I am using the timer mode for Atlantean, with more scrolling regions than your game, so I am curious what flickering you are experiencing.

I don't do hucard productions very often, but when I do, I use Squirrel for all the audio. My first test was a simple two-region parallax that didn't do any kind of map loading, VRAM uploading, or any of the other fancy-pants tricks I use a lot. While playing the music, the lower part of the screen would flicker all over the place, often disappearing completely. Sometimes it would be drawn too high and sometimes drawn too low. The top part never flinched though. (My intention was to make a "garbage storm" game, like China Warrior or Gladiator... ) My second test was a full-on four-region scroll with map loading, lots of VRAM uploading, and multiple sound effects being played on command. The background was flicker city up and down. Keep in mind though that this was pure HuC, no assembly used on my end. I reasonably concluded that there must have been something in Squirrel that is in conflict with HuC's scroll() timing. So from then on, I never used more than one scroll() region at a time when using Squirrel. When I was working on Sydney Hunter, it didn't use any horizontal scrolling at all, so it wasn't an issue.

[Arkhan Asylum]

That's odd, because Pyramid Plunder has 2 scroll regions and VRAM updating for the radar, but it uses chiptunes and works fine.

What does your code look like?   It shouldn't interrupt things like that.

[Dr.Wily]

Redbook allows for any "feeling" you want. It "just" allows for the best possible music, and that's all I care about and what MOST care about...

As I told, redbook has no feeling. It's just a medium to put what you want on it. There no best possible music. Redbook is not better than PSG, it's just another way to play music for video game.

PSG can't reproduce real instruments, but it has his own feeling. Redbook have it's cons too. Music looping problem, it take full CD drive access and your are unable to load data during playback. Each loading shutdown the music...

Like Bonknuts said "these new development tools aren't geared towards practical music solutions for homebrew or just game development in general"

Or Gredler "Elaborate chiptunes are particularly difficult to do still, but there are also very few people available who can make them with the existing tools."

These is valid points. Making chiptune is dificult thing, I understand that. But do not tell me that the redbook audio is the best way to "make" music on PC-Engine, this totally wrong. Redbook has been dropped even on platforms who used a lot, like Mega-CD or Saturn. The streaming took place over impractical redbook.

I'm not interested in lost causes like purposefully grinding down great music to the blips and beeps of chiptune standards for the sake of capturing the "retroness" of carts or HuCards, etc. It's a CD game and will take full advantage of CD standards, including Redbook audio tracks.

You not grinding down the music when you start to develop on chip directly. I do not speak about possible conversion from redbook to PSG. But make the BGM directly from PSG and use the pro and cons of the chip. ANd you can also use redbook too. One does not prevent the other.

Whatever floats your boat though. The composer and developer are likely not interested in ruining their music, so there's your simple answer. You think Ryo Yonemitsu would've appreciated great Ys tracks like "The Boy Who Had Wings" getting grinded down to PSG style ? I doubt it...

Nonsense ! First, if it's too tricky to develop sound engine to play music through PC-Engine audio processor, the best way still the redbook. Second, PSG does not ruin music if your whole composition is dedicated for it. Your example with Ryo Yonemitsu is not valid, YS use both PSG and redbook. Redbook is used because it offers a good deal at a time where sound synthesis rules the vidéo game music.

Oh noooo, what a crime! Heh. The trade-off is the user will get the best possible music the human ear can process, but less challenge for the hardware...  So the "problem" is what exactly ?? ...

Ok ok... for you the same tune is better on CD than PSG... so the same tune is better on DVD than CD ? And better on bluray than DVD... hummm, and it's me that passionately argue over in a senseless argumentative fashion... 

Dr Wily, when people reference things like "HuC", the point they're making is that homebrew PC Engine development is very challenging and the dev kits licensed developers used bitd are unavailable. Elaborate chiptunes are particularly difficult to do still, but there are also very few people available who can make them with the existing tools.

Good point ! I prefer this argument that approaches the truth.

What?

also, you don't need to just use "90s synths", as games back then also used studio rock bands.

Unless you think I'd need to go buy strictly 1980s musical gear to record a studio rock soundtrack for a game, in order for it to be authentic?

You don't understand. When I told about "90s synths" this was in response to :

"To me, Redbook audio is what captures the true feel of a Turbo/PC Engine CDROM game"

The redbook captures nothing. The real true feel of a PC Engine CDROM game came from japanese video game music style of this time. The vast majority of PC-Engine CD soundtracks are made from typical synth sound from nineties. THIS is the feeling of PC-Engine CD BGM not redbook. Redbook is just a "container".

Also, the Henshin Engine soundtrack isn't chiptunes.

It's "chiptunes".

It's that stuff people started doing recently that sounds chip inspired but is full of all kinds of non-chip things.

It's an ersatz. You can make food with chemical components or you can make it with natural products. Same thing for chiptune.

[OldRover]

Dr.Wily, you are literally making a mountain out of a molehill here. This is just crazy. You have your opinion, others have theirs. We all get it. Sarumaru designed this game to be the way it is for his own reasons.

[OldRover]

What does your code look like?   It shouldn't interrupt things like that.

I'll dig up some code for ya, maybe you know something I don't (wouldn't be the first time, me is le dumbsauce).

EDIT: relevant code:

Code Select Expand

for(;;)
{
psgMainStatus = psgMStat();
psgSubStatus  = psgSStat();
j1 = joy(0);
j2 = joytrg(0);
princess_state_machine();
princess_animation();
update_scroll();
put_number(scrollspeed,2,16,0);
satb_update();
vsync();
}
and

Code Select Expand

update_scroll()
{
if (scrolldirection == 1)
{
if (scrollspeed < 40) scrollspeed++;
} else {
if (scrollspeed > 0) scrollspeed-=2;
}
scroll1tics+= scrollspeed;
scroll2tics+=scrollspeed*2;
if (scroll1tics > 79)
{
scroll1tics -= 80;
scroll1++;
if (scroll1 > 511) scroll1 -= 512;
}
if (scroll2tics > 79)
{
scroll2tics -= 80;
scroll2++;
if (scroll2 > 511) scroll2 -= 512;
}
if (scrollspeed < 1) return; /* no need to update 0 movement */
scroll(1, scroll1, 16, 16, 175, 0xC0);
scroll(2, scroll2, 176, 176, 223, 0xC0);
}
and actually, I was wrong... this particular game engine was using VRAM uploading. I have not worked on this in like... 2 years... so I will see what happens if I remove said load_vram() functions and rebuild.

[NightWolve]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarumaru/henshin-engine-the-game-pc-engine-tg-16-pc-steam

Looking great!

Up to 450 backers, over $30k, one day to go.

Let's collectively refrain from responding to the "anomaly" above until the Kickstarter is over... Just one more day for this to be wrapped up.

[Sarumaru]

For a game who's soundtrack consists of this "no feeling" redbook audio, the music in it sure gets a lot of attention 

It also appeals to the masses and not just hardware purists. That can be seen as a marketable option for going red book.

But the real reason? I simply wanted it that way. When the Turbografx CD first came out, my draw to it was the limitless capabilities of CD audio over chiptunes, something no other system had done at the time. Many like that gritty sound that chiptunes have, and much of it is very good, it's just not what I wanted. ^__^

[Arkhan Asylum]

I think Dr. Wily is hung up on vernacular.

redbook has come to basically just mean "CD audio" or "real instruments".

Rover: What does all of your other code do?  If those state machine/etc. functions are too slow, that's probably part of the problem.

[SkyeWelse]

Just wanted to drop in and say good luck with the game! I just backed it for a physical Turbo disc. Just in time too seeing as it's in the final hours of the Kickstarter.

I really like the concept of the game having the main protagonist represent NEC and the antagonist / rival represent Sega. That will be a lot of fun to see how that story plays out.

I came up with a similar concept for a game I wanted to work on for MSX one day, but life got in the way. It was going to be a Mega Man style game for MSX 2+ called naturally, MSX Man. But instead of robot masters, they would be Computer Masters and it was MSX Man's mission after being created by a "pair" of doctors, Dr. Nishi and Dr. Gates, to show them all who was boss. He was going to fight against Atari Man, Commodore Man, NEC (PC-88) Man, Spectrum Man, BBC Man, and others ultimately getting upgrades to make the MSX Man the most powerful 8-bit machine ever built. This would of course parody the actual MSX history some having Dr. Gates go on to "Do his own thing" and you'd have to fight him and his computer robot armies in a Windows fortress before he could give full power and support to... dun dun dun, the International Business Machine, which would be MSX Man's final boss. MSX Man ultimately cannot win against IBM's power, but MSX Man is later found years later and resurrected to live on and fight for "Great Justice!"

-Thomas

[NightWolve]

Tom!!!!!!!! Hey buddy! Good of you to join us, thanks!!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarumaru/henshin-engine-the-game-pc-engine-tg-16-pc-steam

Over $31k, 460 backers strong, 20 hours left!!

[OldRover]

That storyline actually sounds pretty badass.

[NecroPhile]

Indeed.  That's sounds like a cool game, Sky.


Only a couple hours to go and she's at $33,433.  Go, Yuki, GO!

[DildoKKKobold]

Damn, so close to the SNES/Genesis/GB port possibility!

I didn't think that tier was even going to get close, based on various predictions. I'd suggest emailing Joe Redifer 16 times to see if he'll make up the gap.

[Sarumaru]

Damn, so close to the SNES/Genesis/GB port possibility!

I didn't think that tier was even going to get close, based on various predictions. I'd suggest emailing Joe Redifer 16 times to see if he'll make up the gap.

SNES version got the chop. Too much trouble. Not realistic on that budget. MD/GEN/CD versions are within our means as well as a GB version (but we doubt anyone will care about a de-make on that). Sega-CD version would be the best choice for us as the dev, but I feel the GEN/MD cart would win that poll over the CD version.

[DildoKKKobold]

Congrats to Saru and Co, for a super successful Kickstarter!

$35,276 from 511 backers! Guess the DC drama didn't really effect much!

[Gredler]

Congrats to the team, glad you guys were supported so well - now time to deliver! Good Luck finishing out!