If there would be...

[TFM]

... a new game for the 6128 Plus (not GX4000), which is delivered on an 512 KB Cartridge (without casing at the moment). How much would you pay for it?

[SRS]

Nothing, as I do not own a 6128plus.


How much of'em are out there and working ? I think there won't be more than 100 ppl buying it - mybe that gives you some clue about possible/needed price

[khaz]

What can the 6128+ do that the GX4000 can't?

[SRS]

What can the 6128+ do that the GX4000 can't?

disk drive ? keyboard ? double RAM ? Just maybe ...

[TFM]

Nothing, as I do not own a 6128plus.

How much of'em are out there and working ? I think there won't be more than 100 ppl buying it - mybe that gives you some clue about possible/needed price

Guess, you're right! Got 100 PCBs with ACID chip on it. Since this stuff is already too expensive for my taste, I thought about selling some of them overpriced at ebay to fund the other PCBs / Carts which would go to the community here for a fair price. Well, I don't need to make money with them, but also I don't want too loose money. 

What can the 6128+ do that the GX4000 can't?

Main advantage: The first 64 KB can be used for video RAM. So what one gets is smooth scrolling in Overscan f.e. 

[||C|-|E||]

I would definitely pay 30 euros for a good game and a good edition 

[khaz]

Can't you add RAM on a cartridge?

[MacDeath]

Basically a game with pretention to be 6128+ in 512k cartridge should somewhat include :

= possibilities for game save on disk
= possibilities for Datadisks (with even extra RAM possible then ?)
= be some sandbox sort of game...
= shittons of Music and graphics...
= handle keyboard... always a shame to choose letters with joystick when you have a real keyboard...
=464+ can join provided they have at least extra RAM... tape could be used to save games or load some extra contents but yeah.... tape)

ideally a big huge RPG or tactical RPG... perhaps a Wargame as well.


X-Com/LaserSquad+ ? Warhammer Quest ? Pirates!...?
Baldur's Gate ? Might and Magic III : isles of terra ?
Sapiens ?
Eyes of the beholder ? Golden Box engine RPGs ?

[andycadley]

Main advantage: The first 64 KB can be used for video RAM. So what one gets is smooth scrolling in Overscan f.e. 

Not really, because you'll need some fixed location to store the Stack, Interrupt Vectors etc and the RAM paging arrangements really work against you in that case - doubly so if you wanted to retain compatibility with 464+ owners using an external memory expansion because then you either have to have the first 64K paged in when you write to ASIC registers or arrange things so it doesn't matter if the underlying RAM gets trashed. It would probably be easier to get smooth scrolling overscan without double buffering by either using the sprites or very carefully timed drawing routines and retain GX compatibility, as well as freeing up RAM for DMA lists etc.

With the extra RAM "advantage" being so questionable, the only real benefit of targeting a 6128+ only would be the ability to save games. And it'd have to be a substantial enough game for that to be worth it (especially if tape saving wasn't an option too)

Back to the original question of how much would I pay? Well it would depend on whether it was any good or not. I'd probably be more likely to buy a good game if it ran on the GX too though, particularly if it didn't have a case as I'd not feel confident that it'll stay in place and not cause damage in my 6128+ (the top loading nature makes it harder to accidentally knock out)

[Munchausen]

Not really, because you'll need some fixed location to store the Stack, Interrupt Vectors etc and the RAM paging arrangements really work against you in that case - doubly so if you wanted to retain compatibility with 464+ owners using an external memory expansion because then you either have to have the first 64K paged in when you write to ASIC registers or arrange things so it doesn't matter if the underlying RAM gets trashed. It would probably be easier to get smooth scrolling overscan without double buffering by either using the sprites or very carefully timed drawing routines and retain GX compatibility, as well as freeing up RAM for DMA lists etc.

With the extra RAM "advantage" being so questionable, the only real benefit of targeting a 6128+ only would be the ability to save games. And it'd have to be a substantial enough game for that to be worth it (especially if tape saving wasn't an option too)

Back to the original question of how much would I pay? Well it would depend on whether it was any good or not. I'd probably be more likely to buy a good game if it ran on the GX too though, particularly if it didn't have a case as I'd not feel confident that it'll stay in place and not cause damage in my 6128+ (the top loading nature makes it harder to accidentally knock out)

You probably could use 64K, but it would be tricky. 48K would be easier. Given that @TFM has done something like this before ( Gerelakos - CPCWiki) he probably has something in mind...

[TFM]

The question of casing is still open, they can be made already (3D printing), but I'm not so much satisfied with the pricing.

[TFM]

You probably could use 64K, but it would be tricky. 48K would be easier. Given that @TFM has done something like this before ( Gerelakos - CPCWiki) he probably has something in mind...

Yepp, but this one only uses 32 KB of Video-RAM. No double buffering. But yes, I got some ideas on my mind. However it would be of course nice to stay anything Plus compatible. I just can't exclude that for some 'projects' 128 KB RAM will be needed. Also as mentioned before saving a game is nice, this can be done by disc or also by having an expansion port (using a FlashROM of the X-MEM for example).
Also 512 KB want to be filled up with usefull stuff (compressed of course!), because the Cart is expansive enough.    I guess a price range between 15 and 25 Euros for one Cartridge is realistic, depends on couple things left to be done. 

[khaz]

Is it not possible to add saving on the cartridges like other consoles?

[Bryce]

Saving (or RAM) on a cartridge can only be done using some tricks. The plus cartridge was designed to be read-only, so the /WR signal isn't routed to the cartridge.

@TFM: If you'd asked the question a few months back, I probably would have said "Yes, I'm interested", but the C4CPC has sort of killed this market, unless you are buying it for the "single game cartridge in box look and feel", however, this would make your game much more expensive.

Bryce.

[remax]

The Market of exclusive 128Kb of Mem/Plus features games is not wide enough to make me buy a 6128Plus (i already have a 6128 and a GX4000)...

... So without me. Even if i always like the concept of new released games, even if it is a little bit expensive.

[SRS]

OffTopic (somehow) : is there a kit to make my 464 (or my "newer" 6128) a plus ? via expansion port ?

[CraigsBar]

OffTopic (somehow) : is there a kit to make my 464 (or my "newer" 6128) a plus ? via expansion port ?

Error, no. You can stretch a gx4000 to 6128plus spec as it has the asic already, but an expansion to the earlier machines is not possible.

[Gryzor]

For me, it depends on the game. I wouldn't just pay for the technology itself...

[Dr Tiger Ninestein]

For me it also depends on the game, but if its something I would play then I would definitely pay €30.

[SRS]

Error, no. You can stretch a gx4000 to 6128plus spec as it has the asic already, but an expansion to the earlier machines is not possible.

Now I am sad. 

[TFM]

@TFM: If you'd asked the question a few months back, I probably would have said "Yes, I'm interested", but the C4CPC has sort of killed this market, unless you are buying it for the "single game cartridge in box look and feel", however, this would make your game much more expensive.
Bryce.

Oh I think this can be worked out. Sure there is some work left, but where's a will there will be a way.

[dcdrac]

a souped up elite like game with a dash of 3D starstrike

[MaV]

As the others said: I may pay 30 Euros, it depends on the game. The case is important, I'm fed up with finding one to print 3D cases.

MaV

PS: I'm also fed up trying to buy cases that might fit and molding them to my needs. It deters me from more important stuff.

[TFM]

Thanks for pointing that out! And thanks to everybody posting his opinion here. It's very valuable, and points to the right direction. 


So my conclusion is that people don't mind to pay a bit if they get a fully fledged product with casing and so on, instead having everything cheap-cheap. [nb]Cheap-cheap means cheap price and cheap quality, f.e. no casing, reduced to the needed.[/nb]