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The New ColecoVision
Super Game Module.
© Provided by: OpCode
Games with technical advise by: André Lamothe at Nurve Networks.
In the honor of ColecoVision's 30 years
anniversary:
Will there in 2012 be produced a little module for ColecoVision by OpCode Games.
The module is under public license from RWB, and therefore an official
coleco product under applicable law.
Under the license granted, RWB will be the respective owners of the module,
and maybe also the publisher of module.
Manufacturing goes to China.
This new module will after a beta test in middle of 2012 finally be presented to the public.
Two very important people behind the project
is Eduardo Mello and
Ademir Carchano, both fabulous MSX programmers.
Ademir had made a Z 180 Module for the MSX, and Ademir is one of the best
electronic engineers in Brazil.
Mr. Carchano was responsible for several 8 bit Brazilian computers in the
80's and highly respected.
The idea for the opcoming Module is to make more complexed games for ColecoVision.
It will upgrade our current ColecoVision video game console from its standard 1K RAM, with
up to
extra 32K RAM.
Eduardo at OpCode Games has already released several game conversions from former
MSX titles, and some of those are already available for ColecoVision.
Games like:
Sky Jaguar, Magical Tree, Space Invaders Collection, Yie Ar Kung Fu,
Road Fighter
and Pac-Man Collection is finished.
But also: Chack 'n Pop, Circus Charlie, Star Force, Ninja Princess, Champion
Ice Hockey, Golgo 13, Bank Panic, Wonder Boy, Mopi Ranger and Konami's
Ping Pong.
Apart from Chack 'n Pop, are the others, distributed by Team Pixelboy.
Newest game Eduardo Mello work on is: Donkey
Kong Arcade and Moon Cresta.
OpCode Games plans also to launch the following extended
games to the new Memory Module.
Those games have never been released to the ColecoVision platform before, and many
of them are already done.
The upcoming games are:
Donkey Kong Arcade, Pengo and Moon Patrol.
But also Knightmare, Goonies, Kings Valley, Gradius, Yie Ar Kung Fu II,
Zanac, and Castlevania Redux are all planned.
About Arkanoid, New Rally X and Wizard Of Wor is not know yet.
When ColecoVision was launched in U.S. in 1982, was it an early "unfinished" MSX-based
machine.
Right after came the finished SpectraVideo 318 and the successor MSX1.
So practically all these "finished" MSX games from the 80's. can
now be translated back
to the ColecoVision with very few changes.
And that also include the games from Sega SG-1000.
But the sound chip and the RAM was not the same, and here comes the new Super
Game Module 2012.
The top sound will come from the more advanced sound chip: AY-3-8910.
The new Super Game Module must be mounted in the expansions port on the front of
ColecoVision.
It's 100% backward compatible, so
almost all the existing games and
upcoming games would work without any problems.
You will not be able to use the Atari Expansion Module, nor the connected Adam Memory Console
1st. version.
Moreover, you won't be able to use other Expansions when the Super Game Module
is plugged in.
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Here are pictures from OpCode's earlier
work with the OpGrade Module. |
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Previously planned, deleted:
In the early beginning of the OpGrade Module was it OpCode's plan for a CD
Rom, but that would only work for 8 to 10 years.
With CD's, you also have to be care about scratches, grease, stains and so.
Problems you probably know from the Playstation, X-box and Wii.
Removed is also following plans:
- BIOS XP:
"One thing is for sure, the New IDE Opgrade Module will contain a
new BIOS, this BIOS will override the internal one in your regular CV.
There will also be added new fonts, so you can change the standard ones
from your games.
It gives you a more personally look".
So there will not be any need for a BIOS for anything.
All the necessary routines will be in the game cartridge.
- MegaRAM and slot control:
The memory area mapped to the CV cartridge has been expanded in many
extra “virtual slots”, all software selectable.
And in one of those slots we have the MegaRAM, a huge bank of SRAM
that will allow us to run any existing CV game (from the CF),
as well as to create some really massive new games.
- Compact Flash
interface:
CF is a mass storage device with an interface similar to IDE, and thus
very inexpensive to implement.
The OM CF will use FAT16 and thus be compatible with any PC.
From ROM images, to save games, to scoreboards, anything we can come
with for the GUI can be saved here.
- Speech Synth:
Eduardo had originally planned to use the
OKI MSM 9842 PCM chip with
synthesized speech and sound.
Donkey Kong Arcade should have use it for
the "Walking", "Jumping" and the "Roar" sound for example.
But the OKI chip might instead be found at the future ColecoVision 2 (CV2), if Eduardo can get it to
communicate together.
- Parallel Port:
However gone is the 25 pins expansion connector. The only game Eduardo had
in mind to use that was Arkanoid,
But as he said: "I think I figured out a way to do the same thing using
the regular CV controller port".
- I/O
Port:
The I/O part is a bidirectional 16 bits port.
The parallel port has many possible uses, especially considering it is
bi-directional.
Other convenience features include spinners disable, real paddles,
keyboards, storage, NMI disable and more.
- Devices:
The first device would be the paddle adapter, and for that will
OpCode use a simple ADC converter and connect an Atari paddle to it.
From the parallel port should it be able to command the ADC to sample the
paddle then read the resulting 8 bit value.
Paddle games should be very easy to implement that way.
- CV to CV:
The second device is: creating a cable to hookup two ColecoVisions
together thru the parallel port.
The parallel port can implement full duplex 8-bit communication.
OpCode want to implement a simple game where two ColecoVisions can
exchange information about player position, etc.
A simple racing test game
would be nice.
If possible will OpCode try a 4 ColecoVisions configuration too.
- Computer Module:
Finally 3rd device should be a simple computer module. It should
implement PS2 keyboard reading, and if possible access to a SD card.
Eduardo at OpCode Games just want to make sure that it can do that stuff
if wanted. Both PS2 keyboard and SD cards are serial devices.
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But it was in the beginning also meant that The OpGrade Module should have
been very close to a new CV2.
But at the last minute in 2010 was it decided to divide the project up, and The
OpGrade Module was given a new name: Super Expansion Module.
Just a simple RAM module with optional audio, and the final name is
now ColecoVision Super Game Module.
The name should not be compared with the never released
previous Super Game Module from Coleco
Inc.
The name was jointly selected between
River West Brands who owns the
rights to the name Coleco, and Eduardo Mello at Opcode Games.
Mainly due to the
similarities between the never released Coleco device from the 80's and Eduardo's
new module.
It is also a way to pay homage to the Coleco legacy.
Meet in the middle.
Eduardo at OpCode Games joined Andre Lamothe at Nurve Networks, XGameStation with his new idea, and
they redesigned the unit from the buttom.
The idea behind The new Super Game Module is
to extend the functionality you already have with your ColecoVision.
But at the same time, the new Super Game Module also open doors for new
and
more advanced games.
This picture shows you first a 3-second start-up
sequence for the SGM.
Nicely animated by Eduardo.
Click on the picture for a Youtube look.
- MegaCart 2.
- PSG.
Here is what each sub-system is responsible
for:
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- MegaCart 2:
"Save your game data on this cartridge"
Up to
32 kB of Save RAM. to save any game data, like
high score, save points, etc.
And 128 kB of MegaRAM. Allows even more advanced games, like MSX MegaROM
games.
It is to find in the cartridge, not the Memory Module.
The name is MegaCart 2 a cartridge PCB that provides very advanced
bank switching and save game functionality, each cartridge will save its
own data.
All new games from OpCode Games will in the future have built in these
features. |
- PSG:
It’s an
AY-3-8910 PSG, the same used with
almost all MSX computers and many other
computers and arcade machines from the 80s.
The main reason is to allow more faithful ports of MSX and the most Z 80
based arcade games.
The people who created the ColecoVision made a bad mistake with the CV PSG. The CV
PSG isn’t bad at all, but they clocked it too high.
Because of that, we are limited to frequencies above 110 Hz, which means,
that deep bass sounds can not be produced by the CV.
So that is why the Space Invaders Collection marching sound in SIC isn’t
as deep as you remembered it,
or some music stuff sounds so “high” in the frequency range.
The new PSG corrects that, and goes beyond what the Texas CV PSG can do,
with volume envelope and better noise generator.
The AY helps by offering a wider frequency range and by increasing the
total number of channels available.
Additionally both PSGs can be used simultaneously, and all sound is routed
to the RF output.
(A/V mods can still work if the sound source is taken from the output of
the sound mix, just before the RF input). |
Eduardo decided a few years ago to make Donkey Kong
in an expanded version than the original 1982 version from Coleco.
So for the best sound have Eduardo decided to
study 6502 assembly, and by consequence he was able to analyze the Famicom/NES
version of Donkey Kong.
With that he have the routines he need to be able to reproduce the few
analog sounds found in the arcade game.
So he don't need the Oki chip for the new SGM, and sounds such as voices
can still be reproduced.
And it will be Maarten van Strien, from the Pac-Man Fever tune in
PMC fame.
The Dutch
Maarten van Strien also called Wolf has confirmed his participation in
DKA.
Again, Wolf will be creating the opening tune for DKA, but this time he has a much
more powerful sound arsenal at his disposal.
6 PSG channels, 2 ADPCM, and he plans to use it all, so we can expect some truly amazing music coming out of
our ColecoVision soon.
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The 1st. newer empty prototype PCB
of the future Super Game Module. |
The same
1st. newer prototype pcb,
but now with components. |
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This is the 2nd. newer empty protype PCB. |
And now
fully mounted PCB, very very nice work. |
None of the above prototypes are with the
planned OKI chip.
It will instead be mounted in the CV 2. |
Nurve Networks was offering technical consulting.
The project is top secret in details.
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The 3rd. newest Prototype out of several.
This one from march 2010, and not even the final version. |
Beta testing starts around april 2012.
Manufacturing of the hardware starts later in China around 2012, and around
a month later, is the final hardware received and ready for packaging.
The New Super Game Module will then be for sale around august 2012.
Eduardo's wife Bia is a master with Auto CAD, and she will be the one that
design the PCB cardboard box for the new ColecoVision Super Game Module.
And for the coming SGM games has Bia Mello created this prototype above.
The white paper sheet at the center is supposed to be a manual. and the
Cartridge goes under it.
Not shown in this prototype is the little flap with velcro that keeps the
box shut.
What will be included in the RAM, PSG module. ?
- Super Game Module to be
plugged in the CV expansions port.
- Up to 32 KB expanded RAM. for more advanced games.
- 100% compatible with the ADAM.
- Spinner IRQ control.
- New Sound generator AY-3-8910. for more advanced sound.
- Power LED indicator.
- ColecoVision Super Game Module manual.
- Also including, the game DKA. |
When the new SGM is finished with software,
hardware, case etc, will OpCode Games start promoting through Gaming Magazines, Youtube, Retro Gaming Websites,
Merchandise etc.
And
like Eduardo says to ColecoNation for a few years ago:
"For us collectors and classic gaming fans alike, increasing lifespan
is very important,
because we are already witnessing our beloved machines slowly dying.
That
is a concern when creating new devices".
A full support and technical documentation of
the new Super Game Module and MegaCart 2 Cartridge will be available for everyone who works with
ColecoVision
homebrews.
Now you have as an homebrewer the ability to make games for Colecovision
with a little less limitations.
So now you can publish more advanced games, not to mention the
sophisticated sound.
Now, -there are no more excuses for making limited games for our beloved
ColecoVision Video Game Console.
Just remember that, ColecoVision is: "The Arcade Video Game Quality System",
and the arcade games from the 80's appeals to it.
If you already now want to resevere a new Super Game Module, (like 70
others already do), please take contact with Eduardo's wife
Bia
Mello.
The price will probably land on around $ 50, and that includes a new
secret game, the new
Super Game Module in a box to plug in, and a related manual.
River West Brands and
Coleco Holding LLC
is same company.
DKA is an Opcode product and the SGM is a Coleco Holding LLC product.
DKA will therefore be a part of the SGM release.
As opportunities are now you will have a
combined system consisting of an existing ColecoVision, as well as an
expansion module.
You keep your original ColecoVision and with expansion, you have access to
all new extended games.
A second option is to wait until late 2013/14 to buy a whole new absolute top
class Colecovision System
called: CV 2.
It's totally independent of your existing Colecovision Video Game System,
and almost compatible with your existing Games and/or Hardware.
It will be Ademir Carchano from Brazil that will be the architect behind
this further device.
Here are all the possibilities really great, and the games will truely come to
terms at this machine.
Better Graphics, more colors to choose from, and maybe also Synth speech.
The CV2 will also offer a better AV Out, and avanced "close to" MSX Stereo Sound.
Will occasionally be updated.
Please note that OpCode Games continuous change in the specifications above.
But this is very close to the final work.
ColecoVision.dk has nothing to do with the development of
the module, all questions should be directed to:
OpCode Games. |
Last updated: January. 30.
2012. |
