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Developing for Saturn
zx7ninja - Aug 24, 2001
  zx7ninja Aug 24, 2001
Hey guys, i've been reading yhe posts here for a while now, and feel it's time to speak up. I have been looking into doing a game for the Saturn for quite a while. I've gotten a couple tools and read many docs on the subject, but still I need more. I need more info on the actual pc-saturn hardware setup that I would need, and as many more tools and docs I can find.

I am wholly serious about this. I am a mainframe programmer, so I am no stranger to programming. I know there are differences between mainframe and console programming, but the point is I am very used to looking at code day in and day out, and the logic of programming, so that is no problem. I believe the experience I have from my job will help me along in my endevour to make a saturn game.

There are currently 5 of us on this project, 4 of us all pgmrs in the same facility. We're all willing to work many, many long, hard hours on this project. Basically push all semblance of a normal life aside for this.

RadSil, TakaIsSilly, Artemio Urbina, any info you guys have that couldhelp along in this? Docs, tools, or anything else? Any would be appreciated.

Thanks for any help guys.

 ExCyber Aug 24, 2001
A simple PC-> Saturn link can be had with 3 relatively cheap pieces of hardware:

1) An EMS Action Replay 4M Plus. Some other Gameshark/Action Replay cartridges have similar functions, but there's a remote dubugger that is written for the EMS unit, plus it gives you a PC link and 4MB RAM expansion in the same cart. I think LiteSpeed Computers... is still selling these.

2) A PC Comms Link card. This is essentially a proprietary parallel port design that AFAIK is truly bidirectional (i.e. two data paths, not one that can be turned off and read like PC parallel port). Unfortunately, these seem to only be available in ISA. The only place I know of currently selling these is Lik-Sang..., though there are probably others.

3) A male-female DB25 25-conductor cable wired straight through. Ideally it should be 6 feet or less, though i use a 10 foot cable without problems. You should be able to find this locally.

Once you have the hardware plugged in, there's software you can use to upload and execute a program. Links to the software as well as more Saturn dev info (including links to some low-level programming docs) can be found at http://saturndev.emuvibes.com... .

 RadSil Aug 24, 2001
It's nice to see someone that can put in a good level of devotion to a project. Makes me wish I could pull a halfway decent dev team together myself. I've long "jumped ship" on coding Saturn (though I am still making an attempt to translate Cotton 2!), not because of it's difficulty, but because I don't like the fact that your creations can't be used as widely as a DC app on a self-bootable CD.

As for the actual software tools you need, ExCyber has already mentioned saturndev.emuvibes.com, so that would be it.

Outside of my rather useless post here, I will redeem myself by volunteering any help if it would be necessary. As for the project itself, any ideas?

 Artemio Urbina Aug 26, 2001
Well, sorry for the delay. this guys have aleady posted a lot of info. I will also be happy to help, although I can't be full time as I would wish *sob*, because I ave a lot of work...

Anyway, feel free to ask anything, here or via mail that you think I can help you with

Artemio