The reason I'm saying I feel or see is these things are opinions. How someone chooses to categorize something is completely up to them. With regards to the LA not having any extra hardware. I made a quick demonstration video to show the Digital Video that it uses. The LA provides digital video memory (IE some extra hardware) rather than simply being a different media format than the CD or Super-CDROM games.
The CD-ROM adds extra backup ram, adpcm and redbook audio streaming hardware.
I finally see what Dan is saying. The LA adds
an extra layer of hardware-specific requirements to the BASE SYSTEM for CD-ROM...namely, LD games rely on caching the video, something only the LA has the capacity to do. Now, there might be additional LA-specific dependencies for LD-ROM (possibly some video overlay capabilities?), but even if there aren't, video caching alone means that development for LD was quite specific.
I find it hilarious that folks are arguing vehemently with Dan over the classification of PCE LD-ROM.
Ha!
I don't really care about this hullaballoo, to be honest. THE TECHNICAL DISTINCTIONS CAN SUCK MY LEFT ONE. Yes, I'm saying that to EVERYONE, especially the folks arguing against Dan, because they are stoopid.
As soon as discussions devolve into this stuff, you miss the BIG PICTURE:
Esteban's Law: If something genuinely captures the spirit of TG-16/PCE, then it IS TG-16/PCE. Period.Therefore...
SUPERGRAFX and the SUPER HuCARD = PCE = TG-16.
LD-ROM = motherf*ckin' unobtainable fantasy for me (but of course it is TG-16 / PCE).
PC-FX is NOT TG-16/PCE, because PC-FX can suck my left one.
HUDSON games on other platforms are NOT TG-16/PCE, because they can suck my left one.
PCE GT/TurboExpress is TG-16/PCE.
North American cover art IS TG-16/PCE, naysayers can suck on a Japanophile's left one.
BLAZING LAZERS is an honorary member of the Star Soldier series because you COMPILE blowhards can suck my left one.
"SHMUP" is most-f*cking-definitely NOT TG-16/PCE. This imbecilic term "shmup" is a f*cking disgrace to dullards across the cosmos, let alone Earth-bound fans of the genre. Personally, I'm ashamed the genre I love has been sullied by this designation.
NOTE: Yes, I am purposefully conflating all categories into ONE, namely "TG-16/PCE", because
TG-16/PCE is all that matters. I will die knowing this is the Truth. Godspeed, comrades.