PC-FX: Polygon Capable?

[Kitsunexus]

Wow. 

The Turbo goes up a notch in my book.

[malducci]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

[Keranu]

Interesting!

[nat]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

How did you come to this realization?

[malducci]

 Because I was looking over detailed tech specs for the 32x last week and talking with Charles MacDonald, he said the RLE mode of the 32x was used for flat shaded polygon acceleration . Basically a run of X pixels save cycle times instead of just plotting each pixel. It's hardware RLE bitmap decompression and the 32x used this. The PC-FX also has hardware RLE bitmap decompression for one of it's many layers.

 

[Kitsunexus]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

Because 32x sucked?

[malducci]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

Because 32x sucked?

 Haha.. but seriously what does that have to do with the PC-FX not using this hardware feature for polygons acceleration? 

[Keranu]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

Because 32x sucked?

 Haha.. but seriously what does that have to do with the PC-FX not using this hardware feature for polygons acceleration? 

The polygons might look bad in comparison to the other competitors, so they figured to focus on it's stronger features. Just my guess .

[malducci]

 You mean like FMV? Pfft! Those fools....! The PC-FX can be quite a 2D beast IMO. 'Shame they never opt'd for that side of the system. I mean common up 6 BG layers, 1 cellophane layer and 2 sprite layers and more ram than you can shake a stick at. What where they thinking in not tapping into that?

[Kitsunexus]

 I just realized the "base" PC-FX has hardware assist for flat shaded polygons like the 32x has. I wonder why they never used it for such.

Because 32x sucked?

 Haha.. but seriously what does that have to do with the PC-FX not using this hardware feature for polygons acceleration? 

Wasn't 32X on the decline by the time the PC-FX was released? Maybe they figured polygons were a dying fad (kinda like Sega did before they saw the light and bolted 3D onto the Saturn).

[malducci]

The 32x came out in Nov '94, the PC-FX Dec '94.

[Kitsunexus]

The 32x came out in Nov '94, the PC-FX Dec '94.

But that's still enough time to hold off on releasing games, and besides, the NEC guys could have saw insider demos from SEGA at CES or something.

[Kiken]

So we all know this pic of SSS3D:
But is it real? It looks to be about the level of the Namco System 21 hardware, however like in the case of SEGA CD Silpheed it can be easily faked.

Actually, what that article says about MCD Silpheed is technically incorrect.  In truth, things were far more complicated and Game Arts deserve some credit for what they accomplished with the hardware.

Mega CD Silpheed actually renders all of the textures (in this case, flat shaded polygons) in real-time.  What's being streamed off of the CD (in FMV-like format) is the actual vector data to which the polygons are applied.  So the cinemas and the in-game backgrounds are both streamed and generated in real time.

[Turbo D]

32x had insane ports of afterburner and space harrier  But I guess that alone didn't help it as a console err addon.. whatever the hell it was 

[Kitsunexus]

Mega CD Silpheed actually renders all of the textures (in this case, flat shaded polygons) in real-time.  What's being streamed off of the CD (in FMV-like format) is the actual vector data to which the polygons are applied.  So the cinemas and the in-game backgrounds are both streamed and generated in real time.

If you're kidding, that's very creative and reminds me of the notebooks of fake tech specs I write when I'm bored.

If you're serious, SEGA CD is the most rocking system EVER.