Atari Conference Highlights--Delphi (Aug.26,1993)










From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)

Date: 02/19/94-09:23:56 PM Z









From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: Atari Conference Highlights--Delphi (Aug.26,1993)
Date: Sat Feb 19 21:23:56 1994


From: rjung@netcom.com (Robert A. Jung)
Subject: Atari Conference on Delphi - Highlights
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1993 03:47:42 GMT

Just bopped back from the Atari Jaguar conference on Delphi. Andy Eddy will
have a complete transcript posted in a few days, but I'll throw out some
condensed/edited/cleaned up highlights. Sorry if it seems a little rough:

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Q: Can we get a benchmark? How fast are polygons rendered?
A: We can render 50 million goroud shaded pixels a second.  Hope that
     benchmark helps.

Q: The Jaguar may have a 64 bit Graphics processor, but isn't it really 16
     bit machine because of the 68000 CPU?
A: No, the 68000 is a co processor.  And it shares only the lower sixteen
     bits of the 64 bit system bus. It's a similar situation to the 16 bit
     ISA bus that you still get in 32 bit PCs.
Q: So what chip is the CPU?
A: The Jaguar CPU is a 64 bit custom graphics chip.
Q: How can a graphics chip be the CPU?
A: The 64 bit custom graphics chip is a good general purpose RISC unit,
     but it has been specifically optimized for 3D graphics work.

Q: Guys, I'm one of those that felt a bit "burned" by the promises of
    third-party LYNX support, that basically never materialized, so I'd like
    to know which 3rd-party publishers have definitely been developing for
    the Jaguar.
A: We are not at liberty to discuss third-party developers at this time. We
    are working very hard to attract 3rd party publishers to Jaguar.  We
    will make our first formal announcements as to who has signed up in
    September.
        [Not surprising. Sad, but not surprising]

Q: As you said, you're planning a test market release in October in NY and
    SF, and I'm wondering when in 1994 you're planning the national rollout.
A: The NY and SF markets will be shipped product in November and the rest of
    the national rollout will occur in the first quarter of '94

Q: Two questions, sorry if this is against protocol. (1) What game comes
    with the Jaguar? (2) How does the Lynx/Jag/ComLynx connection work? Are
    you talking about Lynx and Jaguar versions of a title, a Lynx adaptor,
    or both?
A: We have not decided which game will be packed out.  It will be a
    surprise. :)  The ComLynx connection is a not a Lynx compatible adapter.
    The Jaguar will not play Lynx titles.  What the ComLynx port will allow,
    is for software to be developed to allow Lynxes to be part of a Jaguar
    game as controllers.
Q: But there are no games planned to be on both the Lynx and Jaguar platforms?
A: We're not sure what you mean, but we do plan to have some of the same
    titles on both platforms.

Q: Ok, first off, what is the CD tht you were talking about?  Is it a
    CD-ROM or something?
A: We are planning a CD peripheral to be introduced during the 1st half
    of 1994.  It can play CD audio, CD+Graphics, and of course, Jaguar CD
    software. It's a high performance double speed drive and will allow for
    full motion video in the Jaguar software by using compression
    techniques called "Cine Pak".

Q: How much will the MPEG 2 option cost?
A: We are not annoucing prices at present.

Q: Will you have fighting games?  What basis of games are you going to
    stick to releasing?
A: Of course, we will have a fighting game of all sorts.  Man against man,
    man against animal, animal against animal, Aliens against Predators, just
    like we said in our opening remarks. <grin>  We are planning on having
    all types of games, and hope that 3rd party publishers will add a long
    list of titles.

Q: What language is native game code writen in?
A: Assembly.

Q: Does the console have hardware scaling and rotating of individual
    sprites?
A: Yes, and lots more besides.

Q: How many megabits will the average game be and what physical size are
    they?
A: You cannot compare the megabit size of Jaguar carts to Sega Gensis,
    and SNES.  As Jaguar can compress data much more efficently and
    decompress on the fly.  The general amount of uncompressed data will be
    far larger than anything seen on Genesis and SNES. True Color graphics
    and CD quality stereo sound take up a lot of data.

Q: Have you considered contacting Beyond Games about porting BATTLEWHEELS
    from the Lynx to the Jaguar?
A: Of course we are talking to them.  And as I said earlier, we'll announce
    publishers in mid September.

Q: My question, will Atari put the Jaguar on "Tour" (like malls) to show it
    off and allow hands on with it?
A: We are planning heavy duty marketing support, and will have point of
    purchase demostration units available at stores.  At present, we don't
    plan "a tour", but might in the future.

Q: What are the limits to the number of units that can be produced?
A: We are limited by the amount of custom chips we can get this year.
    1994 we should not have these limitations.

Q: I hear that there are several development systems for the Jaguar,
    such as TT, PC, and a stand alone system.  Could you briefly describe
    the development environment and list the features of each system?
A: This question is very complicated, but basically we have a TT development
    environment, and a PC development environment.  You can use any machine
    you want for art development.  Of course, you should use Atari's for
    music work.

Q: Will you mailorder this year for us Die hards?
A: We do not have a formal reply to this, but we will consider the mail
    order option.

Q: Will the Jaguar be modem ready or cable ready?
A: Again, if you are talking about the new, or yet to be available OR clearly
    define {interactive networks}, we do think that Jaguar can act as a
    set top in this environment.

Q: Will you be bringing any of the Atari coin ops to the Jaguar?
A: Yes, some of the coin op titles will be on Jaguar.

Q: How do you see the Jaguar as being supiror to the 3DO. As far as overall
    quality.
A: We feel that the power of the Jaguar will allow for a quantum leap in
     software experiences.  And we will back this with serious marketing
     dollars. The Lynx is not dead, and we will advertise it in NY and San
     Francisco along with Jaguar.  There will be 12 new Lynx titles delivered
     this year.  [Hmmm]

Q: Trip Hawkins referred to the Jaguar as the "Betamax" to 3DO's "VHS."
     Any comment?
A: Look at the prices, the 3DO is not priced to be a consumer product at well
     over $500.  3DO is simply overpriced.

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                                                --R.J.
                                                B-)

P.S. Oh, for the record, Raul Romero showed up. So I'm sure we'll get a
slanted and slanderous account of the conference from his perspective.

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