[stella] Making carts (probably final reply on this thread)

Subject: [stella] Making carts (probably final reply on this thread)
From: Glenn Saunders <krishna@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 1997 17:08:57 -0800

>Plus, its not really better to make games available via .BINs for the end
>users who don't have a decent enough computer to run a 2600 emulator on
>or generate a Supercharger tape with.  The lowest common denomenator

This brings it back to possibly releasing games on audio tape or CD.  Plus,
the minimum computer you can run .BINs through at the moment is a stock OCS
Amiga, which can be had for less than $100.  Theoretically, any machine
that makewav or bin2tape will compile on with at least 8-bit audio at 22khz
would suffice.  That means, in theory, cheap old Atari STs, old 68000 Apple
Macs, and Apple IIGSs, or an IBM XT with an old 8-bit soundblaster card.
That's hardly an overbearing minimum requirement ;)

If you distribute the WAVs themselves, then you don't need recompiled
versions of makewave or bin2tape, just a WAV player for your particular
platform.

>is still the cart.  Don't forget, there are a ton of people who don't
>have access to the net or a computer, and who still (gasp) use the
>US postal service :-).  It really drives the point home to me when I still
>get USMail with letters from people about the carts I've made, who would
>not otherwise be able to play the games, or even contact me.

I don't really concern myself with the non-connected public because it's a
pain in the ass to get the word on the street compared to the internet.
Maybe that's why I am biased the way I am.  It seems as if I'm able to
reach more people through the internet.  Maybe demographics dictate that
people who still use their 2600 tend to be unwired more than wired, which
would mean that .BINs over the internet miss people.  Who's to say?

You have some valid reasons for going the cart route, but I do still feel
there are compelling reasons to write specifically for the Supercharger and
I hope many others share that opinion.



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