lidnariq wrote:Your central assumption (that it would save enough CPU time) is untrue. The core game logic is not what uses even a significant minority of processing time on the GBA.
Then what does? I don't see the reason for GBA games supposedly only using a quarter of the CPU time for sound then.
lidnariq wrote:Perfectly honest
I guess I can kind of see it. The four FM channels, as well as the variable sample rate PCM channel, are for the "main sounds", (I'm not a musician) the three PSG channels are for "background noise", the noise channel is for "light percussion" or whatever, and the other six PCM channels are for percussion and sound effects. You can definitely make it work (unlike SNK at the end of the Neo Geo's life), but it's still pretty inflexible despite having so many channels.
You just can't beat the YM2151 and a designated PCM chip.
Bregalad wrote:I know squat about the Neo Geo, but wasn't it supposed to be the Rolls Roye of the video game consoles ?
Not quite; it was designed to be an arcade machine, but later ended up being converted and sold as a home system. (The arcade "MVS" and the home "AES" are identical in hardware.) According to Wikipedia:
Wikipedia wrote:Initially, the AES home system was only available for rent to commercial establishments, such as hotel chains, bars and restaurants, and other venues. When customer response indicated that some gamers were willing to buy a US$650 console, SNK expanded sales and marketing into the home console market in 1991.
However, Wikipedia also says:
Wikipedia wrote:Neo Geo's graphics and sound are largely superior to other contemporary home consoles, arcades, and even computers such as the Sharp X68000. The MVS was one of the most powerful arcade units at the time.
Either I have a pretty big misunderstanding of the Sharp X68000, or this is a bunch of bullshit. The last sentence is definitely not true; I'm fairly certain most all of Konami's designated arcade game boards are more powerful, the CPS1 is better in the majority of ways, the Irem M92 is better in any real world scenario, and Sega and Namco's arcade boards just obliterate everyone else's. The only thing the Neo Geo seems to beat are Data East's and some of Taito's lower end systems (but they also had plenty of more powerful ones from the time).