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Yarharhar
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Possible to convert sms roms?
 Posted: Thu Jul 08, 1999 4:41 am
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Is it possible to convert sms roms to run on a genesis emulator? Would you have to change the header or change most of the rom? It's with that power base convertor is seems the systems are pretty compatible(most of the accesories are too) just wondering, it would be awesome to port some master system games to genesis, and then fix up the graphics a bit.
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Chris
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How Power Base Works
Posted: Sun Jul 11, 1999 7:21 am
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I own the real Power Base for my Genesis (I accidently broke my Master System by breaking off a
transistor). One day when I was bored I open up the little converter and found that it guides all
input/output directly to the Z80, competely ignoring all activity with the 68000 and YM2612
processors. When you turn it the Genesis the BIOS still checks for the country and licensing
information (That's why you don't see the "Produced Or Licensed By Sega Enterprises Ltd.")
and executes the instructions in the cart. The way the converter was designed, all information
is sent only to the Z80, the SNxxxxx(PSG), and the Video Display Processors. The Master
System and the Genesis use the same type of controller port; except that the Genesis
has 2 extra buttons (Start and A buttons don't work because the SMS games don't read and
check their pushed/unpushed states. B and C buttons work just like 1 and 2 on the SMS)
Now, how the VDP displays the graphics, I'm not sure. I'm assuming that it has a low-
resolution or 256x192 mode but most Genesis games prefer to use the higher res mode(s).
I don't know whether the Power Base set's this mode when the system starts or the VDP was
naturally designed to be backwards compadable to the SMS VDP. Same thing goes
for the VDP pallete.
Now, if you plan on porting SMS to run on Genesis, you've got a lotta work cut out for ya. And if
you plan on improving graphics, that's damn there impossible. You're going to have to write a
Genesis tile editor (since there aren't any) and re-design all the graphics by hand.
These are my assumptions. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Chris :o)
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- Joined: 24 Jun 1999
- Posts: 1732
- Location: Paris, France
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Re: How Power Base Works
Posted: Sun Jul 11, 1999 1:36 pm
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Quote > Now, if you plan on porting SMS to run on Genesis, you've got a lotta work cut out for ya. And if
> you plan on improving graphics, that's damn there impossible. You're going to have to write a
> Genesis tile editor (since there aren't any) and re-design all the graphics by hand.
Writing a genesis tile editor (that already exists) and drawing the tiles is pretty easy.
What would be hard is to modify the code of the game, and without that you won't be able to make a lot
of improvements.
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Yarharhar
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Re: How Power Base Works
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 1999 3:21 am
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Quote > > Now, if you plan on porting SMS to run on Genesis, you've got a lotta work cut out for ya. And if
> > you plan on improving graphics, that's damn there impossible. You're going to have to write a
> > Genesis tile editor (since there aren't any) and re-design all the graphics by hand.
> Writing a genesis tile editor (that already exists) and drawing the tiles is pretty easy.
> What would be hard is to modify the code of the game, and without that you won't be able to make a lot
> of improvements.
What and where exactly is this tile editor? I've been searching all over for one but have never found one!
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