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Hi all, it's me the one with the Super Magic Drive copier (plays SMS roms on it)

Can a SMS cartridge system (or Super Magic Drive copier) play
SG-1000 games and SC-3000 games?

If so, how?

Thanx

a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier).

Quote

> Hi all, it's me the one with the Super Magic Drive copier (plays SMS roms on it)
> Can a SMS cartridge system (or Super Magic Drive copier) play
> SG-1000 games and SC-3000 games?
> If so, how?

Quote

> a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier).

So are you saying that only an SMS system (not even a power base converter hooked up to a Genesis) can play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games?

Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)?

Quote

>> a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier).
> So are you saying that only an SMS system (not even a power base converter hooked up to a Genesis) can play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games?

Yes. a GG can run them with bad colors. And of course a real SG-1000, SG-1000-II or SC-3000.

Quote

> Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)?

No.

Quote

> > Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)?
> No.

A more verbose answer:

The genesis video processor (VDP hereforth) can switch to an SMS compatible video mode (I always hear this called 'mode 5', so I'll stick with that) to run SMS games. Mode 5 was introduced in the sega master system, as is the mode nearly all SMS games run in.

The SMS's VDP was also downwardly compatible with the SG-1000/SC-3000's VDP, so it could use those video modes as well as mode 5.
This may have simply been a convienence for Sega (or Texas Instruments, who made the chip), or it may have been an intentional choice, so that they could repackage SG-1000 games (or even reprogrammed MSX games) as SMS carts (or more likely, sega cards), increasing their library.
However, the only game that I'm aware of that used these features is F16 Fighting Falcon (I think there was an SMS lode runner too that was identical to a SG-1000 release, but I'm not certain of that).
That's probably a good thing, I don't think Sega would have been better off flooding the market with ugly SG-1000 games.

Unfortunately, the genesis's VDP does not support those modes (there was no need for that). So SG-1000 game simply will not work. There is no way to patch in support, the SG-1000 modes are so much different that a game would have to be fundamentally redesigned to work with mode 5.

I remember that around the time the genesis and power base converter came out, that there was a warning on the Power Base Converter packaging that it would not run F16 Fighting Falcon.
Now we know why.

MrVCD told me on a recent e-mail that most SG-1000 games were working. He actually had problem with the BASIC rom which uses keyboard and on-board.
Now if the Megadrive supports those modes, why F16 Fighters wouldn't work ?

Quote

> MrVCD told me on a recent e-mail that most SG-1000 games were working. He actually had problem with the BASIC rom which uses keyboard and on-board.
> Now if the Megadrive supports those modes, why F16 Fighters wouldn't work ?

Actually, I recently found that the Genesis *does* support
what appears to be the plain text mode (mode 0?) of the TMS9918.

You can read about it in my Genesis VDP docs here:

http://cgfm2.emucamp.com/segastuf.htm

I couldn't get any of the other modes to work (I'm quite sure
they don't exist), but I do feel pretty sure that to some
degree, the text mode is supported.

My Homepage

Author	Message
MrVCD Guest	Can a SMS system (or Super Magic Drive copier) play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games? Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2000 6:05 pm
MrVCD Guest	Hi all, it's me the one with the Super Magic Drive copier (plays SMS roms on it) Can a SMS cartridge system (or Super Magic Drive copier) play SG-1000 games and SC-3000 games? If so, how? Thanx

Zoop Joined: 24 Jun 1999 Posts: 1732 Location: Paris, France	Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2000 6:55 pm
	a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier). Quote > Hi all, it's me the one with the Super Magic Drive copier (plays SMS roms on it) > Can a SMS cartridge system (or Super Magic Drive copier) play > SG-1000 games and SC-3000 games? > If so, how?

MrVCD Guest	Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2000 5:55 pm
MrVCD Guest	Quote > a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier). So are you saying that only an SMS system (not even a power base converter hooked up to a Genesis) can play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games? Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)?

Zoop Joined: 24 Jun 1999 Posts: 1732 Location: Paris, France	Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2000 9:08 am
	Quote >> a real SMS can play them but not a Megadrive (so not on your copier). > So are you saying that only an SMS system (not even a power base converter hooked up to a Genesis) can play SG-1000 and SC-3000 games? Yes. a GG can run them with bad colors. And of course a real SG-1000, SG-1000-II or SC-3000. Quote > Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)? No.

Heliophobe Site Admin Joined: 25 Oct 1999 Posts: 2029 Location: Monterey, California	Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2000 7:14 pm
	Quote > > Is there any way to patch the roms to work on my copier (my copier runs SMS roms in full SMS mode)? > No. A more verbose answer: The genesis video processor (VDP hereforth) can switch to an SMS compatible video mode (I always hear this called 'mode 5', so I'll stick with that) to run SMS games. Mode 5 was introduced in the sega master system, as is the mode nearly all SMS games run in. The SMS's VDP was also downwardly compatible with the SG-1000/SC-3000's VDP, so it could use those video modes as well as mode 5. This may have simply been a convienence for Sega (or Texas Instruments, who made the chip), or it may have been an intentional choice, so that they could repackage SG-1000 games (or even reprogrammed MSX games) as SMS carts (or more likely, sega cards), increasing their library. However, the only game that I'm aware of that used these features is F16 Fighting Falcon (I think there was an SMS lode runner too that was identical to a SG-1000 release, but I'm not certain of that). That's probably a good thing, I don't think Sega would have been better off flooding the market with ugly SG-1000 games. Unfortunately, the genesis's VDP does not support those modes (there was no need for that). So SG-1000 game simply will not work. There is no way to patch in support, the SG-1000 modes are so much different that a game would have to be fundamentally redesigned to work with mode 5. I remember that around the time the genesis and power base converter came out, that there was a warning on the Power Base Converter packaging that it would not run F16 Fighting Falcon. Now we know why.

Zoop Joined: 24 Jun 1999 Posts: 1732 Location: Paris, France	But.. Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2000 7:57 pm
	MrVCD told me on a recent e-mail that most SG-1000 games were working. He actually had problem with the BASIC rom which uses keyboard and on-board. Now if the Megadrive supports those modes, why F16 Fighters wouldn't work ?

Charles MacDonald Joined: 28 Sep 1999 Posts: 1197	Re: But.. Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2000 8:37 pm
Charles MacDonald Joined: 28 Sep 1999 Posts: 1197	Quote > MrVCD told me on a recent e-mail that most SG-1000 games were working. He actually had problem with the BASIC rom which uses keyboard and on-board. > Now if the Megadrive supports those modes, why F16 Fighters wouldn't work ? Actually, I recently found that the Genesis does support what appears to be the plain text mode (mode 0?) of the TMS9918. You can read about it in my Genesis VDP docs here: http://cgfm2.emucamp.com/segastuf.htm I couldn't get any of the other modes to work (I'm quite sure they don't exist), but I do feel pretty sure that to some degree, the text mode is supported. My Homepage

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