I know this is a stupid question, but the thought arose in my head when I saw the TI-89 Graphics the other day. Should I get one?

This is only conflicting because I am saving for a PS2 and I am wondering now, free games for a portable machine, or top-of-the-line next generation games for PS2...

I am not saying that these games aren't top of the line already. Jeez all I know is Basic. I can't do nearly as well as these guys. Not to say that Basic is all that limited because I could still pull of several tricks with basic...

Which brings me back to the question...should I drain 1/2 my ps2 savings for a ti-89?

PS: Can someone tell me where to learn TI-86 asm?

If you are taking or will soon be taking calculus, trigonometry, differential equations, or any other math course at or above those levels, get an 89 or a 92+. I personally recommend the 89, as it is cheaper, more portable, and permitted on the SAT.

In my opinion, as far as games go, the TI-89 is invaluable. It permitted me to keep my sanity during AP European History lectures last year:), but certainly contributed to my getting only a 3:[ on the AP exam.

However, do not get a calculator just for games. It sounds like you're at least somewhat proficient in TI-BASIC, so you have less of an adjustment to the 89's unique flavor of TI-BASIC than someone who's migrating from something like QBASIC. Also, if you are not to higher math yet, the algebra menu [F2] will be of great use to you.

You *should* be able to find some kind of 86 asm tutorial at tifaq.calc.org

If you want one merely for games, you should get your head examined. I would get one only if you intend to take advanced algebra through high school and college. If you are serious about math, the 89 will serve as quite an investment.

If you are going to take any math heavy route, you should get one. The gaming and programming is only a secondary advantage to the calculators, which I really enjoy. I guess you could get one if you loved programming for portable platforms, but I wouldn't.

Just my $3.39 worth.

I bought my 89 last year when I was taking algebra II because I knew that I would be taking precalculus this summer (so far its fun) and I would be starting IB calculus I this fall. If you're taking IB math, particularly calc HL, you'll almost certainly need an 89. Its required for AP/IB calc I and II and AP/IB stat.

I bought my 89 for the 1998 school year. HW 1.00 and SW 1.00. In ecstacy! The sad thing is, I was a freshman in HS and I was in Algebra I. I would not advise this, as I found myself turning to the calculator for more and more. By the time I got done with Algebra II, I couldn't do trig identities very well without it. My calc expired a week before finals. I was screwed.

If I could go back, I would still buy the 89. I just would force myself to actually learn the math first. Get it for any math class above Algebra I, but if you don't have self control, stick to something without a CAS, or you will end up like me. (I managed to get a 68% on my A2 exam. Ooh, that hurts)

Actually, I am already taking Calculus. But I am wondering since I am going to take AP calc next year, should I get one? (I say this because next year is still going to be on my college app.) I heard 10th grade is hard when you don't have an 89 so should I get one??????

10th grade dude? You took calculus in 9th grade???

I, for once in my life, had a chunk of money and nothing to do with it. So I got an 89. They're awesome when it comes to games and math, but if you've made it through calculus with an (whatever you have), maybe you don't need it so bad. Anyway, I'm getting a ps2 no matter what, I don't know how you feel.

- Jeff

If you're perfectly satisfied with your 86 (which I'm assuming you have because of your 86 ASM question), I'd advise getting the PlayStation; if you're comfortable and all that, there's really no reason to get an 89, unless you're planning to go past calculus and all that. Otherwise, it would be nice to have an 89 around.

I basically said the same thing except for the explicit recommendation to get the ps2. I would have done that but i have a slight grudge against psx and ps2 because Saturn was more technologically advanced than psx but sony got exclusive contracts for more popular games than sega did. The same shall NOT happen to Dreamcast!

It often seems that people choose technologically inferior devices over superior ones.(underscores indicate inferior but more popular product/format)
Apple vs. _IBM_
Beta vs. _VHS_
Saturn vs. _PSX_

I have nothing against IBM(my uncle is a sysadmin for them) or VHS(its what my vcr is), but psx is a different matter....

Well......developers chose PSX because it was MUCH easier to program for than the Saturn. The Saturn had dual Hitachi processors....it didn't mean that it had double the processing power though. Programers had to sync the processors so that they would work together, which was much harder than programming for a single processor powered PSX. The PSX grew in popularity because of early killer apps, such as Ridge Racer. Saturn had its own share of them too, but it just didn't do too well in the US. It did do well, however, in Japan. In the end....it doesn't matter much how much more powerful the hardware is....as long as the system has good games and is powerful enough for programers to do their games on them.

--Ethereale

I concur, but Saturn was technologically superior to the PSX. Both Saturn and PSX are weaklings when compared to the current 64-bit and 128-bit systems, but PSX's graphics are worse. Saturn had more processing power than any then-$5000 computer when it was released. PSX was nowhere near that powerful. Sony just got exclusive contracts for more killer apps. As I recall, it came PSX came out a month or two before Saturn, giving it valuable market domination.

Regardless, Sega and Sony appear to be doing role reversal with their 128-bit systems.

Yeah, the PSX's graphics are terrible. I have an N64 and am rather partial to Nintendo, though. A big problem with the PSX is the lack of anti-aliasing. And Sony apparently didn't learn very well from their earlier mistake and screwed up the PS2, also. From the screenshots I have seen and things I have heard, it is near impossible to get the PS2 to do anti-aliasing. Ridge Racer V looks awful because of it.

The Dreamcast looks nice, but I'm not going to get one because

A: Sega is nearly out of money and might not be able to support them anymore

B: The Dreamcast isn't quite powerful enough for me.

I think that I will buy Nintendo's Dolphin. Once you play games like Zelda and Mario, you HAVE to have the latest game. If that means buying new hardware, then so be it. Nintendo is also supposedly adopting a more "mature" stance to accommodate older gamers.

OK, first of all, on your comment on PS2 anti-aliasing: The first generation of games lacked it because Sony was rushing the developers so the games would make it to launch. All second generation games and above will feature anti-aliasing, at least, according to Sony... Second, Sega is not running out of money, despite the fact that DC is not doing too well in Japan, it is selling great here. Sega has the best showing at E3 and has lots of killer apps coming out in the next few months. Third, the DC is plenty powerful. I own one, a PSX, a 64, and 2 computers. The DC is by far the best. Have you even played one? It is simply amazing. Upcoming games, such as Phantasy Star Online, Quake 3 Arena, Unreal Tournament, Half Life, NFL2K1, NBA2K1, and more are all online awesome titles. Plus, you can get a DC for free if you sign up for Sega's ISP.

How about DIVX vs. _DVD_? (I mean DIVX as that old Circuit City thing, not the hacked MPEG-4 codec called DivX.)

Good point. DIVX was actually a form of DVD where the disk was encoded such that you needed a special key to decode it, permitting disposable DVDs for the ultimate in rental laziness. It required special software in the DVD player to work, which was quite expensive. It actually was available at places besides Circuit City, but they hyped it the most. Actually, recordable DVDs should be coming out sometime soon, as the hardware was perfected over a year ago, adding a whole new level to this. One more comparison:
DVD+RW vs. _DVD-RAM_

The one exception to the superior-is-doomed rule is:
Pentium III vs. Athlon (winner but more advanced)

acz.org has some great help with 86 asm.

When I first saw that screenshot, I thought to myself no way. Well, the TI Minesweeper is DEFINITELY worthy of being featured. It's defenitely one of the best games out there. What a great job!

yar, good job on minesweeper :)
(but personally, i don't see any replay value after i got a score for all 4 thingies)
oh well

Can you develop? Currently, only 1 highscore is saved for each cathegory... How do you guys want it to be?

btw, I like Tanksss ;-)

hehe
well that's just me..
i'm just not a very competitive person
i don't like to be rushed, so there's just nothing that makes me want to beat a time-score in a thinking game.
it's a great reproduction of the windows one though

I know what you mean, but I don't see any other way highscores should be. Anyway, the game is to have fun, not to beat your 10 seconds mega ultra fast game... don't you think?

k, forget what i said :)
the score is fine, i'd say the same thing about the windows version, nothing against the ti version.
i shouldn't ramble like that, i usually disagree with what i say later anyway :P
it is a good game, i just wanted to say that i'm not a very competitive person
i'll shut up now :)

Speaking of rambling...random song lyrics:

How does it feel
To treat me like you do
When you lay your hands upon me

not the same song, but close

if it stayed I'd never leave it
If that turned around I'd grieve the special dirty things
that we used to talk about
I mean that loving you is strange and adored by me throughout oh no its you again

... one simple suggestion: Archive the config variable before you start playing. This way your highscore gets erased each time you quit the game =:-) ....

i dont even look at the score, i just know that i did all 4 things
why did you have it save them in an external variable?
why not have it save it right in the program?

This is just a guess, but it probably saves them in another variable so that you can archive the main game and still save high scores.

-Sean
VertigoAce Programming

OoOooOOoooOoOOoOoo :)

It might be nice if the variable was hidden... then again it might cause problems if you didn't know it existed. I don't know, that's probably up to the author.