TI-H: Game Boy games are possible, with work

To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: TI-H: Game Boy games are possible, with work
From: "Richard Piotter" <richfiles@hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 1997 23:59:35 PDT
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org

>>The gameboy uses the exact chip as the TI-8x, a Z80 4Mhz. I came 
across 
>>this site "http://www.freeflight.com/fms/" that has a gameboy emulator 
>>and other Z80 emulators, all including scource. I whould hope that 
>>making a cart for the SPI (SPinTerface) and a shell prog to read the 
rom 
>>chip would rule. Scince the GB (gameboy) carts are at least 512k each 
>>these SPI carts would be necesary.
>
>Incorrect, the Gameboy uses a Z80 but not the "exact chip" the TI-8x's 
do.
>It uses a MODIFIED Z-80; the differences are small, but they do exist.  
A
>gameboy would be impossible to emulate as you would need a chip 
containing
>the ROM, then another chip with the game, plus something that would
>interface with the rom to make it work on the calculator.
>
>Then, of course, there is the problem of (1) no sound [if you wanted to
>emulate the GameBoy speaker, well, it just isn't going to happen] and 
(2)
>graphics resolution of the TI-8x's are uncomparable to that of the 
Gameboy.
> Emulation of the screen itself would be right out.
>
It would be possible to port game Boy Games. It is like TI-BASIC, but at 
a far higher level.
I will use TI-BASIC as an example, because most of us are probably 
familiar with it.

1. TI-BASIC, like the Z80, may have different "flavors", but deep down, 
they run the same. There are minor differences, but they are usualy 
things you can work around. With TI-BASIC, there may be many commands 
that do the same things, but the syntax or the wa it is used may be 
different. 

2. The screen, though of vastly different size  could be redone, just as 
you have to redo the screen size when porting an 85 program to the 83 or 
82.

3. Sound too would be redone. It would be annoyingly tedious, but 
possible.

Basicly what I'm saying is copy the commands and algorythms of a game 
and make newgraphics and sound for the TI, but if you really want a game 
that bad, would you rather go from scratch and work bugs out or use a 
working model, just redoing a few things and all the graphics/ sound?

Richard Piotter

e-mail: richfiles@hotmail.com

home page: <A 
HREF="http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/5081/Richfiles.html">The 
Richfiles</A>

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Re: TI-H: Game Boy games are possible, with work

From: Bryan Rittmeyer <bryanr@flash.net>