Re: Where are they now: Atari's Wizards

From: Magnus Kollberg <Magnus.Kollberg_at_emw.ericsson.se>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 1998 10:07:45 +0100

Hi,

> > All that I can say is that currently they have no plans of making any
> > computers, but they didn't say that they never will.
> >
> > It would be pretty cool if they did and someone like Philips manufactured
> > and sold it. ;-)
> >
> > //Magnus Kollberg
>
> I really wasn't suggesting that they make a new computer, just that since
> Richard Miller designed the Falcon and probably has the most insite on the 040
> based MicroBox, perhaps he would be willing to share some Falcon information
> that most Atari outsiders were not aware of. Perhaps graphic libraries for
> MiNT and/or GEM, TOS 040 code for Falcon computers, any source code for the
> Falcon utilizing the DSP for uses that haven't been realized by the Falcon
> programming community (speech synthesis, recognition, telephony, etc.). If

I can't see what he would be able to tell us what we doesn't already know.
What graphics libraries? VDI or? I don't belive Atari develo0ped any DSP
applications for the Falcon. And there is speech recognition for MiNT available
for that matter.

> all that he would be able to offer where a DirectX-type library for MiNT on
> Falcon, that would even be good. Does NVDI or Enhancer allow standardized
> calls for fast GEM graphic programming?

I would REALY doubt that Atari did a DirectX-type library. Direct-X wasn't even
avialable at that time. fVDI will allow everything you want and more so there wont
be any need for NVDI in the future, except the GDOS part.

> There aren't a slew of games
> available that take advantage of all GEM systems with sampled sound and 256 or
> better color pallete. I was wondering whether or not this was because there
> isn't a set of libraries for GEM game programming. I've yet to see a game
> created for MagiCMac, TT, Falcon and 040/060 TOS machines. Perhaps when Fenix
> is finally released will we see a unified graphic system for all 030 or
> greater TOS machines.

There already is a unified graphic system, VDI. Regarding GEM games, there wasn't
enough powerfull boxes at that time for GEM games. Now there are but the user
base is to samll, unfortunately and the amount of work required for a game isn't
justified for making new games. A few tetris/pacman clones will pop up from time
to time as they are not to hard to make. It would be nice with a few strategy games
for GEM like Civ and SimCity, but I doubt anyone will do it. :-(

//Magnus Kollberg
Received on ma. feb. 09 1998 - 16:19:00 CET

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