Neo Geo vs A1200

[Thorham]

the neo geo cannot be compared to the amiga 1200. its a superior machine.

No, it's not a superior machine. Consoles like the Neo Geo are better for old school 2D games, because their hardware is optimized for that. For everything else, these consoles loose big time to machines like the A1200.

An A1200 has much more RAM, higher graphics resolutions in far more colours, a proper CPU slot, IDE interface, PCMCIA interface that's actually useful (networking), a faster CPU, and probably some things that I forgot.

[spirantho]

Exactly - it's not "superior", it's different. The A1200 isn't a console, the NeoGeo is.... but when it comes to arcade games, the NeoGeo will thrash the A1200 every time because the hardware is SO powerful. There's no way the A1200 could throw 2D sprites around like the NeoGeo.

Difficult to run a text adventure on a NeoGeo, though. And anything that doesn't benefit from lots of large sprites is not really designed for the NG.

I say buy it, and if you don't like it, sell it for the same price you bought it for.

[rvo_nl]

exactly.
 
also, this nonsense about higher resolutions and productivity software, we're comparing the machines as game machines, not as office desktop, obviously.. and Ive yet to see an amiga game running in 640x512x16 on original hardware.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Ive yet to see an amiga game running in 640x512x16 on original hardware.

Robosport could run in high-res laced 16 colors on original hardware. It was a legitimate option within the game, not a hack.  One other game I recall, I think it was called "Carnage" or something like that. Overhead maze two player shooter game. I'm sure others will come to me once I've had my morning coffee, lol.

[rvo_nl]

Im talking 16 bit, not 16 colours.. and no, Myst doesnt count.

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Im talking 16 bit, not 16 colours.. and no, Myst doesnt count.

Oops, LOL.    According to Wikipedia Neo Geo could only do 320x224x12-bit (4,096 colors) at a time.  Still, the line "Maximum sprites on screen: 380" is a killer, haha.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_(system)#Specifications

[spirantho]

The NeoGeo in fact ONLY has sprites. From memory, I believe the backgrounds you see are actually sprites of 32 pixels by 200 or whatever the height is. This is why NeoGeo games have parallax and things so easily - it's just lots of really tall sprites (the NG has no height limit on its sprites).

[rvo_nl]

I believe you are right again an awesome console. For sure the best '2D console' ever built.

[commodorejohn]

The NeoGeo in fact ONLY has sprites. From memory, I believe the backgrounds you see are actually sprites of 32 pixels by 200 or whatever the height is. This is why NeoGeo games have parallax and things so easily - it's just lots of really tall sprites (the NG has no height limit on its sprites).

If that's the case, I'm curious what the "simultaneous scroll planes" thing is about...?

[spirantho]

If that's the case, I'm curious what the "simultaneous scroll planes" thing is about...?

Good question. I'm not sure what it refers to, but Wikipedia just kind of throws that in there as a spec so I guess it means something.
I don't think it's what it sounds like, though - at least, not how we Amiga users think of it.

Looks like my memory was correct, though:

Unlike most other video game consoles of its time, the Neo Geo does not use tilemap background layers. Instead, it relies exclusively on drawing sprites to create the background. Sprites are vertical strips which are 16 pixels wide, and can be 16 to 512 pixels tall. By laying multiple sprites side by side, the system can simulate a background layer.

[commodorejohn]

Interesting.

[Erol]

sorry i have to be honest,  having owned a Neo Geo the sound is awful at least the Amiga has nicer 'composed' music.   I would rather play on a CD32 than a Neo Geo, BUT buy both and decide for yourself is my personal advice.

[XDelusion]

No, it's not a superior machine. Consoles like the Neo Geo are better for old school 2D games, because their hardware is optimized for that.

And that spells out the current trend that to me seems to be killing the modern video game industry. With the exception of Nintendo, no one is designing video game hardware around the games they'd like to develop, rather (Sony and Microsoft) are trying to churn out something with the most impressive specs, bells, whistles, etc.  and paying mind to little else. As if match the specs of dated PC hardware is going to make good games a given...

...when the matter of the fact is that few games that come out on Sony or Microsoft any more are about gaming and are more about making shooters with more polys, higher res textures, more tits, more ass, more foul language, and more dark, deviant, and psychotic plot lines.

[gertsy]

And that spells out the current trend that to me seems to be killing the modern video game industry. With the exception of Nintendo, no one is designing video game hardware around the games they'd like to develop, rather (Sony and Microsoft) are trying to churn out something with the most impressive specs, bells, whistles, etc.  and paying mind to little else. As if match the specs of dated PC hardware is going to make good games a given...

...when the matter of the fact is that few games that come out on Sony or Microsoft any more are about gaming and are more about making shooters with more polys, higher res textures, more tits, more ass, more foul language, and more dark, deviant, and psychotic plot lines.

Can't disagree with this. But that's not in Microsoft or Sony's direct control, they make the platform. Imagine a high quality version of Worms on these platforms now. I reckon it would sell like hot cakes.

I stopped at PS 2.

[Speelgoedmannetje]

Can't disagree with this. But that's not in Microsoft or Sony's direct control, they make the platform. Imagine a high quality version of Worms on these platforms now. I reckon it would sell like hot cakes.

I stopped at PS 2.

They do make a lot of classic Amiga remakes on the PC nowadays, and Amiga-like games too. Good to very good quality as well. I'd recon, go for a PC. Loads of good, cheap, diverse games and there are only getting more every day. And both NeoGeo and Amiga can be emulated (though a CRT screen is needed for a decent, pixel perfect picture)

[spirantho]

sorry i have to be honest,  having owned a Neo Geo the sound is awful at least the Amiga has nicer 'composed' music.   I would rather play on a CD32 than a Neo Geo, BUT buy both and decide for yourself is my personal advice.

I think it depends on the game... but you need to remember that the NeoGeo games are made for a different market -they're made for the Arcade, so it has to be loud and "in-your-face".

Certainly the NG sound hardware is better than Paula - Paula has 16-bit sound at 22KHz (usually), whereas the NG has 15 channel sound, sampling at up to 55.5KHz (though I don't think all channels can do this). You'd expect it to be better, though - Paula was created in 1984/5 and never changed, whereas the NG sound chip I think came later.

I've certainly never had a problem with NG sound, but I don't think musical compositions are NeoGeo games' strong points, no. If you're going to compare with the CD32, though, you should compare the NeoGeo CD, which of course has CD Audio too (and some great soundtracks).