3 ms·
This is typical of Sega arcade hardware of the era (Model 1 and Model 2); these systems have separate "geometry processor" and "rasterizer" boards, with onboard
by tadfisher 3y ago
This is typical of Sega arcade hardware of the era (Model 1 and Model 2); these systems have separate "geometry processor" and "rasterizer" boards, with onboard DSPs. If you squint, the Saturn is what someone might come up with as a cost-optimized version of that architecture.
- phire 3y agoYeah. Especially if you rip out VDP2 and some of the more 2D orientated features of VDP1 it looks very much like an attempt at a cost-optimised Model 2. And if you read the interview that ndiddy linked above (https://mdshock.com/2020/06/16/hideki-sato-discussing-the-sega-saturn/ https://mdshock.com/2020/06/16/hideki-sato-discussing-the-se...), it might be accurate to say the Saturn design is what you get when an engineer with no background in 3D graphics (and unable to steal sufficient 3D graphics experience from the Sega Arcade division) attempts to create a cost-optimised Model 2. I suspect the first pass was just a cost-optimised textured quad renderer, then Sato went back to his 2D graphics experience and extended it into a powerful 2D design.