I thought the YM3012 was just used to convert the digital audio bitstreams from the YM2151 into analog audio outputs. Like, the CPU wouldn't be able to address it.
That's correct. The VERA has its own DAC to output sound from the PSG and PCM.
I have a question can the VERA playing PCM also for Music or only for Sound Effects?
Using the PCM (by itself) for music would be a bad idea. It requires way too much memory to hold uncompressed audio samples, and the 65C02 is not powerful enough to decode MP3 or anything in real time. The PSG or the YM2151 are FAR more efficient options for music. What you can use the PCM for are non-pitched instrument samples, like drum hits, which only take up a few kilobytes, and you can synch those up with a PSG or YM2151 track.
Using the PCM (by itself) for music would be a bad idea. It requires way too much memory to hold uncompressed audio samples, and the 65C02 is not powerful enough to decode MP3 or anything in real time. The PSG or the YM2151 are FAR more efficient options for music. What you can use the PCM for are non-pitched instrument samples, like drum hits, which only take up a few kilobytes, and you can synch those up with a PSG or YM2151 track.
Combining the YM2151 and the PCM from the VERA you got good music like the Arcades and the Sharp X68000.
I spent some time the last few days converting Petscii Robots over to the X16. It's now more or less fully functional. Well, you can play the game from beginning to end, anyway.. But it still lacks sound, and it is using the default font, which I hope to change soon to the PET font, which will make it look nicer. It also lacks a lot of effects like screen-shake, EMP flash, etc. I'll be working to add those in over the next few days. Also, since the game is designed for 40x25 screen, there is some black area at the bottom.
That being said, once I get this version completed, I'll slowly begin the transition to a custom graphic version for the X16 as originally promised, which should fill the whole screen.
Looks great! ?
X-mas wish; would it be possible for you to do an Apple II GS version of the game?
X-mas wish; would it be possible for you to do an Apple II GS version of the game?
He doesn't do most of the ports himself. He's very involved in the process, but other teams tackle the coding. Someone was working on the Apple IIgs, but they've gone radio silent last I'd heard. It's unknown when or if they'll get back to it.
He doesn't do most of the ports himself. He's very involved in the process, but other teams tackle the coding. Someone was working on the Apple IIgs, but they've gone radio silent last I'd heard. It's unknown when or if they'll get back to it.
We'd also need an official port of Elite to the X16. Would make the X16 a real retro machine. Anybody have a good connection to David Braben? ? (And a couple of thousand quid.)