What is so special about SNES mode 7?

[Rogue Trooper]

Depending on which 'source' you use, 'Blast processing' on MD/Genesis is/was either a joke told by Mike Latham at SEGA America or...

It refers to to the MD hardwares ability to do very fast DMA transfers and thus 'blast' memory to the screen, a technique Sonic series used very well to ensure it's speed.

[TL]

Depending on which 'source' you use, 'Blast processing' on MD/Genesis is/was either a joke told by Mike Latham at SEGA America or...

It refers to to the MD hardwares ability to do very fast DMA transfers and thus 'blast' memory to the screen, a technique Sonic series used very well to ensure it's speed.

You posted this in the Lynx thread for some reason so I just moved it.

I heard the latter story, which is what I am referring to.

[Rogue Trooper]

Depending on which 'source' you use, 'Blast processing' on MD/Genesis is/was either a joke told by Mike Latham at SEGA America or...

It refers to to the MD hardwares ability to do very fast DMA transfers and thus 'blast' memory to the screen, a technique Sonic series used very well to ensure it's speed.

You posted this in the Lynx thread for some reason so I just moved it.

I heard the latter story, which is what I am referring to.

I think my multi-tasking is 2-Bit this evening, not sure why i posted that where i did, lol.Know the cat was wailing to be fed at the time, he can take the blame. :-)

[TL]

This is another one that get brought up a lot as a Mega Drive game that gives SNES Mode 7 a run for its money, Batman & Robin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n_eHN-ArK8

[sloan]

My take on mode 7 is that it was more marketing hype than anything else. However, it was marketing hype that worked in many instances. Without it, some SNES games might not have been possible. Games like F-Zero, NCAA Basketball, and Super Mario Kart. Yes, Mega Drive could do similar or even better, but for Nintendo fans, this was cutting edge stuff for a while anyway.

I equate it to Atari VCS versus Intellivision and even Colecovision in the states. Even though those systems had superior technology in many ways, VCS still had minions of fans who swore by it, and won the overall sales battles. The best technology does not always win the marketing wars. Popular perception plays a big role in this.

[108 Stars]

I think mode 7, as basic as the effect was was just well utilized and often used. Many of the most popular titles used it, and while it was flat at least it was very smooth and offered a frequent 3D perspective rarely seen elsewhere in that quality.

I can honestly say that before F-Zero and Zelda III I had never seen such an effect.

Later on the Mega Drive manad some great scaling and rotation effects thanks to clever programming, but it was still rare compared to the SNES. The SNES had it built in in hardware, while on MD it had to be done in software.

I made a video once about the Mode 7 flying in Pier Solar. We got it done rather well, but it takes huge amounts of memory on the MD. This mode 7 scene takes lots of cart space; we had it even better before, with two layers (clouds scrolling seperatly over the landscape), but we did not have enough room on the 64 Mbit cart left so we had to reduce it to one layer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG4V_kLL0NI

For the SNES this is just standard fare, for the MD it took some real magic to make it look like that.

[AmigaJay]

Wow that's very impressive programming guys!

[davyk]

It was mode number 6 (called mode 7 because the first mode was mode 0) and it was usually used to rotate backgrounds to simulate 3D.

F-Zero and Super Mario Kart are the obvious prime examples of its use but there are more interesting ones too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vUpnJazVV8


Super Aleste level 2 is an excellent example - watch the approach of the attack platform off in the distance and the detail coming in as it gets closer - with you eventually flying over the surface - this was amazing back in the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRZH24or-pw


At the end of the day - mode 7 is just another hardware trick - good games - that's what counts.

[TL]

Another good example of scaling and rotation effects on the Mega Drive is Granada, this features giant bosses that rotate and scale as they move around the screen, not only an impressive effect but it's a great game too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei1yb_FpNV8

[Rogue Trooper]

Found that old Thunderhawk MCD preview where details of it's Mode 7 effect are given.

SNES used single processor for Mode 7, quite slow hence so many games that use Mode 7 have extra DSP etc on-board cart to speed things up, MCD has twin processors, so graphics take no time to draw, way faster than SNES in this dept, plus it enables texture mapping.

SNES scrolls in 1 axis, MCD in 2...


Thunderhawk a great example of the MCD hardware being used to great effect, 2-Axis scrolling enables the chopper to bank+yaw and then the objects like buildings, towers etc are scaled sprites to match the angle the horizon is at when your tilting, plus the 3D chips handle the ground detail as well.

Just  a crying shame so few games came out that used it in such a manner.

[davyk]

Super Aleste on SNES has no DSP on-board and it blows the arse off anything the MD pushed out (that I'm aware if at any rate - may be wrong) - faster processor or not - when it comes to sheer 2D speed and things moving around the screen it has no peer.

Super Aleste is pure sprite city with no slowdown or flicker - it is an amazing technical achievement - I have no idea how they did it on the slower SNES. That is more about the dev's skills than the SNES of course...

I thought it was a mind blowing game until I discovered I was playing it on the default "normal" - easiest level -there's even hyper and wild modes that crank up the bullets even more - astounding,

Truly amazing.

[davyk]

What? I threw down the gauntlet there and none has responded!!!!

Was hoping to be given names of shmups to try on the old MD..... I've played a few over the years (Gairies was the business if I remember right) but currently I only have Thunderforce IV, Subterrania and Space Invaders '91 - 3 excellent shmups but I'm looking to for more..

[zapiy]

Probably because you are right lol. I personally think you pretty much hit the nail on the head with the sprites remark.

[TL]

What? I threw down the gauntlet there and none has responded!!!!

Was hoping to be given names of shmups to try on the old MD..... I've played a few over the years (Gairies was the business if I remember right) but currently I only have Thunderforce IV, Subterrania and Space Invaders '91 - 3 excellent shmups but I'm looking to for more..

Gynoug, Bio Hazard Battle, Granada, Arrow Flash and Red Zone are all very good and also impressive from a hardware point of view.

I would also recommend Empire Of Steel, Fire Shark, Air Buster, Verytex, Zero Wing and Xenon 2 among others.

[davyk]

cheers......lots to look out for there.

Just remembered I have Raiden Trad too - not a bad port.