Gooday Gaming Guests - Panasonic 3D0 and Atari Jaguar CD with Cartridge Boot Code Process

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

These were the awkward 3D Games.

All right, so today we're going to do Panasonic 3DO. We'll stop there and see where we get to. So those are all on disks, the 3DO. There's also a memory manager disk thing you can add to it. It's pretty cool. I had both. There's two different kinds of 3DOs, a top loader and a front loader, I believe. I think I had one of each so the Panasonic 3DL boot

process involves a combination of hardware and software operations to line to design to load firmware and execute game code from the disc so this is another one where it uses it it loads from the disc itself when powering on the main processor is an arm60 risc cpu the system runs the self-diagnostic check the core hardware components including the ram cd-rom and video system again this is all CD-ROM based. 3D was pretty cool, but it was during the awkward graphics time. And I believe a lot of these were like little mini cartoonish games

I want to say. You chose you had to choose a point every time and it would go to a different scene. Space Quest, I think is it? I can't think of it. Dragon's Lair, maybe?

Yeah. The firmware stored in the system BIOS is executed, initiates the operating system with the 3DO's foundation of handling operations. So the CD-ROM communicates... The firmware communicates to the CD-ROM. You insert the disk. Disk code verification.

3DO uses a preparatory boot code that is part of the copy protection system. The firmware looks for the valid signature in boot sector. If it's not found, then you get the error. Game application load. Once a disc is verified, then the game load executable into the system's RAM. The game application uses 3DO libraries for rendering graphics. Notes of the Boot Code System A boot code of 3DO is an essential part of

the system's anti-piracy mechanism each game disc include a specific signature embedded in its lead-in sector that the firmware checks so it's just like a wobble groove and those other and so let's see the the 3DO game library. And then we'll do the Philips CDI. 3DO came out in 1993. While it didn't have the sheer volume of Super Nintendo Nintendo Super Genesis, the library

is mixed unique games. Gex. G-E-X. 1995. Action Adventure. D. D is so awkward to try to play. It's almost like a

Doom style. You can only go one way or another at a time. But it's a hard game. Alone in the Dark, the original. Out of This World. The game was influenced by 3Ds. Out of This World. The cinematic.

Let's see what Out of This World is. I don't know if I will cross-reference here on eBay. I'd like to do that. Let's see if there's something I missed. I don't know if I will cross reference here on eBay I like to do that let's see if there's something I missed I don't have a 3DO anymore, I had a couple of them out of this world $40, so 3DO games are not really that expensive

let's see if there's any rare ones Need for Speed Crash and Burn those are fighting games First Person Shooter shooter of course Doom and Wolfenstein role playing Charming

here's Laquenian's Quest anything with a quest in it it's always usually fun something with a quest let's see what that one is

Out of This World is on Sega Genesis 2 ooh $700 So that went way up So there is a few 3DOs So this quest one is worth $800 $275 This sword and sorcery A different kind of one

But it's not the exact one. $1,300. Oh, King's Quest. Who doesn't like the old classic King's Quest? King's Quest 4. Alright, so that's that one. Let's see. Let's look at the puzzle games.

The Incredible and the Machine. I don't have any of these games. John Madden Football and Night Trap. So that's that full motion video Night Trap. Also it was on 3DO too. That's also with Dana Plato in it. Campy Horror themes. Little mini story

full motion videos. Then there was Shogun Samurai Shodown Star Controller 2, Road Rash. Strength and weaknesses. There's strengths, high quality ports for popular games like Street Fighter, games like Unique, Multimedia, and Full Motion Video Experiences.

Weakness, limited RPGs, over-reliance on Full Motion Video, small library compared to it. So officially there was 200 titles, which is very small. So 3DO Rare, 3DO 3DO Rare Games, we already found one of them.

Let's see if there's another one. It had a number of rare and collectible games. Let's see what they got here. So we said this one had a Lucian's Quest. We said, yep, that was definitely up to $1,300 or $700 to $1,000. Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes. In the case of the Sacrifice Scample. Snow Job.

It was a mature themes and extensive full motion video sequences. Dino Park Tycoon. Huh. Wing Commander 3. Heart of the Tiger. Immersionary. First Person Action Adventure.

Escape from Monster Manor That sounds fun First Person Shooter Like Doom Style Pre-Doom Style Game Quarantine Plumbers Don't Wear Ties That's why I always ask for the rare stuff

Because I can find some really weird stuff Strow Animated Style that's why I always ask for the rare stuff because I can find some really weird stuff Strahl animated style Dr. Heiser a survival horror influenced by Resident Evil still pumping out some good stuff

Blake Force Robinson Recknam survival adventure that's some fun stuff there uh, Repnum, Survival Adventure. Um, uh, so that's some fun stuff there. I want to try looking for, oh,

the lost files of something, something, something. Let's check that one out. I'd like to find one that I'm going to put as my image on the podcast here. This one's called Lost Files. So, someone has one for $400. It's the only one.

So, that one's $400. Snowjob. Known for its mature themes. I guess I kind of you kind of interpret that that way I guess the way it sounds I guess you can snow job it's no job snow job 3DO 3DO 3DO Snowjob Let's see it 3DO complete $165

I did find one It has a scantily looking Chick on the front of it All in leather with a gun Snowjob 3do complete bolt is very clean teated and and working i think you meant to say tested but there's another 199 dollars it's 3do specials 72 179 so snow job yeah there it is it's definitely uh adult themed there the dino park tycoon that one was like fun let's try that

dino park tycoon uh dino 30 bucks 3do I don't know, $30. $30. 3DO. I don't know if I'll ever get any more of the systems that I had. I had a couple of those. Wing Commander. What's it? Mercenary. What's that?

That's a cool name. Mercenary. I like that name. Let's see what's out there for that one. Mercenary. $50. It's got the big box. The long box. let's see what's out there for that one I missed an area uh 50 bucks it's got the big box the long box I still have some

3DO games or did I give them all away no I think I still have some oh I actually I actually have some listed I believe nothing uh

Escape from Monster Manor it's a first person shooter like Doom let's see first person shooter like Doom. Let's see what that looks like. Snowchild. That's so funny. Let's get $90.

$52. That looks kind of spooky. $74. Very good. Around there. Let's see what else we got. Quarantine. Let's try that one. A vehicular combat action.

3DO. 3DO. Quarantine. Oh, I think I had quarantine. I think I actually do have quarantine. Yeah, I do have it. It's not that worth it. It's not worth that much.

Whoa. Yeah, it's not worth that much uh I don't think it is I know it plumbers don't wear ties uh campy style full motion video

let's try that one 3DO actually it's on switch too $159 Plumbers don't wear ties $130 For the full box Sealed

Tire Jaguar Had that too Talking about awkward graphics Tire Jaguar had that too talking about awkward graphics tired Jaguar really awkward graphics oh that's pretty cool sorry so that's pretty much that one we'll go on to let's do let's do Atari Jaguar there you go let's do Atari Jaguar there we go, hang on, let's do Atari, I forgot all about that Jag, would be right around the same era, Jaguar

cartridge, no, back to cartridge cartridge code boot process yeah, we'll do Atari Jaguar and I'll save my 3DO I'm not my 3DO, my Philips CDI and then we'll do Atari Jaguar. And I'll save my 3DO. I mean, not my 3DO, my Philips CD-i. And then we can do Amiga CD32.

Those are kind of the same. Oh, that's right. The Atari Jaguar had what they called a Tom and Jerry chips with the name of the processors on there. Tom handled CPU tasks, object processing rendering. Jerry managed audio processing and other I.O. operations. There was 68K processor, that same Motorola 68000 on many, many stuff that we've seen and have done here. The Jaguar performs a basic hardware check for RAM, CPU, Tom and Jerry.

Make sure everything. I had at least four Jaguars and I had a couple of the CDs. I don't have any more, but many, many videos of the Atari Jaguar that I have. I'm going to get some more. My specialty once into my category.

It says hidden and unknown systems. I'll get some more my specialty ones into my category it says hidden and unknown systems I'll get some more put in there but you can just type in Atari Jaguar on my YouTube and you'll come up with some I've taken them apart and all that header verification looks for the ROM header manufacturing

ID, game, title, cartridge size, checks initial boot code execution, entry point access address, system memory setup, GPU resources for rendering, DSP resources for sound and graphics, and again it uses that 68K CPU and the custom chip of Tom and Jerry. Once the system is fully run, the game is executed. Cartridge header details. The Jaguar ROM header typically contained magic numbers, check sums,

start addresses, ROM size, and development info. Common issues, bad headers, corrupt data, dirty contacts. Interesting to note, the cartridge encryption, unlike some of the other systems in the era, did not use specific copy measurements in the code process, making it easier for homebrew developers and unofficial runs. So there was, I don't think anyone should have done it. Let's jump right into the homebrew developers and unofficial runs. So there was... I don't think anyone should have done it. Let's jump right into

the homebrew. The Jaguar supported cartridge is up to 6MB in size. Alright, so let's go to the library now. Jag War Game Library.

I can hit a couple different things. Kind of how they run. I've been doing that with all my other systems. CDs or cartridges. So there's only 67 games. Total. So that's really, really small. 67 of them.

Notable games. Alien vs. Predator, which is Doom style. Flashback. The Quest for Identity. Check that one out. So

I liked everything with TireJet. It was really, really expensive. Especially if you got a CD. Those were super expensive. I had two. I never got one to work, though. I sold them broken. I'm sure someone got them to work. Flashback.

It's on 3DO, too, though. Super Nintendo, as well. Flashback. The Quest for Entity. So, Atari Jaguar had it, as well. The Quest for Entity. Atari. So Atari Jaguar. I had it as well. Ray. Uh.

Raiden. Shoot'em up. First person shooters. Obviously Doom. Wolves. And Zion. Iron Soldier. I'm not familiar with it.

Rayman was there. Butsy. And the. Fragile. Uh. Fractured Furry Tails. Zool 2. Zool. I have that. I had, I had that on my Amiga 500.

No, my Amiga 32. Checkered Flags. Racing games. Sports games. Puzzle games. Beat-em-up games. Fight games. Shooter-ups.

Cybermorph is like the worst game ever. 3D graphics. That came with, pre-ed with in the box with Jaguars battle morph sequel to cyber more Highlander the last of them make McDonald's so only 67 games about makes sense I'm not sure what the run was at for

for the entire Jaguar Highlander the last Jaguar so it was on Sega CD I mean Jaguar CD so you had to have a CD player and those are really expensive

alright so let's let's see what else we got unique title Space Ace that's on a bunch of different other systems too Space Ace officially it was 2667

unique like Tempest 2000 so strength early attempts to 3d title early attempts yeah 3d games of cybermorphic battle was bad some high quality doom weakness of the library the number of games poorly executed games just try so what's the breakdown? Breakdown of cartridges to CDs of game library. So I want to know how many of each. It's a 67 total. So let's see if it breaks it down for me. Two main types. Yep. Cartridges and CDs. 50 official licensed cartridges. There we go. They only held

6 megabytes. And it's going through the packed in-game showcasing early 3D capabilities. Boy, they were awkward. It did speak too.

There was 15 Jaguar CDs. The Battlemorph was actually a CD, so it wasn't missed. Highlander of the McCallons. Iron Soldier 2. Primal Rage.

Allowed for heavier games. Full motion video, had a failure rate limited, so they failed often. So it was 700 megabytes for the CD compared to 6 megabytes for the cartridge. Notable delays to load games on CD, and they often failed. I had two that didn't work. Durability was low. Cost of manufacture was lower. Full motion videos, multimedia, heavy

titles. Unreleased. Some games were officially that were never included. Black Ice, White Noise, Jaguar Virtual Reality demos cartridges were bulk of the library, CDs

and let's see a rare game for Jaguar Jaguar Rare game for Jaguar So pretty much all the games are rare really So Alien vs. Predator Oh yeah and they have the The controllers

For the Jaguar were really silly And you had to have an overlay On all of them I had it I had it in Alien vs. Predator. It's really bad. Worse than the original Doom. But you need to have the overlay to understand how to play it.

Rayman. Battlesphere. Extremely limited releases. Air Cars. NBA Jam. Ultra. Vortec, another fighting game, Worms, so those are cartridges,

so the rare CD games were Battlesphere Gold, Primal Rage, Hover Strike, Vid Grid, and prototypes for unreleased Black Ice. Why is it rare? Never officially released, prototype versions occasionally appear on auction sites. Black Ice White Noise. So it was never officially released

wonder how it got out there let's see we'll check it all black ice white noise nope this gives me a sound box yeah so something this gave me a noise sound box alright so that's

what did we do we did 3DO Panasonic 3DO today. Pretty cool. And then it's really in the same realm as the Atari Jaguar. Native was another game. Why are these games rare? Just because they're hard to find.

But the system itself is really cool when it turns out. It sounds like a Jaguar. All that's really fun, but it's just really, really awkward. Alright. All that's really fun, but it's just really, really awkward. Alright, so that's my little systems for today.

And then we'll go on to tomorrow I'm going to do the CDI, my Philips CDI and also Amiga 32 which is kind of still, those are kind of in the same realm there as well. Alright, so you guys have a good day. I'll talk to you later. Alright, bye.