From what I could read, there was a simple editor/uploader. There are fan-made tools as well, like a poor-mans 3D modeler that's based on quads.
- You can't run games without the GameBasic CD. The CD includes the interpreter. and the file upload utility, so you need the PC at your side. There's definetifely not a compiler on the package. If you take a gander at
this link the editor provides upload options like "Enable send program diffierence only between PC and SATURN", what's impossible on assembled code. It must provably use a bitcode to speed uploads a bit, but that's it.
- There is 3D capability, all right, but you're not drawing out the next Radiant Silvergun out of it.
this link has the only pics i know of what you can do with the system. Looks quite fancy, never the less. The code looks remarkably intricate, like this snip from the shoot-em-up on the link:
Code:
setatr 0,37,(4,1,2,0,32767,0):'ÆtÆâ°ÆbÆVÆâ¦
?st$"Polygon..."
settex MessageID,320,224,32768
setatr MessageID,1,(0,1,2,MessageID,0,0)
objtype MessageID,1
objatr MessageID,,MessageID
objpos MessageID,,,10
cls MessageID+10
objzoom MessageID,&h.fffc,&h.fffc
for example, shows that there are several dozens of Saturn specific commands, and figuring them all out must not be very easy. On the up side, it comes with a debugger of sorts.
Funky things I didn't knew untill I cheked the
official developer site:
- You could upload files, at least from the PC. Not sure about the CD itself.
- It came with a 471-page manual, that should be a record for any Saturn program ever built ^^;
- For polygons, the specs are these:
Maximum number of diferent objects : 255 objects
Maximum number of vertices: 2400 vertices.
Maximum number of polygons : 1800 polygons (visible)
Maximum number of defined textures : 256 pieces