Cave 3rd generation hardware resolution

[Elaphe]

Hi. I'd like to know the resolution used by the following games, which I think they all run in the same hardware: Cave 3rd generation hardware Hitachi SH-3 processor 133mhz I'm not sure about Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu. Can anyone confirm that it runs in the same hardware as the rest? I'd like to know the res and also the hz used (60hz?).

I'm also curious about this: is this the first hardware used by Cave for shmups which has the ability to handle transparencies or was PGM hardware also able to do so? I have played Dodonpachi Dai Ou Jou and Espgaluda in the PS2 conversions and I have not seen transparencies, contrary to Ibara and I think also Mushihime-sama.

Finally, something that surprises me: why haven't they ported all the recent games to PS2 if it's the same hardware. If it can do Mushihime-sama and Ibara, why not the rest? And why Ketsui was not possible in the PS2 if it was originally running in an older and slower cpu (20mhz!).

Thanx a lot!

Mushihime-sama 2004
Ibara 2005
Espgaluda II 2005
Ibara Kuro Black Label 2006
Pink Sweets 2006
Mushihime-sama Futari 2007
Muchi-Muchi Pork 2007
DeathSmiles 2007
Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu 2008

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Hi. I'd like to know the resolution used by the following games, which I think they all run in the same hardware: Cave 3rd generation hardware Hitachi SH-3 processor 133mhz I'm not sure about Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu. Can anyone confirm that it runs in the same hardware as the rest? I'd like to know the res and also the hz used (60hz?).

I'm also curious about this: is this the first hardware used by Cave for shmups which has the ability to handle transparencies or was PGM hardware also able to do so? I have played Dodonpachi Dai Ou Jou and Espgaluda in the PS2 conversions and I have not seen transparencies, contrary to Ibara and I think also Mushihime-sama.

Finally, something that surprises me: why haven't they ported all the recent games to PS2 if it's the same hardware. If it can do Mushihime-sama and Ibara, why not the rest? And why Ketsui was not possible in the PS2 if it was originally running in an older and slower cpu (20mhz!).

Thanx a lot!

Mushihime-sama 2004
Ibara 2005
Espgaluda II 2005
Ibara Kuro Black Label 2006
Pink Sweets 2006
Mushihime-sama Futari 2007
Muchi-Muchi Pork 2007
DeathSmiles 2007
Dodonpachi Daifukkatsu 2008

Yes, DDP-DFK PCB is running on SH-3 mobo setup. It runs at 60hz at 320 x 240 resolution like the previous SH-3 boards.

The real reason why you can't play the recently released SH-3 based Cave PCB titles on the PS2 is because Cave hasn't licensed them out to be ported to that platform. There was a planned Ketsui PS2 port but Cave was unhappy with a little part that wasn't up to their high standards -- so it was a no-go.

If you want to play Ibara as it was meant to be played, my suggestion is to pick up an Ibara PCB without the fuzzy interlaced graphics that plagues the PS2 port of the same name.

Of course, some Cave arcade titles like DDP-DOJ DL & regular DDP-DOJ, Death Smiles & Ketsui will see a port on the Japanese Xbox 360. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Elaphe]

Yes, it's really a shame that they did Ibara and Mushi conversions in interlaced mode. It makes no sense. Dodonpachi and Espgaluda run at 448x224 60hz and were ported in low res non-interlaced, so they are pixel perfect (I pressume). Then, what's the problem with the other two games. If they run at 320x240 60hz then using interlaced and stretching is not necessary at all.

Buying a Supergun and original PCBs is really tempting for me. The prices however are really crazy. There's still hope for me and I think I will have to wait and wait. I'm still young and I think that I'll live long enough to see these games emulated in MAME. I think I'll wait for another 10 years and then reconsider the option of buying the original hardware

Conversions to XBOX 360? I've been reading that for years. I don't think it will happen. And even if it happens they will be again interlaced, and tate mode?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yes, it's really a shame that they did Ibara and Mushi conversions in interlaced mode. It makes no sense. Dodonpachi and Espgaluda run at 448x224 60hz and were ported in low res non-interlaced, so they are pixel perfect (I pressume). Then, what's the problem with the other two games. If they run at 320x240 60hz then using interlaced and stretching is not necessary at all.

Buying a Supergun and original PCBs is really tempting for me. The prices however are really crazy. There's still hope for me and I think I will have to wait and wait. I'm still young and I think that I'll live long enough to see these games emulated in MAME. I think I'll wait for another 10 years and then reconsider the option of buying the original hardware

Conversions to XBOX 360? I've been reading that for years. I don't think it will happen. And even if it happens they will be again interlaced, and tate mode?

I have two Superguns myself and it's worth the intial one-time fees of buying one just to play them arcade shmup PCBs properly. The cheapest Cave SH-3 shmup PCB that you can buy brand new today is an Ibara PCB kit for $280.00-$320.00 USD. To wait 10 years to get into the arcade PCB hobby might too long of a wait...you'll be missing out on some great PCBs in the meantime. Plus, some PCB kits do go down in value while others do not...it all relates to supply and demand factors on the secondary collector's PCB market. ^_~

There was a time when you could buy a barebones Cave PGM-based Ketsui shmup PCB for $350.00 USD back in 2005 before it skyrocketed in value. Those days are long gone. I don't think it's worth paying the asking price of what it goes for nowdays: between $900.00-$1000.00 USD.

The arcade PCB hobby ain't a cheap hobby...but you can make it as cheap or as expensive as your budget will allow by buying the cheap-ass PCB titles of mid-1980s-1990s era or aiming for the more recent PCB kits from Cave, Milestone, Konami, etc. That's a given just like with any other hobby. ^_~

It'll be interesting to see if Cave debuts arcade hardware for it's upcoming Death Smiles 2 PCB or it could be running on the same hardware that the original Death Smiles PCB runs on, the old tried and true SH-3 platform.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Ganelon]

Yes, it's really a shame that they did Ibara and Mushi conversions in interlaced mode. It makes no sense.

The sense is that Arika (which ported the former 2) cares about polishing every single bit of their games whereas Cave (latter 2) took the lazier approach to graphics.

Judging from past history, almost all PCB prices will go down until they're antiques due to their high starting costs. But of course, there's an agonizing wait involved. It's hard to determine whether future gamers will look at shooters as they do vintage wine or as they do archaic technology. Whatever the case, people sure don't have any qualms still paying high prices for games even in this economy.