*CLASH OF THE TITANS: NINTENDO ULTRA 64 v. 3DO's M2 NINTENDO: ULTRA-64 Basic Features: CPU: 64-bit R4200 MIPS RISC processor running at 105.8MHz Game-Pak Format: 500MB Data Pak using 100:1 data compression algorithm. Graphics: 64-bit Reality Immersion Graphics Processor, real-time anti-aliased texture mapping at 100,000 polygons per second, true colors from a palette of 16.7 million, 320x224 to 1200x1200 lines of resolution (double the average TV) Sound: 64-bit Sound DSP with 64 Sound Channels running at 44.1KHz Special features: Real-Time Anti-Aliasing: makes all the sharp edges disappear on characters or backgrounds in games like Donkey Kong Country, and it makes the overall picture sharper and more realistic. Real-Time Real-Tracing: is basically a superior version of light-source shading. Real-Time Tri-linear Mitt-Mapped Interpolation: every texture-mapped image or picture, when scaled in, will never pixellize or block up like you see in recent games like Daytona, Ridge Racer or Playstation's Tohshinden. Additional Features / Simplified Summary: *64-bit internal/external RISC data path (custom R4300 MIPS) running at 105.8MHz *Silicon Graphics/MIPS chipset with the central processor communicating with memory at 500MHz *500MB per second bandwidth *64-bit "reality Immersion" Graphics processor running at 80MHz in enhanced mode *320x224 to 1,200x1,200 resolution (up to HDTV standard) in a pallete of true 16,777,216 colors *Texture mapping at 100,000 polygons per second *64-bit sound DSP processor running at 44.1KHz *64 FM sound channels *100,000 real-time texture-mapped polygons per second *Real-time anti-aliasing *Real-time ray tracing *Real-time tri-linear mitt-mapped interpolation *Real-time load management *Available in September of 1995 or April of 1996 Estimated Cost: $245.00 - $350.00 retail w/ pack-in (dealer prices will vary). 3DO: M2 ACCELERATOR Basic Features: CPU: 64-bit 66MHz PowerPC 602 RISC microprocessor specially designed with 3DO interactive applications in mind running at 66MHz w/ 10 innovative custom graphics, sound, and I/O processors designed by 3DO. 64-bit data bus, 48 megabits of memory w/ a Memory subsystem capable of delivering 528 megabytes per second on an internal data path 128-bits wide. Game-Pak Format: 700MB CDROM w/ or w/o data compression. Graphics: 64-bit Real-Time Tri-linear Mitt-Mapped Interpolated graphics, true colors from a palette of 32,000 or 16.7 million colors at 320x224 to 640x480. Processes more than one million polygons per second. Texture mapping at 1,000,000 polygons per second *700,000 real-time texture-mapped polygons per second with all features. Special Features: Real-Time Real-Tracing: is basically a superior version of light-source shading. Real-Time Anti-Aliasing: makes all the sharp edges disappear on characters or backgrounds in games like MK3 + DOOM II, and it makes the overall picture sharper and more realistic. Additional Features / Simplified Summary: *Integrated MPEG-1 digital video decompression technology. *Backward compatability with all two hundred (200) 32-bit 3DO titles. *Gouraud Shading and Lighting M2 technology. Allows designers to apply a significant number of lighting effects to an object or scene. Light sources are then reflected realistically off of objects based on where the light source is in relation to the object. Gouraud shading is applied to the object to create the appropriate colors and shadows in the scene. The result is images and scenery with brilliantly curved and smooth surfaces with realism rivaling or surpassing some SGI Workstations. *Hardware Z-buffering: the Z-buffer manages complex objects intersecting dynamically and enables automatic hidden surface calculations. The system automatically knows for any given visual perspective what the user will see, and therefore which polygons to render. For example, if a car drives in front of a tree, the system automatically determines that it does not need to render that portion of the tree which is hidden behind the car. M2 Z-buffering is provided in the hardware as with coin-op arcade machines and workstations, while other systems only allow for Z-buffering to occur in software. Z-buffering provides a big performance gain when using complex graphic models. * The M2 treats decompressed video like any other type of data. This advanced technique enables designers to apply decompressed running video to an object like any other texture. With this feature, M2 hardware has the video effects capability of machines costing many thousands of dollars. Additionally, multiple streams of digital video can be incorporated in a title at one time. Estimated Cost: $145.00 - $200.00 w/ pack-in (dealer prices may vary). note: you must already the core 32-bit 3DO Interactive Multiplayer system (est. $350.00). **visit the 3DO World Wide Web (WWW) site located at http://www.3do.com. *THE SONY PSX: WORD ON THE STREET The PlayStation CPU, which was customized for Sony Computer Entertainment in a joint development effort between LSI Logic and Sony system engineers, comprises three high-performance subsystems integrated onto a single chip. As a result, the PlayStation is able to offer low cost, ultra-high performance. The PlayStation CPU microchip delivers fast processing power from its built-in 32-bit MIPS RISC microprocessor, advanced three-dimensional geometric graphics from its 3D geometry engine subsystem -- called GTE -- and high-resolution full-motion video from its decompression subsystem -- called MDEC -- which is based on JPEG technology. The PlayStation CPU is a system-on-a-chip and is comparable to a single CPU with the equivalent of 200 MIPS processing power. The total processing power of the PlayStation system is comparable to a single CPU with the equivalent of more than 500 MIPS. In addition to the PlayStation CPU, the PlayStation system has a 3D graphics engine -- called GPU -- which was developed exclusively by Sony Computer Entertainment. This chip is capable of generating life-like,three-dimensional images up to 360,000 polygons per second, and can move up to 4,000 two-dimensional images, or sprites, in a field. The result is the high-speed simultaneous movement of characters and high-quality backgrounds with three-dimensional computer graphics generated at 60 fields per second, which is equivalent to television transmission. "LSI Logic's enabling technology plays a major part in Sony Computer Entertainment's plan to create a dramatically advanced, high-performance video game system," said Teruhisa Tokunaka, deputy president, Sony Computer Entertainment. "Using the PlayStation CPU, the PlayStation system will claim market leadership by offering superior game play dimension, response time and processing power." ### 3DO, the 3DO logos, and Interactive Multiplayer are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of The 3DO Company. Nintendo, the Ultra 64 logos, and Ultra 64 are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nintendo Corporation of America. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.