Question for Bart: model3 resolution

[SegaLover2020]

The 496 x 384 standard res looks low to me even for 1996 standards. Namco, with its ridge racer boards, was already at VGA level with 640x480 displays and a clearer image overall. Was it due to memory limitations? Thanks for the answer and sorry if it was already posted, I looked back into this subforum but I found nothing about it.

[Ian]

I think sega just went with the resolutions they had been using for previous generations, model2 etc. Sega was also using a totally non standard 57.5hz for their monitors.
I think the tilegen was limited to a max resolution of 512x512 so for a 4:3 display you are kinda stuck at that resolution at 496x384.

The real3d pro-1000 supported a bunch of resolutions. Some of the games on startup actually set 640x480 as the resolution, before settings 496x384.

[Bart]

I had never thought of trying but I wonder if a 640x480 resolution is possible on the actual Model 3 given the weird medium resolution VGA signal. I’m guessing that maybe there isn’t enough frame buffer memory and even if there is, we would never quite be able to figure out how to configure the video controller which is programmed via mysterious incantations over JTAG...

[Bart]

Something else to consider is whether the anti-aliasing might have had any impact on resolution choice? Model 3 has it. Do the Namco boards?

[SegaLover2020]

Something else to consider is whether the anti-aliasing might have had any impact on resolution choice? Model 3 has it. Do the Namco boards?

The system 22 line has it, but I don't know if it was active in the ridge racer games. I remember playing them and feeling a very "clean" look but it was a long time ago. The CRT displays may have had an impact too, given how they blur the overall image. One thing's for sure: all model3 games looked more pixelated to me even back then.

[SegaLover2020]

I think sega just went with the resolutions they had been using for previous generations, model2 etc. Sega was also using a totally non standard 57.5hz for their monitors.
I think the tilegen was limited to a max resolution of 512x512 so for a 4:3 display you are kinda stuck at that resolution at 496x384.

The real3d pro-1000 supported a bunch of resolutions. Some of the games on startup actually set 640x480 as the resolution, before settings 496x384.

Very interesting, thanks for the info.
But many arcade monitors worked with a refresh lower than the current 60hz standard, hovering around 55-58. In fact there weren't real "standards" back then, more of an accepted majority of brands setting the rules for everyone. This obviously has created all sorts of problems for emulators, starting with mame and all its display modes.

Anyway, the tilegen limit is what I was talking about: the assets have a fixed limit and the resolution has to stay inside that.