Combining two consoles isn't exactly a groundbreaking idea.
Back in the past, in '92, there was an attempt to enhance hardware performance by developing the NEGA CD as a peripheral for the NEGA Drive, a thod I'm well aware of.
Inspired by NEC's high-performance Super CD-ROM-equipped PC Engine Duo, NEGA produced an additional console model with a CD-ROM drive on the right side of the NEGA Drive.
Connecting the two devices was aid at not only using CD-ROMs but also boosting hardware performance. But to cut to the chase, it was a massive failure.
NEGA was doing well in North Arica and Europe, if not in Japan, and they ended up in enormous debt due to this hasty venture called the NEGA CD.
Since then, no console combining two devices has ever appeared in gaming history.
Mintendo, who had been silently observing the situation, didn't miss the opportunity and started pouring out negative advertisents, even though it was in bad taste. (But this incident beca a turning point in strengthening Mintendo's trust in cartridges...)
CDs had significantly slower data loading tis compared to cartridges, taking about 10 to 15 seconds to load a single stage.
Sure, it offered improved BGM and graphics that were incomparable to cartridges, but waiting for over 10 seconds for every single ga was quite a hassle.
It was then that Chandra, reviewing the proposal once again, said to , "Kang Junhyuk, are you planning to release the peripheral device that uses this CD after launching the cartridge-based console?"
"Exactly. But, using the term 'peripheral device' might be a bit off."
"Huh? What do you an?"
"To be precise, the target representing the peripheral device has been reversed."
"What are you talking about? So, are you saying that this device with the cartridge system?"
"Yes, that's the peripheral device."
Chandra demanded more detailed explanations following my response. It seed he was confused about what was considered the main device and what played the supporting role.
"Alright, listen carefully."
I took a sip of my drink to wet my throat and started explaining the new console I had planned.
First, the new console I had designed had the format where two devices would be connected to each other in the future, just as Chandra had ntioned.
In the early '90s, the majority of gas were 2D sprite-based. Releasing CD-based gas in this situation would only exhaust players with long loading tis, making it obvious that cartridge-based gas would be popular during this period.
That's why I decided to release the 'peripheral device' that recognized cartridges first.
This peripheral device could independently recognize cartridges and read ROM chips with a capacity of up to 64 gabits (the ga industry at that ti used bit values more frequently than byte values).
I was looking for a CPU capable of ultra-fast processing, as well as a graphic module with more than twice the sprite performance of the Super Family.
The flagship launch title was, of course, expected to be 'Final Frontier 4' by Pentagon Soft, which had established the Super Family as the reigning champion.
And after the 'The Empty Streets' project was completed, I was considering one ga for the next project.
It was a horror genre ga titled 'The Murderer of the Clock Tower,' right?
And, about a year or two later, a main model with CD and 3D graphics was to be introduced, which could actually be used as a single device.
Since there was a single manufacturing cost, having to purchase cartridge devices in addition to playing 3D gas would undoubtedly burden consurs, and it would be a significant loss for as well.
Using CDs, players could enjoy independent gas utilizing polygons with a 3D accelerator created by Lop.
But a question arose here. Why do we need the function to combine these two devices?
Chandra, as I expected, asked the sa question.
"Why are you trying to add a connection elent to devices that can be used independently? Honestly, I don't get it."
"That's why I said it, didn't I? I called the console with the cartridge system the 'peripheral device.' Like you said, the device that only reads CDs has a data loading speed that's too slow. So, don't we need a peripheral RAM cartridge to cover that?"
I tapped the peripheral device console as I spoke. In response, Chandra shouted at in a voice close to a scream.
"Are you suggesting that this console itself should function as a RAM pack!?"
"Yes."
Maybe my answer was too simple, but Chandra vehently disagreed, shaking his head vigorously.
"Kang Junhyuk, that's unrealistic. Even if we add the RAM pack function to the existing model, we'd need a device or OS to smoothly connect it."
"Of course, I've thought about the OS (Operating System) as well. Do I look that careless to you?"
"What? Where in the world can you fit an OS system?"
This ti, my pen was aid at the cartridge slot of the peripheral device console.
"That's absurd. You want to put an OS in a cartridge? Is that even technically possible?"
"In theory, it seems possible, doesn't it? Did you think earning 100 million yen, Chandra, would be so easy?"
Of course, I earned it easily, but sorry, Chandra.
However, the RAM pack cartridge system I ntioned to Chandra wasn't entirely unheard of.
In fact, this system had already been implented in NEGA's 32-bit console, 'Jupiter.'
At that ti, NEGA was showing a lot of concern about 3D polygon gas, fearing that 3D technology might just be a passing trend.
They even had a vague fantasy that this trend might end, and the era of 2D would return.
Due to this, NEGA aid for 2D performance with their new ga console 'Jupiter.'
But perhaps due to the success of their in-house release 'Real Fighter,' they couldn't completely ignore the potential of 3D, leading to a disastrous choice, like trying to mix sweet and salty flavors.
They had the ultimate 2D performance, but their weak 3D performance ultimately caused them to miss out on the legendary masterpiece, 'Final Frontier 7.'
With this, the gap between them and SenSoni widened further, and NEGA found itself stamped with the stigma of being a secondary player in the next-generation console war.
However, what was comndable in this NEGA Jupiter was the RAM cartridge that powered up the limited CD dium's functionality.
The 4MB RAM pack had to be purchased separately from the device, but many gas could only run with this 4-gabyte RAM pack.
For example, there were so gas like SMK's masterpiece 'The King of Players,' a 2D versus fighting ga, the last work of the bloodthirsty clan, 'Groove on Fight,' and the only ga from CAPCO, 'Dungeon & Dragons,' that was ported to a 32-bit platform.
Especially the last 'Dungeon & Dragons' had a downward port from 4-player to 2-player gas, but it was still a remarkable work due to the successful port. And all of this was thanks to the RAM cartridge.
So, returning to the story, to conclude, about the console I was creating...
Both the cartridge system console and the CD-ROM system console can be used independently.
However, when users with the existing cartridge system console attach it to the new CD-ROM console, they will be able to interact with each other's data processing.
But it's impossible to power up with just two connected devices; an OS cartridge that unlocks the devices with software is needed.
The OS cartridge is essential and is bundled with the CD-ROM console upon release. Next-gen users will eventually get tired of the frustrating loading tis and find their way back to the original peripheral device console.
And with this thod, perfect backward compatibility and the ability to enjoy next-gen gas will be possible simultaneously.
"Ah... My head suddenly hurts."
"That's why, instead of grumbling on your own, talk to Lop about it."
"Lop...?"
"Like I said. I promised a bonus to the 'team' that creates the first prototype... So, we're competing..."
"That's right. So now that we're both in competition... Huh?"
"It's simpler than you think, right? If you two team up to create a single unit, wouldn't that be enough? 100 million yen is a lot of money. Even if you split it 1/N, each of you would still get hundreds of thousands of yen."
"Kang Junhyuk, were you aiming for this from the beginning?"
At Chandra's question, I smiled slyly and took a sip of my drink.
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