The game does not run in an eumlator - the hardware configuration is slightly different for these games and the pxel plotting video cart will be another issue altogether.
The info was posted so that I could get some preview info to the bulletin board for neo fans - no other reason than that. you've got it ahead of everyone else, including trade press. Their info goes out in the new year which will include better screenshots.
This is not a merketing ploy - hence it is in the news and rumours section. I do understand the importance of neo-geo.com in the collection scene and hence I have elected to put some news out to the guys on Xmas day from home - didn't have to, but thought it might be nice as we have had quite a bit of business from private buyers from the board.
I don't really see too much info heading this way directly from SNKP, nor am I convinced that they will continue to support cart based sales for much longer. Carts can be made copy-resistant to a much higher degree than they have currently gone, with a bit of lateral thinking, so all should not be lost for the MVS PCBs in the future. We will support cart based software for at least 2 years to come with the games we are currently working on; the 4 for 2004 are of the following types:
1 - Puzzle - Neo Bubble Pop
2 - Maze Based Character game
3 - Soccer Game
4 - Platform Level Game
There is also a vertical scrolling shooting game which may be slotted into 2004 subject to completion and location testing.
Just a few points though; from starting as a collector as many here are, I am very pleased with the progress we've made in producing these games. ( neo diggerman wasn't one of ours - programmed by Kyle Hodgetts, it was actually written for the Double Dragon PCB and a number of them were sold - called "Dangerous Dungeons". It was never finally completed by Kyle, as usual, and we sold the initial neo version protos as the other half of his partnership owed me some considerable amount of money - hence it was a damage limitation issue)Neo Sparks was a tech demo which should have been progressed - several legal issues with Aruze slowed things down and everything down to plastic cases, memory handling , fix data etc had to be re-written or re-constructed from scratch - hence the 18 month delay in getting titles to market. SNKP are not interested in discussing releases so we are releasing these games independantly.
We will not (for the time being) create any fighting games - that's what the asian producers do best, but there are over 1 million neo geo systems out there in the worldwide market and a reasonable number of their operators don't want fighting games in their locations. It's an expensive business, as anyone in the hardware or software production business will know but I have been prepared to put my money where my mouth is to give it a go. We are also releasing a new arcade system called Raptor at the same time as the neo release which will also feature some of the neo titles, but at a much higher quality level.
I would love to see other productions for the neo system from independant sources. There are a number of people out there who have made good money from the neo geo system over the years, but I haven't seen too many put anything back into the market ( in any shape or form). From collector, to part-time business, to full-time business from September this year, I realize that there is a lot to be gleaned from opinions in the collector world so my ears are open. Constructive criticism is always welcome and "this is crap" goes straight in the filter bin.
Will provide more data/screens when we can pull them off the system in the new year when we re-open.
Here is a sprite from release 2 (or 3) which is currently 85% completed -
Regards
Jeff F
for the mvs
