DOOM

[Kuta]

You definately would not have seen higher resolution textures on a 32XCD version. There just isn't enough RAM to go around. It's debatable whether there's enough RAM to make a working port at all.

I'm not sue if I understand why RAM becomes an issue when releasing a game on CD. If it is the same game which is on the 32X cart then wouldn't it use the same amount as from a cart, only with more room on a CD for more levels? If it is a 32X CD then wouldn't it have access to the 32X module's resources?

 

[it290]

Because a cart game can just read data directly from the cart, whereas on a CD it has to load into memory. You can stream some things, like grainy FMV, but streaming textures off the CD in a game like DOOM would be a nightmare.

 

[Kuta]

So the easy solution for that would be to bundle a RAM cart with the game. Perhaps that would've made it too expensive?

 

[it290]

Undoubtedly. RAM was still quite expensive back then, even the 4M required to run (the pc version of) DOOM. Aside from that, I'm not sure if a device like that would even be possible on the 32x.

 

[Mask of Destiny]

It would be possible, although the RAM wouldn't be nearly as fast as the RAM internal to the 32X (unless there is some magical register that controls the waitstates for cartridge access that we don't know about). I've thought about trying to design a RAM cart (especially since it could also be used for playing Genesis/32X games off the CD/transfer cable), but the high cost of SRAM and the lack of any 5 volt DRAMs on the market makes it a bit of a pain.