Re: VECTOR: Sega Vector Development Tools Project

this is slightly off topic but I have had a Sega Security Chip bypass 
PCB laying around here for years and I just found it again. it has 
jumpers on it so that it should be able to function as a security IC 
replacement for any SEGA game. Does anyone have any interest in this for 
making generic replacements for the security chip. I really don't follow 
the Sega stuff much so I don't know what is out there right now. Anyway, 
if anyone does have an interest, let me know your level of intention and 
I will happily send it out to you for reversing.

Mark Jenison wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> On my commute to work (train), I've got about 2 hours a day to spend 
> with my laptop, so I've been dedicating this time to constructing a 
> development platform for the Sega G80 hardware.
>
> There are many little projects under the umbrella of "development 
> platform", so I wanted to see if there was anyone here interested in 
> helping out, or just wanted to join in some of the technical 
> discussion about how to achieve this.
>
> Here's a brief (but not complete list) of goals and sub-projects:
>
> - build a Sega vector paint program (sort of like the lost G08ed) that 
> generates the vector information for a drawn "sprite"
> -  modify MAME to accept programs that haven't been encoded by the 
> sega security chips (basically program in the David Fish security free 
> hack)
> - disassemble parts of a Sega vector game to find useful routines
> - write a small program that draws a box that changes color when a key 
> is pressed
> - write a small program that changes sounds played when a key is pressed
> - come up with a technique similar to the one used with Eliminator 
> 4-player that increases the number of inputs (maybe enough for a 
> keyboard!)
> - modify a C compiler and create a library of routines for sega vectors
> - compile a small program that runs on the Sega Vector hardware in mame
> - test programs on actual Sega vector hardware (I've got a few G08 
> monitors to spare if things go wrong :-))
> - port a game to the Sega Vector hardware
> - write a new game for the Sega Vector hardware
>
> I've got some ideas and more details for each step if anyone is 
> interested in joining in on this project.  Everything will be open 
> sourced (no money to make on this project).  I can provide web page 
> hosting for the project as well.  Right now I'm going off of MAME code 
> and the Sega hardware reference that Al Kossow wrote.  I tried to 
> request some code samples from Clay, but he hasn't responded.  Feel 
> free to email me with any advice or information you may have for such 
> a project, or if you'd like to take part.  Or we can just start a 
> general discussion about the topic on vectorlist.
>