ID Check SNES Proto Board ????

[DreamTR]

Anyone ever seen one of these or know who this person is? I did some spring cleaning the other day, and found this in my collection.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...R/IDCheck2.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...TR/IDCheck.jpg

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Only at DreamTR’s house does spring cleaning turn up a unknown proto

[Moo Cow]

Khanh Le was a game developer. I know he made The Blues Brothers, Crusader: No Remorse, and Crazy Cars 3.

[hydr0x]

absolutely looks like a little board some developer assembled to test his units, probably for game testing on all devices

[DreamTR]

Thanks guys, this helps!

[ProgrammingAce]

If i had to guess, i'd say it's looking for the revision number of the chips on the NES.

When you're programming in assembly like you do on the NES, sometimes you run into errors on one console and not another. This can be caused by differences in chip revisions and bugs in the silicon. At least that's my guess. Kind of unusual to see a proto on a short board, but i guess the program isn't too complicated.

[hydr0x]

to see a proto on a short board,

just to make this clear: it is not a proto

not everything that's not in a final cart case is a proto. this was never meant to be sold, it's just some assembled board which is in it's final form (likely) as we see it on the pics.

[DreamTR]

hydrox: Lots of things aren't meant to be "sold", though. Does not mean it's not a "proto". It's some type of testing tool that tells you what version of the SNES you have....it's unique, but it's not a "game" prototype.

[ProgrammingAce]

True, it's not a prototype game. Unless it's the most boring game in the world...

Perhaps unreleased hardware diagnostic tool would be more appropriate? Or "proto" for short...

As long as you don't call it "OMG R@rE!!one!!eleven!" i'll be happy.

The point i was trying to make was that most blank PCB's that nintendo handed out were longer. The short ones only came out later in the console's life, so that makes it much more likely that it was built to track hardware changes in the console.

[hydr0x]

Or "proto" for short...

no. see, a proto per definition is a pre-final test version of something at least meant to become final one day or meant to be a showcase for what could be done in a final product. that's just not the case here and thus it's not a proto.

[Speedy_NES]

Or "proto" for short...

no. see, a proto per definition is a pre-final test version of something at least meant to become final one day or meant to be a showcase for what could be done in a final product. that's just not the case here and thus it's not a proto.

If it is getting technical, one of the definitions for prototype = an original type, form, or instance serving as a basis or standard for later stages. This does not only apply to commercial games or what not. However, seeing as how I don't think anyone here knows (yet) what the full intention and goal of the developer was back then, I think it can go either way.

Btw, interesting find DreamTR

[ProgrammingAce]

Oh well, what do i know... this isn't the place for a symantic argument.

DreamTR, If you have a way to dump the rom, i'd be interesting to see what the rom reports in an emulator.

[rbudrick]

no. see, a proto per definition is a pre-final test version of something at least meant to become final one day or meant to be a showcase for what could be done in a final product. that's just not the case here and thus it's not a proto.

Maybe it was meant to be later distributed to other developers or technicians? Either way, most collectors would call it a proto.

-Rob

[Ed Oscuro]

Khanh Le was a game developer. I know he made The Blues Brothers, Crusader: No Remorse, and Crazy Cars 3.

I thought that name was familiar! Thanks.