Building a Sega Genesis Dev System

[adamchevy]

I'm looking to build a Dedicated Sega Genesis Dev System. Is their a way to build one from vintage parts? I would like to use a computer with a 68k CPU. I'm curious if anyone has attempted to do this, or if it's even possible? Also, maybe I could use an Apple 2gs?

Edited January 28, 2017 by adamchevy

[Flojomojo]

I would start

here https://hackaday.io/project/1507-usb-megadrive-devkit

 

and

here http://stephane-d.github.io/SGDK/

 

I don't know anything about the tools used back in the day, but I doubt it's like Net Yaroze where the development takes place on the target hardware. I'd love to be proven wrong if you or anyone else has detailed information.

[+selgus]

I used to develop on the Genesis back in the day.. my friend made an SRAM card that would connect to a PC via a parallel port (which really don't exist any longer on PCs) and I wrote a 68K debugger for it, along with libraries for the games I was doing. I probably still have that code in my archives somewhere, if it would be useful.

[adamchevy]

I would start

here https://hackaday.io/project/1507-usb-megadrive-devkit

 

and

here http://stephane-d.github.io/SGDK/

 

I don't know anything about the tools used back in the day, but I doubt it's like Net Yaroze where the development takes place on the target hardware. I'd love to be proven wrong if you or anyone else has detailed information.

That looks great, and that's probably the way I'll go if I can't figure out a vintage solution.

[adamchevy]

I used to develop on the Genesis back in the day.. my friend made an SRAM card that would connect to a PC via a parallel port (which really don't exist any longer on PCs) and I wrote a 68K debugger for it, along with libraries for the games I was doing. I probably still have that code in my archives somewhere, if it would be useful.

That would be very useful! I could also build a vintage pc if necessary .

[+selgus]

Found my old SEGA Genesis hardware, here is a pic:

 

Sega-dev by brett.bourbin

 

On the left is my SEGA hardware I used to write games and the one I developed my debugger for (GDDT). It is strictly a 68K assembly debugger and command line interface driven (i.e. I didn't create a Windows application).

 

To the right is an Accolade development card. This is the board they used to create SEGA Genesis games when they were not licensed developers and reversed engineered the system. Sort of a neat artifact from the '80s.

 

Below is a Psy-Q SCSI card that was used with IBM-style PCs to connect to Psy-Q SEGA development boards. I couldn't find my old one of these in my house.

 

I did find some of my code for my GDDT debugger, which supports breakpoints, register manipulation, 68K disassembly, single-stepping, etc., though isn't much use unless my monitor EPROM code is ported to whatever hardware you are using on the actual SEGA to communicate.

[plee]

I'm looking to build a Dedicated Sega Genesis Dev System. Is their a way to build one from vintage parts? I would like to use a computer with a 68k CPU. I'm curious if anyone has attempted to do this, or if it's even possible? Also, maybe I could use an Apple 2gs?

 

You could to this, use a Atari ST emulator on Windows and code with DevPac. Take the .PRG that DevPac creates and strip the header (about 20 bytes) to create the .BIN Now you can run the .BIN on a Genesis emulator. I did this a long time ago but there are a few more other options now for WIndows

 

Download SGDK which will install GCC c/c++ compiler and some useful Genesis libraries

 

Mega Everdrive cartridge will allow you to send .BIN files via USB

UMDK will also allow you send files via USB but you can debug with GDB

or just run you .BIN on a emulator