3DO

    A set of specifications created and
   owned by the 3DO company, which is a partnership of seven
   different companies.  These specs are the blueprint for making
   a 3DO Interactive Multiplayer and are licensed to hardware and
   software producers.

   A 3DO system has an ARM60 32-bit RISC CPU and a graphics
   engine based around two custom designed graphics and animation
   processors.  It has 2 Megabytes of DRAM, 1 Megabyte of
   VRAM, and a double speed CD-ROM drive for main storage.

   The Panasonic 3DO system can run 3DO Interactive software,
   play audio CDs (including support for CD+G), view Photo-CDs,
   and will eventually be able to play Video CDs with a special
   add-on MPEG1 full-motion video cartridge.  Up to 8
   controllers can be daisy-chained on the system at once.  A
   keyboard, mouse, light gun, and other peripherals may also
   some day be hooked into the system, although they are not
   currently available (December 1993).  The 3DO can display
   full-motion video, fully texture mapped 3d landscapes,
   all in 24-bit colour.  Sanyo and AT&T will also release
   3DO systems.  Sanyo's in mid 1994 and AT&T in late 1994.

   There will be a 3DO add-on cartridge based on the PowerPC to
   enable the 3DO to compete with Sony's Playstation console
   and Sega's Saturn console, both of which have a higher
   specification than the original 3DO.  The add-on is commonly
   known as the M2 or Bulldog.  It should hit the shops by
   Christmas 1995 and will (allegedly) do a million flat shaded
   polygons per second.

   <3DO Home>.

   Usenet newsgroup: <news:rec.games.video.3do>.

   (1994-12-13)