3DO Interactive Multiplayer Frequently Asked Questions list V2.4c

Frequently Asked Questions List V2.4c, maintained by Scott A. Krotz <krotz@rtsg.mot.com>, Mosaic version by Michel Buffa <michel.buffa@cmu.edu>

Here once again is the 3DO FAQ, a little early because Im going on vacation for the next two weeks (and getting married :) As always, send any corrections, updates, additions, or good jokes to me, Scott Krotz, at krotz@rtsg.mot.com.

Scott

This is the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Frequently Asked Questions list. It consists of the following four sections:

Each section answers specific questions about the 3DO, the 3DO company, and 3DO software and hardware.

This FAQ List was last modified on July 29th, 1994. The latest version of this faq, along with other 3DO related materials, can be found at the ftp site ftp.ee.pdx.edu (131.252.10.155).

Also, check out Michel Buffa's video games home page available via WWW at: http://www.cs.cmu.edu:8001/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/buffa/www/videogames.html the 3DO faq is available there in Mosaic format, along with lots of other video game information. Special thanks to Michel Buffa for his great job of formatting the faq and for creating and maintaining the video games page. This Mosaic version has been last updated July 31st, 1994by Michel Buffa.

Section 1 - 3DO consoles and general information

[1.1] What is a 3DO?

A: The 3DO is, technically, a set of specifications created by the 3DO company, which is itself a partership of seven different Companies. These specs are the intellectual property of the 3DO Company, and are the blueprint for making a 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. Manufacturing companies license the rights from the 3DO Company to manufacture a system based on the 3DO Company's specifications. Software companies license the ability to develop software for the 3DO.

The closest analogy is that of the VCR; The VCR *technology* was created by JVC, and any company can manufacture a VCR or VCR videocassettes as long as they pay a small royalty to JVC. The 3DO *technology* was created by the 3DO Company, and several companies have licensed the right to manufacture 3DO systems based on this technology. The 3DO Company itself does not manufacture 3DO systems.

(Note: It's somewhat incorrect to state that VCR technology was created by JVC; things are a bit more complicated than that. For the purposes of my analogy, however, its close enough. :)

Basically, a 3DO system consists of an ARM60 32-bit RISC processor as the general processing unit, with a graphics engine based around two custom designed graphics and animation processors. It has 2 Megabytes of DRAM, 1 Megabyte of VRAM, and a doublespeed CD-ROM drive for main storage. This is a simplified description of the system; See below for detailed specifications.

Be sure to read the newsgroup rec.games.video.3do for ongoing discussions about 3DO software and hardware.

[1.2] What can the 3DO do?

"It will be more stimulating to the human mind than any new technology since printing." - Trip Hawkins

A: The Panasonic 3DO system can run 3DO Interactive software, Play audio CD's (including support for CD+G), View Photo-CDs, and will eventually be able to play Video CD's with a special add-on MPEG1 full motion video cartridge.

With its controller port 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,except for the light gun).

3DO Interactive software is a step beyond most current consumer multimedia interactive software. With its powerful cel engine, the 3DO can display full motion video, fully texture mapped 3-D landscapes, and other amazing visuals, all in 24-bit color.

[1.3] What does the Panasonic 3DO system come with?

A: The Panasonic REAL 3DO player includes the 3DO system with an RF output, composite video output, S-Video output, left and right audio outputs, and cables for composite video and L+R audio. The 3DO system contains an FMV port for attaching the optional MPEG1 full motion video cartridge (used to watch Video CDs), one expansion port, and one controller port. Up to eight devices can be daisy chained together on the controller port. The base system also includes one seven-button controller with 11 foot cable and headphone jack + volume control. The base system also includes two CDs: a 3DO sampler disc and the game CD "Crash and Burn." The sampler disc contains an intro to the system, demo programs, and information about upcoming titles. "Crash and Burn" is a high speed 3-D texture mapped racing-combat game. A manual, setup information, and promotional poster are also included.

For more information on the Panasonic REAL(tm) Interactive Multiplayer, call (800)REAL-3DO.

[1.4] Where can I get the lowest price for a 3DO?

A: The retail price of the 3DO has recently been dropped to $499 (with many retail outlets selling it for $449), so make sure not to buy a 3DO somewhere that has not changed to the new price. Mail order outlets usually have slightly lower prices than retail stores, and may have it for less. Prices as low as $399 have been found. Ask on rec.games.video.3do for more info about finding the current best place to purchase a 3DO.

[1.5] Is the 3DO a Panasonic product?

A: No. The 3DO system was developed and designed by the 3DO Company, and Panasonic has licensed the right to manufacture the system from the 3DO company. Panasonic has little to do with the design of the system, they just build them. Panasonic calls their 3DO console the "Panasonic FZ-1 R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer."

[1.6] Who else is a 3DO hardware licensee?

A: Here is a list of the current 3DO hardware licensees:

Licensee Product Notes -------- ------- ----- Panasonic Home Console FZ-1 is currently released(1) Sanyo Home Console Planned release in August(2) AT&T Home Console Console plan on hold(?) (3) Samsung Home Console/w MPEG Planned release in late '94(4) Goldstar Home Console Planned release in late '94(4) Creative Labs PC Card PC card for IBM compatibles(6) Toshiba Portable Creating a car nav system(7) Scientific-Atlanta Set-top cablebox Interactive TV test for US West Atari Games Coin-op Arcade Game Game(s) to be made are unknown Electronic Arts Coin-op Arcade Game Game(s) to be made are unknown American Laser Games Coin-op Arcade Game Game(s) to be made are unknown NOTE: All release dates are tentative and subject to change.

  1. The Panasonic FZ-1 is the only 3DO console currently available. It has been released in the US and Japan, and a UK release of a PAL FZ-1 is scheduled for Fall '94. A Canadian release of the NTSC FZ-1 will also occur in September '94.
  2. Sanyo has stated the Japanese release will come before the American release. The Japanese launch is currently scheduled for August. A tentative price for the Japanese release is rumored to be 30,000 yen, or about $300 US dollars. No dates are currently available on the US launch.
  3. The AT&T 3DO was previously planned, and would have optionally included a modem for networked games and communication. Their 3DO console plans seem to currently be on hold, however.
  4. The Samsung 3DO console will include built-in MPEG decoding hardware. It is tentatively set to be released in late '94 or early '95.
  5. The Goldstar 3DO console is tentatively set to be released in late '94 at a price lower than Panasonic's. Goldstar also plans to expand distribution of the 3DO system by making it available through mass merchandisers and toy stores.
  6. For more information on the Creative labs PC card, see section 3.3.
  7. Toshiba has announced plans to develop a portable version of the 3DO system that can be installed in automobiles. It is believed to be a car navigation system of some sort, and should be available in Japan in late '94.

[1.7] I thought the Sanyo 3DO console was cancelled? EGM says so!

A: This is incorrect. A news article came out in November '93 saying that the Sanyo 3DO had been shelved, but it turned out to be false information. EGM picked up this story and printed it. Both 3DO and Sanyo contacted EGM to tell them the story was false, but EGM amazingly refused to retract their story. The information about the cancellation of the Sanyo 3DO in the March issue of EGM is incorrect. Sanyo has announced that they will release their own 3DO console in August, and at a price "lower than Panasonics." No specific price has been given.

[1.8] What's this I hear about a "reduced-cost" 3DO chipset?

A: 3DO has re-worked their chipset to reduce the cost of manufacturing. The new chipset has no more or less functionality or speed than the previous one, it simply combines several chips into one to reduce the cost of making it. The new chipset should be available in quantity soon and is slated to be used in the new 3DO consoles.

[1.9] Will each 3DO system be compatible?

A: Yes. You will be able to run all 3DO software on any manufacturers system. However, each system can be customized to some extent by the manufacturer to add their own special features.. for example the built-in MPEG decoder on the Samsung console.

[1.10] Will there be special PAL titles for PAL versions of the 3DO?

A: Yes. However, NTSC versions of 3DO games will be playable on PAL 3DO consoles, although they may look slightly "crunched" due to the differences between PAL and NTSC aspect ratios. PAL versions of 3DO titles will look correct on PAL 3DO systems.

[1.11] Will I be able to play current 3DO software on the next generation 3DO system?

A: Yes. Right now 3DO intends that you will be able to play current 3DO software on any future 3DO compatible machine.

[1.12] Will I be able to upgrade my current 3DO console to a next generation 3DO console (through the FMV expansion port perhaps) when it is available?

A: Its not known if there will be the ability to upgrade current 3DO hardware into next generation 3DO hardware. Very little is known about the next version of the 3DO, though it is rumored to be designed and is possibly being readied for a Christmas '95 release. 3DO has made no official comment on the matter as of yet.

[1.13] Is the 3DO just going to be an educational system?

A: No. While educational and informational programs are going to be an important part of the 3DO software library, there will also be lots of games. Trip Hawkins is said to love games, and the system was designed by game players almost certainly with games in mind.

[1.14] Is the 3DO just going to be a games system?

A: No. Childrens, educational, and reference/informational programs are planned to be a large part of the 3DO software library.

[1.15] Is the 3DO the same as CD-I?

A: No. CD-I stands for "CD Interactive" and is a system developed by Phillips Electronics. The two systems *are not* compatible and are totally unrelated.

[1.16] Which system is better, the 3DO or the Jaguar?

A: It isn't really known. Due to the bus design and architecture of the 3DO, the two systems cannot easily be compared. Only time and software will begin to show the different abilities of the two systems.

People in the newsgroup rec.games.video.advocacy will almost certainly be discussing this issue. Check there for more information, but only if you are strong in body and spirit. :) System wars are well known for their ferocity.

[1.17] Where can I ftp 3DO related files?

A: the ftp site ftp.ee.pdx.edu (131.252.10.155) has 3DO related materials, including the latest ascii version of this FAQ, in the directory /pub/gaming/3DO. New files can be submitted in the /pub/incoming directory. The administrator of the 3DO section is Shawn Baird (bairds@ee.pdx.edu), please notify him of any files you upload.

Section 2 - 3DO Founders and Company information

[2.1] What does 3DO stand for?

A: Nothing, really. Some people have said it stands for "3 Dimensional Objects," or "3 Dollars Only," (The current licensing fee per disc) but the general consensus is that it means it is the next step after audio and video: audio, video, "threedeo."

[2.2] Who developed the 3DO system?

A: Dave Needle and RJ Mical are named as co-inventors of the Machine. Needle and Mical previously worked on the the design team of the original Amiga computer, and on the design of the Atari Lynx handheld gaming system. The NTG (New Technologies Group) company designed most of the 3DO technology/hardware.

[2.3] Who is Trip Hawkins?

A: Trip Hawkins is the founder and CEO of the 3DO Company. He is also the founder of Electronic Arts, a well known software publishing company. Trip is the driving force behind the creation and development of the 3DO.

[2.4] Who are the seven partners that make up 3DO?

A: Matsushita, AT&T, Time Warner, MCA, Electronic Arts, venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and the New Technologies Group(NTG). NTG was previously a separate company but has now merged into the 3DO company and no longer exists as a separate entity.

[2.5] How does the 3DO company make money?

A: 3DO gets a small royalty for each 3DO console sold. They also get a royalty on each 3DO software disc sold. The 3DO disc royalty is currently at $3 per disc. Since 3DO does not directly manufacture the 3DO consoles or software, it has little control over their retail pricing.

[2.6] Why doesn't 3DO release information on how many consoles have been sold?

A: Since 3DO does not manufacture the consoles, they _cannot_ give out statistics on how many consoles have been sold without the consent of the manufacturer. This is the confidential information of the manufacturing company. Ask the manufacturer for sales figures, not 3DO.

[2.7] What about 3DO's stock?

A: In mid-March, 1993, 3DO (NASDAQ: THDO) entered into the stock market with an initial public offering (IPO) that values the entire company at around $300 million. 3DO has an ongoing promotion offering 3DO hardware manufacturers two shares of 3DO common stock for each hardware system shipped at or below certain retail prices before Sept. 30, 1994. All of the current hardware licensees are eligible to take part in this promotion. In June 3DO completed an offering of almost 3 million shares of common stock to existing and new investors to raise $40 million in capital.

[2.8] How do I contact the 3DO company?

A: Contact 3DO's public relations department at:

The 3DO Company 600 Galveston Dr. Redwood City, Ca 94063 (415) 261-3000 internet e-mail: info@3do.com

Section 3 - Hardware, Peripherals, and Specifications

[3.1] What Peripherals are coming for the 3DO?

A: Peripherals have been announced by Logitech and CH Products. Alps Electric, Inc. has also signed on to create 3DO peripherals but has not announced any products as of yet. Logitech is going to produce a mouse for the 3DO, and CH Products an analog joystick. No release dates have been made public for either product. A keyboard peripheral is also expected.

[3.2] Is there an external storage device coming for the 3DO?

A: Yes, a PCMCIA SRAM card reader is being readied for release for the 3DO. This peripheral will expand the 3DO's NVRAM by allowing users to store games to standard PCMCIA SRAM cards. The memory cards and card reader will be manufactured by TDK and is tentatively set to be released in the first quarter of 1995.

[3.3] Is there going to be a modem for the 3DO?

A: Yes, AT&T is planning on releasing an add-on modem peripheral for 3DO consoles. The AT&T modem will incorporate AT&T's VoiceSpan voice-over-data technology that allows players to talk with the person they are networked with.

[3.4] When will the MPEG add-on be released?

A: The MPEG video adaptor for the Panasonic FZ-1 3DO console is currently scheduled to be released in the fall for a price of around $249. Panasonic has held up the release of the unit because of the lack of CD-Video movies. The Samsung 3DO console will come with built in MPEG decoding and is scheduled to be released in late '94 or early '95. An MPEG adaptor will be available for the Goldstar and Sanyo 3DO consoles, but no release or pricing information for them is currently available.

[3.5] What about the PC 3DO card?

A: Creative Technology Ltd. plans to jointly develop a 3DO-compatible personal computer plug-in card. This card will allow properly configured PC compatibles to play 3DO software titles in either a resizeable window or full screen. The first version of the card available is rumored to be an ISA card that will work with Panasonic or Creative Labs doublespeed CD-ROM drives, with a SCSI version of the card coming later. Creative Technology will manufacture and market the card, and has announced a 4th quarter release date. No pricing information is currently available.

[3.6] What hardware is coming, and when?

A: Here's a condensed list of 3DO hardware and peripherals, their manufacturer, and predicted release date.

Product Manufacturer Predicted Rls. ------- ------------ -------------- 3DO PC Card Creative Technology 4th Q '94 3DO PC Card SCSI Creative Technology unknown Extra controller Panasonic Available FlightStick Pro CH Products Early Fall Game Gun American Laser Games Available Mouse Logitech unknown SRAM Card and Reader TDK 1st Q '95 VoiceSpan Modem AT&T unknown

[3.7] Can the Panasonic 3DO control pad do diagonals? I sure can't get mine to!

A: Diagonals can be done on the Panasonic 3DO directional pad, but they take excessive force. There is a simple solution, however, that allows diagonal movement to be done easily. David Liu (davidliu@husc8.harvard.edu) says:

"One merely needs to partially unscrew the six screws which hold the controller in place. Unscrewing only the three screws on the right side of the bottom face of the controller three turns each restores much of the control; loosening the remaining screws slightly can be used to tune the sensitivity of the controller. The origin of the problem may be that the rubber contact pad and the plastic control disk are pressed too tightly in the factory-produced controllers, causing a slight warping of the rubber pad. Loosening the two halves of the controller, however, remedies this problem."

Many thanks to David Liu for this quick and simple fix! Remember, although this is a simple procedure, neither David nor I can bear any responsibility for damage done to your controllers while attempting this fix.

There is also a slightly trickier and more involved method developed by Casey Grimm that might be a better fix. It involves taking apart the control pad and cutting a small part of the thumb pad. This fix can be found on ftp.ee.pdx.edu for those who are interested.

[3.8] What is the resolution of the 3DO system?

A: The resolution displayed on screen is 640x480. However, the 3DO has an internal resolution of 320x240 or 320x480, with each pixel being either 24-bits or 16-bits. The 16-bit mode is almost always used for animations, while the 24-bit mode is used mostly for still pictures. There are no other resolutions available. The internal resolution is interpolated into an anti-aliased 640x480 pixel display. The interpolation can be turned on and off via software.

[3.9] Can the 3DO do real 24-bit color?

A: The 3DO can do 16 bit graphics with CLUTs(Color Look Up Tables) drawn from 24 bits, or it can do true 24 bit graphics.

[3.10] What does it mean when 3DO product literature says that the system can "animate 64 million pixels per second?"

A: The system is capable of animating up to 64 million 16-bit on-screen pixels per second. This is really 16 million internal 16-bit pixels that are then interpolated as they are displayed on the screen to 640 by 480 pixel resolution, quadrupling the number of pixels displayed on screen.

[3.11] What are the detailed specs of the system?

A: According to information from an article about the 3DO in Popular Science, the 3DO has an interesting design. Instead of a straightforward single bus configuration, it seems to have a multiple bus configuration. This in theory allows multiple components to be operating simultaneously, with less bus contention problems than would be found in a standard single-bus design.

The heart of the system is two Graphics and animation processors which are capable of rendering up to 64 million texture mapped pixels per second (interpolated). The Graphics animation processors and the DSP are custom designed by NTG, a division of the 3DO Company.

The block diagram shown below is taken from an article on the 3DO system in the Dec. 93 issue of Popular Science Magazine.

Graphics Graphics --------- animation animation | 3DO | processor processor | block | |32|____________|32| |diagram| |________ ________| M --------- |32| o _____|__|_____ n __ Video _______ 1MB ______| |____ 2MB i __ processor_______ VRAM __32__| |_32_ DRAM t | | o | | r | DMA |____ Expansion __ CDROM | controller |_32_ Port Control __ Drive | | A | |___ Control __ Control pad u__ D/A __ Digital ______| |_8_ Port __ 3d goggles d__ Converter __ Signal __16__|____________| keyboard i Processor |32| o ______________________| | | ______ _________ | |32| |32| |32| Optional Video 32-bit RISC _____ Math Co- ___ ROM & Video --> Video Decomp Processor _____ Processor ___ SRAM Input Port/plug

Specs:

Section 4 - System and Application Software

[4.1] What about the 3DO operating system?

A: The 3DO OS is a fully-featured 32-bit multitasking operating system written specifically for the 3DO by NTG. Developers *must* use the OS for a variety of reasons, the main one being to maintain compatibility with all 3DO consoles and future next generation 3DO consoles. The OS is loaded from an application's CD when the system starts up, and is not in the consoles ROM. Contrary to rumors, there is no way to bypass the OS and "hack" directly on the hardware.

The 3DO OS consists of two parts:

  1. A multitasking kernel with drivers for peripherals, a complete file system, and support for physical storage.
  2. Several software "folios" that provide a link between application software and the 3DO hardware, and are designed to allow software compatibility as new versions of the hardware are developed. The following six subsystems make up the entire "Portfolio" of 3DO OS system calls:
    • The Decompression Folio: supports software and hardware decompression of audio and video data.
    • The Math Folio: performs many of the high level calculations.
    • The Graphics Folio: provides access to the 3DO's cel and display subsystems for doing graphics effects and animation. The effects include warping, transparency, lighting effects, anti-aliasing, and texture mapping.
    • The 3-D Folio: system code for creating 3-D effects and doing complex calculations.
    • The Audio Folio: supports the creation and manipulation of sound effects and music. This includes proprietary algorithms called "3D audio imaging" that create the illusion of sound coming not only from the left and right, but front and back (when wearing headphones). These algorithms can also produce Doppler effects and reverberations.
    • The File System Folio: manages the file system.

[4.2] How is 3DO application software developed?

A: 3DO Software is developed on high-end Macintosh computers via an easy to use toolkit and development station created by the 3DO Company. The development station consists of a special 3DO that has several debugging features and is interfaced to the Macintosh computer. The toolkit contains emulation software and programming and authoring tools that include a source level debugger, compiler, linker, assembler, various libraries, custom plug-in's, 2D animation and imaging software, 3D modeling software, and video and file translation tools as well as Macromedia's Director, MacroModel, and Three-D (the macromedia s/w and extractor are sold separately). Software licensees can get a vast "content library" from the 3DO partners: 190 CDs carrying 111 gigabytes of music, sound effects, photos, film clips, clip art, and text references, all available to knit into their work. (This is also sold separately - $995 for vol 1 and $495 for vol 2)

[4.3] How much does the development system cost?

A: The Development environment costs about $9500 and comes with the special 3DO that interfaces with a Mac Quadra via an optical link cable, along with the Software tools and documentation. An optional development environment comes with a development card (which has the same functionality as the full development 3DO system except for no CD drive) instead of the special 3DO, and costs about $6000. (The development card is a nubus card for Macintosh computers). A PC programming environment is coming soon from Cross Products.

[4.4] How do I become a 3DO developer?

A: For information on becoming a 3DO developer, call the 3DO New Developer INFO Line at (415)261-3202.

[4.5] Will 3DO software be censored at all?

A: No.

[4.6] Will 3DO software have a ratings system of some kind?

A: Yes, at the current time 3DO is going to have an optional rating system that will be administered by the software publisher. The publisher will determine what audience is suitable for their title, and then place the appropriate rating on it. The ratings are as follows:

[4.7] Who is developing software for the 3DO?

A: Reportedly nearly 700 companies are licensed 3DO developers, with more than 550 third-party development systems installed and 200 software companies worldwide actively developing titles. Some of the more well known companies developing for the 3DO are Electronic Arts, Origin, Virgin Games, Dynamix, Acclaim, Konami, Interplay, Crystal Dynamics, Psygnosis, and Microprose.

[4.8] What software is going to be available for the 3DO?

A: Here is a list of 3DO software (originally compiled by Enrique Conty) that is now or will be available. This list was compiled from brochures, official releases, and net information. Feel free to inform me of any additions or corrections.

Software available (you can pick these in stores NOW): 

Software available (you can pick these in stores NOW):
Title				Publisher		Type
20th Century Video Almanac	Software Toolworks	Reference
Alone in the Dark		Interplay		Adventure/Action
BattleChess			Interplay		Chess
Cowboy Casino			IntelliPlay		Education
CPU Bach			Microprose		Education
Crash & Burn			Crystal Dynamics	Racing/Shooter
Dennis Miller - It's News to Me	Sanctuary Woods		Canned Video/comedy
Dragon's Lair			Readysoft		Canned Video/Adventure
Escape From Monster Manor	EA/Studio 3DO		Action
Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise	Humongous Entertainment Education
Fatty Bear's Fun Pack		Humongous Entertainment	Education
Horde, The			Crystal Dynamics	Action/Strategy
Incredible Machine, The		Dynamix			Puzzle
ESPN Step Aerobics		IntelliPlay		Fitness/Workout
It's a Bird's Life		Sanctuary Woods		Education
John Madden Football		Electronic Arts		Sports
Jurassic Park Interactive	MCA/Studio 3DO		Action/Adventure
Lemmings			Psygnosis		Puzzle
Life Stage, The			Panasonic		Virtual House
Mad Dog McCree			American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Night Trap			Virgin Games		Canned Video/Puzzle
Oceans Below			Software Toolworks	Education
Out Of This World		Interplay		Adventure
Pebble Beach Golf		T & E Software		Sports
Putt-Putt Goes to the Moon	Humongous Entertainment	Education
Putt-Putt Joins the Parade	Humongous Entertainment	Education
Putt-Putt's Fun Pack		Humongous Entertainment	Education
Real Pinball			Panasonic		Pinball
San Diego Zoo: The Animals	Software Toolworks	Education
Sewer Shark			Virgin Games		Canned Video/Shooter
Shock Wave			Electronic Arts		Flightsim
Stellar 7			Dynamix			Action/Shooter
Supermodels Go Wild		Vivid Interactive	Video
Super Wing Commander		Origin			Flightsim
Tom Kite: Consistent Golf	IntelliPlay		Education
ToonTime!.. In the classroom	VideoactV		Cartoon
Total Eclipse			Crystal Dynamics	Shooter
Twisted				EA/Studio 3DO		Puzzle
Who Shot Johnny Rock		American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Woody Woodpecker Cartoon Vol1-3 Universal Home Video	Cartoon

Software in production (not yet done, but officially announced):
Title				Publisher		Type
3D Atlas			Electronic Arts		Information
7th Guest II: The 11th Hour	Trilobyte/Virgin	Puzzle	
AD&D Slayer			SSI			3D RPG
Air Warrior			GameTek			Flightsim
Alien Trilogy			Acclaim			3-D Action
Alone in the Dark II		Interplay		Adventure/Action
Baseball: Catching		IntelliPlay		Education
Baseball: Defensive Play	IntelliPlay		Education
Baseball: Hitting		IntelliPlay		Education
Baseball: Pitching		IntelliPlay		Education
B.I.O.S Fear			Sense-Net Corp.		Adventure
BlueStar			Magnetic		Adventure
Burning Soldier			Panasonic		Shooter
Chaos Control			Infogrames		Shooter
C.I.T.Y 2000 Paris		Aditus			Mystery
Clay Fighters II		Interplay		Fighting
Cool Knight			Readysoft		Music
Cool Spot			Virgin Games		Platform
Creature Shock			Argonaut		Action/Arcade
Crime Patrol			American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Demolition Man			Virgin			Action/Arcade
Dennis Miller - It's Geek to Me	Sanctuary Woods		Canned Video/comedy
Dino Park Tycoon		MECC			Edutainment
Dragon Ballz			Jaleco			Fighting
Dragon Lore			Mindscape		RPG
Dragon's Lair II		Readysoft		Canned Video/Adventure
Dragon Knight III		MegaTech		Adult Adventure
Drug Wars			American Laser Games    Canned Video/Shooter
Duelin' Firemen!		RUNANDGUN!, Inc.	Interactive Movie
Electronic Housing Planner	TOPPAN Printing Co.,Ltd	Cad/house design
Family Feud			GameTek			Game Show
FIFA Soccer			Electronic Arts		Sports
Flashback			US Gold			Action/Adventure
Flying Nightmares		Domark			Flight Sim
Football: Defensive Backfield	IntelliPlay		Education
Football: Linemen		IntelliPlay		Education
Football: Quarterback		IntelliPlay		Education
Football: Receiver		IntelliPlay		Education
Frommer's M'media Travel Guide	Frommers		Reference
Galaxian 2			Namco			Shooter
GEX				Crystal Dynamics	Platform
Gradius				Konami			Shooter
Gridders			Tetragon		Action/Strategy
Guardian War (Powers Kingdom)	Panasonic		RPG
Heart of Darkness		Electronic Arts		?
Humans, The			GameTek			Action/Strategy
Inspector Danger's Crime Quiz	Digital Productions	Puzzle
InteractV Aerobics		VideoactV		Exercise
Iron Man (Tetsujin)		Panasonic		1st person 3D
Jammit				Virgin			1-on-1 Basketball
Kingdom: The Far Reaches	Interplay		RPG
Lawnmower Man			Sony Imagesoft		Adventure
Lemmings III			Psygnosis		Action/Strategy
Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes	Electronic Arts		Adventure
Lost Vikings, The		Interplay		Action/Adventure
Mad Dog McCree II:The Lost Gold	American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Maelstrom			Readysoft		Strategy(?)
Magic Carpet			Bullfrog/EA		?
Mega Race			The Software Toolworks	Racing
Mathemagics			LS Interactive, Inc.	Education
Microcosm			Psygnosis		Shooter
Mieko				Digital Productions	Education
Need for Speed			Electronic Arts		Driving
NHL Hockey			Electronic Arts		Sports
Off-World Interceptor		Crystal Dynamics	Shooter
PatAank				PF Magic		Futuristic Pinball
Peter Gabriels Explora 1	Interplay		Interactive music
Peter Pan			Electronic Arts		Paint/Education
PGA Tour Golf			Electronic Arts		Sports
Plumbers Don't Wear Ties	JC Research Inc.	Interactive Movie
Powerslide			Elite Systems		Racing
PO'ed (working title)		Any Channel		1st Person 3D
Rap Rock n Roll	I & II		Paramount Interactive	interactive music
Rebel Assault			Software Toolworks	FMV/Shooter
Red Baron			Dynamix			Flightsim
Return to Zork			Activision		Adventure
Return Fire			Silent Software		Tank battle
Road Rash			Electronic Arts		Racing
Robinsons Reqium		Similaris		RPG
Rock and Roll Racing		Interplay		Action/Arcade
Rise of the Robots		Mirage			Fighting
Samurai Shodown			Crystal Dynamics	Fighting
Santa Fe Trail			American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Scavenger 4			Psygnosis		Canned Video/Shooter
Scorched Earth			Electronic Arts		?
Seawolf SSN-21			Electronic Arts		Subsim
Sesame Street: Numbers		Electronic Arts		Education
Shadow: War of Succession	Tribeca Digital Studios Fighting
Silly Classix!... At the Museum VideoactV		Cartoon
Soccer Kid			Studio 3DO		Platform
Solvalou			Namco			?
Space Ace			Readysoft		Canned Video/Adventure
Space Hulk			Electronic Arts		Strategy/Action
Space Pirates			American Laser Games	Canned Video/Shooter
Space Shuttle			The Software Toolworks	Simulation
Star Control II			Crystal Dyanamics	Adventure/RPG
Star Trek: The Next Generation	Spectrum Holobyte	Adventure
Star Trek: TNG Technical Manual	Paramount Interactive	Reference
Star Wars Chess			Software Toolworks	Chess
Super Street Fighter II Turbo	Capcom			Fighting
Syndicate			Electronic Arts		Strategy
Theme Park			Bullfrog		Strategy/Sim
Tigernaut: Beyond the Stars	VideoactV		Edutainment
True Golf Classics:
    Waialae Country Club	Panasonic Software	Sports
Virtuoso			Elite Systems		1st person 3D action
VR Stalker			Morpheus Interactive	Flight sim
Way of the Warrior		Naughty Dog Software	Fighting
Whole Dog Almanac, The		Digital Productions	Education
Wing Commander III		Origin/EA		Space Combat


Japanese Titles in production or released:
Title				Publisher
Burning Soldier			Pack-in Video
Chiki Chiki Machine Race	Future Pirates
Doctor Hauzer			Riverhill Soft
Fireball			Japan Data Works
Kyoto Mystery			Pack-in Video/Panasonic
Mask of the Black Death, The	Humming Bird Soft/Panasonic
Nobunga's Ambition		Koei
Nontan To Issho			Victor Entertainment/Panasonic
Policenauts			Konami
Powers Kingdom			Panasonic
Professional Mah Jong Goku	ascii/Panasonic
Sangokushi			Koei
Seal of the Pharoah		?
Shogi Special			Ascii
Solar Moon S			Bandai
Suchi Pai			Jaleco
Takeru				Fun Project/Panasonic
Tetsujin (Ironman)		Synergy/Panasonic
Theatre Wars			Hakuhodo/Panasonic
Toki O Koeta Tegami		Thinking Rabbit/Panasonic
Virtual Quest			Ask Kondansha
Wacky Racers			?
Winning Post			Koei
Ultraman Power			Bandai
Yu Yu Hakusyo			Tomy

[4.9] Sometimes I hear "popping" and "clicking" noises while playing Crash and Burn and other games. Is something wrong with my 3DO?

A: No, nothing is wrong with your 3DO. There was a bug in the 3DO OS's audio library that caused a clicking sound sometimes when audio samples were played. This can be heard in games like "Crash & Burn" and "Total Eclipse." The bug has been fixed and should only be present in early 3DO games.

[4.10] How is the 3DO's NVRAM structured?

A: The 3DO's non-volatile static ram is structured like a file system. It cannot be written to directly by an application, OS calls _must_ be used to read, write, create, or delete files in the NVRAM. Any program, however, can read, modify, or delete any other programs files if it wishes too. 3DO strongly suggests developers not write software that deletes other programs files without the permission of the user.

If you have problems with your NVRAM, such as problems saving or loading files from it, you can get free software from Panasonic to help you correct the problem. Have the serial number of your 3DO handy, and call Panasonic at (201)348-9090. Tell them you are a 3DO owner and need the 3DO combined demo disk/memory manager. If the person you get doesn't know what you are talking about, make sure they take down your address and have them ask their supervisor for more information.

[4.11] Hey! I played The Horde, saved a game, and now all of my other non-Horde saved games in NVRAM are gone! What happened?

A: The Horde currently deletes all other non-horde saved games in NVRAM when you save a game. Amazingly, this is not a bug.. the game was designed to do this to give players the maximum amount of ram for Horde saved games! Crystal Dynamics is aware that this is a problem for many people and will allow people to exchange their NVRAM devouring copy of the horde for one with less of an appetite. To do so, follow these directions from Crystal Dynamics:

UPS will not deliver to a P.O. Box . Please _mail_ your Horde (3DO) CD along with the 3"x5" index card or piece of paper with your name and full street address to:

Crystal Dynamics P.O. Box 7046 San Francisco, CA 94120-9324 The new version will only allow you to save four games, and will allow you to delete NVRAM files when it is full. For more information about the new version, call the Crystal Dynamics Customer Service line at (415)473-3434.

This has been the 3DO Frequently asked questions list. It is maintained by Scott A. Krotz, krotz@rtsg.mot.com. Although I attempt to keep the FAQ as accurate as possible, some information may be incorrect. I have no affiliation with the 3DO Company other than being a satisfied customer and the information in this FAQ should not be taken as an official statement from the 3DO Company.

Special thanks to Blake Stone, Enrique Conty, and all of the friendly folks at 3DO who helped in creating and maintaining this list. The information and help provided by these people has been a great assistance in making this list as complete and correct as possible. Thanks also to Michel Buffa for his great work in creating a Mosaic version of the faq.

Send all corrections, comments, and ideas for additions to me, Scott Krotz at krotz@rtsg.mot.com.

Send all corrections or suggestions about the Mosaic presentation of this page to Michel Buffa <Michel.Buffa@cmu.edu>

michel.buffa@cmu.edu