Crash Bandicoot [scus-94900] Access
Developing for the PlayStation's 2MB of RAM required unconventional "hacker culture" techniques.
During a cross-country drive in 1994, the founders conceived the project as a . This internal nickname defined their biggest design challenge: how to make a 3D platformer where the player wasn't constantly just looking at the character's backside. Their solutions included: Making Crash Bandicoot – part 1 - All Things Andy Gavin Crash Bandicoot [SCUS-94900]
: Lead coder Andy Gavin developed a virtual memory swapping technique that divided levels into 64KB chunks . These chunks streamed off the slow CD-ROM into the system RAM only when needed, allowing for detail levels "20 to 30 times" higher than contemporary games. Developing for the PlayStation's 2MB of RAM required
Released in 1996, is far more than just a 3D platformer; it was the "crucible" that forged the philosophy of developer Naughty Dog . The game was designed to give Sony's new PlayStation a mascot capable of competing with Mario and Sonic. Technical "War Stories" Their solutions included: Making Crash Bandicoot – part
: The team actually "hacked" the original PlayStation libraries, erasing unused portions of code to reclaim tiny amounts of extra memory for the game.
: Naughty Dog created their own programming language, GOOL (Game Object-Oriented Language), specifically for the project. The "Sonic's Ass" Problem