Chapter 4 - Runtime Software Architecture

This chapter describes the runtime Nintendo 64 software architecture. It is intended as a brief tour of the overall architecture and discusses the basic design guidelines. More specific details are provided in subsequent chapters.

4.1 Resource Access and Resource Management

4.2 CPU Access

4.2.1 Message Passing Priority Scheduled Threads
4.2.2 CPU Data Cache
4.2.3 No Default Memory Management
4.2.4 Timers
4.2.5 Variable TLB Page Sizes
4.2.6 CoProcessor 0 Access
4.2.7 I/O Access and Management
4.2.8 PI Manager
4.2.9 VI Manager

4.3 Memory Management

4.3.1 No Default Dynamic Memory Allocation
4.3.2 Region Library
4.3.3 Memory Buffer Placement
4.3.4 Memory Alignment

4.4 RCP Access Management

4.5 Graphics Interface

4.5.1 Graphics Binary Interface (GBI)
4.5.2 GBI Geometry and Attribute Hierarchy
4.5.3 GBI Feature Set
4.5.4 RSP Geometry Microcode

4.6 Audio Interface

4.7 RCP Task Management

4.7.1 The Scheduler of "Simple" Application

4.7.1.1 The Scheduler Thread
4.7.1.2 Other Application Threads

4.8 GameShop Debugger

4.8.1 WorkShop Debugger Heritage
4.8.2 Debugger Components