Doing a report at college... (GP32 related)

[GP32 Kirby]

Sorry if this is the wrong board to post this topic in, but it is to do with the GP32 and yet my "help" isnt about solving technical difficulties with the machine.. well, it's like this..

In college, I must write a report and investigate and research for the relevant information I intend to put into my report.. my report is all about homebrew software development scene in the GP32 community, seeing it is basically making this handheld console stand out from the competition.

One area of gathering information is here, on this post, if anyone has anything to say that I am looking for.. I myself am not a software developer for the GP32 (although I will be learning C++ somewhere later in my college course), but here is specificaly some information I seek...

• How big does homebrew development make an impact on the handheld and the community in general?
• For those who wish to begin developing for the GP32, what are minimum requirements and skills needed to begin?
• How difficult is it to code different types of GP32 software? (Games, utilities, music/media players, emulators, etc.)
• If possible for the software, how easy or difficult is it to port open-source software to the GP32, as well as update or optimise it for the platform?

This is just about all I can think of to ask for information on... I only have a week to get the information and put it into my report, so please tell me what you know, it'll be of great help!

 

[Mindar]

1. The impact of homebrew development does draw some people into the console, after all, most, even all, the software some people use on the gp32 is homebrew (excluding gpcinema ect.).

2.To begine development, you must know various languages, but mostly experience in c++. You ofcourse need a gp32 to play your homebrewed creations.

3.Well that more or less depends on how much experience you have on software development. The more you have, the easier it is.

4. Porting software is either harder or easier, depending on what software it is. If your trying to port tic-tac-toe, I see no difficulty in that. But by somechance, if you run across a copy of windows xp source, it would, I imagine, be quite difficult to port that.

Hope I helped a little.

 

[rcx21000]

1. Theres no point in a GP32 if there wasn't the homebrew scene.

2. You need to be 11 (me), have a GP32 and time. Thats all I had, and I started deving, even though I am not exactly that good

3. Games: Pretty easy, if its a simple game Everything else: I've never tried to

4. I dunno, never tried.

 

[woogal]

1. Homebrew is very important to me, and the only reason I got a gp32 was to code for it (it's actually the first console I've ever owned - never seen the point in a system I couldn't create software for)

2. Same as for coding for any other system (and anyone who says 'I can't code for the gp32 because I only know basic/pascal/other' is either giving up too easily, or doesn't really know how to code - coding isn't about knowing a language, it's about knowing how to code)

3. One of the main difficulties (especially for new coders) is the lack of existing libraries. People these days are too used to having all of their functions written for them, especially for gfx (directx and sdl). This is slowly changing as more and more libraries are ported.

4. Don't know about porting 'cos I find it a long, slow, boring, and unrewarding job and so I don't do it.

 

[Bobsonsirjonny]

Homebrew is a fantastic concept. I for one would not have invested in a GP32 if it were not for this. The platform appealed to me - it's hardware, ethos, community reminded me very much of the Amiga back in the late 80's early 90's. Commodore - whoi made the Amiga, like Gamepark had a very modern attitude. They would allow people to write software - be it games or applications, and would not expect one penny from them. There wer no licence fees to pay, no royalities - people could just get on and code what they wanted, either for profit, or for some open source freedom fighting philosphy - or, and the one which I hold with - because they could. To show off. Because they can. That is the point - it allows you to what the hell you like without any coprorate interferance. As a result a community sprung up, of people all with different asperations and different goals - but who would share knowledge, and show off to each other by doing crazy stuff - stuff they said couldnt be done. Different diverse groups sprang up - hardware modders, musicians, artists, coders, gamers and fan boys. Creative people. It inspired a generation of bedroom coders - many of todays games developers cut their teeth here. As long as commodore kept giving the hardware that made people go wow - the community stayed together.

Now its 10 years on, since commodore fell. The commodore name is now owned by a company called Tulip. The name Amiga changed hands several times, and has been formed into a seperate company that is fighting to get a product to market. The community is falling apart and is a shadow of it former self - co-operation, and a can do attitude, has been replaced with commuity splits, and flamewars.

I miss those times, I long for those times - I see in GP32 a platform that embodies the spirit and attitudes of those great days. When computing was fun, and certain companies were less dominant in their field. Of a time when there was freedom to choose, and a community that got on and did things - moved things forward. That I feel is one of the biggest attractions to the GP32 - its community. It's a very social machine


(PS -I'm still active on the amiga scene, - it just aint as much fun.. and I fitted into the artist catagory.. I'm crap at codeing.. )

 

[papapopalung]

i bought a gp32 mostly because of it's open-source (i just liked the idea of it) umm...i'd love to get back into coding (I wish i was young again, i was good at vic20 basic back in the day, why isn't a vic20 emulator out for gp32?)

I learnt a touch of c++ back in my college days but am finding development hard (i thought it would entail less squirting stuff through wires and having more of a proper emulated development environment i.e. write program, test it, write better one, not ' get compiler working, write program in notepad, compile, squirt fxe through usb cable to gp32, test, etc etc... [please help me lol]) umm...

good luck with your assignment ( i know how much of a hassle college coursework is...) enjoy your GP32...

 

[ColinR]

The homebrew scene isn't that important to a machine directly. By this I mean that we don't generate any direct income for the publishers of said machine's games.

The homebrew scene does however generate a lot of longevity for a machine (DreamCast is currently where a lot of good stuff is going on, a powerful machine that can be bought for a few quid in the local 2nd hand computer shop).

It also provides a breeding ground for amateur coders that can then make it as pro coders. If you can code for one system, it's only a transferal of skills to develop for another. If you can code for GP32 you can also code for the GBA with minimal time investment.

Like Bob, I recall the days of the Amiga, and it's little brother the C64 (and all their peers). When a solo programmer sits in his bedroom, floor and wall covered in graph paper sketches, hacking away for a few weeks, and having something to show for it all. Unfortunately, back in the day, you didn't have the internet to shwcase your talents. The only way you could get your game to other players was to get published.

Papa, how about using the GeePee32 emu for testing?

 

[hiroziro]

Just out of curioisty

What are the definitions of the actual assignment. I know you are writing a report about Homebrew, but based upon what? What Class? Why? What is the professor's objective?

HZ h34r:

p.s. sounds very interesting whatever it is...

 

[Bobsonsirjonny]

Unfortunately, back in the day, you didn't have the internet to shwcase your talents. The only way you could get your game to other players was to get published.

Yeah - but what about the PD scene. All those PD libraries that sprung up out of knowhere - people who started the 17 bit PD library went onto form team 17, one of the coolest games houses of the early 90's.

For .50p you could get a disk full of stuff - The diskmags, the demo's - stuff did get distributed. You could release something in Jon o' groats, and it would filter down through all the playgrounds, and in a week be at lands end

 

[GP32 Kirby]

Just out of curioisty

What are the definitions of the actual assignment. I know you are writing a report about Homebrew, but based upon what? What Class? Why? What is the professor's objective?

HZ h34r:

p.s. sounds very interesting whatever it is...

You'll find out later today or later this week, because today is the deadline for my report as I'm finalizing and putting it all together before handing it over for marking. When I get it back I'll scan it for you to check out later