GP32 Help With Basics

[Gustavo]

I'm quite an experienced C++ programmer, (Mainly Allegro/SDL/OpenGL) and I've recently come accross this GP32 system. I'd like to start development for this system but I can't seem to find anything on this site that suggests how you do so. Its quite possible I missed something, in which case I appoligize. However, I'd much appriciate it if someone could point me in the direction of where I may be able to get started. Keep in mind I don't need any C++ tutorials. Thank you und danke schön.

 

[Hooka]

jcb has a tutorial here: http://jcbnetwork.com/gp32/env.html or you can try and use my sloppy directions below...

well, first you'll need Devkitarm R14 Win32, which has a link on the front page or the homepage is here, and with that you'll need MSYS and there's a link for that on the homepage above. In addition to this you'll need a SDK, there is the Official Gamepark SDK and then there is also Mr. Mirko's SDK you can choose You will have to install DevkitARM and MSYS and put their bin directories (x:\devkitarm\bin\ and x:\msys\1.0\bin or something similar to the mentioned paths) into your environment variables for whatever OS you are using then point your makefiles at whatever directory you put the sdk in and you should be ready to go, it'll be all comand line for compiling.(there maybe some IDE's available but I don't use/know about them)


If you want to do some SDL coding on GP32 there is a preassembled devkit available at the gp32spain site. all you have to do is point the environment variable at x:\minigp32\bin for this one (no msys needed, but it's an older devkit) but this one has problems with C++ as far as I've heard.

 

[Gustavo]

Thanks for the tutorial!

Quick question... what is the GPMM folder it mentions in this line? "copy the file C:\Program Files\GP32ENV\utils\DumpFW.fxe into the GPMM folder on your SmartMedia Card"

 

[trooper]

The GPMM (Gamepark Multimedia) folder is in the root directory of the Smartmedia card and is where most homebrew programs (.fxe*`s) and their files go, Though not always.

*Fxe is the GP32`s equivalent of the dos/windows exe.

Trooper

 

[Gustavo]

Where can I get a Smartmedia card? Could you perhaps explain how it works?

 

[trooper]

A smartmedia card is a standard flash card just like secure digital and compact flash cards that are used in digital cameras, Pda`s and some media players.

Here`s a picture of a Smartmedia card.

You can buy them from most electrical, Computer or camera shops, Either on-line or in the high street.

Trooper

 

[jcbnetwork]

Where can I get a Smartmedia card? Could you perhaps explain how it works?

​

I sounds like you do not have a GP32. If you do not have a GP32 and would like to develop for it then you have to skip the part about dumping the firmware in my tuturial because I assumed you would have a GP32.

You will have to download a copy of the firmware from somewhere on the internet, that is of course if you want to test your programs on GeePee32, the GP32 emulator.

 

[Gustavo]

Its true, I don't have a GP32. I would like to order one, however. Could someone please tell me how expensive they are, and how I can order one? (I've never ordered anything online before...)

jcbnetwork: By the way, your tutorial is very nice.

 

[Hooka]

check out either gbax.com or gp32z.com or the marketplace here on the board are the options that I can think of off the top of my head

 

[Gustavo]

Wow, very expensive. Oh well...

After compiling some of the examples and running them using...
geepee32 /bin whatever.bin /run
my geepee32 screen freezes I believe. Is there a way of copying and pasting the fxe files somewhere so I can load them in the emulator?

 

[Blah]

You need to download a firmware (get one at www.gp32x.de) and set the .ini on GeePee32 to use it, otherwise it wont work. Also, you may need to change your screen mode (16bit/24bit/32bit, etc) as it doesn't like some gfx card/mode combinations.

 

[Gustavo]

Pfft. I thought the de site would be in German. Oh well...

I got eveything to work on my emulator. I guess the next step is learning the GP32 functions. Then on to my own RPG projects.

 

[K0K0NUT_h3lmut]

Pfft. I thought the de site would be in German. Oh well...

I got eveything to work on my emulator. I guess the next step is learning the GP32 functions. Then on to my own RPG projects.

​

RPG projects?!? Did I hear that correctly? Awesome

*curious little-boy voice: "Gustavo...ar...ar...are you an angle?"*

We have like no RPGs...

 

[Gustavo]

RPG projects?!? Did I hear that correctly? Awesome

*curious little-boy voice: "Gustavo...ar...ar...are you an angle?"*

We have like no RPGs...

​

Yeah I've been developing RPGs for awhile now. Heres a pic of my C++ SDL map editor I've been working on.

Yeah I made the tiles too, heres some more pixel art work I've done.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I know some of you guru coders may not be very impressed, but my code is very solidly built and my application is very fast and portable. At least I think so. I use a method of buffering called "dirty triangles" I believe. Which is when you create a buffer of the screen, then you only update the pixels that change. I have a procedure that actually compares each pixels color on the screen surface to the buffer surface and determines which pixels are different and only updates those ones so its pretty fast. Its a little buggy because I'm trying to make it compare faster. So I've been learning assembly so I can do that, I'm sure it would be way faster in ASM...

 

[Oankali]

I don't know if I'm right but, if you are comparing a pixel, that means that you are already accessing the pixel, so why don't you draw the pixel directly without comparison?

I think I would need to see the code to understand a little better the benefits of your algorithm. :blink:

 

[pea]

I agree withn Oankali. From my experience a comparison is quite slow, so you may as well write it without comparing anyway UNLESS you are doing some kind of computation on the pixel before you write it - which I suspect you don't do, or you wouldn't compare it.

What would make more sense is if you are comparing an area of the screen for change (e.g. a tile) before updating ALL pixels in that area. That way you do one comparison for, say, each 32x32 tile (1024 pixels).