GP32 What About This ?? Bad Idea Or Not ?

[_tyrell_]

Something sprang to my mind the other day ... dunno if it's a good idea or not but here it is anyway. Do you remember "Amos" on the Amiga ? It was a kind of basic, with powerful graphics and sound instructions. It was interpreted (in its first version at least) and later came with a compiler.

What I've done here is a very simple "basic" interpreter and I intend to port it to the gp32. It would use sdl, sprite functions, mod playing functions, gif/jpeg functions, all that could be useful to the making of games or "multimedia" apps. The compiler would exist on the windows platform but could be easily ported to *nix as well (writte in c). You would compile a basic program, and the output file would be a ".prg" file usable on the gp32 thanks to the interpreter.

This could be useful and fun, especially for those who don't want to mess with a SDK (gcc/ads), wouldn't want to learn c, or would like to easily and quickly make apps/games.

Bad idea, good idea ??

Feedback welcome

_tyrell_

 

[don]

BEST idea EVER!
I bought almost each and every product from Francois Lionet back in the days. Amos was so great...
There were a lot of people asking for a simple basic for GP32 in the forums, if it's powerful enough the
developer scene might double or even more.

 

[mithris]

Hey, it's a great idea, then ppl could stop asking for games and do it themselves!..


I were actually thinking about reimplementing AMOS, but it was ages since i used it myself and i needed a manual.. which i couldn't find..

Some ideas i had was to add some kind of 3D graphics interface to it. Would be as easy to work with as sprites etc.

Buut i gave it all up after looking at some old BASIC code, the language is actually horrible to read..

But, anyway, some 3D extensions would be cool!

---
mithris

 

[mr.mirko]

good idea,

but a LOT work, you need a windows game editor, and a interpreter on windows and gp32. Also what type of games should it run later ? 2D space shooter, like seuk ( shot em up construction kit on c64), or more complex games, like dungeon, tiled adventures,... I think this is a endless project, only start if you are willing to end it... (lets say 6 month work)

 

[Endurion]

Well something like Gamemaker would be greate.... but even if anyone would do it I guess it would take a long long time before it would get anywhere near it.

But I´m all for it!
...so if anyone makes it I would be a verry happy man.

 

[AlexW]

I think this would be a great idea!
www.dragonbasic.com is (from what I understand) a great thing for for the GBA...
If someone makes a BASIC to C converter it would be easy to include som inline assembler functions too... then you could program in basic all the things that do not need any speed and when you have to speed certain functions up you could use som inline assembly... a lot of fun small games do not need to be made fast... they just need to made...

But anyway why not team up (if possible) with Jeff over att www.dragonbasic.com to make GP32 version of he's dragonbasic... I think he's approach is a good one...

 

[_tyrell_]

but a LOT work, you need a windows game editor, and a interpreter on windows and gp32. Also what type of games should it run later ? 2D space shooter, like seuk ( shot em up construction kit on c64), or more complex games, like dungeon, tiled adventures,... I think this is a endless project, only start if you are willing to end it... (lets say 6 month work)

Yes I know, it's really a huge project but I could at least try it.

The interpreter I have right now is written in Java (I did this during my work hours ). It already can execute "for .. next", "print" and complex expressions evaluation using +-*/ operators and multiple parenthesis levels. This alone took me days to debug, but IMO it was the most difficult part, the other instructions are easy compared to *that one*

I could easily port the Java version to the C version.

It includes an interpreter as well as the syntax analyser. Only the interpreter will reside on the GP32.

An windows interpreter wouldn't be impossible (SDL in the first version then other libs could be added).

It would be particulary well targeted towards 2D shootings but if someone come with 3D code, I could easily add it !

"Tiled code" and so already exist in some libraries so I can add some instructions for it.

Thanks for your feedback !

Seems like several peoples would be interested by this project ?!

_tyrell_

 

[loki666]

great idea

i dont recommend sdl... it dont provide more features than gamepake sdk and is much slower,
look at mr.mirko sdk, still basic but if u need more function just ask him or implement it urself

 

[ZardozJones]

Hi

All these sort of 'easy' game creation tools - tend to be written back to front. What I mean is - they tend put all the effort into the system side of the tool and very little into the resource managment element. And usually you end up with something that's very very good at small scale projects (say a card game or a very small platformer), but just unusable at a professional level - the only one that comes close so far is catapult - but the resource managment is not too good on that even.

ZJ

 

[_tyrell_]

ZardozJones: So, from your point of view, this project is a lost of time ?

Ohh, also saw GDL... could also use some functions from it. Has someone tried this lib ? Is it quick ? Buggy ? Useful ? Easy to use ?

_tyrell_

 

[ZardozJones]

Hi Tyrell

no - I think if you get it right - it'll be good - just adding my 2 cents to help improve the idea.

ZJ

 

[Endurion]

I think I agree with ZardozJones, (thou I almost missunderstood him first)... it would be good if you could make it easy for beginners but without leaving any options out for professionals.
That way pepole will not grow out of it ether... but hopefully grow in to it...

but how it would work I do not know...

Mayby something simmilar to gamemaker, where you kan make a game without knowing any programming but still also see the code and be able to change the code or just write it all.....
(sorry if I talk alot about gamemaker.... but I like it ... even if you do not usualy create big games with it....)

 

[Octavious]

OOO!!
I like this idea!
My grats to the man or women that makes this
I would realy love a gp32 version of an easy game makin thingy
Just hope I coulf do a simple rpg style graphics game

~Octavious

 

[ThndrShk2k]

hey if you know about AMOS stuff *i'mkinda not knowledgable on this* then can't you open a .AMOS source code file and transfer a text version or some odd one to the PC to actually amke a port of a open source game *that uses .AMOS edning*?

If so then we could port Frontal Assault
http://www.apex-designs.net/frontalassault.html

 

[_tyrell_]

Porting the entire AMOS interpreter (and its graphics/sound instructions) wouldn't be impossible but difficult. In a first step, I will try to get a cut down basic interpreter, and then if it's working why not trying to port AMOS ? I will sure let someone else do that

_tyrell_

 

[mithris]

Porting amos would probably be very tricky.. since it's 68k asm only..
but the sources are free atleast..

---
mithris

 

[AlexW]

Hmm... nobody reads my post

Jeff who made dragonbasic has a Forth compiler (TIN) that makes ARM machinecode. He has also made a basic interpreter that makes Forth code... Wich means a basic compiler in wich you could inline TIN (which is very speedy) in your basic programs... this way you start with basic as a beginner (loads of basic source and help on the net) and turn to TIN when you need speed... I think If someone could help Jeff with the info on GP32 he needs this would be absolutly great! The TIN compiler as I understand it is pretty good...

Anyway... Tyrell I think your basic interpreter would be great also!
But why invent the wheel... when someone already made the whole car...

 

[_tyrell_]

But why invent the wheel... when someone already made the whole car...

I know But I line personal challenges, and for the history this has lead me to write a win32 speccy emulator when there were lots of better emus out there. On the other hand, it has allowed me to port rather quickly my speccy emu on the gp32. And from what I know people are rather happy with it.

So, now, I'm making this interpreter for my pleasure only. What I want to know is how fast and efficient an interpreter can be on the gp32.

Thats all ...

_tyrell_

Speccyal K

 

[DaveC]

But why invent the wheel... when someone already made the whole car...

I know But I line personal challenges, and for the history this has lead me to write a win32 speccy emulator when there were lots of better emus out there. On the other hand, it has allowed me to port rather quickly my speccy emu on the gp32. And from what I know people are rather happy with it.

So, now, I'm making this interpreter for my pleasure only. What I want to know is how fast and efficient an interpreter can be on the gp32.

Thats all ...

_tyrell_

Speccyal K

This "AMOS" or GPOS as it would be on the GP32 would be cool. It would be nice if it supported the file structure functions as I have an awsome design for a launcher but I can't code in C. I don't like any of the current launchers that I have tried as they don't support sub-catagories or icon groups. My coding "skills" are very weak so this would be good for me.

 

[ZardozJones]

Just for the record I am to continue work on blazer early in april (I'm off to oz for 3 months to chill out and do some recreational coding - yaay). I've 99% finished the resource editor, 75% finished the design and implementation of the VM (it's a wicked new design - makes dyna recomp easy if needed). The scripting lan' is a very very simple version of C without pointers e.t.c. (should be crash proof - but don't quote me). I'll try and post some screen shots of it soonish. I might need some help with the lang' stuff if anyone is up for it?