Who so much focus on emus?

[Rigor Mortis]

I was just thinking... why do so many of the GP32 programmers focus on emus, even to the point of duplicating work of other programmers? What if, instead of focusing on emus so much, some of the GP32 programmers worked on porting game production utils like MUGEN and RPGMaker2K? Motivation due to competition is a good thing, but I honestly don't see why the GP32 needs (for example) 3 NES emulators. It seems a tad redundant, while there are other systems that could be emulated, and useful tools that could be ported.

 

[Dozer]

I agree, i think that emus deffinately hav their uses tho. Its like if a coder codes a perfect fighter program for example then its only one game more u can get on ur gp, but if u get a perfect new emu then that opens up hundreds, maybe thousands of new games u can play

 

[unlucky]

i get what you mean but you just dont get as finished emu's when there isn't competition. I mean just look there are an abundance of simpyl perfect nes emulators now :/ though ryleh is a bit different + doesn't need any competition he just perfects things any way :/

 

[JDUK]

I guess most of the kudos lies in perfecting emulaiton of one kind or another. But i too am gasping for new and inovative games on the GP. I'd love for a really good home brew graphic adventure, RPG or somthing totaly new to pop up. The chance to create the game of your dreams unburdened by the whims of a publisher or the confines of catering to the mass market i so exciting and if i hadn't had the lord of all fuck ups with my uni work last term i would be coding right now, rather then re-doing a load of work.

The great thing about the gp32 (unlike the PC or gba dev comunity) is the comunity is hanging on the every move of the indie developer. You make a game and it will be played by the GP32 masses(if you can call us lot masses) but on the PC or GBA there is so much comercial stuff your efforts can easily get lost or go unplayed by the vast majority.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Actually, Dozer, game engines like MUGEN or RPG Maker also open up hundreds of new games.

I'm trying to get new characters for my PC version of MUGEN (2d fighting engine) ... Mario & Goku vs Ryu & Sub-Zero in tag-team, perhaps? :lol:

 

[Twimfy]

Although I love emulators (and a choice of 'em) I would never make or port one myself. I can't see how anybody can get any satisfaction out making one, the games already exist and the only thing you can then have pride in is the code(which is invisible) or the GUI.

I'm currently learning C++ (right now actually I have the book right next to me) and as soon as I'm done I'm gonna learn a bit of ASM, all of my efforts will then go into making an independent game because I feel I'll enjoy it because its my work and people will play my game through my program rather than someone else's game through an entirely different person's emulator.

 

[khephren]

I think they take pride in the fact that they have opened up hundreds of games for the system. Also there is a lot of respect from other Emu authors, which is important- a bit like the old ST/Amiga demo scene, especialy the friendly rivalry side of things-Hence multiple emulators for the same system.
There are two RPG creators in the works (3 if you count the Korean one). One lets you design levels on the GP itself, while the other relies on a PC editor. Search for 'giga's engine' for screens of one, the other is talked about here somewhere, as is the one from Korea.
I agree there should be more original stuff, but i'm glad the emu authors are providing things in the mean time. They are primarily why I got my GP. Original titles for the machine need teams who can get together (rare, since few people own one) and a lot of time. An emu author can do the work outside his day job, on his own, and in a lot less time.

 

[MojoJojo]

making a proper game involves a lot of non-coding work - graphics,sound level design. Thats a lots of work for somene who isn't paid, and requires some other abilities other than coding. An emulation has the advantage of just being code, and it lets you play lots of great games. Basically, I think most coders don't want to go to all the additional hassle involved in making a game from scratch, and realise hey would probably never finish it.

 

[ralp99]

you want great original games, get a GBA (this is a cliche I know)
you want all the old games, plus nifty feature X, get a GP32

homebrew dev is a cool idea too, but I have yet to see a quality "as good as a commercial product" COMPLETE piece of software come out here or on GBA (prove me wrong, I am uneducated!)

 

[trooper]

There`s also the headache of thinking of an original idea for a game, Which is`nt easy to say the least.

Alot of the games available (and not just for the GP32) are either ports, Clones or rip-offs of existing games.

Trooper

 

[kram]

I think RPGMaker2K is closed source (correct me if i'm wrong) so don't look for a port of that. A clone is possible, but unlikely.

 

[JDUK]

There`s also the headache of thinking of an original idea for a game, Which is`nt easy to say the least.

As a creative writer (A-level, considered degree lvl but passed it up to do computer science next year) and a coder my passions are split between both but some how I can never make the time for both of them on the same project. Hopefully I can get to a position within a company with my digital media degree that I can focus on the creative side of gaming, which hopefully by that time will be slightly less unhindered by the preconceptions that muzzle games today.

And my to drunk/tired/partied-out to do any thing of any importance disposition will have passed by the time I’m 30 (fingers crossed).

 

[NiN^_^NiN]

ralp99 im guessing you having played gppang for the gp32

That is the best game ever i would buy it if it was going to be sold.

h34r:

 

[ralp99]

no i havent tried it yet (though I do dig pang, was trying to get the GB version working)

i usually get scared off by prog's with "version .003a" after the title and I had been following it's progress from the new on the fornt page when it first started trickling out "new in this version, the ball sprite is working!" Guess I'll have to give it a go...

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Some of you have pointed out the comparative impracticality of creating a single game as compared to programming an emu. However, you will notice that nowhere in my original post did I mention programming said single game. My two basic questions were...

Why do some coders duplicate the work of others?

and

Why do so many coders focus on emus, when there are a few other options for opening up large libraries of games?

My thinking was that a port of an engine such as MUGEN would not only be useful, but also that it would show off the capabilities of the GP32 better. Without the overhead of emulation, the full capability of the GP32 would be used for gameplay. Or perhaps a language not just an engine could be ported. A port of Qbasic or a compatible BASIC interpreter would allow me to run a lot of old games I wrote on the GP32.

 

[Chip]

I'm trying to get new characters for my PC version of MUGEN (2d fighting engine) ... Mario & Goku vs Ryu & Sub-Zero in tag-team, perhaps? :lol:

For the last week or 2 I've been thinking how cool it would be to have an "open" fighter platform for the GP32. One where you could create your own fighters (or just rip them off from other games) with their own sounds, combos, and special moves. It's nice to know that one exists, even if it's for linux.

Perhaps one of the "coding types" could port this over to the GP32 (ask the developer. they might let you have the source if you told them what it's for) and some of the "artistic" types could work up some fighters. I realize that 2d fighters have a rather limited appeal, but it's still an interesting and "original" project.


As to Mortis' original question, I think the main reason has to do with the "wow" factor. People want emulators so they can go up to their friends and say "Hey, remember when Nintendo games cost $20 each and we thought they were the coolest thing in the world? Remember how we drooled when "state of the art" games like Zelda and Blaster Master and Super Mario 3 came out? Well I've got over 300 of those games on this little handheld here and I can play them wherever I want!" That friend will no doubt be impressed.

Someone could make the greatest RPG ever devised by man for the GP32. It could be better than the first 8 Final Fantasy games combined. They could call it "Ultimate Quest of the Universe". It could be a game that made you laugh, cry, and think more deeply about life. The problem is, when you went to that same friend and said "Dude! I'm playing the greatest RPG ever devised by man! It's amazing! It's called Ultimate Quest of the Universe." And that friend would reply "How great could it be? I've never heard of it. Is it on xbox?"

That's really the problem. Nobody wants to spend a significant percentage of their life for several months developing a full-fledged game that will only be appreciated by the relatively small (if fiercely loyal) GP32 community.

 

[JDUK]

I realize that 2d fighters have a rather limited appeal

Hush your mouth young Sir!
2d fighters are still amazing fun. Capcom Vs SNK on Xbox live is the greatest thing on earth(well almost).
2D fighters are far superiour to there 3D bretheren in most cases, though i have to say i did like Tekken 2, Def Jam Vendeta & Soul Cliber. 2D fighters still have a lot to offer us. Roll on the next GP so we have enough mem to emulate the NeoGeo fighters and CP2 beat'em ups

 

[SephirothIce]

I think the reason why everyone is so stuck on emulators is show off apeal. Like you can brag to your friends about how your handheld can play numerous of console games.

 

[The Dude]

A port of Qbasic or a compatible BASIC interpreter would allow me to run a lot of old games I wrote on the GP32.

There is no limit what I could do with a good QBasic compiler for GP32. I have writen over 100 programs in QBasic over the years, and I would love to get them all running on the GP32.

 

[m0nk3yb0y]

I think someone should port Soul Caliber 2 over to the GP32. I mean, it could handle it, right? :rolleyes: