A86: Re: [OT]Game Gear and playstation development


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A86: Re: [OT]Game Gear and playstation development




Glad someone used the OT in their subject :)  Since no one programs for the
86 anymore, everything here is getting off-topic.

If you're looking to get into development for a old or strange platform, the
first thing to do is look for an emulator.  Unless you're looking to hack
the thing and figure it out yourself (then you probably wouldn't be on this
list :) then finding a list of emulators is the best thing to do.  Some
authors might be kind enough to include source or other helpful tidbits
about how the machine works.  And, having an emulator will save you from
figuring out how to get the real machine to run it (though the best part is
having this thing you're not suppose to be able to program for run your code
:)

Personal opinion, but I find that zophar.net has the biggest variety of
emulators and links for all kinds of platforms.  As for Game Gear, it DOES
use a Z80.  If you want to start in on it, good luck, I haven't seen much
(any!) info on developing of for it.  Download Meka and check it out.  It
seems to be the no$gmb of Game Gear/Sega Master emulators.  He also included
links to a ton of helpful looking pages.

Playstation development is completely different, as it is a mainstream
console and Sega wants people to develop for it, which is why it has so many
cool games, and the N64 doesn't (grr, stupid Nintendo).  I've heard you can
buy a development kit for the PS for something like $400 or so.  It probably
emulates the CD-ROM, as you wouldn't want to burn/re-burn a cd everytime you
test, and emulating the PS wouldn't be very good, either.

Most people that I've heard from use C for the playstation (not C++), though
I'm sure some do use assembly and you probably have to use assembly for some
stuff, anyway.  If you don't know the assembly of your target platform, you
can't really know how it works, which is one of the main reasons everything
for Windows is slow (imo).

> i know that the game gear or the playstation dont use a z80 but some one
> might know a little about them
>
> does any one know if it is possible to develop games for the game gear
> (Sega's color handheld system) or playstation.
> where can i find info of the hardware they use and a compiler, if one is
> avaiable.
> would it be possible to develop a C/C++ assembler for the playstation  now
> that you can burn your own games




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