forums.ps2dev.org

Things seem a bit quiet so I figured it's time to ask...

What projects are you working on?

Currently I have so many projects going on it's hard to keep track of them all ;) Not the least of which is a bit of a side project, which will essentially be a game engine designed for people who want to make a game but don't have the programming knowledge. Thats sorta a long term project though... But I plan on using the code for other projects (like a top down shooter I hope to get ready before too terribly long) along the way.

I have a lot of other projects, but that is just one of my more flashy non-tool projects in the codebed right now :)

So, what is everyone else up to?

I'm working on a GUI library. Emphasis in small and simple. You'll build interface elements out of linked groups of simpler objects. It'll use the GS to draw the UI in 3D to make it look good. If you have certain interface elements you want defined in it, just list them. Just don't be stupid and put "button". :D

After that's done, I intend to get back on a media player I've been working on. It's based on the xine code. xine is now at 1.0 official and works really well on my PC, so I figured it's a good base to start from.

Actually. I am not sure this is "off topic". It might have a good home
in "software development". In fact, informal roundtables on current
projects and interests of PS2DEV'ers might be very informative from
those who wish to receal what their working on. :)

That is not to say we should create the "projects" list such as exists
on the PS2LINUX forums. Egads, once something gets on there it is
there forever, and I am not sure half the things have gone anywhere
since inception. That is true of most peoples projects, but it results
in a clutter on the website.

Oh...my projects ? I keep getting distracted from one thing to the
next just like you and others.

1. I was looking at an optimized double precision IEEE 754 arithmetic
support in software by using EE multimedia/core-specific instructions.

2. Along the way, I got distracted into looking at writing an Ilink driver.
Still way in infancy to do anything useful.

3. Along the way, I found the serial hardware lines on the BB adaptor
and researched what each was so a serial cable could be hooked up.
That ones closest to completion, needs physical working example to
prove I got it right. I don't have good enuf soldering skills.

4. But what I have really really been wanting to do is port an embedded
RTOS (real-time operating system) to the EE and IOP. I want something
that gives a decent operating system-like environment, but without the
weight and hassle of a linux kernel, but still has complete access to the
hardware (no kernel/user space to worry about). I guess I just hate
dealing with IRX's anytime something needs to be done, but I don't
like Linux much either.

5. My cool "game" project would be to see if I can write an "Elite" like
game (from the old C64 days) on the PS2, fairly faithful, but still with
better graphics by using textures. Double bonus points if I can do all
but sound, kb, and pad inputs via the VU's. Why ? The C64 Elite was
done in far less than 64KB of memory. The VU's have altogether about
40Kb of memory, evenly divided between data and instruction, and there
is still the GPU(gs) to offload things to. The concept is merely an exercise
to say it can be done.

So thats all on my plate. Lets see if I can get anywhere. :)

Gorim

I've been looking at making a PS2 version of AROS. That would cover #4 above. The AmigaOS is VERY light and responsive. It allows direct hardware access and preemptive multitasking along with a good GUI. It runs on very small systems - all the way down to 8MHz 16bit processors with less than 1M of RAM. A 64bit CPU with 32M should have no trouble at all. If you check out the current x86 version of AROS, you'll see it's far enough along to be useable as a PS2 OS.

As for games - I'm looking at making a version of Doomsday (JDOOM) for the PS2. That is probably the best version of DOOM ever. Get the enhanced textures and the MD2 models and you have a killer version of the classic FPS.

for me, after having coded some samples things, wanted to get into something more serioux, but still FUN !!! so I just started to port an emulator, I won't say nothing more, as for the moment I don't have anything really concrete... but each time I can dedicate to it, I get something more working, or learning something...
at this stage I have :
- system initialization
- both cpu core running
and currently working with the libcdvd lib ....

hope to have sthg to show/talk for end of august (don't have a lot of time)