Developers Database

Yesterday one of our Spanish Coding Friends and also Staff member at DCEmu UK, Propeller came up with the idea of a Developers Database, where all Dreamcast scene developers put down their details, projects done, expertise in what areas etc. So for V2 of our site we would like all of you coders who have released any Dreamcast demos, apps, games, dev stuff too to start in this topic so that we can add a valuable addition to the site and community for V2 of our site and the scene as a whole.[br][br]Thanks for any of your time its much appreciated.

Well, a big thank you goes to you, wraggster.

My initial purpose was not only to build up a catalogue of developers, but to summarize the development/porting/designing ideas that the DC scene developers have. That's the real point on doing this... Some of us got *big* development ideas, and so often we don't have enough time to work on them, but if we publish them here, anyone willing to contribute can take a look and see if there's anything interesting for her/him.

I'll post tomorrow my ideas, profile, past work and all that stuff. I'm highly excited about doing this "developer directory", because I know that there are lots of great ideas in the Dreamcast/gp32/any programmers' minds that don't get implemented because of different reasons.

You'll see tomorrow what kind of ideas I'm talking about. This scene has got an exponentially growing future.

Propeller

Hi everyone, as I promised, here's my reply to this post, "filled form" style ;D hope that Wraggy adapts it well to php pages...

Name: Propeller.
Age: 25.
Occupation: Biochemical research.
Develops for: Dreamcast and GP32.
Technical interests: Console hardware, asm programming, extreme efficiency at code execution, cross-platform applications, hardware tweaking, emulation, virtualization, network applications, operating systems, middlewares, open source stuff, free documentation, graphical design (2D only for the moment) and connectivity of heterogeneous systems.

Have worked on:
* DCFreeDev 1.0 (spanish version), an Integrated Development Environment for PC and Dreamcast, using nearly every library developed for DC, and providing a compilation of utilities for DC development. Used Dev-cpp as editor and project manager.
* DCMolView 2.3 (english version), a propietary tool designed for viewing macromolecules using a Dreamcast. Supports some cool peripherals such as stereo googles (just normal googles with some mirrors, nothing of interest...) and analog gamepad for rotating, displacing and zooming of the macromolecule. Due to memory restrictions, there's an upper limit to the number of aminoacids the program can handle, but I'm trying to fix it so that number could be greater. Unfortunately, as I said, this is a propietary work because of my contract to the university, and I can't spread it, but sure I'd post some screenshots or videos if you wanted me to.

Work In Progress:
* DCFreeDev 1.1 (english and spanish version). I'm going to release it in english first, and then, a special spanish version for MadriDC, that hopefully will be included at the CD edited for that event.
* m68K, an asm core for Dreamcast of the Motorola 68000 processor. This work is, at least by my side, in the early stages of the initial documentation, but will be boosted after MadriDC.
* GpPhoto, yet another picture viewer for GP32, but implementing picture prefetch, buffering, picture effects and some more cool stuff, and, as it's a program installable on a SMC, it shows the pictures taken with your camera (old samsungs, olympus, etc...) right out of it.

Development ideas: I've got some ideas that I'd implement in the future if nobody does it before (but this is the purpose of this section, that somebody who likes them takes these ideas and implement them, working with me or without me):

* Another link cable for the DC-GP32 pair. Yeah, I know, dreamcast-scene announced it... but I haven't seen any documentation nor pin diagrams at their website. Also, the purposed design, as I can guess from the sample pictures (looks more like a photoshop trick, anyway...) is lacking some good possibilities that another design would provide. My proposal is to implement the cable using Dreamcast's gamepad port. So, you can do everything that a normal link cable would do, plus the possibility to transparently run a VMU emulator on the GP32 and use it with your Dreamcast games, exploit the compatibility of the savegames coming from common emulators (nester is a good example, and maybe openSnes soon, also that sms emulator...) and continue on the Dreamcast a saved game played previously on the GP32... everything could be emulated, and this cable would add lots of fun to both console owners. I'm doing a design preview after MadriDC, so, if you're going to that anual meeting and are interested on this, please contact me before I do it.
* Hardware acceleration for PCSX-DC. Yes, this is cool. My previous experience with KGL may help here... This one is also beginning after MadriDC, in cooperation with Chui, but lots of help will be needed.
* Improve the Fenix interpreter. This is a DC and GP32 project, as Chui ported it to both systems and would like to speed up that interpreter (GP32 gets a bit exhausted when running this one... anyway, it's playable speed, but needs more work).
* Gp32sdk replacement. Also, a project in coordination with Chui. He has done an impressive work building his replacement for gp32sdk, but still needs help, and I'm going to join him as soon as possible in this one. Also, help would be gladly received, but remember that a minimal ARM9 arch. knowledge is needed.
* GP32 RF file transfer protocol. This is a huge one, guys... This approach needs things such as mutual identification protocol, session management, error detection and correction... lots of nice work to do!

Developers I'm working or have worked with (will be updated frequently): Chui, Mekanaizer, Ron, Pablo.

Well, this is my profile, and hope that other developers do the same to provide the community with enough information...

Thanks for your time.

Best regards,

Propeller

There is a post at CV that MetaFox started that sort of fits here. Maybe someone should copy/paste that info into this topic.

MetaFox made a post, Dan Potter made a post, and BlackAura said everything he is doing is on hold.

I had the same idea. www.dc-alive.de is already reserverd and ready for it. I talked to metafox, and did a post a while back on the dcemu boards, nobody seemed to be very interested. I´d be glad to put all the infos up on the page. My idea was brief descriptions of the coders maybe with pics if they like

- Name / Nick
- Joined DCScene @
- Current projects ( though this one will be hard to be uptodate with )
- Most important projects
- homepage
- UIN / IRCchannel / MSN / jabber / other messenger infos
- email

should keep it rather short i think, hopefully this time ppl will participate ^^

The most valuable information are the development ideas... I'm not willing to create a social "club" of developers, nor do I want to show to the public my instant messenger address. Apart from this criticism, I like the idea, and would like to thank you for your support. You can use any of the data I wrote on this topic to create a record about me on your website, there's not any problem about it.

I don't have a homepage as a developer... and was thinking about asking wraggster about some web space to publish my info and projects, but I think that, with this developer database, everything I wanted to publish would be there, and there's no need for more.

Thanks a lot,

Propeller

propeller, can u send me your msn / icq / irc adress ? i wont make it public, but i need to talk to you

[img]www.storm-studios.net/info.jpg[/img]
Name / Nick
Will Sams (Storminator16/WHurricane16)
Age
27
Occupation
Cable/Broadband Technician
Joined DCScene @
October 2000
Current DC projects ( as of May 2004 )
Misadventures of Crystala & Tido
Previous Projects
-Catz n' Dogz
-Defendguin DC (port)
-Vectoroids DC (port)
-various code examples of SDL programming & some network programming for DC
Most important projects
Misadventures of Crystala & Tido
homepage
http://www.storm-studios.net
UIN / IRCchannel / MSN / jabber / other messenger infos
Yahoo - Storminator16
AIM/AOL - Will Sams III
email
[email protected]

any webspace any developer needs can be sorted :)

Fine by me, Wraggster, you'll be required to host the english version of DCFreeDev, which is going to be (at least in its spanish version, I may release the english one earlier) available on MadriDC.

Propeller

[quote author=law link=board=Dev;num=1083704505;start=0#4 date=05/06/04 at 10:39:25]I talked to metafox...[/quote]And I never did respond with the info. Sorry about that. :-[

Well, I'll go about it here. Prepare for an online life story in just a few lines :)

- Name: Mickey McMurray

- Nick: MetaFox - also the artist formerly known as Lopantu and Bender - as well as CaptainDread and ChickenO on IRC DalNet, KingPrankan for a short time on AOL in 1996, and Ars0ft briefly on IRC EFNet.

- Age: 25

- Occupation: Cyberdog Castle

- Develops for: PC, Dreamcast, GBA, NGPC, GP32, Saturn

- Joined DCScene @ 1998. I was following the reverse engineering of the Dreamcast from the time it was released. Started programming for the Dreamcast in 2002.

- Current projects: Every one of my projects I am currently still actively working on: DCGen, Adventures of Gus and Rob, Chikugoyaku, Mike Siecieska's Motocross, Dream'n'Play, Construction Obstruction, Insect Invasion, Penguin Skiing, LaserDC, Allegro on DC Project, Web Browser on DC Project, xRick DC, raw DC. Also Adventures of Gus and Rob NGPC which I have plans for linking up with Adventures of Gus and Rob DC, and Pengo NGPC which will have some form of linkup with Penguin Skiing for DC.

- Most important projects: at the moment Chikugoyaku and raw DC

- homepage:
http://www.cyberdogcastle.com/
http://www.consolevision.com/members/metafox/
http://laser.sourceforge.net/
http://www.emucamp.com/laser/
http://www.emucamp.com/dcgen/

- UIN / IRCchannel / MSN / jabber / other messenger infos
MetaFox on Xelium #consolevision (visit daily)
MetaFox on Cheatlist #dcemu (visit occasionally)
MrMetaFox on AIM (only use if asked to sign on)

Developmental Ideas (I have way too many ideas buried in the back of my brain, so I'll just post a few here):

1) Massive Multiplayer Online Graphical Adventure game (In the LucasArts style). A MMORPG with no fighting, puzzles to solve, and several storylines for each puzzle solved. Plus, expandibility so as not to let the adventure go dull after all the quests are completed.

This could actually be created within the Dreamcast MMORPG - have a world seperate from the main game with a different set of rules. (No fighting, attributes are used differently - the class of the character you chose could even help to solve puzzles - but it shouldn't be necessary - so you can complete the puzzles no matter what your class). You could also have attributes set to your character that are improved when you complete the adventure quests - so that you can roam in between worlds - and improve your character so that it's qualities can be used in whatever setting you are in.

2) GBA/DC link cable for use with e-reader games. e-Reader games would be the barely used GBA type so that it would act as a loader for Dreamcast functions. You could create a game on the DC, and have the e-reader loader send data over the link cable, be read by the DC and loaded into the game. Much like the Animal Crossing-e cards do for Animal Crossing for the Gamecube.

3) Usage of the NGPC/DC link cable. The same prospect of the GBA/DC e-reader link but without the extra cool-factor of the cards.

4) And of course GP32/DC link cable usage, with the same ideas of the previous two link cables.

(Curse the quote button) >:( Sorry for the double-post.

hmmm..
http://homebrew.dcemulation.com/kamjin/
I think all of the info is there..

Btw, I don't think I ever praised you for figuring out the Rumple stuff. I love you, guy :)

/me exerts his man-crush.

Man Crush accepted! ::) and Thanks!

I'm hopeing people will start to use the rumble in games
more often.. it adds a nice effect.. I think Ian is gonna
write some sorta of P0rn game using it :P

HAHA! he said that to mee to :P

I am sorry for offtopic but I am new here and please forgive me
How can I write something for Saturn I mean coding[programming] this console . Is any special editors or compilators or special software for Mac or PC ?

Rockin-B should be a good address for getting started with coding for Sega Saturn:

http://www.rockin-b.de/downloads.html