Developers could learn from homebrew DS, says Carmack

[Shrygue]

via Games Industry


Doom creator John Carmack believes the DS would make a great proving ground for upstart programmers if only platform holders didn't stifle homebrew development.

"It is a shame that homebrew development can't be officially sanctioned and supported, because it would be a wonderful platform for a modern generation of programmers to be able to get a real feel for low level design work," Carmack told IGN in an interview about Orcs & Elves, "to be contrasted with the high level web and application work that so many entry level people start with."

Carmack took a similar route to creating Orcs & Elves, id Software's upcoming Nintendo DS game - created as a collaboration between Carmack and Fountainhead Software.

As he explained at QuakeCon 2007, he got the 3D code that underpins the game up and running in four days during one of his "working retreats" - where he locks himself in a hotel room for two weeks with no internet connection "for completely focused work".

Unofficial homebrew solutions do exist for DS, using flash cards for storage, but they're not supported by Nintendo because of the potential for piracy.

[XDelusion]

Again, it is corporate greed that keeps progress at a nill.

[JKKDARK]

It must be a joke. You can't compare the homebrew games with the official ones.

[Jan-H]

@JKKDARK: Most homebrew games aren't as good as official ones, yeah. But some are very good. I think some DS-apps-programmers could teach the programmers of big companies.

[Sonny_Jim]

I've seen some homebrew applications and games that are far better than some official releases. Colors for example is a fantastic piece of homebrew and as yet noone has released official PDA software that functions as well as DS Organise.