[Discussion] Interest in programming on the GBA? (Not ROM hacking)

Is there any interest here for programing on the GBA using DevkitArm?

I am currently writing an E-book on setting up a full GBA development environment. I plan on posting it here when it is done. The possibilities are endless.

A great example is the engine jambo51 has started. I helped him set up a development environment and he is coding away.

http://pokemonhackersonline.com/showthread.php?t=14443-Jambo51-s-Homebrew-Pok-mon-Engine

So is this type of thing something people would be interested in? Please let me know your thoughts and opinions?

This is not ROM hacking.
This is not a programming project.

What I am working on is an E-book on setting up programs for programing for the Game Boy Advance from scratch.
The book will cover things like setting up DevkitARM, setting up Eclipse, doing source level debugging and so on.

Any more stupid questions?

Is this project basically about making a brand new GBA game? An incomplete game, obviously (i.e. no maps or anything defined), but with a functioning custom-made engine which can have maps and trainers and items thrown onto it to make a game with?

Sounds interesting.

Maruno said:

Is this project basically about making a brand new GBA game? An incomplete game, obviously (i.e. no maps or anything defined), but with a functioning custom-made engine which can have maps and trainers and items thrown onto it to make a game with?

Sounds interesting.

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No. What I am working on is an E-book on setting up an environment for programming for the GBA. People will be able to make their own engine like Jambo51 is doing.

Amaterasu369 said:

Wow, this sound very interesting! :D Sounds cool. ;)
Since I'm a programming student, this pumps my blood going {XD}

Keep it up!

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Awesome. I'm hoping to be done by new years.

Ah yes, okay. But it is about making a GBA game from scratch, rather than hacking an existing game, correct?

This would certainly qualify as game development, and I for one wouldn't ever have thought about making a game for the GBA (because when you think "GBA" you think "hacking"). I look forward to seeing your e-book.

Maruno said:

Ah yes, okay. But it is about making a GBA game from scratch, rather than hacking an existing game, correct?

This would certainly qualify as game development, and I for one wouldn't ever have thought about making a game for the GBA (because when you think "GBA" you think "hacking"). I look forward to seeing your e-book.

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Yes it is. Hence why the first post says using DevkitARM and the title of the thread includes (Not ROM hacking).

Still working on this. It may be a few more days. I didn't anticipate how busy I would be this time of year.

Here is a page from the book for those interested.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/24547569/excerpt.xps

Maruno said:

Ah yes, okay. But it is about making a GBA game from scratch, rather than hacking an existing game, correct?

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He's basically making a homebrew application on the GBA. This for example is a really good resource to get started.

I've thought about doing homebrew stuff on the GBA but I haven't really had the time and the motive to build there, been focusing on higher level stuff. It's a really good introduction to how the low level processing works. Are you doing most of it in assembly or C?

daigonite said:

He's basically making a homebrew application on the GBA. This for example is a really good resource to get started.

I've thought about doing homebrew stuff on the GBA but I haven't really had the time and the motive to build there, been focusing on higher level stuff. It's a really good introduction to how the low level processing works. Are you doing most of it in assembly or C?

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You are way off. What I am working on is a guide on how to get setup to do programming for the GBA.

Well you didn't make it very clear... You mean an engine?

It sounds handy for the ones who are dependent on Homebrew, to make Console games.
In fact, I would only wish Nintendo would release a similar guide for the Nintendo 3DS platform, because now I have to deal with the Sample Demo's they give, and basically base everything on these.

It's gonna be a bit till I release this. It's almost done but I am very busy with classes this semester.

Not gonna lie, I've been kind of fantasizing about making an "ultimate PokeDex" out of a customized GBA SP (in red, of course) that has all the PokeDex info for all the gens in it for years now; I just don't have an SP and the stuff for GBA homebrew and hadn't gotten around to learning how to code for GBA. XD So I'm looking forward to seeing this guide.

Why limit yourself to the GBA? You can make cross-platform applications with next to no limitations easily. I don't see why one would like to restrict themselves to the GBA hardware unless it's for learning purposes. For anyone wondering, programming a Pokemon game for the GBA wouldn't be any easier and if anything, it would be harder.

Pokemon Trainer Jackey said:

Not gonna lie, I've been kind of fantasizing about making an "ultimate PokeDex" out of a customized GBA SP (in red, of course) that has all the PokeDex info for all the gens in it for years now; I just don't have an SP and the stuff for GBA homebrew and hadn't gotten around to learning how to code for GBA. XD So I'm looking forward to seeing this guide.

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That doesn't sound like a bad idea.

oxysoft said:

Why limit yourself to the GBA? You can make cross-platform applications with next to no limitations easily. I don't see why one would like to restrict themselves to the GBA hardware unless it's for learning purposes. For anyone wondering, programming a Pokemon game for the GBA wouldn't be any easier and if anything, it would be harder.

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There is a coolness factor in making something that will actually work on a gaming system. Also with all the emulators out there GBA is pretty much multi-platform.

So, even if this does work as well as I can envision... How would you get it on a official cartridge. you can probably buy these on ebay, but still... I thought game companys had an official method back in the day for this with some high-tech machine or something... xD