C4 - 2007 discussion

[RockinB]

Hello there,

I couldn't be around here lately so frequently like I used to. You probably might have asked you if there'll be anymore Sega Saturn Coding Contest. Of course there will.

This years C4-2007 will start later as the previous ones, as the long duration hasn't proven to be a good solution. The contest is currently in it's planning stage.

What's for sure is that the C4-2007 Sega Saturn Coding Contest will be shorter and the prize value will be increased dramatically. Furthermore, every contestant will get a Sega Saturn USB DataLink device for free! I think this is a very valuable tool for developing Sega Saturn homebrew, as it allows easy download of code right from your notebook.

Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion on how to make the contest better than the previous ones, again.

For C4 2005 and C4 2006 please see this thread http://forums.segaxtreme.net/showthread.php?t=12747

This post was edited by Amon.

 

[CyberWarriorX]

Hell, free USB datalink? I'm in.

 

[Mask of Destiny]

Ooh! So very tempting. Perhaps I'll actually manage to produce an entry this year. Is the deadline likely to be around the same time this year?

 

[RockinB]

Ooh! So very tempting. Perhaps I'll actually manage to produce an entry this year. Is the deadline likely to be around the same time this year?

Yes, the deadline will be before christmas. I always intend to have all entries ready for download in the christmas holidays.

 

[mrkotfw]

Will you allow technical demos also or just games?

 

[RockinB]

Will you allow technical demos also or just games?

I'm happy about any quality entry.

From the feedback I've got I know that people would actually like to have a finished and playable entry, rather than something unfinished. In the end the decision is up to you. I think a well done not-so-short tech demo can even win over a playable game.

Maybe there will be a condition to meet in order to get the DataLink, to prevent misuse.

 

[Amon]

Maybe have people submit a work in progress before getting a usb thingy. Something to show they are working on something.

 

[CyberWarriorX]

My only beef is can we limit the number of ported games? Or better yet, can we ban them entirely?

Not that I have anything in particular against porting games, etc. but it really gives the person doing it an unfair advantage. Plus it's nice seeing some original demos and games.

 

[RockinB]

My only beef is can we limit the number of ported games? Or better yet, can we ban them entirely?

Not that I have anything in particular against porting games, etc. but it really gives the person doing it an unfair advantage. Plus it's nice seeing some original demos and games.

You are right about the fairness aspect. I guess this can be taken into account in judging. But unfortunately, we're not in the position to put too huge restrictions on the entries, unless we want to loose a couple of potential contestants.

 

[ExCyber]

I'd like to do this if I have time. I can't commit to it right now because I don't know how heavy my homework load will be this semester, but I thought I should at least say something rather than be silent. 🙂

 

[mrkotfw]

I too am going to be very very busy. If I have time, I'll just have to release a simple tech demo that showcases all the features available in my library.

Would this be considered a valid entry?

 

[RockinB]

I too am going to be very very busy. If I have time, I'll just have to release a simple tech demo that showcases all the features available in my library.

Would this be considered a valid entry?

Of course it would be a valid entry.

The more work you've put in the tech demo plus the library and the better the demo is, the higher rank you will get in judging.

About the USB DataLink: I have ordered 10 devices, they are currently shipping to me. So it should be enough for everyone, even if some more people join than the last year. Still I'm not sure what criteria I want the contestants to meet, in order to get it for free. Maybe that the entry is interactive, or implements some advanced feature.

But I'm sure that there should be several different ways to get it, so that everyone can pick his favorite method. Any suggestions?

 

[ExCyber]

But I'm sure that there should be several different was to get it, so that everyone can pick his favorite method. Any suggestions?

Well, I'm biased toward things that I think would somehow advance the "state of the art" by taking advantage of the Saturn architecture; for example:

- Use of original and novel sound generation/management routines for the 68K/SCSP (e.g. a homebrew mixing/playback engine something like ADX, music synthesis, decompression)

- Animation without using SGL/SBL

- Noteworthy use of both SH-2s

- Noteworthy use of the SCU DSP

etc.

 

[mrkotfw]

Well, I'm biased toward things that I think would somehow advance the "state of the art" by taking advantage of the Saturn architecture; for example:

- Use of original and novel sound generation/management routines for the 68K/SCSP (e.g. a homebrew mixing/playback engine something like ADX, music synthesis, decompression)

- Animation without using SGL/SBL

- Noteworthy use of both SH-2s

- Noteworthy use of the SCU DSP

etc.

I completely agree with you there. I believe that instead of writing games, we all should be focusing on using all the features on the Saturn. Of course, many who depend on SGL/SBL will hesitate to join the competition.

Honestly, I'd love to see someone make use of the SCU DSP. I haven't researched much into it, but I'm planning on writing an assembler to at least have it do basic calculations.

 

[CyberWarriorX]

I haven't done too much with it, but I have written some basic SCU DSP code(my library also has support for initializing and using the SCU DSP too). It would definitely be interesting to see what people can come up with for it. I'm willing to bet you could use it to decompress audio or something in real time. That's what Sega did with their ADX decompression code. GameArts used it too with their wacky quicktime-cinepak format that's in Grandia.

 

[RockinB]

I'm willing to bet you could use it to decompress audio or something in real time. That's what Sega did with their ADX decompression code. GameArts used it too with their wacky quicktime-cinepak format that's in Grandia.

Very interesting.

It would definitely be interesting to see what people can come up with for it.

What is it that you've tried to use the DSP for? I've had problems stopping the DSP (in my voxel terrain rendering project), there was some issue like that mentioned in a developers journal.

BTW: anyone know a place where to get a MM232R USB-UART development module.....for an affordable price?

 

[CyberWarriorX]

What is it that you've tried to use the DSP for? I've had problems stopping the DSP (in my voxel terrain rendering project), there was some issue like that mentioned in a developers journal.

Well, I wrote a simple demo that executed a number of loops on the DSP. It was mainly a test to figure out the timing of the DSP since it's not really explained in the SCU manual how many steps per second the DSP executes.

 

[RockinB]

Hello everyone,

the C4 - 2007 SEGA Saturn Coding Contest is now opened!

http://www.rockin-b.de/c4/2007/index.html

This contest does not run as long as the former ones, so hurry up and don't hesitate to start coding as soon as possible! The prizes to win are worth 850,- Euro in total. For the first time, a single person/team can win multiple prizes!

Well, I'm biased toward things that I think would somehow advance the "state of the art" by taking advantage of the Saturn architecture; for example:

- Use of original and novel sound generation/management routines for the 68K/SCSP (e.g. a homebrew mixing/playback engine something like ADX, music synthesis, decompression)

- Animation without using SGL/SBL

- Noteworthy use of both SH-2s

- Noteworthy use of the SCU DSP

etc.

I completely agree with you there. I believe that instead of writing games, we all should be focusing on using all the features on the Saturn. Of course, many who depend on SGL/SBL will hesitate to join the competition.

Honestly, I'd love to see someone make use of the SCU DSP. I haven't researched much into it, but I'm planning on writing an assembler to at least have it do basic calculations.

The new rating system allows to gain extra points. There is a list of special features, for each implemented feature you get an extra point. These points have much influence on your rank. If your entry is not among the 3 best ones, then 3 of these points will give you a USB DataLink in return.

Hell, free USB datalink? I'm in.

Ooh! So very tempting. Perhaps I'll actually manage to produce an entry this year. Is the deadline likely to be around the same time this year?

The deadline is 20th december 2007, the downloads are scheduled to be available at christmas. Christmas is the time when people enjoy playing homebrew games the most.

Will you allow technical demos also or just games?

Both are allowed. You can also get extra points with a tech demo.

Maybe have people submit a work in progress before getting a usb thingy. Something to show they are working on something.

Yes, a good idea. I've bound the USB DataLink to the condition of having gained 3 extra points. The best three entries (place 1-3) will get it nevertheless.

Happy coding everyone, I hope a lot of people will enter the contest!

 

[RockinB]

News from SEGA Saturn Coding Contest (C4-2007)

http://www.rockin-b.de/c4/2007/index.html#News

New prizes arrived! Arnold donated 5 very nice games for SEGA Mega Drive, plus a hint book. I put those six prizes in a seperate table, along with 7 of 10 USB DataLink devices. These prizes are independent from place/rank of your entry. Instead, everyone can win them by achieving 1-3 extra points.

All components of the USB DataLink devices have arrived, I start building some of them, now. See the mass of electronic components:

 

[RockinB]

That damn USB thingy works like hell! I've just built the first unit and luckily, it worked from the start. Downloading and uploading game saves works very fine. Currently, I'm busy uploading and playing homebrew games.

Two things that could be improved in the software is the speed and the fact that you can only read or overwrite the whole raw internal battery backed RAM. That means you can't transfer individual game saves. This makes the (current) game save fileformat incompatible to the one used by the original Action Replay software, my SaveGameManager or slingas SaveGameCopier.

Anyways, the device is very reliable, stable and easy to use. Very useful, I'm glad that I finally got my hands on such a nice solution.