On the most part, console games use APIs native to the console. Dreamcast and XBox are the exceptions since they use a form of DirectX. From what I''ve seen, any of the systems that have had a C compiler made for them also have a higher level graphics API library to go with it. For the assemblers however, you''d either have to write your own or find some general functions written by someone else.

Now, probably the best place to look for compilers/assemblers and emulators is www.zophar.net (I won''t be modded for saying that, will I? They offer no copywritten ROMs there so I should be okay.) Also, if you''re interested in programming for the portables, you should definitely go to www.devrs.com

If you''d rather start with console programming than PC programming, I would recommend starting with one of the portables. All of them have C compilers available and rather good graphics libraries built in (so you don''t have to learn a wonky form of ASM that''s pretty much useless). Plus, they''ve probably got the largest programmers'' communities so getting help will be easy.

Good luck.

quote: Original post by Goku705
As for legality, it''s illegal. You would probably have little difficulty finding the compilers (either the official one has been leaked to the public or the console was reverse engineered to develop one for it). Then you can use emulators to test the ROMs developed or you can shell out lots of money to buy the necessary devices to use your creations on the console itself. On the most part, these devices are illegal because they can also be used to play copywritten games. And finally, if you ever felt your game was of commercial quality and wanted to sell it, you''d have no choice but to buy an official dev-kit for the console in question. To release a console game made with non-official tools will probably get you in huge legal trouble.

Carefull...

Pirating comercial games is illegal. Using a copy of a non-free compiler, or console libs that you did not pay for is illegal. Using compilers you have payed for (or were free) to compiler a game for a console is LEGAL! Using a back up device to put it on a flash rom cart and play it on the device is LEGAL!

However, you cannot sell console games without a licence from the company that made the system. (i.e. Nintendo for the Gamecube, Microsoft for the XBox, Sony for the Playstation 1/2)
This is not with out debate though. If you use a free compiler (or one you have bought) home brew libs (as opposed to leaked illegal libs) and don''t place the companies logo on it, you are in a sort of grey area.
There was a company (forgot the name) a while back that made some NES (Nintendo Entertainment System.. the early one ) games without the dev kit or license, and then sold these games. The only thing to my knowledge that they could have done illegally, was if they happened to infringe on patents when making the actual physical cartridges.
Don''t let that make you to enthused about making unlicensed games though, they don''t sell very well. And a company the size of Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo has enough well payed lawyers to win a lawsuit again you for spilling mountain dew on the instruction booklets.

For all those that have been saying that each console has it''s own API.. you are almost right...

There isn''t really any API on a console. XBox and Dreamcast being exceptions of course.

On consoles, the system does it''s initial boot, loads your game, and then turns over complete control to you game. You use registers and interupts, and directly write to the screen and anywhere else.

There are the libs used for the systems though, that are similar to API. They are a bunch of low level functions that are compiled into your game so you dont'' have to write them. On many systems though, programmers have found that the libs are too slow so they write their own.

While the libs may seem like API from a casual glance (they are both prewritten functions for low-level operations), they are far far far different.

Thank you Anon the 1st for correcting me on the legal issues. From what I knew, the legalities surrounding emulators, flash carts and the like were always really iffy so I thought it safer to just say it was all illegal. My bad for assuming.

And to Anon the 2nd: that''s what I meant... I just got a bit reckless in my use of the term "API."

-Goku

-Goku
SANE Productions Homepage

wow! thank you all for the replies. i think that''s more than enought to satisfy my needs to know about consol programming. thanks again!