I''m working with a development team on an oldskool two-dimensional "Zelda" type game. Recently, we''ve begun to investigate the possibility of programming the game with Sony''s hardware in mind. Have any of you guys seen such a conversion? I know that emulators exist for Linux, and can be ported to PS2 (e.g. Stella). We would like to do the same. By working with common console hardware, we can avoid many of the compatibility pitfalls that plague PC-based games. Besides, the prospect of playing the game on a real television and a decent controller setup is far more intriguing than a keyboard/monitor combination. While players would have to go through the trouble of burning an .ISO file (regionally encoded), the benefits would easily make the trouble worthwhile. Anybody here have thoughts on the matter? -JoJo

quote: Original post by Jon Taylor
Anybody here have thoughts on the matter?

It''d be illegal to sell your game.

The PS2 architecture is nothing similar to the PC/x86 platform. If you can find/develop an abstraction layer, good luck. Otherwise, I think the PS2 Linux kit is probably your best bet. Search the site though; you''re not the first to have this idea.

OTOH, you could search the web for indie PSX communities (since PS2 plays PSX games). IIRC, mlambert (Help Wanted moderator) got into the industry this way - but he''s one of the exceptions.

Thanks for the heads up.

We don''t plan to sell this game. We wish to provide it for free online. If there is some illegality to this, we still plan on showing off this product to potential employers.

-Jon

It would not be illegal under all conditions to sell his games assuming they are created with the Linux Kit. I just wanted to point that out, look at the FAQ on the site (www.playstation2-linux.com) for more information:

quote: Can I sell games or software that I develop using Linux (for PlayStation 2) ?
Yes, but with certain restrictions. If you use software provided on Disc 2, you must follow the restrictions in the licenses for each software package you use. Typically, these licenses will be GPL, LGPL and BSD although there may be others. In addition, the EULA (End User License Agreement) for the Linux (for PlayStation 2) kit restricts the use of materials on Disc 1 - please read the EULA for full terms. One effect of the EULA terms is that you cannot produce CDs or DVDs that can be used on the PlayStation platforms. This limits the distribution of software for Linux (for PlayStation 2) to on-line network distribution.

SCE runs a business that brings enjoyment and entertainment to millions of people worldwide. In order to continue the success of PlayStation and to protect our partners that produce software for our platforms, we must restrict some parts of the system to prevent piracy. With Linux (for PlayStation 2) we have taken an unprecedented open stance and released a huge amount of information that was previously proprietary allowing end users to program the system with very few restrictions.

[edited by - Identity on June 12, 2002 12:59:29 PM]