#21810 - mtg101 - Sun Jun 06, 2004 7:03 pm
This wekend I've decided to trplay Zelda: Oarina of Time. A number of times I got stuck and couldn't be arsed figuring out the problem, so I went and consulted a walkthrough; I was really only playing so I could go fishing again and mess about on Epona.
After a few switches between computer and TV, I thought "I wish I had a second screen so I could view the walkthought and game at the same time". Then: lightbulb moment! Could this be done on the DS?
What I'm thinking of is while running a GBA game on the top screen, assuming the GBA part uses the ARM7 processor to do this, and using the touch-screen to display a browser, using the ARM9 processor and WiFi connection.
Now the ARM9 processor only runs at 64Mhz, but my phone runs at only 104Mhz and it's got a whole pre-emptive multitasking OS on it as well as a browser, MP3 player and so on. So it must be possible on the DS.
But is it this simple? Can you just write a web browser, shove it on a cart along with a GBA game and have a simple loader that shoves the GBA game on one processor and the web browser on the other? Can you do anything on the other processor while running a GBA game?
Does anyone have any insight or ideas on how we're going to be able to use these processors independantly? It's not just for a web broswer: what about for playing one game while the other processor uses WiFi to search for Pokemon battles to have with people around you; or to just have PDA functionality on the touchscreen while you play Zelda in the other?
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#21814 - zazery - Sun Jun 06, 2004 7:58 pm
I think we might have to wait and see what is possible. I think it would be a great idea to say have the controls and top screen for the GBA and the bottom touch screen for the interenet.
If Nintendo doesn't create a web browser for it I'm sure if the DS scene gets more information on the DS, someone will make one. The only thing is I'm not sure if you can run commercial games like that. There is a possibility that you could take a DS cart and program a game on one screen and the internet on the other. I think there might be a possibility of recieving messages on the one screen while playing on the other.
If I remember correctly, Nintendo wanted to have something like Picto chat as a program that came with the DS among other things. Perhaps you could use those at the same time as well. Just like you were saying about the MP3, only I doubt Nintendo will put programs like that on it.
#21824 - MumblyJoe - Mon Jun 07, 2004 2:33 am
Yeah, I agree, if nintendo doesnt make web programs (browser, irc client etc) you can bet it will be on the top of the list for a hell of alot of developers at home.
As for perhaps bieng able to use the other screen for things while playing gba games... less likely but perhaps.
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#21828 - dagamer34 - Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:53 am
I'm hoping the DS will have an OS-style interface where if you boot up the system without a cart, something actually happens. Another thing I'm hoping is that Nintendo creates some kind of memory swapping system where I can transfer my saves from one cart to another so that if I borrow my friend's game, my save file isn't stuck with them. I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially licsenced, so I don't use it).
Browsing the internet may very well be possible as a seperate application like PictoChat. Hopefully it will be built-in to the system so that everyone with a DS can use it, making it a much more widespread application.
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#21829 - tepples - Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:05 am
| dagamer34 wrote: |
| I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially licsenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course.
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#21838 - dagamer34 - Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:41 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| dagamer34 wrote: | | I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially liscenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course. |
But flash carts don't alter original carts now do they? You only back them up once, if you need too, then that's it. But every time I want to use my SMS, it's going to fiddle with SRAM, EEPROM, or Flash ROM, and I don't want to spend another $30 if it messes it up.
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#21840 - ampz - Mon Jun 07, 2004 3:45 pm
| dagamer34 wrote: |
| tepples wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially liscenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course. |
But flash carts don't alter original carts now do they? You only back them up once, if you need too, then that's it. But every time I want to use my SMS, it's going to fiddle with SRAM, EEPROM, or Flash ROM, and I don't want to spend another $30 if it messes it up. |
Well, the worst thing it could possibly do is corrupt your savegames.
#21845 - dagamer34 - Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:30 pm
| ampz wrote: |
| dagamer34 wrote: | | tepples wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially liscenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course. |
But flash carts don't alter original carts now do they? You only back them up once, if you need too, then that's it. But every time I want to use my SMS, it's going to fiddle with SRAM, EEPROM, or Flash ROM, and I don't want to spend another $30 if it messes it up. |
Well, the worst thing it could possibly do is corrupt your savegames. |
It doesn't matter anyway. My SMS is being used for uploading MB ROMs now so it doesn't even back up saves.
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#21861 - MumblyJoe - Tue Jun 08, 2004 4:40 am
| dagamer34 wrote: |
| ampz wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | tepples wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially liscenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course. |
But flash carts don't alter original carts now do they? You only back them up once, if you need too, then that's it. But every time I want to use my SMS, it's going to fiddle with SRAM, EEPROM, or Flash ROM, and I don't want to spend another $30 if it messes it up. |
Well, the worst thing it could possibly do is corrupt your savegames. |
It doesn't matter anyway. My SMS is being used for uploading MB ROMs now so it doesn't even back up saves. |
Sorry, I just wanted to see if I could make this embedded quote war any longer :P
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#21896 - dagamer34 - Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:00 pm
| MumblyJoe wrote: |
| dagamer34 wrote: | | ampz wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | tepples wrote: | | dagamer34 wrote: | | I dislike my current situation with the GBA (the SMS stick isn't officially liscenced, so I don't use it). |
Neither are flash carts, of course. |
But flash carts don't alter original carts now do they? You only back them up once, if you need too, then that's it. But every time I want to use my SMS, it's going to fiddle with SRAM, EEPROM, or Flash ROM, and I don't want to spend another $30 if it messes it up. |
Well, the worst thing it could possibly do is corrupt your savegames. |
It doesn't matter anyway. My SMS is being used for uploading MB ROMs now so it doesn't even back up saves. |
Sorry, I just wanted to see if I could make this embedded quote war any longer :P |
Nope, this will be the last one. :)
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#21897 - Miked0801 - Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:27 pm
I resisted the urge... ;)