#12511 - Ganondorf - Sun Nov 16, 2003 1:11 pm
Regarding the new release of Catapult 1.31b: If you can disassemble a SNES Rom file, convert it to Catapult 1.31b and then use the function to create a binary file for GBA it should be possible to play SNES games on the Gameboy Advance, no?
Can anyone answer the question or create an automated process to achieve this? Think about it: You could play al those classics like Chrono Trigger and Terranigma on your GBA using a flash-advance linker!
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#12513 - tepples - Sun Nov 16, 2003 2:04 pm
It would be time-consuming work to convert an entire game's worth of 65c816 assembly code and SPC700 assembly code to the GBA, and especially taking into account the systems' subtly different I/O models, I don't think it could be readily automated.
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#12514 - Ganondorf - Sun Nov 16, 2003 3:10 pm
Yes, that`s absolutely right, but I think it is much easier than before because of the Basic-like programming language of Catapult 1.31b. Maybe there can be an emulator running GBA games in real-time on the console itself. Couldn`t it be possible?
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#12530 - frag - Sun Nov 16, 2003 11:04 pm
Well. Having a BASIC like high level language means very little as its all converted to machine code at the end. The GBA can't execute BASIC (or C or C++ or whatever for that matter). There are internal opcodes that do things built into the processor. Assembly is basically these internal opcodes one step removed, giving them all handy labels and introducing various other mnenomics.
So you're still dealing with asm code, just a few lexer, symantic, and code generation steps away from it.
And because you're dealing with asm you need to deal with the differences between the two systems on the metal level. The Catapult folks would basically have to pre-do this conversion which pretty much has to be done on a game by game basis. And unless Catapult has a built in HAL (I'm afraid I can't convert Chronotrigger Dave) or something its not going to be able to do that on its own. :-)
Frag
#12531 - tepples - Sun Nov 16, 2003 11:08 pm
If you want your favorite RPGs ported to GBA, get all your friends to sign a petition to Square Enix.
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#12553 - Quirky - Mon Nov 17, 2003 7:50 pm
| tepples wrote: |
| If you want your favorite RPGs ported to GBA, get all your friends to sign a petition to Square Enix. |
And show your support to GBA RPGs by buying Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Cracking game. Some neat tricks too, I love playing the "guess how they did an effect" game as much as the missions :)
#12589 - pollier - Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:42 pm
Just started playing that recently! Beautiful game; there's one effect that sticks in my head--the dissolve effect used when you destroy the first crystal, not just the hblank dissolves, the fully fledged particle one...HOW?!
The missions are great. The dispatch ones make me laugh :)
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#12596 - Quirky - Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:35 pm
They use every trick in the book, then invent some more. Lots of neat HBlank and palette effects in there, and they seem to (make it look like they) use more than 4 layers a lot of the time - the "phatasm skills" spring to mind.
I have noticed a couple of sprite priority glitches though, where your guy shows through scenery or tiles get stuck incorrectly in front of him, so they aren't quite perfect ;-)