Aberration

My view on Pandora and GP2X development

Tomasz Sterna — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:03:12 +0000

This post originated on GP32X.com Forum:

N900 is not really fitted as a game console. Arcade games are horrible to play without using PS3 DS controller.
So for now I am more interested in porting and improving ports of mouse (touch screen) based games: Widelands, Bos Wars, Freeciv, LinCity, etc. as this is what I play while commuting to work. (N900 resistive screen with stylus is perfect for that).
Since most emulated games are arcade ones, I have less interest in improving emulators. With one exception – I do like to play Tekken3 on TV using dualshock.

I guess this is general point missed by most non-coder community members of all open source based communities.
We (mostly) do not code, port and hack software because we like the process (it’s tedious and mostly boring), we want to make world better (well… maybe the closest one), or seek community appraisal. We do this to fulfill our own needs. To scratch the itch.
I ported PCSX and PSX4ALL because I love Tekken3. I ported E-UAE and UAE4ALL because I wanted to watch SOTA whenever I want. I ported Widelands because I loved to play Settlers and still love it. Etc. etc.

So yes. If I would buy Pandora this would naturally incline me to work on software for it.
But since I already own N900 I do not really want to spend money on another gadget which I may or may not find use for.

But since it’s the same hardware and software basically, you may enjoy my improvements on Pandora and I may enjoy Pandora improvements on N900.
It’s pity though that GP2X and Pandora developers do not share the habit of sharing the (even GPLed) source alongside with binaries, like we Linux folks do and we (maemo people) need to resort to begging GP2X/Pandora devs for the sources.

My view on Pandora and GP2X development ©, .

PSX4M is finally out

Tomasz Sterna — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 10:11:57 +0000

You’ve been waiting for this too long, so I finally released first part of my new Playstation emulator for Maemo. It’s based on updated source of PSX4ALL by ZodTTD and incorporates Maemo specific backends written by me. It uses new PulseAudio sound backend and HAA display scaling PSX native resolutions to 640×480 for N900 display (so it keeps correct aspect ratio).

The new concept for the emulator fully utilizes Maemo osso-games-startup frontend with standalone CLI psx4m worker binary.
And the first part of this combo is out: http://maemo.org/packages/view/psx4m/

PSX4M is finally out ©, .

Harmattan R.I.P.

Tomasz Sterna — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:20:04 +0000

A user of TMO asked a question “When we Expect a Huge & reliable numbers of applications for N900 ?”

My answer is:

Simple answer: Never.

Longer answer:
N900 and its Maemo5 operating system is already abandoned by Nokia and is pretty much dead.
Next device from Nokia, will have Maemo6 operating system which is:
a) very different from Maemo5
b) a dead-end of Maemo operating systems, because we already know it will be discontinued in favor of MeeGo

So… None in the right mind would start developing an application for already dead Maemo5.
And none in the right mind would start developing an application for Maemo6, knowing that it’s targeted for death right after seeing the daylight.

They say that we should start developing applications for MeeGo, but no one knows how, because specification is work-in-progress and kept secret.

For me the answer is simple – move to Android.
I ordered Motorola Milestone yesterday.

Harmattan R.I.P. ©, .

POWDER – roguelike from GBA to Maemo

Tomasz Sterna — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:50:16 +0000

On pupnik‘s request I did a quick port of POWDER – a nice roguelike game originally developped for GBA. It took me about half an hour. :)

POWDER – roguelike from GBA to Maemo ©, .

OpenDUNE for Maemo

Tomasz Sterna — Mon, 31 May 2010 22:23:06 +0000

Porting games to Fremantle if taking me less and less time… :-)

OpenDUNE for Maemo ©, .

Globulation 2 Maemo Edition

Tomasz Sterna — Mon, 31 May 2010 15:32:54 +0000

With a little work I finally managed to port Globulation 2 to Maemo 5.
It’s an immensely fun RTS game with a new approach to taking the burden of micromanagement off the player.

The package is available from github, because the extras builder is broken.

Globulation 2 Maemo Edition ©, .

N900 hardware QEMU emulator

Tomasz Sterna — Thu, 27 May 2010 20:45:29 +0000

Maemo development just gets nicer and nicer…

N900 hardware QEMU emulator ©, .

Clicking from Madrid

Tomasz Sterna — Sun, 23 May 2010 20:55:05 +0000

Thanks to Tuenti I have an opportunity of visiting Madrid.

It´s a great city. I got on a walk around right after I arrived and just got back. I was walking for several hours and there was always something else, something new around the corner. I am a city born man and I admire this city. Last time I was so revering, was when I was walking around Beirut with no reason besides sight seeing.

Looking what tommorow brings…

P.S. Spanish keyboard layout is PITA to use… ;-)

Open Red Alert Maemo Edition

Tomasz Sterna — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:00:04 +0000

After some trial and error I’ve managed to get the SVN version of Open Red Alert working on Fremantle.

It’s a very preliminary port similar to my Bos Wars port and it needs a lot of love to really enjoy it.
The main concern is the conventional RTS controls, that use RMB a lot. I need to think of a method for easy scrolling the map, canceling construction, placing construction markers, etc.

You may find the deb on github – the Extras autobuilder does not like it.

Bos Wars Maemo Edition

Tomasz Sterna — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:03:53 +0000

Another port of Linux game for Nokia N900 is ready.
This time I’ve taken a very nice RTS – Bos Wars.

You may get it from Extras.