An idea for continued games development... using Amiga

[Galahad/FLT]

I've been running some ideas around my head for the past few weeks.

I want to get back into games programming, but I really can't be arsed, and I simply don't have the time to learn a new language when recent developments mean I might not have to.

The Amiga is seeing a bit of a semi-revival as a few of its games get converted to phones and the like pretty much as they were.

Obviously people consider the Amiga games to still look and sound good enough to only offer minor enhancements, which got me to thinking.

My idea is thus: I know Amiga programming, and could likely program something on the Amiga far quicker than I could in Java or anything else. So instead of programming in Java, why not program as if I was doing a game for the Amiga, written on Amiga, and take advantage of the Amiga Emulators on Android and Iphone/Ipad to create a transparent layer where the emulator has no user input whatsoever, other than to be told what Amiga 'rom' to load so that the game can be started and played?

After all, that is pretty much how Java works, so instead of jumping through hoops learning new languages, utilise the emulator cores to take advantage of the programming, graphics and music we all know already.

Any thoughts?

[lordofchaos]

That is possibly the most exciting idea I’ve heard in a long time. Anything that gives the Amiga an injection of new life is only a good thing in my eyes.

[kriz]

I would buy a copy, thats for sure... Full support..

[gulliver]

Perhaps you are thinking about something along the lines of this [link removed]
But a bit less illegal

[Anakirob]

Originally Posted by Galahad/FLT

I've been running some ideas around my head for the past few weeks.

...

After all, that is pretty much how Java works, so instead of jumping through hoops learning new languages, utilise the emulator cores to take advantage of the programming, graphics and music we all know already.

Any thoughts?

I have occasionally had these exact same thoughts over the last five years or so. The Amiga could be quite a capable "virtual machine".

Indeed wasn't that the idea behind AInc.'s AmigaAnywhere(tm)?

Emulation has proven that modern computing devices are more than capable handling the task. And with UAE source available then embedding the emulator in platform specific executables should be pretty straightforward.

I think the only real difficulty is licensing the Kickstart ROM's, and even then the 68k AROS project could soon eliminate this problem (fingers crossed).

What I want to know from you is: Are you thinking of making original Amiga games and marketing them beyond the confines of the Amiga community, or are you just thinking of adapting old favorites for new platforms?

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by Anakirob

I have occasionally had these exact same thoughts over the last five years or so. The Amiga could be quite a capable "virtual machine".

Indeed wasn't that the idea behind AInc.'s AmigaAnywhere(tm)?

Emulation has proven that modern computing devices are more than capable handling the task. And with UAE source available then embedding the emulator in platform specific executables should be pretty straightforward.

I think the only real difficulty is licensing the Kickstart ROM's, and even then the 68k AROS project could soon eliminate this problem (fingers crossed).

What I want to know from you is: Are you thinking of making original Amiga games and marketing them beyond the confines of the Amiga community, or are you just thinking of adapting old favorites for new platforms?

You wouldn't need Kickstart Roms for anything. You would have the Emulator core check the Amiga 'rom' game file for header information so it can actually boot the 'rom' without the need for Kickstart, because the only need for Kickstart in the first place is to load the bootblock and then use AmigaDOS to load some sectors of data to get going, well theres plenty of loaders that are tiny enough to fit in the bootblock so there is no need to use AmigaDOS for anything.

I would be aiming to do original games for Android/Iphone/Ipad, and then once the game has done its business, they get released for free on Amiga. Having said that, some enterprising chap would probably simply hack the Iphone/Android/Ipad games so they would work on Amiga in any case, but the point is, theres plenty of talented Amiga programmers, Graphics artists and musicians still that could turn around a far more accomplished game than they probably could in Java, and, could turn it around quicker.

The only thing to do is to speak to one of the emulator authors to get them to do a specific core version of the emulator that avoids the boot issue of needing Kickstart, and has all the most compatible settings as default, and doesn't boot up looking like an emulator, its basically transparent.

Personally, I reckon its a winner.

[Exit]

@galahad..very good idea indeed

[Dreedo]

Write them in C# and sell it on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. :P

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by Dreedo

Write them in C# and sell it on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. :P

Not interested in having to learn a new language, would rather be able to stick with what I know, which will lead to quicker results.

[Exit]

there is still a market for amiga games...i really like point and click games like DOTT
and action games like silkworm or cannon fodder

[Paul_s]

Nice idea, I reckon your first project should be Putty Squad

You'd get the nobel peace prize if you pulled that off

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by Paul_s

Nice idea, I reckon your first project should be Putty Squad

You'd get the nobel peace prize if you pulled that off

I'd be aiming for something I could commercially release, not do all the hard work and have it prohibited right away

Also i'd only be aiming for ECS style games to put as little strain on the emulator as possible so everything runs as it should. ECS shouldn't be much of a limitation, the games can still be nice and colourful.

[frikilokooo]

That'd be great!!!...and what kind of game would it be?

[Exit]

@Galahad; point and click adventure i guess

[Galahad/FLT]

Well puzzle games generally do well, and are the quickest to get off the ground, point and click is a definate maybe, but obviously that requires a bit more in the graphics department.

[KevG]

I'd write games for real Amiga's if I could find someone to publish them so that I got a return on my hard work. Sadley, there is no one who would do it so thats why I dont do games anymore.

Kev G.

[Amiga1992]

count me in for gfx/music work

[kamelito]

Contact Team17 and help them port their games to PSN, XLBA, IPhone/Ipad/Ipod touch, Android.

Cydia could easier to sell software than AppStore, already 10M users there.

kml

[IFW]

Many of the new devices have very capable accelerated 3d graphics chips that you could utilize for at least 2d effects that look far better than anything you could do on a miggy.
Maybe add an "enhanced 3d mode" or a 3d driver to the emulator to do that, but if you go that far, you might as well just compile native code.
There are official emulators and/ord devkits for your target platforms; the emulators are afaik free.

[Galahad/FLT]

Originally Posted by IFW

Many of the new devices have very capable accelerated 3d graphics chips that you could utilize for at least 2d effects that look far better than anything you could do on a miggy.
Maybe add an "enhanced 3d mode" or a 3d driver to the emulator to do that, but if you go that far, you might as well just compile native code.
There are official emulators and/ord devkits for your target platforms; the emulators are afaik free.

You're talking about Android emulators and the like aren't you? so you can develop on a PC knowing what the end results would be like on the target device?

No doubt better games could be produced outside of an Amiga environment, but from my perspective, games developed with a hint of Amiga is no bad thing depending on the game. I've seen lots of recent non 3D stuff on Iphone and Android and frankly, an ECS Amiga could cope with most of them with ease, therefore, programming an Amiga game and then have it emulated on the target machine should work fine.

Also, it adds a level of copy protection to the game, because how many would be hackers today are 68000 asm conversant where they could successfully crack the serial protection without problems?