Question How do i make a game console that has the characteristics of some earlier consoles?

[Paterino Del Galaxia]

I want to know how to make a game console like the ps1 and ps2. What i am trying to point out is they do not have built in operating systems right? And what i know is that the game cd's serve as the bootable operating system. How can i do that in my own game console? Can someone fully explain the concept behind it and how i can apply it into my console?

 

[null_dev]

What i am trying to point out is they do not have built in operating systems right?

Not really. There is no OS right, but there is a chip that comes with a firmware(assuming a very limited OS).

And what i know is that the game cd's serve as the bootable operating system.

Nope! The game is just a compiled, ready to run codebase, that could communicate with underlying(console) API/ABI for good.

If you note, there are some emulators for legacy systems, like NES, so you could play NES ROM games on a PC for good. That emulator, just emulate that legacy some MHz process, with a GHz CPU which is not so hard of course!

How can i do that in my own game console?

That's not really simple, it may be complex(different units to functional sync), but overall for NES system for example, it won't be so hard. but time-consuming if you like to do it right!

I suggest you start with a very well-known platform like AVR, or PIC for start(while ARM Cortex M0 is a good option too). You have to code the firmware first(the code that runs the console). It has to support API/ABI for all lower-level peripherals(such as display, audio, IOs, etc...) and that end, the game programmer, will utilize your API/ABI for making the game!

Very great journey!, but make sure you are hardworking and passionate too much, otherwise you will give up.

Happy programming

 

[Paterino Del Galaxia]

Ok t

Not really. There is no OS right, but there is a chip that comes with a firmware(assuming a very limited OS).


Nope! The game is just a compiled, ready to run codebase, that could communicate with underlying(console) API/ABI for good.

If you note, there are some emulators for legacy systems, like NES, so you could play NES ROM games on a PC for good. That emulator, just emulate that legacy some MHz process, with a GHz CPU which is not so hard of course!


That's not really simple, it may be complex(different units to functional sync), but overall for NES system for example, it won't be so hard. but time-consuming if you like to do it right!

I suggest you start with a very well-known platform like AVR, or PIC for start(while ARM Cortex M0 is a good option too). You have to code the firmware first(the code that runs the console). It has to support API/ABI for all lower-level peripherals(such as display, audio, IOs, etc...) and that end, the game programmer, will utilize your API/ABI for making the game!

Very great journey!, but make sure you are hardworking and passionate too much, otherwise you will give up.

Happy programming

Thanks, but i am curious on how will i code the firmware, is it possible to change the firmware of a desktop pc motherboard for such thing to happen?

 

[null_dev]

Thanks, but i am curious on how will i code the firmware, is it possible to change the firmware of a desktop pc motherboard for such thing to happen?

PC systems are far different than a microcontroller. A CPU(let say AMD/Intel) are application processors. they come with full of process power. By system boot, BIOS/UEFI takes control of system init(with some help of mobo chip) then pass the work to OS. If there is no OS, then bios has no clue what to do next! So forget PC systems.

But a micro is different, there is BOOTO, and there is embedded peripherals control(like IO, etc...).
If you check, application ARM cpus(series A, like A-15, A-57) come with an embedded Cortex-M for peripheral controls.
So this the start point for you. You could grab a Arduino starter kit and start it up

You can purchase a 72 MHz ARM Cortex-M below 2$ right now! while PS1 has a 33MHz CPU(but mind PS1 has a GPU too), or NES has a below 2 MHz CPU. So even with a legendary-legacy-still-working ATmel atmega/attiny with a small SRAM you could start coding a great working firmware.
So again, start from a microcontroller, forget PC systems. Later you could emulate your codebase on an OS.

 

[Paterino Del Galaxia]

PC systems are far different than a microcontroller. A CPU(let say AMD/Intel) are application processors. they come with full of process power. By system boot, BIOS/UEFI takes control of system init(with some help of mobo chip) then pass the work to OS. If there is no OS, then bios has no clue what to do next! So forget PC systems.

But a micro is different, there is BOOTO, and there is embedded peripherals control(like IO, etc...).
If you check, application ARM cpus(series A, like A-15, A-57) come with an embedded Cortex-M for peripheral controls.
So this the start point for you. You could grab a Arduino starter kit and start it up

You can purchase a 72 MHz ARM Cortex-M below 2$ right now! while PS1 has a 33MHz CPU(but mind PS1 has a GPU too), or NES has a below 2 MHz CPU. So even with a legendary-legacy-still-working ATmel atmega/attiny with a small SRAM you could start coding a great working firmware.
So again, start from a microcontroller, forget PC systems. Later you could emulate your codebase on an OS.

Ok thanks, so there is no way for a pc system to be a game console without an operating system? You said that the game is just a compiled codebased ready to run and interact with the console. I was just feeling sorry for myself that i ordered a custom motherboard online that i designed also online.

Well, is it possible to make the video game, the game cd with video game serve as the operating system? In pc systems? I hope that idea is not stupid but if it is stupid, tell me why. But i want that idea of buying an arduino kit soon.

 

[null_dev]

Ok thanks, so there is no way for a pc system to be a game console without an operating system?

Possible, but does not worth it! Spending too much money, when a 10$ chip out there could do the work for you.

You said that the game is just a compiled codebased ready to run and interact with the console.

Yes, just like PC games are ready run OS, so consoles one are the same

I was just feeling sorry for myself that i ordered a custom motherboard online that i designed also online.

So cool! share your experience please as blog please.

Well, is it possible to make the video game, the game cd with video game serve as the operating system?

Yes yes, but not logicall really, since the firmware/OS should be shipped with that disk/cartridge, it needs its memory/ROM, also might not be ideally stable!
This is going to be something like live OS on DVDs

I hope that idea is not stupid but if it is stupid, tell me why. But i want that idea of buying an arduino kit soon.

Not stupid! but maybe 1% of game programmers wish to build the OS, to host the game while sipping the game. It sounds like a phone without Android/iOS, so the game programmer should code the OS, in order to ship the game! not really logicall.

The firmware/OS is a very low-level thing, while the game is the opposite. So instead of shipping an amount data of OS/firmware with each game, do it once for good, place it into console, and just ship the game codebase.

I highly suggest you forget PS1/PS2 level for now. You could start from programming embedded systems. That Arduino will help you too much to start it up very easy.
Even that 8MHz legendary ATmel could give you lots of power for a console game.
Start from 2D games for sure.

Hope to see you later doing AAA 3D gaming at GHz world for good. Take steps one by one.

 

[Paterino Del Galaxia]

Possible, but does not worth it! Spending too much money, when a 10$ chip out there could do the work for you.


Yes, just like PC games are ready run OS, so consoles one are the same


So cool! share your experience please as blog please.


Yes yes, but not logicall really, since the firmware/OS should be shipped with that disk/cartridge, it needs its memory/ROM, also might not be ideally stable!
This is going to be something like live OS on DVDs


Not stupid! but maybe 1% of game programmers wish to build the OS, to host the game while sipping the game. It sounds like a phone without Android/iOS, so the game programmer should code the OS, in order to ship the game! not really logicall.

The firmware/OS is a very low-level thing, while the game is the opposite. So instead of shipping an amount data of OS/firmware with each game, do it once for good, place it into console, and just ship the game codebase.

I highly suggest you forget PS1/PS2 level for now. You could start from programming embedded systems. That Arduino will help you too much to start it up very easy.
Even that 8MHz legendary ATmel could give you lots of power for a console game.
Start from 2D games for sure.

Hope to see you later doing AAA 3D gaming at GHz world for good. Take steps one by one.

Thank you so much you are so kind! See you around then!

 

[Paterino Del Galaxia]

Possible, but does not worth it! Spending too much money, when a 10$ chip out there could do the work for you.


Yes, just like PC games are ready run OS, so consoles one are the same


So cool! share your experience please as blog please.


Yes yes, but not logicall really, since the firmware/OS should be shipped with that disk/cartridge, it needs its memory/ROM, also might not be ideally stable!
This is going to be something like live OS on DVDs


Not stupid! but maybe 1% of game programmers wish to build the OS, to host the game while sipping the game. It sounds like a phone without Android/iOS, so the game programmer should code the OS, in order to ship the game! not really logicall.

The firmware/OS is a very low-level thing, while the game is the opposite. So instead of shipping an amount data of OS/firmware with each game, do it once for good, place it into console, and just ship the game codebase.

I highly suggest you forget PS1/PS2 level for now. You could start from programming embedded systems. That Arduino will help you too much to start it up very easy.
Even that 8MHz legendary ATmel could give you lots of power for a console game.
Start from 2D games for sure.

Hope to see you later doing AAA 3D gaming at GHz world for good. Take steps one by one.

Hi
I decided to do the illogical way (don't judge me though) because i want the game to serve as the live os of the console.(like live os on DVD's) Since no one had ever done it before (i assume but i am not sure if someone in the past did it) to make my console weird and unique. Now, i am planning to make a linux distro. The problem is, how do i make the linux distro to directly boot the video game as the main software and nothing else? I want that it would most likely appear that it is the os itself, but there is a linux distro behind the playable video game.