Porting ZC to the DS. (Extra detail)

[Hot Water Music]

It seems that ZC is actually limitted to memory-use and all that jumble.
This is a good thing when it comes to trying to make it portable.

I'm not sure exactly how ZC functions and all, like how it displays images and crap, but if it has a nice limitation, and correct formatting for it to be able to reprogram into a port for the DS, then hey.

http://boards.pocketheaven.com/
http://boards.pocketheaven.com/viewtopic.php?t=5695

This place consists of a large amount of people who usually dev on portable systems. Usually the GBA and the DS.

With their knowledge of being able to reprogram things, they could possibly help us port ZC into the DS.

Also, flash carts have been very advanced lately. New memory storage techniques are done. The popular new storage technique is having a flash cart with a built in SD or CF card reader. SD cards can hold gigabytes of data.

Not only that, but DS can actually save files onto the card, and not just into SRAM. This means you can edit quests and all if you wanted to.

I'm not sure what you guys think, but if you could cooperate with them then you guys could probably find a way to port it to the DS. These people know alot of the technical functions of the DS and GBA. They created multiple system emulators for the DS and GBA.

[erm2003]

I think the real problem with this, as indicated before, is ZC relies on Allegro. ZC would have to be completely reprogrammed from the ground up for it to even have a chance to be a successful port and I am sure it's not something the devs are interested in doing right now.

[Majora]

First 2.5, then the rest.

*adds to sig*

[Hot Water Music]

Take a look on Tepple's post.
http://boards.pocketheaven.com/viewtopic.php?p=43921#43921

He said that GBA and DS could display graphics like allegro can.

[C-Dawg]

Porting to handhelds - it's the new Roc's Feather Suggestion!

[The_Amaster]

Yeah, but it's not a question of graphics. It's all about how the code is written. As it is, the DS just can't run Allegro.

[Hot Water Music]

Porting to handhelds - it's the new Roc's Feather Suggestion!

Yeah well at least I'm giving routines to possibly do this then JUST SUGGESTING IT.

[DarkDragon]

As I mentioned in the other DS porting thread, there are two major technical barriers that must be overcome:
1) ZC's total reliance on Allegro for graphics and sound,
2) ZC's 70 MB RAM requirement.
Fixing either of these would require an almost *total* rewrite of ZC and ZQ.
Even if these technical barriers can be overcome, there remain non-technical barriers, primarily,
1) ZC isn't open source,
2) ZC isn't even working right on Windows, never mind in some exotic new environment.

[Hot Water Music]

Well at least I got somewhere on this.

[Dark Nation]

Actually, I'm semi-actively in the process of getting ZC 2.10.3 ported to the GP2X. I've just overcome a major obstacle in getting the new Allegro compiled for the system (needed due to some bug fixes it offers) and just got a set of NiMH batteries and a 30-minute charger (the GP2X eats up batteries when you do USB transfers on it a lot). Anyway, ZC actually loads on it. I'm just hammering out some platform-specific bugs and things should be good after that (I hope). One thing I have to put in specifically for this platform (and any other handhelds that may get a port in the future, and it may even be available for computers, just for authenticity/nostalgia) is the name entry letter grid where you can pick letters with the controller instead of typing them.

That having been said, if anyone wants to donate a DS with the appropriate dev tools, I'd be glad to take a look at a port for it. :D

[broken soul]

Heil Zeldafan500

[Anthus]

Hrm... I know next to nothing about programming, or formatting for ZC, or the DS, but, if it was possible, couldn't you include some sort of emulator that would run Allegro on the DS using it's own resources, then run ZC from there? But, there is still the RAM issue. How much RAM does the DS have anyway? Could you use a flash card as a RAM expander?

Just a thought, if it is even technically possible :shrug:

[SpykStorm]

Actually, I'm semi-actively in the process of getting ZC 2.10.3 ported to the GP2X.

What is a GP2X???:confused:

[Luigi]

What is a GP2X???:confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GP2X

It's an open-source Linux based handheld video games console.

[Joe123]

What is a GP2X???
I thought that, but it doesn't take too much effort to put it into Google :p

[The_Amaster]

DN, check this (http://www.double.co.nz/nintendo_ds/index.html) out. It may be just what you need. It seems to be more for "from scratch" projects, but with a bit of extrapolation...

Although if we do get ZC sucessfully ported, that begs the distribution question. Where do we buy blank DS cards, etc?

[Hot Water Music]

They're not blank DS cards. They're third party flashable DS cards.
M3 supports good flash cards.

[Pineconn]

Actually, I'm semi-actively in the process of getting ZC 2.10.3 ported to the GP2X.

Wait, has 2.10.3 ever been released to the public? I just did a little searching and couldn't seem to find it.

[Hot Water Music]

how much is a GP2X usually cost in USD?

[Masamune]

About $190. It's more or less a weaker open source PSP with linux. Pretty cool though.

[punkonjunk1024]

mmm, I like this thread. This is just what I needed to have a reason to get a GP2X.


EDIT
Here's an idea. Let's forget Zquest for a sec... Would it be possible to just port ZeldaClassic, the player to a system? So you could play your quests, test on a system, play actual finished quests on the go, ect?

[Hot Water Music]

Yeah we really need the Player more than the Editor.

[MottZilla]

Porting ZC to DS is possible but it'd take a great deal of work adapting it. The GP2X is a much better choice for portable ZC. But why are you so concerned about a portable ZC anyway? Are you really so busy you need to play ZC on a tiny screen? Honestly there's no point porting ZC to DS other than you have nothing better to do.

[punkonjunk1024]

Because it'd be really awesome to have it on the go, and an OQO is pretty out of range for most of us, price-wise. Or, if you go on vacation for 14 days, it'd be nice to have ZC with you. OR, we'd have the player so we could play quests on the go. Now that would be nice - Playing other peoples quests (or our own) on the go. *shrug*

[Hot Water Music]

Or if you're like me and you like to play things on a handheld for free-er movement to do things.

[Dark Nation]

ZQuest isn't gonna work on portables, so I'm ignoring that. ZC actually loads on the GP2X, but there's an encryption issue which causes quests and the save file not to load. Once I get that fixed, things should be great.

[punkonjunk1024]

as neat as that is... no one here has a GP2X. XD
Or few, anyway. I want one, though.

[firebug]

as neat as that is... no one here has a GP2X. XD
Or few, anyway. I want one, though.

I do. I think Mott has one as well. I'm stoked that ZC is being ported to a handheld. I've been waiting for quite awhile.

[Gplayer]

Awww... memo to self- get a GP2X.

This site continues to baffle me with the technical prowess of its members.

[EvilDragon]

Well, I also do have one ;)
Most gp2x users at gp32x.com and gp2x.de boards are also waiting for ZC, though :)