Saturn Coding Contest 2007: join now!

[RockinB]

The 4th ever Saturn Coding Contest is looking for hobbyist programers, willing to catch some of this years attractive prizes.



You can win:
- up to 300 Euro
- up to 10 USB DataLink devices
- video games

The rules have been improved to ease the winning of prizes:
- multiple entries of one person: each entry can win a prize
- new points based ranking system, with extra points for implementing special features
- you can get a prize without being under the 3 best entries


Creating a Saturn homebrew game or demo isn't as difficult as some people may think. Everything is there in big mass: documentation, example codes, Tools and compilers (detailed links here). No need to learn assembler, you can use C++ or what's even simpler to do: Game Basic.

When you choose to program in C/C++, then just download and install SaturnOrbit, browse through the included source code examples, pick one and press the "built all" button. It creates a ready to use ISO file automatically! Just fire up yabause Saturn-Emulator and watch your self-compiled Saturn game to become alive. Then you can start modifying that example and make it your own little game.

If you got a bit of coding experience, you can earn a Saturn USB DataLink at one afternoon.

How this works you ask? Just look at the list of possible extra points. There are a lot of features listed, ranging from simple to advanced difficulty. Each one is honored with an extra point when you implement it in your homebrew Saturn game or demo. Choose 3 of which you think might be easy to get for you and focus implementing the required feature.

The Saturn USB DataLink is a replacement for the old Commlink cart. It connects your Saturn with the PC via USB, using an Action Replay cartridge. Software is included to download and upload game saves, to dump the bios and most importandly: to upload and execute homebrew games . Game Saves format is compatible with the one used by Saturn emulators.

The old Commslink didn't operate reliable, data transmission errors occured very frequently and if not used properly, you could destroy the Saturn, the Action Replay or the Commslink cart. However, the Commslink can't be used in todays computers, as it requires an ISA slot.
Get you a Saturn USB DataLink and you won't have any of these problems.

If your interested, head over to the official website of the
SEGA Saturn Coding Contest (C4 - 2007): http://www.rockin-b.de/c4/2007/
and start your Saturn coding experience, now!

[vbt]

I should enter the contest this year again. Let's hope some other members here will do the same.

[Curlypaul]

I was hoping to, got a brand new nipper at the minute so we'll have to see how much time I get. I've been working on an idea in my head though

[spiritplx]

I would really love to do this, although I doubt I find the time to do it (especially with such a quick deadline). However, I do code for a living, so I might be able to help out with anyone having general coding issues. Feel free to pm me with any questions you might have, I won't guarantee I can help, but I would be glad to try.

Again, this is something I would love to get into if I had more time.

[RockinB]

I'd love to see some fresh new saturn coders, you're welcome!

I would really love to do this, although I doubt I find the time to do it (especially with such a quick deadline).
...
Again, this is something I would love to get into if I had more time.

It is almost certain that I'l extend the contest deadline for 1-2 months, since a lot of people didn't knew about the contest, back when it was started. Hope to see you there!

[Curlypaul]

That would be pretty cool if you could hold off for a month or 2, might give me chance to get my head round all the sega documentation and stuff. I'm a high level programmer, I work in .NET (I know, I know...) and I've done a few simple actionscript games in my spare time but interupts and such like are all a bit new too me as is programming for consoles. It immensly satisfing to see an app I've written running on a machine I used to play on when I was a kid.

btw, are the results for the first contest on the web? I've been looking at 2005 and 2006 but I cant find 2004

[RockinB]

Curlypaul, there is no need to get into interrupt programming, when you use the SGL library for SEGA Saturn. It's the most high level library available for Saturn.

btw, are the results for the first contest on the web? I've been looking at 2005 and 2006 but I cant find 2004

In 2004, there was no Saturn contest. The first Saturn Contest was run at segaXtreme in 2003. Here is the CD image (may need region patch):
http://content.segaxtreme.net/satdev/sx_contest.ace
In 2005, I started the annual C4 SEGA Saturn Coding Contest at www.rockin-b.de . A lot of effort was put in this thing 2005. Atlas, SaturnOrbit and the Saturn Game Tutorial & Demo were brought to life, all very useful things, also for all following contests. My intention is to make every new contest a bit better.

[Curlypaul]

Thats wht I have been using yeah, but when I come across functions like slIntBackCancel() I have to go of reading about what the hell they mean and why they are being used when they are.

Thanks for the link to the results btw, looks like I might have to join the forum to get them but I've been meaning to do that for a while now any way