12 replies to this topic

[Fadest]

You should have a look at this :
http://www.dailymoti...-rgc_videogames
or


This special cartridge (including accelerometer) has been demonstrated one year ago during the last AC in France (April 2010).
It is a prototype, made by Vince and Zerosquare (Jagware) with a minimal program running on it to show "proof of concept". I can say it works very well.
Let's hope that full games will make good use of it in the future...

[Ninjabba]

Wow... do I understand correctly that its motion control without modifying the Lynx hardware? Thats great stuff!!! How can I get this?

[Tempest2k]

can somebody translate what they saying? i cant understand French^^

[Tursi]

Hehe.. accelerometers are pretty neat little pieces of hardware. Tiny, low power, and reliable, it doesn't take a lot to plug them into things. Putting one into a Lynx cartridge is an interesting idea.

[Fadest]

Tempest2k, on Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:28 AM, said:

can somebody translate what they saying? i cant understand French^^

Right now, I can't as I do not have access to the video and don't remember what they said 1 year ago, but I will try tonight.

Basically, Ninjabba and Tursi are right, it is an accelerometer put on a Lynx cartridge in order to let the Lynx program access the accelerometer values. No need for a modified Lynx. Of course it will only work with dedicated programs. The parrot (IIRC, it was a parrot, first demo was only a white square) moving on screen is a demonstration, the player moves the Lynx, so the parrot moves on screen.

[EricDeLee]

Very cool. Likewise...I can't understand French. Would love to know what was mentioned in this video... and what the interview Questions and Answers were

[The_Laird]

Very cool indeed!

What would work really well with this is one of those games where you have to move a marble round a maze, like Mini Maze on the CD-i, or where you have to put the ball bearings in holes. Both on the same cart would be even better!

[TailChao]

Very nice job!

[Fadest]

[disclaimer]
Here is a quick and diry translation. Probably incomplete, I also hope I made no mistake...
So nothing in this text is official, the reference is the video .

It is said that we spoke about a DDr clone. In fact, I wanted to add this technology to Space Dance during the show, but I did not have the time. But this is something I would like to try...
[/disclaimer]

Arethius : Next presentation, presented by Vince & Zerosquare, a Lynx cartridge with motion detection.

Vince : Hello, this project has been done with the help of Zerosquare and SCPCD.
It is very simple, with the cartridge, we can detect the 3 axes, so when you move the console, the sprite on screen move.
As you can see on screen, a basic sprite is move to the left when console inclined to the left. Same to the right, up and down. No need to press a button.
So, it open opportunities to make games that use motion detection, like on Wii for example.


Slides :
1/ Principe : 3 axes
How does it works : the game program speaks directly with accelerometer : the (very) small chip on front of the screwdriver
The cartridge also has an EEPROM to save highscore, ...
The goal is to make a video game.

Inside te component, how does it work ?
There is a small lutin, called David who calls the game by phone. In fact, it's a piezo-electric component (no mechanicals pieces that moves or mercure stuff like old Gameboy cartridge), so it is not sensible to shocks (demonstration).

2:40 -> in demo : there is a noise reduction via software. If deactivated (2:50), the sprite move faster but with lots of noise.

The goal is to finalize a game concept, then code the game.
It works on lynx 1 & 2, but axes has to be managed different way on Lynx 1 (not same position)
This is a classical cartridge. It is only a prototype right now, hand-soldered (should be done with tools that are not avaible for homebrewers)

Questions/answers :
- A quand le premier jeu // When will be the first game available ?
No answer

- une idée de jeu en préparation // Any idea of game in preparation ?
yes, a small idea, but nothing ready yet

- Quel style de jeu pourrait être créé ? // what kind of games could be done ?
racing (act like wheel).
No real concept yet

- quel programme effectue la reconnaissance des mouvement dans la Lynx ? // wht program makes motion detection in Lynx ?
It uses a library in C kit dev tool for x, y, z axes. Sensibility is manage also via library (normal gravity, 1/2, 1/4 gravity). We spoke with Fadest about Dance Dance Revolution, so as moves would be bigger, accelerometer sensitivity would have to be changed.

- Peut on imaginer un capteur sonore sur le même principe ? // Can we imagine a sound detection on same principe ?
We can, but that would need a game idea that would make use of sound detection. This would be lot of work, but why not, after this project...

- N'importe qui peut programmer un jeu pour la technologie de la cartouche ? // Can everyone make a game for this technology ?
Absolutely not (no answer)

- Quels ont été les problèmes rencontrés lors du développement ? // Which issues did you have during development ?
First, it was my (Vince speaking) usual bad luck (shipment should have been done while Island volcano eruption, so it implied delays). Then, is has been lost in Koln airport. Also, the component is very small so soldering has been very hard. Then, my (still Vince speaking) console had a default (1 line was not working) and cartridge was inoperant with it. It took 1 month to find this.

[carmel_andrews]

Could this be likened to the lynx equivalent of kinect for the MS console (unless i am miss-understanding something)...or something likenerd to the way you play games on a ipad (i.e you move the console itself and not touch the controls)

[JohnBuell]

carmel_andrews, on Thu Mar 3, 2011 9:45 AM, said:

Could this be likened to the lynx equivalent of kinect for the MS console (unless i am miss-understanding something)...or something likenerd to the way you play games on a ipad (i.e you move the console itself and not touch the controls)

I think the idea would be more along the lines of a Wii controller, in that you can combine the existing buttons and D-pad with motion control.

[lisalover1]

Well, that settles it. The Lynx will soon have the best version of Marble madness available on any platform.

[nonner242]

Thats also how you play monkey ball on GBA...its pretty cool, love to have a flying game on lynx with it! OR A SPACE FIGHTER!