News
JGE++ v1.0 (PSP misc)

JGE++ (Jas Game Engine++) is a hardware accelerated 2D game SDK for PSP. It supports cross-platform development under MS Windows. The entire game development process, including coding, debugging and testing, can be done in Windows. (However, it’s still recommended to test your game on PSP from time to time to make sure everything is fine.)

You can use JGE++ to make Windows games but the primary platform is PSP.

Thanks to http://www.dcemu.co.uk for the news.

http://code.google.com/p/jge/

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NES.app v1.11.2 (NES emu for iPhone)

NES.app is a fully functional, feature-rich Nintendo emulator for Apple’s iPhone.

NES.app uses a heavily modified version of the InfoNES emulation core to mimic the 6502 processor in a Nintendo Entertainment System, allowing you to play ROM dumps of games designed for the NES console. ROM dumps are files containing the dumped instruction code from a physical cartridge. In many cases, you are legally entitled to posess a ROM dump of any game that you presently own. ROM images for NES are widely available online, or with the appropriate hardware, you can dump them yourself directly from the cartridge.

NES.app started as a fork of iPhoneNES v0.01, but has been completely rewritten to run very fast, and with many additional features including sound, multitouch support, full-screen, landscape mode, game genie codes, saved games and much more.

Changes:

[nervegas] Fixed bug causing crashes on iPhone SW 1.0.2

http://iphone.natetrue.com/nesapp/

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Nanodesktop Blind Assistant v0.1 (PSP Application)

Nanodesktop Blind Assistant is a program that uses PSP to help blind people. This program is able to recognize names of people who are actually present in a room. In the future the authors will release a more complex version with a better speed of recognition and network support, along with support for GPS and “collision avoidance”.

It’s currently a PROOF OF CONCEPT program.

http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-development-forum-11/t-release-nanodesktop-blind-assistant-01-proof-of-concept-125498.html

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VDrum v1.7 (PSP Application)

VDrum is a drum kit simulator game for PSP. It is unlike other drum apps/games currently out in that each drum is controlled by a different button and is not set up on a time line like PSPRythm and PSPKick. It is currently in its early stages.

http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-development-forum-11/t-release-vdrum-drum-kit-simulator-122447.html

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PSP Protection Password v0.4b (PSP Application)

PSP Protection Password allows you to protect your booting PSP with a password.

http://forums.qj.net/showthread.php?t=124979

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Penguin Bobsled M33 v3.71 (PSP Game)

Penguin Bobsled is now compatible with M33 v3.71.

http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-development-forum-11/t-penguin-bobsled-is-now-compatible-with-371-125438.html

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Custom Firmware Extender v1.8.1 (PSP misc)

Custom Firmware Extender is a “Custom Firmware Extender” for Playstation Portable.

Changes:

– Fixed a bug in usbhost iso redirection, now normal mode (umd inserted) is working great. No need to change anything in recovery, if you want more compatibility, just put an umd in the drive before using usbhost iso redirection, else do not put any umd. (thanks psp.padawan for our sharing)
– Fixed a few bugs regarding usb mass storage. (thanks madridi4ever for all the reports)

http://forums.qj.net/f-psp-development-forum-11/t-custom-firmware-extender-18-125136.html

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Has the Homebrew Scene Become Stagnant? (misc)

Here are a few thoughts from wraggster, webmaster and news poster at http://www.dcemu.co.uk about the homebrew scene, tho i could not agree with most of it.

First off let me say that i am a 100% Homebrew Fan but at times even the best of us can see that things seem a little stale or stagnant.

Why do i think the Homebrew Scene has become stagnant?

Well firstly the ease to update our systems using firmware updates has made things very hard to near impossible unless you want to own 2 of each consoles. The PS3, Nintendo Wii and Xbox360 are too easily updated nowadays and that makes homebrew a lot harder to get a footing on these consoles. Nintendo even managed to stop people using the Wii for Gamecube Homebrew and Region Free Gamecube Games. Yes you can modchip your Console but if you want to play the latest games then you have to either buy a new console just for homebrew or sacrifice one or the other.

The handheld Market actually fairs much better, the DS, GBA and GP2X once you buy a Flash Card/Mem Card you are resonably safe. The PSP However suffers the same fate as the mainstream consoles in that firmware updates keep killing homebrew albeit not for long.

The Ipod/Iphone seem to be sufferng the firmware update issue too and that makes a homebrew scene very hazardous unless you want an expensive brick every time Apple update.

Sadly a fully legal Xbox scene seems to be one of those dreams that will never happen.

The Gamecube scene whilst small is picking up and theres rumours of a hardware addon that will turn the GC into a very powerful Homebrew console but is it too late in the day.

The Dreamcast community still produce a few gems a month thankfully.

If im being honest then the PSP Scene once an extremely redhot scene seems to have slowed a lot and most certainly become stagnant and mostly due to the Custom Firmwares and endless amounts of homebrew released for them that for me run the risk too easily of bricking your console.

The GP2X has also slowed a lot of late while people wait for the Craiginator the supposed PSP Beater, but we are nearing the end of October and no more concrete news on that console as of this newspost.

Im hoping that all the consoles that havent been fully cracked for homebrew get cracked soon and that on the handhelds we get back to real homebrew instead of countless releases that enhance a custom firmware.

Obviously this is just my personal view and no disrespect is meant at any coders as they work extremely hard to give us the tools to use on the consoles we own. But the recent stagnancy in the homebrew arena has caused me to ask the question in the title.

Am i right, am i wrong, do you agree that a certain scene needs to focus away from certain areas. Give your views via comments, are you bored of homebrew on the console or consoles you own ?

http://www.dcemu.co.uk/has-the-homebrew-scene-become-stagnant--77409.html

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iFrotz v0.6 (iPhone misc)

iFrotz is an Frotz Z-Machine interpreter for iPhone.

Changes:

New version now works with 1.1.1. Added game-controlled font/color support.

http://code.google.com/p/iphonefrotz/

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Mobile ToDo v0.4 (iPhone Application)

Mobile ToDo is an iphone “reminder” application.

Changes:

[unas] added possibility to sort the table, added auto-deletion, added priority-icon

Thanks to http://www.emuholic.com for this – seems to have slipped under my radar 😀

http://www.include7.ch/index.php?page=iphone_mobiletodo

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