Basic Stamp 2 Handheld Gaming Console!!!
Okey Guys, Lets design a BS2 Handheld Game Console!!!
First Comes the Name:
We could Call it Basic Stamp2 Advanced (BSA, comes from Game Boy Advance), Basic Stamp2 Portable (BSP, comes from Plasystation portable), Parallax BS (Parallax Basic Stamp2, from Nintendo DS), or we could make up our own name.
These are the minimum requirements of the BS2 Handheld Game Console -
- LCD Display (Must be big enough)
- SFX generator and Speaker, Sound PAL does both
- Some kind of removable storage, to put the games into
- Batteries (Save money buy using standard 4 AA batteries, making a total of 6 volts)
- Switch
- Power Indicator
- D-PAD (4 buttons), two or four control buttons and start and select buttons
- Protective Encasing (The more unique it is, the better)
- Must be made with Parts found on the Parallax Website, We all want to buy the parts to make it. (That includes you and all the BS2-IC users)
- USB or Serial Connection (WHAT'S THE POINT? THE MEMORY CARD CAN BE REMOVED)
- Bluetooth connection with other BS2 Handhelds. (OPTIONAL, DAME IT)
- Entire Budget is removed
- 3.5mm speaker port. (Optional)
- L and R buttons (optional)
Start Designing!![smilewinkgrin.gif](http://forums.parallax.com/images/smilies/smilewinkgrin.gif)
Post Edited By Moderator (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 1/19/2009 5:14:03 PM GMT
First Comes the Name:
We could Call it Basic Stamp2 Advanced (BSA, comes from Game Boy Advance), Basic Stamp2 Portable (BSP, comes from Plasystation portable), Parallax BS (Parallax Basic Stamp2, from Nintendo DS), or we could make up our own name.
These are the minimum requirements of the BS2 Handheld Game Console -
- LCD Display (Must be big enough)
- SFX generator and Speaker, Sound PAL does both
- Some kind of removable storage, to put the games into
- Batteries (Save money buy using standard 4 AA batteries, making a total of 6 volts)
- Switch
- Power Indicator
- D-PAD (4 buttons), two or four control buttons and start and select buttons
- Protective Encasing (The more unique it is, the better)
- Must be made with Parts found on the Parallax Website, We all want to buy the parts to make it. (That includes you and all the BS2-IC users)
- USB or Serial Connection (WHAT'S THE POINT? THE MEMORY CARD CAN BE REMOVED)
- Bluetooth connection with other BS2 Handhelds. (OPTIONAL, DAME IT)
- Entire Budget is removed
- 3.5mm speaker port. (Optional)
- L and R buttons (optional)
Start Designing!
![smilewinkgrin.gif](http://forums.parallax.com/images/smilies/smilewinkgrin.gif)
Post Edited By Moderator (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 1/19/2009 5:14:03 PM GMT
Comments
Anyway, it can't be done. Your list of requirements is impossible to fulfill, especially the part about $200.
BS2: $50
Board: $20
Bluetooth: $80
Graphic VFD Display: $70
Datalogger: $35
Soundpal: $20
That's $275 just for the main components. Besides the cost, the BS2 just can't do any sort of serious gaming. Simple games are possible (think tic-tac-toe), but nothing like the Propeller or a full size computer. Your enthusiasm is well received, but slightly misplaced. The BS2 is good at what it does, and that's providing a simple platform to allow people to learn embedded control.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
PG
Good idea though. I'd love to give it a go...
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=602989
and Beans original post: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=598779
It all just depends on how much time/effort you want to put into this and of course game requirements. Don't get me wrong, the Hydra is excellent for creating games in color and supports VGA as well as NTSC video - like the·games in the 80's but for me, I found learning SPIN was not as straight forward (more like C) then using a BASIC language that the SX chips and BS2 chips provide.
Basic sound should be possible... removable storage will be the hardest part I think... the stamp will have a very hard time loading from an SD card.
You may be able to use preprogrammed EEPROMs on simple circuit boards with edge connectors to "fake" a game cart... that's the only way I can think of anyways.
I'd rule out any chance of bluetooth or a headphone jack... but you should be able to have a decent number of buttons... at least 10 or so. More if you want to make
a matrix gamepad... I'd go for 16.
Another option would be to use an LED matrix... I've seen them used for various handheld games. You'd need some additional ICs beyond the BS2 but it may be doable.
I've been toying with the idea of putting a simple ASCII game system inside an old gameboy shell myself... although I didn't set my hopes quite so high.
I'd be interested in what comes of your project. Please keep us informed.
Interrupts aren't required for gaming if you program your games properly. I've done some simple DOS games in the past and its absolutely possible to design something using a linear code
structure and still have it be fun.
As far as memory... that's where the removable EEPROMs would come in handy. You'd use a tokenized language on the BS2 and it would read the tokens from the external EEPROM.
VERY simple graphical games (IE: Pong) should be possible, also it should be fairly easy to make some text-based RPGs like Zork and the like.... all on a 4x20 LCD.
The LED matrix idea is using external ICs of course.
Program space and RAM is not the same thing either. I'm not following what you are saying about a tokenized language as PBASIC is all I am aware of for the BS2. With the resources you will need (ie LCD or LEDs, your RAM will be used up fast not leaving much for your program).
OK. Let's see what can be done. My first computer was a ZX81 (aka Timex Sinclair 1000) and it showed miracles so... but I have my doubts on this for a BS2. I really think you would be better off with an SX chip or propellor· - but prove me wrong on this.
I believe ASCII-art based games should be possible... do you remember ROGUE or some of the other original PC games? They used
ASCII characters in a rather complex and indepth gaming platform.
Here's the BS2 games state-of-the-art -- http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=735894
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Who are you, and why are you reading my signature?