Irrlicht for Playstation 2 Linux

[djceejay]

Hi - first post and v.ambitious.

I've been working on a game with Irrlicht for PC. I can't recomend the engine highly enough - it's powerful and very easy to use. Thank you for making such a good engine free.

I am planning to write a new rendered for the Playstation 2 Linux kit.
The kit is linux with libraries to access the Playstation 2 hardware.
There is a good set of tutorials at:
http://www.hsfortuna.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

If I can learn how to startup a window/device, draw lines, polygons etc., handle input, texture handling, I can port it. ((Have I forgotten anything?))

Where should I start? Copy all the openGL files and change them? Then add the new renderer somewhere. Then compile for linux.

It was suggested to me to use the PS2gl openGL implementation. This is very slow in its current state and will not run on PAL televisions

I have a whole year to get this baby working. I would appreciate this forums input and would be happy to release all the code when I have finished. Imagine that - develop on PC, copy to PS2, recompile with PS2 renderer - et volia.

[Joe_Oliveri]

Sounds cool, however you might want to check with Sony, implementing there technology with out a license would be considered illegal and hacking. And with out to proper SDK in which you have to buy from Sony I don’t think you can get much of anything working.

[djceejay]

I am using the totally legal Linux Kit - check it out at:
http://playstation2-linux.com/

It has a hard drive, network adapter and linux dvds. It is not the proper devkit but it allows access to the 3d hardware.

I have the basis of Irrlicht compiled (quick progress) and am now adding the PS2 renderer (the difficult part).

[afecelis]

great , interesting.

I didn't know there was a legal sdk for ps2-linux

please let us know how it evolves.

ps. Final question: do you need a modded-chipped ps2 to get it to work?

[ChrML]

What you can do is that you see what functions any PS2 library has, then you exchange the OpenGL stuff with calls to that library (so Irrlicht becomes sort of an abstraction layer, which it already is, lol) I don't know how PS2 development works, but I guess there is some C/C++/[insert language] library for developing games.

ADDED: Try some "Hello World from PS2"- project first

[Joe_Oliveri]

Oh ok, then sounds good to me.

[djceejay]

afecelis: No you don't need a mod chip. Its a proper product released by Sony. It comes with a fancy black usb keyboard and mouse. The linux dvds that come with it are bootable on the PS2.

I have got a single shaded triangle up on the screen (no texture yet). I'm using a Hello World tutorial.

You code in C++ and can see the PS2 on your network and share files between them. It's basically a linux box special *stuff* (i'm no expert) to get to the hardware.

I'll keep you updated. Please vote too, it'll make me feel all my effort is worth while.

[ChrML]

What would be nice is if you made a modification to the engine with the same header interface, so games can be compiled with little/no changes. Ofcourse only if the user use the standard C++ library, and Irrlicht.

[djceejay]

Yes that is possible and what I am ultimately aiming for.
Your c++ files can be recompiled with my PS2 Irrlicht library by adding a few #includes.
I am using the tutorial 1 hello world code for testing at the moment with no changes to the code.

The features the PS2 cannot draw will not be used - pixel/fragment shaders etc.
I think normal mapping is possible (ask me again in a few months).

[Joe_Oliveri]

To bad the kit is no loner sold in the usa either way it still has a hefty price tag, however I did find it on ebay current price $160*

Keep up you efforts end it could make it worth the buy

[djceejay]

I'm lucky - I'm borrowing a PS2 and the linux kit from my university.

They also have a Gamecube devkit (the proper one ). I have heard the on the grapevine the graphics are OpenGL-like. That would be my next project - Irrlicht for GC.
Can't say anymore - the big N would go Donkey Konga on my a$$.