Team SuperCard to release SDK -- ScummVMDS improvements?

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another world
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Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:05 am

Team SuperCard to release SDK -- ScummVMDS improvements?

Post by another world »

AgentQ,
Team SuperCard has allowed their forum Admin to make some official statements that an SDK for the SCDS2 will be released. This Flash Kit has an onboard CPU and additional RAM much like the I-Player did. However, this one will support an official SDK and a push for SCDS2 specific Homebrew.

Flash Kits with ehancements like this are the future of this hobby. I would love to see the "J" build of ScummVMDS ported over, and for you to consider the possibilities of getting other games up and running on the SCDS2.

Please let us know your possible thoughts!

Links:
SuperCard Admin's PM about the SDK (link fixed)
SCDS2 @ ShopTemp

Cheers,
-Another World
Last edited by another world on Sun Jun 13, 2010 6:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Morden
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Post by Morden »

Both of your links are the same [ShopTemp]. As for the idea, it would mean the developer has to get the hardware, and then everyone else has to get it as well. It took long enough to get the expanded RAM build out the door, and that's an add-on many people have. This would mean focusing on one specific flash cartridge, if only for the "extended" port.
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Red_Breast
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Post by Red_Breast »

May I offer some thoughts on both posts.
I imagine another world understands exactly what it would entail and that's why he said "Flash Kits with enhancements like this are the future of this hobby."
I think there are a lot of people, like myself, who are happy with what they have though. Maybe those of us who don't use the DS an awful lot.
Never say never though. I was intrigued and read about the card. I'll be keeping my eye on it.
another world
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Post by another world »

I have received information from SC that the SCDS2 is using the Dingoo A320 CPU. The Dingoo ships clocked at 336MHz and the CPU has been over-clocked to 433MHz. The SCDS2 does have an onboard RAM chip, which I was told is 32MB. I have not been able to confirm the clock speed or the amount of RAM at this point.

Do either of these things benefit ScummVMDS in anyway? I'm not a hardware expert, which is why I'm asking.

@Red_Breast: I am very happy with many of my Flash Kits. I just find it very hard to ignore the potential for more emulation. If the SCDS2 continues to sell as well as it has, I do believe that other teams will implement onboard CPUs/RAM. On the other hand, the whole future of this hobby could hinge on the release of the DSi common-key and the exploitability if the 3DS. If Nintendo has successfully locked down their handhelds we may all be using 8yr old AK2s on our DS Phats in the not to distant future. =P

I really hate to see homebrew become stagnant by an unwillingness to develop for the “new technology”. PocketNES comes to mind, one of the best NES emulators for a handheld that still has not received a DS-Slot-1 revision. If AgentQ is uninterested I can only hope that someone with the hardware and knowledge will look into a SCDS2 ScummVMDS revision.

Cheers,
-Another World
agentq
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Post by agentq »

Hi,

This kit sounds like a really powerful bit of hardware, and it would probably run ScummVM very well. Unfortunately it's more like a separate console on a cartridge than a DS add on, and therefore the effort needed to get ScummVM DS running on it would be as much as porting to an entirely new console.

Essentially, ScummVM would run on the SCDS2 and just use the DS processor to display the screen image.

Also, with the iPlayer and now the SCDS2, there are now two of these systems and they are incompatible with each other. The number of people with one of these cards has to be tiny compared to writing homebrew that runs on every card, like ScummVM does now.

Plus, I don't have as much spare time as I used to, so I'd be unable to attempt such a task. If there are any talented programmers out there though, I'd be glad to give them an idea how the existing version works to get them started.
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