2007 PGD Annual: Pre-Event Hype

**Legolas** · 12-12-2006, 04:31 PM

Hardware registers for sound are implemented. I have tried to embed an external library, but doesn't work fine (it stops playing after a second).
Now I have made some changes to the compiler (I should merge them to svn), but I haven't tried anymore, because fpc4nds

However, you can do sound with fpc4gba, though without an external lib it is a bit hard.

**WILL** · 12-12-2006, 05:04 PM

Ah... well if GBA is to be a part of the competition, I think anyone wanting to make a game would want sound to their game.

How else will they be able to compete for 'Best Sound' in their game?

How long do you think would it take to get the external library working? I'm sure that FPC4NDS could wait for GBA's sound. It would be of benefit to NDS development later on as well, no?

**czar** · 12-12-2006, 06:31 PM

Games for children sounds good. It is a special niche that no one else tends to do yet there seems to be lots of call for games and activities for children aged 2-8. Would give PGD a probably big marketing boost.

**dmantione** · 12-12-2006, 07:05 PM

I searched some information on GBA sound chips on internet... It is a combination of a stereo PCM voice with 4 synthesized voices. Synthesize voice 1,2 are square waves with variable pulse width, voice 3 is a very primitive wavetable voice, voice 4 is a noise generator. That sound pretty reasonable but wait, there is NO ENVELOPE GENERATOR. (It is a shame that the Commodore 64 is still state of the art technology regarding sound synthesis.)

IMO the synthesizer is simple enough to be driven directly by the programmers. Any programmer can put a sound frequency in a register and start the note. Just document the registers and make them available in a unit.

Due to the lack of volume envelopes the musical abilities of the synthesizer are limited, so the stereo PCM sound voice looks much more promising. However, writing a module player for the GBA at this time looks too optimistic.

I think it is the most realistic to expect games to use the synthesizer for music and the PCM for sound effects.

**WILL** · 12-12-2006, 07:49 PM

Well hopefully my OpenMOD library will be capable of such a task eventually, but I have no time for it just yet. Once I do complete it however, the programmer will be able to render the audio to whatever device or API they so choose hopefully in near any format the require.

Might I suggest though that someone give that GBA sound library a try before mid-Jan next year?

Would make all the difference I should think.

I say before mid-Jan as we wouldn't want a team competing for the PGD Annual having to start sound from scratch. :? Unless they were to focus only on audio. But that wouldn't make for an exciting game, would it?

Anyhow, the time for the competition is closing in and I believe that the theme is fixed now. We just have to wait for Dom's announcement in January. I personally can't wait.

**cairnswm** · 13-12-2006, 05:12 AM

I'm sure I'll be entering

I've really enjoyed the last two themes as they have been open and designed to allow people a lot of creativity. I hope we can keep this up

**IlovePascal** · 13-12-2006, 09:26 PM

Well, I'll definitely try to get in if I hav time, in order to improve my skills! lol
I would particularly appreciate Childrens games because that doesnt have to involve all the 3D OpenGL stuff that Ive been having trouble with! :lol:

**WILL** · 13-12-2006, 09:41 PM

The PGD Annual wouldn't be the same if you weren't in it William.

Now I really can't give too much away until it starts, but from what my talks with Dom where like, this year it'll be focusing on innovation more so than the last 2 years.

I honestly don't know, but I believe that he wants to keep the deadlines in, but it might be scaled down a bit. He hasn't even told me about that yet so we'll have to see.

It'll be fun as always, I'm sure of it. :thumbup:

As for advertising, stepping back from running things this year really gives me the chance to focus on it. I want to get the word out more and put up visuals everywhere. Even before the event kicks off. The PGD Annual has done great with little or next to no pre-start ads anywhere. This year I'm going to change that as see how we fare...

**NecroDOME** · 29-12-2006, 11:10 PM

Any news on the compo yet?? getting a bit exciting

**WILL** · 30-12-2006, 04:18 AM

Well I'm not too sure how accurate I'm being here... but I was talking to Dom some time ago and we seemed to agree that it would probably be best to push back the start date of the competition until Feburary.

This is a good thing in some ways as it would allow for more prep and finalized planning time. Plus there is more time to take on sponsors outside of the busy holiday season where they'd be otherwise distracted with seasonal stuff.

Other than that not much (to my knowlage as I'm not running this years) is going on until Dom gets back from his well deserved vacation in January.