calc84maniac
Member
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Developer: SmileBoom Co.Ltd.
Publisher: SmileBoom Co.Ltd.
Genre: Edutainment
Players: 1-4
Release Dates/Prices:
- Japan: November 29, 2014 (¥1000)
- North America: October 15, 2015 ($9.99 USD / $12.99 CAD)
- Europe: TBD
Whether you're a 3DS user who's interested in dabbling in coding and making your own games, a seasoned programmer who likes to push your limits, or you just want to experience the creativity of a small homebrew community (without hacking your 3DS), SmileBASIC is made for you!
Inspired by the BASIC programming languages of decades past, SmileBASIC provides a simple way to write your own programs for 3DS. It has many helpful tools in place for making games, like displaying sprites and backgrounds (with 3D depth!), as well as playing BGM and sound effects (which you can create using MML, from General MIDI instrument samples to retro square waves). There is also a built-in library of graphics and music you can use freely if you want to quickly prototype without creating your own assets, or focus on the programming rather than the creative side of things.
Let me reiterate that SmileBASIC is a fully-featured programming language. You won't be coddled by drag-and-drop functionality, but instead you get to use the fundamentals of computer programming, like variables, arrays, strings, control flow, subroutines, and so on. Unlike its DSiWare predecessor Petit Computer, SmileBASIC has more of the features you'd expect from a modern programming language, like user-defined functions (optionally shared between multiple program files), local variables, while loops, multi-line if/then/else statements, and both integers and floating-point numbers. SmileBoom even included sample programs demonstrating the usage of each of the different BASIC functions.
SmileBoom is hosting their own servers for cloud backup and sharing of your files. When you want to share one of your files or folders you've uploaded, you generate a public key that you can post anywhere you like (such as Miiverse, a wiki, this thread, or your mother's email address). Whoever uses the key with their own copy of SmileBASIC can download and try your game, and even learn from or improve your code. Also, cloud sharing is not region locked, so have fun sharing around the world!
Each user has 10 slots to upload either a file or a folder, and each slot is limited to 4MB of storage (which is plenty for all but the most ambitious projects). However, SmileBoom also offers a Gold server subscription that lets you use up to 100 slots of 20MB each (effectively up to 2GB of space). Note, however, that your local storage on the 3DS is limited only by the space on your SD card.
- How do we write programs?
Use the touchscreen keyboard! That may sound a bit cumbersome, but it's not too hard to get used to. Plus, there's auto-complete for BASIC commands. - What kind of inputs are available for use in programs?
SmileBASIC has support for almost every kind of input available to the 3DS. The buttons, Circle Pad, touchscreen, gyroscope, microphone, and Circle Pad Pro are all available for programs to use. The cameras are not usable, though, but at least that means screenshots are shareable on Miiverse! - What's this whole "3D" business? Can we render polygons, or is it just 3D Classics style graphics?
It's more in the 3D Classics style, where you can draw objects at different levels of depth (in planes parallel to the screen). These depth levels also double as draw priority in 2D mode. You can generally scale and rotate objects as much as you want, as well. Some of the classic "fake 3D" tricks may be possible to pull off if you're clever enough... - Is SmileBASIC New 3DS enhanced?
Actually, yes! Programs will tend to run around 3 times faster on a New 3DS, and your code can even detect which model it's running on. Of course, the extra triggers and C Stick are also usable. - I see that this supports 1-4 players. What does that mean, and is there online play? What about Download Play?
Unfortunately, multiplayer functionality is available only over local play, each 3DS running its own copy of SmileBASIC. Personally, I can't see these features getting much use, but it's nice that they're available. - Is SmileBASIC compatible with Petit Computer (DSiWare) programs?
No, it isn't, because of the many changes SmileBoom made to the language and functionality. Plus there is no QR scanning functionality through which to import the programs. - Where is the European release?!
2015.10.13 Update "We are considering the European release aggressively and will make an announcement once we made a decision." - Any chance of this coming out on Wii U?
Yes! SmileBoom has announced a port for Wii U with placeholder name Petit Computer BIG (no western plans announced at this point, but the translation already existing should make it a no-brainer). It's supposed to share the same cloud servers as the 3DS version, so feel free to double dip and share your creations when it comes out!
Coming soon!
Official Resources:
- Official Website
- Official Twitter
- Instruction Manual
- Instruction Reference
- Game Description on Nintendo.com
- Miiverse Community (North America)
- Miiverse Community (Europe)
- Miiverse Community (Japan)
- SmileBASIC Source, an English community created by users of the Petit Computer Wiki. Website currently under rapid development.
- IRC channel - #smilebasic @ irc.freenode.net (Web Chat)
- SmileBASIC page on Petit Computer Wiki
