[Blizzard]

Ah, I guess I have to remember what the name is. I clicked edit and then load, but then I apparently had to manually type the name and I didn't experiment. :P Hopefully that means there's an equivalent save-as, also. It looks like the ingame help is fairly decent, which is nice.

The DSi store feels so weird to me. You get in, you see like 4 featured icons including the Petit computer, and it's like, here's this little image, it's recommended, you want to buy the game? I feel like most people wouldn't even know about it or have any idea what it is. I do think it's awesome that the DS/DSi gets some niche things like this and the Korg synth(s) though.

[Mondriaan]

I also agree that Petit Computer is a "game making game" while PS Suite is an actual SDK for development and redistribution. It's easily the most complex console game maker I've ever seen, however. All other "games" like this I know of lock you into a specific game genre (RPG, shmup, adventure, etc).

It's more like an emulation of an old 80s style computer that you could hook up to your television. There's a Commodore 64 emulator on iOS, which is basically (no pun intended) the same concept.

[EvilMario]

http://smileboom.com/special/petitcom/pochette.html

Lots of great code to browse and play around with for those just diving in.

[mugwhump]

Should have used C-Base instead

[UncleSporky]

Ah, I guess I have to remember what the name is. I clicked edit and then load, but then I apparently had to manually type the name and I didn't experiment. :P Hopefully that means there's an equivalent save-as, also. It looks like the ingame help is fairly decent, which is nice.

You can click the FILE button on the bottom screen and hit enter to see a listing of all files, but that's just ones you've saved personally.

And yeah, after loading a sample, you just click SAVE and type a name and hit enter, and you can edit it as much as you like.

Maybe correct the mistake in the CHR editor when it asks if you want to load the "splite" palette. Or when you try to run in the dungeon game and get told "not got escape" or "get escape."

[Like the hat?]

I need to try porting gorillas from qbasic

[blu]

Maybe correct the mistake in the CHR editor when it asks if you want to load the "splite" palette

I can't believe they misspelled 'spwite'.

[Shurayuki]

Oh wow, Basic huh, how different is it from Q-basic.
Childhood memories of course, coding some stupid games like a text based wrestling game where I tried to implement an "AI" and as like a elementary student found out that one piece of computer hardware will always tend to output similar numbers in a basic RNG, good times, past Shura was a bright kid :(

Also "composed" the mission impossible theme in shitty pc beeps, the shame.

Looks amazing, can some kind souls maybe shoot a few vids for people interested in what they've already put out?

[Wiggler]

Wow...just checked the editor for the PX7 synthesizer I linked to earlier. It's 7,482 lines of code. I expected it to be huge, but damn.

edit:

http://smileboom.com/special/petitcom/pochette.html Lots of great code to browse and play around with for those just diving in.

I ported over the snake game from that page. I didn't see any QR codes for it, so I copied the code by hand and changed a few aesthetic things in the process. Here's the result:



For some reason the QR code converter wouldn't resize the QR code images when I asked it to make them larger, so that's why the images are so tiny.

I renamed it "Cycle Game" because it reminded more of the original Tron light cycle game from the 80s. Anyways, I can't get left and right d-pad controls to work for the 2nd player. I wonder if anyone here with more knowledge than me could fix it. It's otherwise a decent little mini-game.

[Like the hat?]

http://smileboom.com/special/petitcom/pochette.html Lots of great code to browse and play around with for those just diving in.

I wish those had qr codes (unless I just can't find them)

[DavidDayton]

I wish those had qr codes (unless I just can't find them)

It's fairly easy to generate them using the PTCUtilities program -- copy the code, paste it into the PRG editor, and click CREATE QR Code.

(Or just request one here)

[DavidDayton]

I don't know if this is helpful to anyone, but I "set up" a tiny Petit Computer wiki at http://petitcomputer.wikia.com . Feel free to add links to individual QR codes and such... although I am still unsure whether or not it might be easier/better to simply branch off the Japanese wiki.

(I may regret doing this... a simple list of links in a message here might be better...)

[iphys]

I think the wiki is better so everyone can post to it, because I remember when I first signed up for neogaf it was to post to the WarioWare DIY thread, and by the time my account got activated a full year later I wasn't even playing the game anymore.

[Sapiens]

OMG this is an incredible, incredible app. Just playing around with the basics, but I love it.

[DavidDayton]

I think the wiki is better so everyone can post to it, because I remember when I first signed up for neogaf it was to post to the WarioWare DIY thread, and by the time my account got activated a full year later I wasn't even playing the game anymore.

Well, I appear to be clunky with Wikis, so if anyone has an alternate wiki site/location/idea, let me know.

[Like the hat?]

Got a character on screen moving around. Now I need to figure out how collision detection works.

[Baconbitz]

I tried to convert this and it didn't load when I scanned it. I don't know why.

[sfried]

I just bought so much shit on the eShop. SilverStar's Rabi Labi 2 and Phantom Thief Platina/whatever and then this app with Kid Icarus of Myth and Monsters.

[rpmurphy]

Man, I gotta spend a day just looking through all the available functions.

[Wiggler]

I tried to convert this and it didn't load when I scanned it. I don't know why.

I'm probably just gonna go ahead and code that one by hand. I want it.

edit: nevermind, the generator works fine for this game for me.

[iphys]

If the generator doesn't work, just add a few blank lines at the end of the code. It says so in the fine print, and before I realized that I was having problems with the first couple things I tried to convert to QR.

[DavidDayton]

Finally finished a simple conversion of Hunt the Wumpus -- I'll post a QR code later.

Random notes:

* INPUT A$ will -not- take an empty line, or even a line with spaces. This is ... odd.

* INPUT commands can't be appended to an existing display line by using a ; -- the input line always appears on the next line.

* LINPUT can be appended to an existing print line with a ; and can also take a blank line for input... however, LINPUT won't display a ? prompt.

* ON _A_ GOTO/GOSUB @10, @20, @30
Petit Basic starts counting from ZERO, not 1 (like most classic Basics).
A=0, goes to @10
A=1, goes to @20
A=2, goes to @30
(and A=3 goes to @10 again -- it loops back around)

* Similarly, arrays start from 0 and not 1. I can't remember if that's true in classic basics or not, but I -did- have to increase most array DIM statements by 1 to get things to work.

If I get this working well, I have a lovely 1978 version of Oregon Trail to convert...

[Baconbitz]

I'm probably just gonna go ahead and code that one by hand. I want it. edit: nevermind, the generator works fine for this game for me.

Can you post the QR code?

[iphys]

Really looking forward to playing Hunt the Wumpus, as I never played the original (had the TI-99/4A version). If you do Oregon Trail, my friend will be elated.

[Yoschi]

Without a proper reference and no previous BASIC skills... it's hard
switching from the help to writing a program is cumbersome...

Now that I've complained in a thread full of joy, let me say,
I adore this thing.

Where is my tutorial dammit

[Yoschi]

I tried to convert this and it didn't load when I scanned it. I don't know why.

this is helpful!

[Wiggler]

I ported Tennis to English and posted it on the wiki page here.

Can you post the QR code?

Here ya go:

[Baconbitz]

I ported Tennis to English and posted it on the wiki page here. Here ya go:

For tennis I only see one code on the wiki.
Edit: Nevermind. When viewing on my iPod it only displayed one code.

[Yoschi]

I found something useful, it's a bit of documented code to get people started.

I know there's currently a lack of tutorials so I thought this might help people. DIM MAP(9999) 'DEFINES AND ARRAY FOR THE MAP FOR I=0 TO 9998 'SET EACH TILE OF THE MAP TO 2 MAP(I)=2 NEXT I GPAGE 0 'TELL IT WE WANT TO USE THE TOP SCREEEN SPPAGE 0 'TELL IT WE WANT TO USE SPRITES ON THE TOP SCREEN SPSET 0,1,0,0,0,1,16,16 'CREATES SPRITE WITH ID#0, ARROW GRAPHIC, 16*16 DIMENSIONS SPOFS 0,20,20 'SETS THE SPRITE'S POSITION TO 20,20 WIDTH=15 'WIDTH OF THE MAP HEIGHT=11 'HEIGHT OF THE MAP TILEW=16 'WIDTH OF EACH MAP TILE TILEH=16 'HEIGHT OF EACH MAP TILE X=0 'CURSORS X POSITION Y=0 'CURSORS Y POSITION TYPE=4 'COLOR TILE TO BE PLACED BT=0 'BT AND OLDBT STORE THE BUTTON PRESSED, AND LAST BUTTON PRESSED OLDBT=0 'BGMPLAY 2 ' TURNS ON BACKGROUND MUSIC, REALLY ANNOYING. GCLS ' THESE NEXT TWO LINES CLEAR THE SCREEN CLS GOTO @START 'TELLS THE PROGRAM TO SKIP AHEAD TO THE @START LABEL, BECAUSE THE NEXT SECTION 'WILL CONTAIN OUR SUBROUTINE DEFINITIONS @CHECKKEYS 'CHECKS FOR A AND Y BEING PRESSED AND TAKES ACTION IF BT==64 THEN GOSUB @ACT IF BT==16 THEN GOSUB @PENDOWN RETURN @UP 'MOVES CURSOR UP OLDX=X OLDY=Y Y=Y-1 IF Y<0 THEN Y=0 'MAKES SURE IT DOESN'T GO OVER THE EDGE RETURN @DOWN 'MOVES CURSOR DOWN OLDX=X OLDY=Y Y=Y+1 IF Y>HEIGHT THEN Y=HEIGHT 'MAKES SURE IT DOESN'T GO OVER THE EDGE RETURN @LEFT 'MOVES CURSOR LEFT OLDX=X OLDY=Y X=X-1 IF X<0 THEN X=0 'MAKES SURE IT DOESN'T GO OVER THE EDGE RETURN @RIGHT 'MOVES CURSOR RIGHT OLDX=X OLDY=Y X=X+1 IF X>WIDTH THEN X=WIDTH 'MAKES SURE IT DOESN'T GO OVER THE EDGE RETURN @ACT 'CYCLE THROUGH TILE TYPES TYPE=TYPE+1 IF TYPE>9 THEN TYPE=0 'MAKES SURE IT DOESN'T TRY TO USE INVALID TILE TYPE RETURN @PENDOWN 'FUNCTION PLACES PENDOWN IF IT WAS UP AND UP IF IT WAS DOWN IF PDOWN==0 THEN BPDOWN=1 IF PDOWN==1 THEN BPDOWN=0 PDOWN=BPDOWN RETURN @START 'THIS IS THE START OF THE GAME LOOP OLDBT=BT 'UPDATES WHAT BUTTON IS PRESSED, PRESERVING THE PREVIOUS BUTTON PRESS FOR COMPARISON BT=BUTTON() IF BT==1 THEN GOSUB @UP IF BT==8 THEN GOSUB @RIGHT IF BT==2 THEN GOSUB @DOWN IF BT==4 THEN GOSUB @LEFT IF OLDBT==0 THEN GOSUB @CHECKKEYS 'MAKES SURE ACTION IS ONLY TAKEN THE FIRST TIME IT DECTECTS EACH BUTTON IS HIT. IF PDOWN==1 THEN MAP(X+Y*WIDTH)=TYPE SPOFS 0,X*TILEW,Y*TILEH 'SET THE SPRITES POSITION TO OUR X,Y COORDS * THE DIMENSIONS OF THE TILES FOR C=0 TO WIDTH 'THIS NESTED FOOR LOOP GOES THROUGH THE MAP AND DRAWS IT TILES BY TILE FOR V=0 TO HEIGHT 'BASED ON THE VALUES STORED IN THE ARRAY MAP GFILL C*TILEW,V*TILEH,C*TILEW+TILEW,V*TILEH+TILEH,MAP(C+V*WIDTH) NEXT V NEXT C GOTO @START 'COMPLETES CAME LOOP

got it from GameFAQ's

If you have any good tutorials that get into game programming, do share them ;)

[Blizzard]

I feel like making the comments NOT all caps would go a long way towards making them readable. Thanks for the tutorial though!

*edit* Here, I had a go at reformatting the comments to test my theory:

DIM MAP(9999) :'Defines and array for the map FOR I=0 TO 9998 :'Set each tile of the map to 2 MAP(I)=2 NEXT I GPAGE 0 :'Tell it we want to use the top screeen SPPAGE 0 :'Tell it we want to use sprites on the top screen SPSET 0,1,0,0,0,1,16,16 :'Creates sprite with id#0, arrow graphic, 16*16 dimensions SPOFS 0,20,20 :'Sets the sprite's position to 20,20 WIDTH=15 :'Width of the map HEIGHT=11 :'Height of the map TILEW=16 :'Width of each map tile TILEH=16 :'Height of each map tile X=0 :'Cursors x position Y=0 :'Cursors y position TYPE=4 :'Color tile to be placed BT=0 :'Bt and oldbt store the button pressed, and last button pressed OLDBT=0 'Bgmplay 2 :' turns on background music, really annoying. GCLS :' these next two lines clear the screen CLS GOTO @START :'Tells the program to skip ahead to the @start label, because the next section :'will contain our subroutine definitions @CHECKKEYS :'Checks for a and y being pressed and takes action IF BT==64 THEN GOSUB @ACT IF BT==16 THEN GOSUB @PENDOWN RETURN @UP :'Moves cursor up OLDX=X OLDY=Y Y=Y-1 IF Y<0 THEN Y=0 :'Makes sure it doesn't go over the edge RETURN @DOWN :'Moves cursor down OLDX=X OLDY=Y Y=Y+1 IF Y>HEIGHT THEN Y=HEIGHT :'Makes sure it doesn't go over the edge RETURN @LEFT :'Moves cursor left OLDX=X OLDY=Y X=X-1 IF X<0 THEN X=0 :'Makes sure it doesn't go over the edge RETURN @RIGHT :'Moves cursor right OLDX=X OLDY=Y X=X+1 IF X>WIDTH THEN X=WIDTH :'Makes sure it doesn't go over the edge RETURN @ACT :'Cycle through tile types TYPE=TYPE+1 IF TYPE>9 THEN TYPE=0 :'Makes sure it doesn't try to use invalid tile type RETURN @PENDOWN :'Function places pendown if it was up and up if it was down IF PDOWN==0 THEN BPDOWN=1 IF PDOWN==1 THEN BPDOWN=0 PDOWN=BPDOWN RETURN @START :'This is the start of the game loop OLDBT=BT :'Updates what button is pressed, preserving the previous button press for comparison BT=BUTTON() IF BT==1 THEN GOSUB @UP IF BT==8 THEN GOSUB @RIGHT IF BT==2 THEN GOSUB @DOWN IF BT==4 THEN GOSUB @LEFT IF OLDBT==0 THEN GOSUB @CHECKKEYS :'Makes sure action is only taken the first time it dectects each button is hit. IF PDOWN==1 THEN MAP(X+Y*WIDTH)=TYPE SPOFS 0,X*TILEW,Y*TILEH :'Set the sprites position to our x,y coords * the dimensions of the tiles FOR C=0 TO WIDTH :'This nested foor loop goes through the map and draws it tiles by tile FOR V=0 TO HEIGHT :'Based on the values stored in the array map GFILL C*TILEW,V*TILEH,C*TILEW+TILEW,V*TILEH+TILEH,MAP(C+V*WIDTH) NEXT V NEXT C GOTO @START :'Completes came loop

Note that the thread says there may be a syntax error because of the comments being added, so I don't know if it works as-is.

[LegatoB]

Note that the thread says there may be a syntax error because of the comments being added, so I don't know if it works as-is.

It looks like the way PetitComp's BASIC works is that you have to declare a new command with a : in order to have a comment on the same line. For example:

PRINT "HELLO WORLD"      'Prints "HELLO WORLD"

Gives a syntax error, while:

PRINT "HELLO WORLD"      :'Prints "HELLO WORLD"

Is just dandy.

[Blizzard]

It looks like the way PetitComp's BASIC works is that you have to declare a new command with a : in order to have a comment on the same line. For example: PRINT "HELLO WORLD" 'Prints "HELLO WORLD" Gives a syntax error, while: PRINT "HELLO WORLD" :'Prints "HELLO WORLD" Is just dandy.

What do you mean declaring a new command? Does : allow you to have multiple commands on the same line?

Also, would simply replacing all the ' with :' fix the code I posted above? I can do that if so.

[UncleSporky]

Colon lets you put multiple lines on the same line, yes.

But you can usually put comments on the same line as commands...except for when you can't. Sometimes you'll just get syntax errors. For example, it doesn't like it if you put a comment on the same line as a READ X command. I'm not sure of all the circumstances that cause syntax errors, it might be best just to try to run the program and see which lines it doesn't like, fix them, run it again, etc.

[Blizzard]

Colon lets you put multiple lines on the same line, yes. But you can usually put comments on the same line as commands...except for when you can't. Sometimes you'll just get syntax errors. For example, it doesn't like it if you put a comment on the same line as a READ X command. I'm not sure of all the circumstances that cause syntax errors, it might be best just to try to run the program and see which lines it doesn't like, fix them, run it again, etc.

So it sounds like using :' works for comments in all cases. I just edited my quote in the previous post to fix that then. :)

[DavidDayton]

The "it's barely there" PetitComputer wiki is vaguely there.

Feel free to tackle it, if you like.

At the moment, you can add programs to the wiki by simply:

1) Visiting http://petitcomputer.wikia.com
2) Clicking on Contribute / Add a Page
3) On the new page, enter the title of the program and uploading the QR codes to the page.
4) Adding the Category tag of "Programs" to the page.

Right now it's just got Tennis and the Trek/Star Trek game, but in theory this could be used to create an index of all sorts of things. Have fun!

Edit: If you find a nice program hosted on another site, just enter a title/description and provide a link TO the page with the QR code. Unless they give permission to host the code, it would technically be copyright infringement.

[Wiggler]

Good stuff, David. I wasn't entirely sure how to go about organizing things, but it looks like you got it worked out. Can't wait to see it grow now.

[DavidDayton]

Good stuff, David. I wasn't entirely sure how to go about organizing things, but it looks like you got it worked out. Can't wait to see it grow now.

I'm making no claims as to knowing anything. I'll gladly give someone else that job, if anyone volunteers.

[Blizzard]

Is there a way to highlight and delete text? I see copy and paste buttons so I am guessing there is, but I couldn't find it in the help.

Side notes for anyone who didn't figure it out: L and R act as the shift button, and holding L or R (or shift) means you go up and down by whole pages in the code, which is helpful since there doesn't seem to be a jump-to-start or jump-to-end or jump-to-line-number editor feature.

And yes I know I should just be using a PC editor and then sending the program to the device, but hey it's fun to sit in a theater waiting on a movie to start while editing a program. =P

[lordfroakie]

Someone on gamefaqs found this awesome Petit Utility:

http://micutil.com/ptcutilities/top_e.html

Features:
Coding
Sprite making
QR Converter

[backlot]

Is there a way to highlight and delete text? I see copy and paste buttons so I am guessing there is, but I couldn't find it in the help. Side notes for anyone who didn't figure it out: L and R act as the shift button, and holding L or R (or shift) means you go up and down by whole pages in the code, which is helpful since there doesn't seem to be a jump-to-start or jump-to-end or jump-to-line-number editor feature. And yes I know I should just be using a PC editor and then sending the program to the device, but hey it's fun to sit in a theater waiting on a movie to start while editing a program. =P

I haven't found any way to highlight text. The copy button just copies the entire line of code your cursor is on.

[UncleSporky]

Holding down L (and probably also R?) and pressing Y deletes an entire line, which is pretty nice.

There is no multi-line selection for copy/paste, just another limitation of the program.

The PC editor is nice, but it has a lot of weird problems. Not sure if they're mostly from being originally Japanese which uses different character encoding, or because the creator only works on a Mac and the PC version is an imperfect port.

Sometimes copying and pasting in the editor will just plain crash on either XP or 7. It seems to crash more often if you're copying/pasting more at once. Also you cannot type in capital letters, though you can paste them in. Petit Computer automatically converts the lowercase letters to capital, except for in comments, so you may need to go back and correct the case.

But it's still an awesome tool, you can just click the QR button, scan the program back in, and it's on your DSi/3DS ready to test and refine.

[YoungBlade]

Don't worry WarioWare DIY I still love you!
<3

[DavidDayton]

Sometimes copying and pasting in the editor will just plain crash on either XP or 7. It seems to crash more often if you're copying/pasting more at once. Also you cannot type in capital letters, though you can paste them in. Petit Computer automatically converts the lowercase letters to capital, except for in comments, so you may need to go back and correct the case.

I had that problem a lot, and it was always with a specific block of code. I couldn't narrow it down, sadly, but I'm suspicious it has to do with something being autocorrected/highlighted.

It's weird that I can paste entire source listings from websites, but pasting my edited 80s BASIC programs can crash it.

[iphys]

Hmmm, just noticed that when you go to write a program it automatically spurts out how many bytes you have free, except I seem to have exactly 1 MB even when I add large files or delete them, so that confuses me, but I guess a MB should last a while if that is supposed to be about what we get.

[Sapiens]

Just trying to make a particle demo...

Is there a way to double buffer? Can't seem to find it.

Also, is there a web version of the included instructions?

[UncleSporky]

Just trying to make a particle demo... Is there a way to double buffer? Can't seem to find it.

You mean draw to a page that's hidden and then flip to it when you're done drawing, back and forth?

I think that functionality is built in for the "graphic" layer, i.e. the layer for drawing lines and squares. Look up 35 Graphic (Expert) in the manual for info about GPAGE.

Here's another way you could do it, if the things you're drawing are on the background planes:

The background is 512x512. This means you can fit four DSi-sized screens worth of stuff on it at once.

Have a variable that alternates at the start of every frame, call it BUFFER. If it's 0, change it to 256, else change it back to 0.

Every time you draw during a frame, add BUFFER to the x value of where it gets drawn, and at the end of the frame do BGOFS [layer],BUFFER,0 to instantly shift sideways to your hidden frame.

Also, is there a web version of the included instructions?

The closest thing to a web version of the instructions is this, the Japanese ones run through Google Translate. It's not half bad.

[calc84maniac]

Just trying to make a particle demo... Is there a way to double buffer? Can't seem to find it. Also, is there a web version of the included instructions?

Use GPAGE screen, drawing page, display page

There are 4 pages to choose from, and by default page 0 is on the top screen and page 1 is on the bottom screen.

To double buffer on the top screen, do GPAGE 0,2,0 to show page 0 and draw on page 2. Draw your frame, then do GPAGE 0,0,2 to show page 2 (which you just drew) and draw on page 0. Rinse and repeat.

[Sapiens]

You mean draw to a page that's hidden and then flip to it when you're done drawing, back and forth? I think that functionality is built in for the "graphic" layer, i.e. the layer for drawing lines and squares. Look up 35 Graphic (Expert) in the manual for info about GPAGE. Here's another way you could do it, if the things you're drawing are on the background planes: The background is 512x512. This means you can fit four DSi-sized screens worth of stuff on it at once. Have a variable that alternates at the start of every frame, call it BUFFER. If it's 0, change it to 256. If it's 256, change it back to 0. Every time you draw during a frame, add BUFFER to the x value of where it gets drawn, and at the end of the frame do BGOFS [layer],BUFFER,0 to instantly shift sideways to your hidden frame.

I was able to eliminate the flickering with the having the VSYNC command in the main loop and toying with that.

Thanks for the info though, I'm sure it will come in handy down the line.

[Blizzard]

I was able to eliminate the flickering with the having the VSYNC command in the main loop and toying with that. Thanks for the info though, I'm sure it will come in handy down the line.

In case you didn't notice it, one of the built-in examples (sample12 or something?) seems to be all about copying/swapping pages. I think it used vsync too. I don't know how fast you can do it, but I lowered the delay for the spinning wheel down to wait 5.

[iphys]

Shouldn't the minimum just be 1 frame?