I really want to do that but I don't have the expertise! I want a CPU guy to do a Handmade CPU and then I will follow his series and do that :P
- Casey
- Casey
I am really considering to do this, actually I have been thinking about this a few weeks now.
My ideas was not to create a CPU from scratch, but use 'a few' microcontroller, RAM chips and something like a STM32F4 to create a beast like a console.
Assets would be streamed from a SD card (SD cards can be easily used in SPI mode). Obviously that art would be needed to be downsized a lot. Output would be maybe around 640x480 or lower.
Obviously that would be a huge task itself. Also I am by new means claiming I am a hardware guy, it'll me more like me learning on the journey.
On of my biggest concern with this right now:
I have not idea what a footprint the final game will have. The idea be make the hardware and get Casey's code running on it. As both, hardware and rewrite the whole code would just be too much (IMO).
My ideas was not to create a CPU from scratch, but use 'a few' microcontroller, RAM chips and something like a STM32F4 to create a beast like a console.
Assets would be streamed from a SD card (SD cards can be easily used in SPI mode). Obviously that art would be needed to be downsized a lot. Output would be maybe around 640x480 or lower.
Obviously that would be a huge task itself. Also I am by new means claiming I am a hardware guy, it'll me more like me learning on the journey.
On of my biggest concern with this right now:
I have not idea what a footprint the final game will have. The idea be make the hardware and get Casey's code running on it. As both, hardware and rewrite the whole code would just be too much (IMO).
What would be advantage of STM32F4 over RPi? My understanding is that STM32F4 is still small ARM CPU. It's not a full SoC, so no memory and GPU, and it is much slower than RPi. But the code you would write would be very similar to RPi (if not the same), except input/output stuff, no?
There is no logical or even economical reason (RPI would be cheaper in any case).
I'm not even trying to pretend it would be a sensible thing to do :D
It is the same reason why Casey is not using libraries or frameworks: For the fun of it. Learn something about the electronics behind all this.
If you are more interested in the software side, then of course the PI is a much saner choice.
And yes, I agree performance of those boards might also be a huge issue.
I'm not even trying to pretend it would be a sensible thing to do :D
It is the same reason why Casey is not using libraries or frameworks: For the fun of it. Learn something about the electronics behind all this.
If you are more interested in the software side, then of course the PI is a much saner choice.
And yes, I agree performance of those boards might also be a huge issue.
Ok, that makes sense.
I also have a raspberry pi 3. But have done nothing useful with it. Also looking forward to learning how to make a platform later for the raspberry pi. And will Casey do only CPU rendering or will he use the raspberry Pi's GPU also.