PS1 homebrew

[+atari2600land]

I'm just wondering because I just got into the PS1. A bit late, I know, but would just like to know if I am able to make homebrew games and then burn them on a CD before I download a whole bunch of PS1 emulators (if there are any.)

[+thegoldenband]

AFAIK there's no Dreamcast-style trick, and you need a mod chip, a GameShark, or a PS1 debug unit to run anything other than official PS1 discs. It's also possible to use the swap trick (or double swap trick), but the results with that method are so inconsistent that I found it unbelievably frustrating.

 

(I ended up buying a debug unit, and so far I'm extremely happy with it.)

[the.golden.ax]

I'm still trying to get a Net Yaroze. I wrote Princess Is. when she posted that one for $130 but wasn't fast enough.

 

AX

[DEBRO]

Hi there,

 

You can develop for the PSX without Net Yaroze. I used to use Bladelib but there are other available too. The problem is getting a CD to run on the PSX. Even if you have a chipped PSX, you can't launch a program built with Bladelib without a launcher. Here is is link to Candu's site that has Bladelib, the source, and a launcher to launch your program. Good luck. Bladelib is easy to get in to.

[+atari2600land]

What programming language do you use when programming a PS1 game?

[Tursi]

I have a Gameshark programmed with Caetla and the parallel interface card for it (ISA only) if there's someone who wants to get into PSX programming. This does NOT let you boot CDRs, you still need a mod chip for that, but you can upload and run from the PC through it. I don't have much documentation but I might be able to find the files for it somewhere. I used to do PSX homebrew.

 

Not sure what it's worth these days.. $50?

[+atari2600land]

How would one go about getting a mod chip installed in a PS1?

[Rybags]

Hope that someone still makes them... IIRC most of them are just off-the-shelf serially programmable devices.

 

Better idea would be to just buy a full system. Going rate for a PS1 these days is generally $20 or less for a system alone with one or two controllers, chip-modded ones not much more.

 

They've attained retro status, but there's just so many millions around that people literally just throw them in the rubbish.

[+atari2600land]

Well, the thing is, I already have a PS1. I guess what I could do is buy another one and donate the first one to the game store or something? Seems like such a waste though. Also, I don't know what a mod chip is.

[DEBRO]

Hi there,

 

What programming language do you use when programming a PS1 game?

 

If you use Bladelib I think it only supports C but I'm not 100% sure.

 

How would one go about getting a mod chip installed in a PS1?

 

I don't think the forum rules allow that information. Doing a Google search on "psx mod chips" may help you out.

 

Also, give a look at the "Home of the Hitmen". They have a lot of information to help you get started programming the PSX. Their FAQ was very helpful to me when I first started.