Carmack loves homebrew DS

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 12th November 2007
Comments (7) Stumble
DS homebrew is increasingly popular, but remains unsanctioned by Nintendo.

DS homebrew is increasingly popular, but remains unsanctioned by Nintendo.

John Carmack, the technical genius behind Doom, Quake and, more importantly, Commander Keen, has said that he thinks Nintendo should open up the DS hardware for young programmers to develop homebrew software on.

Carmack is currently busy crafting Orcs and Elves for the DS, a classic RPG dungeon crawler game being developed jointly by id Software and Fountainhead Software. He created the 3D engine for the game in just four days, according to Eurogamer. During that time Carmack came to appreciate the DS as a hardware platform especially suited to young and upcoming designers.

"It is a shame that homebrew development can't be officially sanctioned and supported, because it would be a wonderful platform for a modern generation of programmers to be able to get a real feel for low level design work...to be contrasted with the high level web and application work that so many entry level people start with." Carmack said in an IGN interview recently.

At the moment there are a number of different ways to run and use homebrew software on a DS or DS Lite, many of which we explored in a feature looking at some of the best homebrew games and how to run them. Ironically, one of the best homebrew games is a DS port of Carmack’s own Quake. The new version of the port is now compatible with original mods and total conversions of the Quake game.

Nintendo currently doesn't endorse homebrew software or third-party storage devices because of the potential for piracy.

Do you homebrew? Will Nintendo ever realistically open the platform to indie developers? Let us know what you think in the forums.
Quote yakyb 12th November 2007, 10:17
created the engine in 4 days thats pretty good going
Quote Fusen 12th November 2007, 10:18
suppose it's not hard for someone like carmack to create a 3d engine for something that has the same graphics as the original gameboy :P :p :p
Quote Mentai 12th November 2007, 12:05
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fusen
suppose it's not hard for someone like carmack to create a 3d engine for something that has the same graphics as the original gameboy :P :p :p

Lol, you mean the same graphics as his original game engines? If not, whats it like to only see in monochrome? :P
Quote mclean007 12th November 2007, 14:50
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Martin
Ironically, one of the best homebrew games is a DS port of Carmack’s own Quake
In what way is that 'ironic'? I would say it is quite fitting!
Quote CardJoe 12th November 2007, 15:24
Quote:
Originally Posted by mclean007
In what way is that 'ironic'? I would say it is quite fitting!

Yeah, I suppose you're right.

Hm. A reader correcting a writer? How ironic...
Quote Darkedge 12th November 2007, 16:21
Nintendo are selling the DS hand over fist, everyone is developing for it - Not a chance. More likely that Romero will make a new good game and then marry Carmack than Nintendo opening up the DS.

It's a good idea for programmers, sure JC. Mind you what about the already open source free to develop for GP2X??? Thats closer to a normal development environment as it's linux in the first place rather than ninti's internal code. Maybe if you plugged that Carmack we'd get more developers.
Quote Morphine-Kitty 13th November 2007, 06:00
4 days? What a beast!

And heck, why have Nintendo unlock it? Just unlock it yourself. Funner that way. :p
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