ThunderZ's Interview
Hooka: When did you get your gp32?
ThunderZ: I got my GP32 on September 2002.
Hooka: What were the major reasons for buying one?
ThunderZ: Well I had two reasons, the power of it and this open way of code.
ThunderZ: Very more cheap than a GBA + Flash Linker + Cartridge.
Hooka: What dev environment do you use?
ThunderZ: Hmm it depends on the project, but generally my 2 most use compilers for gp32, the devkitadv modified for gp32 and ads.
Hooka: What inspired you to start working on neogp32?
ThunderZ: Well when I got my gp32 I first try to port a neogeo CD emulator but some limitation and a limited know of the gp32 at this time changed this project to the neogeo pocket emulator, because I love all SNK productions. ^_^
Hooka: I like neogp32 for playing Metal Slug 1st and 2nd Mission, what are your favorite games for the neogeo pocket?
ThunderZ: I think SNK VS CAPCOM is a great game with good combo, the metal slug series, dark arm and other. :)
Hooka: Are the CPU cores from neogp32 in c or asm?
ThunderZ: The 2 CPU are in pure C code for now.
Hooka: Have you considered using Reesy's z80 core? As you have to have the z80 enabled to allow the emu to function, this might make a speed increase.
ThunderZ: Actually I haven’t seen Reesy's Z80 core but I’ve heard great things. ^_^
ThunderZ: I'll be interested in using it for sure for increased speed.
ThunderZ: Actually the 2 CPU are running in neogp32 because game need it so when the crappy sound and the synchronization problem will be clear you will hear sound without any performance loss to this point. ^_^
Hooka: You seemed pretty choked when whoever it was leaked your private beta of neogp32, did you ever get even with them?
ThunderZ: Well I came from old community where people are really cool so when I came to the gp32 scene I came with this same spirit (I’ve always the same today ^_^).
ThunderZ: I start working on neogp32 people on chan follow me on this work (lot of crash, my first sprite, my first game emulated, ect.....).
ThunderZ: At this time I distribute the emu to people that tell me that want to try.
ThunderZ: I dunno why people distributed this beta, it was private because at this time I wasn't happy of my work and waiting until it was better to release a public one.
ThunderZ: Some damned people exchange it for warez with a Spain man called "Ignorante" that distribute it with other leaked beta on the net with some stupid photo.
ThunderZ: This resulted in 2 things:
-> some people encourage me to continue my work
-> other insult my because the emu was a shit
ThunderZ: At the same time I was mail bombed twice and infested with spawn. :(
ThunderZ: So all of this made me now very very careful about with other work and project on gp32, that’s bad but it life.
Hooka: The TLCS900H is a CPU I've only heard of in reference to the neogeo pocket (color) is it in any other consumer electronics/consoles/handhelds?
ThunderZ: Haaa the TLCS900H, the main core that make me soo crazy some time. ^_^
ThunderZ: Well I know it’s used in professional controller but I think for handhelds machine is only used on neogeo pocket.
Hooka: Have you made any progress since Public Alpha 2 that was entered into the GBAX Another 15 Days competition?
ThunderZ: Well Neogp32 make some change recently and maybe a new release will come soon.
Hooka: Did Yoyofr just implement neogp32 into little john Z?
ThunderZ: Yoyofr implement neogp32 into little john Z directly in it.
ThunderZ: He is now helping me in the sound problem and synchronization on gp32. ^_^
Hooka: Yeti 3d looks like a very good 3d engine, has there been any work towards a finished game with it? (I seem to remember that Orion was working on a f-zero or wipeout clone or something to that effect what happened to it?)
Yeti Pro Pictures (Click here to see more)
ThunderZ: Yeti 3D evolved a lot lot more.
ThunderZ: That was my major project of this last month.
ThunderZ: The V1.5 to v2 integrated lots of good things like 3D model + animation, slope, curve, ect....
ThunderZ: The actual pro version integrated lots, dithered texture (like in unreal 1), smoothing animation and lots more. ^_^
Yeti Pro Pictures (Click here to see more)
Hooka: Have you updated the gp32 port of Yeti 3d to keep upto the original or have you only worked with the GPL one?
ThunderZ: Actually I’m working on it and Yeti Pro when it’s ok maybe the version 2 code source will be release. :)
Hooka: If a Dev team wanted to make a game with your port of the Yeti 3d engine for gp32, would they just have to get ahold of you? What if they wanted to make a commercial game to sell?
ThunderZ: Well I’m not a professional on law but follow the GPL license. ^_^
ThunderZ: If I help on code or in this project well we could always see but in general for project using some code I’ve made I just want my name on the credit page. ^_^
Hooka: When did you first start working on Yeti 3d?
ThunderZ: Hmm I think that was at the start of 2003 dunno exactly when, I’ve been spending so much time on this project. ^_^
Hooka: OSNES9XGP won the Another 15 Days Competition on www.GBAX.com, how did that feel?
ThunderZ: I really felt very happy that the snes emu come first that was a really great thing ^_^
Hooka: How did you guys decide who got the Tapwave Zodiac from the competition?
ThunderZ: Easily, I knew yoyofr did the most work on this version soo he take the zodiac.
ThunderZ: I have not seen the zodiac but this point was never a problem, i think we make something normal on this point. ^_^
Hooka: What part of OSNES9X/Little John Z did you work on?
ThunderZ: Well i didn’t really work on Little John Z i just participated with the neogeo pocket part. ^_^
ThunderZ: For Osnes9x I’ve done some work on it and on some other part (interface, ect...) most of the work is done by yoyofr and laxer3a did the asm CPU, those two coders are really really good. ^_^
Hooka: From what I read on yoyofr's website you joined a little bit after yoyofr and laxer3a decided to work together on it, how did they convince you to join or did they simply ask you if you wanted and you saw a good opportunity?
ThunderZ: Well YoyoFr contact me to join this project.
ThunderZ: I was really a snes lover soo I immediately accepted. ^_^
ThunderZ: After we make more meet with laxer3a and yoyo and now i love talk with him not only about code, this guys are really cool. ^_^
Hooka: If the source was modified to allow full use of a memory modded gp32 do you think with a 32/64MB gp32 you could play Star Ocean and Tales of Phantasia?
ThunderZ: Hmm, yea why not.
ThunderZ: Osnes9x takes a lot of memory due to being based on snes9x code.
ThunderZ: I think that those games where the last last generation of snes game and very limited (in number).
ThunderZ: A basic GP32 will play already a lot a game. ^_^
Hooka: What is your opinion of the predecessor SNES9xGP, did you guys start working on OpenSnes9xGP because there was no source release of it?
ThunderZ: The SNES9xGP was good project dunno why they stop their project and why at all they didn't release the code source for others to continue their work. -_-'
ThunderZ: I think that was a good motivation to start another good snes project. ^_-
Hooka: What is your personal goal for OSNES9xGP? (i.e. Full speed and sound at what MHz, or something to that effect)
ThunderZ: I think a full speed emu at 133 MHz could be a good objective, no ? ^_-
Hooka: What about for Little John Z?
ThunderZ: Well i not really code on Little John Z because i don't have a Zodiac to code or try the project and well actually the gp32 take my time. ^_^
ThunderZ: But well the neogp32 code update will be transmit on LJZ (like the new scanline engine for example).
Hooka: Do you plan to keep working on projects for the gp32 community in the future?
ThunderZ: Well I’m actually in some big project for gp32 (Yeti, neogp32 and osnes) the last project I’ll participate will be the gba emu that interest me a lot because of the technology he used.
ThunderZ: I think this method could be used in other way and other machine. ^_^
Hooka: Yes, from what I’ve seen Cedric, the author of GP Advance, is quite a genius!
Hooka: What is your favorite SNES game?
ThunderZ: Hmm i love a lot of game on snes.
ThunderZ: The game i was at the snes for long periods of time and i really love was, Secret of Mana 1 and 2 (Seiken Denstu 3), Killer Instinct, Final Fantasy 6, Tales of Phantasia, ....
Hooka: What other projects have you worked on?
ThunderZ: I've worked on 3d engine, games (2D, 3D, space game, ect....) and lot of other things I’ve made for me or for free in the past time on PC. ^_^
ThunderZ: For gp32 i make a lot of little prog or test too. ^_^
Hooka: Do you have any suggestions for other gp32 developers?
ThunderZ: Well i think the gp32 has now shown some of its potential but is really not fully exploited for now.
ThunderZ: I’m not a pro coder i think other coders are really better than me and can exploit the gp32 power.
ThunderZ: I think the open source is really good to develop the programming knowledge of the gp32 and good trick of coding.
ThunderZ: So Come On Guys the gp32 is a great machine and open source is good for all. ^_^
Hooka: What do you want to see for the future of the gp32?
ThunderZ: Hmm that a really a hard question. ^_^
ThunderZ: I'll love to see some professional coder on the gp32 platform too see the true power of the machine.
ThunderZ: For the community I’d love to see more demo because demo making is great. :D
ThunderZ: For coder i think that a real powerful and easy to use library could be the most important think to help developing on gp32, I’d love to also see a really powerful polygonal engine to make various project.
Thank you ThunderZ for all your projects and for doing this interview, I wish you all the best luck in the future!
*Interview finished 06/06/04*