New Job, Lost Phone and Tweexter Update

I started the week with the a new job. I’m so relieved to be free from my last job. It’s not that I hate the company, but the type of work. It was software testing, more of a code review kind of work. It was so boring and very monotonous. Everytime I start the there, I was counting down every minute till the day’s end.  Another thing that I hated about it is that the I didn’t got anything from the management for all the extra efforts that I exerted in making software tools for the work process. Can you believe it that during idle times, others just chat and do other unrelated work stuff while I on my INITIATIVE, code tools? And what do I get, NONE? So I quit the job for a more exciting, fulfulling and more rewarding job.

And now I’m working a game studio here in the Philipines, bwahahaha. Bliss. I’m actually gonna do coding(which I love to do) and I’m gonna do it for games(which I also love). Hitting two birds with one stone. Nice. But it’s not for the PSP, actually it’s for the Nintendo DS. But it’s certainly gonna be a good experience. For the first week, I’m self studying and NDS’ SDK is very different from the PSPSDK that i’ve been using. Hopefully, I won’t get dull on my PSP coding.

But the thing that really pissed me off was that I actually lost my phone. The problem is that I don’t know if it was stolen or I just lost it. Boy am I stupid(I kept saying this to my head a thousand times already). Even though it’s Nokia 6600, I felt, I lost a lot. It’s cheap nowadays but buying a new phone will set me back for my plans to buy a NDS and a laptop. I just hope that the one who got seriously need it or the money(if he/she sells it). Hope that helps you, whoever you are.

Even though I’m all depressed, I promised at pinoypsp.com that I will fix the bug on the score, and so here I am, announcing that it is already fixed. Latest version is 0.1.3 and get it on the Projects/Tweexter page. I also got it on google code, link here. If you got any problem, just file a ticket on the Issues tab on google code.

That’s it for now, enjoy.

Texttwist in French, in your PSP? Tweexter v0.1.1 Update

Here’s some update from Texttwist’s clone, Tweexter. As a request from one of Tweexter’s user, joseph de Laubriere, I decided to compile a Tweexter version,Tweexter v0.1.1_fra, using a French dictionary. But its a separate eboot. This runs on a 3.XX CFW and possibly 4.XX CFW. Everyone can also download the english eboot, Tweexter v0.1.1_eng. Be reminded, that these releases contain a handful of minor updates(yup, still no sound). For those who have requests to have their language be used on Tweexter, just email me, and if I manage to have some free time, I’ll compile it release it.

Links @ mediafire(eboot only, no source on these ones):

Tweexter v0.1.1_fra(french) and Tweexter v0.1.1_eng(english).

I am planning a full multilingual support, single eboot for many language (thanks to Gabriel Fougeron suggestion). It will only be limited to languages that has the latin alphabets(japanese and korean versions will never be supported).But don’t expect it to be released anytime soon. I’ll be focusing on other projects. On the day after tomorrow my vacation will end and will have to cut my time in developing homebrews. Hopefully, I could squeeze some time in Tweexter.

For those who have used Tweexter, if it is possible to have some feedback from you guys about what firmware versions Tweexter v0.1 and v0.1.1 have worked with and even if didn’t work. Also whether if its slim or fat or just having troubles. Please send your feedback to reizen.dev(X)gmail.com where (X) = @(some safety measures against bot getting address for spams) or just leave some comments.

Thanks and enjoy.

Tweexter v0.1 - released for the PSP

Yay!! Finally, I was able to finish my first PSP homebrew game project. I introduce you, Tweexter. I really can can’t come up with a great name so i just combined twist and texter. Tweexter is very similar to Gamehouse’s Texttwist. You are given a set of 7 letters(on future release, it will be a combination of 6 and 7 letters) and you have to unscramble it to a more sensible word. To advance to the next round you need to solve the 7 letter word.

I was really planning on porting Texttwist to PSP, retaining the graphics and sounds but I figured that i could get in a lot of trouble if I do so. So i restarted from scratch, producing the graphics, except for the background. Currently, there is no sound effects, but i’m planning to add sfx on the next releases.

Included in the release is the source code. I am not a great programmer, so please don’t expect super fast and efficient algorithms. It was written in C++, but can be easily converted to C. I’m not an expert in C, so I just used this project as an opportunity to experience C++. The use of classes was a total mess and since i’m too lazy to rewrite it, I ended up sticking to it. To compile the source code, you’ll need a pspsdk, and a couple of it’s dependencies, namely, libpng and zlib.

Here’s a couple of links for the source and eboot:

tweexter v0.1.zip @ rapidshare

tweexter v0.1.zip @ mediafire

Here’s a video of it in action. It’s a bit messy.

I’m just a simple guy, and can’t afford file servers and have to depend solely on free file servers. Here’s a couple of screenshots.

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The word list is by no means perfect, so if you have any request to remove or add any word, just send me an email at reizen.dev(youknowwhat)gmail.com (just replace “(youknowwhat)” with “@”). For bug reports also email me at the said address.

Hopefully, more features will be added on next release and audio/visual upgrades. Along with that, I’m starting a new project. The working title is portaBible. Though there are a few homebrew Bible program for the psp, but I’m planning to make one that uses standard bible formats, either the unboundible or pdb. Other features is support for Japanese text and Strong’s numbering system and dictionary.

Addicted to Classical: Nodame Cantabile

I didn’t like classical music at all, that is before I watched the Japanese drama Nodame Cantabile.

I was planning for over 3 months to start watching this Jdrama, after I finished watching the Jdrama Hanazakari Kimitachi(hana kimi). But i was hampered by my work. It is until the long vacation that I was able to find time and boy how I was sorry that I didn’t downloaded that Nodame earlier.

Nodame Cantabile is a TV series aired in Japan last 2006 and also aired special lessons(episode) just last 2007. It is a story of a piano student aspiring to be a conductor Chiaki Shinichi and a carefree piano student aspiring to be a nursery/kinder teacher Noda Megumi. The two were very opposite persons when it comes to personality but was linked together by classical music.

The series has the perfect blend of comedy and drama, and that gave it a wonderful appeal. The comedy was really funny especially when Chiaki does some brutal things to Nodame. The drama was not that tear jerking but will certainly move you. The story nevertheless was great. The actors and actresses were great, especially the facial expressions of Chiaki and the eccentric way of how Nodame walks.

But the most eye catching factor this series had was the music, or should I say ear-catching. Damn, why didn’t I started listening to classical music early on. The pieces they play here was top-notch. As a matter of fact,my MP3 player is now filled with the music played on the series and some other great pieces not played on the series. Current favorites are Mozart’s Oboe Concerto in C Allegro Aperto and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Allegro Moderato.

Since I’m still craving for Chiaki and Nodame’s story, I started downloading the manga. Though not as appealing as the jdrama due to the lack of music, I still get to enjoy their advetures.

Thanks to Nodame, for bringing to the world of classical music. I wished i could play the piano but it too late for me now. I just have to be content on listening to it.

The first of my rants. =p

Welcome to my blog. Well, nothing much to see for now, but hopefully, this may contain some interesting stuffs. So, might as well visit next time.

Thanks to a friend and co-worker of mine that gave me the idea to start my blog.

This reizencroft, a.k.a. riskbreakerj, or simply jEFF. Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.