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Recently I managed to get our latest project compiling for the PS2, using Sony’s cross platform compiler sold by SN Systems, ProDG.

Now having only worked with ProDG for one week this is what I found:

The licensing for the compiler is very expensive, and honestly I am very surprised by this, since the compiler is a direct rip off of the GCC compiler; are people just not aware that they can request the source code for it or copy it as they see fit. The GCC compiler is protected (last I checked) by GPL, meaning any changes to the compiler must be released with the binaries in the same format as the paid for binaries upon request of anyone, and without charge.

Now once you spend several hours installing ProDG, fighting with the installer which likes to hang or pretend that it is actually uninstalling but really isn’t (and refuses to reinstall until it is fully uninstalled) you will finally be able to compile and connect to the PS2 dev kit, allowing you to serve binaries for testing.

This wouldn’t be so bad if the ProDG tools would allow some form of code debugging that rivaled an ASM output, with register view and, if you are lucky, a call stack.

Fortunately it seems that PS2 titles are on the way out, and I am advised of many great improvements to the PS3 development toolchain, including an actual proprietary compiler which I will only assume doesn’t violate the GPL agreement.

As many of you know by know I recently received a job offer with one of EA Sports’ contracted development studios, prompting Jenn and I to up and leave Alberta with only 4 days notice.

I am almost done my second week and had the pleasure of meeting a few of the higher ups from the company, and working well through EA’s PC and Console engine code. It is easy to tell that EA has been doing this for a while which has unfortunatly left me wadding through at least 4 years of reused code.

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that Jenn, Saffron and I have almost settled back into our new home and I should have some more updates and pictures of the baby to follow soon.