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GP32

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GP32
File:Gp32logo.gif
ManufacturerGamePark
TypeHandheld game console
GenerationSixth generation era
LifespanNovember 23, 2001
MediaSmartMedia
CPUSamsung S3C2400X01

The GP32 (GamePark 32) is a hand held console built by the Korean company Game Park.

Description

The console is based on a 133 MHz ARM CPU. This is backed by eight megabytes of RAM. Unlike similar gaming systems, which are proprietary cartridge-based, the GP32 uses rewritable SmartMedia cards, making it very appealing for amateur game developers. The console also has a USB port for connection with a PC, and a serial expansion port.

There are three main commercial versions of the unit: the original GP32, with no light, the front-lit unit (FLU), modified for Game Park by Hahotech, and the back-lit unit (BLU), released in Europe in mid-summer 2004. At the end of 2004, Game Park also released so-called BLU+ versions, which have a different screen than the normal BLU units. All commercially released units are white with grey or white buttons. There are also a number of differently colored promotional units, and several prototype units with wildly different designs.

GP32 Features

DivX

The GP32 is not natively capable of playing DivX movies, however it can do so using the proprietary freeware media player GPCinema. This sets it apart from its rival product, the Game Boy Advance, which requires a third-party upgrade for this feature. The GP32 plays media files more fluently than Nintendo's console.

Software Installation

The GP32 stores its software on SmartMedia cards varying in sizes from 2MB to 128MB. This allows the user to store custom media, applications and games on his GP32, including alternative firmware. Commercial games could be acquired via internet download (encrypted to the GP32's ID) or in a retail box. The retail boxes contained SmartMedia Cards with the games which were encrypted to run only from these cards (SMC ID). They could alternatively be downloaded from a Korean portal after submitting the GP32's ID, they were then encrypted to run only on that GP32. This method effectively reduced the price of the games because you weren't paying for cartridges (though you still had to pay for high priced SmartMedia cards to store the games later on). Downloading a game online could range from $10 to $30.

Homebrew development

Game Park planned their system to be powerful and useful, but they also wanted users to be able to create homebrew software (a first in video game consoles). When one bought a GP32, one could register the unit on the official website and get a free suite of development tools to create their own games and applications for the GP32. Game Park also allowed (under certain restrictions) the publishing of such homebrew games on their website. Since the GP32's original firmware only supported running encrypted games and tools, users were forced to register and use an encrypted "Free Launcher" to run unsigned software.

Through this strategy, the GP32 was the host of multiple homebrew applications and games. The various applications made for it ranged from alternative firmware, file managers, games, many emulators, game generators (such as RPG maker), a DivX player and image slideshows.

Emulators

The GP32 has the processing power, and is easy enough to program for that many emulators have been developed for the system. Emulators of many 16-bit and earlier consoles are available, as well as of some older computer platforms. Those allowed gamers to play a large variety of older games on their GP32 systems. There is also a Windows-based emulator of GP32, which allows users to run GP32 software on a Windows-based PC.

Games

See also: List of commercial GP32 games

Five games in a variety of genres were released at the system's launch on November 23, 2001. About 28 commercial games were eventually released. The last commercial game to be released was the platformer/RPG Blue Angelo, which was released on December 16, 2004. Most commercial GP32 games could be bought in two ways: boxed or downloaded through the internet through Gamepark's online JoyGP store (typically for a much lower price). JoyGP was the international version of the MegaGP store, which existed earlier and was limited to South Korea. Although most games were sold in both formats, there were a few exceptions: for example, "Blue Angelo" was (and is still being) only sold as a boxed copy made in France, and "Gloop Deluxe" was only sold online, but not through JoyGP.

Although the number of official games available for the GP32 system is limited, many open source/free software developers worked on various emulators and ported PC games. In addition to this, a wide range of free, public-domain games were created by amateur developers. Game Park did not ask any royalties to release games for its device, which made it easier for small editors or independent developers to release software for the GP32.

The modification of Ericsson Chatboard micro-keyboards to work with the system has seen a new flourish of software development, including countless attempts at ports of Linux, and keyboard support being added to many emulators.

Commercial availability

Commercially, the system can be found mostly in Korea, and some other parts of Asia, although the GP32 BLU model was released in three European markets, including Portugal, Spain, and Italy on June 15, 2004 with a price point of €199. There are official distributors in the United Kingdom and Sweden as well. Game Park, however, did not release the console in America.

Despite of the GP32 not being released worldwide, it has a large international community of users and developers. About 30,000 units were sold by the end of 2007.[1]

BLU+

A back lit GP32 (released in December 2004) was given the name BLU+ by the community.[citation needed] The back lit unit featured a different LCD display (Taiwanese manufactured instead of Samsung), which led to some compatibility problems with certain applications, and problems such as white lines across the screen. However, nearly all applications were fixed once it was found that the new screens had better contrast than the old ones. The back lit GP32's were commercially named "BLU". The BLU+ was, as stated, a name that the community gave it to notice the difference between the two models.

There were many applications that worked with the BLU+ and other models. Mirko's SDK could autodetect which version one had. All the applications such as emulators, movie players, and the like worked as well on the BLU+, as on other models.

Specifications

Dimensions 147 mm × 88 mm × 34 mm
Weight 163 g
Display 3.5" TFT, 16-bit colour, 320 × 240 pixels
CPU Samsung S3C2400X01 (ARM920T core), 20 (and under) to 133 MHz (overclockable to 166 MHz+ in some cases. Some have even reached 256 MHz (not always stable, low battery life). Overclocking ability is random, however all GP32s are supposed to reach 133 MHz. A few early "bad" units maxed out at 132 MHz.)
RAM 8 MB SDRAM
ROM 512 KB
Sound 44.1 kHz 16-bit stereo sound
four-channels and up software WAV mixing (it is up to the coder, but four channel is built into the official SDK)
16-part polyphonic software MIDI (in official SDK)
earphone port
stereo speakers
Storage SmartMedia 8–128 MB
Power Supply 2 × AA batteries or 3-V DC adapter. Batteries last between 6 and 12+ hours, but actual amount depends on a number of factors.

Successors

References

  1. ^ GP2X Q&A, With Craig Rothwell. Clockerz. Accessed on 24-03-2008.
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