N64 Programming Manual Chapter 1

Installing the N64 Emulator Software

The Nintendo 64 development software image is not the only software required for development. Your Indy workstation must also contain the following 5.3 products:

dev

c_dev

compiler_dev

gl_dev

CaseVision, version 2.4

WorkShop, version 2.4

Three products are bundled with the Nintendo 64 development software:

GameShop
ultra
dmedia_eoe (version 5.5)

Note: Casevision and Workshop need to be installed before Gameshop. Workshop needs to be version 2.4 or earlier.

READMEs and Release Notes
After installing the software, you will find a collection of sample demonstration applications in /usr/src/PR. The README_DEMOS file describes each of the applications' key features. You will also find the release notes in /usr/src/PR/relnotes. The release notes summarizes the differences from the last release and includes a discussion of the various bugs, workarounds and caveats of the system.

Other Sources
In the /usr/src/PR/assets directory, you will find the source files for building the general MIDI bank. An initial complete general MIDI bank was created for testing purposes. For a game, we assume that you will gut the bank down to include only those instrument and sounds that you need. Therefore, this directory gives you a starting point to do that.

In the /usr/src/PR/libultra directory you will find portions of the Nintendo 64 system library code (libultra.a). This code is supplied to give a starting point on writing your own custom versions of these sub components. However, these sources require extensive SGI source tree build environment tools to actually build. Therefore, only the non -buildable sources are shipped currently.

Executables
The first piece of software you will need to use is gload. This program downloads the ROM image onto the Nintendo 64 development board and starts execution. Soon after, you will need to use dbgif and gvd to debug your program.

/usr/sbin/gload
/usr/sbin/dbgif
/usr/sbin/gvd

There are also conversion tools that help in converting data into Nintendo 64 format. For example, flt2c converts a MultiGen database into a C data structure that can be compiled into binary form. Most of these tools reside in /usr/sbin but some are supplied in source form in /usr/src/PR/conv. Keep in mind that these are templates for your own custom database conversion tools. We cannot possibly address the needs of all developers.

Installing the N64 Emulator Software
Please follow the procedure shown below to install the N64 Emulation Software.

Expand the contents of the DAT tape.
Insert the DAT tape and input "tar xv" in the appropriate directory.
A directory containing the version name will be created under that directory.
Start Software Manager.
Check to make sure the necessary software applications are installed.
Auto-install the IRIS provided software and ProDev/WorkShop.

Select custom install.
Install the Graphics Library Image Tools that are located in the Execution Environment 2 sub-directory on the IRIX5.3 CD.

Install the emulator software.
In Software Manager, specify a version name for the directory name and select custom install. Install the following applications:

GameShop
ultra
dmedia_eoe (version 5.5)

If the installation is unsuccessful, check to make sure that the 5.3 software products are installed correctly, try installing the emulator software again.