So you want to code for the N64....

And you've been looking for a legitimate and freely available development
system you could use...

We did...

We've put together one, and here it is!


This is an early release of a Win95/98/NT hosted cross-compiler for
the N64.  It doesn't include any headers or libraries yet, but
it will however allow you to compile your code and get it running.
Its not quite ready for 'prime time' but theres been so much interest of
late that we hust couldn't keep it a secret any longer.

You now have a full C++ and C compiler, a MIPS assembler that has full C
style preprocessing, a linker, a library manager, a disassembler, and a
bundle of other tools of interest to developers.  Finally, it includes
exe2n64 which will take a .exe file and convert it into a cartridge image.
The resulting image is in big-endian format, and doesn't have the checksum
updated, but you can use utils that others have written to fix this until
we add the necessary support; see below.


To Install:
   Create a top-level directory, typically \n64dev

   Unzip the archive with an unzipper supporting long filenames (eg WinZip or
   pkzip25) into that directory, preserving directories etc.

   Edit the \n64dev\n64dev.bat to reflect the installation point and run
   the batch file to place the commands on your path.



What else you'll need:
   You will also need chksum64.exe version 1.2 or higher, available
   on www.dextrose.com.  BEWARE! some earlier versions have a virus!

   You really should get Anarko's n64ops!  Its essential documentation.
   Again, available from www.dextrose.com

   You will need to have available a cart backup that the boot code can be
   read from.  The sample makefile should be updated to specify its path
   in the BOOTCODE bariable.

   Ideally you will need a make utility (eg nmake), or else you will
   have to write lots of batch files

   Your favourite downloader program.


To get started:
   cd to the \n64dev\samples\skel directory and edit the makefile to update
   the BOOTCODE variable to point to an existing bootable image file

   type nmake, and you should get skel.n64!

   You should now have a pretty uninteresting cart image that at startup
   will simply loop forever.  Check out main.cpp and code like hell!

   For some development systems, you may need to byte-swap the file before
   you download it.  If so, use byteswap.exe


Documentation:
   Well, there isn't much.  

   For the N64, Anarko's n64ops are highly recommended

   For command line switches try 'mips-g0dev-n64 -v --help' and it will
   show you all the C/C++/asm/link switches


Coming soon:
   Basic machine definition headers
   Basic runtime library
   Integrated checksumming and byte-swapping in exe2n64
   A make program
   Useful utils for manipulating binary files
   .hlp files for the tools
   (and other goodies)


Support:
   This is freely available software, developed in spare time only.  We would
   appreciate it if emails are kept to a minimum; just bug reports.
   "How to..."/ "Where is..." type questions are likely to result in silence.

   Information on the N64 is very limited, but the best place to look
   for info/ tips is on www.dextrose.com; check it out the 'Coders Heaven'
   forum after checking out the available tools

   NOTE: PLEASE DON'T ask us anything about official development systems,
         ROM images or UltraHLE.  We haven't got them or anything to do
         with them!

         Remember, we wouldn't have done our own development system if we
         had an official one!


Enjoy,
The Ground Zero Development Team
ultradev@g0dev.com