The results of the PDRoms Coding Competition 3.99 have finally been released. For those who haven't been following this contest, there were quite a number of really good entries from the community but in the end one developer came out on top. To find out who took first place, head on over to the full article.

The Sony PSP homebrew scene will keep on burning as long as developers have the fire. No better way to keep that flame than rivalry. With Mega Drops, Kakuro Nichiyou PSP version 1.1 (Newspaper Edition) and BoxMan PSP version 1a, the just-ended PDRoms Coding Competition 3.9 may have also sparked something brilliant. More details after the jump.

Download and visit links at the full article!

Looking for a challenging homebrew title you can dance to? daaa57150 over at the Qj.NET PSP Development Forums has just released a demo for DJ drops, a game that combines puzzle-solving goodness with a rhythmic beat. More details available over at the full article.

Download: DJ drops demo 4.1
Visit: QJ.NET PSP Development Forums

If you're a coder, then you've probably spent some time tinkering with Daaa57150's AnimLib modifications in an attempt to animate sprites for your own purposes. Why not go back to the original, however, with this new update for Lua Animation Lib by Grimfate126?

Grimfate126 has released Lua Animation Lib version 4.5 (AnimLib v4.5), which fixes some persistent problems in the previous version. There are also a couple of changes that will definitely help coders out and speed up their work. Let's see what Grimfate126 himself has to say about the release via his changelog:

Fixed:

• Found a major flaw in sprite sheet animation blitting. The problem was, the lib calculated the width to height ratio in the blit function, when it should have been done in the loading function. It works both ways, but doing it the the blitting function meant that the lib was dividing (with is a costly calculation) every frame unnecessarily. I fixed it so that it calculates only once, in the loading function. This should provide a MASSIVE speed-up when using sprite sheets.

Changed:

• Ive gotten rid of advanceBlit, since it was just taking up stack memory, and added the loop functionality in the normal blit function. The new blit functions is like this:
• Code: function ANIM:blit(x, y, delay, numLoops)
  

          so just add the number of loops at the end. If the space is left blank, then the animation will continue
          forever.

• The anim loading function has also been modified. Just the order of arguments, since the order in v4 was rather peculiar. The loading function is now:
• Code: function ANIM.new(header, extension, frames, where)
  

Responses on our forums seem to be quite positive so give it a try, alright? Enjoy!

Download: AnimLib v4.5
Visit: PSP Development Forums

This next one should be useful for those who are just learning to code in Lua. Homebrew developer daaa57150 dropped by QJ.Net Forums and updated his own take on animlib v4. Take note that the original animation library was first coded by Grimfate126. Animlib lets users create animations based on multiple images and spritesheets.

The developer also mentioned that he is currently creating a game using this very same library. If you seriously want to learn Lua coding using Daaa's animlib v4, you better get this new version because a couple of important things have been added. The complete changelog reads:

• Added fps counter on the demo
• Corrected a bug in ANIM:blit()
• Added pixel() and save() methods so now you have all the getter methods existing on images
• Optimized spriteSheet animations (no more calculations on blit)
• Corrected a copy/paste bug in setMaxLoops() for spriteSheets
• Added frameChanged() method

Daaa's animlib v4 mod v0.3 comes with a comprehensive Readme file where you can learn about important stuff and reminders from the coder. Don't forget to browse through it first before using this.

Download: Daaa's animlib v4 mod v0.3
View: QJ PSP Development Forum

You guys remember Grimfate126's Lua animation library, animLib? Daaa (daaa57150 on our forums) has released his own mod of Grimfate's original lib over on our PSP Development forums. First of all, both this mod and the original app lets homebrew devs create animations easily using spritesheets. Perfect for those who are just starting out on Lua coding.

Here are a few examples of what daaa has added/changed in this mod:

• No more distinction between spritesheets and multiple images animations, except during creation of course. This allows you to have tables with a mix of the 2 kinds, and calling the exact same function on all items without caring anymore.
• Loops limitation and speed are set during construction, and not parameterized during blitting. This can be altered with setter methods on the object. So there is no more advancedBlit().
• Blit functions require a target, usually you'll do it on the 'screen' var but you may want to blit it on an image, so it's possible now.
• I removed garbage collection from the library, you'll have to call it when appropriate. This is so it's not called multiple times in a freeing loop for example.
• Images used in animations are buffered, so if you have many animations based on the same images, they won't be loaded as many times as you have animations, but will be shared amongst them. There are also some memory functions to allow you to prebuffer the images you'll need, and ask them to stay in memory even if no more animation uses them. This will allow you to create an animation based on them later, without loading. By default, they are shared but will be unloaded once no animation need them anymore.
• Animations don't start automatically, you'll have to call the start method.

This is the first release. As such, there are still a few bugs here and there. To report them, discuss this release on our PSP Development forums by clicking on the "visit" link below. Also, don't forget to read the extensive readme included in the download. You'll get a lot of answers there as it contains explanations for pretty much everything in this app.

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Daaa's just released a new version of his animLib mod on our forums. This version, 0.2, now includes two more helpful functions: width() and height(). According to daaa, these new functions will help you "smoothly replace your images in your code." You can download v0.2 below.

Download: Daaa's animLib v4 mod v0.2
Download: Daaa's animLib v4 mod v0.1
Visit: PSP Development forums

daaa57150, the maker of Mega A**hole Portable, has released the first in a series of development libraries for making Lua apps and games. This version, called Lua Input Lib, focuses on creating useful inputs for your homebrew.

Here's what daaa57150 had to say about his new library:

As I saw how easy it was for me to start again using parts of the code I already did, I decided it would be useful to distribute it as independant (sic) libraries. So here is the first, for inputs. With a few easy function calls this allows to see if a button is pressed, since how long, if it's released, if it's pressed since long, if it is repeating (like keyboards)... Timings are of course customizable.

His library also includes a handy-dandy tutorial for implementation. Just make sure you check the readme for those functions, and if you want to test your apps out, make sure you have Lua Player v0.20 on your computers as well. Head over the link below for the PSP downloads.

Download: Lua InputLib
Visit: PSP Development Forums

Must be a new record today. (flips Autobleeper off) Two articles about a-holes in a 12-hour period. This second one is on daaa57150's Mega A**hole Portable, the PSP port of the President (a.k.a. A**hole) drinking game. A drinking game, eh? You know what happens when drinking games go to your head? (Points to pic at the right)

daaa57150 says that this will be the last version of MAP he'll come up with, as (despite its v0.6b monicker) it's pretty much complete, aside from the optional rules, and he's satisfied with the results he's gotten. It's still a v0.6b though because of a couple of bugs, but nothing that detracts from the game. One big change is that there are now three AI difficulty levels, and he's worked on the Hard level to really make it hard. Here's the rest of the changelog:

• changed menu graphics: added buttons explanations
• refresh rate optimization in game & menus
• changed social ascension scores
• corrected minor bugs + various improvements
• usb management changed to not corrupt MS
• shows battery info + uptime in menus
• added possibility to choose ai level: easy, normal & hard.
• corrected a bug in the AI, again!
• game preferences menu is now available
• added many many options
• added statistics
• added more speech
• credits are available
• changed splash screen, eboot icon & default avatars.
• adapted options to beginners
• help menu is available (no help for unimplemented rules, lacks icons explanation)

Now the disclamer:

• Read Readme for installation instructions, limitations, and whatnot
• Read associated files like Help for help on game rules
• Despite the fact that this is a PSP port of a drinking game, No drinking under the age limit
• If under the age limit, neither the homebrew author nor QJ is responsible for what effects this program will have on your PSP (but there shouldn't be any problem there in the first place)
• If over the age limit, neither the homebrew author nor QJ will be responsible for property damage caused by PUI (playing under the influence)

Download: [Mega A**hole Portable v0.6b]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

Because of censorship concerns, and QJ's autobleeping feature, daaa57150 has been thinking of a new name for his very first homebrew game. But since he hasn't come up with a new name yet, he's just edited the title to Mega A-hole Portable. Fair enough.

So anyhoo, as we've mentioned in an earlier post about the previous version, Mega A-Hole Portable is based on a social drinking game called President, where the player who first loses all her/his cards wins. daaa57150 also says that he's updating all the menus with button explanations but it's taking a lot of time so we're gonna have to wait for that. Also, he wants us to mention that if you'd like to help him out with the skins and themes, that'd be great.

Changelog:

• support for themes
• preferences are saved
• "r" bug in properties loading
• state is saved
• scores added: points and reigns
• minor bugs
• even more speech
• tried to optimize refresh rate
• exit goes to xmb
• menus lifting
  

As usual, we highly recommend you check out the readme for the game controls, as well as the help.txt file for more info on the game. And if you have any ideas for skins and themes, just drop daaa57150 a line or two in our forums which you can easily go to by clicking on the link below.

Download: [Mega A-Hole Portable version v0.5a]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]

Yes, this is an actual playable game on your PSP, courtesy of daaa57150 of our forums. You see, it's a PSP variant of a popular social drinking game called President, where players race to get rid of all their cards. The last person to do so is ignominiously dubbed the "A**hole" (probably because of all the drinking); hence, the alternate name for this irreverent drinking game. Hence, Mega A**hole Portable.

Do not worry, children who cannot watch movies rated for foul language. daaa57150 is coming up with an alternative title for this game. Although if you ask us, despite QJ's autobleeping features, MAP is a catchy name for a homebrew game. Ranks up there with Ponies and Kittens for ear-catching appeal.

Because the President game is well known for having a TON of variant rules, it would be best to leave all questions about the game to the included help files in the package. What we can say is that v0.41, the current and latest version of MAP, also includes alternate skins for the game's GUI. AI has been improved through other previously released versions. Enjoy.

Download: [Mega A**hole Portable v0.4a]
Discuss: [Forum Release Thread]