Catapult v1.41 has been released
Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:20 am
Catapult is a development system which is used to write software and games for the GameBoy Advance. Catapult includes an editor, debugger, simulator and an extensive set of tools. It is based around a custom language, which was designed from the ground up for GBA development.
Development takes place completely on a PC - a 'single click' export facility generates build files, which can be seamlessly built into a GBA ROM (i.e. the data that resides on a cartridge). What you see (and hear) on the PC, is identical to what you get on a GBA.
It currently runs on any Windows based PC (compatible with Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT and XP) and does not require a fast computer. A Linux version is under development, and should be released shortly (update: a test Linux version is available on request).
A Freeware version of Catapult is available for download (but does not generate ROM images).
What Can Catapult Do?
Anything that can be done through another development language.
The Catapult language consists of roughly 200 commands, with a clean, consistent and simple structure. Catapult is always backwards compatible, and has additional functionality added continuously.
Catapult supports most of the hardware features of a GBA including all display modes, 3D, HBlank/VBlank interrupts, music and sound, and lots more.
The Catapult engine provides the following built-in functionality:
* Tile manipulation functions
* Tilemap manipulation functions
* Sprite manipulation functions
* Display manipulation functions
* Palette manipulation functions
* Rotation bank manipulation functions
* Path manipulation functions
* Multi-layered level engine
* Real-time Clock (RTC) manipulation
* Tilelist management
* Input handling
* Optimised music and sound engine (Nmod)
* Array/memory management system
* Resource management system (including transparent compression options)
* Multi-lingual string management system
* Tiled / non-tiled (rendered) font engine
* Built-in Library (CSL) support
In general, Catapult code tends to run as quickly (if not faster) than the equivalent code in C or C++.
General features
* Full command completion on all keywords (including commands, macros, functions, assets and definitions).
* Mouse 'inspect' hover, evaluates expressions at any time.
* Unique 'edit-while-you-run' functionality.
* Full colour coded IDE, completely customisable.
* One-press macros for common strings.
* Search in all scripts, then browse the search results.
* Unlimited undo & redo ability.
* Information bar gives real-time assistance with commands.
* Fully integrated debugger.
* Multiple script support.
* Catapult Standard Library (CSL) integration into any project.
* Use macros for common 'inlined' commands.
* Browse window (browse between scripts and projects).
* Load/save game information through SRAM simulation.
* Real-time 'GBA simulation' profiling.
* Real-time Clock (RTC) support.
* Customisable toolbar.
Tools and editors
* String editor (including full multi-lingual support, and 'dictionary' compression). Optionally embed strings directly into a script/project.
* FontMap editor (define what characters are present in a font, and what tiles each character maps to).
* Array/structure editor (create and manipulate 1D or 2D arrays and structures. Feedback on memory usage and full error trapping).
* Path editor (define simple or complex paths for objects to follow). Includes 'sub-path' support.
* Resource manager (manage external resources such as images, tilemaps, music files, palettes, etc..).
* Level editor (view and edit levels, even while a project is running).
o Import levels from bitmaps.
o Multi-layered level format.
* Image Processor:
o Cut images into sets of 16 or 256-colour tiles.
o Convert images directly into tilemaps and tilesets.
* Palette Processor:
o Generate optimised palettes from palettised and non-palettised images.
o Generate palettised images from non-palettised images (including 4bit from 8bit images).
o Convert 256-colour images into 16-colour banked images.
* Image Editor:
o Create and edit 16-colour and 256-colour images.
o Modify image resources, tilelists, tiles and levels from within Catapult.
* Sound Editor:
o Create new sounds from scratch.
o Mix, transform and manipulate existing sound effects.
* Music Editor:
o Edit .XM or .MOD tracks from within Catapult.
* Font Processor:
o Generate fontmaps and font tilesets from any system font, any size.
* Database Importer:
o Generate script from database (.csv) files.
GBA views/debugging tools
* Watch window (function stack and variable watch).
* Function viewer (and browser).
* Sprite viewer.
* Tile viewer.
* Tile editor.
* TileMap viewer.
* Palette viewer.
* Array viewer.
* Rotation viewer.
New features added to Catapult v1.41:
* Full CSL integration into Catapult, for any project. The CSL will be periodically updated through the website.
* New Image Editor (IE) tool, replacing the old tile editor:
o Create new images from within Catapult.
o Modify tile/tile VRAM during runtime.
o Directly edit image resources, or other types of project images.
* Project sessions added, including script/breakpoint/bookmark history.
* New 'Tile Viewer' interface, support custom image layouts and previewing of animation.
* Improved Music Editor/Tracker:
o Modify the pattern order table.
o Create and delete new patterns.
o Change note effect levels.
o Modify global track settings.
* Improved Path Editor:
o 'Subpath' support added.
o Full undo/redo stack.
o Copy/Paste paths to internal clipboard.
* Real-time Clock (RTC) support added.
* Quick-Edit most resources directly from the resource manager.
* Quick-Edit any asset directly from a script.
* 10 new commands added, including 'PalettePartialLoad' & 'TileDataPartialLoad'.
* IP supports the concept of 'Image Blocks'.
* Improved script renderer, script printing, project history, autosave...
* More than 350 fixes and improvements over the previous version.
The freeware version of Catapult can be downloaded and used for free.
[url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_download.php\"]Download[/url] the freely available Catapult Freeware Package v1.41. The download is small (just under 3MB) and comes with several demos, source code, tutorials and sample ROMS.
The Catapult Export package can be [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchased[/url] for only $19.95. The first four ROM builds every month are free, valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
The Catapult Development package can be [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchased[/url] for $249.00, and is delivered on a CD. It includes all the tools needed to generate your own ROMS.
All purchased versions include :
* Build ROMS to run on a GBA or emulator.
* Fully featured level editor.
* Fully featured tilelist attribute editor.
* Fully featured font generator.
* Advanced debugging tools.
* No scrolling freeware message.
* Personalised version.
* Sample 3D project.
* 3DSMax mesh importer.
* Extended Copter demo, with 3 levels.
* Free support and upgrades.
See the Catapult [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchase[/url] page for pricing and feature information.
(Nocturnal is always open to negotiation on price and features for our customers, whom we regard extremely highly).
Development takes place completely on a PC - a 'single click' export facility generates build files, which can be seamlessly built into a GBA ROM (i.e. the data that resides on a cartridge). What you see (and hear) on the PC, is identical to what you get on a GBA.
It currently runs on any Windows based PC (compatible with Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, NT and XP) and does not require a fast computer. A Linux version is under development, and should be released shortly (update: a test Linux version is available on request).
A Freeware version of Catapult is available for download (but does not generate ROM images).
What Can Catapult Do?
Anything that can be done through another development language.
The Catapult language consists of roughly 200 commands, with a clean, consistent and simple structure. Catapult is always backwards compatible, and has additional functionality added continuously.
Catapult supports most of the hardware features of a GBA including all display modes, 3D, HBlank/VBlank interrupts, music and sound, and lots more.
The Catapult engine provides the following built-in functionality:
* Tile manipulation functions
* Tilemap manipulation functions
* Sprite manipulation functions
* Display manipulation functions
* Palette manipulation functions
* Rotation bank manipulation functions
* Path manipulation functions
* Multi-layered level engine
* Real-time Clock (RTC) manipulation
* Tilelist management
* Input handling
* Optimised music and sound engine (Nmod)
* Array/memory management system
* Resource management system (including transparent compression options)
* Multi-lingual string management system
* Tiled / non-tiled (rendered) font engine
* Built-in Library (CSL) support
In general, Catapult code tends to run as quickly (if not faster) than the equivalent code in C or C++.
General features
* Full command completion on all keywords (including commands, macros, functions, assets and definitions).
* Mouse 'inspect' hover, evaluates expressions at any time.
* Unique 'edit-while-you-run' functionality.
* Full colour coded IDE, completely customisable.
* One-press macros for common strings.
* Search in all scripts, then browse the search results.
* Unlimited undo & redo ability.
* Information bar gives real-time assistance with commands.
* Fully integrated debugger.
* Multiple script support.
* Catapult Standard Library (CSL) integration into any project.
* Use macros for common 'inlined' commands.
* Browse window (browse between scripts and projects).
* Load/save game information through SRAM simulation.
* Real-time 'GBA simulation' profiling.
* Real-time Clock (RTC) support.
* Customisable toolbar.
Tools and editors
* String editor (including full multi-lingual support, and 'dictionary' compression). Optionally embed strings directly into a script/project.
* FontMap editor (define what characters are present in a font, and what tiles each character maps to).
* Array/structure editor (create and manipulate 1D or 2D arrays and structures. Feedback on memory usage and full error trapping).
* Path editor (define simple or complex paths for objects to follow). Includes 'sub-path' support.
* Resource manager (manage external resources such as images, tilemaps, music files, palettes, etc..).
* Level editor (view and edit levels, even while a project is running).
o Import levels from bitmaps.
o Multi-layered level format.
* Image Processor:
o Cut images into sets of 16 or 256-colour tiles.
o Convert images directly into tilemaps and tilesets.
* Palette Processor:
o Generate optimised palettes from palettised and non-palettised images.
o Generate palettised images from non-palettised images (including 4bit from 8bit images).
o Convert 256-colour images into 16-colour banked images.
* Image Editor:
o Create and edit 16-colour and 256-colour images.
o Modify image resources, tilelists, tiles and levels from within Catapult.
* Sound Editor:
o Create new sounds from scratch.
o Mix, transform and manipulate existing sound effects.
* Music Editor:
o Edit .XM or .MOD tracks from within Catapult.
* Font Processor:
o Generate fontmaps and font tilesets from any system font, any size.
* Database Importer:
o Generate script from database (.csv) files.
GBA views/debugging tools
* Watch window (function stack and variable watch).
* Function viewer (and browser).
* Sprite viewer.
* Tile viewer.
* Tile editor.
* TileMap viewer.
* Palette viewer.
* Array viewer.
* Rotation viewer.
New features added to Catapult v1.41:
* Full CSL integration into Catapult, for any project. The CSL will be periodically updated through the website.
* New Image Editor (IE) tool, replacing the old tile editor:
o Create new images from within Catapult.
o Modify tile/tile VRAM during runtime.
o Directly edit image resources, or other types of project images.
* Project sessions added, including script/breakpoint/bookmark history.
* New 'Tile Viewer' interface, support custom image layouts and previewing of animation.
* Improved Music Editor/Tracker:
o Modify the pattern order table.
o Create and delete new patterns.
o Change note effect levels.
o Modify global track settings.
* Improved Path Editor:
o 'Subpath' support added.
o Full undo/redo stack.
o Copy/Paste paths to internal clipboard.
* Real-time Clock (RTC) support added.
* Quick-Edit most resources directly from the resource manager.
* Quick-Edit any asset directly from a script.
* 10 new commands added, including 'PalettePartialLoad' & 'TileDataPartialLoad'.
* IP supports the concept of 'Image Blocks'.
* Improved script renderer, script printing, project history, autosave...
* More than 350 fixes and improvements over the previous version.
The freeware version of Catapult can be downloaded and used for free.
[url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_download.php\"]Download[/url] the freely available Catapult Freeware Package v1.41. The download is small (just under 3MB) and comes with several demos, source code, tutorials and sample ROMS.
The Catapult Export package can be [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchased[/url] for only $19.95. The first four ROM builds every month are free, valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
The Catapult Development package can be [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchased[/url] for $249.00, and is delivered on a CD. It includes all the tools needed to generate your own ROMS.
All purchased versions include :
* Build ROMS to run on a GBA or emulator.
* Fully featured level editor.
* Fully featured tilelist attribute editor.
* Fully featured font generator.
* Advanced debugging tools.
* No scrolling freeware message.
* Personalised version.
* Sample 3D project.
* 3DSMax mesh importer.
* Extended Copter demo, with 3 levels.
* Free support and upgrades.
See the Catapult [url=\"http://www.nocturnal-central.com/catapult_purchase.php\"]purchase[/url] page for pricing and feature information.
(Nocturnal is always open to negotiation on price and features for our customers, whom we regard extremely highly).