How can you make your own Roms?, N64 Flash cart?

Positron · Post by **Positron** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:05 pm

I was wondering how you can make your own Roms/Games to play on an emulator or the real thing? Also, anyone know where I can find good schematics for a N64 Flash cart or similar to be able to play Roms on the real thing?

kasar · Post by **kasar** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:50 pm

maybe IÂ´m wrong, but I doubt It will be so easy.

did you heard something about the nintendo CIC chips?

those chips prevent use or flash carts easly, they are like a "anti-copy" system

I heard some news about Tototek's N64 flash cart , but it was never released due to developer failure,

anyway you can find something called Z64 ,Doctor V64 and CD64

but if you are thinking about buy one you are out of luck, they are more extinct thant the dinosaurs, you will very very lucky if you can get one at ebay or another trade site.

here you have also some interesting info of a n64 mod:

http://www.yntproject.net/HOWTO-KMC_N64.htm

Positron · Post by **Positron** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:37 pm

Yea I heard about the CIC chips and the backup units. I have already done extensive research on them. I am not interested in buying one. I just want to know how to create my own rom/game. There has to be a way to assign the rom I make with the specific CIC chip that is installed in what ever cart. that I reflash. I also have to figure out how to wire in the flash device. But for now I just want to know how to create a simple game.

tyromaniac · Post by **tyromaniac** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:17 pm

You should get the Doctor V64
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_V64
read that and figure it out....that's all I can tell you. I don't believe there are any manuals on how to make games because only big companies made games. It's before the homebrew era. I believe it would be pointless to make a game for nintendo 64 quite frankly. The process of making a game that would take forever to program, and to only have a mediocre result seems silly. Also, if you felt like actually putting it on a cart, the process would be ridiculously strenuous to make it work effectively. In the end, I can only tell you to make a game for say the computer, a much more practical and up to date system.

Post by **marshallh** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:29 pm

It's not simple, the address/data pins are multiplexed and you'll need a handful of 74 series logic to interface with any NOR flash rom you use (have fun finding an EEPROM even close to the right size).

Basically, your best bet is to get a Doctor V64 / Jr and debug that way. Coding N64 is not a good beginners intro to programming in any way -- it's usually better to make something on PC first, then port it and the graphics routines to run on the N64.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:24 am

Homebrew is not usually worth the effort. There is no point getting a unit to play commercial ROMS with, as original game carts are so cheap these days for the N64 there is no reason to consider it.

Dbstew · Post by **Dbstew** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:38 am

There are systems out there -on ebay for example- that allow you to dump cartridges, or play roms from a CD or external HDD.
I wouldn't recommend making your own, because these systems have proven to be pretty complex..

And hello to this community, this was my first post..

Positron · Post by **Positron** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:17 am

First of all, thank you for everyone's advice. My next question would be how to port games? I have heard a lot about this, such as someone saying they ported Grand Theft Auto to N64 but I am not sure what kind of utilities I need to port it once I have made a game.