How-To Hacks contest finalist: PSPTetris
posted Apr 19th 2005 2:46PM
This week we'll be running the finalist entries in our PSP vs. DS hacks contest. At the end of the week, we'll open the floor up for voting on the best of the best. Looks like we're in for a week's worth of PSP hacks, folks — not a single DS hack came through the door! Guess the DS fans weren't up to the challenge… Anywho, without further ado, let's bring up finalist numero uno!
PSPTetris
by Cristian Gadea (webtopsp@gmail.com)
It's fairly well-known by now that there is a hidden web browser in the (fortunately) excellent PSP game Wipeout Pure.
But just what can the browser do? Early tests by roto showed that it had decent HTML support and could even run a few
JavaScript commands. Would this be enough to run a basic game and give me a shot at some real games from Engadget?
I began by testing several free online scripts from websites like The
JavaScript Source. Since I still had to figure out how I was going to pay
for that PSP on my credit card, a calculator seemed like a good first script to try. After a few modifications and a
bit of reformatting of the free code, PSPCalc resulted.
While it was interesting to confirm my huge debt by using the PSP that had caused it, PSPCalc didn’t make for a very
exciting game. A bit more experimenting revealed that a Tic-Tac-Toe script also worked in the PSP browser and I ended
up with PSPTicTacToe. It appeared that the browser could run games, but
could they be as complex as, say, Tetris?
Surprisingly, the answer was yes. Using techniques known to work on the PSP and some basic sample Tetris code, I was
able to create PSPTetris. This required a number of compatibility and formatting considerations since practically none
of the JavaScript versions already available online would actually start on the PSP. Adding GameBoy-like controls posed
another interesting challenge. The controls still aren’t perfect and there’s no catchy music (unless you consider the
Wipeout menu beat catchy), but PSPTetris should be very playable even in this first version.
How to Run PSPTetris
1. If you don’t already have a portal that lets you browse the web with your PSP (via DNS or proxy), complete
Engadget’s HOW-TO: Get RSS feeds on your PSP. The parts
involving Bloglines are optional.
2. Use the PSP browser to navigate to http://webtopsp.com and select PSPTetris from
the list. If you actually enjoy using the PSP’s “keyboard”, you can also go directly to
http://webtopsp.com/psptetris.
3. Once the page has finished loading, push X on the PSP to play.
Controls
Use left/right on the PSP’s directional pad to move a block, down to drop, and X to rotate. You can pause the game by using the PSP’s power button (sleep mode). This way, you should be able to actually take the PSP away from the wireless network (it will disconnect anyways) and play PSPTetris anywhere as long as you don’t change the page.
Gameplay Notes
PSPTetris has four levels (speeds). The level increases with every 10 lines until you reach level 4 (after which you just have to outlast your battery). Lines give more points at higher levels. Use the game’s “SET LEVEL” button before “START/RESET” to start at a specific level.
Known Problems
There are several bugs/glitches due to the PSP browser’s limitations and the early version of the script. They include:
-
One of the images may not load properly and remain a white square. The box showing the next block may also be unaligned or have an unusual border. Refresh the page if any of these things happen (”O” button on the PSP).
-
The controls were implemented in a somewhat unusual way and require a small square and a few dots to flash to the right of the board. Try to ignore them.
-
The X button can be unresponsive (noticeable at higher speeds).
-
Holding the drop button may leave a color square on the way down. The game will correct this once the block is placed.
-
Sometimes after selecting “START/RESET”, the block will appear but not move down. You need to disconnect (”quit” using the PSP’s Start button) and reconnect to fix this.
Feel free to use a regular web browser to visit the links above if you want to have a peek at the code. You may
modify and re-host the scripts if you wish. Perhaps new PSP-friendly online games will appear now that more of the PSP
Browser’s capabilities have been revealed.
Send any feedback to webtopsp@gmail.com.
Boring.
totally sweet that one of my favorite games of all time makes it on to the psp, it's no Lumines, but I still love it.
But cool.
Awesome. Tetris is the greatest game to grace the face of the world.
Kind of cool to do, but Tetris is soooo old. Still cool nonetheless.
You'd think that they'd do a vertical orientation since tetris is a vetically oriented game . . . oh well.
Odd that you're playing tetris through another game.
Wow.. PSP hack?
What the hell thats made with the broswer so you need web designing skills not "hacking" skills.. too bad this time engadget...
paperless. you are a douche.
Note that none of the previous commenters submitted any hacks of their own.
Pretty good implementation, but technically, it isn't a hack. Still, cool game! I'll be sure to test it out.
Can't they make this stuff native to the PSP, without all of this complicated nonsense? The system is supposed to run games directly from the memory stick.
JR
> Looks like we’re in for a week’s worth of PSP hacks, folks
...
> Wow.. PSP hack?
I suspect we will be seeing a week's worth of simple webpages, that all require the WipeoutPure web-browser and well-known DNS rerouting trick.
Interesting perhaps, but not a "hack" IMHO.
Kudos to Sony for creating a hard-to-hack & hard-to-crack consumer device that prevents people from doing real "hacks".
This reduces Engadget and the multitude of PSP-hack-wannabe websites to lame commentary and newbie questions. Once there is a true "hack" that enables custom written programs to run on the PSP, then it may get interesting.
If / when that will happen who knows...
Uh, that's not a PSP hack. Someone made a web page with javascript, welcome to 1999.
I don't see any of these haters from actually getting off their sorry asses and doing anything themselves props to Cristian for trying to create something new.
"Guess the DS fans weren’t up to the challenge…"
ROFLMFAO... This contest is pointless, it's easy to see which device has better hacks.
The best PSP hack I've seen to date doesn't even need the PSP. This guy should've won: http://www.pdc.me.uk/pbp/
I suspect good stuff will come from this program.
I guess the definition of hack is pretty fuzzy, but I don't see any of you losers contributing anything more useful. If you're so smart, how about coming up with a hack of your own?
to "hack" something means to make it do something it wasnt intended to do. So this IS a hack.
L@M3!!!
Anyone who would enter a DS homebrew app or game against the psp "hacks" would be shunned. They would probably get beaten by "GOOGLE on PSP!"
Oh man...no one's commented on the irony of using the new hotness in portable video games ($250) to play frickin' Tetris. Look at those sweet graphics showing off the capabilities of the PSP. It's like that iPod case made out of a Sony Sports Walkman, or the RetroPhone Vintage Handset.
the PSP wasnt intended to play games?
What the hell are you guys on? This is an incredible achievement! The PSP cannot enter any information into webpages except in forms (using the keyboard API) so creating an interface using rollover links (I'm assuming. I've never actually used Java before) is a GREAT step forward. Sure, Tetris may not be especially 'impressive', but the WAY it was implemented IS! This is not just a webpage formatted for the PSP, it is a whole new interface!
Think about. It has active refreshing, and direct control. Now you can run practically any remote application (with a web interface, which according to you lot isn't that hard) directly from the PSP, and get status updates as you do so.
I was hoping for a linux port, and I get tetris. Pretty par for the course on a day that the Lord High Inquisitor becomes Pope. Sigh.
what about msn messenger on psp, thats way cooler
"not a single DS hack came through the door! Guess the DS fans weren’t up to the challenge"
Challenge? As has been stated, this silly tetris thangy - not a hack.
"to "hack" something means to make it do something it wasnt intended to do. So this IS a hack."
Ok, then put http://www.movieadvance.com/ in the DS (like how you put Wipeout in the psp).
Now your DS does somethings it wasnt intended to do. Joy-joy.
Wouldn't this make a better hack?
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000700040696/
What about the PassMe pass through device for the DS?
What about all the people that actually WRITE CODE for the DS?
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/08/1941204&from=rss
Or the guy who actually WROTE TETRIS (2 Player no less) for the DS?!
http://nintendo-ds.dcemu.co.uk/tetrisds.shtml
This 'contest' is a farce.
Where the PSP hacking has gone virtually no-where, DS hacking got a hell of a lot more interesting these past days/weeks.
Check out http://www.themodgods.com/ for most info on all latest stuff on DS hacking (Firmware replacement, virtual passme/passthrough, etc.).
Yeah nice hack all that time and effort and look at the only thing you could come up with a NINTENDO knock off. I know you guys love the DS look you can't even come up with something original it has to be nintendo.
"This is not just a webpage formatted for the PSP, it is a whole new interface!"
No, it's just a webpage with javascript. Javascript is old. I've seen javascript tetris before. Many, many times. It was cool like, 7 years ago.
I would think using http://www.pspproxy.com would make it easier to access http://www.webtopsp.com .
This is cool but nothing really all that incredible. Playing a little tetris on the PSP is cool though.
Hate to break it to you, "Kamalot", but we can't judge hacks that weren't entered in the contest. We only received entries for the PSP. Where's your entry?
Peter Rojas, you say "entries" do mean there were more?
Yes, we received 6 or 7 entries of varying quality.
Also, I'd appreciate it if you didn't post a bunch of times under different names.
A special Note for everybody unfortunate enough to be using Dlink routers. It seems they like to ignore whatever DNS settings you use on your PSP. This means you have to set the Dlink itself to that DNS address. I have the affore mentioned Dlink 614+ wireless Router and that was the only way I was able to get online with the PSP. Before I set the DNS in the router's menus, all I would get was the "Coming Soon" screen. So if you have a PSP and a Dlink wireless router, you too will have to change the DNS inside the router itself.
This is very lame. I don't think I'll be buying another Dlink router in the future. :p