DSiWare Users Going Back to BASIC with PetitComputer

... I AM ERROR...

Oh My Gawd.
It's like some random japanese company combined my two favourite things, DS and programming!
They better bring that here, or else...!

_{Should be named PetitHomebrew}

10 PRINT "Dave wanty!"

Interesting... I'd give it a try, even though I have practically no programming experience. But the possibilities are kinda cool.

@3: You forgot to RUN.

I CAN'T BELIEVE MY DSi IS BROKEN! ARGRGHRGH

Wow. I worked extensively with QBASIC when I was young, which didn't require line numbers, but was otherwise pretty similar from what I understand.

I'd...buy this.

i always wanted to learn Basic. sounds interesting :3

I'll have to see if this comes with a tutorial.

qbasic = 9
RANDOMIZE TIMER
petitComputer = INT(RND * 10) + 1
IF petitComputer >= qbasic THEN
PRINT "Petit Computer is just as good or even better than QBasic, so I'll have to switch to it once I get my 3DS."
ELSE
PRINT "I'd rather just continue using QBasic, which is still perfectly usable on modern PCs with DOSBox."
END IF
END

By the way, you forgot to include the variable in your subheading. It would be better as:
INPUT "Insert subheading here: "; subheading$

This.....intrigues me. Unfortunately I know literally nothing about coding. To anyone who has programmed in BASIC: is it easy to learn for someone with extensive experience in Game Maker (minus any actual programming in GM :3)?

This looks very interesting, will probably buy it

wooaaaaahhh... I spent many years making games in QBASIC, including my own sprite and font editors, and I'm moving to Sapporo in a few months. Dear SmileBoom: please give me a job, please!!!

Do you have an extra GOTO 10 line?

Meh I don't really want to learn BASIC... I'm working with Python right now and kinda wanna learn C♯ or C++. But I'll get it if it comes with a good tutorial.

I wanna learn some code before I study it at college so im up for it

This is interesting. I might get it if it comes to the west as I'm hoping to be a game designer when I'm older and I'm hoping to do an IT course at college when I leave school at the end of this school year. I hope it has a good tutorial.

Also: no mention of Wario Ware DIY in this new story? I'm very insulted!

Wario's DIY software can actually teach as much about coding as using BASIC on an inconvenient little touchscreen keyboard. Learning to think like a programmer is more about the principles of timing, triggers, events, and conditions--prerequisites for building a good DIY minigame--than it is about learning any particular syntax like BASIC.

Can't imagine trying to write code with a stylus... I'd probably go crazy, haha. This'd be cooler if they wrote a custom scripting language instead. There are a lot more logical and easy languages out there. zez has got the right idea.

Not really my thing, I'd rather program on a computer. Zez and pix, I share your opinion.

Python is a lot better, but I will give it a try.

Being able to program with Basic on the go? DO WANT!

Freaking amazing. Awesome that someone has done this, at least in Japan.

Where DSiWare has iOS Apps beaten. Nothing on iOS is allowed to run arbitrary code.

Sounds pretty awesome.

This had better get released in Australia. I might just be inspired to learn some programming, I did mess around with small basic for a little while but this is probably a whole other beast. It could be fun though, making games you can play on your DS, what Nintendo fan HASN'T dreamt of doing that.

My brother Is looking over my shoulder with glazed over eyes screaming "I am going to get it!". Now he is snickering. Now he is saying "OH Wow!"

Sweet. Good to see a game for programming.

I agree with warioswoods. WarioWare: DIY does an excellent job at introducing programming ideas and concepts in a way that nonprogrammers can understand.

This game seem like it is more for people to mess around in.

If I had a DS, I would definitely get this. I make programs in BASIC on my calculator, but a TI-84 just has so many limits.

Awwwwwesome. My very first gaming experiences were entering lines and lines of BASIC code in order to play a simple game (and having to "save" it on cassette tape!). I also used to put far more time than one would have though possible into the Basic Programming "game" on Atari 2600. Wow, this is definitely cool.

@30 Actually, I could program for my Ti-nspire Cas with Touchpad. But meh, I'm too lazy. I'd rather program something that has real potential (also, I need both colour and sound to hold my attention).

This is awesome. I'm another geek who spent my teenage years programming quirky little games in QBASIC. Even though it will surely have its limitations, I would buy it immediately if I had a DSi instead of DS Lite.

well, it's for japan, if we ever get to see it here then you will probably be able to download it on your 3DS

@32 The lack of color does suck, but I don't have any creative talent to compose music, so no sound is more practical than any sound for me. I actually created an engine for an NES style top down RPG thing, but the matrices that stored the area maps took up way too much memory... and then I accidentally deleted the picture files for the tiles. I haven't touched it since.

10 PRINT "Great news!"
20 PRINT "!!"
30 GOTO 20

I have the odd feeling that this could result in a surge of new members in the Dark Basic community.....

Cool! Interesting idea. I had something similar on my Palm many years ago and made a few programs with it just becuase I could.

Also, nice to hear more people are still using/have used Qbasic! I used it when I learned programming many years ago. Good stuff! For those interested, I can suggest Freebasic : http://www.freebasic.net/
Its a modern basic compiler based on Qbasic. It pretty much has the same syntax.

How cool is this, definitely a must buy for me!

Does it have cup holders?

So... do you need to know how to code prior to using it or will there be a tutorial that teaches you? If it is the latter, then I might give it a shot.

The problem with BASIC is that it's awfully slow and on embedded systems it's asking for trouble.

The ONLY problem(s) with this are that it's not out NOW and it's not out EVERYWHERE!

(I do wonder how "complex" of home-made games it will support is though....I mean, could I make a TD game with RPG elements {even if it does have graphics} or what....?)

|sf>This is actually a rather brilliant idea for a company to do. I recall that libraries used to subscribe to programming magazines that had all those lines of code for inputting video games. Granted, by today's gaming standards, most BASIC games of that era would be considered rather primitive.

I probably would buy this, considering I took a class on BASIC in high school. I'd be especially curious to see if the program had limitations. As I recall, there were some classic Commodore 64 titles written in BASIC that I've always wanted for WiiWare. If this program can bring the ability to have them in DSiWare instead, that would be really neat.

In any case, I hope this gets announced for US and European release.

I'm just worried this will get released on 3DS and not on the DSi. I'd hate to have to upgrade just because Nintendo starts ignoring Dsi/DSi XL users, besides that I don't really have the money for a 3DS.

This better be comming to the US, perfect excuse to learn some programming in BASIC. Couldn't be any much harder than java and html javascript, yea?

Seriously, such a great idea for DSiWare. I'd totally buy this.

Have I said how much I'd love this to get an English release? The website has been updated since this article to include movies of the samples. I don't read Japanese but I definately like what I see. I'll be very VERY disappointed if this never makes it to an Australian release, there is so much potential for awesomeness.

Wow, this could be used to make some great homebrew games..

Hurry it up and release it for the US!!!

Hello World!

I have a 3DS so I'll be able to download this (if it comes out in the US)! This is gonna be so much better than WarioWare D.I.Y.!