Info on PS2 development system: TOOL

Following a series of reports regarding the limitations of the PlayStation2 hardware, we spoke with a programmer recently regarding Sony’s PS2 development system; TOOL. Due to the nature of the following information, our source shall remain anonymous.



Question: Can you give us some information regarding the functionality of the PS2 development system; TOOL?



Answer: All hardware companies have some form of propriety development system for their console. I think Sony’s is much more high-profile and impressive looking than most. For example; In the super-famicom era there was a strange white/grey box which was connected to both the SFC and a PC for development.



The ‘TOOL’ is basically a development kit and a Linux workstation thrown in for free. The original PlayStation development kit, which costs exactly the same, required 2 PC ISA slots and lead to many installation problems. The fact that the TOOL is essentially a stand-alone machine talked to via Ethernet makes it much easier to share data, thereby reducing costs when compared to other consoles. You can also develop interesting utilities which only need to be compatible with your Intranet, rather than learning a propriety method to access the development kit. I personally use Windows NT in association with the TOOL, so I get the best of both worlds. That’s another interesting thing about the system, you’re not required to use Linux to talk to the TOOL machine, it uses standard TCP/IP.



Everything considered, I think it’s the best development machine I’ve worked on to date. I don’t think many developers would criticize it aside from the price, which has been an issue since the original PlayStation.



Question: Very interesting, considering how outspoken some companies have been regarding the complexity of PlayStation2 development.



Answer: I think the main problem is that most developers had preconceived notions regarding PS2 development. However, as a programmer, the PlayStation2 forces you to change your way of thinking. Once you do that, you open yourself up to new techniques and things which haven’t been done before. In that sense, I think the main people complaining are use to Direct-X. And anyone who actually likes Direct-X should be shot. [laughs..]



Seriously though, I’ve seen titles in development which are mind-blowingly gorgeous, and definitively next-generation. Once you see what development houses such as Naughty Dog have under wraps, everyone’s qualms will be washed away. Also, just wait until the smaller development houses in England get a firm grasp on the machine.