game controlled?
CODE IT YOUR SELF!
The “Mignon Game Kit” is a kitset which enables a minimalist “Gameboy” to be individually designed, programmed and constructed. Workshops and online instructions enable advanced learners to invent and programme their own games. In this way the do-it-yourself console of the “Mignon Game Kit” provides not only the opportunity for basic experiments with micro-electronics for first time users but can also be used as a platform for individual computer games. As opposed to conventional Gameboys the user develops a personal relationship to his device through the processes of self-production and individually determined programming.

How to assemble the game kit, write your own code and publish your results?

Mignon Game Kit Workshop at the CCC (Chaos Computer Club) Congress 2009

bcc – Berliner Congress Center
Alexanderstr. 11
10178 Berlin

Mo. 09-12-28
12:00 – 14:00 Uhr

Look for the suitable MigProg driver (FTDI Virtual Serial Port) for your computer at: http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm and install it. For Windows it is advisable to use the „setup executable“ on the right hand side.

Install the Arduino software. You find the download on the Arduino homepage under „downloads“ (on the left top). Unzip the folder and move it to your folder “programmes”. Open the folder and move the logo to the dock respectively the quick launch bar. The last tested version is Arduino 1.0.5.

NRW Kultur Sekretariat: “For example, by April 2010 a conference called “nextlevel” on the subject of computer games is planned, including their place in the history of art and culture, as well as posing questions concerning cultural education and aspects of the so-called creative economy.”

There are two versions of the library. One called „gamekit“ fort the old circuit board (version nr 2.0) and one called „gamekit_2_1“ fort he new 2.1 board. You can find the version number at the backside of the board.

Download the Game Kit Library. The file is called “libraries.zip.” Start you Arduino software an quit it again. In doing so a Arduino folder is automatically generated in you documents folder. Now unzip the “libraries.zip” file and move the “libraries”-folder to the “Arduino” folder. In the process the Game Kit Examples are installed automatically.

Of course the first line of each code, which is embedding the library has to be adapted. Use #include <gamekit.h> or #include<gamekit_2_1.h>!

Serial Port
Start the Arduino software and open one of the examples. You find that in the file menu “Sketchbook“. Allocate the Serial Port to the the software. After correct installation of the FTDI driver the “usbserial” adapter should come first or last in the “Tools/Serial Port” list”. Select it so a checkmark appears (Under Windows you can check in the “Device Manager” which com-port number has been assigned to the USB-to serial driver.)

Borad
The Mignon Game Kit is compatible to the Arduino borad: “Arduino Duemilanove w/ ATmega328“.

For oder Game Kit Boards pleas have a look at the pint on your microcontroller. Is it a ATMEGA168 or ATMEGA328 ? Choose the right board at “Tools/Board” for example “Arduino Duemilanove w/ ATmega168”

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

The command „Upload to I/O Board“ in the file menu (control + U) installs the example on the game kit. In the process the memory is overwritten and thus the previous file deleted. The LEDs of the MigProg and the speaker of the game kit convey the programming process. The system should not be interrupted during programming, as the microcontroller may turn into a state where it is not programmable any-more otherwise.