Wish upon a StarLite: StarCraft homebrew

by Eric Caoili { Jan 3rd 2008 at 12:00PM }

Yes, dreams can come true. With no official plans announced for a DS port of StarCraft or any of Blizzard's other PC games, two French homebrew developers have begun working on bringing the popular RTS to the handheld themselves, titling the game StarLite.

A limited demo (version 0.1) is available for you to test out in an emulator or flashcart of your choice, and, while it's clear there's still a lot of work ahead for the project, it's impressive how much the two-man crew has already accomplished in just three weeks of development. So far, players can select and direct units via touchscreen, build simple structures, and produce additional units. There are even a few enemy troops to attack.

The team plans to continue their work, eventually implementing the rest of the units/structures and a WiFi ad-hoc multiplayer mode for two players. To do all that, however, they'll need some help from several more programmers, so don't be afraid to volunteer your skills to the effort! Hit the gallery below for more early screenshots from StarLite.

Gallery: StarLite

Tags: blizzard, emulator, france, rom, rts, starcraft, stardev, starlite

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jedijoe9 @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:26PM

This could end up being amazing...or it could get closed down by Blizzard before it gets finished...

Either way, I'll be watching it

Tyler @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:18PM

They've got to let their fans have some liberties! If they want to port it and make it better, I say let them.

Nushio (NDF - Blue) @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:38PM

This is a project that i'd gladly sign up to help make. Starcraft on a DS? Hell yes!

Saria the Cat @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:02PM

Wow, this sounds awesome. It is a wonder Blizzard hasn't tried the DS as a medium, since it would be perfect for Starcraft.

wraggster @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:03PM

Playeradvance are struggling under the tidal wave of visitors for this awesome release :)

Ive mirrored the files at DCEmu here --> http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=83372

iofthestorm @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:17PM

Is it just me, or is dcemu crawling too? Thanks for the mirror though, but I thought you need to register first to be able to download stuff.

Jedijoe9 @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:18PM

I just finished trying the game out. If two programmers can make this in three weeks, we have alot to look forward to.

Quite Frankly, it is amazing. Everything is spot on (music, sound effects, sprites) and although there are a few collision issues, it is so awesome that I can forgive them.

HellsHammer @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:51PM

GREAT idea.

James @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:03PM

YES YES YES OH GOD YES PLEASE.

James @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:18PM

After playing this, I wish I would have said "OH GOD" many more times in my first comment. This demo is SWEET. As a die-hard Starcraft geek, I totally gasm over anything even remotely related to starcraft but this really is awesome. The interface on the top screen and the few controls that pop up on the touch-screen are very well thought out and feel natural. There are obviously glitches and you can only be Terran and build barracks, command centers, and supply depots and only produce SCV's and Marines, but it shows what this programmer can do. I can't wait for the next release!

D-Young @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:01PM

so i just got done playing this game and ive been playing starcraft since i was ten. I truly think this is an awesome idea. If the designers are reading this i hope to god they do whatever they can to finish it, i will be heartbroken if it gets postponed or cancelled.

About the game play, its very similar other than a few things (not that im complaining, just reporting)

my marines and scvs were glitching
1. stacking
2. textures glitching (at one point a large block of texture and was moving across the screen and the marines had turned into scv textures and were spinning as they moved xD)
3. i could move my men off the map
4. i could walk across open space (idk if that was a glitch or they just havent gotten to that yet)

sounds
THEY WERE AMAZING except for one
the marines gunfire is really not as smooth and it sounds more like a repeated file than gun shots.

thats all i found, i hope it helps you guys out, keep up the good work!!!

Michael Phillips @ Jan 3rd 2008 8:20PM

had issues with my M3 Real, stuck at didl compatibility screen, but i tried it on ideas emul. it rocks

raging_hamsterx @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:27PM

StarCRACK

Konosuke @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:07PM

They need to finish this...Oh, i want this homebrew done completely NOW!!!

Its AWESOME! ^__^

Matdredalia @ Jan 3rd 2008 11:34PM

If I could program, I'd open a vein to be a part of this project.

My entire family is going to be salivating on themselves over this one --- all big SC fans, and all DS lovers.

I really, really hope to see more of this.

(P.S. Thank you to DSFanboy for covering good Homebrew. You make my life easier.)