Newsletter
Braden Roberts
Manti, Utah
Computer Science
Creativity Track
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Raspberry Pi Video Game Emulator
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For this project, I have built an old-school video game system that is capable of playing thousands of games from retro video games. The user can customize their experience by installing the system emulators that they want to use, this saves storage space to use for the actual games. Like the emulators, the user is able to download various ROMs for their favorite games and play them in all at one place.
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This device is built upon a Raspberry Pi Development Board, which is a portable computer that is the size of a graphing Calculator. For storage, the Raspberry Pi uses a micro SD card, which provides customized storage space. The system uses a USB based Gamepad to play the games and maneuver through the interface. The project also includes a detailed guide to build your own system.
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I chose this project because of my love of hardware programming and video games. While I was growing up I played a lot of video games and I love the nostalgia of playing them again. It helps me to increase my knowledge of programming as well as the Linux operating system. It also helps me to stand out from other computer science majors by implementing hardware and software.
The hardest part of this project was the documentation, I was new to the software suite Emulation Station that is used to run the emulators. I had to test the steps to ensure they worked before I was able to add it to the Tutorial, so I basically set up the system twice to ensure it was done correctly. The user interface for Emulation Station is funky as well, so it requires some getting used to before playing the systems.
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This project is beneficial to any individual who loves old-school games. It brings joy and nostalgia to many people as they reminisce about their childhood. I will likely bring my device to parties I attend and have a nerd station. The tutorial also provides anyone the opportunity to build it themselves for under $100 dollars.
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I benefitted immensely from this project due to the level of understanding you need to have in Linux OS to build this project from scratch. It has helped to increase my Terminal programming skill as well as understanding of the Raspberry Pi Development Board. Finally, playing the games from the system provides hours of fun and entertainment!
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