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https://github.com/remore/burn

A Toolkit To Create 8-bit Flavored Application
https://github.com/remore/burn

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A Toolkit To Create 8-bit Flavored Application

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# Burn - a handy toolkit to make 8-bit flavored applications from Ruby DSLs

Burn is a .nes rom file compiler in Ruby. For example, a .nes application below is written in less than 500 lines of Ruby DSL code, including graphic and sound resources.([code](https://github.com/remore/burn/blob/master/example/rubima_wars/main.rb) / [online demo](http://k.swd.cc/burn/resource/example/rubima-wars/emulator.html))

![rubima wars pic](http://k.swd.cc/burn/resource/screenshot/rubima-wars.png)

Burn works as a telnet application server too. Assuming you write this simple Ruby DSL:

```ruby
declare do
star <<-EOH

11
11
1111
1111
1111111111111111
11111111111111
111111111111
1111111111
11111111
11111111
11111111
1111 1111
11 11
1 1

EOH
end

scene do
main_loop <<-EOH
star.x=20
star.y-=3
sprite "star"
EOH
end
```

With Burn, you can compile this to .nes:

![star animated gif](http://k.swd.cc/burn/resource/screenshot/star.gif)

and at the same time, you can run this as a telnet server application:

![star animated telnet server app](http://k.swd.cc/burn/resource/screenshot/star-telnet.gif)

Just like Recipes and Cookbooks are DSLs for the Chef rubygem, this dead simple DSL is for the Burn rubygem, and we call it Fuel.

Imagine an 8-bit application like [ascii starwars movie](http://lifehacker.com/373571/watch-star-wars-in-text-via-telnet) can be created in seconds, seriously. Now is the time to go back and revisit what a low-resolution application is.

![system menu example](http://k.swd.cc/burn/resource/screenshot/system-menu.gif)

## Table Of Contents

* [Introduction](#introduction)
* [Why Burn](#why-burn)
* [How It Works](#how-it-works)
* [Requirements](#requirements)
* [Getting Started](#getting-started)
* [Installation](#installation)
* [Quick Start](#quick-start)
* [Fuel DSL](#fuel-dsl-methods)
* [Notes](#notes)
* [Helpful Folks](#helpful-folks)
* [License](#license)
* [ToDos](#todos)

## Introduction

### How It Works

Burn has two modes, `:rom` mode and `:telnet` mode.

For `:rom` mode, Burn uses cc65 executables embedded in its gemfile for compilation. The main workflow is as follows.

- translate ruby DSL file into c source code
- compile source to make executable(*.nes) by calling cc65
- provide an emulator(JSNES) for rapid application development

Meanwhile, for `:telnet` mode Burn works like this:

- translate ruby DSL file into CRuby source code
- provide telnet server function to run the code on burn VM

### Requirements

- Ruby 1.9.1+
- gcc (Windows users do not require this)

Burn supports all major OS like MacOS, Unix-like systems and Windows.

## Getting Started

### Installation

sudo gem install burn
sudo burn init

### Quick Start

# :nes mode
echo "scene {label 'hello world'}" > main.rb
burn # make .nes rom and launch .nes emulator
ls tmp/burn/ | grep main.nes

# :telnet mode
echo -e "config(:app){ target :telnet }\nscene {label 'hello world'}" > main.rb
burn & # run telnet server
telnet localhost 60000

Examples are available at example/ folder. Please clone the repository using `git clone https://github.com/remore/burn.git` and play.

### Handy Commands

# Use text file as FuelDSL to run telnet server
burn fuel README.md > main.rb && burn &
telnet localhost 60000

# More detailed usage of burn fuel command
burn fuel README.md -w 60 -h 20 -t 300

## Fuel DSL

Currently example code is the best reference. For documentation, please see following materials:

[Reference for :nes mode](https://github.com/remore/burn/blob/master/FUEL-ROM.md)

Reference for :telnet mode(coming soon)

Additional reference material is TBD:

- articles about #show, #sprite, #rand and #is_pressed are coming very soon

## Notes

### Why Burn

Primarily, to help the anti-piracy movement gain significant momentum. There are [countless ways out there](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_emulators#Consoles) that emulate .nes games, but very few that create .nes rom file without hassle. This is the original reason why @remore has developed Burn.

Secondarily, to get back a lost love to video game programming. Having high-spec machine will not always make human beings happy. Sometimes we need a reminder to look back to an older era where many constrains still exist. You might think it's silly, but I'm serious. It's crazy fun to struggle.

### Discussions and Conference Talks

A quick discussion at [Reddit.com](http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/226vf0/build_your_own_nes_rom_file_with_ruby/) and [HackerNews](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8222322)

[A Talk at RubyKaigi 2014](http://rubykaigi.org/2014/presentation/S-KeiSawada)

[Introduction at rubima(Rubyist Magazine)](http://magazine.rubyist.net/?0047-IntroductionToBurn)

### Helpful Folks

* Shiru - This project had never been born if I had not found [this article](http://shiru.untergrund.net/articles/programming_nes_games_in_c.htm)
* My friend from high school - I appreciate him for sending me fine-grained reviews as always
* @josbrahol and @buzzedword sent me a great pull request which contains many grammatical errors
* @kdb424 sent me a pull request to fix a typo

### License

GPLv3

### ToDos

Here are a few todo-memo for :nes mode.

* New VM Support
* compatability with enchant.js
* Enhancement of Fuel DSL
* for Screen, support screen scroll and simple sprite
* for Screen, adding .bmp and .png support to make designing pattern table easier
* for Sound, add triangle wave and noise effect
* for Music, add custom instrument DSL
* for Declare, support string and boolean declaration(currently only number and pattern table is supported)
* Improvement of Internal Architecture
* make cc65 alternative in Ruby
* Other Feature To Be Supported
* make Burn rubygem work with mruby(not soon)
* Fix bugs
* declaring 2x2 pattern works, however 2x1 pattern doesn't