7-SegBoy Game Maker Beta

7-SegBoy Game Maker is a browser tool for making RPGs for a the 7-segBoy, an Arduino Nano powered hand held game console with a 24-digit seven-segment display.

The beta version open the tool, test the Minimal RPG in the browser, export an Arduino sketch, upload it to the 7-SegBoy hardware, and play the game on the real display.

Video Demo of minimal Beta game

https://youtu.be/jiOBEAVJ4UY

Run The Tool

Open this file directly in Chrome:

index.html

No install step is needed. The beta uses plain HTML, CSS, and classic JavaScript files.

Live Web Version

The beta is also published as a GitHub Pages webpage:

https://nerdingandhoarding.github.io/7-SegBoy-Maker/

The online version should open the same index.html tool as the downloaded folder.

What The Beta Can Do

• Load a Minimal readymade RPG starter project.
• Edit and save project JSON files.
• Test movement and battles in the browser.
• Use a 24-digit 7-segment display preview.
• Generate chiptune music and assign to worldmap- and battle-mode
• Export a combined Arduino game sketch.
• Upload it via Arduino IDE.
• Play the Minimal RPG on the 7-SegBoy hardware.

The exact supported feature list and known limits are in:

Documentation/BETA_SCOPE.md

Official Hardware

Only this hardware profile is supported in the beta:

• Arduino Nano / ATmega328P.
• 3 daisy-chained MAX7219 chips.
• 24 seven-segment digits with decimal points.
• Physical layout: 8 columns x 3 rows.
• A0 BrightnessPot.
• A4 direction/menu pot.
• D5 forward/confirm button.
• D4 backward/reject button.
• D3 melody audio.
• D9 bass audio.

Note that you can't run the display from the arduinos powersupply, you need at least one 5volt voltage regulator. and big cappacitors close to each 7219 chip. And the MAX-chips create a terrible current noise, so therefor the beta hardware use two separate To-220 7805 voltage regulators. One for the audio amplifier and one for the display.

Full wiring notes are in:

Documentation/HARDWARE_PROFILE.md

Hardware Design Files

Hardware reference files are included in:

Documentation/Hardware

This folder contains EasyEDA schematic and PCB design files, a BOM, a schematic image, and a Gerber ZIP for ordering a custom PCB.

These hardware files are designed from the working beta hardware, but the PCB files have not yet been fully verified on a manufactured board. Treat them as beta hardware files until a real ordered PCB has been built and tested. Once the PCB is verified, this README and the hardware documentation should be updated to say so.

Fast Test Path

1. Open index.html.
2. Use or create the Minimal RPG starter.
3. Test movement in the browser.
4. Check Hardware Preflight.
5. Export Combined Game .ino.
6. Open the newest folder under Arduino_Tests.
7. Compile and upload the .ino in Arduino IDE.

Make sure 7-SegBoys power is off when you have the USB cable connected for uploading. Then upload is ready, disconnect USB and turn on the power.

Saving Projectfiles

• Use Project JSON files as the main save format for the tool.
• Browser recovery is only a safety backup.
• The generated Arduino game has one manual EEPROM runtime save slot, opened from the world map by holding D4 + D5 for one second.

License

AGPL-3.0-only. See LICENSE.md.

Start Here

For the current project status and active documents, read:

START_HERE.md