GDC: Key development tool providers announce PSP products

PlayStation Portable is on the agenda for most development tool firms at the Game Developers Conference this week, with new products for the platform being announced by Metrowerks, SN Systems and Criterion.

Metrowerks has created a version of the popular CodeWarrior development platform for the PSP, which mirrors the functionality of CodeWarrior for other platforms with an integrated compiler and debugger as well as the option to work either within CodeWarrior's own development environment or in Microsoft's Visual Studio .NET environment.

SN Systems, meanwhile, has announced its intention to provide the ProDG development tools for the handheld platform, including SN's new C/C++ compiler, assembler, linker and debugger - with company stating that the new compiler technology will offer advanced optimising and higher performance than its predecessors.

Last but most certainly not least, Criterion has announced that it has ported the entire set of Renderware tools and technologies to the PSP - incorporating the entire Renderware Platform, as well as building PSP support into the Renderware Studio product. The speed with which Renderware has been made available for the device in its entirety is another pointer that bodes well for software development on PSP, which developers working on early toolkits have described as being far easier than creating software for the notoriously difficult to program PS2.

Both Criterion and Metrowerks will be showing off their new PSP tools at GDC this week, although only in behind closed doors showings, while SN Systems is inviting attendees to register their interest in the forthcoming PSP products at their booth at the show.