Pyrite64

Pyrite64 is a three-dimensional video game creation tool oriented towards the Nintendo 64 console. It combines a visual editor with a runtime engine that produces playable ROMs on real hardware or high-accuracy emulators. The project manages the complete development cycle, from importing 3D models to the collision system and audio.

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• Import of GLTF models from Blender. The editor accepts GLTF files generated by Blender. During import, compatibility with the fast64 material pipeline is preserved, allowing the visual appearance defined in the modeler to be maintained without intermediate manual conversion steps.
• HDR rendering and Bloom support. The internal engine implements High Dynamic Range and the bloom effect. This allows for creating scenes with high lighting contrasts and the characteristic glow around brightly lit areas, something unusual on the original Nintendo 64 hardware.
• Management of large textures (256x256). Unlike the console's classic limitations, Pyrite64 handles 256x256 pixel textures. The system takes care of splitting and packing the textures so that the Nintendo 64 hardware can render them correctly.
• Runtime engine with scene management. The runtime incorporates a scene manager that controls graphical rendering, collisions between objects, audio playback, and the logic of the elements present in each level of the game.
• Global asset management and memory cleaning system. All resources (models, textures, sounds) are managed centrally. The engine automatically frees the memory of assets that are no longer needed, preventing memory leaks on the console's limited hardware.
• Node editor for basic control flows. Includes a visual node-based editor that allows defining control sequences, object behavior, or events without needing to write textual code. The nodes are translated into executable structures within the engine.
• Automatic toolchain installation on Windows. On Microsoft Windows systems, Pyrite64 automatically downloads and configures the necessary toolchains to compile the game (cross-compiler, linker, ROM packaging tools).
• Renderer with support for different display modes. The engine supports rendering modes that take advantage of the Reality Coprocessor's capabilities, including texturing, vertex lighting, and transparency effects.
• Collision system based on imported geometry. Collisions are generated from the 3D models during import. The engine uses this information to calculate intersections between the player, objects, and the scenario.
• Integrated audio player in the runtime. The engine includes sound playback capabilities compatible with the Nintendo 64 audio subsystem. It can handle short sound effects and sampled music sequences.
• Export to executable ROM on real console. The final result of the project is a valid ROM file for the Nintendo 64. This ROM can be loaded onto original hardware via flash devices or on emulators that implement the console's instruction set with cycle accuracy.

Pyrite64's development began recently and is in its early phase (early development). The main creator is HailToDodongo, who also maintains the repository on GitHub. The application is written in C++ (for the editor and engine) and uses the official Nintendo 64 development toolkit for generating the console code.

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