Retrocomputing on PlayStation 1 – Project Overview (part 1)

Table of Contents

Welcome!

If you landed on this page, it’s probably for one of two reasons:

  1. You’re interested in the world of modding and the PlayStation 1.
  2. You’re just curious to take a look at my work.

Either way, thank you for stopping by!

My Bachelor’s Thesis

This article is the first in a series dedicated to my bachelor’s degree thesis, titled:

Retrocomputing on PlayStation 1: design and development of two Tech Demos for the console’s 30th anniversary

I’m extremely happy with this project, which took around four months of development.
Of course, it’s not perfect — I’m sure there are some flaws — but I believe it can serve as a solid starting point for anyone who wants to dive into PS1 development… or for those who enjoy a bit of “digital archaeology.”

A Special Thanks

Part of the credit goes to Gustavo Pezzi: his course on Pikuma.com was incredibly helpful in making this project possible.
If you want to go deeper into this topic, I highly recommend checking it out!

Goals of This First Post

In this first post, I simply want to give you a broad overview of the project.
To do so, I’ll be using the same presentation I showed on my graduation day (hey, no point in letting it go to waste 😄).

I’ll cover:

  • The project’s objectives
  • The work carried out
  • The main topics covered

Introduction

Good morning, my name is Gabriele Passuello. My bachelor’s thesis is titled:

Retrocomputing on PlayStation 1: design and development of two Tech Demos for the console’s 30th anniversary

Before diving into the work I carried out, I would like to introduce some key concepts that I consider fundamental — concepts that are also present in the very title of my thesis.

Title Slide - Retrocomputing on PlayStation 1
Presentation slide – Project title

The PlayStation

Let’s start with the PlayStation. It doesn’t really need much of an introduction.

A console produced by Sony, released on the market thirty years ago.

It was — and still is — a remarkable commercial success, and today it remains one of the three main pillars of the video game industry.

Slide about the PlayStation console
Presentation slide – The PlayStation console

Key Concepts

I would like to focus on three main concepts:

  1. The meaning of the word retrocomputing
  2. The concept of a video game generation
  3. The definition of a tech demo
Slide about key concepts
Presentation slide – Key concepts of the thesis

What Is Retrocomputing?

Retrocomputing refers to the practice of studying, using, or recreating technologies from the past for a specific educational, nostalgic, or experimental purpose.

It focuses on vintage computers and software in order to explore how these technologies have influenced modern development.

Slide explaining retrocomputing
Presentation slide – What is retrocomputing?

Video Game Generations

Since we are talking about video games and the evolution of the medium, it is important to note that the PlayStation belongs to the fifth generation of video games.

This generation introduced 3D graphics for the first time.
From the two images on the slide, you can see the generational leap that occurred from the fourth generation to the fifth.

Slide about video game generations
Presentation slide – PlayStation and the fifth generation of video games

Tech Demos

Finally, let’s conclude with Tech Demos.

These are not actual video games, but demonstrative software — like the one shown in the video — intended for the public and press.

They are designed to highlight the graphical, audio, and processing capabilities of the game console.

Slide about Tech Demos
Presentation slide – Tech Demos

Thesis Objectives

This experimental thesis has multiple goals.

First and foremost, it aims to explore development on the PS1, recreating the working conditions of developers at the time and using their original development tools.

The main objective is to showcase the technical capabilities of the console through the design of two Tech Demos, which highlight its graphical, audio, and processing performance.

Slide about thesis objectives
Presentation slide – Thesis objectives

Structure of the Work

To achieve this goal, after an initial research phase, the work was structured into three main parts,
each of which is divided into two halves.

Slide about thesis structure
Presentation slide – Structure of the work

Part 1: Origins and Hardware

The first part, mainly compilative, discusses the origins of the console and its commercial success.

It then examines the hardware, analyzing the various models released over time and the console’s technical components in detail.

Slide about first part of thesis
Presentation slide – Part 1: Origins and Hardware

Part 2: Development and Programming – MIPS Assembly

The second part focuses on the development and programming methods for this console. Two different programming languages are covered.

The first half deals with MIPS ASSEMBLY, a low-level language used to program the PlayStation hardware directly.

It allows precise control over the processor’s operations, pipeline management, and memory handling, optimizing the console’s performance to the maximum.

Slide about MIPS Assembly
Presentation slide – Part 2: MIPS Assembly

Part 2: Development and Programming – C Language

The second half focuses on C, the main high-level programming language used for software development on the console.

The chapters dedicated to C cover fundamental concepts of computer graphics and analyze how to manage key elements such as:

  • Audio components
  • Graphics components
  • BIOS
  • Reading data from a CD-ROM
  • Handling complex calculations
Slide about C programming
Presentation slide – Part 2: C Programming

Part 3: Experimental Development – Tech Demos

Finally, the third part — experimental in nature — describes the development of two Tech Demos using all the information covered so far.

The first disc is a showcase of 8 programs, selectable from a menu, each demonstrating a specific feature, functionality, or technological upgrade of the console.

It starts with 3D graphics management involving object transformations and movements, then moves on to advanced effects such as fog and lighting.

Multiplayer is then explored, along with texture mapping to improve realism, and full-motion video playback.

Lastly, the console’s ability to handle smooth real-time animations is put to the test.

Presentation slide – Part 3: Showcase Tech Demo

Part 3: Experimental Development – WipEout Tech Demo

The second disc is a simplified version of the racing game WipEout, which, at its release in 1995, represented a strong symbol of technological innovation.

It successfully combined three fundamental elements:

  1. Speed, enabled by the PlayStation’s processing power;
  2. Realism, thanks to its advanced graphics for the time;
  3. Immersive experience, enhanced by a powerful electronic soundtrack.

For these reasons, WipEout was chosen as the basis for the second Tech Demo, aiming to replicate and analyze these key characteristics.

Presentation slide – Part 3: WipEout Tech Demo

Conclusions

In conclusion, the design and development of these two Tech Demos have demonstrated the challenges and solutions faced by programmers on the original PlayStation.

Its limitations and innovations have been analyzed, highlighting the impact the console had on the video game industry.

In this way, a bridge between past and future has been created, celebrating an icon that defined a generation.

Slide – Conclusions
Presentation slide – Conclusions
Slide – Thank You
Presentation slide – Thank You

In the next articles, I’ll publish detailed breakdowns of each tech demo and the technical aspects of the development process.

Notes mentioning this note

Here are all the notes on this site, along with their links, visualized as a graph.