Carpal tunnel, RSI and DVORAK

1/12/2010 1:09:23 AM

By RetroRalph

So I've been busy the last few days taking screenshots of every SMS game. Besides knowing that nearly every game I've tested has worked flawlessly I think I've done myself an injury.

At the moment there are 1600 screenshots of the games, and about 80% of them are done. To get 1600 usable screenshots I had to take over 21000 screenshots, so that is 21000 times I have pressed F11 (RC supports screenshot capture in 0.700), 21000 screenshots I have looked over to find the good ones and about 320 games I have played for about 5 minutes or so on average.

The repetitive work has done me a number, more so than the usual work I do. I use a modified DVORAK keyboard layout which is different to the usual QWERTY layout you are probably using. The reason for this is improved efficiency when writing with two hands, your fingers move less so in essence you don't get repetitive strain injuries even when typing a lot like I do.

When switching from QWERTY to DVORAK it was an annoying process that took a few months to get back up to speed. However it was worth it in the end because I don't experience any pain even when working 14 hour days. I do find it odd that you can get injuries from such small things, you don't really feel like a man when you say "yeah my fingers hurt from typing", and no one really seems to care too much about your injury.

Either way tomorrow all the games will be screenshotted, I will then spend the rest doing a bit of website tidying up before I move back to 0.700 work in RetroCopy. I'm probably going to cut back a bit of the features I wanted to put in and just do the core features. I don't like leaving more than 4 weeks between releases and it's a month today since the last one.

The one game I have found that didn't work in RetroCopy is Super Boy II, a Mario Brothers clone from Korea that uses one of the older TMS9918 modes that I haven't added support for yet, besides that it is 100% compatibility. Though I still have 80 or so games to test.


6 responses to Carpal tunnel, RSI and DVORAK

FadWare wrote:

1/12/2010 1:01:57 PM

If you had already released a version with screenshots enabled, we could help you out sending packages of images to you. BTW, the work on the database was amazing. I will input some more stories this week. Congratulations!

RetroRalph wrote:

1/12/2010 1:09:47 PM

Letting others help for the other game databases is hopefully what will happen and that will be at a more slower pace. I wanted to get SMS done before the next release and it isn't right to say to volunteers they need to work for 30 hours in the next week on it.

For the next version after 0.700 hopefully we can get GG and SG1000 done with the help of various people.

maux wrote:

1/12/2010 3:48:17 PM

wow amazing job! Ralph maybe after finishing the showroom you could program yourself a nice relaxing health resort and take a couple of days well deserved rest :)

Harmik wrote:

1/13/2010 2:47:36 AM

The QWERTY keyboard layout was originally used to slow typing speed, to stop the old blade typewriters from getting jammed. :)

micky wrote:

1/13/2010 3:01:14 PM

Will you fix bugs in genesis core for this release?

RetroRalph wrote:

1/13/2010 3:02:20 PM

I hope to fix a few yes, whether it happens or not who knows. :)

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