Altera first timer noob

[Altera_Forum]

Hello , im new here in ALTERRA.i am a truly newbies , and i have been assigned to do a board games name OTHELLO using ALTERRA software. 

 As a newbies , i want to know what should i know in developing this games..what to do and what step to be taken in creating this games,this games actually run on pc.  any comment and teaching are really appreciated.

[Altera_Forum]

What architecture are you thinking? Since performance isn't an issue, are you planning on doing a soft processor(Nios II) on the FPGA. How do you plan on having the FPGA and PC communicate? Will the PC do anything besides be a dummy terminal, or will it have smarts too(like graphics rendering based on FPGA commands). What language/s do you like, VHDL, Verilog, Schematic, C, etc.  

 I'm assuming this is an assignment. You're really going to have to define what you know, what you're experience is, and what plan you have, as the question right now is really too general to answer. (It's like saying I'm planning on building a house, so what steps should I take...)

[Altera_Forum]

ok sorry for not detail on my first post. 

 I have saw a student creating a board game named sudoku,which implying the software for altera,actually my univercity have provide us neos and quadrasII.So what i have seen the student create a sudoku game by using those software which applying with digital equation.  So as a newbie what should i need to know in order to create this othello board games.:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Altera_Forum]

by using VHDL coding.

[Altera_Forum]

Ok, as a total newbie, maybe at first you should try to get a little familiar with Quartus II, SOPC Builder (to include a Nios II processor) and the Nios IDE.  

 Therefor you could start with the Quartus II Tutorial (-> Help -> Tutorial) to get an overview about the possibilities you have with that tool. You will not understand every single step and you will not need every detail, but it's a good starting point.   Then I would suggest to do the Nios II Hardware Developement Tutorial, because there you find a step-by-step instruction on how to develop a system with Nios II on the basis of an example.   After that you should already have some ideas on what you could do. For analyzing the feasibility and sense of these ideas you could read the according parts in the FPGA Device Handbook (e.g. Cyclone II Device Handbook), the Nios II Processor Reference Handbook, Nios II Software Developer's Handbook, the Quartus II Handbook Volume 4 for SOPC Builder explanations and Volume 5 for Embedded Peripherals (e.g. about UART Core ...). Of course reading all of this handbooks is impossible and senseless, but picking out the parts you need helps usually to learn about it.  What you could also do, is asking that other student, whether he would let you see/check out his software, just to see the structure, what parts he uses, etc. And/or you could check out one/some of the examples that come with the installation. There are some Quartus II project examples under ..\altera\xy\nios2eds\examples\verilog or \vhdl for several FPGA types. Additionally there are some Nios II projects under ..\altera\xy\nios2eds\examples\software which can be used as starting point.  Hope that helps.

[Altera_Forum]

thanks herbert for the detail,i hope this tips would be handy in handling my assignment.Any further question i will ask here.

[Altera_Forum]

I take it that you're new to VHDL and to Othello. In that case, you might start by understanding what kinds of strategies work well in the game (see http://www.samsoft.org.uk/reversi/strategy.htm, for example). Then, instead of coding the strategy in an unfamiliar language, code it in C, Java, or some other language that you already know. 

 Once you understand the logic of the game in a familiar kind of implementation, then start on the VHDL. herbert's suggestions in that department are good ones.

[Altera_Forum]

izzit possible to create othell/reversi games with altera quartaz II ?