Any Users Of Simcoupe Emulator Out There?

[Mark Watson]

Hi

Anyone out there actually using ZX-81x SimCoupe emulator port? I've got the PC version of SimCoupe running AOK, and running the software I'm working on. But ideally I'd like to find someone willing to spend a few minutes to load my software to see how it looks : it's a text based program, and it just might not be workable at all on a small screen.

If it looks ok then I'll buy a gp2x!

Mark

 

[euro48k]

i could test your program on zx81 wonderful SAM emu
just call me .. i`m here

 

[yaKC]

As it stands (at least on the the F200) SimCoupe is more or less unusable I'm hoping it's a case of polling the battery meter or something slowing it down as was the case I think with GP2Xectrum... on the F200 at least even at 260 MHz with a frameskip of 3 and sound on then the machine emulation doesn't even reach nowhere like full speed

Hopefully it could be fixed? If it isn't a case similar to the battery thing with the F200, then there's also the chance that a different version from the main branch of SimCoupe could be used, I remember Simon Owen bringing out a version a couple of years ago that ran twice as fast on the same speed PC when emulation speed was overclocked, since then it's slowed down with new features etc, so perhaps the best revision hasn't been picked for porting?

anyway, shouldn't be so much of a problem if it's a text game (you can switch sound off, frameskip quite large and achieve full speed), however if it's written in Mode 3 512*192 then only the left half of the screen will be displayed.

anyway, don't mean to diss the emulator or anything, so greatfull to ZX81 for the port, but sadly unless some tweaks, or another version is used (or if it is infact just a problem with the F200?, although in the download archive, when released someone else commented about it not being full speed) then it's not very usable at the moment.

edit. Also, if you like the SAM Coupe then keep an eye on my YouTube page *_+ and good luck with your game, always nice to hear about new SAM Coupe software

http://www.youtube.com/yaKC

Cal.

P.S. also wanted to say that apart speed, what a wonderful emulator the port is, regarding the interface, the way it looks and works etc etc, it really is very slick and easy to use.

 

[Mark Watson]

anyway, shouldn't be so much of a problem if it's a text game (you can switch sound off, frameskip quite large and achieve full speed), however if it's written in Mode 3 512*192 then only the left half of the screen will be displayed.

dangnabbit, it's very much written in mode 3!!!! and does need the full width

M

 

[yaKC]

anyway, shouldn't be so much of a problem if it's a text game (you can switch sound off, frameskip quite large and achieve full speed), however if it's written in Mode 3 512*192 then only the left half of the screen will be displayed.

dangnabbit, it's very much written in mode 3!!!! and does need the full width

M


I'm not sure if any works been done on it since the initial port, and when looking at certain 16 bit emulators on the GP2X, then it seems possible to show a 640 width screen and still be able to 'mostly' read the text, so if any work was done on the port then I'm sure this could be put right, it's probably that ZX81 was getting Mode 4 working first and perhaps never thought about Mode 3? There's not much talk usualy about SimCoupe, with being such a niche machine, but hopefully the emulator will one day be at the same level as the other 8-bit emulator's so don't lose hope

Are you using a package for your game, or Basic or MC? Just interested (Basic coder myself)

Oh, and the Gp2X F200 is soo soo much better than I was hoping, so don't quit wanting one yet, or just cos SimCoupe needs some tweaking *_+

 

[Mark Watson]

Are you using a package for your game, or Basic or MC? Just interested (Basic coder myself)

It's hand-tooled Spectrum BASIC, painstakingly written over many many months back in the 80s! The original 48k version of the Speccie program was squeezed so tight that there were just a few free bytes left. The 128K version of Speccie flattered to deceive as its 128k wasn't all accessable a once, but I managed a decent upgrade even so.

The 512kb of SAM offers a lot of potential for the prog. It would be like John Madden NFL 2008, only without the graphics!!

M

[just about to head off for the evening - ttfn]

 

[yaKC]

Are you using a package for your game, or Basic or MC? Just interested (Basic coder myself)

It's hand-tooled Spectrum BASIC, painstakingly written over many many months back in the 80s! The original 48k version of the Speccie program was squeezed so tight that there were just a few free bytes left. The 128K version of Speccie flattered to deceive as its 128k wasn't all accessable a once, but I managed a decent upgrade even so.

The 512kb of SAM offers a lot of potential for the prog. It would be like John Madden NFL 2008, only without the graphics!!

M

[just about to head off for the evening - ttfn]



Cool, so it's got quite a history then Yeah, the SAM has a lot of potential and power for coding, makes it so easy too. anyways, I wouldn't worry too much for now, the two things needing fixed, i.e. speed and Mode 3 I would hope will be fiexed.. Later !