Criticalbeeb 0.1.0 Released

[Gruntfuggly]

Would it possible to map the virtual keyboard button through the keyboard config files? If not, I'd definitely prefer the Select button...

Looking forwards to the next release!

 

[critical]

Would it possible to map the virtual keyboard button through the keyboard config files? If not, I'd definitely prefer the Select button...

There's no reason why it couldn't be made configurable, but it's unusual to see such a feature in handheld emus, I think. I'll shift it to the Select button in the next release, as I agree it'd be nicer there.

I've just uploaded 0.3.1 (see edited first post). You can play Labyrinth now. Please let me know if any of the rendering is screwed on anything, as I've made some changes to it. I've tried Snapper, Frak, Labyrinth, Jet Set Willy and maybe a couple of others, and they seemed unaffected.

Keep your ideas coming!

 

[Gruntfuggly]

You haven't changed the link, but it wasn't too hard to figure out...

... downloading and testing now...

 

[rooster]

critical, on the beebem site the guy says (I paraphrase) if the master compatible v0.34 runs slow try running the older, model B only version.

i'm sure there's lots of reasons why master compatibility might slow things down.
anyway I was just looking through beebmem.cpp and i found this on memory writes:

// BBC B Start
if (MachineType==0) {
if (Address<0x8000) {
WholeRam[Address]=Value;
return;
}

if ((Address<0xc000) && (Address>=0x8000)) {
if (RomWritable[ROMSEL]) Roms[ROMSEL][Address-0x8000]=Value;
return;
}
}
// BBC B End

so every single time a model B opcode does a memory write it also goes through this if (MachineType==0) test to check its not a master or a B+

what do you think? I know its only a cycle or two for the ARM to do this test but if its occurring every single time the 6502 does a mem write would it slow things down!? I thought it might.

obviously taking it out interferes with master compatibility maybe there could be several executables, like mame ?? one for the model B with no master checking and vice versa. just a thought

also, the bit I've highlighted below (for ROM writes) in bold is not needed, its redundant cos of the previous if test:

if ((Address<0xc000) && (Address>=0x8000)) {
if (RomWritable[ROMSEL]) Roms[ROMSEL][Address-0x8000]=Value;
return;
}

(although I think this last one will make no difference to speed! i know games don't try to switch ROMs much )

keep going critical !

 

[critical]

critical, on the beebem site the guy says (I paraphrase) if the master compatible v0.34 runs slow try running the older, model B only version.

Indeed. I've been taking such things out of the 6502 core to help a bit.

I'll go through the mem handling as you suggest... every little helps

I don't really see the need for Master compatibility... I'm just going to keep paring things down until it's as lean as possible.

Gruntfuggly: cheers for that - I've fixed the link now. I just realised I didn't bump the version in the menu either - it's going to go in the build so I don't forget now

 

[rooster]

I don't really see the need for Master compatibility... I'm just going to keep paring things down until it's as lean as possible.

You've got a point there. I had a model B so that's fine with me

The only juicy thing on a Master was the souped up Exile, Elite & Strykers Run as far as I remember. Hardly worth it for 3 games eh?

I was doing some save states earlier, all working fine here, saving games on Imogen and Arcadians.
Here's my imogen.kbd btw:

LEFT=z
RIGHT=x
UP=COLON
DOWN=SLASH
A=LEFT
B=RIGHT
X=RETURN
Y=SPACE
SELECT=ESCAPE

 

[martin_F]

I just tried it with Citadel and it works a treat. I OCed it 270mhz. I see it automatically OCs to 250 in the source there critical

Anyway to turn off the OC to 250 without re-compiling the code ... my machine peaks at about 244MHz - hence I dissapointingly can't get this thing running (and I am keen to give it a go).

<_<

 

[critical]

I just tried it with Citadel and it works a treat. I OCed it 270mhz. I see it automatically OCs to 250 in the source there critical

Anyway to turn off the OC to 250 without re-compiling the code ... my machine peaks at about 244MHz - hence I dissapointingly can't get this thing running (and I am keen to give it a go).

<_<

Sorry - I'll do you a build at lunchtime.... I'll make it a command line option

EDIT: not this lunchtime, unfortunately. Work's busy at the moment.

 

[martin_F]

I just tried it with Citadel and it works a treat. I OCed it 270mhz. I see it automatically OCs to 250 in the source there critical

Anyway to turn off the OC to 250 without re-compiling the code ... my machine peaks at about 244MHz - hence I dissapointingly can't get this thing running (and I am keen to give it a go).

<_<

Sorry - I'll do you a build at lunchtime.... I'll make it a command line option

EDIT: not this lunchtime, unfortunately. Work's busy at the moment.

Awesome mate, all sounds good. The beeb was one of the few machines I got my hands on when I was a kid, and there are tons of classic games for it.

 

[rooster]

EDIT: not this lunchtime, unfortunately. Work's busy at the moment.

v0.3.1 on the horizon? drool...

how do you get on with 6502 core modifications critical? any luck speedwise?

 

[Gruntfuggly]

Yeh - I'm quietly anticipating the next release too...

Does anybody else have problems with the saved settings? I seem to get the wrong settings saved with the disc image, or it reverts to the default and won't let me change them after that. Maybe I should try deleting the saves...

 

[Javacat]

I was playing Super Bomberman on the new squidgesnes emulator last night, when I suddenly got a huge urge to play Trapper (Which I used to play on an electron). I downloaded an old version of this emulator and spent all night playing Trapper, whilst going through 2 sets of batteries.

I tried several disc images of Bone Cruncher, but they all seemed to get stuck whilst loading it was loading with the 'golums' mouth open. The stars were still blinking, so it hadn't crashed. Just wish that Hell Hole had been made available on a disc for the BBC Micro, as I loved that on the Electron



Out of interest, would it be possible to add different screen filters? I always used to play these games on a monitor where everything was green, and all of these new colours hurt my eyes :lol:

 

[critical]

I tried several disc images of Bone Cruncher, but they all seemed to get stuck whilst loading it was loading with the 'golums' mouth open. The stars were still blinking, so it hadn't crashed. Just wish that Hell Hole had been made available on a disc for the BBC Micro, as I loved that on the Electron

You can actually play Hell Hole... the Stairway to Hell has it listed as an Electron disc, but it runs fine on criticalbeeb. Check your PM. Bone Cruncher works for me... you just have to be patient. It continues loading after about 28 star blinks

Out of interest, would it be possible to add different screen filters? I always used to play these games on a monitor where everything was green, and all of these new colours hurt my eyes :lol:

Er... yes, I guess so. I've got other stuff higher up my todo list, but I'll add this to it

I'm busy at work again, and spent yesterday evening unlocking a friend's RAZR for them, so a new build will have to wait a bit longer.

 

[Gruntfuggly]

*BUMP*

Have you had a chance to do any more work on this Critical? I'd love to see a bit more speed...

 

[critical]

*BUMP*

Have you had a chance to do any more work on this Critical? I'd love to see a bit more speed...

Right... I'll try to find time, then. Things are a bit mental at the moment though, as I'm moving house next week, and considering changing jobs. I'll try to fit in a bit of tinkering time - there's a lovely new virtual keyboard that rooster has provided, and I've got most of the way through implementing the code changes for it...

 

[Gruntfuggly]

Excellent news! Get the moving house and changing job out the way first (some things are slightly more important I guess)...

 

[delramos]

Hi

Wow. Thanks so much for the beeb emulator. Fantastic.

Im a complete noob to this whole emu and GP2X world, but youve made the beeb emu a treat for someone so computer illiterate as me!

Ive already been playing Citadel and Sim and been well chuffed.

Now the problem...I cnt get Strykers Run to work because I dont know how to create my own keyboard set up. Annoyingly it requires you to press either 1 or 2 at the start to choose th version of the game. None of the pre supplied keyboard set ups match the controls for the game.

This may sound like a silly question but...WHAT DO I DO?

Your help sir is greatly appreciated.

Del

PS thanks again dude. Genius

PPS Also, is there a way to save game progress?

 

[Gruntfuggly]

Hi Del - you should also try Fru T. Bunn's BBC emulator. It works well at good speed with sound too. There hasn't been an update since before christmas (as far as I am aware) but he is working to combine some of Critical's code (virtual keyboard, etc.) into it.

Between the two emulators hopefully soon we'll have a great final product.

 

[delramos]

Hi Del - you should also try Fru T. Bunn's BBC emulator. It works well at good speed with sound too. There hasn't been an update since before christmas (as far as I am aware) but he is working to combine some of Critical's code (virtual keyboard, etc.) into it.

Between the two emulators hopefully soon we'll have a great final product.

Nice one. Is there a link for that?

 

[critical]

Hi Del - you should also try Fru T. Bunn's BBC emulator. It works well at good speed with sound too. There hasn't been an update since before christmas (as far as I am aware) but he is working to combine some of Critical's code (virtual keyboard, etc.) into it.

Between the two emulators hopefully soon we'll have a great final product.

Nice one. Is there a link for that?

Yes, Mr. T. Bunn's release is the one that's going onwards and upwards. For now, I guess you could try something like this with criticalbeeb :

http://www.handheldhacker.com/strykers.kbd

Put this in your SD card's kbd directory (that's under the criticalbeeb one). When you select this, then launch Stryker's Run, you should get somewhere.

I've mapped:

Jump/Up to the UP joystick movement
Duck to the DOWN joystick movement
Right to the RIGHT joystick movement
Left to the LEFT joystick movement
Laser to the B button
1 to the SELECT button
2 to the Y button
SPACE to the X button
RETURN to the A button

Hopefully that should be enough. I can't remember what the default keys for Grenade/Bomb or Enter/leave are, but hopefully they're return/space.

Finally, you can save game progress using the "State: Save" menu option. When you want to return to the point you were at before switching your GP2X off or whatever, first load the game as normal, then go back to the menu and select "State: Load". Any probs, let me know - I appreciate that it's a bit fiddly!