DraStic Nintendo DS emulator teaser video

[_wb_]

This is amazing work! Now when people ask me: "Is that a DS?" when they see my Pandora, I'll finally be able to reply: "No, but it can be a DS if that's you want"

The display of the Pandora is not a very good match (no single landscape screen can be a good match), but the mode in which you render the main screen at double res (512x384) and the second screen unscaled (256x192) sounds nice. The unused screen area can be left just black, or you could have an option that puts some skin on there (just static images).

You could also display two unscaled screens on top of each other and fill the rest of the screen with a picture of a real DS.

 

[skeezix]

Exo, in case it hasn't been said (seems obvious, you've probably thought of it..) -- a key option to toggle each of the screens; a number of games (such as Chronotrigger etc) use one screen as a passive map say, while the other is 99% of the use; just hide the map and recall it with a toggle, say.

But I don't use DS (or 3DS or GB or GBC or any nintendo product hardly .. my wife does

 

[calc84maniac]

Can the 3d emulation be implemented using fixed-point math? I seem to recall reading that's how the DS GPU works internally.

 

[Exophase]

Can the 3d emulation be implemented using fixed-point math? I seem to recall reading that's how the DS GPU works internally.

Yes, it's just using floats because that was the easiest way to get started at the time.

 

[calc84maniac]

Ah okay, so is that one of your optimization plans then? Or would NEON floating point be faster? I can't imagine multiplication being slow using integer math, but division might be more problematic. I don't know whether NEON floating point division is faster than integer division or not

 

[Exophase]

Yes, it is my plan to do a fixed point NEON version. But first I want to try to reverse the internal precisions necessary to accurately emulate DS's 3D, something I also did for PS1 (of course, in the end I might settle for just coming close). Finding out how many bits I need for the interpolated depth reciprocals is one of the most important parts of this. Depending on the result I may calculate them with floating point instead of integer, I don't really know yet. But most likely everything else will be integer, because NEON on Cortex-A8 (and A9) is generally faster at integer.

 

[2bit]

When you get it to the point of say ... 60% of the ds' library I think it would be fair for you to charge a fistful of dollars .

 

[Takedown]

For those games that require only touch, would it be possible to have an option where the screens could go in portrait mode like a normal DS? (just a thought)

Good luck on your entry ^_^

 

[Exophase]

For those games that require only touch, would it be possible to have an option where the screens could go one over the other in portrait mode like a normal DS? (just a thought)

Good luck on your entry ^_^

Are you saying to render it sideways?

 

[Takedown]

umm... yeah 

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Wow!  Impressive stuff!  Thanks for your hard work!  This is why I like Linux and OpenPandora Communities.  Nobody forces anybody to do anything, but everyone chimes in and help on their own time for a better (game) world! :rolleyes:

 

[Exophase]

umm... yeah 

While this seems like a good option I have to say I feel really nervous holding my Pandora like this, at least in a way so I can touch the screen with my left thumb. Feels like I could accidentally break the thing.

 

[sepp256]

umm... yeah 

While this seems like a good option I have to say I feel really nervous holding my Pandora like this, at least in a way so I can touch the screen with my left thumb. Feels like I could accidentally break the thing.

Maybe slipping pandoras can lead to more sales.

 

[Link]

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[Orion4874]

umm... yeah 

While this seems like a good option I have to say I feel really nervous holding my Pandora like this, at least in a way so I can touch the screen with my left thumb. Feels like I could accidentally break the thing.

Weren't there a few games for the DS that made you hold the unit that way? I know Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword did but I'm not positive about others.

Do you have plans to integrate GBA compatability into DraStic?

 

[mcobit]

I play some vertical shooters on PanMAME holding the Pandora sideways. It works pretty well. I even use yhe dpad and two keyboard keys for input.


Not the most confortable way but you can get used to it.

 

[NoeleyC]

IIRC, the Brain Training games and Rhythm Heaven games were played in portrait orientation?

 

[Solstar]

if that sideways thing is an option then ok,but please exo don't make the emu to show the screen ONLY that way

 

[_wb_]

Will you participate in the Dragonbox compo? I don't think the "Emulator" category will have that many entries, and with something like this I think you're pretty much guaranteed to win 1st prize.

Also, would non-integer scaling be a good idea? E.g. have one screen x2.5 (640x480) and the other x5/8 (160x120) or x0.5 (128x96).

 

[MarioPandio]

This looks incredible Exophase!!  Will hopefully shift some Pandoras for a better 2013.  An amazing new year present, thanks for all your hard work  B)