Mame4all Wiz

[Franxis]

Preliminary version of MAME4ALL for the Wiz:
http://www.talfi.net/gp32_franxis/mame4all_wiz.7z

Instructions:
- Download and install MAME4ALL for the Gp2x.
- Remove old files in the 'frontend' folder.
- Overwrite the Gp2x executables with the Wiz ones.
- Try it.

It is based in the last version of MAME4ALL for the Gp2x (1.6). It has almost everything working...

Limitations:
- Only 22 khz sound seems to work correctly.
- If the emulator doesn't reach 100% of speed, the sound is choppy (i haven't been able to run the sound thread and synchronization code, the sound is updated in the MAME thread). Performance hit.
- Several code is also not optimal, to be improved.
- For now the performance is almost the same as the gp2x one, to be improved.

This version is preliminary and experimental!. A lot of aspects have to be improved and optimized yet!. Please no Wiz Vs Pandora benchmarks!. Please DO NOT POST THIS ARCHIVE it in the news!.

 

[ruckage]

Thanks Franxis, I'll give it a go today.

 

[Franxis]

Video of my latest WIP version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01C9Rcaxs0E

Sorry for the bad quality (taken with my ugly camera).

 

[centrlink]

Hey Franxis - thanks for that - it's looking absolutely great! This will be the first thing I fire up when my wiz finally lands.

Even though the wiz screen is small, it looks very clear, and plenty sharp enough to enjoy some arcading on the go.

Cheers
Simon

 

[vampire8bit]

Franxis. Is the Wiz going to take over from the GP2X as the main handheld for your mame development?

 

[Franxis]

Updated version of the port, the version used for the video:
Executables: http://www.talfi.net/gp32_franxis/mame4all_1.6b2_wiz.7z
Sources: http://www.talfi.net/gp32_franxis/mame4all_1.6b2_sources.7z

This version has some improvements over the previous one:
- Faster
- 22, 33 and 44 khz sound is running ok now.
- Horizontal software scaling implemented in 8 and 16 bit color depth (linear interpolation used in 16 bit, it looks very nice now).

Compiled using DevKitGp2X with some modifications in the devkit explained here:
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=46371

In the source code there is a replacement of the GP2X minimal library for the WIZ, maybe somebody will find something interesting on it (src/wiz/wiz_lib.cpp and wiz_lib.h).

Regards.

 

[Franxis]

Franxis. Is the Wiz going to take over from the GP2X as the main handheld for your mame development?

No, i can compile the same code for both platforms easily (they both have the same interface and functionalities).

 

[astro]

Franxis will it be ever possible to run Chase HQ

 

[slaanesh]

Franxis will it be ever possible to run Chase HQ

Interesting. I'd say that it would run just as well as Outrun as the hardware is very similar.

 

[astro]

That would be fantastic. I played the stand up version all the time as a kid. 10p after 10p

 

[vampire8bit]

Franxis will it be ever possible to run Chase HQ

Interesting. I'd say that it would run just as well as Outrun as the hardware is very similar.


Could Outrun ever get to 60fps 0 fs on the Wiz?

 

[Franxis]

Franxis will it be ever possible to run Chase HQ

Interesting. I'd say that it would run just as well as Outrun as the hardware is very similar.


Could Outrun ever get to 60fps 0 fs on the Wiz?


No, in my latest Wiz WIP version it is running really good but not at 60 fps (20-50 fps depending on the moment, the frame rate is not constant). Out Run is one of the most CPU demanding games in MAME4ALL.

 

[Devilmandex]

Woah sounding good! looking it too. Hm, I always wonder if house of the dead runs. I remember there being compatibility issues a while back and I haven't really kept up with Mame. I know it would be fun as hell to play on the wiz.

Are there any strict restrictions on this emulator due to hardware resources? I'm just interested in what it can and can't do.

 

[Prophet]

House of the Dead is Sega Model 2 hardware... unless something remarkable has happened, there's no way I'd believe that can be emulated at good speeds on the Wiz.

 

[Franxis]

Updated version of the port (1.6b5 21/04/2009):
CODE

http://www.talfi.net/gp32_franxis/



Changes:
- Fixed MMU Hack to work ok with latest firmwares (tested with 0.6.2 and 0.7.1).
- Fixed crashes with latest firmwares (tested with 0.6.2 and 0.7.1).
- Sound thread is working now.
- Several other bug-fixes.
- Several other changes (not documented yet).

Regards.

 

[Prophet]

Nice work as always Franxis.

How are the speeds (with sound) now? Is it much faster than the GP2X version?

Also, are you using the new code Warm Fluffy talked to avoid diagonal tearing? Has it had much effect on speed?

 

[slaanesh]

I hope the Wiz is not delayed. Play-Asia.com still lists it as an April 2009 release. Not many days left now!
Looking forward to trying MAME as soon as I get it!

 

[Prophet]

I hope the Wiz is not delayed. Play-Asia.com still lists it as an April 2009 release. Not many days left now!
Looking forward to trying MAME as soon as I get it!

Yeah, it's funny because at first I had zero interest in the Wiz. Then over time it grew on me, mainly when they fixed the buttons and headphone jack.

I think OLED will look awesome for MAME, especially those good old classics that used lots of black. As a kid I LOVED how those bright colors glowed against deep black on those RGB CRT monitors. I still wonder about the size, but it's similar to the GBA size, and that was bearable. If it was between 3.2 - 3.5" it would be perfect, but then again, part of the Wiz' charm is its small size. Can't have everything. Pandora will be the big powerhouse handheld, Wiz the cute mini handheld.

EDIT: does Wiz have TV-out? I can't recall...

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

You're right, MAME looks beautiful on the Wiz. I'm currently playing I,Robot and Super bagman a lot and it's a great experience.

Apparently the hardware for TV out on the Wiz exists but it's currently not implemented, I don't think GPH are going to implement it either but I will ask.

Additional:
I have now confirmed that TV out will work on the Wiz

 

[sam fisher]

GPH have told me that the Wiz is still on target for it's release date.