Picodrive 1.56

[notaz]

Not much has changed from the previous version released a year ago (in terms of features), most of latest efforts were put to get it working well on Wiz. This version now runs both on Wiz and F100/F200, which will save me some burden of having to compile separate versions. Here is the changelog:

• Added Wiz support. Now the same GP2X binary supports F100/F200 and Wiz.
• Changed shadow/hilight handling a bit, fixes some effects in Pirates! Gold.
• Complete input code rewrite. This fixes some limitations like not allowing to control both players using single input device. It also allows to use more devices (like keyboards) on Linux based devices.
• Options menu has been reordered, "restore defaults" option added.
• Fixed a crash when uncompressed savestate is loaded.
• Fixed an idle loop detection related hanging problem.
• Fixed a sync problem between main and sub 68k. Should fix the hanging problem for some games.
• fixed a crash when CD savestate is loaded just after loading ROM.

UPDATE: new bugfix release (1.56):

• Changed sync in Sega CD emulation again. Should fix games that broke after changes in 1.51a.
• Fixed default keys rebinding when they shouldn't.
• Fixed sram being loaded from wrong game.
• Emu should no longer hang shortly after using fast-forward.
• Fixed save states sometimes no longer showing up in save state menu.
• ARM: some asm code refactoring for slight speed improvement.

download here

 

[slaanesh]

Very clever being able to support GP2X and Wiz. There's probably not *that* much difference between the two but it's a good idea and like you said saves the hassle of keeping two different versions.

Thanks notaz!

 

[Lardy]

Thanks for the update.

 

[bomberman]

ISO games I tested so far and noticed stopped (or still aren't) working from 151->155:

Android Assault (After Sonic boot logo, sync not helping) (works in 151)
Dungeon Explorer (After title screen (without mp3); works with mp3) (same as 151)
Keio Flying Squadron (After Sonic boot logo, sync not helping ((E) (U) (J) or demos) (works in 151)
Lunar I (After title screen (without mp3); works with mp3) (same as 151)
NHL '94 (After Sonic boot logo, sync not helping) (same as 151)
Panic (After Sonic boot logo (without mp3); works with mp3) (same as 151)
Puggsy (After license screen (U); (E) works) (same as 151)
Soul Star (At stars intro (U); (E) works) (same as 151)
Vay (After Sonic boot logo, sync not helping; (J) works) (works in 151)

Alas, no compatibility list on wiki. Maybe someone should ... ?

 

[b._.o._.b]

Thanks Notaz for not forgetting the GP2X
Bugfixes are always welcome (however I personally have yet to encounter the first one)

 

[gruso]

Much appreciated as always Notaz!

 

[darionapole]

just tested it and so far i found a lot of bugs, from fast foward lagging after been deactivated (it freezes about 2 to 3 seconds), to SRAM (from v1.51) not been recogniced, and a very wierd bug that makes sonic 3 & knuckles load the sram from Sonic 2 S3 Style (hack). And most of the saved states aren't recogniced either.
i'll have to wait till they are fixed

PS. i'm using open2X DR7 on my F200( B )

 

[notaz]

ISO games I tested so far and noticed stopped (or still aren't) working from 151->155:

The ones without mp3s are not supposed to work, this is basically the same as bad/corrupted ROM. The game itself checks if it has correct number of tracks, and the emu can't return the right number because it doesn't have this info. Also try cue/bin versions of non-working games, this will guarantee correct audio tracks (assuming the rip is good).

fast foward lagging after been deactivated (it freezes about 2 to 3 seconds)

ok, so someone uses that feature

to SRAM (from v1.51) not been recogniced, and a very wierd bug that makes sonic 3 & knuckles load the sram from Sonic 2 S3 Style (hack).
And most of the saved states aren't recogniced either.

Can you give me names of files that are not recognized (from srm/mds folder)?

 

[sbock]

I have no srm game here to test but I can confim that a brm save from Snatcher (1.51) isn't compatible to 1.55. Tested with F-200 and Wiz unit. I can provide the file if it's usefull for you.

from fast foward lagging after been deactivated

Give me a break. Which function do you mean? Fast forward on the Sega CD bios CD player?

[Edit:] OK, I got it. Reading the readme sometimes help...

+ GP2X: added "fast forward" action in key config. Not recommended to use for
Sega CD, may case problems there.

 

[notaz]

I have no srm game here to test but I can confim that a brm save from Snatcher (1.51) isn't compatible to 1.55.

It should be compatible, it more looks like the read fails. Still need to investigate.

Edit: ok I think I've found it - it loads srb/brm from previous game you played, not the current one. You can load your ROM 2 times to work around this (if those saves aren't overwritten with bad ones already).
Save states are working correctly for me however.

Edit2:

And most of the saved states aren't recogniced either.

Are those CD saves and do you get "load failed" message?

 

[darionapole]

Are those CD saves and do you get "load failed" message?
No, they're from megadrive roms, and they don't show en the list

Can you give me names of files that are not recognized (from srm/mds folder)?
/media/GP2X-F200/game/Megadrive/srm/Sonic 2 S3 Edition v1.11.srm
/media/GP2X-F200/game/Megadrive/srm/Sonic_and_Knuckles_&_Sonic_3.srm

but it's what u said that it loads the srm from the previous game

Here you see Sonic 3K with sonic 2 S3 Style sram

 

[notaz]

Are those CD saves and do you get "load failed" message?
No, they're from megadrive roms, and they don't show en the list

ok, maybe those saves are located in /game/Megadrive/ folder? If so, just move them to /game/Megadrive/mds/ and they should be seen by both 1.51 and 1.55, if not, give me a few filenames again (of .mds.gz or .mds).

 

[christo930]

I have no srm game here to test but I can confim that a brm save from Snatcher (1.51) isn't compatible to 1.55.

It should be compatible, it more looks like the read fails. Still need to investigate.

Edit: ok I think I've found it - it loads srb/brm from previous game you played, not the current one. You can load your ROM 2 times to work around this (if those saves aren't overwritten with bad ones already).
Save states are working correctly for me however.

Edit2:

And most of the saved states aren't recogniced either.

Are those CD saves and do you get "load failed" message?

Thanks for supporting the gp2x, I hope other devs will do the same.

Chris

 

[darionapole]

ok, maybe those saves are located in /game/Megadrive/ folder? If so, just move them to /game/Megadrive/mds/ and they should be seen by both 1.51 and 1.55, if not, give me a few filenames again (of .mds.gz or .mds).
i found the problem, The thing is that the old save states were compressed, and i have "GZIP save states" off, that's why they didn't appear in the list, happends the same in 1.51 (they shoul appear anyway, so i think this is a old bug, beacause with gzip on, not compressed states do appear, but with gzip off, compressed states don't)


oh, and the FPS counter, takes a while to appear after resuming the game from the menu. (while not in 1.51)

 

[notaz]

so i think this is a old bug, beacause with gzip on, not compressed states do appear, but with gzip off, compressed states don't)

ok

oh, and the FPS counter, takes a while to appear after resuming the game from the menu. (while not in 1.51)

Don't see this as a huge issue.

That sram bug can destroy people's srm saves so I'll probably do an update this week. I also found why those CD games games don't work (it's a fix-one-game-break-another thing).

 

[Tag5]

Looking forward to the update.

 

[bomberman]

That sram bug can destroy people's srm saves so I'll probably do an update this week. I also found why those CD games games don't work (it's a fix-one-game-break-another thing).

I was wondering why I always saw the last game I loaded show up on the second status loading bar. Save states seem to maintain the S/BRM just fine but aren't necessary (S/BRM save faster ) for a lot of games. So anyone that lost one but has a save file can restore their S/BRM after your fix.

 

[notaz]

Bugfix release is up (see first post), should fix most bugs reported in this thread.

 

[darionapole]

everything works fine now, but mortal kombat CD still doesn't work u.u

 

[noonc]

First of all, thanks for this emulator and releasing the source for 1.35! It works great under on my A320 with Dingux for the most part. Then again, I wonder what license you are releasing this? There is a copy of the GPL included but nowhere does it say what it applies to. It's not mentioned in the headers of most source files as it usually would be either.

So my questions are:
1) What license is PicoDrive released under?
2) Why is there no source package available for any version after 1.35 if not all of them?

Would be happy to have that issue cleared up.