Picodrive 1.80

[notaz]

PicoDrive is Megadrive / Genesis / Sega CD / Mega CD / 32X / SMS emulator.

http://notaz.gp2x.de/releases/PicoDrive/PicoDrive_180.zip
(also supports Wiz and Caanoo)

From the last version, 32X and SMS support was added. This is still incomplete (32X needs work and I lack motivation for SMS), it has been in development for more than a year now and it started taking forever because of other projects, so I figured I should release something as it reached somewhat usable state.

32X is not really playable on poor old GP2X, at least not without tweaks. There is room for improvement but it's unlikely to run full speed here. The only way to get something playable is underclocking the SH2s and disabling PWM sound (which will give a lot for games that dedicate one of SH2s for sound).

Here is complete changelog from last released version:

• Added Caanoo support. Now the GP2X binary supports GP2X F100/F200, Wiz
  and Caanoo. Lots of internal refactoring to support this.
• Enabled 32X and SMS code. It's still unfinished but better release something
  now than wait even more (it has been in development for more then a year now
  due to various other projects or simply lack of time).
• GP2X: Added basic line-doubling vertical scaling option.
• Changed the way keys are bound, no need to unbind old one any more.
• Handle MP3s with ID3 tags better (some MP3s with ID3 did not play).
• Improved shadow/hilight color levels.
• Fixed broken cheat support.
• Internal refactoring for 32x/SMS support.
• Move mapper database to external file.
• Added preliminary SMS emulation.
• Added emulation of 32x peripherals including VDP. More work is needed here.
• ARM: Added new SH2 recompiler for 32x. Some unification with SVP one.

 

[renejr902]

SMS work great.

But Gamegear colors are very strange and not normal. and no key are working. Im really want to play gamegear with picodrive. thanks for help. thanks for help Notaz. i didnt try the wiz version yet. only the gp2x

 

[notaz]

I haven't added GG support yet.

 

[Jurk]

Where is the overclocking on the Caanoo?

I can't find it...

 

[notaz]

Where is the overclocking on the Caanoo?

I can't find it...

Wrong thread.
It will only work on next firmware, which GPH have not released yet.

 

[Jurk]

Where is the overclocking on the Caanoo?

I can't find it...

Wrong thread.
It will only work on next firmware, which GPH have not released yet.

Wrong thread, yeah, I didn't notice it... XD

Thanks for your fast answer, Notaz!

Some feedback:
Chaotix works great on Caanoo, VF and VR works at 24 FPS without PWM and underclocking the SH2...

 

[vampire8bit]

Many thanks for continuing to support the humble GP2X, it's still a great system for emu's and homebrew. I have no plans to buy any other open source handheld and will be using the GP2X for a long time, just hope it doesn't break. Is the sms emulation as good as Alexkidd?

 

[Grz-]

Great update. Doom 32x run good without PWM and most 2D games with tweaks...

 

[tkeely4777]

This looks great! Any chance of a PSP update?

 

[notaz]

This looks great! Any chance of a PSP update?

That would give nothing, 32X recompiler does not support MIPS, 32X/SVP would still not work.

 

[christo930]

Great update. Doom 32x run good without PWM and most 2D games with tweaks...

Are you talking about the gp2x? Because I can't get any of the games to run at more than 5FPS and that includes the 2d games.

Chris

 

[Grz-]

Great update. Doom 32x run good without PWM and most 2D games with tweaks...

Are you talking about the gp2x? Because I can't get any of the games to run at more than 5FPS and that includes the 2d games.

Chris

Yes, it need some tweaks tho.

Some games i tried (with main settings: PWM sound off, use second cpu, ram oc, mmu hack, vsync off, 32x renderer fastest):

3D:

Doom (bit useless...) - 260mhz, 25fps with music, SH2 cycles at 8950, can go at 40fps by disabling sound totally.

Shadow Squadron - It is playable (~40fps, drop at ~15 when ennemy fire) if you stay away from big vessels using same settings as Kolibri with SH cycle at 7969.

2D:

Kolibri - ~14fps while moving (depend of the place), ~20 when not at 265mhz, sound disabled, SH cycle at 7085

Knuckles Chaotix - Fullspeed most of the time (some times drop to ~30) by using same settings as Kolibri except SH cycle at 9018

This is some pretty fast test and all this is in-game FPS (menus/intros are slow usually), maybe with more SH cycle tweak you could get a bit more FPS...
Btw, set the SH cycle in-game so you dont get freeze.

 

[Valvestat]

Excellent emu, but I'm still getting problems with key mapping. For example, if I swap the A and B buttons for Populous 2 and save the key config for that game - when I load a game directly afterwards, it remembers the key config for Populous 2 and also adds the default key config. So in the key config menu, MD button A = both wiz button A and X - and MD button B = both A and X.

 

[___]

Excellent emu, but I'm still getting problems with key mapping. For example, if I swap the A and B buttons for Populous 2 and save the key config for that game - when I load a game directly afterwards, it remembers the key config for Populous 2 and also adds the default key config. So in the key config menu, MD button A = both wiz button A and X - and MD button B = both A and X.

You are talking about the wiz version? This is not the wiz forum, this is the gp2x F100 and F200 board. Maybe you should make a new thread in the wiz section of the boards.

 

[Wally]

Hi Notaz,

I can't pause the sega master system games at all (remapping controls doesn't seem to work)

Pausing is crucial for some games like Alex Kidd in Miracle World / Psycho Fox and a few other games which have power ups in the pause menu.

 

[notaz]

nope, this was never implemented..

 

[Wally]

Glah.

 

[Wally]

I've also noticed in some sega games, there's white or something thats not even supposed to be there.

Fantasy Zone has noticeable White behind some textures (mainly the spawners in first level) then there's Robocop vs terminator that looks terrible.

 

[zektor]

nope, this was never implemented..

I hope to see this one day (pause button support) and hopefully voices (in Afterburner, Space Harrier, etc). Either way, SMS support is very very appreciated. Thanks for everything!

 

[HunterZ]

Is the latest source code available for this somewhere? Openhandhelds.org and notaz' site only have source code for v1.35.

I'd like to try hacking it to deal better with the fact that volume levels 0-4 on Wiz are all silent.