Pocketsnes V6 Released

[PokeParadox]

Finally can try this (since my DPAD modded GP2X returned today, thank ED!!!) and I'm as impressed as I thought I would be!

The transparencies and the emulator being a playable speeds with THAT gorgeouse MENU system are a very nice combo that work excellently.

if 7Zip support is possible that would be great... and more speeeed capt'n!

 

[Deed]

Well i'm playing Legend of Zelda Parallel Worlds-> http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/197/ for any zelda fan its a good game well worth playing

omg, I'm glad that from time to time I'm lurking onto these forums ! :blink:
btw, thanks a lot reesy, donkey kong country works really great with your emu

 

[Apple]

Can you please add support for Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Terranigma.

 

[Squidge]

and more speeeed capt'n!

I hear ya (and so does Reesy probably!)

I've done some more optimisations to SS, and I'm just trying to shove them into DPS, as people seem to prefer this one now. However, the rendering engines between the two are vastly different, as this one is practically the original, whilst the SS one has been hacked around considerably (probably too much).

 

[evol]

yeah thats the spirit "Tagteam programing"

i luv it

 

[sinkyboy2000]

and more speeeed capt'n!

I hear ya (and so does Reesy probably!)

I've done some more optimisations to SS, and I'm just trying to shove them into DPS, as people seem to prefer this one now. However, the rendering engines between the two are vastly different, as this one is practically the original, whilst the SS one has been hacked around considerably (probably too much).

YEEEEEEEEEE HA!


Can't wait.

 

[Reesy]

and more speeeed capt'n!

I hear ya (and so does Reesy probably!)

I've done some more optimisations to SS, and I'm just trying to shove them into DPS, as people seem to prefer this one now. However, the rendering engines between the two are vastly different, as this one is practically the original, whilst the SS one has been hacked around considerably (probably too much).

Yeah the PocketSnes doesn't cache the tile graphics like SquidgeSnes, it also write the data 4 pixels at a time whereas SquidgeSnes does 8 pixels. SquidgeSnes also has a lovely hack (that I can't get my head around at the moment ) which stops it having to check the zbuffer as it writes each pixel.

I doubt you'll be able to merge the two sources without lots of work. I'm still reading through the source code, so I'm not even attempting to merge anything at the moment.

 

[DaveC]

and more speeeed capt'n!

I hear ya (and so does Reesy probably!)

I've done some more optimisations to SS, and I'm just trying to shove them into DPS, as people seem to prefer this one now. However, the rendering engines between the two are vastly different, as this one is practically the original, whilst the SS one has been hacked around considerably (probably too much).

From what I notice the pocket snes renderer does a much better job at handling rasters. As soon as ANY kind of a mid-frame pallet switch happens, SS that uses the Snes9X renderer, comes to a crawl. Even the snes9x based PSP version chokes badly. Try Contra on SS as soon as you get that tiny circle shield that has rasters in it the framerate plummets. On pocket SNES it hardly has an effect. Also the rasters in other games like DKC don't effect performance nearly as much on Pocket snes as much as they do on the 9x versions. Then you have the fact that DPS has transparencies, that makes it worth while. Too much stuff on SNES uses transparancies to give it up. All of that combined is a main factor for the preference of the DPS renderer. So in my ignorant non-coder opinion it might make more sense to try to just optimise the PocketSNES renderer rather than trying to hack the SS/SNES9X renderer into PocketSNES. The 9X renderer may be a bit smoother for non-transparency, non-raster type stuff, but there is just not enough of that to make it a worthwhile choice in my opinion. Without transparencies some games can be unplayable, others just don't look nearly as good without them.

 

[Squidge]

DaveC, if we hacked the SS GFX renderer into DPS, you'd end up with SS! (apart from the menu of course). That's kinda pointless.

What we are talking about is hacking some optimizations into DPS that do not change the final display output, so it'll look exactly the same, but it'll do it simply a bit faster.

Reesy, the hack I'm thinking of putting in DPS, currently only exists in a non-released SS. I'm wondering if it'll be of any benefit because of the severe changes in the structure.

 

[jbrodack]

the only thing that could be improved in pocketsnes is speed so good luck with the optimizations squidge. squidgesnes was great except for the lack of transparancies and slowdown in games like contra and donkey kong country. part of the reason that pocketsnes is so good is that it uses squidgesnes code combined with a more robust renderer. anyway thanks to anyone that has contributed to this project at all because its already extremely good and thanks to squidge and reesy and anyone that is going to try and continue improving this.

oh yeah besides speed increases some more custom chip emulation would be nice. not real urgent but would be nice if eventually implemented.

 

[reiboul]

the only thing that could be improved in pocketsnes is speed so good luck with the optimizations squidge. squidgesnes was great except for the lack of transparancies and slowdown in games like contra and donkey kong country. part of the reason that pocketsnes is so good is that it uses squidgesnes code combined with a more robust renderer. anyway thanks to anyone that has contributed to this project at all because its already extremely good and thanks to squidge and reesy and anyone that is going to try and continue improving this.

oh yeah besides speed increases some more custom chip emulation would be nice. not real urgent but would be nice if eventually implemented.

/me would love playing Terranigma or Tales of Phantasia on my sweet gp2x with sound h34r:

You guys really rocks! I wish I could do the same!

(hehe, I'm sure Squidge is keeping a secret fullspeed (with transparencies of course) Snes emulator for himself, and makes fun of us all h34r: )

 

[PokeParadox]

Wow, I like the apparent enthousiasm and collaborated devving that seems to be happening!

 

[Tobriand]

/me would love that too. And would love it even more if I could lop off that extra 50MHz currently needed, but I think that'd be a bit unlikely. Hopefully possible, eventually, though

 

[reiboul]

/me would love that too. And would love it even more if I could lop off that extra 50MHz currently needed, but I think that'd be a bit unlikely. Hopefully possible, eventually, though

Actually even a game as beautiful as Tales of Symphonia runs smooth (without sound, as it is not supported) at 240Mhz or even less But it does not make heavy use of mode7 or other effects that usually cause slowdowns

 

[DaveC]

DaveC, if we hacked the SS GFX renderer into DPS, you'd end up with SS! (apart from the menu of course). That's kinda pointless.

Yeah that wouldn't make much sense

Anyway just be careful of rasters, that seems to really be improved in DPS, you wouldn't want to lose that, but I am sure you guys know what to do

 

[Lindopski]

good lord

I was just about to have a look for the v4 binary when lo and behold i find 6 is out, I am behind.
well done.

 

[fusion_power]

Somehow the emulator is slower without sound than with sound...:lol:
Without sound? Yes, I had needed many more FPS in Super Metroid at some points than 20-30. Somehow things like the Wall Jump don't work good under 50FPS... When I had disabled transparencies (and enabled Sound again ) I had my 55FPS at 270MHz and wall-Jumps and timed Speed-running worked instantly...
...Those transparencies really suck FPS...whoa... 270MHz with 25FPS average is hard to believe for such a tiny little 16 Bit 2D Jump'N Run like Super Metroid, when I can play Payback at 200MHz with HDR and in 3D on the same Handheld :lol:

 

[Squidge]

Anyway just be careful of rasters, that seems to really be improved in DPS, you wouldn't want to lose that, but I am sure you guys know what to do

Can you specify a couple of roms that use rasters in such a way as to make a big difference between SS and DPS's GFX renderer?

 

[DaveC]

Anyway just be careful of rasters, that seems to really be improved in DPS, you wouldn't want to lose that, but I am sure you guys know what to do

Can you specify a couple of roms that use rasters in such a way as to make a big difference between SS and DPS's GFX renderer?

Donkey Kong country (sky)
James Pond Robocod II (inside levels)
ContraIII (when you get circle shield power up)
Intro of Adams Family II

 

[Huxley]

Gave this emulator a good playtest last night for the first time. All I can say is superb work guys, between this and SS there's not many games on the SNES that aren't running at what I would call a playable speed on my GP2X (as in no noticable frames dropped or slowdowns).

Pity my favourite game Yoshi's Island isn't running too smooth, but a phrase about cake and eating it springs to mind here. Heck, the fact it's running as fast as it is is still pretty impressive!