Port request: mz800em

[b_o_b]

Hi,


I have requested this port also years ago for the GP2X. It never happened though... but I hope someone tries it on the Pandora or maybe even helps me compiling it for the Pandora myself.


First I would like to introduce the to be emulated system I am talking about: the MZ-800


http://www.mess.org/sysinfo:mz800


It is a PC from 1984 and is not very well known. Had a lot of crappy games, but it also some nice ones. The basic that was shipped with (on disk not in Rom) was pretty good. It was also capable of running CP/M (the predecessor of MS-DOS).


Some of its games:


Flappy (the best version ever, it's better than the NES one)


Nakamoto (there's also a version for CPC, but the MZ800 version is better)


Zexas (nice shooter)


Moty (puzzle)


Wooky (Action Puzzle)


It was also compatible with the Sharp MZ700 so the software for that computer can also be used.


http://sourceforge.n...ojects/mz800em/


On the GP2X forum I got this comment from Jonathan Holland.


"I took a look at the source code to the emulator briefly, It appears to be coded entirely in C, though there might be a inline assembly function or two that I missed.


That said, porting it should not be a difficult task, the only area's that would not easily port right away appeared to be the input section and how the program handles the framebuffer."


With our Pandora that should not be a big problem I guess and a straight compile might even work? I have tried to run it on my desktop, but it had dependencies issues. The code is from 2002 so probably works with very old libraries and I don't know how to solve that.


I don't need a lot of fancy stuff or a gui. A command line version will be good enough for me.


Anyone interested in giving it a try?

 

[b_o_b]

Well, not even a response yet.. Might be a more difficult job than Jonathan Holland said (if it was that easy he might have done it himself..) or nobody is interested because it is such a rare PC.


never mind


To make it a bit more interesting for devs I have some kind of bounty. Most devs are probably not 'in it' for the money so it is not money that I like to give, but a unique GP2X with dpad and build-in rechargeble battery that has been created by Bacteria.


http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/53323-bacterias-gp2x-mod-project-1/

I bought it and like to give it to the someone that will port mz800em.


I will pay for shipping.


Port should be capable of running at least run 3 out of 5 of the games mentioned before with sound (Flappy is mandatory). As mentioned with or without GUI.

 

[ptitSeb]

I have taken a look at this emulator mz800em.


It is indeed very old. 10 years old. So no multi-platforme in a modern way, and targeted to PC only.


I managed to compile it, but I don't think it works. Probably little-endian / big-endian problems.


The emulator start (by the way, I don't think mz800em implemented sound), but the screen stays black.


I attached the compiled result (you still need to put roms in the same folder, they are mz700.rom, mz800.rom and mz700font.dat), I also put the sources files I have modified (it is mainly the Makefile, I used the Code::Block Command Line to compile).

mz800.zip

mz800src.zip

 

[ptitSeb]

Ok, new try, with the "Takaeda common binaries".


Those are many emulators for Windows.


His mz800 emulator is pretty much advanced than mz800em.


Using the next release of CodeBlocks PND (build 08), I successfully compiled the mz800 emulator (using Wine if you're curious).


Right now, the emulator is slow (only 40%), Directx9 output is not available (Wine use OpenGL to wrap DirectX, ), so it fall back to GDI (wich should be slow), and DirectSound output is silent now (I have to understand why)... Full screen works. I didn't try to records the screen or sound output...


I will post a screenshot later.


Is the bounty still valid ? <_<

 

[ptitSeb]

Here are screen shot taken from the Pandora.


My model is a Rebirth, overclocked to 1GHz...


I played a bit... It works.


I have to get sound output working (another problem with Alsa maybe).

 

[ptitSeb]

Well, in fact, the port of MZ800 (gmz800em) do work ! With roms I have the blue screen, but I cannot start a mzf file.


@b_o_b :if you are hanging around, you should try it. I cannot load a game, but maybe you can, especially if you do run games with the linux or windows version of mz800em.

 

[b_o_b]

Is the bounty still valid ? <_<

It certainly is


I will give it a try later today and report back.

 

[b_o_b]

Had an error message extracting the zip file.


Extracting mz800em/gmz800em Unsupported Method


Extracting mz800em/libpng12.so.0 Unsupported Method


Extracting mz800em/mz800.png Unsupported Method


Sub items Errors: 3


Can you provide another file? Thx.

 

[ptitSeb]

Wow ! Ok, I create a new one...

 

[ptitSeb]

Here is a new zip, created on the Pandora. No folder inside, so be sure to unzip on a proper place.


*EDIT* Removed, don't use this one, mzf loading doesn't works.Use the next one !

 

[ptitSeb]

Ok, in fact, the was some bugs in the mz800em sources, regarding file handling. I have a version that load the file now !


It's kind of slow it seems... And sound doesn't work. I will put an update zip with a new program that load .mzf file correctly


For ROM, I modifie the software so, your can put a mz800.bin rom of 16ko that contains everything, or put the 3 roms independantly (like in original mz800em) mz700.rom (4ko) mz800.rom (8ko) and mz700fon.dat (4ko).


Rom(s) should be in the same folder as the gmz800em


Then, you launch a game (for example Flappy.mzf) with

./gmz800em Flappy.mzf

If the mzf is in the same folder to...

gmz800em.zip

 

[b_o_b]

OK, thanks for the new version. Will try it. No problem extracting this one

 

[b_o_b]

Great job! First time I ever saw flappy running on my Pandora screen !


Also the speed doesn´t seem to be slow, it is too fast.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/1q-gkN0BNGs?feature=oembed here you can see how fast it should be.

I guess it is probably easier to slow it down than to speed it up. Flappy is already quite fun without sound but of course it would be nice to have sound too.

 

[ptitSeb]

Oh, and FYI, I finally had sound from the other emulator (from Takaeda common binaries). But it is too slow now to be usefull. 5 fps is not enough. I will look at it if I can optimize a bit..

 

[b_o_b]

Oh, and FYI, I finally had sound from the other emulator (from Takaeda common binaries). But it is too slow now to be usefull. 5 fps is not enough. I will look at it if I can optimize a bit..

Interesting. Probably an emulator more people will be interested in because it emulates multiple systems. Anyway I appreciate the attempt and hope you will succeed. I will gladly test the software if needed.

 

[ptitSeb]

Yes, but I only compiled MZ800 for now. Using Winemaker to port Windows -> Linux is not fully automatic. I need more work on that port, and I need to make it run faster. But it does work better than gmz800em. I can't do a simple zip for this one, as I need to package Wine runtime also. But I'll do it, once I am more confortable with Wine, I'll do a PND, probable with many (all the collection if I can, and doesn't take too much time) emulators, and some simple Zenity script for launching them (I don't think having something like 60 entries on the menu is a good thing, so just one entry, and a menu to launch the Emu).


About gmz800em, sound doesn't work. It is enable with "-s" before the .mzf filename, but the game (at least Flappy) freeze and make no sound. gmz800em only emulate mz700 sound hardware, so it may not be enough...


*EDIT*, In fact, I have 10fps from Takaeda's mz800. Flappy is playable, and quite enjoyable, but more fps will be better.

 

[b_o_b]

About gmz800em, sound doesn't work. It is enable with "-s" before the .mzf filename, but the game (at least Flappy) freeze and make no sound. gmz800em only emulate mz700 sound hardware, so it may not be enough...

Yes, I also tried that and had the same result.


Flappy has a speed setting, and by changing the speed to 8 it plays fine. Game has a menu: press "enter" and then "F1" and change speed. You can add the keywords as well so you don't have to play all levels from the start.


In game, you can select the "del" button to skip a life (when you are stuck in a level)


So Flappy is already fully playable Looking forward to the 'sound' version.


BTW. Here is a video of Flappy with sound (I know.. it might be better without sound .

https://www.youtube.com/embed/N3gn9DnzTdc?feature=oembed

 

[b_o_b]

Played with gmz800em a bit more. Sound is working using MZ-700 programs/games!


Tried:


Nakamoto: OK! (speed seems to be fine)


Wooky - Not OK. I have two files WookyA + B. Starting WookyA gives a 'waiting' screen. Starting Wooky a provides the game, but with scrambled graphics.


Advoka - OK! (speed seems to be fine)

 

[ptitSeb]

Played with gmz800em a bit more. Sound is working using MZ-700 programs/games!

Yes that confirm that only MZ700 sound hardware is emulated in gmz800em. On mz700, sound looks pretty simple, just 1 voice... For Mz800, looks like there are 3 voice. I have to look at Mz800 from Takaeda common binaries to see how it work...

 

[ptitSeb]

Ok, I have put a SN76489 to port 0xf2. I know have some sound, but not quit right. I recognize the tune of Flappy, but something is wrong. I must I have missed something :blink:


Time to sleep, and I will continue a bit tomorow...