GP32 PSX Emu?

[deanollive]

Seems like it's impossible

But I spoke to someone in development and he reckons if the gp32 supports dos based programs then it might be able to handle psx?

slow yes impossible maybe?

And if the game size is to big then leave all language files out except english, leave out music too!

Cos for instance a xbox game can be like 6 gig take all the fouregn languages out and its about a gig!!

and have you guys heard of vib ribbon, it's a 2d game in black and white so the 3d rendering won't be a problem here.


Also is there any development software like HAMS for the GBA, it would make life much easier!

nice one guys!

 

[Rico]

DOS-based programs? What does the operating system have to do with it? The important thing is that we have a compiler and libraries for the platform, so it -would- be possible to make a psx emulator for it, and since we can compile C/C++, porting is easier.

However the creation of the emulator isn't being discussed - while you could make one, it would run too slow. A PSX emulator requires, I think, a 300 Mhz system to have an acceptable framerate, plus remember that the GP32 doesn't have a dedicated sound or graphics chip. Plus it doesn't have enough video memory. Storage space is another problem, and finally no 3D rendering - software only. Which is even slower.

Vib Ribbon, and Mr. Driller etc could possibly be emulated - still slowly, due to the nature of emulation - the amount of work required far outweighs the benefits of playing these games on the GP32.

- Rico

 

[deanollive]

Great response Rico,

First one I've fully understood!

So what your saying is that to play vib ribbon I will have to code my own version of the game ie: clone?

If anyone made vib ribbon for gp I would give them $$$$

 

[Rico]

I'd make it but I've never played the game

 

[RobertG]

Hmm.. Believe it or not I got a few games (It was yeeeaaars ago so I can't remember very well.. Puzzle Fighter was one of them) running at a playable speed on a P60 (Yes, a Pentium 60) with the "leaked" version of Bleem (the very first leaked version that had no sound, no hardware acceleration).

I got quite a few games running fullspeed on my Cyrix 233 (haha!).

I think a PSX emulator wrote specifically for the GP32, with a decent MIPS core wrote in ARM assembly, is probably doable.. It wouldn't ever be ePSXe, but so what?

I think the main issue would be lack of RAM. You'd need ~1 or 2 megs for the emulator, whatever the PSX' RAM is (~1 meg?), plus some spare RAM for the recompiler to work with (don't think an interpretive core would be anywhere near fast enough).

ashVID, remember that everything on the PSX is drawn with textured polygons, it doesn't have any 2D hardware.. So there is no difference between emulating 2d rendering and 3d rendering, it's all handled by the GTE (right?). If you can get Puzzle Fighter running chances are that something like Ridge Racer would run too.


I don't think Vib Ribbon would work as it relies heavily on the CD soundtrack, which probably wouldn't all fit into 128 mb

 

[NoBrain2k]

my my this IS a heated debate

Just think for a minute though what has been acheived on the GBA by pocketeers (formerly AGB games)
http://www.pocketeers.com/
some of the stuff is incredible, Quake for example was running on a GBA!! (yes Quake.. on a GBA!!)
unfortunately they have had to take down their Quake stuff it appears but theres LOADS of VERY impressive screenies there
If they can do that on a GBA just think what a GP32 can do!!

while PSX emulation maybe difficult i dont think we are at a position to say its impossible yet, not while the GP32 is so young and low profile!

If Quake can be GBAed then Quake II must be GP32able at least...
IMO PSX emu may be possible if the first few major hurdles can be somehow overcome (Storage, 3D rendering)
It of course may not be possible, what I'm trying to say is I don't think we can really say its impossible yet.

1 step at a time I think, but i also think the futures bright for the GP32.

we'll see