I was one of the ones who took interest in GP32 after reading about it on slashdot.org, actually i had heard about it a long time ago, coz i saw it on liksang.com but that doesnt matter. can someone school me on just how useful this thing is? coz i see that it runs different emulators, and stuff about HTML web browsing, and email, etc. I wanna buy one, but i dont wanna be dissappointed. id appreciate it if someone rambled a bit about what they do with theirs. :blink:
So let me get this straight...
- Thread starter Vicious
- Start date
Nice to meet you "Vicious"
I am fairly new to the GP32, only been an owner for just over a month, but I can honestly say I use my mine every day.
There is a particularly good thread out there "slashdot geeks" do not turn away just seeing the title, which explains pretty much the type of person out there who would benefit, nay enjoy thoroughly owning a GP32.
Read that then come back....................................
You back yet? god then i'll continue.
GP32 - Is not a GBA, nor (probably) will it ever be, it may play several GBA games to a certain standard, but probably not to the same standard (speed, sound, future games with newer on-board chips etc)
what it does do, Plays MP3's (okay there are restrictions as to the bitrate playback) out of the box.
It can play DivX compressed movies (remember the 128 MB (currently) SMC restriction and Frame rate 10FPS (?) )
It plays GP32 designed games - several homebrew and some commercial, apparently reasonable quality (not played any at all) and seemingly similar in theme to true Japanese SNES games (well for the RPG type games anyway, obviously with better graphics etc)
Then there's the emulation scene. There are lists elsewhere over what's available (just look at the downloads section of this site) and assuming you own the original games, you are okay to have the ROM / Images for these
There is also the fact that there is the SDK, available free, so if devving is your thing, then I am sure that you'll find your niche here, make yourself a cult figure, release a happening tool, application, emulator, original game, PC port, but basically have fun for not a lot of money (not really)
But most of all, become part of something special...................This community!!
Okay put away your hankies now, I am off to bed, good night!
MrT
I am fairly new to the GP32, only been an owner for just over a month, but I can honestly say I use my mine every day.
There is a particularly good thread out there "slashdot geeks" do not turn away just seeing the title, which explains pretty much the type of person out there who would benefit, nay enjoy thoroughly owning a GP32.
Read that then come back....................................
You back yet? god then i'll continue.
GP32 - Is not a GBA, nor (probably) will it ever be, it may play several GBA games to a certain standard, but probably not to the same standard (speed, sound, future games with newer on-board chips etc)
what it does do, Plays MP3's (okay there are restrictions as to the bitrate playback) out of the box.
It can play DivX compressed movies (remember the 128 MB (currently) SMC restriction and Frame rate 10FPS (?) )
It plays GP32 designed games - several homebrew and some commercial, apparently reasonable quality (not played any at all) and seemingly similar in theme to true Japanese SNES games (well for the RPG type games anyway, obviously with better graphics etc)
Then there's the emulation scene. There are lists elsewhere over what's available (just look at the downloads section of this site) and assuming you own the original games, you are okay to have the ROM / Images for these
There is also the fact that there is the SDK, available free, so if devving is your thing, then I am sure that you'll find your niche here, make yourself a cult figure, release a happening tool, application, emulator, original game, PC port, but basically have fun for not a lot of money (not really)
But most of all, become part of something special...................This community!!
Okay put away your hankies now, I am off to bed, good night!
MrT
The internet capabilities of the GP32 will probably never come through in the west (ie, not Korea). It's not a terrible blow, though.
The main advantage of a GP32 is it's a console, portable at that, with openly encouraged programming capability. What's more, it's the most powerful handheld console on the market. It even has the same basic components and CPU as a GBA. What it doesn't have is a good commercial software market. The GP32 has a LOT of potential, and it is gradually being used by people who make emulators for it...but so far, homebrew software for it isn't terribly amazing. If you are a programmer, this machine is for you. It's also great for collectors, retrogaming fanatics, and for people who are looking for something with more playability than most GBA games. Patience is a virtue, though...so if it's not out now, odds are it will be at some point.
Oh, and as I always say: SNES emulation on it is, in my opinion, sub-standard but improving. Once again be patient and don't expect Chrono Trigger or whatever to run at a good speed with or without sound (or saving, for that matter!). It will - in time. The demand is there, and obviously at some point someone will be motivated enough!
The main advantage of a GP32 is it's a console, portable at that, with openly encouraged programming capability. What's more, it's the most powerful handheld console on the market. It even has the same basic components and CPU as a GBA. What it doesn't have is a good commercial software market. The GP32 has a LOT of potential, and it is gradually being used by people who make emulators for it...but so far, homebrew software for it isn't terribly amazing. If you are a programmer, this machine is for you. It's also great for collectors, retrogaming fanatics, and for people who are looking for something with more playability than most GBA games. Patience is a virtue, though...so if it's not out now, odds are it will be at some point.
Oh, and as I always say: SNES emulation on it is, in my opinion, sub-standard but improving. Once again be patient and don't expect Chrono Trigger or whatever to run at a good speed with or without sound (or saving, for that matter!). It will - in time. The demand is there, and obviously at some point someone will be motivated enough!
Tobriand
Well-Known Member
Well... What does GP32 do?
It plays its own games (obviously), which include minesweeper, solitaire, and countless tetris games, along with a few others (plus a very nice port of solitaire). More stuff in commercial, but for me, that isn't its strength.
It plays SMS and GG roms at full speed with sound (although no FM emulation), and TG16 games (not quite everything, but most) with same - full-speed and sound. TG16 doesn't save as yet, but to be honest, there aren't many games for TG-16 where you *can* save, so its not a huge problem.
Gameboy games are varied - it plays some full speed etc, but others not. Some people have serious trouble getting the GBC emulator to work, too - although I've no idea why this is; perhaps some GP32s can't handle non-standard speeds of CPU very well (i.e. anything but 132 or 66), and flinch at the thought. Not sure. Anyway, they're generally good, at least for me. Apparrently it doesn'tm always read from the save-files of some games properly; I've yet to rnu into the problem, but that could just be the games I'm testing.
ScummVM is great. Although kinda varied again. When I first played it it was smooth beyond belief; now it seems to be kinda juttery on the 133MHz version (which is the one you should use idd), where it wasn't before. I've got a feeling that's something to do with the fact that I'm using it in the modded f/w, since that's the only change I've made since last I used it. However, sound needs a little bit of work as yet. But very very fun playing DOTT on the train
Sarien, I haven't tried... I imagine its too annoying to enter the stuff into the text-entry bit. Still, if you like the Sierra ega games more than the Scumm ones, its a good thing to have.
DivX is great... I've so far been reminiscing over cartoons of yore. It takes a while to encode the things, but no pain, no gain etc .
What else is there... Oh yeah - SNES emu. Well, atm you've got two options; either you can play it full speed but without L and R, Sound, or saveing, and with lower compatibility (atm). Or you can play games slower either with or without sound (sound = speed hit), and with save available - depends on the emu you're using. The private ver of Snesemu by Zardoz is supposed to be exactly what everyone wants - full speed, sound, save, etc, but its not out yet. Still, I'm sure its possible.
NES emulation is sub-par for many games and fine for others; really depends on the game you're talking about. SMB 2 is good, but SMB 1 and 3 are both very slow with bad sound. Again, I'm certain it'll get better.
And that's just the end-user stuff (and at that, what I can remember - I've left off C64, Plus/IV, Dragon emu, MSX 1/2/+, and wonderboi, and prolly a few more at that), there's also a supported Dev community. Which can't be bad
Convinced yet?
It plays its own games (obviously), which include minesweeper, solitaire, and countless tetris games, along with a few others (plus a very nice port of solitaire). More stuff in commercial, but for me, that isn't its strength.
It plays SMS and GG roms at full speed with sound (although no FM emulation), and TG16 games (not quite everything, but most) with same - full-speed and sound. TG16 doesn't save as yet, but to be honest, there aren't many games for TG-16 where you *can* save, so its not a huge problem.
Gameboy games are varied - it plays some full speed etc, but others not. Some people have serious trouble getting the GBC emulator to work, too - although I've no idea why this is; perhaps some GP32s can't handle non-standard speeds of CPU very well (i.e. anything but 132 or 66), and flinch at the thought. Not sure. Anyway, they're generally good, at least for me. Apparrently it doesn'tm always read from the save-files of some games properly; I've yet to rnu into the problem, but that could just be the games I'm testing.
ScummVM is great. Although kinda varied again. When I first played it it was smooth beyond belief; now it seems to be kinda juttery on the 133MHz version (which is the one you should use idd), where it wasn't before. I've got a feeling that's something to do with the fact that I'm using it in the modded f/w, since that's the only change I've made since last I used it. However, sound needs a little bit of work as yet. But very very fun playing DOTT on the train
Sarien, I haven't tried... I imagine its too annoying to enter the stuff into the text-entry bit. Still, if you like the Sierra ega games more than the Scumm ones, its a good thing to have.
DivX is great... I've so far been reminiscing over cartoons of yore. It takes a while to encode the things, but no pain, no gain etc
.What else is there... Oh yeah - SNES emu. Well, atm you've got two options; either you can play it full speed but without L and R, Sound, or saveing, and with lower compatibility (atm). Or you can play games slower either with or without sound (sound = speed hit), and with save available - depends on the emu you're using. The private ver of Snesemu by Zardoz is supposed to be exactly what everyone wants - full speed, sound, save, etc, but its not out yet. Still, I'm sure its possible.
NES emulation is sub-par for many games and fine for others; really depends on the game you're talking about. SMB 2 is good, but SMB 1 and 3 are both very slow with bad sound. Again, I'm certain it'll get better.
And that's just the end-user stuff (and at that, what I can remember - I've left off C64, Plus/IV, Dragon emu, MSX 1/2/+, and wonderboi, and prolly a few more at that), there's also a supported Dev community. Which can't be bad
Convinced yet?
angrypants
GP OG
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2003
- Messages
- 641
I just got mine in the mail from lik-sang yesterday. This is by far the best hand held out there right now. I own a gameboy mono and a gameboy advance and nither one is anywere as good as the gp32. I had been checking messegeboards for the last month or so and looking at reviews befroe I finally broke down and bought one. I must say that after reading about the emulators and what not I had high hopes and expected to be a bit let down but I wasn't. The emulators run much better than I thought they would. In my opinion snes emulation is pretty nice. It us a bit slow but between the two emulators you can play most games and the nes snes9xgp is great for RPG's because it has save support although it is a bit slow. Doom is incredible, it has no sound but runs full speed and looks amazing. The nes emulator is also amazing the only draw back is that the sound is so bad you have to turn it off. Aside fromthat it runs game svery well and has exelent compatability. I can't recomend this thing enough I researched it and really looked into it and had high expectations and it is far better than I thought it would be. The $180 I spent to have it shiped to the US was worth every penney get one now.
