Little John WIP - POC 4

[Tinnus]

Lots and lots of stuff added--and you can turn them on and off with a configuration file! ;D

The (NES) emulator reads data from a file called emudata.dat, which has a .dat extension but is just a plain text file, which means you can open it in Notepad or Textpad to edit the settings. Problem is, you'll just get a (huge) bunch of meaningless numbers, so what to do with them?

This package contains a emudata.txt file which is a carbon copy of the format of emudata.dat. Meaning it describes what line corresponds to each setting in the emulator... and when it just has a number it means you should always leave that value untouched (for now).

(probably incomplete) List of new features:
- Selectable window size
- Selectable screen modes (normal, double, full-aspect, full-stretch, full-less-stretched)
- Graphic filters (all that were included in LJP)
- Fullscreen ON/OFF
- Frameskip (0-9 and AUTO)
- Audio ON/OFF, frequency
- Speed % (good for challenges, experiment 200 )

The package comes with an emudata.dat file with those settings:
- 640x480 window
- NES screen scaled to full-less-stretched with Scale2xSaI
- Sound on, frequency 44100
- AUTO frameskip
- Runs myrom.nes

Note about button mapping:
Don't try to change the button mappings (explained in emudata.txt) if you don't understand what you're doing The numbers there corresponds to the SDL keycodes as defined in SDL_keysym.h. You can check out those codes at:

www.little-john.net/files/SDL_keysim.h

Get the files at:

www.little-john.net/files/lj-nes-poc4.zip

Screenshot:



P.S.: sorry if the big image messes up the layout for someone, but I think a full 800x600 window won't be affected.

edit: sorry, looks like I forgot to add the reading of the filter configuration for anything but the full-less-stretched mode. So, if you want to set the screen mode, use this The double modes will default to no filter. The full modes will default to Scale2xSaI.

[_Em]

Here's one for you Tinnus... make it read clrmame dat files as a way of getting more information on the file its reading

Definitely looking good

[Tinnus]

Just to point out that it's already possible for enthusiasts to start creating their own launcher GUIs for LJP. All it (the launcher) has to do is send the data in emudata.dat to lj-nes.exe, by means of (1) writing to emudata.dat (2) launching lj-nes.exe.

The "filename" passed to the emulator core can be either only the name of a file (same directory as EXE), a relative path (for example, "/roms/mario.nes") or a full path ("D:\my_roms\mario\smb3.nes").

Note that SEVERAL features can be implemented in the launcher itself without depending on the other side, for example per-game configurations, categories, favorites...

Let the imagination flow

I might end up picking one of them as the official one if it ends up good, so...

Just remember not to do something much fancy with graphics, unless you want it to unly be usable on PCs. Remember our final targets are handhelds, so you're probably limited to simple 2D here. Also, try not to depend completely on a cursor/touchscreen so it can be used in devices without pointing (PSP, GP2X). And last but not least, do stuff BIG. Remember our target screens are handhelds with small screens (for example 320x230, 480x272, 320x320), so either you do your launcher that size (bad), or do it BIG like 640x480 in a way that things could still look good if the size was reduced by half (well, actually, a quarter). A good idea is checking if it looks good in a TV--the bigger idea for LJ on PCs is to plug them into your TV to have a full retro experience--I'm even going to create some Genesis adapters to be able to play 100% like the originals!

[mavsman4457]

Great work. Just great work. Yah Tinnus now that I think about it, I wouldn't even convert these POC's to be playable on PSP until it is nearly finished. Some of the people there just don't care. I don't have my PSP now but once I get it back from the guy modding it would it be easy enough for you to make a PSP file for me or would that take too long?

[Tinnus]

It would be a little pointless, I think, since most of the features benefit the PC port...

[angel]

Nice work Tinnus.

Even if i consider a desktop-pc NES emulator is very far beyond your skill level, i guess you are only putting the basis for the multi-platform (and of course the Palm Os one) Little john emulator with more exciting content such as a bug free and fast snes emulator, *** or Genesis

(dont flame please, i know Tinnus desserve congratulations for all he does for our handlet, but i'm not a unconditionnal cheerlader)

[mavsman4457]

Tinnus, quick question and I'm sorry if it is annoying. After you're done coding LJX, would you be interested in helping someone code an N64 emulator for PSP? It was a topic of discussion over at DCEmu and I just thought that you would be able to get the job done IF you were interested.

[Tinnus]

I think people should stop asking for everything in the PSP scene. We just got a perfect PS1 emulator and now everyone is complaining about N64.

Not that you're one of those who are *complaining*, but that kind of attitude coming from the scene as a whole is ridiculous, and, honestly, doesn't motivate anyone to do something. It looks like as soon as you get it done people will jsut ask for something else.

[tgwaste]

Is there a (good) PS1 Emulator for PalmOS out there? (forgive me if this is a really stupid question)

[pickme]

Check: Yes, that was definitely a really stupid question

[mavsman4457]

Tinnus, sorry about that I shouldn't have asked the question because I'm sure it is very annoying. tgwaste, there aren't any good PS1 emulators out yet for palm os but if you do some waiting, there will be a good one that emerges.

[tgwaste]

pickme said:

Check: Yes, that was definitely a really stupid question

Hey now.. thats not very nice!

Do you know where I can find the details on this project? Is this part of the LJ project? Should I not be asking about it? Ive seen talk of PS1 emulators but could never figure out if there was a continuing dev project and or where it is located. I tried to download the PPSX thing just to check it out, but that friggingames site (or however you spell it) doesnt seem to work anymore.

Sorry Tinnus if this conversation is inappropriate..

[Tinnus]

Relax, there will be a psx4palm, or whatever else I come up with. But getting the new Little John out is my current priority.

- STATUS REPORT -

That's it. I did absolutely nothing in the last week because I was traveling ;D But I will resume development now that I'm back again

[angel]

Well, i had a PSX beta version (lots of) months ago, and i know you can do it now we simply have to be patient.

I would like people to realize that you do it on your spare time and freely... that's always the problem when you "promise" something, people start thinking you owe them something.

[tgwaste]

tinnus said:

Relax, there will be a psx4palm, or whatever else I come up with. But getting the new Little John out is my current priority.

Sorry tinnus, I didnt realize this was part of your plan, I was just looking around for something to play with. Ill be patient for your stuff definately now.