Atari 2600 Emulator on the 32x

[Jasper061992]

Well, not sure if it's possible, but do you think the 32x could hypothetically be able to emulate an Atari 2600 by somehow utilising the 2 SH-2s together? :lol: The 256KB RAM on the 32x i think is barely a problem considering the 2600 ROMs are are basically around 5KB i think.

Do you think it's possible? Discuss! :D

[Chilly Willy]

I intend to look at a few of the lower powered emulations when I have the chance. Seeing how the GB emulator works, other emulators should be possible as well.

As you point out, memory isn't an issue for an A2600 emulator. The 650x CPU core isn't that bad either. The graphics and sound on the 2600 aren't very demanding. It looks very doable to me.

Stella (an A2600 emulator) has been ported to a LOT of platforms, including the NDS and GBA, so I could see it running on the 32X as well. I'd start there.

[kool kitty89]

I think one of th eproblems with VCS emulators is accurately simulating the glitches/bugs in the hardware exploited/tweaked by a lot of software on the platform. (I don't know if that's so much a resourse demand or just something it took a while to fine tune in emultion software -probably more towards the latter)

[KnightWarrior]

How would you put the ROM's on the cart??

[Chilly Willy]

How would you put the ROM's on the cart??

Illegally. ;) :D

Clearly, you'd have to design the emu so that it looked for the roms immediately after the binary of the emulator itself, then the person would join the rom(s) to the end of the file.

The other thing is to make the emu a CD32X game and have the roms on the CD.

[Jasper061992]

Also considering the 2600 only had 128 BYTES!! of RAM along with the 4KB ROM carts, i say it's very possible.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

Great idea!

[KnightWarrior]

Try to get a VCS Emu on the Neo Myth..then put the ROM's on the cart though the GBA cart..

[NeoVamp]

Personally would love to be able to play MSX1 games on my MD,
but seeing how the MSX1 is 3.58mhz and the MD only 7.68mhz i just don't see it being possible.

[KnightWarrior]

I would love to see a NES emu on the 32X or even on the Genesis..it might not be possible

[NeoVamp]

I would love to see a NES emu on the 32X or even on the Genesis..it might not be possible

Sigh.. and now we wait for the first one to run in and tell us about how this one guy from Sega (or nintendo don't really remember)
once made this NES emulator for the Megadrive.
And even though we never saw it in action everybody seems to love this story.

I've been online for too many years..:|

[Chilly Willy]

NES might be possible on the 32X... MIGHT be, but forget about the MD. ;)

[tomaitheous]

NES on the MD. You run into two major problems. Assuming a lite/simple game like SMB. No mappers, doesn't max the CPU out. The NES has 8 subpalettes. The Genesis only has 4. The NES has planar graphics, the Genesis VDP is packed pixel. Even if you hacked a "vrom" NES game to store the sprites/tiles in Genesis format, you still have to deal with the sub palette issue. And the more you hack, the less is becomes emulation that you're doing and the more it becomes a hack. There's also the other issue of emulating the video hardware - if you're behind - your emulation code might be trying to write to vram during active display. This is a big down side. I think a 32x emulation project is doable, for simple NES games. Definitely gonna have to take a hit on the audio emulation side though. Maybe have the 68k do audio emulation and mixing of channels (15.7khz output), and the z80 playing it.

I've emulated some NES games on the PC-Engine. The video and sound are completely emulated in real time. No, the PCE video hardware is completely different than NES (too technical and numerous to list here), but it is full emulation. I was able to let the NES cpu code run natively on the PCE's cpu since it's 99% backwards compatible (as long as you don't use illegal instructions). The only hack I had to do, was replace all read/write instructions to the audio/video/IO ports with hooks (JSRs). So, it's like ~97-99% emulation and the rest is hooks(hacks). It helps that the PCE allows writes to vram without any problems during active display. Often times, the game code is at the end of updating the tilemap right as the active display starts.

I think 2600 emulation on the 32x would be pretty cool though. Even if you have to sacrifice some accuracy.

[KnightWarrior]

oh ok..that make sence..How about these systems

Atari 7800
Intellivision
Atari 2500
Master System (The Power Base Convertoer dosen't work with the 32X)
Turbografx 16 (HuCard only, I don't know about the CD games or the Super CD Games)

[tomaitheous]

oh ok..that make sence..How about these systems

Atari 7800
Intellivision
Atari 2500
Master System (The Power Base Convertoer dosen't work with the 32X)
Turbografx 16 (HuCard only, I don't know about the CD games or the Super CD Games)

For the TG16, I would think some stuff would be tricky. Definitely need the video on the 32x side (Genesis doesn't have enough subpalettes and graphic format is too different (planar VS packed) ). Some raster base stuff might be a real pain in the ass to emulate, since you'd be doing it on a bitmap system. So, I'd say it depends on the game.

SMS might have some similar problems, if the specific game has lots of raster effects. But emulating that window feature (VDP fixed tilemap position at the top, applies any X/Y updates after X amount of scanlines).. would probably be easy.

Hmm... I'm seriously going to look into do TG16 emulation. I'll definitely need some help/questions from the 32x master though (Chilly Willy) ;)

Thinking out loud: 68k could do the TG16 audio and mix all channels, use 15.7khz playback with 68k 224 scanline interrupts and the z80 plays the rest of the scanlines spaced writes during vblank. Audio doesn't have to be perfect. 68k has plenty of ram for fast LUT action. One 32x emulate the CPU and one handle the all the video. Sprites are all 16 pixel wide cell, so that helps in optimization. There's only 1 BG layer too, so that definitely helps. This looks doable :D

[kool kitty89]

Atari 7800 might be tricky, not too sure about that one, but you've got parts of the 2600 hardware to deal with plus MARIA. (and Pro System seems fairly resourse intensive, or maybe just finicky)
Not sure about Intellivision emulation, but I know some of the compilations on newer consoles mimick even the flaws to some degree.

And the 2500 is just a repackaged version of the 2600... (that was cancelled)

[Chilly Willy]

Hmm... I'm seriously going to look into do TG16 emulation. I'll definitely need some help/questions from the 32x master though (Chilly Willy) ;)


No problem. Glad to help where I can. The more devs get used to working on the 32X, the more 32X stuff we'll have. :D

[Chilly Willy]

And the 2500 is just a repackaged version of the 2600... (that was cancelled)

I think he meant the Atari 5200. That was basically the Atari 8bit computer converted to a console. A800 emulates both. It would be possible to make a version of A800 for the 32X, but I'm fairly certain most things would run pretty slow until you converted a bunch of it to assembly.

[Flygon]

Lets emulate the VIC-20 while we are at it

I'm interested in the prospect of more emulators being made for the 32x... but I doubt many of them will ever hit at least 50fps reliably (You get so used to being in a PAL territory that 50fps becomes so acceptable... :p).

[kool kitty89]

I doubt many of the systems suggested had games running at such framerate anyway... (even the Genesis's framerate was often pretty limited due to DMA contention with the VDP, iirc many game ran more like 20 FPS on Genesis)

Also, don't confuse framerate with screen refresh rate... (though refresh rate obviously limits max framerate able to be displayed)

[Da_Shocker]

Sigh.. and now we wait for the first one to run in and tell us about how this one guy from Sega (or nintendo don't really remember)
once made this NES emulator for the Megadrive.
And even though we never saw it in action everybody seems to love this story.

I've been online for too many years..:|

I think Yuji Naka reversed engineered a MD to run NED games or something like that.

[xXxTWO FACExXx]

Someone made a Gameboy Emulator for the 32x heres the link http://sega-saturn.dcemu.co.uk/shuboy-v1-gameboy-emulator-for-sega-32x-released-186865.html of the link doesnt work just type in Gameboy emulator for 32x in a search engine and it should come up.

[NeoVamp]

I think Yuji Naka reversed engineered a MD to run NES games or something like that.

And after some googling i found the following :



TNL: Rumors have it that you even programmed a Famicom emulator
for the Megadrive at one point in time, for your personal amusement. Is this true?

Naka: Oh my. [laughs] How do you people know about that one? Well yeah, actually I did.
I did it primarily for study purposes. It ran things like Dr. Mario, although it did not work perfectly, actually.
It was something fun to amuse myself with at the time.



Shame nobody really attempted this again, would have been sweet to have a dedicated nes emulator
that was primarily written to run all 3 mario's and ducktales and rescue rangers and stuff.

[Dirt Ball Gamer]

Would Colecovision be possible? It's a pretty mean machine.

[Chilly Willy]

Someone made a Gameboy Emulator for the 32x heres the link http://sega-saturn.dcemu.co.uk/shuboy-v1-gameboy-emulator-for-sega-32x-released-186865.html of the link doesnt work just type in Gameboy emulator for 32x in a search engine and it should come up.

That emu was what got me interested in programming on the 32X. I did a couple of minor things to help the author, then decided that things were to the point that homebrew on the 32X was worthwhile. So I started to work on Wolf3D at that point.

[Jasper061992]

Woah, i didn't know this thread would last long lol.

[Jasper061992]

Woah, i didn't know this thread would last long lol.

I remember hearing about that Gameboy on the 32x. Heard it's pretty slow. That time i thought you wrote that.

Sorry for double post.

[Chilly Willy]

Yes, it's a bit slow. Needs more optimization for the 32X. Someone else did the port on that, I just help find a couple bugs.

[Bablefish]

Legal issues and roms is a problem due to the fact that most of the companies that made those games have since gone under and most of the programmers who did them frankly don't care.

[bohokii]

yea let me know what you come up with i've played enough 2600 pitfall in the pitfall mayan adventure game i'd love to play say barnstorming instead

[KnightWarrior]

long overdue

Has Chilly started a VCS Emu for the 32X yet??

get a 32X Cart, anyone make a CF card slot so you could load your Games on it

[Chilly Willy]

I worked on V2600 for the 32X for a while. The problem is that every 2600 emulator out right now emulates every cycle exactly in hardware... no problem with a 2GHz 64 bit PC, loads of problems for a 23 MHz SH2.

I'll have to make a major modification to the way the hardware is handled to get it to run on the 32X, so it's on hold at the moment.

[Xeniczone]

Couldn't one just make an add-on similar to the 32x/Power Base converter that hardware emulates atari games.

This would be similar to what was on the colecovision or intellavision, I can't remember which. Atari 2600 hardware wasn't very complex if I remember correctly.

[evildragon]

Atari 2600 is hard to emulate though, it has no frame buffer or anything.. To even emulate a picture, you have to emulate how a TV works, literally..

[Deo]

Wouldn't it be easier to port the games like Pitfall in Pitfall Mayan Adventure did?

[tomaitheous]

Couldn't one just make an add-on similar to the 32x/Power Base converter that hardware emulates atari games.


Where's the fun in that? :p

[villahed94]

Well, try C64, it must be simple
and the atari 5200

[evildragon]

There's just really not enough power!

If so simple, why don't you do it?

[villahed94]

because i`m a newbie in game hacking.

[Chilly Willy]

Well, try C64, it must be simple
and the atari 5200

Those are both pretty complex for 8 bit systems. There are short cuts you can take with them that make them just about within the range of the 32X (many games will play okay, but some won't), but the entire thing would need to be done in assembly.

[Jasper061992]

I worked on V2600 for the 32X for a while. The problem is that every 2600 emulator out right now emulates every cycle exactly in hardware... no problem with a 2GHz 64 bit PC, loads of problems for a 23 MHz SH2.

I'll have to make a major modification to the way the hardware is handled to get it to run on the 32X, so it's on hold at the moment.

So much to get done, so little time. Oh, hows that Wolf32x going? :D

Oh who am I kidding, my Mega CD crapped out on me for the last time so I won't benefit...

[KnightWarrior]

Ok, What a easy system to emulate on the 32X?

[Chilly Willy]

Easy? Probably the Apple ][. Maybe the TRaSh-80. Timex-Sinclair 1000. Things without really complex video basically. Once you start getting to more complex video, the task ceases to be simple. While the 2600 SOUNDS like simple video, it's actually very complex from an emulation point of view.

[KnightWarrior]

Have you tried running any VCS games yet on the 32X??

Like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong & Jr Pac-Man

[Chilly Willy]

Have you tried running any VCS games yet on the 32X??

Like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong & Jr Pac-Man

I did a quick port of V2600 to the 32X, but it was too slow to be usable. Stella is even worse as it's completely C++ and designed to be as accurate as possible at the expense of requiring a higher-end PC.

A completely new emulator would be needed to do 2600 on the 32X.

[tz101]

Would Colecovision be possible? It's a pretty mean machine.

CV would be so sweet emulated on either the 32X or Sega CD...:p

[KnightWarrior]

PVCS is pretty close on the PS2 via MCBoot, the Only game that doesn't work at all, Well Astroblast works but the ship stays to the right


I did a quick port of V2600 to the 32X, but it was too slow to be usable. Stella is even worse as it's completely C++ and designed to be as accurate as possible at the expense of requiring a higher-end PC.

A completely new emulator would be needed to do 2600 on the 32X.

[roundwars]

CV would be so sweet emulated on either the 32X or Sega CD...:p

Not even necessary. The Genesis is back-compatible with Master System, which is equivalent to the Japanese SG-1000 Mark III, which is back-compatible with the original SG-1000, which has the exact same hardware as Colecovision aside from having more RAM. The system basically already has a Colecovision inside it. I imagine it should be possible to make a device similar to the Power Base Converter that could play Colecovision games on the Genesis.

[Xeniczone]

Not even necessary. The Genesis is back-compatible with Master System, which is equivalent to the Japanese SG-1000 Mark III, which is back-compatible with the original SG-1000, which has the exact same hardware as Colecovision aside from having more RAM. The system basically already has a Colecovision inside it. I imagine it should be possible to make a device similar to the Power Base Converter that could play Colecovision games on the Genesis.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm not really sure if there is a block between the SG-1000 and the Colecovision that stops the software from running on each other. It is said that it was extremely easy to port SG-1000 games to CV and vis-versa so I assume there is a small difference that stops them from running on each other.

[roundwars]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I'm not really sure if there is a block between the SG-1000 and the Colecovision that stops the software from running on each other. It is said that it was extremely easy to port SG-1000 games to CV and vis-versa so I assume there is a small difference that stops them from running on each other.

It would have been cool if Sega had made a deal with Coleco to give the US Master System the ability to play Colecovision games. Probably wouldn't have made much of a difference either way though.

[evildragon]

Not even necessary. The Genesis is back-compatible with Master System, which is equivalent to the Japanese SG-1000 Mark III, which is back-compatible with the original SG-1000, which has the exact same hardware as Colecovision aside from having more RAM. The system basically already has a Colecovision inside it. I imagine it should be possible to make a device similar to the Power Base Converter that could play Colecovision games on the Genesis.

The VDP is missing any mode prior to the SMS.