Emulation Why is 3ds DOSBox so bad?

[MORSHU8KRTXON]

Tried running Ultima 4 on 3DS Retroarch DOSBox and it was an epic fail, I tried running Ultima 4 on DSx86 and it had no sound. Why is it so difficult to emulate DOS on 3DS?

 

[CrashMidnick]

Tried running Ultima 4 on 3DS Retroarch DOSBox and it was an epic fail, I tried running Ultima 4 on DSx86 and it had no sound. Why is it so difficult to emulate DOS on 3DS?

AFAIK, DOSBox is an accurate emulator, so it needs cpu power and (N)3DS fails. Latest Retroarch version are giving ARM11 exceptions... I use the stable version 1.9.0 to be able to launch it but it is slow and it lacks the virtual keybaord (there is a custom version with it somewhere at GBATEMP)

DS(2)x86 is not accurate, so the emulation is not perfect mainly the sound but it is playable most of the time (I can play Alone in the Dark on a DSI quite well and full speed with a DSTWO flashcard).

DOS games need some love for the 3DS for sure. There are so many games to play with.

 

[Kwyjor]

DOSBox is an accurate emulator

Not especially – and it's not like the N64 where you can get big speed increases by sacrificing some accuracy. But it's absolutely true that the 3DS is not very powerful.

Tried running Ultima 4 on 3DS Retroarch DOSBox

3DS Retroarch isn't a very good idea in general.

Ultima 4 runs on ScummVM; have you looked into that? It will almost certainly run much faster, assuming the 3DS port of ScummVM still supports Ultima 4.

 

[MrHuu]

Dosbox doesn't run well because it has no 3ds related code implemented.

Retroarch allows it to run but that's it.
There's still a lot of room for improvement.

For example, co-routines should be implemented. Or at least some form of threading.

Which also should allow us to make use of the ARMv4LE dynamic recompilation already available with dosbox.

The 3DS's ARMv6 is fully capable of running the ARMv4 instuction set if i'm correct.

It does however need a dedicated developer with the appropriate knowledge and non biased opinion about retroarch.

A direct port of dosbox would also be a possibility if one feels like it, since it's only dependency is SDL 1.2.

With the current fragmented state of the 3DS 'scene', i wouln't count on any developer being intrested enough tho.

 

[CrashMidnick]

Dosbox doesn't run well because it has no 3ds related code implemented.

Retroarch allows it to run but that's it.
There's still a lot of room for improvement.

For example, co-routines should be implemented. Or at least some form of threading.

Which also should allow us to make use of the ARMv4LE dynamic recompilation already available with dosbox.

The 3DS's ARMv6 is fully capable of running the ARMv4 instuction set if i'm correct.

It does however need a dedicated developer with the appropriate knowledge and non biased opinion about retroarch.

A direct port of dosbox would also be a possibility if one feels like it, since it's only dependency is SDL 1.2.

With the current fragmented state of the 3DS 'scene', i wouln't count on any developer being intrested enough tho.

It depends, when you see what wavemotion, Flubba and others did the past few months for the nds scene, there is always hope

@MORSHU8KRTXON : maybe you can play ultima IV with UAE3DS

 

[MORSHU8KRTXON]

@MORSHU8KRTXON : maybe you can play ultima IV with UAE3DS

When I get the Amiga version legally. I don't think the amiga version has ever been rereleased, maybe on origin, but I have no idea on which version of ultima 4 is available on origin. The system requirements section of the origin store page lists a mouse, so it must be one of the versions with mouse input.

The DOS version is available on GOG for free.

 

[MarioKartFan]

Dosbox doesn't run well because it has no 3ds related code implemented.

Retroarch allows it to run but that's it.
There's still a lot of room for improvement.

For example, co-routines should be implemented. Or at least some form of threading.

Which also should allow us to make use of the ARMv4LE dynamic recompilation already available with dosbox.

The 3DS's ARMv6 is fully capable of running the ARMv4 instuction set if i'm correct.

It does however need a dedicated developer with the appropriate knowledge and non biased opinion about retroarch.

A direct port of dosbox would also be a possibility if one feels like it, since it's only dependency is SDL 1.2.

With the current fragmented state of the 3DS 'scene', i wouln't count on any developer being intrested enough tho.

Holding out hope that @MrHuu is the one to take on the task of pushing the 3DS Retroarch core into shape. Are you accepting donations?

 

[CrashMidnick]

When I get the Amiga version legally. I don't think the amiga version has ever been rereleased, maybe on origin, but I have no idea on which version of ultima 4 is available on origin. The system requirements section of the origin store page lists a mouse, so it must be one of the versions with mouse input.

The DOS version is available on GOG for free.

Get the ADF somewhere (easy to find), UAE3DS has got mouse support via touchpad or joystick and, of course, virtual keyboard

 

[MORSHU8KRTXON]

Get the ADF somewhere (easy to find), UAE3DS has got mouse support via touchpad or joystick and, of course, virtual keyboard

I will try to find one legally. The origin version of the game is either the Atari ST version or the Amiga version.

 

[ThorMode9]

Holding out hope that @MrHuu is the one to take on the task of pushing the 3DS Retroarch core into shape. Are you accepting donations?

I would definitely donate to get DOSBox running better.

 

[MarioKartFan]

@ThorMode9 MrHuu has a separate port of DOSBox that he released a week or so ago. Check it out if you have not yet.

 

[ThorMode9]

@ThorMode9 MrHuu has a separate port of DOSBox that he released a week or so ago. Check it out if you have not yet.

That's awesome thank you. I'd love to support this.