HACHIBITTO - An MSX2 Fantasy Console

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I would say this emu was pretty anticipated. I know there's msxDS but it had some issues with speed and some strange compability for flashcards like switched off softreset in homebrew and sometimes unexpected freeze happen. Many games support ds resolution natively, now I'm checking super lode runner and that's pretty neat expirience, ui looks luxorius, and energy saving with closed lid is also great feature. Thanks for doing it.
 
Thanks @plasturion - I need all the encouragment I can get right now on this :)

Just checked in 0.8c with a bunch of fixes and improvements. Of note is a new 'Compressed' screen scaling mode.

I generally hate compression - the lines of missing pixels and scrolling artifacts drive me nutty. Which is why in 212 MSX2 line mode I tend ot use PAN UP/DN instead. I almost didn't include a compression mode where the 212 lines are compressed down to the 192 lines on the top display... but it was easy to add so yeah.

Anyway, it works like msxDS except that I pull a trick whereby I point two different DS rendering engines to the same video memory but I offset one slightly so it ends up blurring vertically instead of outright dropping pixel lines. That tends to produce somewhat squatter/fatter output but I think it's a big improvement over outright dropped pixel lines. Look - you can't get blood from a stone so there is only so much we can do here... but to give you a look at the results, here is Zakil Wood remake in msxDX and below in Hachibitto.

msxDS:
1789736382242.png


Hachibitto:
1789736428279.png


I'll let the reader decide which is better (if any).

I've also added an Alpha (simplified) keyboard option so you can actually play text adventure type games with your thumbs.

On a related note, I used some of the money donated to me for my efforts to buying a new high-capacity DSi battery. My old one was dying after 1 hour of debugging emulation issues... my new one lasts most of the day! Not sure if that's a good thing...

On a non-related note, my friend calls my new emulator Hacked-Burrito :D
 
Last edited by wavemotion,
Thanks @plasturion - I need all the encouragment I can get right now on this :)

Just checked in 0.8c with a bunch of fixes and improvements. Of note is a new 'Compressed' screen scaling mode.

I generally hate compression - the lines of missing pixels and scrolling artifacts drive me nutty. Which is why in 212 MSX2 line mode I tend ot use PAN UP/DN instead. I almost didn't include a compression mode where the 212 lines are compressed down to the 192 lines on the top display... but it was easy to add so yeah.

Anyway, it works like msxDS except that I pull a trick whereby I point two different DS rendering engines to the same video memory but I offset one slightly so it ends up blurring vertically instead of outright dropping pixel lines. That tends to produce somewhat squatter/fatter output but I think it's a big improvement over outright dropped pixel lines. Look - you can't get blood from a stone so there is only so much we can do here... but to give you a look at the results, here is Zakil Wood remake in msxDX and below in Hachibitto.

msxDS:
View attachment 591313

Hachibitto:
View attachment 591314

I'll let the reader decide which is better (if any).

I've also added an Alpha (simplified) keyboard option so you can actually play text adventure type games with your thumbs.

On a related note, I used some of the money donated to me for my efforts to buying a new high-capacity DSi battery. My old one was dying after 1 hour of debugging emulation issues... my new one lasts most of the day! Not sure if that's a good thing...

On a non-related note, my friend calls my new emulator Hacked-Burrito :D
Thanks Dave. Back at home. Can't wait to test this tomorrow :)
No need for Bios to improve compatibility, right ?

EDIT : FS is automatic on older HW ?
 
Last edited by CrashMidnick,
https://github.com/wavemotion-dave/Hachibitto

Version 0.8h is up. Lots of improvements and fixes. MSX-MUSIC is almost working! You can enable it in Game Options for those games that take advantage (most of the Compile and Falcon stuff). Some of the precussion instruments still sound way too much like white noise - I'm actively working on it (with the help of Claude AI since emulated music is my weakness).
 
I've played the game, Lubeck (1989) (MSX Magazine).dsk. It works without sound; this game requires MSX-MUSIC, but when I enable MSX-MUSIC, the game doesn't work or won't start
 
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