Homebrew blargSnes -- SNES emulator for the 3DS (WIP)

[Deleted User]

Can't you take the exheader from the mset application to have CSND support? Isn't this just a matter of feeding the right mset (signed) accessdesc into makerom?

 

[cracker]

Where is the start of bank 7E in SNES_sysRAM?

 

[piratesephiroth]

Honestly 3D is the last priority. (Who the hell plays anything in 3D anyway?)

 

[DiscostewSM]

Implementing any more of it on the GPU is impossible. You would need pixel shaders, which the PICA200 doesn't have.

From what I've researched, it does have pixel shaders, but they are part of the MAESTRO architecture of the PICA200.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=58037

Based on Google Translate's interpretation, a person could write their own OpenGL 2.0 shader program, and using a tool called ShaderBox, could convert that code to the appropriate form used by the PICA200. If this is true, then we would need to figure out how that is handled, and whether we would need to develop it as actual PICA200 compliant code, or do as ShaderBox does for OpenGL code and have a converter.

 

[ieatpixels]

Honestly 3D is the last priority. (Who the hell plays anything in 3D anyway?)

3D is the only reason I use my 3DS.

Just play on a PSP or something if you want 2D SNES games. (or a smartphone, etc.)

 

[piratesephiroth]

3D is the only reason I use my 3DS.

Just play on a PSP or something if you want 2D SNES games. (or a smartphone, etc.)

3D effect is already boring on 3DS games.
Also what do you think it's gonna happen? You think all SNES games will suddenly become Paper Mario?
All you gonna get is some weird combination of 2D sprites floating over 2D layers...

 

[Arisotura]

Can't you take the exheader from the mset application to have CSND support? Isn't this just a matter of feeding the right mset (signed) accessdesc into makerom?

That has already been tried. An app built with that exheader doesn't start, home menu acts like the cart was taken out. Guess it's because there are some things in there that are only available to system apps, like the high thread prio (48 instead of 16).

Where is the start of bank 7E in SNES_sysRAM?

SNES_SysRAM is mapped to addresses from 7E:0000 to 7F:FFFF.

 

[cracker]

That has already been tried. An app built with that exheader doesn't start, home menu acts like the cart was taken out. Guess it's because there are some things in there that are only available to system apps, like the high thread prio (48 instead of 16).


SNES_SysRAM is mapped to addresses from 7E:0000 to 7F:FFFF.

Thanks, that is what I thought. More debugging is in my future.

 

[Deleted User]

That has already been tried. An app built with that exheader doesn't start, home menu acts like the cart was taken out. Guess it's because there are some things in there that are only available to system apps, like the high thread prio (48 instead of 16).

OK. Have you tried giving your app the mset title id? If that still fails then you might have a conversion error somewhere. AFAIK the gateway patches all signature checks, except access desc. So it should work aslong as the accessdesc is OK.

 

[Arisotura]

Oh for God's sake can we stop turning this thread into a piracy debate please? From now on I'll just report any offtopic post.


Shit, the new ctrulib made me realize that there's a big flaw in blargSnes' directory listing code. Mostly because wrong interpretation of the data in directory entries. It only lists ROM files if they are archived.

 

[MOHRCORE]

Hi! This emulator is great (definitely better than 3DNES NES emulator). It has even SPC700 emulation, even so homebrew libs still doesn't support sound I was really surprised, that it supported bg effects in Earthbound battles I have also an idea to make it more cool - how about making stereoscopic effect for layers (player would be able to change 3D layering setting for each game, and set for example only certain layers to be more raised than others)? That might bring completly new experience to old classics

 

[Doran754]

Hi! This emulator is great (definitely better than 3DNES NES emulator). It has even SPC700 emulation, even so homebrew libs still doesn't support sound I was really surprised, that it supported bg effects in Earthbound battles I have also an idea to make it more cool - how about making stereoscopic effect for layers (player would be able to change 3D layering setting for each game, and set for example only certain layers to be more raised than others)? That might bring completly new experience to old classics

I wouldn't say its definitely better, they're both good. Infact I prefer 3D NES atm as I personally find it more stable. 3D is the last thing he should be working on.

 

[cracker]

Hi! This emulator is great (definitely better than 3DNES NES emulator). It has even SPC700 emulation, even so homebrew libs still doesn't support sound I was really surprised, that it supported bg effects in Earthbound battles I have also an idea to make it more cool - how about making stereoscopic effect for layers (player would be able to change 3D layering setting for each game, and set for example only certain layers to be more raised than others)? That might bring completly new experience to old classics

It has already been talked about how to try the 3D by layer but the problem is that sprites would be affected by that approach.

 

[MOHRCORE]

I wouldn't say its definitely better, they're both good. Infact I prefer 3D NES atm as I personally find it more stable. 3D is the last thing he should be working on.

Right - It's just idea - and there are plenty more important things to do with blargSNES. Besides I agree with you, that 3DNES is more stable, but it's horribly slow (something like 50% on SMB3), while blargSNES runs SMW and Earthbound at about 100% speed.

 

[Cyan]

Shamzie, if you have time to test 3DNES, could you update the wiki?
not sure if it's useful to users with v1.0, but there's one and nobody used it yet.
it will probably have more interest when smealum release his launcher.

 

[MOHRCORE]

It has already been talked about how to try the 3D by layer but the problem is that sprites would be affected by that approach.

I thought about it after posting my reply, but I can say it's possible (SNES9x can disable/enable layers and transparent regions stays really transparent (if you mean trasparency problem), but I'm afraid now, that it might make emulation speed drop too low, because it may need rendering one frame multiple times, and merge all this into stereoscopic image. Or maybe the problem is somewere else (I'm not god of emulators ) ?

 

[DiscostewSM]

It has already been talked about how to try the 3D by layer but the problem is that sprites would be affected by that approach.

It would depend on the game. Heck, various games use multiple layers to piece together what may look like fewer layer (like FFVI). For sprites that are in games such as Super Mario World, they could have the sprites, based on their priority bits, be "baked" into the background layer behind them, having the same depth, rather than be on their own separate layers (which would make them "hover" over them instead).

I thought about it after posting my reply, but I can say it's possible (SNES9x can disable/enable layers and transparent regions stays really transparent (if you mean trasparency problem), but I'm afraid now, that it might make emulation speed drop too low, because it may need rendering one frame multiple times, and merge all this into stereoscopic image. Or maybe the problem is somewere else (I'm not god of emulators ) ?

This is why GPU rendering needs to be implemented, and we're hoping for shaders to make that possible. It's still questionable on whether the PICA200 has shaders. Some places say it does, others say it doesn't. We won't know until someone digs up more on the GPU directly.

 

[Doran754]

Shamzie, if you have time to test 3DNES, could you update the wiki?
not sure if it's useful to users with v1.0, but there's one and nobody used it yet.
it will probably have more interest when smealum release his launcher.

Sure that shouldn't be a problem, I'll get on it tonight. I havn't used wiki before, I've no idea how to do the colour coding but I'll figure it out

 

[Arisotura]

3DNES and blargSnes don't even emulate the same console, so comparing them would be like comparing apples and oranges.

blargSnes has hardcoded 1/2 frameskip (which is why it's fast-ish). Have you tried using 3DNES's frameskip? I guess that can help a lot.

 

[VinsCool]

StapleButter, Whatever people said here, I think your emulator is awesome! I can't wait to finaly try it myself! (my 3ds is 8.1, so no gateway obviously)
Your work is incredibly well made, I can't help but encourage you very much !