Hacking Emulation and homebrew on 3DS

[toguro_max]

Nihao all.

I've been thinkin lately: let's assume the 3DS will be hacked and emulators and homebrew apps will happen in "3DS mode".

Assumed? Ok, because that's important, since i'm not here to discuss wheater it will be or not be possible.

I believe that if the homebrew groups get a good idea of the 3DS internal functions, someone will be able to creat a 3D emulator.
How? Well, games tend to have different layers, right? If the developers get to understand the inner workings of 3DS, i think they will be able to "separate" the layers, creating a 3D effect (like thos shown at E3).

Lets just imagine, for examble, Super Mario World. It has the Background, the foreground and the layer where the game "happens", aside from other layers. If you could send the background to be rendered "really at the back" and the foreground "to pop out the screen", you would be able to creat a pseudo 3D effect for old games! And since there is the slider, you could just turn it off if the game gets too ugly for some reason.

What do you think? Am I dreaming too much?

 

[nutella]

Wait, do you mean retro emulators like the SNES but played in 3D? If so, perhaps its possible, but it would be strange for some games. For example, in RPG's, the characters are on different layers to the backgrounds, so instead of a 3D effect, it would look more like a character floating over the background, if that makes any sense. I don't know much about emulation, so I'm just talking out my ass really, but from I do know, I don' think it would work well for a lot of games.

 

[Alex666]

It sounds a bit funny and also what nutella (which i just ate

) said, its gonna be like the characters floating over the background. i think it would look cool maybe but its just a bit gimmicky.
And if such an emulator is even made it wont be before a few years after the 3DS release but im sure it could happen one day

 

[bwillb]

I dunno, the current SNES emulator for DS is absolute crap when it comes to proper layering...

 

[Maplemage]

Then you wake up.

 

[granville]

Current SNES emulators on DS are using a hardware renderer for the graphics, which is fast but very inaccurate. The 3DS should (or will rather) come with a better processor. So with proper programming, the 3DS should be able to handle a proper SNES emulator, using a software renderer.

This news may be somewhat relevant to this topic in a way-
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23421

May be pointing towards a 3D virtual console, who knows?

 

[bwillb]

Current SNES emulators on DS are using a hardware renderer for the graphics, which is fast but very inaccurate. The 3DS should (or will rather) come with a better processor. So with proper programming, the 3DS should be able to handle a proper SNES emulator, using a software renderer.

This news may be somewhat relevant to this topic in a way-
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23421

May be pointing towards a 3D virtual console, who knows?

ah thats true, suppose the xtra hardware would help a bit

I suppose a 3D SNES emulator would make everything look like paper mario

 

[SamAsh07]

First of all, ask yourself lol, "The DSi didn't get hacked will the 3DS get hacked??"

 

[Alex666]

First of all, ask yourself lol, "The DSi didn't get hacked will the 3DS get hacked??"

yeah cause no one wants the dsi to be hacked!
it would be only for the cameras and maybe DSi ware.. so what? if some good coders would really attempt to they would do it but its just isnt worth it. But it is with the 3Ds so remember us optimistic people when after a year or two the 3Ds is hacked

 

[spinal_cord]

I think a 3D snes emulator would be great!!!

Something like this (cross your eyes)...

 

[granville]

That does look amazing spinal! I'd love to see some of the more advanced games in 3D, with many scrolling backgrounds as well like Super Metroid and DKC (not a request to you, but what i'd like to see on the handheld). Would be a great emulator idea for sure. I get the feeling this is something Nintendo is planning themselves, with their retro teasing at E3.

 

[Maikel Steneker]

I think it would be more interesting with N64 games. I'm not saying the 3DS will be able to emulate the N64 properly, but it would be much more interesting with the 3D effect then SNES I think.

But I might as well get the N64 remakes then.

 

[BobTheJoeBob]

First of all, ask yourself lol, "The DSi didn't get hacked will the 3DS get hacked??"

There was no interest in hacking the DSi. But I'm sure there will be a lot of interest for hacking the 3DS.

The idea of a 3D snes emulator sounds good, we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[SamAsh07]

If 3DS does interest the hackers, Nintendo will surely have something up their sleeve, I'm sure the 3DS will have something unique, but alas, every unique thing comes to an end. But lets see if hackers are interested in it. Apart from 3D, what else there is? lol.

 

[toguro_max]

Current SNES emulators on DS are using a hardware renderer for the graphics, which is fast but very inaccurate. The 3DS should (or will rather) come with a better processor. So with proper programming, the 3DS should be able to handle a proper SNES emulator, using a software renderer.

This news may be somewhat relevant to this topic in a way-
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23421

May be pointing towards a 3D virtual console, who knows?

Yep, basically my idea came into after reading this.
I remember when i used to play Neo Geo on Neorage that i could switch on and off several layers. If an 3DS emulator (don't need to be an SNES emu, it was just an example. It could be with an Atari 2600 emu, a NES one, who knows) were able to reach this level of layer handling, then i think it's possible.

Just let's keep in mind it's tjust a theory / imagination. The 3DS isn't even out, for God's sake.

@ spinal: Damn, i can never see these "magical" 3D images >.

 

[Midna]

I think a 3D snes emulator would be great!!!

Something like this (cross your eyes)...

That's amazing.

 

[naruses]

If 3DS does interest the hackers, Nintendo will surely have something up their sleeve, I'm sure the 3DS will have something unique, but alas, every unique thing comes to an end. But lets see if hackers are interested in it. Apart from 3D, what else there is? lol.

Wow, you're such a noob on the 3DS, the 3DS is the Succesor of the DS, it is not another DS revision like the DSi, is a whole new complete concept.
Its like the Gameboy Advance, to the Gameboy, or the DS to the Gameboy Advance.

It will bring us

A great list of 1st and 3rd party games
Improved Graphics and processing
An Analog Stick(Slide Pad)
3D Cameras
Bigger Screen
Gyro-Sensor(Accelerometer)
A lot, lot, more potential
And More!!!(Info we havent get on touch with)

So stop saying things without knowing, you N00B.

 

[DiscostewSM]

While a cool thought, I highly doubt that people would attempt to play emulated SNES games that way. I say that because, first of all, the emulator has to work with something native the the device being emulated (not the game, because each differs one way or another), and with the SNES, the logical thing to do is generate a depth value off of the priority values used in the backgrounds and sprites, but that becomes a problem if you understand how the SNES priority system works.

NES games are one thing because you've got a single background with sprites either behind or in front of it. With the SNES, you've got multiple backgrounds running with per-tile priority as well as sprites with their own priority. Because of per-tile priority, a seamless background may have it's tiles under different priorities, generating "pop-out" tiles when there shouldn't be any if the 3D effect were to be attempted. Plus, a sprite or background tile's priority can change at any moment the code tells it to, so the tiles on a background could continually be moving forward and backward, depending on the circumstances of the code running.

Another thing would be straining the eyes with focusing, if the priority were changed from all the way in the back, to all the way in the front, and vice versa. For example:

Super Mario World, fighting Bowser, at the end of each phase when he flies off into the distance, then comes closer. The priority used for his background (yes, he's not a sprite) keeps him behind everything else, but as he comes closer, his sprite priority changed from last to first instantly, so he blocks everything else. Such an instant change would de-focus your eyes if it was shown in actual 3D, because there is no native "depth" used on the 2D hardware.

 

[Mario92]

How about Virtual Boy emulator? XD

 

[Deathmore]

If people wanted a SNES Emulator you could have got it on your computer, bought a dingoo, got CFW PSP or Jailbroken an iPod Touch!