GBARunner3?

[DSoryu]

I have an original DS with Ace3DS+ R4 card and when I boot GBArunner3.nds all I get is the "Gameboy" in the gameboy advanced splash screen and then it freezes

GBARunner3 doesn't have any file explorer, it can only load root:/rom.gba by default. You need to use a frontend with argv support, such as TwilightMenu++, as a rom selector:

To have GBARunner3 test builds loading GBA roms in TwilightMenu++ you need:

• TwilightMenu++ 27.5.0 or higher
• Download https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226
• Extract `GBARunner3.nds` inside \_nds\TWiLightMenu\emulators
• Get (on your own) a GBA bios bios.bin, and put it inside \_gba
• Extract the configs folder from the downloaded .zip and copy it inside of the \_gba folder, it should be \_gba\configs.

Then TwilightMenu++ will automatically switch from using GBARunner2 to 3 to load GBA roms.

 

[Deleted member 704126]

GBARunner3 doesn't have any file explorer, it can only load root:/rom.gba by default. You need to use a frontend with argv support, such as TwilightMenu++, as a rom selector:

To have GBARunner3 test builds loading GBA roms in TwilightMenu++ you need:

• TwilightMenu++ 27.5.0 or higher
• Download https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226
• Extract `GBARunner3.nds` inside \_nds\TWiLightMenu\emulators
• Get (on your own) a GBA bios bios.bin, and put it inside \_gba
• Extract the configs folder from the downloaded .zip and copy it inside of the \_gba folder, it should be \_gba\configs.

Then TwilightMenu++ will automatically switch from using GBARunner2 to 3 to load GBA roms.

There's also this.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Hey there, recently I've been playing quite a lot of GBA games on my DSi, and while most of them work without issues, there's one specific romhack that refuses to work with it right now for me, I originally posted the details on the Twilight Menu thread, and in there Robz suggested using GBARunner3 instead of GBARunner2.

However, when updating to GBARunner3 the game now refuses to boot at all, only giving a white screen on boot, while with GBARunner2, the game did boot and got into gameplay, with the only issue being unable to save the game.

I found what seems to be a saving issue on a very specific GBA romhack when running it through GBARunner2.
The hack in question is a fork of Crystal Dust, which is a remake of Pokemon Crystal made in Gen 3 with Pokemon Emerald as base:
https://github.com/Deokishisu/CrystalDust

The fork specifically adds a bunch of QoL features, and can be found in GitLab:
https://gitlab.com/devolov/crystaldust_fork

When trying to run the Crystal Dust Fork through GBARunner2, the game does boot up normally and all, but upon reaching the main game and attempting to save, I get a save error immediately, making the game unable to save at all.
It's important to note, however, that this does not happen with the normal Crystal Dust hack, it seems to be related only to the Fork itself.

I have included BPS patches for both normal Crystal Dust and the Fork for testing, if needed, though I'm not sure if this is the right place to report about this very niche saving error on such an obscure romhack.

Both patches should be applied over a vanilla Pokemon Emerald (USA) ROM, with:
CRC32: 1f1c08fb
MD5: 605b89b67018abcea91e693a4dd25be3

 

[Deleted member 702243]

However, when updating to GBARunner3 the game now refuses to boot at all, only giving a white screen on boot, while with GBARunner2, the game did boot and got into gameplay, with the only issue being unable to save the game.

use hicode build of gbarunner3, I doubt emerald rom hacks would work otherwise and white screen is expected

 

[ShadowOne333]

use hicode build of gbarunner3, I doubt emerald rom hacks would work otherwise and white screen is expected

Thank you, do you happen to have a link to that build so I can try it out?

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Thank you, do you happen to have a link to that build so I can try it out?

https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/artifacts/1433486002

need to be logged in to github, otherwise this should do it

https://nightly.link/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/GBARunner3.zip

I cant guarantee that it will work still, compatibility with rom hacks isnt the best especially if they did a lot of code modifications with the decompilation and all that. the addresses in the jit patches for the base game might not match up properly with the rom hack for example

 

[ShadowOne333]

https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/artifacts/1433486002

need to be logged in to github, otherwise this should do it

https://nightly.link/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/GBARunner3.zip

I cant guarantee that it will work still, compatibility with rom hacks isnt the best especially if they did a lot of code modifications with the decompilation and all that. the addresses in the jit patches for the base game might not match up properly with the rom hack for example

Downloaded it and extracted it into the right folder, but unfortunately it seems like the hack still boots to a white screen.
The normal base romhack (Crystal Dust) does boot but doesn't get in-game neither.
Actually, now that I remember, I think the problem with the forked romhack in the original Runner2 was that it got the message of the internal battery running dry, and that was what prompted the error.
With Runner3, normal Crystal Dust gets this message as well.

Either way, I thank you for providing the links for testing. I will most likely switch back to Runner2 for the compatibility and being able to switch the buttons, but I'll keep an eye out for Runner3 and test it out as it progresses.

Thanks again!

 

[Deleted member 702243]

Actually, now that I remember, I think the problem with the forked romhack in the original Runner2 was that it got the message of the internal battery running dry, and that was what prompted the error.
With Runner3, normal Crystal Dust gets this message as well.

battery is not related to saving, and also gbarunner3 doesnt have rtc yet so the dry battery message is normal

I dont know why the rtc wouldnt be working for the base hack in gbarunner2 though

 

[Nikstoun]

Hello, how to use border and set color correction? Can't find any info about settings

Upd. Found a solution. Border needs to be in 8bit bmp placed in _gba and called border.bmp(can be different name, but afaik requires command in config to work). Color correction is another command in config and imo it looks bad, for me it's better to just lower brightness via select+vlmdown

 

[devlman127]

Hello, how to use border and set color correction? Can't find any info about settings

Upd. Found a solution. Border needs to be in 8bit bmp placed in _gba and called border.bmp(can be different name, but afaik requires command in config to work). Color correction is another command in config and imo it looks bad, for me it's better to just lower brightness via select+vlmdown

Where's the config stored?

 

[Maxwellp]

I didn't contribute or join the gbarunner3 discord but at least wanted to bring attention to some working romhacks on it. Also say THANKS, because this is incredibly impressive hypervisor work for a 15 year old console. You devs are incredible.

Castlevania Aria of Sorrow: Altar - seems to work great

Castlevania Aria of Sorrow: Reprise - seems to work great

Doom : Performance patch - works but has occasional audio clicking

Goodboy Galaxy - Works great but some tracks have occasional sound clicking

Kien - Works well but occasional sound stuttering

Pokemon roguelike - Edit, boots with newest hicode compilation!

Rockman Exe 4.5 Real Operation - seems to work

Pokemon Fused Dimensions - seems to work

Metroid Fusion: Special Edition - seems to work great


I compiled the hicode branch that boots pokemon emerald romhacks amongst other fixes, and uploaded it here if anyone is interested. If that's not okay, let me know to remove it.

 

[ipkpjersi]

I'm still new to all of this, and I noticed that GBARunner3 doesn't seem to have a GUI yet like for selecting ROMs to play, is there one planned? I only run my devices stock and don't want to run them, so since I have an R4 having a game selector is very important to me.

 

[DSoryu]

I'm still new to all of this, and I noticed that GBARunner3 doesn't seem to have a GUI yet like for selecting ROMs to play, is there one planned? I only run my devices stock and don't want to run them, so since I have an R4 having a game selector is very important to me.

See previous posts for answers.

 

[ipkpjersi]

See previous posts for answers.

I do appreciate that there are some ways to get it running on my R4iLS running Wood R4 1.62, but I'm still curious if a file explorer is planned for GBARunner3 or if, unlike GBARunner2, it simply won't ever have one?

edit:
Since I'm on Wood R4 1.62, the .gbr file associations __rpg/associations.ini doesn't seem to work (since Wood R4 is actually a fork of 1.25 I believe, it doesn't have the features that the actual 1.45 does like that __rpg/associations.ini).

I was able to get TwilightMenu++ working, and I can now launch games via GBARunner3 with that, but it would still be easiest to me if I could just use my Wood R4 directly to launch GBARunner3 and have a file explorer like I do with GBARunner2.

I also noticed that GBARunner3 seems to be giving me some slowdowns for example in Tony Hawk Underground 1 compared to the latest GBARunner2. Still, it's cool to see that GBARunner is still being developed so many years later.

FWIW I'm using the https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8960900169 profi200s dsi sd card driver build since it's the only one still downloadable currently.

 

[RocketRobz]

I do appreciate that there are some ways to get it running on my R4iLS running Wood R4 1.62, but I'm still curious if a file explorer is planned for GBARunner3 or if, unlike GBARunner2, it simply won't ever have one?

Gericom has stated that GBARunner3 is being made with frontends (like TWLMenu++) in mind, so no file explorer is planned.

I was able to get TwilightMenu++ working, and I can now launch games via GBARunner3 with that, but it would still be easiest to me if I could just use my Wood R4 directly to launch GBARunner3 and have a file explorer like I do with GBARunner2.

TWiLight Menu++ has a Wood UI theme, so you could try switching it to that theme.
You can also turn off the splash screens for the theme to start faster.

 

[LexDG]

I see the two specific games I’m looking to play (minish cap and Mario & Luigi) need patches. Where get. How do?

 

[DSoryu]

I see the two specific games I’m looking to play (minish cap and Mario & Luigi) need patches. Where get. How do?

Follow the steps written in the first post of this page. Mario and Luigi won't work unfortunately due to a timing issue.

 

[LexDG]

Follow the steps written in the first post of this page. Mario and Luigi won't work unfortunately due to a timing issue.

1.) I meant mario vs donkey kong
2.) so there is no need to patch the games? They just work?

Post automatically merged: Aug 6, 2024

Also, where can I download it? All links seem to lead nowhere for me

 

[devlman127]

You can check the compatibility list here

Strange, this appears empty on mobile

 

[TMCThomas]

https://github.com/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/artifacts/1433486002

need to be logged in to github, otherwise this should do it

https://nightly.link/Gericom/GBARunner3/actions/runs/8774508226/GBARunner3.zip

I cant guarantee that it will work still, compatibility with rom hacks isnt the best especially if they did a lot of code modifications with the decompilation and all that. the addresses in the jit patches for the base game might not match up properly with the rom hack for example

Does anyone still have this build? The downloads on github seem to be expired unfortunately