GimliDS

[wavemotion]

https://github.com/wavemotion-dave/GimliDS

Version 1.3a release 23-Sep-2025 by wavemotion-dave

• Improved keyboard screen dim handling.
• For the DSi and above (with the extra memory), 2MB MagicDesk 16K carts are supported (mainly for SNK vs Capcom - Stronger Edition)
• Other minor tweaks under the hood.

Just a small bump - mainly because I wanted to play the new SNK vs Capcom - Stronger Edition which just dropped. I haven't got enough memory on the older DS-Lite/Phat so the massive 2MB cart will only load on the DSi or above with the extra memory it has. Set the CPU CYCLES to +9 to get this to look reasonably correct.

 

[wavemotion]

Daily build 1.3b that moves to double-sample rate for the DSi and above. This smooths out the SID sound and improves the audio quality somewhat. Unfortunately there just isn't enough free cycles on the older DS-Lite/Phat hardware to use this double sampling so the older hardware still uses the 15KHz sample rate.

This brings the SID chip emulation closer to real HW - but it's still got quite a ways to go. Maybe @FluBBa will grace us with a kick-ass SID chip emulator driver one day

Until then... go play RODLAND!

 

[CrashMidnick]

That’s great, Dave ! Thanks a lot.

 

[wavemotion]

Daily build v1.3d is up with a ton of improvements. I'll be putting out a 1.4 version this week but the readme.md should have the details. This one has some big changes for Cart (.crt) handling - including EasyFlash write-back support and I've added GMOD2 support with the Serial EEPROM for save-games.

Lots of other fixes and improvements here... too many to list.

I need a day or two to really test this before a 1.4 release.

https://github.com/wavemotion-dave/GimliDS

 

[wavemotion]

Version 1.4 release 29-Sep-2025 by wavemotion-dave

• Easyflash now supports flash writes with auto-persist to the SD card.
• GMOD2 cart type (60) supported with Serial EEPROM write to the SD card.
• Fixed Game Config so it properly restores the configuration last saved (oops!) - old configurations will be reset.
• Changed default keymap... B is now UP for help with platform/jumping games, X is SPACE typical for C64 games that need 2 buttons.
• Improved SID emulation on the DSi or above with the extra CPU horsepower.
• Improved keyboard screen dim handling.
• Fix .gss Save State names for cartridges.
• Save state tweaks and fixes. Old save states will be reset.
• Disk and Cartridges can be marked as read-only on a per game configuration basis. Use DISK/FLASH options.
• For the DSi and above (with the extra memory), 2MB MagicDesk 16K carts are supported (mainly for SNK vs Capcom - Stronger Edition)
• Added PAN LEFT / PAN RIGHT options to map keys to slide the screen left/right during gameplay.
• Other minor tweaks under the hood.

 

[Cris1997XX]

I still remember the days when you said improving Commodore 64 emulation on the DS/i to acceptable levels was extremely difficult, if not impossible. I'm glad you proved yourself wrong, Wave

 

[wavemotion]

Okay... I'm almost ready for the 1.5. release but I've just checked in my daily 1.4c build.

I've added some additional cart types (including full Ultimax support) and cleaned up a few areas... but the big news is that I took another pass at optimization and managed to squeeze out another 15% speed. With all the recent improvements, the poor DS-Lite/Phat has somewhat lagged behind. Some games (yes, I'm looking at you Wizball) were running slightly below mid 40s frame rate. With these new speed improvements, that's now at 50fps where it should be for a PAL output. This helps smooth out sound and generally having improved emulation speed is never a bad thing. DS-Lite users rejoice.

Now the DSi didn't need the extra speed so I decided to use it to bump up the SID emulation to the next higher sampling rate. That improves sound slightly on the DSi - many games are sounding quite amazing!

I will do one more cleanup pass and then I'll get the official 1.5 out... but you're welcome to try the 1.4.c that has been uploaded.

As a treat for myself, I purchased Rogue64 and am having a romping great time exploring the dungeons.

 

[djleviticus]

Thanks Dave. Amazing work

 

[nitrozz]

problem with castle_wolfenstein.d64 probably config !? ask for keyboard or joystick then nothing work beside first screen

 

[wavemotion]

problem with castle_wolfenstein.d64 probably config !?

I need to enable TrueDrive to get it to load properly but it won't let me off the first screen either. I tried some of the CPU settings but to no avail. I'll add it to the list of non-working!

 

[wavemotion]

Version 1.5b release 02-Dec-2025 by wavemotion-dave

• Reverted CPU Adjustment to +0 (the +3 was too aggressive for some games - such as the new Sherwood!)
• Slight tweaks to disk icon flashing for read/writes.
• Slight optimization for another frame of performance.

Not really a full release, but an important update... I really don't know why (in v1.4) I bumped the default CPU Adjustment to +3. Must have been trying something and it just sort of snuck into the main build. Anyway... the default should be +0 and some games need tweaks... I only discovered this because I purchased the new Sherwood from Psytronik and it's super enjoyable but wouldn't actually start with the +3 settings!

I'll be adding favorites and probably will do the 50Hz sync trick on GimliDS for a more proper 1.6 release in the coming weeks.

 

[wavemotion]

Getting very close to a 1.6 release. Been working hard on GimliDS.

Version 1.5e has just been uploaded. Just going through testing now.

* Reverted CPU Adjustment to +0 (the +3 was too aggressive for some games - such as the new Sherwood!)
* New Favorites system implemented - press SELECT on game select to toggle LIKE/LOVE.
* Improved CPU timing accuracy for 'borrowed cycles', floppy cycles, etc. More games run more correctly.
* Major reworking of configuration options, all config options are reset with this release.
* New CIA timer adjustment for slight tweaks that some games need (e.g. Flying Shark, Mr. Heli)
* New FLOPPY timer adjustment for slight tweaks that some games need (e.g. Dragon Wars now runs)
* Turrican I now runs - press (and hold) the SELECT KEY on the DS to bypass the main menu and get into the game.
* Slight tweaks to disk icon graphics for read/writes.
* Slight optimization for another frame of performance.

I've added an internal database to set proper tweaks for a number of games. I'll expand this so that more games run 'out of the box' without the need for user intervention.

 

[wavemotion]

Found a SID bug and fixed for some sound improvements! Just checked in 1.5f and still testing (I’m only through A-C alphabeticaly).

And if you didn’t see, Psytronik released a Christmas demo of Sherwood which is my favorite new game. You can try the demo in GimliDS with the file here:

https://psytronik.itch.io/sherwood-xmas

 

[wavemotion]

Version 1.5h checked in: https://github.com/wavemotion-dave/GimliDS

I'm switched to doing a 50Hz True-Sync. The next C64 emulated frame starts when the DS goes into the vBlank period (and I'm using some trickery to get the DS to fire the vBlank at 50Hz instead of the normal 60Hz). This provides for a smoother nearly tear-free rendering of the emulated screen. Not perfect but still quite nice.

I'm almost ready for a 1.6 release - so much has been packed into this one.

 

[wavemotion]

https://github.com/wavemotion-dave/GimliDS

Version 1.6 release 10-Dec-2025 by wavemotion-dave

• New 50Hz True Sync mode which changes the DS native 60Hz refresh to a 50Hz refresh and syncronizes the emulation to provide a nearly tear-free experience.
• New Favorites system implemented - press SELECT on game select to toggle LIKE/LOVE.
• Improved CPU timing accuracy for 'borrowed cycles', floppy cycles, etc. More games run more correctly.
• Improved SID emulation timing - DS-Lite gets a nice sound improvement and fixed bug on DSi for improved rendering.
• Major reworking of configuration options, all config options are reset with this release.
• Configuration changes allow you to press and hold the D-PAD to make rapid changes of things like key maps.
• Pressing X in configuration allow restoring of factory defaults for that game only.
• New CIA timer adjustment for slight tweaks that some games need (e.g. Flying Shark, Mr. Heli)
• New FLOPPY timer adjustment for slight tweaks that some games need (e.g. Dragon Wars now runs)
• Reverted CPU Adjustment to +0 (the +3 was too aggressive for some games - such as the new Sherwood!).
• Turrican I now works... press the DS SELECT key and hold for 1-2 seconds to get past the title screen.
• Fixed DS guru meditation (crash) error on some disk loads (fixes games like Barnsley Badger loading).
• Slight tweaks to disk icon graphics for read/writes.
• Slight optimization for another frame of performance.
• Numerous other small improvements that time forgets.

Time for a break from the Euro-popular computers of the mid 1980s... going back to where it all started for me.

 

[CrashMidnick]

Wow ! Huge update. Thanks Dave

 

[djleviticus]

Wow thanks Dave. So where did it all start for you????

 

[wavemotion]

Wow thanks Dave. So where did it all start for you????

5 years ago... when I couldn't get the original 2011 StellaDS difficulty switch to work on Space Invaders and I took it upon myself to fix it...

 

[Cris1997XX]

From something that small, to developing full emulators...congratulations

 

[FluBBa]

This brings the SID chip emulation closer to real HW - but it's still got quite a ways to go. Maybe @FluBBa will grace us with a kick-ass SID chip emulator driver one day

Well, there is a SID core in my C64 emulator, I guess it's fast but it's missing a lot of things (filter, modulation and more). So I don't think it's such a good idea yet.