Homebrew NES Emulation

[DB62]

Hi

First of all, for Nintendo NES emulation, which emulator is better:
NesterDS or NesDS?

Second, if it is NesDS I understand to extract that to a folder, then I get NDSTOOL and put it in the same folder... but... the next step of: Run 'make_nds.bat" how do you do that? After I put the NDSTOOL in that same folder, it DOES NOT prompt me to do that. If I run the NDSTOOL in that folder, it just flashes very quickly but still doesnt prompt me for that command. What am I doing wrong or how do I get to that prompt? Also is there any tutorials or instructions on how to run the NesterDS? Would I still need the NDSTOOL for that emulator? Thanks in advance to all,

Dan

I have the M3 DS Simply...

 

[Destructobot]

You don't run ndstool.exe. You put it in the same folder as the nesDS files, then double click on make_nds.bat. Make_nds.bat will use ndstool.exe when it needs it.


I've never used NesterDS, so I can't compare the two emulators.

 

[FAST6191]

I do not know if any nes emus support DS slot carts yet but nesDS is generally regarded as the best. If you can get the WIP version working even better.

I have not added in nesterDS usage yet but this may be worth a read too:
http://ezflash.sosuke.com/wiki/index.php?title=NES

 

[Destructobot]

Emu_kidid's WIP version doesn't add anything for the R4/Simply. It basically fixes up the saving for some old slot 2 carts and nothing else.

 

[DB62]

Thanks for both of your responses! I DID put the NDSTOOL in the same folder as nesDS but what I have is just an exe file for that....there is NOTHING that states make_nds.bat. after double clicking that NDSTOOL file! Do I have the correct NDSTOOL file or do you know what might be happening? Thanks again

Dan

 

[Destructobot]

Do not double click ndstool.exe! Ever! You do not use that file manually, it just needs to be there so that make_nds.bat can use it.

Make_nds.bat and all of the other files you need(except the roms), are included with the nesDS distribution. You put ndstool.exe and all the files from nesDS in a folder and double click make_nds.bat.

I wrote up step by step instructions in this other thread: http://gbatemp.net/index.php?showtopic=449...ndpost&p=574534
NesDS: http://www.eng.utah.edu/~tew/nesDS/

 

[Icarus]

Does any of those emulators have state saving ?

 

[Destructobot]

Does any of those emulators have state saving ?

Emu_kidid's nesDS WIP does, but it only works on some of the older slot 2 carts: the GBAMP, the supercards up to and including the miniSD one, possibly some others. Basically, just some of the carts that were supported by the old fatlib. I think the DS-X uses the same filesystem interface as the GBAMP, so save states might work on it.

It also has SRAM saving for GBA carts like the F2A, but not save states.


AFAIK there is no way to get nes roms to save at all on any slot 1 cart other than the DS-X.

 

[DB62]

Destructobot & FAST6191

THANK YOU!!! And my daughter even thanks you more

. I finally got the nesDS emulator to work on my M3DS Simply. Without your little guide and help, I never would have done it. My next question is can I get any of these other classic emulators to work on the M3DS Simply?
Atari 2600
Colecovision
Sega Genesis
Commodore 64

If so, do I set them up the same way as I did the nesDS and would also still need the NDSTOOL for them? Any other advice or tips would be appreciated!

Dan

 

[Destructobot]

There is a Genesis emulator called Picodrive. It uses DLDI, which allows it to read the rom files directly off the SD card. It has no sound, and it's not all that fast.

There is a C64 emulator called FrodoDS, it also uses DLDI. I don't know how well it performs, I've never used it myself.

I don't know if there are emulators for the 2600 or the Colecovision.

 

[DB62]

Would the DS emulation perform better if I didnt use my slot 1
M3 DS Simply card and used something else for slot 2 instead?
Would that also make a difference for those other emulations I asked for? Thanks again,

Dan

 

[FAST6191]

All emus that support DLDI should not be affected by DS slot or GBA slot. A fair few older emus (and programs) will be though.
Forgetting about pre-DLDI stuff for a second GBA slot carts are the only things that supports GBA file systems well enough to be sure (which a lot of older homebrew uses), you may also have to contend with homebrew that wants to read from older carts and was compiled without an extenisive FAT library or better yet DLDI support (this often means only bulkydevices like the supercard CF can be used). Most support appended files though which are GBA card only.

+1 to destructobot, picodrive is the best megadrive/genesis emu (the only other was a proof of concept port), you can get away with running PAL games fairly well for low action stuff or text based things (I have been playing phantasy star 4 with it for a while now). There were a lot of ports of SNES/megadrive era games to the GBA too.

As for frodoDS, frodo is the emu it was ported from and is not considered that good compared to some of the others. Recent builds though has recieved a fair amount of positive praise though.

Atari 2600, done by StellaDS.
(homepage is not working for me right now so a link to a news site instead):
http://nintendo-ds.dcemu.co.uk/emulators-f...o-ds-19962.html
There were also some collections/remakes/ports on the GBA if I recall and some GBA code emulators although I have no experience with them (perhaps becuase they only saw alphas/screenshots).

Colecovision
http://www.portabledev.com/pages/ds/jeuxde...so/colecods.php
Not used it personally although the author is one of the most respected authors in the DS emulation community.