OpenLara - GBA port

[Deleted member 323844]

I cant help but think of the implications of this for other PS1 games potentially finding their way to GBA. Is this even possible? One of my biggest complaints of the GBA library was the lack of many M rated games, especially survival horror.

How likely is it that this could lead to something like RE3 (the smallest of the original RE games, and my personal fav) being in the realm of possible on GBA?

What would be required to achieve such a task?

XProger is not porting random games to GBA. He is the author of OpenLara and he has ported it to many platforms, except the Dreamcast one (which has been developed by another author).

Port begging makes no sense at all since 90% of games don't have source code. Reversing projects take years, if the game is ease to reverse (debug builds, symbols, etc).

There's a tech demo of Resident Evil 2 for Game Boy Advance, made by Raylight Studios as a presentation card for Capcom. That's probably the closest thing you will see.

 

[Adrian-E-C]

XProger is not porting random games to GBA. He is the author of OpenLara and he has ported it to many platforms, except the Dreamcast one (which has been developed by another author).

Port begging makes no sense at all since 90% of games don't have source code. Reversing projects take years, if the game is ease to reverse (debug builds, symbols, etc).

There's a tech demo of Resident Evil 2 for Game Boy Advance, made by Raylight Studios as a presentation card for Capcom. That's probably the closest thing you will see.

A - I know who he is and what he's done, thanks!

B- I am not port begging, I am asking if the way this has been done can be applied to other similar games, not asking him to do it himself. Just curious about how it works and if/how it can be applied to other games. Big difference there pal.

C- I am fully aware of the tech demos for RE1-2 for GBA from Raylight, I have seen and played both, and often chat with Massimiliano Di Mondo (CEO of Raylight), we even pitched a GBA demake of RE3 to Capcom not too long ago, but sadly R3make was already being developed, so they were interested in the general idea, but weren't interested in RE3 specifically. But the RE3 Demake would not be a port, it would be a completely rebuilt game using assets from the old game, so not really the same as how OpenLara functions from what I understand.

Next time you want to shitpost, be sure to carefully read what someone is asking before you do. Thanks man. No hard feelings.

 

[Tarmfot]

Any chances of a ds/dsi port?

 

[Adrian-E-C]

Any chances of a ds/dsi port?

I read that an openlara port is in the works for ds/dsi: https://hothardware.com/news/modder-ps1-classic-tomb-raider-game-boy-advance

 

[naxeras]

New changes. I have been testing it and the latest changes could have broken some things, for example the two bears positions in the second level are weird, the first tries to clip through walls and the second is in the second floor! I have never seen it there. Bats act weird as well. I guess XProger has downgraded the IA to save cycles, maybe?

Slow memory has made it compatible with more platforms, like some flashcards, open_agb_firm and such, but it tends to crash after a while, randomly, sometimes it can be completed, other times it just crash.

Is not working on EZflash IV atm even with the 2 alternate builds.

 

[Technicmaster0]

There have been some reports of incompatibility of this game with different flashcarts so I made some tests on my own. Here are my results:

Supercard MicroSD:
games patched with the pc application
Generally low framerate (max 16FPS)
Old: had to select game multiple times
New: Works fine
No Waitcnt: Main Menu doesn't work. Maybe same problem as Old
Slow ewram: Works, maybe weapon menu is slow

EZ Flash IV Lite Deluxe (FAT only firmware):
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash V 3in1 Expansion Pack (NOR):
Wood was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Sadly no rumble
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash V 3in1 Expansion Pack (RAM):
Wood was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Sadly no rumble
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash OMEGA:
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: worked but crashed once
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash OMEGA Definitive Edition:
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

Pokemon clone cartridge:
B2S was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

I've only played the beginning of the first level with each card, so some problems might not be reflected in this list. I haven't tried saving and I'm pretty sure that there would be issues with the pokemon clone cartridge if I tried to save.

 

[gnmmarechal]

That's pretty cool!

 

[XProger]

Technicmaster0, GIANT thanks!

 

[Deleted member 323844]

 

[AmberHeardFan]

Holy shit dude, this is fucking impressive. I know devs put out a few 3D games for the GBA in its time, but I honestly don't believe a single one of them looked this good.

Top Gear Rally was the closest to PS1 graphics the GBA had in its heyday. That was the most graphically complex game I've seen running at 30fps on GBA.

 

[AmberHeardFan]

Holy shit dude, this is fucking impressive. I know devs put out a few 3D games for the GBA in its time, but I honestly don't believe a single one of them looked this good.

Top Gear Rally was the closest to PS1 graphics the GBA had in its heyday. That was the most graphically complex game I've seen running at 30fps on GBA.

 

[Deleted member 323844]

Top Gear Rally was the closest to PS1 graphics the GBA had in its heyday. That was the most graphically complex game I've seen running at 30fps on GBA.

Top Gear is very very boring, graphically speaking. Basically a hallway with a few textures, and the cars are fairly simple. VD's V-Rally 3 has 2D cars, but the track is MUCH more detailed (and it runs much better). Even Colin McRae Rally 2.0 looks better, albeit it has a flat track.

That speaking about racing games. VD's Asterix & Obelix XXL blows all of them out of the water. It's definitely the most complex retail game of GBA.

 

[Adrian-E-C]

Top Gear is very very boring, graphically speaking. Basically a hallway with a few textures, and the cars are fairly simple. VD's V-Rally 3 has 2D cars, but the track is MUCH more detailed (and it runs much better). Even Colin McRae Rally 2.0 looks better, albeit it has a flat track.

That speaking about racing games. VD's Asterix & Obelix XXL blows all of them out of the water. It's definitely the most complex retail game of GBA.

To be fair, neither Tom Gear Rally or Asterix and Obelix XXL are pushing as many polygons as OpenLara here is. Though they have very clever implementations, they are essentially both doing the opposite of what Tony Hawk or Max Payne did on GBA, whereas those games featured 2d worlds with 3d characters navigating them. Top Gear, and A&O both have basic 3d polygonal environments with sprites made from renders, animated to appear 3d.

The simple fact that environments, items, characters, and enemies in OpenLara are ALL true 3d objects is simply mind blowing. Nothing like this has ever run on the GBA before, though graphically several projects come close. Pretty much anything from VD and Raylight Studios was accepted as the best the GBA would ever do for 3D, but this port of Tomb Raider shows us what clever programming and a deep knowledge of how to optimize for the arm processor can really do. And its only going to get better as it is optimized more and expanded into a full game.

If anyone is curious about knowing of every possible example or 3d games (or games with 3d segments) on the GBA, check out SSFF's kick ass vids on exactly this topic!

Part1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlWSsI1X-0Q
Part2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OluuAs3IAM
FPS Edition Part1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ngdYD31HQ
FPS Edition Part2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvFWd0Lj9DQ
Surprise 3D in GBA Games: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6SfWrHcItg

 

[Deleted member 323844]

Yes, OpenLara is definitely something else, that's what I said "retail game". And I wouldn't say A&OXXL environment is "basic", at all.

Raylight demos were outstanding, but they retail games were technically average, at best. And the only BlueRoses leaked demo from them is the Resident Evil 2 tech demo, which is not exactly the most powerful they shown back in the day.

 

[naxeras]

There have been some reports of incompatibility of this game with different flashcarts so I made some tests on my own. Here are my results:

Supercard MicroSD:
games patched with the pc application
Generally low framerate (max 16FPS)
Old: had to select game multiple times
New: Works fine
No Waitcnt: Main Menu doesn't work. Maybe same problem as Old
Slow ewram: Works, maybe weapon menu is slow

EZ Flash IV Lite Deluxe (FAT only firmware):
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash V 3in1 Expansion Pack (NOR):
Wood was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Sadly no rumble
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash V 3in1 Expansion Pack (RAM):
Wood was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Sadly no rumble
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash OMEGA:
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: worked but crashed once
Slow ewram: Works just fine

EZ-Flash OMEGA Definitive Edition:
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

Pokemon clone cartridge:
B2S was used to write the game to the cartridge
normal framerate (max 17/18fps)
Old: Works just fine
New: Works just fine
No Waitcnt: Works just fine
Slow ewram: Works just fine

I've only played the beginning of the first level with each card, so some problems might not be reflected in this list. I haven't tried saving and I'm pretty sure that there would be issues with the pokemon clone cartridge if I tried to save.

Hi, is not working into Ezflash IV miniSd edittion.

When I press start in the menu nothing happens

What version do you have?

regards

 

[Adrian-E-C]

Yes, OpenLara is definitely something else, that's what I said "retail game". And I wouldn't say A&OXXL environment is "basic", at all.

Raylight demos were outstanding, but they retail games were technically average, at best. And the only BlueRoses leaked demo from them is the Resident Evil 2 tech demo, which is not exactly the most powerful they shown back in the day.

Obviously you haven't played Wing Commander Prophecy, Ozzy and Drix, Big Mutha Truckers, or Smashing Drive, as they have both complex polygonal environments and characters/vehicles. I would say they are far from "technically average".

I would love to know what you are picturing in your head for Raylight's GBA library, as the tech demos for Metal Gear, Resident Evil, and so on, are not doing anything technically that Smashing Drive isn't doing.


As for the only tech demo leaked from them being Resident Evil 2... Not entirely true. I've played several of their tech demos, as have a few other folks that aren't members of Raylight. They just aren't widely available to the public.

 

[Technicmaster0]

Hi, is not working into Ezflash IV miniSd edittion.

When I press start in the menu nothing happens

What version do you have?

regards

I'm using an EZ-Flash IV Lite Deluxe with [SD]V1.700. It's one of the old FWs with DS mode support but limited to 2GB storage.
It's possible that your SD is corrupt or that your adapter doesn't work properly (if you use a microsd to minisd converter).

 

[naxeras]

I'm using an EZ-Flash IV Lite Deluxe with [SD]V1.700. It's one of the old FWs with DS mode support but limited to 2GB storage.
It's possible that your SD is corrupt or that your adapter doesn't work properly (if you use a microsd to minisd converter).

No, other games working good, even I tried with other builds.

I´m using 2.05 Kernel.

Regards.

 

[ghjfdtg]

Did you try the latest build linked earlier by stranno? It should fix issues with slow flashcarts.

 

[XProger]

No, other games working good, even I tried with other builds.

I´m using 2.05 Kernel.

Regards.

Have you tried the rom file from readme.txt?