The Lynx on DS, is this project feasible?

Indy13

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I know I see it when testing home-brew stuff, but everything else works for me... =(
The ".lnx" files should include a header which is needed still, there are also ".lyx" files which doesn't (shouldn't) have a header.
I don't know if that helps.

here you can test if your rom is in ".lnx" format.
https://atarigamer.com/lynx/lnx2lyx
Thx @FluBBa it works !


I successfully launched Batman Returns!

If anyone is interested in the method here is what I did:

1. find and download lynx games in .lyx format (don't ask me, it's very easy to find on Google)

2. convert games here:

https://atarigamer.com/lyxconverter

3. download the .lnx file + header

And there you have it


I did this because my original .lnx files, the first ones I tested, were not recognized in the lnx2lyx converter
 

plasturion

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Thanks a lot, it works now.
I noticed that avaialble roms on the web in .lnx format are with a header, and sometimes not.
Now is pretty cool to run tiny Chip's Challenge on our device.
 
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Indy13

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I've been converting my complete romset (commercial games + homebrews) since yesterday so I haven't really had time to try many games but for the moment the ones I tested work well, here is ( very small^^) list:

-Batman Returns
-Double Dragon
-Electrocop
-Klax
-Rygar
 

Indy13

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So, uh, a little progress =) I just got my asm cpu spinning in the emulator, double the FPS just like that.
The next big speed-up is probably the sprite blitter, that will take some time to re-implement in asm.
I'm still converting my romsets. I haven't had much time to devote myself to it since the last time (that said, it's still progressing ^^) but I wanted to know if this new ASM processor was in the source code on your github or not yet in order to compile the nds file myself to test on real hardware.

On the other hand I don't know if you planned to make borders later but on the atarigamer site the borders of their online emulator are not bad at all, I saved the image, I'll give it to you attach it if it could ever be useful in the future, who knows :)

I leave you two versions, the original version and a resized version 256x200 pixels in 8-bit depth
 

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a-problem

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This is a pretty exciting project! It's always great to see more games become playable on DS. And I don't even like the Lynx!
 

Indy13

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Hi @FluBBa , hope you're well :)

I tried to compile HandyDS but I got an error message that appears at the end of the process telling me that the lynxboot.img file is missing, so I added the lynxboot.img file several times at a time at the root of the main directory like this:

handy-comp-3.png

but also in the source folder like this:

handy-comp-4.png

I also added the ARMMikey folder to test it but in all the ways I tried from the simplest (without any addition) to the most complex (with lynxboot.img files everywhere) I always come across the same error message, could you tell me what I missed and where should I put my lynxboot.img file?

Here is the result I get:

handy-comp-1.png
handy-comp-2.png


PS: I also tried adding a lynxboot.img file to my devkitpro/devkitARM directory (on my C:/ drive) but I get the same resut unfortunally
 

draftguy123

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Hi @FluBBa , hope you're well :)

I tried to compile HandyDS but I got an error message that appears at the end of the process telling me that the lynxboot.img file is missing, so I added the lynxboot.img file several times at a time at the root of the main directory like this:

View attachment 465013

but also in the source folder like this:

View attachment 465014

I also added the ARMMikey folder to test it but in all the ways I tried from the simplest (without any addition) to the most complex (with lynxboot.img files everywhere) I always come across the same error message, could you tell me what I missed and where should I put my lynxboot.img file?

Here is the result I get:

View attachment 465015
View attachment 465016


PS: I also tried adding a lynxboot.img file to my devkitpro/devkitARM directory (on my C:/ drive) but I get the same resut unfortunally
I got it to compile after editing Cart.s file, line 42.
Change from
.incbin "roms/lynxboot.img"

to absolute path e.g.
.incbin "c:/yourpath/roms/lynxboot.img"

build2.jpg
 
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Indy13

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I'm sorry for the confusion, I try to keep things under wraps for a little bit more.

Oh sorry buddy, I didn't want to embarrass you with my somewhat inappropriate curiosity, I completely understand, I will try @draftguy123 's solution and in the future if ever I can't compile the source code, I'll be patient, no problem ;) Once again, sorry for my clumsiness.
 

Indy13

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I have finally finished sorting and testing my Lynx romset, for these tests, I based myself on the startup of the roms and their playability, obviously, I have not finished all the games, so there may be in the lot of games which could encounter problems over the length, I have not done the comparison on real hardware or with another emulator, here again, there may be possible display problems which could have escape.

Between the start and the end of the tests, I followed the evolution of HandyDS by regularly compiling the additions that @FluBBa has made until today.

Unless I'm mistaken, the sound and borders don't seem to be functional yet, however, there is a clear improvement in speed since the addition of the Mikey processor, little by little the Lynx catalog is starting to be a little more playable by setting the speed to the “Max” position.

Here are the test results, they are classified into three categories:

1. games, prototypes, demos and homebrews that work.

lynx-ok-01.png

lynx-ok-02.png

lynx-ok-04.png

2. Prototypes, demos, hombrews that work but the interest is relative (this is my personal opinion based on a subjective choice)

lynx-ok-03.png

3. Prototypes, demos and homebrews that do not work (all Lynx games official ones seem to work more or less correctly)

lynx-bad-04.png


There you go friends, I hope this will be useful for the future :)
 
Last edited by Indy13,

CrashMidnick

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So here is a version with my asm cpu and most of Mikey redone, fps varies wildly which I guess is dependent on how much is done by the Suzy (graphics blitter). So rewriting Suzy is my next project.
What are the new paths ? It seems that LodjurDS does not find any bios (I try to launch a game and the emu freezes).

I have folders in root directory :
"Lynx" (cfg)
"Lodjurds" with lynxboot.img (bios)

ROMS are in a separate folder SD:\roms\Lynx

Thx

EDIT : OK solved, I had to re select my bios from within the emu.
EDIT 2 : huge FPS boost ! You rock Flubba.
EDIT 3 : Lynx folder is not needed anymore, everything goes into Lodjurds folder in the root (config file and bios). Roms and emulator can be placed where you want. DOUBLE DRAGON : 37 FPS on DSlite ! 55-60 fps on DSi.
 
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Indy13

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I did not retest my entire romset but simply the roms which had problems or which did not work and with this latest version, we can add the following roms to the playable games:

Capture d'écran 2024-11-04 021451.png
 

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