#Sega Saturn
celest lake
untold cloud
I still have the ROMs in the old place, I believe it scans that folder anyway.
OK, maybe not. lol
I had to copy into /media/fat/games/mame, before it would load.
And also move the stvbios.zip there.
I did think it was weird, 'cos the Arcade folder is usually for "Cores", or MRAs.
epr-23603.ic8 (Japan STV BIOS) missing from my stvbios.zip now. sigh
I really wish MAME had a naming convention, for the VERSION of the ROM zips.
Just went through FIVE different versions of stvbios.zip, until I found the one with 23603 in.
Aaaaand... black screen.
@warped saddle Was prikura one of the games which doesn't currently boot?
I should at least see the STV BIOS screen, right?
Interesting side note...
warped saddle
I booted fully into the game
untold cloud
Since I now have the RBF loaded from a different folder... it hadn't saved the Cartridge: STV option. lol
So yeah, had to change that, Save the settings (in the MiSTer other-other menu).
Then try the MRA again...
Thanks for that. 😉
I don't know if there would be a way for main MiSTer to force that Cart option to STV, when loading an MRA. Probably not.
Since the main MiSTer process doesn't really "know" anything about most of the menu options. All it does is read the CONF_STR to display the options, then twiddles the bits of the "status" bus.
It's down to the core author, to decide what to do with those bits.
So basically, you just need to remember to set Cartridge: to STV first, Save the settings, then try loading the MRA (as if it's a "core").
Nice. That works very well, so far.
And now I see why MRAs are good for the control mapping names, too.
Button mappings are messed up.
"Up" doesn't seem to work.
Actually, more like they are shifted.
So "Left" is missing, and Up, Down, Right aren't mapped correctly.
warped saddle
delete the button line in the mra and see what happens there
I left it in by accident
warped saddle
and it won't inherit your mappings from the saturn core since the 'setname' is different
so the mra can't force the STV bit, but if you modified the core to have a dedicated ioctl_index for the STV cartridge you could just send it that way
untold cloud
Controls still wonky.
Up doesn't seem to work.
I deleted the whole Buttons line in the MRA, overwrote the old one.
Then re-did the button mapping from the menu.
Which is now the Saturn style buttons.
Isometric view is breaking my brain. lol
Confirmed, the button mapping in the core is messed up.
Up key doesn't work at all.
Then Left, Down, Right get mapped to Up, Down, Right.
Weird mapping thing in the top-level Saturn.sv...
joy1 / JOY1 bus...
bit [15] = Right
bit [14] = Left
bit [13] = Down
bit [12] = Up
bit [11] = Start
bit [10] = A
bit [9] = C
bit [8] = B
Srg's mapping in the STV IO module...
assign IN[0] = {1'b1,JOY1[15:12],JOY1[9],JOY1[8],JOY1[10]};
ancient surge
Make sure srg is aware of these problems so he can fix it.
untold cloud
Will do, as soon as I can wrap my brain around it all. lol
I can't see any obvious reason atm, oh. Yes I can...
Only three bits assigned to the lower bits there.
With the upper bit forced to 1 (ie. "no button pressed", because they are Active-LOW).
The map I used...
// PORTs A, B, E, F. (Player 1, 2, 3, 4)...
//
// b7 = Left
// b6 = Right
// b5 = Up
// b4 = Down
// b3 = Button 4 (P3/P4 use this for Start)
// b2 = Button 3
// b1 = Button 2
// b0 = Button 1
//
// Button inputs to core are Active-LOW !
//
wire [7:0] P1_CONT = ~{joy0[1],joy0[0],joy0[3],joy0[2], joy0[7:4]};
is the 'please check cartridge for improper installation' a bios version/region mismatch thing?
untold cloud
That sounds more like when one or more of the ROMs isn't byteswapped properly, or not loaded into the correct addr offsets.
But it could also be due to protection IC stuff (the lack of).
joy1 / JOY1 bus...
bit [15] = Right
bit [14] = Left
bit [13] = Down
bit [12] = Up
bit [11] = Start
bit [10] = A
bit [9] = C // Note: C and B are swapped in the top-level Saturn.sv.
bit [8] = B // Don't ask me why. lol (ElectronAsh).
// Srg's original mapping in the STV IO module...
assign IN[0] = {1'b1,JOY1[15:12],JOY1[9],JOY1[8],JOY1[10]};
// Possible fix...
// IN[7]=Left, IN[6]=Right, IN[5]=Up, IN[4]=Down, IN[3]=B4 (P3/P4 Start?), IN[2]=B3, IN[1]=B2, IN[0]=B1.
assign IN[0] = {JOY1[14], JOY1[15], JOY1[12], JOY1[13], 1'b1, JOY1[9], JOY1[8], JOY1[10]};
I think DDR3.
//assign IN[0] = {1'b1,JOY1[15:12],JOY1[9],JOY1[8],JOY1[10]}; // Srg's original mapping.
//assign IN[1] = {1'b1,JOY2[15:12],JOY2[9],JOY2[8],JOY2[10]};
assign IN[0] = {JOY1[14], JOY1[15], JOY1[12], JOY1[13], 1'b1, JOY1[9], JOY1[8], JOY1[10]}; // PORT-A (P1). Fix by EA.
assign IN[1] = {JOY2[14], JOY2[15], JOY2[12], JOY2[13], 1'b1, JOY2[9], JOY2[8], JOY2[10]}; // PORT-B (P2). Fix by EA.
assign IN[2] = {1'b1,1'b1,JOY2[11],JOY1[11],JOY1[7],JOY1[3],1'b1,JOY1[11]}; // PORT-C (SYSTEM).
assign IN[3] = 8'h00; // PORT-D (OUTPUT) JAMMA (56P) + CN25 (JST NH 5P)
assign IN[4] = 8'hFF; // PORT-E (P3). CN32 (JST NH 9P)
assign IN[5] = {1'b1,JOY2[4],JOY2[5],JOY2[6],1'b1,JOY1[4],JOY1[5],JOY1[6]}; // PORT-F (P4) / Extra 6B "Kick" layout) CN21 (JST NH 11P)
assign IN[6] = 8'hFF; // PORT-G. CN20 (JST NH 10P)
assign IN[7] = 8'hFF; // Unused port ?
Adding comments is important.
Gonna try that.
Takes 36 minutes to compile the Saturn/STV core, on this PC (3700X, 16GB).
warped saddle
I added mra loading to his battletoads core last week and I'm getting some 'that ddram controller looks familiar' vibes here
untold cloud
I need some kind of DDR arbiter thing, for the DC PVR2 "core" soon.
So it will latch the texture reads, and the Tile writebacks.
'cos it kind of needs to do both at the same time.
And the standard DDR controller only has one "port" / Address input, so yeah.
warped saddle
oh I see, he's swapping stv on load. I'm probably getting a bit too far ahead here trying to figure out how to direct to ddr rom loading working before I can even get a second game booting, lol
untold cloud
One thing that MiSTer does, just to add to the confusion...
If you have the "Width" param on the HPS_IO module set to 16-bit.
It will BYTESWAP the data, as it gets loaded. lol
I can't stand the whole Little Endian thing.
imo, the data should always be loaded in the same order it gets read from the file.
I understand some of the reasons why Little Endian exists, but it's super annoying.
naive whale
oh I see, he's swapping stv on load. I'm probably getting a bit too far ahead he...
haha I got three to consistently boto so far
warped saddle
well I tried to make a diehard mra and then was like 'how can I make this faster....'
untold cloud
wire bios_download = ioctl_download & (ioctl_index[5:2] == 4'b0000 && ioctl_index[1:0] != 2'h3);
wire cart_download = ioctl_download & (ioctl_index[5:2] == 4'b0000 && ioctl_index[1:0] == 2'h3);
wire save_download = ioctl_download & (ioctl_index[5:2] == 4'b0001);
the worse was when I was doing battletoads the memory dumping tool was byteswapping the display and I was briefly (not so briefly...) confused
untold cloud
MRA loading is currently quite slow, via hps_io.
When I tested it many years ago, the internal bus thing could only manage about 1.6 MBytes/sec.
warped saddle
yeah, you can just make it copy it directly to ddr3
untold cloud
Loading directly into DDR3 from the ARM Linux side, should be WAYYYYYY faster.
wire [26:1] IO_ADDR = cart_download ? {1'b1,ioctl_addr[25:1]} : {8'b00000000,ioctl_addr[18:1]};
wire [15:0] IO_DATA = cart_type == 3'h5 ? ioctl_data : {ioctl_data[7:0],ioctl_data[15:8]};
but if he's twiddling byte order on load I'll have to do that in the mra
untold cloud
Oh
OK, so there's the confusing part. ^
cart_type==5, means STV.
But it does NOT byteswap ioctl_data... because... it already gets byteswapped during loading. lol
Yes, it's that confusing.
So for loading Saturn carts, it does the Byteswap above, which means it's actually non-byteswapped, vs the Saturn cart file.
Again, some comments in the core would help.
warped saddle
srg320 is unconcerned with anyone's understanding, lol
untold cloud
Seems that way. lol
6 minutes into compiling the core atm, with the joypad mapping tweak.
warped saddle
I was banging my head against battletoads until I realized inside ddram.sv, it was doing a 32 bit word swap on write
but only for the 'load the rom' part
untold cloud
I'm fairly sure about the Byteswapping thing above, btw. But don't take it as Gospel.
warped saddle
easy to verify since I can just look at the memory directly from main
untold cloud
If I'm right, though, it means most STV ROMs probably don't need to by byteswapped before merging.
But...
For some games, I'm sure some of the ROMs within the Zip don't get swapped, and some do.
So any that say (in the MAME code) that they DON'T need to be Byteswapped, probably DO need to be swapped, for loading into the core.
Found the thingy which relates the Region string in the ROM loading, to which BIOS it chooses by default...
ROM_REGION32_BE( 0x080000, "bios", 0 ) /* SH2 code */ \
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 0, "jp", "EPR-23603 (Japan 00/10/24)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 0, "epr-23603.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 1, "jp1", "EPR-20091 (Japan 97/08/21)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 1, "epr-20091.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 2, "jp2", "EPR-19730 (Japan 97/02/17)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 2, "epr-19730.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 3, "jp3", "EPR-17951A (Japan 95/04/25)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 3, "epr-17951a.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 4, "jp4", "EPR-17740A (Japan 95/02/20)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 4, "epr-17740a.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 5, "jp5", "EPR-17740 (Japan 95/01/31)" ) \
hard reef
It’s been years since I had an STV board but I do remember some games only booting with a specific region BIOS?
untold cloud
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 6, "euro", "EPR-17954A (Europe 95/04/25)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 6, "epr-17954a.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 7, "us", "EPR-17952A (USA 95/04/25)" ) \
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP_BIOS( 7, "epr-17952a.ic8", 0x000000, 0x080000,
ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS( 8, "us1", "EPR-17741a (USA 95/02/20)" ) \
So basically, 23603 for most Japan games.
954a is Euro, which is probably why Die Hard refused to do anything earlier.
952a is the one you usually want for USA region games, AFAIK.
ancient surge
I think the only non-Japanese release is the Batman game.
untold cloud
Die Hard is apparently US, or at least that's what MAME uses.
warped saddle
so in mame, all the prikura roms are loaded as 'ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP'
and those roms work with just sending them to the core as-is
ancient surge
For context, Die Hard Arcade is basically Dynamite Dekka with the Die Hard license.
Just so there isn't any confusion.
untold cloud
Example, of how I think it might need to work atm...
ROM_START( cottonbm )
STV_BIOS
ROM_REGION32_BE( 0x3000000, "cart", ROMREGION_ERASE00 ) /* SH2 code */
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21075.7", 0x0200000, 0x0200000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21070.2", 0x0400000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21071.3", 0x0800000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21072.4", 0x0c00000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21073.5", 0x1000000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21074.6", 0x1400000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr21069.1", 0x1800000, 0x0400000,
ROM_END
That says to Byteswap (fairly sure it's BYTEswap) all roms, which means you DON'T byteswap before merging into a Cart ROM for the core. lol
But for games like this...
ROM_START( colmns97 )
STV_BIOS
ROM_REGION32_BE( 0x3000000, "cart", ROMREGION_ERASE00 ) /* SH2 code */
ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "fpr19553.13", 0x000001, 0x100000,
ROM_RELOAD_PLAIN ( 0x0200000, 0x0100000 )
ROM_RELOAD_PLAIN ( 0x0300000, 0x0100000 )
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19554.2", 0x400000, 0x400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19555.3", 0x800000, 0x400000,
ROM_END
It loads the first (fpr = SH2 code) ROM as non-byteswapped, which means you probably DO need to byteswap that, before merging into a Cart ROM.
warped saddle
<setname>saturnstv</setname>
<rbf>Saturn</rbf>
<about></about>
<rom index="2" md5="" zip="stvbios.zip">
<part crc="d1be2adf" name="epr-17952a.ic8"></part>
</rom>
<rom index="3" md5="" zip="diehard.zip">
<interleave output="16">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="16">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="16">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="16">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12"></part>
</interleave>
<part crc="6fe06a30" name="mpr19115.2"></part>
<part crc="af9e627b" name="mpr19116.3"></part>
<part crc="74520ff1" name="mpr19117.4"></part>
<part crc="2c9702f0" name="mpr19118.5"></part>
</rom>
</misterromdescription>```that's diehard
untold cloud
But I could be wrong. I don't know if the 0x000001 thing changes that.
Nice.
@warped saddle Try the game's Test menu (Service menu -> Each Game Test).
If that shows the font correctly, you probably have most of the ROMs correct.
Since it generally uses the fonts (and SH2 code?) for that Test menu, from the game itself.
When I had Die Hard ROMs byteswapped wrong before, the menu would show, but the text was messed up.
warped saddle
what's the test service menu mapped to in the saturn core button-speak?
naive whale
I believe L and R
untold cloud
Erm.
naive whale
or test and service were that on my Xbox Series X controller and I feel like I bound them to L and R
untold cloud
Something like that. lol
I used to know, a few weeks ago.
But now, Srg's new mapping stuff has erased my brain.
Just keep hitting buttons, just after loading a game, and it should enter the Service menu.
Then you'll see which other button maps to Test.
Die Hard - green screen.
Tried Backup Data Clear, from the game's own Test menu. No change.
About 12 minutes to go, before the tweaked core is compiled.
Even the Sound test seems to work, so it seems close.
ie. If the ROMs weren't loaded correctly, I doubt any of that stuff work would.
Saturn core still doesn't do a FULL reset, btw.
So when it crashes, you often have to reload the MRA/RBF.
Seems like it's crashing in a very similar way to what I was seeing before, with my crusty core patch.
I can't get more info, until I enable SnargleFlap, on Srg's new core.
oic, Srg did assign the Kick buttons already.
joy1 / JOY1 bus...
bit [15] = Right
bit [14] = Left
bit [13] = Down
bit [12] = Up
bit [11] = Start
bit [10] = A
bit [9] = C // Note: C and B are swapped in the top-level Saturn.sv.
bit [8] = B // Don't ask me why. lol (ElectronAsh).
// IN[7]=Left, IN[6]=Right, IN[5]=Up, IN[4]=Down, IN[3]=B4 (P3/P4 Start?), IN[2]=B3, IN[1]=B2, IN[0]=B1.
assign IN[5] = {1'b1,JOY2[4],JOY2[5],JOY2[6],1'b1,JOY1[4],JOY1[5],JOY1[6]}; // PORT-F (P4 / 6B "Kick")
It such a confusing way of doing things.
wire [15:0] joy1 = {~joystick_0[0]|joystick_0[1], ~joystick_0[1]|joystick_0[0], ~joystick_0[2]|joystick_0[3], ~joystick_0[3]|joystick_0[2], ~joystick_0[7], ~joystick_0[4], ~joystick_0[6], ~joystick_0[5],
~joystick_0[8], ~joystick_0[9], ~joystick_0[10], ~joystick_0[11], ~joystick_0[12], 3'b111};
"J1,A,B,C,Start,R,X,Y,Z,L;",
"jn,A,B,R,Start,Select,X,Y,L;",
"jp,Y,B,A,Start,Select,L,X,R;",
joystick_0 mapping, Saturn controls...
bit
[0] = Right
[1] = Left
[2] = Down
[3] = Up
[4] = A
[5] = B
[6] = C
[7] = Start
[8] = R
[9] = X
[10] = Y
[11] = Z
[12] = L
joy1 mapping, Saturn controls to STV...
joy1 bits become Active-Low, before going to STV.sv !!
bit
[0] = 1'b1 (unused)
[1] = 1'b1 (unused)
[2] = 1'b1 (unused)
[3] = L
[4] = Z
[5] = Y
[6] = X
[7] = R
[8] = B
[9] = C
[10] = A
[11] = Start
[12] = Up
[13] = Down
[14] = Left
[15] = Right
Don't take that as gospel either. lol
Would have been a lot easier, to just route joystick_0 etc. directly to the core.
Then add comments in the core, to say how the mapping is done.
// PORTC (System) inputs...
//
// b7 = Pause (if the game supports it)
// b6 = Multi-Cart Select.
// b5 = Start 2 ?
// b4 = Start 1 ?
// b3 = Service 1.
// b2 = Test ?
// b1 = Coin 2
// b0 = Coin 1
//
// Button inputs to core are Active-LOW !
//
assign IN[2] = {1'b1,1'b1,JOY2[11],JOY1[11],JOY1[7],JOY1[3],1'b1,JOY1[11]}; // PORT-C (SYSTEM).
Saturn to ST-V "System" (Port C) mapping...
Saturn ST-V
JOY1[11] "Start" -> Coin 1 ?
JOY1[3] "L" -> Test ?
JOY1[7] "R" -> Service ?
JOY1[11] "Start" -> Start 1 ?
JOY2[11] "Start" -> Start 2 ?
I don't like it.
It should have a separate mapping for Coin 1.
muted cradle
@warped saddle , is there an arcade Battletoads core? Or what do you mean?
untold cloud
Sorry, I forgot to open the Dual SDRAM project file, so this is Single SDRAM atm.
Trying now...
muted cradle
Single RAM is for all. Dual RAM just for the self proclaimed elite.
muted cradle
Just kidding 😉
untold cloud
I "disliked" it, when Jaguar originally went to DualSDRAM, even if it did mean a few more games ran / fewer glitches.
I'm not. 😛
OK - controls on Puri Puri chicken (or whatever it's called) seem to work now.
Purikura Daisakusen
In the game's Test menu (Service -> Each Game Test), the directions are now mapped correctly.
Plus A,B,C mapped to the game's SW1, SW2, SW3.
muted cradle
I will not give up my analog sandwich. Not for Jaguar. Not even for Dead or Alive if ElectronAsh's DoA2 is on the horizon 😚😚
untold cloud
R -> Service.
L -> Test.
Start, I would assume to Start, and maybe to Coin 1. ugh
(game's Input Test menu doesn't show the Start nor Coin buttons.)
naive whale
(game's Input Test menu doesn't show the Start nor Coin buttons.)
those will be in the STV BIOS input tester
celest lake
But I have all this extra ram
naive whale
there are two IO test areas, one for game inputs and one for general cabinet inputs
untold cloud
Looks like (Saturn) start is mapped to both P1 Coin and P1 Start. sigh
naive whale
Sega repeated that in NAOMI too
untold cloud
I'll have to fix that. lol
Having Start do a Coin-up is super weird.
OK, yep. Hold the Test button ("L") whilst Resetting the core.
And you should see the Factory Test menu.
naive whale
not like I am the dev obv but the differences in mappings and how IO is handled from Saturn to STV feels like there either needs to be a forked binding option for the core or maybe STV would be better living its life as a separate core
untold cloud
Oh no. I pressed Service again, and it does the loopback tests. lol
naive whale
I dont know if Main allows for a core binding option for diff purposes though. Ive never seen it
untold cloud
At least the controls seem to be mostly OK now. Directions are fixed. 😉
I never expected ST-V to be involved.
untold cloud
not like I am the dev obv but the differences in mappings and how IO is handled ...
I think it's OK as part of the same core, as the changes for loading ST-V are minimal.
And any fixed to the bulk of the Saturn core would likely help for both.
But I agree it needs proper button names in ST-V, which can be done via the MRA.
I think that might mean saving the settings after doing the ST-V / MRA button map, though?
Or...
It would have to be done the crappy way I did it...
"J1,A,B,C,Start,R,X,Y,Z,L,STV-S2,STV-Mcart,STV-Pause,STV-P4-B1,STV-P4-B2,STV-P4-B3,STV-P4-B4;",
So, mapping the Saturn buttons to ST-V as usual, then having extra buttons on the menu, for ST-V.
Which is quite terrible, tbh. lol
No idea how the buttons in the MRA would map to the core.
<buttons default="B,A,L,R" names="Attack,Jump,Coin,Start"></buttons>
I would guess, it auto-maps the Directions, as usual.
Then maps the MRA stuff sequentially.
Oh man, I forgot it probably saves the button mappings PER MRA, too.
ie. if you use the "buttons" entry in the MRA, that is. Else it will default to Saturn->STV, probably.
Mapping "Start" to both Start and Coin, is making my eye twitch.
warped saddle
it's a hack to allow him to start games, probably
untold cloud
Yeah.
I can see why he did it, so it's just easier to test atm.
Purikura controls do need diagonals.
ie. to follow the isometric view. It's an interesting game.
Oww. I beat the boss thing, but immediately died.
warped saddle
<@126134158304083968> , is there an arcade Battletoads core? Or what do you mean...
a few years ago srg320 released an unfinished battletoads arcade core
well "released"
there's a repo, it works if you compile it etc
has bug(s)
hard reef
OK - controls on Puri Puri chicken (or whatever it's called) seem to work now.
This change makes Groove on Fight, Hanagumi Columns, Elandore, Shienryu controllable too btw
untold cloud
Nice.
Some "interesting" comments on a certain other Discord, btw.
About how Srg doing these tweaks + "That'll show ElectronAsh".
From the usual suspects.
ie. "That crowd" of arcade elite types.
And I think they're only 10% joking, but oh well.
Luckily it's a Patreon-only discord, so they can shove it. lol
I might not always finish stuff, but at least I try. Most of the people from certain scenes, have never even installed Quartus, let alone tweaked any code.
Also, I don't OWE anyone a thing. I've never asked for donations, never had a Patreon.
ripe valley
Let them say.
I've have the same kind of guys since years in "preservation circles".
Acting like drama queens and bad mouthing within the confines of their own little personal court.
I've been in this business for at least 30 years now, they tried even on myself, and these kind of guys...
They usually end up being ostracized by their own people.
I'm just laughing about their emptiness in life.
Do the stuff you want, I follow your works since years.
Even if you don't finish sometimes, that's inspirating for others.
untold cloud
I'm probably a bit over-sensitive, tbh. It just always seems to be the same handful of people.
And one of them, I used to get on with quite well, when chatting via DMs.
I'll just take it as 90% joking, until proven otherwise. lol
Yes, the stangest thing for me, is that, when MiSTer was first starting to become popular, many of them were dissing it (and Sorg)
Probably because they felt FPGA cores might threaten the value of their boards?
But at the same time, as soon as more arcade cores got released, they are praising MiSTer again.
clear condor
If not the monetary value, then the psychological value
untold cloud
Yip.
Also interestnig, is some of the few people to be super vocal about the whole "hardware vs software emulation" debate, were... the people doing hardware mod installs for consoles. Funny that. lol
I would say: Why not both?
I barely even play games these days. I'm usually motivated by messing with the hardware / FPGA stuff.
And I'm definitely guilty of taking things too seriously at times, too. I'm not immune.
untold cloud
Do the stuff you want, I follow your works since years.
Even if you don't finish...
Thank you, btw. 😉
I may not be an "uber dev" (a phrase I think I coined), but hopefully I've at least worked on some stuff that people find interesting, or helped to inspire others to finish.
I've been mostly stuck into the DC stuff for months now, so I don't have much brain power spare for much else. I have to try to prioritize projects.
Meanwhile, I have about five PCB projects that have been sat on the bench for over four months.
Including the new GD Emu.
celest lake
About how Srg doing these tweaks + "That'll show ElectronAsh".
I saw that message too and just assumed there was an inside joke that predates me. I hope they were just joking around because I’m super thankful for the stuff you’re doing, duder
untold cloud
tbh, it's possible they were mostly joking.
ripe valley
Hardware emulation versus software emulation", there are also super vocal people in my country, bad people.
When they learned that I was helping on the project, particularly on the Saturn, they choked up.
Their 'super uber elite stuff' was stained by one of their archenemies, because I come from the 'software emulation team'.
Good for them.
untold cloud
But just a weird thing to say anyway.
I've never really understood the arguments with the software emu vs hardware emu crowd.
They both compliment eachother.
It's just, if I had the choice, for a certain range of systems, I'd rather play on MiSTer.
I think it's safe to say, that for certain cores, regardless of whether you consider it "emulation" or not (which it pretty much is) - some cores are super compatible and accurate now.
Like N64 and PS1, for example.
naive whale
Also interestnig, is some of the few people to be super vocal about the whole "h...
everyone is mad and everyone is trying to protect their cash flow
untold cloud
N64 runs "better" (more accurate to the original hw, and more compatible) on MiSTer than I've ever seen on a software N64 emu.
True.
I mean, I am biased as well, of course.
Have I made money off of the MiSTer project... yeah. lol
Probably not half as much as some might think, but I did design JAMMIX, put it that way.
But that's not the main reason I try to do work on some core stuff. I just enjoy it.
ripe valley
everyone is mad and everyone is trying to protect their cash flow
'Touché, mon ami.'
(Like Gambit said)
untold cloud
Man, I could tell some other stories, too. About how I was once asked to help port MiSTer cores to a certain other device.
But I turned it down, for moral reasons. lol
naive whale
I hear from people all the time..."x person doesnt like you" or "y person said something bad about you"....like I care lolol
naive whale
its filled with man babies who never got attention or laid in high school and now derive all their self worth from being popular in video game circles hahaha
untold cloud
I hear from people all the time..."x person doesnt like you" or "y person said s...
It's not so much the fact that some stuff is said, it's the wondering what the motivation or intent was.
ripe valley
I'd... never heard of Gambit, until I saw the recent movie.
Cajun guy, so sometimes speaks French when doing attacks.
untold cloud
lol
You just made me want Cajun Chicken.
Always wanted to visit "Nawleans"
Probably not the best time right now, but still.
naive whale
because they dont feel good unless they try to cut someone down since they all got shit on in life
naive whale
I dont see many happily married, well adjusted gaming people out there haha
naive whale
and the ones that are are always cool
untold cloud
I mean, still faster than an N64 game, right?
Sorry, I meant "Jaguar game".
ripe valley
@untold cloud I saw everyone involved here in the MiSTer project as part of a team that wants to create a better thing, so sometimes we could talk for 5-10 minutes of rants and stuff.
It helps reduce stress and we could bring team spirit.
(I'm speaking like those happiness managers, urk.)
untold cloud
Don't worry, I'm quite chilled today.
Starting to relax a bit more often, as I'm nearly at the mid-40s. lol
celest lake
Starting to relax a bit more often, as I'm nearly at the mid-40s. lol
I was born in 81 but luckily an only turning 35 next year
untold cloud
I only wish I'd got a bit more involved, when Sorg was first putting MiSTer together.
But as soon as he started on the ARM Linux side, I was like "Yeah, I don't think I can help there". lol
It took me a long time, to even see how the ARM stuff talked to the FPGA side.
Born in 81 here, too. 😉
I can't really hide it, as it's part of my TwitterX handle. lol
I was born when sprites were black and white.
And the phone was attached to the wall, with a twisty cable.
And if you wanted to phone home, you had to find... a phone box.
I think it was the first launch of the Space Shuttle as well that year?
I wish I could have seen at least ONE launch.
Anyway, Saturn / STV.
ripe valley
Today, on my side, I will continue the compatibility tests on the JP catalog.
The wife is out and I'm keeping the castle, so MiSTer, beer and obscure games.
untold cloud
Do we know roughly how many STV games are booting so far?
And is there a repo for MRAs yet, @warped saddle ?
I will try to write some more MRAs later, now I know it mostly works.
I might have a beer today. Haven't had a drink since New Year.
Only had maybe seven cans of Guinness, two bottles of Corona, and three glasses of wine, over the whole of Christmas and New Year. lol
mortal mist
have fun testing, coding and playing I wish you all! it's great to be here with all of you
ripe valley
Same, I don't know I could do without you and the others.
hard reef
Do we know roughly how many STV games are booting so far?
I have 9 at the mo - of those I can play 5
marble laurel
I have 9 at the mo - of those I can play 5
which ones ?
naive whale
And is there a repo for MRAs yet, <@126134158304083968> ?
there is a repo for converted files that Lance Charlson has tested on the core. Lance Charlson cant post them here but Lance Charlson probably archived them somewhere
and as more known working versions come into existence if Lance Charlson receives them then I am sure he would be happy to keep archiving them
warped saddle
let me just figure out the mra generation and then instead of code words we can just have an actual thing we can discuss the location of
hard reef
which ones ?
These are the ones I've had some joy with so far:
Can play(with Ash's core): Prikura, Shienryu, Hanagumi, Elandore, Groovef
Boot to attract, can't start: Cotton2, Cottonbm, Grdforce, Rsgun
marble laurel
thank you
untold cloud
Rsgun won't react to Start, without the protection IC.
Or maybe some way to patch the ROM, unless that's already out in the wild somewhere.
The protection IC is VERY complex.
Would take forever, for somebody to fully implement it in Verilog.
Cotton2 and CottonBM not reacting to Start, is quite likely related to the same issue on certain emus...
(Mr Bacon sent me that github link originally.)
When I tried implementing that in the Saturn core, it did get the cursor moving on the Cotton 2 / BM test menu.
But didn't quite get Start to work.
I'm fairly convinced it's a related problem. Srg could probably fix it.
warped saddle
it's possible the st-v multi roms are patched but I'm also not sure those people publish their patches. could probably work it out with some bin diff magic
marble laurel
Shangai also go in games
warped saddle
almost got me again srg320!
case (bios_write_addr[2:1])
2'b00: ram_be <= {bios_be,6'b000000};
2'b01: ram_be <= {2'b00,bios_be,4'b0000};
2'b10: ram_be <= {4'b0000,bios_be,2'b00};
2'b11: ram_be <= {6'b000000,bios_be};
endcase```I am always good for the arcane arcade knowledge
untold cloud
``` ram_din <= {4{bios_write_data}};
...
"Fun with Byte Enables"... with Bob Ross.
bios_write_addr LSB bit ditched, since ioctl_addr increments by 2 (hps_io width set to 16-bit).
bios_be probably always set to 2'b11, surely?
So yeah, bios_be is shifted down each time, writing one 16-bit word at a time, because DDR3 64-bit data bus.
bios_write_data (16-bit), is also replicated four times, so it "appears" across the whole 64-bit bus.
drifting crown
As someone with no technical knowledge in this field but loves video games, I just wanna say well done and thanks peeps.
naive whale
As someone with no technical knowledge in this field but loves video games, I ju...
Bits go boop. That’s the technical explanation lol
I’ll never understand @untold cloud why Sega pivoted the control scheme and how it’s addressed on STV. It’s like they intentionally just did needless work
untold cloud
They just totally abandoned the old Joypad inputs on the SMPC, and went with the separate IO chip.
But yeah, even for a typical arcade board, it's a bit messed up. lol
warped saddle
<setname>saturnstv</setname>
<rbf>Saturn</rbf>
<about></about>
<rom index="2" md5="" zip="stvbios.zip" address="0x30000000">
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="d1be2adf" name="epr-17952a.ic8" map="21436587"></part>
</interleave>
</rom>
<rom index="3" md5="" zip="diehard.zip" address="0x34000000">
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12345678"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12345678"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12345678"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="de5c4f7c" name="fpr19119.13" map="12345678"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="6fe06a30" name="mpr19115.2" map="21436587"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="af9e627b" name="mpr19116.3" map="21436587"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="74520ff1" name="mpr19117.4" map="21436587"></part>
</interleave>
<interleave output="64">
<part crc="2c9702f0" name="mpr19118.5" map="21436587"></part>
</interleave>
</rom>
</misterromdescription>```die hard, with direct ddr3 loading
warped saddle
no, the same as the other mra, just....faster
you can green screen more times per minute now
untold cloud
lol
It's neat that you can just specify the DDR loading address.
Could probably also STOMP on Linux memory that way, which is fun.
How did you figure out the interleave 64 thing?
Oh yeah, I guess it needs to know that, when loading that way.
Else it would probably throw each 16-bit word into the lower (or upper) part of each 64-bit word, or... something.
Gonna enable SnargleFlap on the core, using this one weird trick.
(ie. copying the stp1.stp file from the old core)
If Die Hard crashes in a very similar way to what I was seeing, it would make me feel better. lol
celest lake
I love watching this shit. I just imagine that Ash loads up dreamcast.qpf and then Zakk makes a change and
celest lake
yeah dude. it was rough watching the irishman
untold cloud
Same with Joe Pesci.
I forgot Pacino was even in The Irishman.
I... had trouble watching the whole thing, if I'm being honest.
I usually love stuff like that, but that was a LONG film.
warped saddle
ugh, annoying. mame xml info for roms doesn't contain the swap16 etc flags
hearty carbon
I usually love stuff like that, but that was a LONG film.
It was a bold move to have geriatric men not have younger actors play them at any point during a movie that spans decades
It felt like your grandpa telling you a story from his youth but you can only imagine him as an old man so he's 65 in first grade getting paddled by his teacher.
untold cloud
lol
Yeah.
I just couldn't get into the story.
I watched it for at least the first 90 mins.
celest lake
yeah dude. there is that scene where deniro goes to beat up the store owner dude. and it's obviously 80 year old deniro walking around in a 40 year old's skin
same problem with the latest indy movie
untold cloud
I couldn't watch that either. I love the original Indy trilogy too much.
I will get around to it soon, once I have the ol' Atmos receiver running again.
celest lake
it was better than the 4th movie. but that isn't saying anything
untold cloud
But I saw a spoiler for the ending already, and it looked awful.
And people thought Crystal Skull looked fake. lol
thorn pagoda
i enjoyed the latest indy
untold cloud
I enjoyed Crystal Skull for what it was, but the CG was awful.
thorn pagoda
that new game is meant to be great too if you're a big indy fan
untold cloud
I saw that on DF. But I haven't completed a game since about 2011, when I played Portal 2.
I just like to stare at the games, and keep up with some of the new tech.
I bought an RTX 2060 about 18 months ago, mainly due to FOMO.
I bought and played GTA V for the first time, got shot by the police after the intro, and never bothered playing a game since. lol
LOVED playing GTA Vice City on the old-people Xbox, though.
Just driving around, with the radio on.
untold cloud
Die Hard... in the process of crashing.
Using the new MRA from @warped saddle , which loads the ROMs directly into DDR3.
(which shouldn't affect how the game runs. It seems to load fine, and a lot faster.)
Crashes in pretty much the same way as I was getting before.
Maybe some of these games use Bank switching on the cart, but I don't think so?
Can't easily find a way to trigger SignalTap when the actual crash happens.
ROM_START( diehard ) /* must use USA, Europe or Taiwan BIOS */
does mame offer any clues?
untold cloud
Just looking, as it happens. lol
void stv_state::init_diehard()
{
// install all 3 speedups on both master and slave
m_maincpu->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0x6027c98);
m_maincpu->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0xd04);
m_maincpu->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0x60051f2);
m_slave->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0x6027c98);
m_slave->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0xd04);
m_slave->sh2drc_add_pcflush(0x60051f2);
init_stv();
}
drc = Dynamic Recompilation, AFAIK.
I don't know if it needs those patches, or if they are just for speed-ups.
GAME( 1996, diehard, stvbios, stv, stv, stv_state, init_diehard, ROT0, "Sega",
"Die Hard Arcade (UET 960515 V1.000)", MACHINE_IMPERFECT_GRAPHICS | MACHINE_IMPERFECT_SOUND )
Seems to use the standard "stv" machine setup.
Can't see it using any protection IC stuff.
The fact that it crashes the same way with Srg's code, as it did for mine, suggests it's something inherent missing.
high bramble
MRA folder ready and waiting. 😉
visual grove
Just pass in PERFECT_GRAPHICS, cmon mame guys
thorn pagoda
what are mame "speedups" exactly
untold cloud
lol
thorn pagoda
maybe they're skipping some copy protection in there and just being sly about it?
untold cloud
Dunno. Something to do with DRC. Maybe it doesn't do recompilation for certain address ranges / functions.
Possibly. I don't know how the DRC stuff works.
In fact, I don't even know how DRC itself works. lol
high bramble
Well, the time and effort you're putting into this is extremely appreciated. Thank you for everything you're doing.
untold cloud
/*-------------------------------------------------
sh2drc_add_pcflush - add a new address where
the PC must be flushed for speedups to work
-------------------------------------------------*/
void sh_common_execution::sh2drc_add_pcflush(offs_t address)
{
if (!allow_drc()) return;
if (m_pcfsel < std::size(m_pcflushes))
m_pcflushes[m_pcfsel++] = address;
}
Man, I had a lot to catch up on in this thread after work today. 😄
untold cloud
Just to be clear - I did some initial lame tweaks, to get the STV BIOS and a few games running.
(and wrote some logic for the STV IO chip)
But Srg320 did the latest tweaks.
But thanks. 😉
I have a feeling the DRC stuff won't affect how the game boots.
But could be something on the core, like maybe addresses above 16MB aren't being accessed correctly?
'cos Die Hard ends up around 20MB, once merged into a Cart ROM.
And I guess also >16MB of address space, when loaded via the MRA.
And yep - the core properly crashes.
Reset won't even work.
Which is bad, because it really should. It's like it's not doing a full Cold Reset on the SH2(s).
Roughly around the time the green screen shows...
I never got the green screen on the old core, btw.
Only the "Winners" screen, then black.
Ohh
0x02000000 0x03FFFFFF CS0 Cartridge 0
0x04000000 0x04FFFFFF CS1 Cartridge 1
0x05000000 0x057FFFFF Dummy
0x05800000 0x058FFFFF CD-ROM registers (CS2) Repeats every 64 Bytes
OK, so, subtract the 0x20000000 thing, and it should give the offset of the ROM it's trying to access.
ROM_REGION32_BE( 0x3000000, "cart", ROMREGION_ERASE00 ) /* SH2 code */
ROM_LOAD16_BYTE( "fpr19119.13", 0x0000001, 0x0100000,
ROM_RELOAD_PLAIN ( 0x0200000, 0x0100000 )
ROM_RELOAD_PLAIN ( 0x0300000, 0x0100000 )
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19115.2", 0x0400000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19116.3", 0x0800000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19117.4", 0x0c00000, 0x0400000,
ROM_LOAD16_WORD_SWAP( "mpr19118.5", 0x1000000, 0x0400000,
If the upper ROMs (2,3,4,5) had the wrong Byteswap, I'd expect the game's Test menu font to be messed up.
('cos it happened to me, before I Byteswapped those files)
But it's interesting that the crash might be happening, just as it's trying to run code from 0x0400000.
mpr19115.2
Looks like mostly graphics data in that ROM.
First few bytes from ROM offset 0xA320...
0D 38 04 00 80 13 C2 0A 04 02 FF FF FF
ROM file...
A320 = 0D380400
A324 = 8013C20A
SignalFlap...
A320 = 380D0004
A324 = 13800AC2
Aside from it being byteswapped (each 16-bit word), it looks OK.
Gonna try byteswapping the upper ROMs anyway.
I doubt this is gonna work, but let's see what it does.
I want to see if the Winners logo is stored in the upper ROMs, or in the SH2 ROM.
Immediately crashes. lol
Not too surprised.
Back to the original (above) MRA setting, and it shows the Winners logo again, then green.
So I don't think it's a byteswapping problem.
^ That's about when the Winners logo appears, so it's probably reading the gfx header stuff.
Oh, that's reading from offset 0xE0, from the first (SH2) ROM.
000010000000
Some kind of flag thing, possibly a region check?
Tried setting the menu option from Japan to USA, but that doesn't help.
I don't even think the ST-V reads the region in the same way as the Saturn.
IIRC, the Saturn BIOS reads the region of the mobo, via some "joyport" pins on the SMPC.
(pull-up / pull-down resistor combo, or 0R resistors / wire links)
Fairly sure the ST-V BIOS region itself just needs to match the game.
I think this could be quite hard to debug.
Might be one for Srg to look into.
Hard enough, just finding a place to trigger SignalTap at.
I even did some trace dumps on the MAME debugger a few weeks back, to try to figure this out.
I'm just glad it wasn't just me. lol
naive whale
Tried setting the menu option from Japan to USA, but that doesn't help.
That generally changes language options but not actual regions. Many arcade bios / game builds will include English and Japanese but the build / bios pairing will still only accept the proper region rom and bios
untold cloud
Ahh, OK.
So, generally, the game just has to match the current BIOS version / region, yep?
outer relic
There's a multi-region STV BIOS floating around somewhere
naive whale
So, generally, the game just has to match the current BIOS version / region, yep...
Yes. A game will be region encoded to that regions bios file. Even if it carries English language it can still be JPN/JPN coded. NAOMI is famous for that. Games that have English but need a Japanese bios or region free bios
Even Model 2 / Model 3 exhibits it. Sega pretty much always did that. Vs SNK where carts have English and Japanese builds on them but throw the cart in any region hardware and it doesn’t give AF
celest hearth
I'd go so broke if I hd access to shops like that. Thank goodness I'm stuck in Wisconsin!
You say his name like he'll appear Beetlejuice 😄
naive whale
You say his name like he'll appear Beetlejuice 😄
I’m just saying if people look up Lance Charlson then Lance Charlson goodness that’s useful to STV testing may archive itself for all 🤣
warped saddle
ok, now I just have to figure out how to put the right bios in the mra
high bramble
ST-V MODBIOS seems useful...
untold cloud
I've been using the Modbios for a while.
I had more success with the stv1061 BIOS, in getting a few games to run early-on.
Like wasafari.
Although, to actually play the game, it needs a signal hooked up to IO Port G, for the Winch. lol
lost totem
I’m just saying if people look up Lance Charlson then Lance Charlson goodness th...
was easy as 123 👍
naive whale
was easy as 123 👍
My man Lance!
warped saddle
mras so far. based off mame's 'software list' since that's the only place it puts the rom swap info
everything using a US bios for now, so some things won't run. I think I'll just have to extract the region from the file name and create distinct mras for each supported one
oh and obviously you need ST-V roms in /media/fat/games/mame
should work with merged or split
there's a few I still have to tweak by hand because mame's rom reload thing is difficult to deal with without doing multiple passes
naive whale
mras so far. based off mame's 'software list' since that's the only place it put...
Awesome. @burnt matrix get in here and pin this
unique moat
where do you place the mra's at?
warped saddle
in /media/fat/_Arcade
if you want them in a dedicated directory do like /media/fat/_Arcade/_ST-V
(underscore is important)
unique moat
ahh yeah
slate karma
I'm trying it but doesn't seem to even load the rbf, just kicks back to the main menu. I'd try and diagnose myself but I don't even know where any logs might be :/
Also tried copying a romset to fat\games\mame, usb0\games\mame and usb0\games\saturnstv (just to make sure)
warped saddle
oh, you need to copy the Saturn core to /media/fat/_Arcade/cores/Saturn.rbf
slate karma
That'll be exactly it!
Last thing for everyone: You need to set "cartridge" to STV in the menu 🙂
warped saddle
yeah, do it once and save settings
they all use the same setname so it'll be set for all of the mra launched games
slate karma
Are there mappings for the service and test buttons as well? Guessing that's to be implemented by srg320.
warped saddle
I think he put them on L and R?
slate karma
They just totally abandoned the old Joypad inputs on the SMPC, and went with the...
Never mind, mapped to L and R. Guessing the joystick inputs being off are due to this?
pearl harbor
Hmm, not working for me still. I put the mra's in the _Arcade folder. I put the core in the _Arcade/cores folder. I changed the cartridge to STV. And I put the roms in the games/mame folder. All I get is an error message saying something couldn't be found.
Grabbed the roms from the Mr. Lance.
warped saddle
aren't those the concatenated .bin files? you need mame roms
pearl harbor
Ah, well what the fudge, Bacon led me astray!
Where do I put the bios file for this one?
And for that matter, what should it be called?
Someone really needs to type up a single post that gives very specific directions so it can be pinned by the loveable Blobby.
Wait, I got it working. I'll type up a post for everyone.
pearl harbor
Directions for getting STV up and running:
Place the mra's shared by Zakk #1046941029296779344 message in the _Arcade folder.
Place the core in the _Arcade/cores folder. #unstable-nightlies message
Place the STV arcade roms (must be mame .zip roms) in the games/mame folder.
Place the bios (must be named "stvbios.zip") in the games/mame folder.
In the core OSD, change the Cartridge to "STV".
Enjoy 
untold cloud
Saturn_unstable_SingleSDRAM_ButtonFix_EA_20250127.rbf -> /media/fat/_Arcade/cores
stvbios.zip -> /media/fat/games/mame
prikura.zip -> /media/fat/games/mame
prikura.mra -> /media/fat/_Arcade
diehard.zip -> /media/fat/games/mame
diehard.mra -> /media/fat/_Arcade
(core has to be renamed to Saturn.rbf)
AFAIK
pearl harbor
Weird, I didn't rename it.
untold cloud
OK, maybe main MiSTer picks up on the start of the filename, then. I wasn't sure.
pearl harbor
I'm using the dual ram core. Maybe that's it?
untold cloud
For anyone reading this - Die Hard still doesn't boot.
No, you're probably right. It sounds like MiSTer only needs to check the "Saturn" part of the filename.
warped saddle
it does work if you don't rename it
but you should, so the next time you copy an unstable over you don't have two
untold cloud
No idea how it decides which RBF to use, if there are multiple. Maybe the one with the later date?
marble laurel
mras so far. based off mame's 'software list' since that's the only place it put...
Great all print arcade 👍
warped saddle
which often...ends poorly
pearl harbor
Both Cotton games boot, but can't get passed the title screen.
untold cloud
Both Cotton games boot, but can't get passed the title screen.
#1046941029296779344 message
warped saddle
ok, different set with some changes. If a game only lists japanese region it uses a japanese bios
if the game lists both JP and something else, the one in the 'main' directory uses US, and there's a subdir named _JP Bios that is the same mra, but with a JP bios instead
and as per my american citizenship requirement I have ignored EU
I also tried to hand fix up some of the ones with weird rom duplication but I'm not 100% on how correct those are yet
muted cradle
and as per my american citizenship requirement I have ignored EU
Even the EU people ignore EU Roms
mortal mist
Even the EU people ignore EU Roms
maybe , but that too someone has to test 😛
rich violet
New Sega Worldwide Soccer bug on the issue tracker.
Not sure if it's a regression or if it's how the core has always behaved.
mortal mist
I tested my games again with the latest core, updated the spreadsheet
core works incredibly well , love it
mortal mist
Should I make a separate sheet for SVT testing or make a tab in the sheet for Saturn ?
rich violet
Maybe a tab? Same core, same sheet?
mortal mist
ok
second question , what options in core are still missing for image options ? crop , scale ? what could be useful
mortal mist
it may needs rotate for shenryu on STV
that's what I didn't want to know 😄
thorn pagoda
second question , what options in core are still missing for image options ? cro...
maybe the feature PSX core has where it puts some black frames over 240/480i transitions to hide the garbage frames there?
mortal mist
maybe the feature PSX core has where it puts some black frames over 240/480i tra...
i added it some time ago https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Saturn_MiSTer/pull/307
mortal mist
I think it's going to be a tough one 😄
muted cradle
it may needs rotate for shenryu on STV
Please mention image flip options for TATE games. I think that I am not alone with a LCD/TFT monitor that can just be rotated clockwise.
outer relic
It would be helpful for vertical CRTs also
ripe valley
The core works extremely well now after some more tests on the JP catalog yesterday.
Once for all, I've found... nothing to report to srg320.
31 games tested.
Tonight I need to test the Tokimeki games...
mortal mist
yes , I tested all the games I have and entered only the number of the new core , because I found nothing 🙂
ripe valley
I've left a ticket for the left direction on the ST-V, more for eventual users than for srg320 and us.
polar mountain
I found a bug!
In sf alpha 2
In the illustrations
On a crt
Some pixels missing
mortal mist
latest unstable ?
mortal mist
chcek latest unstable
polar mountain
Also the bgm in illustrations is very groovy
mortal mist
due to rework sprite drawing this may have changed
ripe valley
Can't see the issue.
I've checked yesterday night the game in JP version.
With the 20250126 version.
mortal mist
can you show what is wrong ?
polar mountain
thorn pagoda
black pixels in the hair?
polar mountain
Yes
thorn pagoda
do they move or are they static ?
polar mountain
They flicker
dense sundial
this may be well-known issue but still
seeing funny flickering in 3D Blast's special stages
nothing major so far, just funny
mortal mist
it will be worth testing it with fast timing option
if you are using single sdram
may help with some errors (or not )
mortal mist
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BpCRjALSAAe4lQGfaJgoiDZu6aLFrVOLdSEJqN4E...
if anyone needs access to the sheet then please send a request , thanks
dense sundial
oh, it's fixed with fast timings, cool
lone mural
i'm excited with ST-V
we are going to play in a good way Groove on Fight and Suiko Enbu
ripe valley
For SFA2/SFZ2, too tiny on my screen and for my eyes, so I missed them.
Does the missing pixels are also on the real hardware, that needs a check later.
wise brook
I think it's going to be a tough one 😄
has their been any discussion i’ve missed?
mortal mist
I do not recall any discussion on this topic, Nolbin mentioned that he has a problem with the handling of peripherals through SH2
wise brook
#1046941029296779344 message
ah yeah seen
interesting, seems like srg320 and noblin will need to coordinate on that then
the ol’ SMPC would be where all original and usb controllers hook into the core, no?
i hope it can be solved, Saturn virtua cop with my gun4ir is top of my pyramid of needs
cunning citrus
I Wonder if the same happens with Alpha 2 Gold (Disc 2 of Street Fighter Collection).
ripe valley
I Wonder if the same happens with Alpha 2 Gold (Disc 2 of Street Fighter Collect...
No Illustrations gallery on it.
Okay, on Mednafen those pixels aren't missing at all, I think I don't have to check on the original console.
untold cloud
Not sure if that might help?
PDF page 123
For SH2 Direct Mode, the core might be missing specific features for that atm. Not sure.
I should mention that I've never used a light gun on a Saturn, and never looked at how it gets read.
But it looks like the Stunner is an old-people style light gun, which uses the scanline timing on a CRT.
ripe valley
Some pixels missing
Issue reported, thanks.
untold cloud
oic, so "SH2 Direct Mode" relates to the SMPC.
I thought it might be some weird Counter/Timer thing it was using on the SH2.
Looks like it uses the HV Counter in VDP2, though, which would make sense.
Then it latches the HV coord when the trigger is pulled, AND if the gun detects the light, probably.
So, the DDR and PDR regs relate to the Joyport stuff on the SMPC.
PDF page 17...
I would imagine that EXLE1 thing actually routes an output bit from the SMPC to VDP2.
PDF page 37 (page 19)...
I think it's gonna suck, to try to debug this. lol
Having to do tons of recompiles, as there's no easy way to test stuff like that on simulation.
I suppose the strategy would be to spoof enough "feedback" from the SMPC and VDP2 regs to keep the software happy.
Then shove the light gun coords into VDP2, so the software can read it.
They keep calling it the "HV Counter", but it's really two separate counters. lol
Probably don't need to worry about doing the whole SMPC thing for the External Latch signal, unless the eventual goal is to use the light gun via SNAC.
The external latch flag (EXLTFG: bit 9) of the VDP2 screen status register
(TVSTAT: 180004H offset) is read. If the bit is 1, the HV counter is read. The
targeted position and the HV counter position will be off in reality.
The screen status register (TVSTAT) is cleared to 0 when the read is done.
Therefore, it can be read only once during a V-blank.
Note: When the HV counter is read, the screen cannot be read if it is too dark (EXLTFG will
not go to 1). Therefore, the screen must be white (bright) for 1/60th of a second after the
Stunner trigger is pulled and the value read at that time is used to determine the
position.
What I don't get is - Does the External Latch thing trigger an interrupt, or does VDP2 simply "hold" the values of the H and V Counters until they are read?
'cos the SH2 surely can't be expected to poll the EXLTFG bit fast enough to get decent target accuracy?
I would have expected it to have a second set of HV Counter regs, to latch the current position into.
Then it would only need to read during Vblank anyway.
Oh, it actually does say that, sort of.
Logically, it must be latching the HV Counter values when external trigger thing happens.
Else, it wouldn't be able to read the Counters during Vblank, and get the proper position, ofc.
wise brook
Probably don't need to worry about doing the whole SMPC thing for the External L...
they already work over snac
visual grove
untold cloud
they already work over snac
Oh. lol
visual grove
No flickering speckles on real Saturn hardware
untold cloud
Notes from Charles Macdonald...
Light gun
This is all untested, but here are some thoughts about how light guns
are supported on the Saturn:
The SMPC can be configured through the EXLE register to allow bit 6 of
either I/O port, when set up as an input, to trigger a signal to the SCU
and VDP2. While the documentation is sparse, it seems that the SCU will
generate an interrupt when this occurs. The VDP2 can be set up to latch
the HV counter, and will show if this happened in the status flags.
I would imagine your typical light gun game would set up both features,
so the light-sensing feature of the gun would trigger an interrupt and
simultaneously latch the HV counter, which the interrupt subroutine could
investigate. I believe this is a mostly correct interpretation of how Saturn
lightguns work, as I had modified a Saturn lightgun to work on the Genesis
based on the same concepts.
I didn't realize light guns are already supported via SNAC. I should probably have looked that up first.
wise brook
i posted videos a while back, see if i can find it one sec
untold cloud
Thanks.
So, you'd have to emulate the ID of the light gun first, to keep the SMPC happy, and allow reading of the trigger/button.
wise brook
#1046941029296779344 message
untold cloud
Then hijack the H/V Counter and EXLTFG thing on VDP2, to shove the coords into that.
wise brook
this is why I was hoping the USB solutions and gun4IR were closer to completion than they apparently are
untold cloud
I was actually working on a light gun a while back, which would probably have been made open source.
But as usual, I never finished it. lol
wise brook
I thought the core side of things was functionally done, just hooking the USB/linux side into it was all that remained
untold cloud
I bought a kit on AliExpress, which used an IR emitter/receiver thing, and came with the light gun board.
wise brook
But as usual, I never finished it. lol
Openfire looks to have picked up the torch and carried on with the goal
untold cloud
It worked like some of the arcade light guns, where it has a quad sensor, and a barrier on the front.
wise brook
they’ve even got some guns working over Bluetooth
untold cloud
Yeah, there are some really great solutions now, so there was no need for me to finish that one.
This gun would have been wireless, though.
And I was hoping to see how low the latency was. I'm not heavily into those games, or anything, but I never liked how some of them worked.
wise brook
This gun would have been wireless, though.
yep, openfire can do that
untold cloud
ie. Some solution that use the Wiimote style camera/sensor, the lag looks terrible.
wise brook
if you build it specifically into your model
untold cloud
Ahh, Ok.
See, I have this vision, where I will one day sit down and actually start playing games again. lol
Including on the CRT.
I also bought a big trackball, but never hooked it up.
I think it would be fun, for games like Marble Madness.
I used to LOVE playing Spindizzy, on the Amstrad, in the 80s and 90s.
OK, so - Saturn core light gun emulation...
The first step would probably be to enable SignalTap, then hook up a real light gun via SNAC.
Then watch the VDP2 regs for the HV Counter(s), and EXLTFG flag.
Then try loading you own coords into that reg, and trigger the flag.
Once that's working, and the target is following the HV coords for the USB light gun (or emulated via joystick), you'd have to then spoof the ID etc. of the Stunner.
I don't have a Saturn light gun, else I'd give it a try. lol
"Trusted", apparently.
I'll be honest - I'll probably never get around to having a proper look at this.
I don't have a MiSTer setup hooked up to the CRT in the other room atm, as they are being used for dev.
LOL
Of COURSE it would be Robby.
Latching code thing, in the core...
coarse tokenBOT
EXLAT_N_OLD <= EXLAT_N;
So it looks for a falling edge of EXLAT_N.
EXLAT_N_OLD <= EXLAT_N;
if (!EXLAT_N && EXLAT_N_OLD && REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
And checks if the EXLTEN (External Latch Enable) bit is set, in one of the regs.
If so, it copies some of the H_CNT and VCT stuff into the HV Counter regs, then sets the EXLTFG flag.
Then some other logic, for Read handling, it looks like...
if ({A[8:1],1'b0} == 9'h002 && !REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
if ({A[8:1],1'b0} == 9'h004) begin //TVSTAT
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 0;
REGS.TVSTAT.EXSYFG <= 0;
end
untold cloud
Which is a bit weird, as it's latching stuff when the EXLTEN flag is NOT set?
wise brook
i love watching the thinking happen in real time
untold cloud
Just be prepared to see a lot of non-thinking, too. lol
That's so weird...
So a READ of the EXTEN reg still latches the light gun coords, even though the EXLTEN flag is Low?
That must be for polling.
ie. when EXLTEN is High, VDP2 will automatically latch the coords, on the falling edge of EXLAT_N.
Basically, just need to try shoving the HV coords into the regs...
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
The check for LSMD==2'b11 is probably for interlaced.
Where it uses the inverted ODD (odd field) flag as the LSB bit of the Vert counter.
Else, it just uses VCT directly (non-interlaced modes).
HCT is also using a bit from the DotClock divider as the LSB bit.
Not sure why that would be, but maybe so the H/V Counters use a certain "resolution" for the light gun stuff, so the coords stay within the same range, regardless of the video mode?
This thing does kinda make sense...
{VCT,~ODD}
It's setting the LSB bit of the Vertical counter High, on the EVEN fields, for interlaced modes.
So it's Low on the Odd lines, High on the Even lines.
Just depends which one your aim lands on. lol
thorn pagoda
not sure any lightgun games are actually interlaced fwiw
untold cloud
And VCT is likely incremented half as often, when in Interlaced mode, since it waits for each pair of lines to be displayed.
Yeah, it would be quite strange.
I would have thought it could cause some weird targeting issues, if it were interlaced.
thorn pagoda
@clear condor ^ just want to make sure you see this
untold cloud
Sheesh. I forgot the Saturn core is already using about 98% of the FPGA now. 😮
Not that the light gun stuff would add very much at all, but it starts to get much harder for Quartus to finish a compile.
(as it's not just the "logic" it needs to fit, but all of the routing etc.)
SignalTap will be using a couple of percent, but not very much.
thorn pagoda
i feel like the saturn core has been over 95% for years now
its like that mythbusters lorry, never quite hitting 100
untold cloud
lol
rich violet
srg320 magic 🧙♂️
untold cloud
I remember when Mythbusters had to say they got the physics wrong, when talking about the two lorries crashing head-on.
thorn pagoda
i think i've seen thaat one, they definitely crashed those two lorries together
untold cloud
Jamie originally said "With the two trucks travelling at 50 MPH, it would be like each truck hitting a brick wall at 100 MPH", or something.
thorn pagoda
no but it is like hitting a stationary truck at 100MPH right
untold cloud
Goofs
At one point, Jamie Hyneman claims that the combined speed of the two trucks colliding while each is going 50 mph adds up to a 100 mph collision but that is not how it works. The collision energy absorbed by the two moving trucks is the same as for a 50 mph collision with a static obstacle because in addition to deforming the trucks, each also loses the same amount of kinetic energy slowing the other one down.
I've... wasted my life.
untold cloud
Because each truck isn't a fixed solid wall thing.
So the opposing forces (Newton) still take effect. Or something.
thorn pagoda
yeah that makes sense there's a finite amount of energy to go around
untold cloud
Equal and opposite reaction.
thorn pagoda
feels counterintuitive tho
untold cloud
Yeah.
I forgot how light gun stuff works on MiSTer.
I know there's usually a separate module for it.
Or, does it just use the analog joystick outputs? lol
thorn pagoda
check psx? that has robust lightgun support
i think they usually come in as joysticks is the preferred way but i'm not sure
untold cloud
oic, it's pretty much the whole Menacer gun emulation here...
Probably don't need something as complex as that, for Saturn.
wire [11:0] joystick_0,joystick_1,joystick_2,joystick_3,joystick_4;
wire [7:0] joy0_x,joy0_y,joy1_x,joy1_y;
hps_io #(.CONF_STR(CONF_STR), .WIDE(1)) hps_io
(
//
.joystick_l_analog_0({joy0_y, joy0_x}),
.joystick_l_analog_1({joy1_y, joy1_x}),
lightgun lightgun
(
.CLK(clk_sys),
.RESET(sys_reset),
.MOUSE(ps2_mouse),
.MOUSE_XY(&gun_mode),
.JOY_X(gun_mode[0] ? joy0_x : joy1_x),
.JOY_Y(gun_mode[0] ? joy0_y : joy1_y),
.JOY(gun_mode[0] ? joystick_0 : joystick_1),
OK, so it does just use the joystick analog stuff, from HPS IO. Makes sense.
(then a few buttons from joystick_0 etc.)
hps io...
// analog -127..+127, Y: [15:8], X: [7:0]
output reg [15:0] joystick_l_analog_0,
output reg [15:0] joystick_l_analog_1,
OK, yep. So X and Y are merged onto each output. 8 bits each.
Signed.
Presumably, "zero" would be output for the center of the screen.
(relative to the USB joystick analog stuffs)
Saturn core already uses the analog joystick stuff for normal analog pads.
HPS2PAD PAD
(
.JOY1(joy1),
.JOY2(joy2),
.JOY1_X1(joy0_x0),
.JOY1_Y1(joy0_y0),
zero might be offscreen
i'm not sure, a lot of games use that for reloading* but i don't know how thats represented on the joystick
untold cloud
// Real (SNAC) light gun support. Srg.
EXLAT_N_OLD <= EXLAT_N;
if (!EXLAT_N && EXLAT_N_OLD && REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
// Emulated light gun support... EA.
if (EMU_LT_PULSE) begin
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {~JOY1_X1[7],JOY1_X1[6:0]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = {~JOY1_Y1[7],JOY1_Y1[6:0]};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
// Emulated light gun support... EA.
if (EMU_LG_ENA && (H_CNT==VBL_HPOS-1) && (V_CNT==VBL_START-1)) begin
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {~JOY1_X1[7],JOY1_X1[6:0]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = {~JOY1_Y1[7],JOY1_Y1[6:0]};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
Changed it, to update the coords on every Vblank, as long as EMU_LG_ENA is High.
Just not sure how to handle this thing atm...
if ({A[8:1],1'b0} == 9'h002 && !REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
And I'll still need to spoof the actual light gun ID, on the SMPC. No idea how to do that atm, short of buying a light gun to test via SNAC.
thorn pagoda
i have all the hardware if you can give me a core to extract the id from it or something
though i expect its well known online surely
untold cloud
Thanks.
It's just I'm not sure how the SMPC even reads the ID atm. I know the Saturn uses a kind of serial / shift register protocol, but that's about it.
thorn pagoda
opensource saturn emu for reference maybe
mortal mist
@ripe valley @polar mountain I don't see any pixels
thorn pagoda
does the analog pad have an id? might be able to practice on that
untold cloud
typedef enum bit [5:0] {
PS_IDLE,
PS_START,
PS_ID1_0,PS_ID1_1,PS_ID1_2,PS_ID1_3,PS_ID1_4,
PS_TYPE_SEL,
PS_DPAD_0,PS_DPAD_1,PS_DPAD_2,PS_DPAD_3,PS_DPAD_4,PS_DPAD_5,PS_DPAD_6,PS_DPAD_7,
PS_MOUSE_0,PS_MOUSE_1,PS_MOUSE_2,PS_MOUSE_3,PS_MOUSE_4,PS_MOUSE_5,PS_MOUSE_6,PS_MOUSE_7,PS_MOUSE_8,PS_MOUSE_9,PS_MOUSE_10,
PS_ID5_0,PS_ID5_1,PS_ID5_2,PS_ID5_3,PS_ID5_4,PS_ANALOG_5,PS_ANALOG_6,PS_ANALOG_7,PS_ANALOG_8,PS_ANALOG_9,PS_ANALOG_10,
PS_NOTHING_STUNNER,
PS_NEXT,
PS_END
} PortState_t;
PortState_t PORT_ST;
It has an ID enum for the stunner already.
So it might just kind of apply that ID erm, if no joypads are selected in the menu?
PS_TYPE_SEL: begin
if (MD_ID == 4'hB)
PORT_ST <= PS_DPAD_0;
// else if (MD_ID == 4'hD)
// PORT_ST <= PS_MD_0;
else if (MD_ID == 4'h3)
PORT_ST <= PS_MOUSE_0;
else if (MD_ID == 4'h5)
PORT_ST <= PS_ID5_0;
else if (MD_ID == 4'hF || 4'hA)
PORT_ST <= PS_NOTHING_STUNNER;
else
PORT_ST <= PS_END;
end
//Nothing Detected or Stunner
PS_NOTHING_STUNNER: begin
OREG_DATA <= {MD_ID,4'b0000};
OREG_WRITE <= 1;
PORT_ST <= PS_NEXT;
end
Is that dual ram?
mortal mist
Yes
rich violet
I think it was reported for single + original timings
untold cloud
"P2OFH,Pad 1,Digital,Off,Wheel,Mission Stick,3D Pad,Dual Mission,Mouse;",
"P2OIK,Pad 2,Digital,Off,Wheel,Mission Stick,3D Pad,Dual Mission,Mouse;",
@mortal mist I will recheck later.
Not at home at the moment, just checking your messages from last hour.
untold cloud
.JOY1_TYPE(status[17:15]),
After all these years, the CONF_STR is still super confusing.
There is a newer thing now, where you can just specify the bits directly.
eg...
"P2O[17:15],Pad 1,Digital,Off,Wheel,Mission Stick,3D Pad,Dual Mission,Mouse;",
(that relates to which bits of the "status" bus main MiSTer will tweak, depending on how you set the menu option.)
"Pad 1" will be the label that appears as the menu option.
For the "Digital" setting, status[17:15] will be 0.
For "Off", status[17:15] will be 1, etc.
Presumably, the "Off" thing, will actually apply the ID for the Stunner light gun.
mortal mist
@rich violet latest stable core , single sdram , works fine
clear condor
<@559052043776688128> ^ just want to make sure you see this
@untold cloud Thanks for investigating!
untold cloud
PS_ID1_4: begin
MD_ID <= {|JOY_DATA[3:2], |JOY_DATA[1:0], |JOY_DATA[15:14], |JOY_DATA[13:12]};
PORT_ST <= PS_TYPE_SEL;
end
PS_TYPE_SEL: begin
else if (MD_ID == 4'hF || 4'hA)
PORT_ST <= PS_NOTHING_STUNNER;
(some code removed, for clarity)
I'll just have to add that to SnargleFlap, and see what MD_ID is, with the pad1 menu option set to "Off".
That sounds right, though, for using a light gun via SNAC?
@ジェイ - When using a light gun via SNAC, you have to set the Pad 1 or Pad 2 menu option to "Off", yep?
thorn pagoda
i thought the option in the menu was labelled snac not off
untold cloud
Oh. Dunno.
rich violet
<@1108336969148284948> latest stable core , single sdram , works fine
It was the sonic 3D blast issue that was fixed by fast timings, not SF2! (I went back and read the thread.) Sorry for confusion!
untold cloud
Maybe the SNAC and Off options, both give the same ID?
I can probably check that, after this first compile.
mortal mist
It was the sonic 3D blast issue that was fixed by fast timings, not SF2! (I went...
no prob!🍻
thorn pagoda
could be but snac also works for regular pads so.... not sure
untold cloud
Yeah.
Going for a compile now, just to see what it sets MD_ID to, for various menu settings.
If it does force the ID to the Stunner, when set to "Off", then that could be ideal.
I have it set to always shove the H/V coords into VDP2 atm, on every Vblank.
But not sure about that polling reg thing.
Srg's famous lack of comments makes it tricky. lol
if ({A[8:1],1'b0} == 9'h002 && !REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
I mean, the EXTEN thing relates to the register flag it's checking. But I don't know what the Address 002 thing is.
Oh, maybe it actually IS the EXTEN "register".
case ({A[8:1],1'b0})
9'h000: REGS.TVMD <= DI & TVMD_MASK;
9'h002: REGS.EXTEN <= DI & EXTEN_MASK;
That's for a Write. ^
Fair enough.
wise brook
i thought the option in the menu was labelled snac not off
Correct!
sorry feeding baby
untold cloud
For SNAC, it must be reading the actual ID from the controller / light gun.
I need to force an ID for the light gun, without one being hooked up, so I reckon the Off setting might work for that.
thorn pagoda
yeah, seems like it should work however strange that may be, from the code you've shown
thorn pagoda
might want to refactor that before an MR though 😄
clear condor
could be but snac also works for regular pads so.... not sure
Saturn peripherals have two ways of talking to the system: 1) via the SMPC, and 2) by hooking up directly to the SH2. Most peripherals use the SMPC most of the time, so a gamepad working on SNAC unfortunately doesn't guarantee the Stunner will work
The Stunner is somewhat unique in that it only talks to the Saturn via SH2 Direct
wise brook
The Stunner is somewhat unique in that it *only* talks to the Saturn via SH2 Dir...
happy to report it is working tho
untold cloud
That might do it.
Should both be done as a proper override thing...
if (EMU_LG_ENA) begin
// Emulated light gun support...
//
// With real a light gun (above), it auto-latches the coords into HCT and VCT.
//
// For the emulated light gun, I'm latching the "Analog" coords from HPS_IO, on every VBlank. EA
//
if ((H_CNT==VBL_HPOS-1) && (V_CNT==VBL_START-1) && REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {~JOY1_X1[7],JOY1_X1[6:0]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = {~JOY1_Y1[7],JOY1_Y1[6:0]};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
end
else if (!EXLAT_N && EXLAT_N_OLD && REGS.EXTEN.EXLTEN) begin //EXTEN
// Real (SNAC) light gun support. Srg320.
REGS.HCNT.HCT = {H_CNT,DOTCLK_DIV[1]};
REGS.VCNT.VCT = LSMD == 2'b11 ? {VCT,~ODD} : {1'b0,VCT};
REGS.TVSTAT.EXLTFG <= 1;
end
So whenever EMU_LG_ENA is High (will eventually work as one of the menu options), it shoves the emulated HV coords into the regs, and sets the EXLTFG flag, on every Vblank.
Probably not good to just continually set that flag, as it could trigger a constant interrupt or something, and break stuff (tm).
I don't even think I'm doing the signed-to-unsigned thing properly atm. Oh well.
untold cloud
Copying Virtua Cop to the SD card via ssh atm.
That's just how I roll.
Buttons? Who needs buttons? lol
wise brook
You might need one to hit start
untold cloud
I'm not expecting this to work first time, btw. 😉
wise brook
Can’t quite recall off top of my head
untold cloud
True
Not sure how to hook that up atm, with Buttons + light gun HV.
It would likely map the buttons OK in Digital mode, but not in "Off" mode.
So will need a tweak for that.
thorn pagoda
yeah i'm not sure if you can get past the title screen without the button hooked up heh
i think it'll let you shoot the screen though?
untold cloud
Not sure hot swapping will work, but maybe.
I see what you mean - the game might not be reading the ID constantly, only at start-up.
thorn pagoda
oh it does read it constantly
i know because my snac->saturn adapter only works if its in a tiny-tiny sweetspot so its almost never right when i first start the game
wise brook
true
I need Greg from LazarBear to make 3-D printed new ones. I’d happily play treble going rate for a good connector.
thorn pagoda
porkchops fixed it on his now - last few batches iirc
thorn pagoda
the sega one?
untold cloud
I'm assuming it uses the same ID? lol
thorn pagoda
ah right yeah the others can be a bit cheaper
i think so? saturn only has 1 kind of lightgun afaik
untold cloud
This one.
thorn pagoda
i'd guess that just uses the same protocol as the official one but i really have no idea
i know on psx there are multiple protocols so it matters what gun you get but i dont think its true on saturn
clear condor
Yeah, some of the cheapo third-party guns offer three modes: "PS1 Normal", "PS1 GunCon", and "Saturn"
with the first two managed by a switch somewhere on the gun or plug
sturdy dagger
I think I had the lightgun above. I just don't own a crt.
untold cloud
Gonna have a pizza (Dominos - don't judge me. lol)
Then have another look at this later.
wise brook
You’ve absolutely earned it
sturdy dagger
Hopefully Dominoes have some good offers available
warped saddle
since I've eaten pizza in the UK before, there's no point in judging anyone there for eating dominoes
cunning citrus
You need the gun button to start the game and enter menus, you navigate the menus with the trigger, on screen moves cursor down, off screen moves up. Virtua Cop 1 and 2 are like this, can't recall if all lightgun games do the same though.
thorn pagoda
you can get good pizza in the uk but not easily
untold cloud
Then have another look at this later.
Two for Tuesdays deal. 😉
But, when a pizza already costs about £20, it's the illusion of a discount.
I only order takeaway about once every 3 months, though.
To be fair, you still get more "food" for your money, even with the ridiculous prices of Dominos in the UK.
vs McDonald's, which used to be cheap, and have the 99p saver menu.
Now, it's like £6.50 for a fecking Breakfast roll, and a coffee.
inner token
when you plug a stunner in you get A0 for that port in the OREG so you have to fake it there to make the game think a stunner is connected, then it uses sh2 direct mode for the sensor and buttons. so hook into PDR in the core in SMPC
sat tech notes is the only doc with any info
sturdy dagger
vs McDonald's, which used to be cheap, and have the 99p saver menu.
Don't get me started
I miss my 99p burgers
inner token
Ash regular saturn guns work, people want the other usb options
wise brook
Ash regular saturn guns work, people want the other usb options
he knows
he wants the gun for testing
wise brook
it’s such a good game
and i mean that in a big way, scoring, multipliers, pacing, how the ost sets the mood and tempo
thorn pagoda
the graphics are so iconic too
wise brook
Time Crisis, several years later, comes in with amazing set-pieces and spectacle. and “wins” the internet nostalgia machine.
but as a game, mechanically it takes a back seat to what it was copying
by which point VC2 had already raised the bar
gotta admit tho, that foot pedal slaps
thorn pagoda
i feel like the foot pedal makes it a totally different kind of game
wise brook
yeah, closer to another genre
thorn pagoda
like unreal tournement vs gears of war
clear condor
The cover mechanic was just enough extra complexity
polar mountain
<@1108336969148284948> latest stable core , single sdram , works fine
Crt?
mortal mist
No , hdmi
clear condor
Shooting is fun, but if your game is just "shoot thing to win", it gets old quickly (unless it's Duck Hunt for some reason)
wise brook
The cover mechanic was just enough extra complexity
what it does to the game rhythm tho… maybe it needed to be better integrated into the score mechanics
clear condor
The first TC will time you out if you cover too conservatively. Subsequent entries don't seem as urgent
wise brook
the death of arcade philosophy
mortal mist
Must only be crt then
I will try on crt
clear condor
I've actually... never played VC1, VC2, or HotD1 🙈
that's part of why I'm so stoked about this
wise brook
or any of the later entries?
clear condor
I've played House of the Dead 2 and Typing of the Dead
wise brook
delightful
thorn pagoda
hotd1 is disappointing compared to hotd2 ngl
clear condor
I figured as much, since GOLDMAN! isn't in it
thorn pagoda
its still fun but hotd2 is almost perfect
wise brook
Sega AM3, later Wow entertainment are arguably better than AM2 if much more unsung
clear condor
hotd2 has lots of frustrating bullet sponges, especially compared to Time Crisis (an actually perfect game)
wise brook
its still fun but hotd2 is almost perfect
HotD 1’s mansion lives rent free in my head tho
it’s even more an icon than the spencer mansion
thorn pagoda
thats fair, the end boss of hotd2 is bullshit
clear condor
HotD 1’s mansion lives rent free in my head tho
You mean, the actual House? The one with The Dead in it?
wise brook
I've actually... never played VC1, VC2, or HotD1 🙈
have you seen the Pandamonium documentary on VC?
thorn pagoda
i like how the altnerate routes make it feel more exploration-ish with each playthrough
clear condor
I have not. I watched the Sega Rally one and then thoroughly enjoyed Sega Rally afterward
inner token
Shooting is fun, but if your game is just "shoot thing to win", it gets old quic...
I think I prefer some on rails thing like Area 51 compared to extra mechanics things like Time crisis
clear condor
Virtua Cop has innocents, right?
thorn pagoda
yeah
thorn pagoda
they're very well signposted though, there's always an audio cue
clear condor
that's always a nice way to make it interesting - cf Area 51, Lethal Enforcers
thorn pagoda
much less annoying than in most games
wise brook
i dunno, hearing them say “help me” and accidentally shooting them is the opposite of my happy place
oh yeah
clear condor
Is Saturn gun-time pretty much those three - VC1, VC2, HotD?
wise brook
you kinda know you can expect panda to go into great detail on the game, this was able to flesh out the lore which was hidden behind the language barrier until he and samiam translated its support materials
mortal mist
Must only be crt then
Crt
mortal mist
Digital dv, now i'm checking analog
Need few sec
Analog
Tested on three de10 nano
celest lake
yellow dots in his hair!
muted cradle
Reflecting room lights on the photo?
celest lake
Reflecting room lights on the photo?
yes. sorry I should have 
ed
mortal mist
I am not saying that this problem does not occur for you. I just can not reproduce it
I've had the situation several times that something was wrong, and everyone wrote “it works for me” 😄
celest lake
Kuba’s mister is magic