Dream CPC Alpha 2

[JMD]

Hi
Here is the alpha 2 version of DreamCPC
There are no new features: this version is only a bug correction / code improvement.

What?s new :
- Correct the sound render pbm that made it sound so bad : should be better
- Change the timing method : now the synchro isn?t each frame but every xx frames : a longer frame won?t slow down the emulator as before  the emu back fullspeed for most of the games
- Add a variable sound quality and auto frame skip : if the emu can?t ?still in time?, it down sound rendering quality and add frame skip to try keep a constant frame rate. Not really perfect because most game doesn?t need this trick to be full speed and game with pbm (Robocop ?) need more than the time gained with this trick ?. Best than nothing :/.
- Update the Z80 core with the latest PC-CPC core.
- Add a lot of statistics
- Lot of code improvement
- Game now launch without the CPC file extension (ex : toto.bin will launch with run"toto )

Conclusion:
? should be better in this version:
- the sound
- the speed/timing
? Not perfect
- all others bugs
- the speed on cybernoid And Robocop still not perfect (but it?s better)

Pbm on Camelot Warrior (no fx in game) and Prince of Persia (corrupted graphics ) are in PC-CPC too. I didn?t try to correct them.

Thanks to doragasu for bug report and everybody on the few Dreamcast/CPC forums for all the nice comments.

Please continue to reports bug/pbm.

JMD

[Arqueiro]

nice news, i will try and post some feedback

[JMD]

Wraggster mirored the file here at dcemu.co.uk

[LyingWake]

SBI has been uploaded to Sbiffy.

[SiZiOUS]

http://sbibuilder.free.fr/mirrors/dreamcpc

- SBI
- Plain files
- Bootable : CDI, NRG5 & 6, ALCOHOL.

[doragasu]

Great!!!
Too bad I'm pretty busy with exams, but I'll reserve some time to make some more tests.

Thanks a lot JMD

[doragasu]

I have teste it and this is what I've found:

First of all, thanks for giving me credit! I don't deserve it!
I have tested 3 more games. The speed improvement is great! And the sound is a lot more accurate (but still needs improvement). Now the games:

- Gryzor (alias Contra) works great, fullspeed with sound.
- Trantor: The last stormtrooper: This is one of the games that better uses the CPC hardware (it was coded by David Perry), and works great, also fullspeed with sound. Too bad I can't hear the emulator saying "Trantor: the last stormtrooper". Maybe in a later version .
- Bumpy: Doesn't work. I have tested 2 releases, one with a .BAS and other without it (only with a a .BIN). Whith both releases, when I click the executable, the emulator hangs without even returning to the emulation, and I have to reboot my DC.

There was a bug present in Alpha 1 that haven't been solved that makes me reboot my DC constantly. When I load a game (I have each game in a ziprom) and I want to load any other game, I click the ".." and the window listing the games gets empty. Then I click any directory in the left window and it also gets empty, so I can't load games and I have to reboot my DC. Fortunately bugs with sound when changing disk or resetting the emulator have apparently been solved, thanks!

This emulator is progressing greatly. If you continue like this, we will have soon perfect CPC emulation in our DCs.

[Hobbes T Tiger]

Way to go again mate. I really hoped there would be a second release, but I didn't expect it a week later.

Kudos to you

[rondc]

JMD, great update.

[doragasu]

First other bug I think I didn't report before. It's almost impossible to play with keyboard in most games because when you press a key, there's a noticeable latency and if you keep the key pressed, the emulator doesn't detect that you hold it.

Ano now, some more tests:
- After the war: Works great (sound not very good)
- Arkanoid: Works great, sounds pretty well. Only small slowdowns when you are killed, but while playing it's fullspeed
- Arkanoid 2: Works, but has corrupted graphics in the border and in the top of the screen. The frame counter says it's 50fps, but it's clearly wrong, it must be about 35 fps or so.
- Bad Dudes vs Dragon Ninja: Works fullspeed, but there's some graphic corruption in the border and almost no ingame sound (only a beep when you get killed).
- Barbarian: Woks great, fullspeed and good sound.
- Batman: Works great! Fullspeed and almost perfect sound. Only a bit of graphic corruption in the border. Great Filmation game. I need to finish this game when I get some more time...
- Batman the Caped Crusader (alias Batman 2): Works great, fullspeed and good sound.
- Batman the Movie (alias Batman 3): Only tested level 1. Works almost fullspeed. Music doesn't sound very good and most sfx just doesn't sound. Some graphic corruption in the border. It's a pity it doesn't work 100%, as it's a great game.

I'll do some more tests when I get some time.

[doragasu]

Some more tests...

Beyond the Ice Palace: Works. Sound not very good.
Bloodwych: Works. Frame counter says it's 50fps, but I find it a bit slow
BMX Simulator: Works great!
Bubble Bobble: The CPC hangs when you start a new game.
Buggy Boy: Works great, only a bit of garbage in the borders.
Bumpy: I had reported previously this game didn't work, but I have tested the release downloadable at http://www.cpcgamereviews.com and works! Sound is not accurate but speed is great. One of my favorite CPC games, extremely addictive.
Bumpy's arcade fantasy: Works great, only a little bit slow.
Capit?n Trueno, El: Doesn't work (at least the release I tried, cpm boot based).
Castle Master: Works good.
Castle Master II (The Crypt): Works good.
Cauldron: Works good
Chase HQ: Works, but a bit slow and almost without sound
Combat School: Works great, but be warned, I broke 2 or 3 joysticks playing this game a lot of years ago!
Commando: Works fullspeed with good sound, but suffers massive graphic corruption when the screen scrolls.
Continental Circus: Works great. Speed not very accurate but fullspeed. Good racing game!
Dan Dare: Works great. Sound needs some work
Dan Dare 2: Bad sound but fullspeed.
Dan Dare 3: Same as the other two, sound not very good but fullspeed (and this is the best of the 3).
Dark Side: Works great, good Freescape game.
Deflektor: Music is awful but the rest works great. A great (and difficult) puzzle game.
Donkey Kong: Graphic corruption in the top of the screen. Sound not too good and the game sometimes runs too fast.
Driller: Works great.
Elite: This legendary game by David Braven DOESN'T WORK. Reboots or hangs the virtual CPC.

[Smurph]

JMD, your avatar has absolutely humongous boobs.

[DARKGATE]

i have testet a lot of games od dreamcpc

more games wich use |CPM dont' work

GAUNTLET the depper dungeons (CPM) ( don't work)
SUP HANG ON (CPM) don' work
GAUNTLET (CPM) work well, sound not perfect.
GAUNTLET 2 (CPM) work well, sound not perfect
PRINCE OF PERSIA (CPM) don't work
PUNCHY ok (MY FIRST GAME WICH I SEE WHEN I HAVE BUY MY AMSTRAD

HUNCBACK ok
TOMBSTOWNE OK a bit slow in title screen but the game is perfect
SORCERY NORMAL AND PLUS OK
IMPOSSIBLE MISSION a bit slowdown but good
IMPOSSIBLE MISSION 2 bit slowdonn when you are in lift but GOOD
ALTERED BEAST ok (TERRIBLE conversion) =|
ZYNAPS OK bit slow in screenshot title, but hte game is perfect
VICTORY ROAD OK the music in the title screen not perfect
THUNDERCATS NO SOUND in the game
TECHICIAN TED OK
ROLAND IN THE SPACE OK o lot fast but GOOD ^_^
DRAGONS OF FLAME not work (GOOD =D, a game of shit)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
in the next week i put other titles stay tuned boys =)

[DARKGATE]

upgrade of my list for dreamcpc ah, my refer at the last version
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALIENS OK
ALIEN 8 OK (sound no perfect)
ALIEN SINDROME (a bit slow but playable)
ALIENSTORM (graphic problems, unplayable )
ALIEN ATTACK OK
ASTRO MARINE CORPS OK the (sound not is perfect)
ANTIRIAD OK
AFTHER THE WAR OK (the sound not is perfect)
1942 OK
1943 OK (no FX in game)
ACTION FIGHTER OK
3D GRAND PRIX OK
3D STUNT RIDER (small problem of graphic a bit slow)
10 th frame OK
THE ACTIVATOR OK
ADDAMS FAMILY (problems to border flash continue)
AGENT 1 OK
AGENT X 2 TOO MUCH FAST O_o
AIRWOLF OK
ALEX HIGGIN WROLD POOL OK
ANARCHY OK
ADVANCED PINBALL SIMULATOR (problems to controls keyboard uplayable)

aidas championship football OK
ADIDAS CHAMHPIONSHIP TIE BREAK OK
3 WEEK IN PARADISE OK
AFTHER BURNER (CPM) (DONT WORK)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
| end for now, but is a problem the CPM GAMES don't work

[doragasu]

yeah, I can confirm cpm games do not work. Also when you do a "cat" command on cpm games instead of getting the usual error, you get garbage.

[JMD]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for all this test : I will test the game with pbm.

The DC keyboard isn't good to play because it's just an 'event queue' and not based on states as Pad. Should be difficult to change this so the best way is to map the keys on the pad

[doragasu]

Thanks to you JMD, Keep up the good work!

[doragasu]

And now for something completely different... some more tests:

Empire Strikes Back, The: A little bit slow, sound not perfect but pretty playable.
Exolon: Works great!
Extrene: Missing graphics in the upper border of the screen. Moving lines in the main screen aren't supposed to cross left and right borders of the screen. Other than that, works great.
Forgotten Worlds: Doesn't load (copy protected disc?)
Freddy Hardest: Works great! (both parts tested)
Freddy Hardest 2: Works good. Pretty bad game...
Gabrielle: Works great!
Game Over: Works great! Nice game
Game Over 2: Works great!
Gauntlet: Missing some lines in the top of the the screen. Garbage in the borders. Other than this, plays great!
Gauntlet 2: Doesn't work (cpm version)
Ghostbusters: Works.
Golden Axe: Doesn't work Hangs when loading after selecting characters/controls
Goody: Sound not very good but works!

I'll come back!

[Hobbes T Tiger]

Could someone report on how they are loading games as I'm having trouble with the emulator hanging when I try to load a disk file as well.

Has someone found a workaround that doesn't involve resetting the DC between games?

[doragasu]

Could someone report on how they are loading games as I'm having trouble with the emulator hanging when I try to load a disk file as well.

Has someone found a workaround that doesn't involve resetting the DC between games?

I had problems only when loading games from ziproms, when I load the games directly from the .dsk file, it works perfect. With ziproms, you can load one game but if you try to load another, you have to reboot the DC because the file listing stops working properly.