From 2823a4c8196a02da86ee180cf55586d4e8c91a2f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: notaz Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 18:48:31 +0300 Subject: original source from gpsp09-2xb_src.tar.bz2 --- gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt | 262 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 262 insertions(+) create mode 100644 gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt (limited to 'gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt') diff --git a/gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt b/gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..434250a --- /dev/null +++ b/gp2x/readme_gp2x.txt @@ -0,0 +1,262 @@ +-- gameplaySP2X Gameboy Advance emulator for GP2X -- + +gpSP2X is a version of my (Exophase)'s emulator originally for Sony PSP. +A large amount of effort has been done to make it more optimized for the +ARM CPU present in the GP2X, however it is still very much a work in +progress. + +See readme.txt for the PSP version readme, which contains a lot of +information relevant to the GP2X version (note that some of it does +not apply however). + + +Changelog: + +0.9-2xb: +-- IMPORTANT-- If you're overwriting an old version, be sure to delete the + gpsp.cfg file first, or be prepared to have a bunch of weird button + settings that would require fixing. + +- Fixed some bugs stunting compatability. +- Optimized alpha blends in renderer. +- Some more optimizations to dynarec output. +- Savestates should work better now. +- Cheat/misc menu won't crash the emulator. +- Main button config window works (not all buttons are in yet) + +0.9-2Xa: (Exophase release) +- Redid autoframeskip. Should work more reliably. +- Rewrote dynamic recompiler from x86 source (arm_emit.h, arm_stub.S). + Has some more sophisticated behavior than the last version, more is + still to come... Should notice a slight speed improvement over the + last version. +- Tweaked GUI to be a little more useable. Buttons are now mirroring the + PSP version's. +- Code unification + cleanup amongst versions. + + +v9008: (zodttd release) +- Updated the way autoframeskip works. Should be better now. Still has a max + frameskip value. +- Added a slight performance increase to the dynarec. +- Added sync() to make sure files such as savestates and in-game saves are + saved properly to the GP2X. + +v9006: (zodttd release) +- Initial public release + + +Installation: + +1. Place the "gpsp.gpe" and "game_config.txt" file in a directory on your SD + card used with the GP2X. + +2. Place your GBA BIOS in the directory from step 1. This file must be named + "gba_bios.bin" in all lowercase as shown, so rename it if needed. + + -- NOTE -- + + There are two commonly available BIOSes - one is the correct one used in + production GBA's worldwide and the other is a prototype BIOS. The latter + will not cause some games to not work correctly or crash. If you attempt + to use this BIOS you will be presented with a warning before being + allowed to continue. This screen will give you a checksum of the real + BIOS image (see readme.txt for further information). + +3. Place your GBA games in the directory from step 1. These files should have + a ".gba" or ".bin" file extension. Zip compressed games should be supported + and are recognized with the ".zip" file extension. Note that 32MB ROMs will + probably not run if zipped. 16MB and smaller should be OK. + +4. Done. Run gpsp.gpe. + + +Controls: + +How to use gpSP on the GP2X: +Buttons are mapped as follows (GBA/ingame buttons can be changed in the menu): + +GP2X--------------------GBA +X -> A +B -> B +L TRIG -> L TRIG +R TRIG -> R TRIG +START -> START +SELECT -> SELECT + +GP2X--------------------------------gpSP + +-- IN-GAME -- + +VOL MIDDLE (UP + DOWN) -> menu +PUSH STICK -> fps display toggle (second number is + frames actually drawn) + +-- IN-MENU -- +B -> select option +X -> cancel/exit menu +A -> escape (up one director level in the + file selector) + +When gpSP is started, you are presented with the option to overclock your +GP2X. Use the L/R TRIG to change the CPU clockspeed and press START to +continue. You may also change RAM timings here - experiment with what +works well. Note that going too high on overclocking or low on RAM +timings can cause the game to crash or the GP2X to outright freeze up. + +If you do not want to overclock, press START without using L/R. +You will now be presented with a menu to choose a game. Press the IN-MENU +"SELECT" button shown above to pick a game to load. + +If you would like to test gpSP for the GP2X with a homebrew (free public +domain) game, a game by Russ Prince works very well with gpSP. It is called +Bust-A-Move and is a remake of the classic game it's named after. + + +How to build from source: + +The makefile included in the source is geared towards the Open2x toolchain. +If you use Open2x and installed it in the way recommended then it should +work okay, assuming you also have up to date HW-SDL (and have +arm-linux-sdl-config installed in the right place). The makefile is in the +gp2x directory, so go there first then just type make to build gpsp.gpe. +Might need a little tweaking if your setup is different. If you need help +you can ask me, but I'll probably nag you about why you want to build it in +the first place. + + +GP2X version FAQ: + +Q) Help! This game doesn't work. Am I using a bad version of the ROM? + +A) First, make sure you're using the correct BIOS version. If you aren't + gpSP should tell you. Other than that, there are some games that are + known to not work now (and will probably work later), and perhaps + many more games that I don't know about that don't work. I haven't + launched a full scale compatability test at this version, so it might + take a while before the compatability levels are high. + + +Q) Why is this version slower than the PSP version? + +A) gpSP is still a work in progress. It might be possible to obtain more + speed from both this version and the PSP one too (and others in the + future). With that in mind, know that even a very agressively overclocked + GP2X is still less powerful than a PSP, generally speaking. Still, I + have a lot of ideas. It's unlikely that the GP2X version will ever be as + fast/faster than the PSP version for anyone but anything's possible. + + +Q) How high does my GP2X have to overclock to enjoy gpSP? + +A) That depends on you. Higher overclocking will mean less frames skipped + on autoframeskip, or less frameskip needed if on manual. Or it can + make the difference between whether or not virtual 60fps can be reached. + For some games no GP2X in the world will be able to run them fullspeed, + with any amount of frameskip. A few might run well with no overclocking + and a generous level of frameskip (probably manual). If you don't care + about battery life (or you're plugged into an outlet) you should push + it as high as you can while still maintaining stability, because + chances are high that whatever you play will benefit from it. Right now + you'll probably want 260MHz if you can achieve it, but with a lot of + luck this number will lower slightly in the future (and is just a vague + ballpark figure anyway). I don't want to scare anyone off from using the + emulator, you should give it a try and see how it plays for you + regardless of how high you can overclock. Just note that this is far + from a locked smooth experience for everyone on every game. + + +Q) GBA has an ARM processor, GP2X has an ARM processor. GP2X is more + powerful than GBA. This emulator should run great without overclocking, + so therefore you're doing it wrong. + +A) That's not a question, but I'll field it anyway. Two things: first, + "virtualization", or running the GBA code "natively" on the GP2X is + probably not possible, at least not with the way I want to do things. + For reasons why go read my blog (see below). So yes, you actually + do need more than 16.7MHz of ARM9 power to emulate the GBA's CPU. + Second: there is a whole lot of work behind emulating the pretty 2D + graphics on the GBA, something it can do in hardware a lot better than + this platform can. + End result: GBA emulation on GP2X isn't as easy as you think it is. + + +Q) What are you working on now? When will you release the next version? + +A) See the gpSP development blog: + + http://gpsp-dev.blogspot.com/ + + Note that I don't give release dates, ever, unless I'm right on the verge + of releasing. Be grateful that I've decided to be much more open about + the development of the emulator now. + + +Q) Thanks to your blog I heard that you made some improvement. Can I have + a copy of the new code? + +A) No. Builds in transition often have a lot of problems, and I like for + releases to be relatively substantial. I can probably be bribed out of + them with donations though. :P + + +Q) Why do the menu suck so much? Why do half the options not work or not + make any sense? + +A) Sorry, the menu still hasn't been modified very much to fit the GP2X + version instead of the PSP version.. hopefully this will improve in the + future. + + +Q) Who's in charge of the GP2X version anyway? + +A) Originally, zodttd was. I, Exophase, have basically usurped control of it + now to encourage zodttd to work more on his PS1 emulator (that and I'm + possessive of gpSP and get nervous when people work on it too heavily). + zodttd will most likely still be around to work on things though. + + +Q) I'm a super nice person and would like to donate some of my hard earned + money to this one-off GBA emulator. Where do I send my money to? + +A) Exophase: exophase@gmail.com on PayPal + zodttd: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=heirloomer + %40pobox%2ecom&item_number=1&no_shipping=1&no_note=1&tax=0&cy_code=USD&bn= + PP%2dDonationsBF&charset=UTF%2d8 + ^ Click there for donating on PayPal (remove whitespace/linebreaks). + + GP2X people have already donated a lot more to me than PSP people have, + even though there's an order of magnitude or two less users. And they've + donated far more to zodttd than they have to me. So I'm not going to ask + people to donate.. + + However I won't lie: donating ups the chances of me actually working on the + next version (for which I have a lot of ideas, but not necessarily time to + dedicate to.. that time might need more incentive to be allotted from other + things). This could change depending on my employment situation, but right + now I feel guilty doing anything that doesn't help guarantee that I'll be + able to buy food a year from now. + + +Q) Tell me all of your personal information. + +A) Again not a question, but why not. I'm Exophase, real name: Gilead Kutnick, + male, 23 years old, current residence Bloomington, IN; straight/single/not + actively looking, almost have an MS in Computer Science (do have a BS + underneath it), likes PSP more than GP2X, will not write a Nintendo DS + emulator for either, am currently looking for a job for after I graduate. + + +Q) You said you're looking for a job. + +A) Yes. If you have one or know someone who needs a low level oriented + programmer then I'm up for grabs. And this is my resume: + http://exophase.devzero.co.uk/resume.pdf + + +Credits: + +Original codebase: Exophase (exophase@gmail.com) +Foundation gp2x code: zodttd +GP2X dynarec/stubs + current code maintainance: Exophase + -- cgit v1.2.3