Stella Version 2.3 released

[+stephena]

OK, after a false start , here's the latest release of Stella. There are some nice speedups in this release, and a few TIA fixes. Unfortunately, the bulk of the TIA issues aren't worth fixing in the current code, since it's still in the process of being rewritten. So hopefully we can get that done for the next release (as well as some debugger updates). Anyway, here's the changelog:

 

 * NOTE: Because of the many changes in this release, all settings
will be reset to defaults.  If this doesn't happen for you, it will be
necessary to manually delete your previous settings.

 * Potentially huge speedups in software rendering mode, both in emulation
and UI modes.  Deactivating 'dirty rects' uses these new modes, which
can be 2-3 times faster for many configurations.

 * For UI navigation, changed from using 'joymouse' to the more familiar
'tabbing' functionality, where you move from object to object by use of
some tab key.  As a result, completely removed the 'joymouse' commandline
argument and all associated functionality.

 * Added event remapping for UI events, separate from events while in
emulation mode.

 * Added support for PAL60 ROMs, which use the PAL palette and resolution
but run at NTSC timing (60Hz).  Added ROM property for this, and updated
the internal properties database for many PAL60 ROMs.

 * Added support for user-definable palettes.  For now, only one extra palette
is supported, but in the future we may have them specified per-ROM.

 * Fixed bug in PAL colour-loss emulation, which wasn't actually being done
for the original Stella and z26 palettes.

 * Fixed several TIA-related emulation bugs as reported on AtariAge.  More
fixes will come with the TIA rewrite, due in the next release.

 * Added new scaler infrastructure, replacing the '-zoom' commandline argument
with '-scale_ui' and '-scale_tia'.  This means the UI and emulation can now
be scaled independently.

 * Added '-gl_vsync' commandline argument and associated UI elements, which
uses synchronization to vertical blank interrupt in OpenGL on supported
systems.  This eliminates tearing in OpenGL rendering.

 * Changed naming of snapshots and state files.  These files are now
named based on the names given in the properties database, and no longer
use the 'md5sum' name.  As a result, state files from previous versions
will no longer work unless they're manually renamed.  Related to this,
removed the '-ssname' commandline argument.

 * Fixed bug where 'Snapshot saved' appeared when taking snapshots in
succession.

 * Added a 'Previous directory' entry to the top of each listing while
in ROM Browse mode, which is equivalent to the 'Go Up' button.  This makes
it easier to navigate the filesystem, since you never have to 'tab out'
of the ROM listing.

 * Added all sound related commandline options to the UI, so you no
longer have to use the commandline to set those options.

 * Added new property to ROM properties specifying whether to swap paddles
plugged into a virtual port.  This eliminates the need to manually set the
paddle mode for those ROMs that don't use paddle zero by default.

 * Added a 'Defaults' button to the Game Properties dialog, which resets
the ROM properties to the internal defaults, deleting that ROMs properties
from the external properties file.

 * Fixed bug whereby modified ROM properties weren't being reloaded when
restarting a ROM.

 * Made 'phosphor' and 'phosphor blend' a ROM property, meaning it can be
set per-ROM.

 * Added support for relocating the base Stella directory, by setting the
environment variable 'STELLA_BASEDIR'.  This must be done each time before
Stella starts.

 * Added '-fastscbios' commandline argument, which speeds up loading of 
vertical bars in Supercharger ROMs, and made it the default.

 * Added '-autoslot' commandline argument, which automatically switches
to the next available slot after saving a state.  This defaults to off,
and must be set from the commandline.

 * Fixed bug in debugger command 'runto', which could enter an infinite
loop under some conditions.

 * Updated configure/build toolchain so patching is no longer required for
Debian packages.

 * Removed dependency on PNG library (PNG snapshots are still present, but the
actual library is no longer required).

 * For the OSX port, improved OpenGL performance on Mac Mini using Intel
GMA950 video hardware.

 * For the GP2X port, added support for PAL ROMs, and updated SDL to use
hardware scaling.

 

As always, you can download Stella from http://stella.sf.net. Also, please report any bugs here, and not in the other thread (labeled "Stella 2.3 released - NOT YET").

[atwwong]

Fixed several TIA-related emulation bugs as reported on AtariAge. More

fixes will come with the TIA rewrite, due in the next release.

Nicely done, stephena. Stella 2.3 fixes a TIA emulation problem in 2.2 and earlier versions that had Haunted Adventure Trilogy starting up in the wrong bank compared to a real 2600/7800. I no longer have to use a workaround patch to get HAT to work with the Stella emulator. I know you're not done yet, but good progress is being made! Now you have definitely given me an alternative to the z26 emulator.

 

Cheers,

Tony

[Trebor]

I'm glad it's official now

 

Great to see the release! Thanks Stephena!

[Trebor]

aawwww...shucks...looks like to Solaris bug is one that has to wait for the TIA rewrite:

 

-Trebor

[Trebor]

Looks like H.E.R.O. is in the same boat as Solaris

 

Interesting with this one:

I blew up the wall and the wall reappeared in the "bugged" area (That's what the actual snapshot is displaying - The "reappeared" wall]. However, you can walk right thru it to the next board.

 

-Trebor

Edited December 23, 2006 by Trebor

[+stephena]

Looks like H.E.R.O. is in the same boat as Solaris

Interesting with this one:

I blew up the wall and the wall reappeared in the "bugged" area (That's what the actual snapshot is displaying - The "reappeared" wall]. However, you can walk right thru it to the next board.

 

-Trebor

Yes, unfortunately it's a fundamental problem in the core emulation code, and fixing it will probably mean rewriting half the TIA class. Since that's happening anyway, we'll just have to wait. I've been told that it should be ready by March, but I'm almost always wrong when it comes to release dates That's why I rarely give them.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Yes, unfortunately it's a fundamental problem in the core emulation code...

I don't think that's the problem here. H.E.R.O. uses HMOVE blanks, but those are disabled by default. Enable them and the problem is gone.

[+stephena]

Yes, unfortunately it's a fundamental problem in the core emulation code...

I don't think that's the problem here. H.E.R.O. uses HMOVE blanks, but those are disabled by default. Enable them and the problem is gone.

I wasn't clear; I was refering to Solaris. As for the HERO tip, thanks for that. I'll make the changes in ROM properties immediately.

[Trebor]

Yes, unfortunately it's a fundamental problem in the core emulation code...

I don't think that's the problem here. H.E.R.O. uses HMOVE blanks, but those are disabled by default. Enable them and the problem is gone.

 

Thomas you are the man!

 

That indeed fixes it. Thank you for sharing how to fix it

 

Anyone who needs a "hand hold" for this one:

 

Load H.E.R.O. --> Hit 'Tab' Key --> Select 'Game Properties' --> Click the 'Display' tab -->

Change 'Use HMBlanks:' from 'No' to 'Yes' --> Click 'OK'.

 

You need to at least reload the ROM or better yet, exit and relaunch Stella for the changes to take affect.

 

Again, hats off to Thomas - Nice job!

 

-Trebor

[midget35]

great work steph! Hugely appreciate your efforts!

[Trebor]

Another bug...Demon Attack...IGNORE...Sorry...

 

..Note to self: "Gaming session of Mednafen (Atari Lynx emulator), followed by gaming session of MAME (Arcade Emulation), followed by gaming session of Stella (Atari 2600 emulator) requires reboot in between".

 

Appears Mednafen, MAME and/or Stella do not share libraries nicely. Reboot fixes everything. Although I have a gut feeling Mednafen is(was) the problem.

 

Again, sorry to bother.

 

-Trebor

Edited December 24, 2006 by Trebor

[Robert M]

Great work! Its nice to see the problem with RESBL is fixed.

 

Thanks!

[Haunted]

It's always good to see another release of my favorite 2600 emulator (and in a convenient Windows zip file too). When I switched over from 2.2 to 2.3 I noticed a problem, however. All the text in Stella's launcher and in-game tab menu is invisible when the desktop's color depth is set to 24 bits, both when the program's run in windowed mode and in full-screen. Everything's still there and works when you click on it, it just can't be seen. Dropping the color depth down to 16 bits makes everything visible again.

[+stephena]

It's always good to see another release of my favorite 2600 emulator (and in a convenient Windows zip file too). When I switched over from 2.2 to 2.3 I noticed a problem, however. All the text in Stella's launcher and in-game tab menu is invisible when the desktop's color depth is set to 24 bits, both when the program's run in windowed mode and in full-screen. Everything's still there and works when you click on it, it just can't be seen. Dropping the color depth down to 16 bits makes everything visible again.

Oops. I just looked at the code, and this is what the function for 24 bpp font rendering says:

// TODO ...

Looks like I missed it

 

I'll be doing a bugfix release this week, and I'll get this fixed before then.

 

EDIT:

 

I just looked at the code, and it seems that 24bpp rendering of the game image should have the red and blue components reversed. Is this happening for you? I don't have any video cards capable of 24 bpp (only 16 and 32), so it's impossible for me to test this.

Edited January 14, 2007 by stephena

[Haunted]

No, the colors seem to be normal in the half-dozen games I just tried. The water in River Raid hasn't turned into blood, though that would actually be pretty cool.