18 replies to this topic

[Shannon]

So what exactly is this forum for?

Well first of, thanks to Al for providing this forum...

I'll edit this message as I get things better organized but for now here is a brief description.

It all pretty much started when x-port released the source code of his numerous emulators for the Xbox. I decided that I would take these source codes and update some of them. Especially the older, slightly neglected, classic systems. Being that my love is everything Atari I started with atarixlbox which already had numerous flaws. This extended into the 7800 and then Adamx (colecovision emulator).

The goal was to make these older classic systems more accessible. Especially to the uninitiated who's entire console world began with the NES. Well everything got turned upside down when Nes6502 added video playback and dual preview skin abilities to his Zsnesxbox emulator. Next thing I know I'm getting requests to do the same for x-port emulators.

Enter RessurectionX and Gilles9999. Gilles9999 started providing the much needed dual preview skins in order to accomplish such a task. RessurectionX took things into a whole new realm with the Resurrection Xtra's. Resurrection Xtra's started out as .dat files for renaming emulator ROMS to the xbox filename standard with screenshots and movie previews. This then extended into including game manuals, box art, cart art, and now gamefaqs, maps, and game synopsis'.

Anyways the project was beginning to get to the point where it was getting hard to keep track of everything going on. Especially with the limited editing abilities afforded to me and gilles9999 when providing updates. So I asked Albert if he could help me out and provide a home for what started out to be a simple update to x-port emulators into a massive documentation project practically.

I'll provide more details later so people will have a better understanding of everything involved, including screenshots, and maybe even a Youtube video or two. We, of course, are looking for all the help we can and credit will be given where credit is due. It's a pretty massive project, so please be patient as I put information together.

X-port emulators and console systems emulated and targeted for a RessurectionXtra treatment.

Atari Systems
-------------
2600 -> Z26 (based on Z26!)
5200/8-bit's -> atarixlbox (based on Atari800 source)
7800 -> A7800x (based on mess source)
Lynx -> Mednafen-Lynx


Misc Systems
------------
Colecovision/Adam -> AdamX (based on Adamem)
Intellivision -> BlissX
NeoGeo -> NeoPopX
Odyssey 2 -> OdysseyX
PC Engine/TG16 -> Mednafen-PCE
Playstation -> PCSXBox
WonderswanX -> Wonderswan

Nintendo Systems
----------------
NES -> Mednafen-NES
SNES -> Snesxbox (or Nes6502's emulator, zsnesbox)
GB/GBA/GBC -> Xboyadvance (Gba)
Virtual Boy -> VirtualBoyX

Sega Systems
------------
SMS/GG -> MekaX
Genesis/CDX/32x -> Neogenesis (GensX)
Dreamcast VMU -> SoftVMUX

X-port emulators and computer systems emulated may not be targeted for full ResurrectionXtra treatment.
But will receive all the new goodies and features. May have limited ResurrectionXtra treatment for Apple II, Atari ST, C64, Amiga, dosxbox, MSX and TI99. MSX and TI99 are good candidates due to small library.

Computer Systems
----------------
Amstrad CPC32 -> ArnoldX
Apple II -> KegsX
Atari ST -> WinstonX
Chip8x
Commodore Vic 20 -> Vice20
Commodore pet -> VicePETX
Commodore 64 -> Vice64
Commodore Amiga -> WinUAEX (may not get movie previews due to memory constraints)
IBM PC 8086/8088/286 -> DOSXBox (may not get movie previews due to memory constraints)
MSX -> BlueMSXBox
TI99 -> Classic99X
Spectrum -> DidntXSpectrum
Supervision -> SuperVisionX
X68000 -> X68000X

Edited by Shannon, Tue Jan 6, 2009 5:48 AM.

[Artlover]

May I make a comment?

One thing I have really hated about all the Xport emulators is that they all use the exact same generic virtual keyboard. Be it C64, A800, Atari 5200, whatever. Erks the heck out of me and make many of them quite hard to use (like the 5200 emulator).

To that end, I would love to see the virtual key interfaces updated to actually match the system. Like the if you're using the Atari emulator in 5200 mode, then it should display a virtual 5200 control pad, if you're using it in 800 mode, then display an 800 keyboard, etc.. (like many of the emulators for the Dreamcast did).

Is that something that could be done?

[Shannon]

You have not seen the latest atarixlbox yet have you? Time for you to update...

It has a 130xe style keyboard for computer mode.
5200 style overlays for 5200 games.

No guarantee concerning the C64 yet. My code for the a800 keyboard is a bit of a hack (pretty messy). But if I can find a decent makeup of the C64 keyboard (png or jpg) I may give it a go.

A guy named cospefogo made an alternative "colored" keyboard that I'll probably pop in AdamX for now.

I didn't have time to mention it yet. But my intention is to do the same for the Intellivision and the 2600. The 2600 is gonna be a HUGE project in of itself. I already completed overlays for AdamX if you want to play around with it. Although colecovision games do not make use of the pad as much.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. I am always looking for suggestions in addition to help.

Here... The latest keyboard. Not the prettiest (I'm not an artist) but I had to darken the text on the keys to make them legible on a tv screen..
 130xeKeyboard.png   5.86K   22 downloads

An older picture picture with the keyboard in action (keyboard is the original before I darkened the text). Because no matter where you go, there you are.
 atarixlbox_130xeKeyb.JPG   53.22K   19 downloads

A 5200 overlay.... Notice the transparency...
 atarixlbox_overlay2.jpg   21.81K   24 downloads

Last but not least the keyboard substitute that will most likey go in AdamX. This was done by cospefogo.
 cospefogo_alt_keyboard01.png   33.48K   17 downloads

Edited by Shannon, Mon Jan 5, 2009 7:32 PM.

[Artlover]

Shannon, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:17 PM, said:

You have not seen the latest atarixlbox yet have you? Time for you to update...

Guess I haven't and will have to do so.

Shannon, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:17 PM, said:

5200 style overlays for 5200 games.

Nice. What about the Start/Pause/Reset buttons tho?

Edited by Shannon, Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:48 PM.

[Shannon]

Artlover, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 10:09 PM, said:

Shannon, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:17 PM, said:

You have not seen the latest atarixlbox yet have you? Time for you to update...

Guess I haven't and will have to do so.

Shannon, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:17 PM, said:

5200 style overlays for 5200 games.

Nice. What about the Start/Pause/Reset buttons tho?

Hmmm didn't think to add them to the overlay. Although setting them up is ALOT easier now. I have pre-defined setups for Atari 800 Joystick, Atari 800 keyboard (arrow keys), and Atari 5200.

Start = Start, Back = *, Black = #, and White= Pause.

I think some people get confused by the pre-defined mappings. But basically you select the one you want to use (for each game) and you should be good to go. If you change any mappings you can save them for your own use. It will auto pick 5200 if you set the computer type to 5200 and 8-bit joystick for all other computer types.

Anyways I forgot to mention in the PM but lemme know what you think of the palette. It's a new one by Kr0tki. If you want I have some palette adjustment controls I need to put in there that need some subjective testing. I'm not exactly the best when it comes to eyeballing color settings.

Ugg... gotta get used to these moderator controls. I accidently edited your msg.

Edited by Shannon, Mon Jan 5, 2009 9:51 PM.

[Artlover]

Yeah, this is nice.

I do have a question tho.

Can the sound effects for keyboard/overlay navigation be turned off? It's ok for menus and stuff, but it's annoying in the keyboard/overlay because sometimes the game makes it's own sounds and it conflicts. Berzerk for example. Pressing 7 & 9 generates robot speech, which gets drowned out by the navigation sounds.

[Breakpack]

Oh HELLs yeah!I likey this forum as I can check it out instead of heading over to XBox-Scene (although I'll still visit).I softmodded an XBox recently and I wanna load up on the best emulators (Atari) by the Xport projects.This RULEZ!

edit: I know the 'usual places' to find the emulators,but this is an awesome 'news-wise' forum

Edited by Breakpack, Mon Jan 5, 2009 11:50 PM.

[Shannon]

Artlover, on Mon Jan 5, 2009 11:44 PM, said:

Yeah, this is nice.

I do have a question tho.

Can the sound effects for keyboard/overlay navigation be turned off? It's ok for menus and stuff, but it's annoying in the keyboard/overlay because sometimes the game makes it's own sounds and it conflicts. Berzerk for example. Pressing 7 & 9 generates robot speech, which gets drowned out by the navigation sounds.

Well thanks for confirming that. I always wondered if those noises were annoying. In fact I think I did eventually remove them (I'll have to check) because it eventually wore on my nerves.

Once you get all your ROMS running under the new configs, just let me know and I'll send you the latest (unreleased) atarixlbox. It still works great, just does not have the autoconfig stuff all in place. But once your configs are set-up it runs perfectly fine.

If you really want to you in the meantime you can remove/replace those sounds in the skin itself.

The new atarixlbox wont have the miner skin anyways. Not unless I sit down and change it to dual preview.

[Shannon]

Actually after looking at the code looks like I kept the sounds in except when a key is "pressed" in the onscreen keyboard which I think I did because a keyboard can be used for typing several characters, whereas something like the keypad (more than likely) will only be pressed once.

One way around it is to get into the "in game menu options" and have it "pause the emulator when the keypad is up".

With the new skin (different sounds) it isn't quite as annoying. Would removing just the sound it makes when pressing "a" to press a button suffice? Or are the movement sounds an issue?

I guess I kinda rely on the sounds to know the cursor is actually moving rather than visually. Kinda like verbal/audio feedback. Maybe I should make it an on/off feature.

Anyways I thought I'd ask before compiling and sending you the latest.

[Artlover]

Shannon, on Tue Jan 6, 2009 2:57 AM, said:

If you really want to you in the meantime you can remove/replace those sounds in the skin itself.

Yeah, that works too!

Shannon, on Tue Jan 6, 2009 9:48 AM, said:

With the new skin (different sounds) it isn't quite as annoying. Would removing just the sound it makes when pressing "a" to press a button suffice? Or are the movement sounds an issue?

For me it's just the button press sound that is at issue.

Movement sounds are fine because they aren't conflicting with anything the game is doing, and like you said, let you know you're moving the cursor.

[NE146]

Wow that's awesome you got this going here. It really looks like you are in deeper than ever.. awesome! Shannon did an amazing job with the 8bit emus.. Looking forward to new developments

[cimerians]

Thank you thank you thank you!

The Colecovision overlay would be fantastic. One contoller I can never get used to.

C64 Im not too concerned with as I have memorized the keyboard layout all those years in the 80's.

Fantastic! Keep it up!

[liveinabin]

Glad to see this on the AA boards. That reminds me, I started work on a skin for DidntXpectrum but never finished it. Must get round to that.

[108 Stars]

I really want to thank you for the hard work on these emulators.
I only recently got a soft-modded Xbox, and I have to say that for the first time emulation on a console is far superior in overall quality to emulation on a PC.

The hugely professional look and feel of the emulators, and the high compability just rule; and I can even manually stretch the screen to exactly fit on my screen. Pure Awesomeness.

Being able to include stuff like maps as well rocks; I just wish I could have more than one map per game (some RPGs have multiple worldmaps), which is not possible atm I understand (having to name the map exactly like the ROM, so only one file of a format can be used)?

The only thing I am a bit unhappy with is the game descriptions and reviews; some of these reviews taken from Moby Games or GameFAQs are not very good, but that´s the nature of the beast with such websites everyone can contribute to.

But that´s a minor issue; overall these emus are just great!
And I especially thank you for taking care of the Lynx too, being my favorite handheld. Awesome to be able to play it on TV now!

[Shannon]

If you put the maps, etc in a .zip file with the same name as the ROM then you should be able to more easily access them all. Just make sure the filenames use a unique name (like world1_01-99.jpg, world2_01-99.jpg). Thanks for the compliment. The "media manager" was a brain child I came up with early on in the "Xtras" project and managed to implement towards the end. RessX went all crazy and put together a bunch of maps, etc to go with it. Only drawback, sadly, is sometimes memory limitations get in the way of displaying the larger images, etc.

Yeah I'll admit that the synopsis needs quite a bit of work. That was mostly RessX's baby and when you have so many systems and games to cover it's amazing he even managed to get done what he did. But we do have an online editor for cleaning that stuff up. Just no one to really go thru and do it since RessX pretty much has moved on. I'll admit that some of the reviews on Moby Game can be pretty lame.

What I'd really like to do someday is clean up the Atarixlbox synopsis, screenshots, and movies. They really need alot of work plus it really needs to be divided into two sets (PAL and NTSC) since the colors are different in both.

But yes... across the board the xbox is a great system for emulation. When we started working on the Xtras project I wanted to push it to the next level. To many emu authors that just do a simple port, bare bones interface, and not much else. X-port had already done most of the work... So I worked hard on integrating the features spread out among his meny emulators into a more "consolidated" across the board setup. Most of it is done. But there is a bunch of CD streaming code he did that needs to be worked on in a few of the emu's to make them more "accessible".

[108 Stars]

I wish you all the best for your work. The way it is now is already beyond expectations; and far better than even official compilations.

I´d actually help with the synopsis, but I already have so much homebrew-game-stuff on my schedule I doubt I could work on that too atm. And English is not my native language, so I am not the perfect guy to write anyway.

I think the synopsis-stuff will eventually come together little by little.

And thanks about the tip for the maps!

[phaxda]

Wow! This is so cool. I got a modded XBox today from a coworker who had it set up, well, not exactly how I would set it up... but anyway. It's working pretty good and I found this little section of AtariAge in my searches for the latest and greatest in XBox emulation. I know I am like 3 years behind, but it's pretty cool to me.

My first clue was when I downloaded NeoGenesis and the README sez:

Quote

Atariage (Albert in particular) - For providing a place for me to ramble on. For encouragement in general.

Cool!

Anyway, I get the feeling I am still missing a lot here (as I type this the NES emulator is running because I couldn't figure out how to get back to the dashboard and am too lazy to get up and hit reset ) and was wondering if anyone would be willing to help out with tips and tricks in a PM or maybe even in chat sometime.

I thought the Dreamcast emulation was fun, but this is WAY BETTER.

NEVER mind. Somehow I totally messed this up and now xbmc crashed out when i tried to restart and now all i can get is the regular crappy xbox dashboard... i am so stupid. i have no idea how to remod this thing, it's probably not even worth it at this point. sheesh. what a waste of time.

[Shannon]

Most softmod's have a backup boot where you can get in and fix things by starting your xbox with the tray open. So I would try that first.

Most of my emulator related work is over on www.emuxtras.net lately so I have not been doing a very good job of updating things here.
Also if you join in the chat (click on the chat link at emuxtras) someone may be able to walk you thru it. Just remember to be patient. Alot of the people in the chat are from different parts of the world so not everyone is present at the same time.

[SRGilbert]

phaxda, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 7:32 AM, said:

Wow! This is so cool. I got a modded XBox today from a coworker who had it set up, well, not exactly how I would set it up... but anyway. It's working pretty good and I found this little section of AtariAge in my searches for the latest and greatest in XBox emulation. I know I am like 3 years behind, but it's pretty cool to me.

My first clue was when I downloaded NeoGenesis and the README sez:

Quote

Atariage (Albert in particular) - For providing a place for me to ramble on. For encouragement in general.

Cool!

Anyway, I get the feeling I am still missing a lot here (as I type this the NES emulator is running because I couldn't figure out how to get back to the dashboard and am too lazy to get up and hit reset ) and was wondering if anyone would be willing to help out with tips and tricks in a PM or maybe even in chat sometime.

I thought the Dreamcast emulation was fun, but this is WAY BETTER.

NEVER mind. Somehow I totally messed this up and now xbmc crashed out when i tried to restart and now all i can get is the regular crappy xbox dashboard... i am so stupid. i have no idea how to remod this thing, it's probably not even worth it at this point. sheesh. what a waste of time.

Don't give up! Modded X-Bibbles are the best, chicken breast. (Sorry, had the Daily Show's Muppet Michael Steele on the brain)

I will say that anyone who is interested in owning a soft modded X-box should take the time to learn how it's done in case you ever have to fix it, like in this instance. I have four of them hooked up to different TV's in the house, and from time to time something will glitch and I will have to figure out how to fix em.

I did one for my sister-in-law's family. Sure enough after a couple of months, they did something to it and couldn't get it back. At some point I'll have to fix it for them, but they live like 2 hours away and I haven't had the chance.

Once you've done it, you can't believe how easy it really is.