Mednafen-PS3 Emulator Released

[subcon959]

Just my luck that Lynx and PCE aren't supported yet as those are the only two systems I was looking forward to this for!

[djbubba2002]

I would i like to see 2600 and 5200 in it ..Keep up the good work

[dlanor]

Can anyone point me to a single thing that zSNES does better than bSNES (or even SNES9x) without mentioning the obvious (better speed on older hardware)?

First off, the fact that it concerns old hardware does not invalidate the advantage this represents for those who use such hardware. So this definitely does count as a 'single thing' you asked for. But that is not a major point with me, as I have never claimed that zSNES is superior to the other emulators. I merely said that it is an excellent emulator, which is true, and so are the others.

I don't understand this weird attitude of some people that make them want to raise their own favourites up to divinity status, while trampling all others into the dust beneath them. (This applies not just to software applications but to many other things in life as well.) It is as if their minds are incapable of accepting the notion of either full or near equality in value, whenever any difference exists between two things (or applications, or persons, etc).

I also do not hold with the related notion that "not being the ultimate best" == "being utter crap", which also seems to be widespread in the 'scene'. Such attitudes and opinions are childish oversimplifications and nothing else (even when held by adults).


Back on topic:
Like all the current emulators on PS3 Mednafen really needs an improved ROM browser, with better readability and some additional features, like path shortcuts of some kind, so as to quickly skip back and forth between different ROM folders, regardless of their location in the filesystem.

One simple way of doing that is to reserve one button (like R2) for opening a path shortcut list as a popup panel. The content of that list should be based on the content of a file loaded from the application folder, and stored back there after any changes. (And showing an empty list if the file does not exist yet.)

Moving the cursor to an entry line in that list and pressing a button (like Square) could then be used to copy the current browser path into that entry line, while instead pressing another button (like Cross) would instead read that entry line, verify that the path in it is valid, and if so then navigate the browser into that path, after which the popup is closed. And some other buttons (like L1/R1) can also be used to switch to other pages of this shortcut list, for those with extensive ROM collections needing many subcategory folders (which I do for NES ROMs).

PS2 users familiar with uLaunchELF will recognize that what I described here is identical to my implementation of browsing shortcuts in the uLE FileBrowser, so the concept is definitely workable, and I have found it very convenient in file maintenance on the PS2. I believe this method would work equally well for these emulators, and should not be hard to implement.

This basic concept can also be enhanced beyond what uLaunchELF has implemented by adding an extra field for each entry line, holding a 'title' for the shortcut. This can be very useful, as long pathnames can leave the user without any real clue as to the difference between some paths, where only the final characters differ, and those possibly outside the range visible without side-scrolling. This extra 'title' field can be maintained in many different ways.

The most advanced method is of course to allow the user to freely define the title strings, though this requires using some kind of virtual keyboard to enter those strings, which then also have to be added to the shortcut file.

A much simpler method is to just copy the 'deepest' folder name in the selected path and display that folder name alone as shortcut title, in a field immediately to the left of the full path string (possibly not completely visible). This would reduce title maintenance to nothing, as it neither needs any entry method nor any extra storage in the shortcut file, since it is already present in the main path string for each entry.

Consider for example the case of one of my current ROM paths:

dev_hdd0/game/Emu_ROM/Zipped/NES_ROM/NES RPG

This could then be displayed in a shortcut entry as:

NES RPG             | dev_hdd0/game/Emu_ROM/Zipped/NES_ROM/NES RPG

Here the long path in the right field may in fact be cut off depending on what size the programmer of that emulator prefers to have for this popup. But the 'deepest' folder name will still always be fully visible (if of reasonable length) in the left field.

Best regards: dlanor

[Jay-Jay]

I don't understand this weird attitude of some people that make them want to raise their own favourites up to divinity status, while trampling all others into the dust beneath them. (This applies not just to software applications but to many other things in life as well.) It is as if their minds are incapable of accepting the notion of either full or near equality in value, whenever any difference exists between two things (or applications, or persons, etc).

It's human nature. As we get older, we start to slowly realize that these "cheer-leading" notions are just based on our own hunger of having the best that we can afford to own. It's an illusion that we manifest on our own or with the help of others (teams). But then again, I like reading people's comments on their experiences with something. It does help me evaluate if I should either get it myself (purchase) or download it and try it. So, it's not always bad to read feedback. As long as the feedback is based on experience and not just repeated hear-say--meaning that I hope that the people making comments (whether good or bad) are actual persons that have tried the product.

You made good points there.

Yes, I agree with you. The ROM browser wishlist would benefit us all.

[talmagal]

for those that need it heres a reup of the second version since it always has resume download errors if attached to the forum

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

[Steveola]

for those that need it heres a reup of the second version since it always has resume download errors if attached to the forum

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Or just D/L from PS3News like I did

[Jon Salat]

Or just D/L from PS3News like I did

Not possible to download file from there without signing up to their site ...

[talmagal]

eh never been much of a ps3news type person sry i can understand protecting from spam but u need mod approval to post if a new account usually the only limits are if yoru posting links as a new accont not the whole thing

anyway back to playign smash tv

[Kratos77]

Wow, was not expecting THAT big of a debate over my simple statement that I'd like to see ZSNES ported eventually. I have gone with ZSNES since it came out, because it always ran better than SNES9X (especially on a 486). I personally consider ASM, being more low-level, to be more accurate than something coded in C. It allows for a more precise and direct conversion of functions. To me, that's more accurate. IIRC it was ZSNES that got games Like SO and FEoEZ running first as well. Granted, no PC I have is going to show a performance difference anymore (then again, it might, as many apps as I usually have going, and besides, the less CPU I use, the more folding points I get). But you know, it's what you're used to.

One thing I'm not getting is how you can say the other two are better? As if 100% compatibility can be topped or something? You know, I haven't really bothered running any SNES emus much except to play Starfox 2 since I got my SWC DX2 a few years ago (good old Lik-Sang, I still haven't forgiven Sony for taking them down, and I don't think I ever will, the way they twisted and distorted the meaning of copyright law in that case was just ... stupid). Ucon64 in EPP mode is about as fast as loading the ROM in an emu. Ah, but now that I've got the Super Powerpak it's absolutely zero inconvenience just using real hardware, unless I'm not home (in which case, I'm probably using whatever works best on my PSP). Anyway, last I checked, ZSNES still ran every game my backup units don't, so I don't get that falling behind bit.

And if it doesn't sit well with the author of bSNES that I fail to see his emu as bringing anything significant to the table, that's not my problem. His approach is MAMEish, and that's inherently going to cause objective people to take issue with it (especially those that are aware that C is a high level language, and know what that means). Unless he can prove, measurably, that his emu is more accurate, people have to assume it's less accurate because of the higher level of language used. If the improvement can't be seen, you've got no way of proving it's there. Bill Gates claimed to have an OS already coded for IBM when he met with them, though at the time, he had nothing. People play poker sometimes, especially when they know you'll never even see their hand. With that in mind, it's hard to take anything at face value. Much like I've never taken seriously MAME's claims that other arcade emus are inaccurate. They certainly have yet to come forward with any concrete evidence to prove their case, so, I'm inclined to say a judge would throw it out.

It's kind of annoying people are complaining about something this frivolous. I may have a preference, but all three of these SNES emus run games accurately at least. If there's one thing I wish more people would get offended about, it's that Puppy Arcade continues to use Hugo instead of Mednafen (wtf?). There's no excuse for that. No offense to the author of Hugo, but, the sound is still off by a long shot.

[dread123]

nice work, hope Lynx support is added soon