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Emulation central - recommendations in 1st post

flyingjohn

Arcane
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
2,944
Both alcohol and daemon new versions seems to be working,but you need the high seas version because all free versions bundle malware.
And for anybody wondering melonds now has a dsi title manager that makes playing dsi games actually viable.
Just be careful about keeping a large amount of games installed,the nand gets easily corruptible if you install 10+games.
 
Last edited:

spekkio

Arcane
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
8,278
BROs, there's been some testing. :oops:

Since some fags were shipping DosBox-X & DosBox Staging as modern replacements for ancient Daum's DosBox, I've decided to give these forks a go.

Verdict: If you're a graphicswhore who puts aspect ratio and graphical output being faithful to the original above everything else, stick to Daum's. Explanation below.

All screenshots taken using Greenshot, on following DosBox settings, unless stated otherwise:

Code:
fullresolution=original
windowresolution=original
output=surface

aspect=false
scaler=none

Why "fullresolution"="original" and "output"="surface"? Well, they give IMO the best output (emu uses original game's resolution if possible).
BTW, "hardware" outputs (direct3d, opengl) give p. much the same output in Daum's.

0) "Base" screenshots for later use (comparison with Staging & DosBox-X).

a) DosBox 0.74

Windowed:

g3M8oKv.png


Fullscreen:

vUFcrKE.png


:love:

Summary: everything's fine, "DOS" is rendered at 640x400, going fullscreen switches Windows / Display to 640x480 resolution. How do I know? Well, desktop's icons are all messed up after using DosBox. :(

b) Daum's DosBox

Windowed:

ubQGRk6.png


Fullscreen:

3MjKlbQ.png

7NcERKG.png


Everything's fine so far, "DOS" is rendered @ 640x400, going fullscreen switches Windows / Display to 640x480 res.

After launching tie.exe, emu switches to 320x200, which can't be displayed properly in fullscreen (Windows cannot into such low res?):

MEp4uJ8.png


And in windowed, it's super smoll:

Y49LsNa.png


The easiest way to fix this is by changing scaler from "None" to "Normal 2x / 3x / 4x" (for differences between them, see my previous post). Fullscreen when using "Normal 2x" scaler:

IRlWpBy.png


It's (almost) how the God intended. Emulator switches the system to 640x480 res (black bars left & right not visible on screenshot), scaling image properly both in 2D sections - check the blue square icons:

LgGcysC.png


And 3D sections (check circular radar screens):

AqpVvzt.png


Alright, now for the (un)funny part - comparison with the "newshit" forks...

https://dosbox-staging.github.io

No quicksaves, no GUI. So it can't replace Daum's for me. Has basic "deadzone" settings for analog joysticks / gamepads, which is nice.

When it comes to displaying graphics properly, it's very close to 0.74 or Daum's.

Windowed:

tXeLr0b.png


Fullscreen:

sn1q77S.png

CjcFaou.png


Same as Daum's, Staging cannot into 320x200:

ZqcBhok.png

7ex6hFk.png


As you can see, it's kinda inferior to Daum's, since when in fullscreen, it renders the graphics in top-left area, instead of the middle.

:decline:

Despite the warning in the .conf:

Scaling is not performed for output=surface.
scalers work fine, at least when using Nvidia GPU. :)

Using "scaler"="normal2x" fixes the scaling issues, but the problem with positioning of graphics remains (top instead of center - it's been visible in the screenshot with NC too - black bar at the bottom of the screen):

z5WxAKL.png


At least the emu scales the image properly:

6p8qlRF.png


And when you switch to 3d (640x480 Vesa instead of 320x240), black bar at the bottom is gone (emu fills the screen vertically):

ytroMPJ.png


If only this fork had quicksaves... :cry:
https://dosbox-x.com

Fantastic first impression. GUI, bazillion options, quicksaves, extended deadzone settings for controllers, Glide emulation... Basically what Daum had and more (deadzone). But there's one "little" problem - scaling in fullscreen...

Windowed:

cwjZLOv.png


:)

Fullscreen:

:?

sERVqkn.png


This screenshot may look good, but it's actually just an unscaled window sitting in the middle of the screen. So it's not "full screen", it looks like this:

2T7P7A5.png


:decline:

I've tried different output methods and different scalers, and couldn't force the emu to switch into full screen. The harsh truth is brutal - DosBox-X cannot into "fullresolution"="original". IMO this emu was made with advanced DOS / Windows programs in mind, and not games.

It's clearly stated on the webpage:

Started as a fork of the DOSBox project, it retains compatibility with the wide base of DOS games and DOS gaming DOSBox was designed for. But it is also a platform for running DOS applications, including emulating the environments to run Windows 3.x, 9x and ME and software written for those versions of Windows.
Sadly, you can call me a graphicswhore, but I can't enjoy my DOS games when they look like shit (wrong aspect ratio, pixelation, shitty filters). And unfortunately that's exactly how DosBox-X operates.

It's clear that the "recommended" setting for fullscreen is "desktop". It's not only a default in .conf file, but also the only one for which scaling actually works. At least on "hardware" outputs, since scalers don't work with "output"="surface" (.conf warns you about this). And they don't work indeed:

Code:
fullresolution = desktop
output = surface

YMob0sO.png


:decline:

So, let's try other output methods...

Code:
fullresolution = desktop
output = default (it uses direct3d)

9jQSxkO.png


:roll:

Code:
fullresolution = desktop
output = openglpp

07DQh60.png


Slight incline, but pixelated AF. :(

I've enabled log and noticed, that no matter which option for "fullresolution" you choose (original, manually selected value, desktop), emulator always uses your desktop resolution for rendering:

0eoxl76.png


And it's not my individual problem, since other people were complaining about this exact thing happening on Linux.

As you can see, the best DBX can do is OpenGL perfect, which still looks inferior (sharper & pixelated) to previous emus (which can use scaled "fullresolution" = "original").

vMQMzj7.png

LX3funF.png


It has proper aspect ratio in 2D, but resizes the 3D to "smaller" window than previous emus (notice black bars up & down):

bl2nomM.png


So we end up with inferior 2D (pixelated) and 3D (smaller window). Still, it's the ONLY decent output method for this fork, since using anything else than "OpenGL perfect" gave me AIDS:

Code:
fullresolution = desktop
output = default
aspect = false

j7Kgxjg.jpg


Wrong AR in 2D (320x200 is 16:10, Dosbox squishes it vertically to 16:9)

iekKgZx.jpg


Wrong AR in 3D (640x480 is 4:3, Dosbox stretches it horizontally to 16:9)

Code:
fullresolution = desktop
output = default
aspect = true

7zYEIDM.jpg


Wrong AR in 2D (320x200 is 16:10, Dosbox squishes it horizontally to 4:3)

This is the correct output.

xJc0L73.jpg


Proper AR in 3D (640x480 displayed in 4:3).

Tested some other outputs, added scalers, but nothing looks better than "OpenGL perfect". And that's still inferior to how other builds work / look.
Verdict:

- Don't need quicksaves & GUI? Go with Staging.
- Need quicksaves/ GUI? Go with Daum's.
- Need quicksaves, GUI, deadzone, 100 other things, but don't care about graphics looking best / having proper aspect ratio? Go with DB-X.

:rpgcodex:

After doing such a good job, it's time for me to to do something else...

*Edit:

Sadly I was wrong about proper AR in this game. :cry:

More info here:

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/screenshot-thread.72409/page-1239#post-7669717
 
Last edited:

Ravielsk

Magister
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Messages
1,514

Nostaljaded

Savant
Joined
Jun 4, 2015
Messages
359
Speaking of cue files can anybody recommend a good cue mounting software?
Windcemu does not comply and most other options are bundle ware like daemon tools.

spekkio said:
If you need CD-Audio emulation, AFAIK only Daemon Tools can do this. I've tested couple "replacements" for DT when playing Langrisser PC and had to go back to DT for CD Audio.

Just stick to reasonably old version, DAEMON Tools Lite 4.49.1 (from 2014) worked fine on Win7.

Derringer said:
The few disc imaging tools with CCDA audio support are older Daemon Tools and Alcohol 120% versions.

flyingjohn said:
Both alcohol and daemon new versions seems to be working,but you need the high seas version because all free versions bundle malware...
All good feedback from the above posts.

If looking for an alternative/something clean (without sailing the high seas while putting full trust in the uploader's files),

ImgDrive
(Note: Some VPNs/DNS resolvers may blocked the site though)

+ Freeware
+ Runs on Win2k to Win10
+ Installable OR Portable download packages
+ Minimalist UI with no bloated features
+ Support ISO, CUE, NRG, MDS/MDF, CCD, ISZ images
+ Mount APE, FLAC, M4A, WAV, WavPack, TTA file as AUDIO CD (16-bit/44.1kHz)
+ Does not require rebooting after installation

- MDS 2.0/MDX, CDI not supported


I'm able to play Dai Akugi CD Audio BGM ingame (from a mixed mode disc image) using ImgDrive, whereas my usual virtual drive image program (VirtualCloneDrive) can't.

My definition of 'clean' is for programs not being flagged by well-known antivirus programs scans in VirusTotal; recent scan on the x64 portable version returns 1 positive from Antiy-AVL.
As having a virtual drive emulator (supporting multiple image formats) is part of my essential installed software suite, before doing a 'clean' Windows partition backup.
 

Atlet

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
1,568
Looking for cool tactical games in whatever platform with good emulator. Strategy mixed with a tactical-turn based games/rpgs would be awesome.
 

Don Peste

Arcane
Joined
Sep 15, 2008
Messages
4,277
Location
||☆||
logo.gif

EKA2L1 is an experimental Symbian OS emulator, written in C++17.

The emulator currently emulates Symbian OS’s EKA1 and EKA2 behavior, and reimplement most of its critical app servers. It can already boot many EKA2’s apps and games, with EKA1 being worked on at the moment.

For support, please visit our Discord. Any further contact can be through our email.

https://12z1.com/
 

Endemic

Arcane
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
4,321
Weird, I had no problem taking 640x480 screenshots with Dosbox. What configuration are you using for that game?
 

mck

Cipher
Joined
Nov 1, 2011
Messages
599
Anyone here have any experience with ExaGear? Where is a safe place to get it from?
 

spekkio

Arcane
Joined
Sep 16, 2009
Messages
8,278
If you're a fan of japtacticals, go for it. Liked it very much.

Pros:
- great gameplay, mixing TB elements (unit positioning, terrain bonuses) with RT (shooting, using ground units),
- decent difficulty,
- no grinding (only 17 missions and that's it),
- escaping is a valid combat tactic in this game - "light" mecha are great tool for wasting enemy turns,

Cons:
- combat animations can't be disabled, so it's wise to bind "turbo" button of pcsx2 to the gamepad,
- translation is mediocre / bad, but since the game isn't story-heavy, it's not a problem,
- most skills are useless, esp. "anti-ground units" ones; just concentrate on destroying the mecha ASAP,
- totally linear (no side-missions, minigames, etc.) - I liked this, but YMMV,
- I hope you like sudden reinforcements appearing on the edge of map, cuz there's a lot of these...
- first two tutorial missions are super-boring: no ground units, so you're just waiting till your cannon is ready to fire - the "regular" gameplay is much more interesting.
 
Last edited:

flyingjohn

Arcane
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
2,944
Never liked'em.
They are the typcial "private trackers host tb of useful data but requires you to download tb of useless data to access it".
When sites like wowrom has stuff they lack,it ain't worth it.
 

Lutte

Dumbfuck!
Dumbfuck
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
1,967
Location
DU's mom
Never liked'em.
They are the typcial "private trackers host tb of useful data but requires you to download tb of useless data to access it".
When sites like wowrom has stuff they lack,it ain't worth it.
While pleasuredome always had torrents for other platforms, it was first and foremost a community for arcade gaming and when it comes to arcade roms they never lacked anything, to the contrary they were the only place in which you could immediately find the roms for new versions of MAME when MAME kept breaking your older rom sets again and again. And their method of "you must download and keep the full set of torrented roms" is the only sane way to use MAME, there were times before I went into the fullset thing where I felt like I was going to have an aneurysm trying to find the right machine rom that got updated but isn't a part of the game rom itself etc. With the way MAME roms are distributed and split into multiple bits and the lag most websites show in getting updated to newer MAME sets, doing anything apart from downloading a full romset of the platform is just too tedious and time consuming. Just waste some space on your hard drive instead of wasting your time to look up for files. Time is always a more precious and valuable commodity than a few gigabytes of hard drive.

It shows once more how much the focus is on arcade by the fact that pleasuredome is in fact NOT dead, it's the community bits and the non-MAME romsets that are getting canned. They will still upload full MAME sets torrents. Here : https://pleasuredome.github.io/pleasuredome/

From the look of it, a large part of the death of the website is the fact that they don't want to bother moderating the forum anymore.
 

Duraframe300

Arcane
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
6,395
Never liked'em.
They are the typcial "private trackers host tb of useful data but requires you to download tb of useless data to access it".
When sites like wowrom has stuff they lack,it ain't worth it.

Never once in my life used torrents for roms tbh. Went more than well enough. FTP servers and DDL sites served me well enough through the early 2000's.

That said I was never that much into MAME, so it may have been easier for me.
 

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