MegaDrive test version
This core is my porting effort of Nuked-MD project based on reverse engineered original MD chips.
Before official release i want to test it first. May be i overlooked something.
Basically this core supports everything that Genesis core does, except some minor things like SNAC (will be added later). This core also supports TMSS if someone wishes. It requires TMSS rom to be placed into games/MegaDrive/boot.rom
As original MD hardware, this core supports Sega Master carts as well. But keep in mind MD never had 100% SMS compatibility. It doesn't support GameGear or other similar systems (same as original MD). So most likely it won't replace SMS core.
MiSTer supports symbolic links so you may add symlinks to Genesis and SMS folders inside MegaDrive folder.
Comments (36)
That's better no?
You will let it in this new version of the core. From my point of view is normal to let it to be like the original hardware was and have an option to correct it if the user wxant?
Anyway there is no option to "fix" it in MD core. Such enhancements won't be so soon. So expect this core work as original HW.
I see that now the core emulate the vdp first column bug. You Can see it in gynoug during first level. Current official core don't emulate it.
MegaDrive core is based on reverse-engineered chips, so it doesn't emulate. It uses exact schematics of real hardware. I remember this game and first column bug. When Genesis VDP was getting seriously rewritten we choose to fix this bug as it looked much better.
Scandoubler is glitching in 320 pixels mode. Probably because of variable pixel clock. Will work on it.
no, it's glitching in any mode. May be the same problem affects DirectVideo/VGA
another demo that doesn't work great https://demozoo.org/productions/204349/
it works. use werewolf_fusion.bin. After loading make sure EU region is selected (do a reset after change the region). Rubbish demo, tbh :)
sound ok but doesn't display anything https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX4A2EYAYfU download roms https://www.smspower.org/forums/17097-HifiSamplePlayer
This is a solid core. Thank you Alexey and everyone involved!
Sorg, adaptive Composite Blending can it be added to this core?
May be sometime in the future. In Genesis core i've participated in VDP development/improvements so i knew all its internals. In this core VDP source is netlist where it's hard to find most things. This is why more sprites per line feature is also unavailable now.
Ultimate MK3 Trilogy mod has 2 versions: 10MB(normal) and 13MB(with tracks). 10MB has no doubt will be supported. 13MB looks like impossible. In ReadMe they write the mod works on real HW using Everdrive flashcart, but they didn't specify if both version work or only 10MB. In Genesis core, because it's written like software emulator, it gives an option for 13MB ROM to work. On real HW (and this MD core) it's impossible to read above 10MB as it will fall on HW registers. So it's under question if 13MB version is compatible with real HW. Did anyone try it on real HW?
There are some pixel glitching in Demons of asteborg. This is happening when Neofid Studios logo is playing when launching the game. Then UWOL game has pixel glitching as well. Another user noted samurai showdown as well in the character select screen
It looks like cram dots. Many games exhibit it. This is how real HW works (i didn't test exactly this game on real HW).
I've been testing the new MegaDrive core on my Sony PVM via Direct Video, but unfortunately the video sync signal seems unstable. The video cuts out and comes back constantly (this happens on any game, including the Sonic games)
Can’t get this to work on my Dell PC CRT either, the new core just won’t sync. Hopefully this can be fixed as I don’t have this problem with a real genesis console
Compare MDFourier samples and see what you think. There is different filtering and mixing on PSG/Noise. Seems to be more "raw" or "nofilter"~ish. Other than that, all I see are fixes to pretty much every issue I'm testing that was likely bus arbiter related. All EU games that had loud music upon start until a reset are resolved. Missing PSG from Demons of Asteborg is resolved. Black screen instead of continue screen for marvel land is resolved, etc... I lined up my recording of shining force II's soundtrack from original hardware to the sample and it stays in sync throughout. It's highly accurate, as expected from Nukey and the russian team of reverse engineers!
Audio tuning can be done later after official release. It's not important at this stage.
I’ve tested a dozen or so MD games and a handful of SMS games. No issues at all so far. Might be wrong but Virtua Fighter 2 seems to running a few frames faster on this new core. Noticed that CPU turbo and extra sprites options are missing.
Turbo mode and additional sprites will be hard to implement (if it will ever be).
Excellent
Samurai shodown In the old core does not work the controls, in this core works, but has some graphics glitch in the selection menu and in some stages. I do not know if the console has the same problem.
I see the same graphic glitches you are seeing, some blinking or stuck pixels around the character selection screen.
I've tested it with a couple of edge cases: - Demons of Asteborg - Pier Solar And it seems to be working fine. The only issue I've seen is that a few scanlines profiles under video settings seem to be vertical despite being set under the "horizontal" section. I've noticed the same issue with the Saturn test builds so I'm not sure if I'm doing it wrong.
Video filters have no relation to this specific core. Horizontal filter if has some scanlines effect being repeated on every line will obviously give you vertical scanlines ;)
I tested a few games (sonic, demons of asteborg (maybe minor transient glitches on startup, need to compare to existing core). The Ultimate MK3 ("Trilogy") hack did not seem to boot, but works on the existing genesis core & I'm pretty sure original hardware (https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/1059/). Thank you so much for bringing this to mister.
Thanks to mention it. I remember it was oversized cart with special handling. I will check.
Do you know some particularly interesting games to test on this, to compare with existing MD core?
I've been testing games that push the hardware, graphics and sound. no issues yet. I'm wondering if testing a few EA and TechToy games might be a good idea. I don't think EA had their roms validated by Sega.
as z80 seem to be more robust again t80 perhaps it's possible to test in amstrad cpc core ;-)
T80 is already perfect actually. What's the problem with Z80 in CPC?
Incredible!!! Thank you so much!
Amazing! Where do you want people to report bugs/issues?
Here, while it's not published