[MiSTer FPGA] New Cores & MAJ

[mr-o-big]

11/12


Irem M72

- Hiscore saving is now supported (implemented by zakk4223, thanks zakk!)
- Fix for Image Fight stage completion percentage calculations
- MRAs added for Air Duel (World, M72 hardware) and Daiku no Gensan (Japan, M84 hardware) (thanks wwark)
- MRA updates by Toy-a and Schermobianco

[mr-o-big]

13/12


XSleena
New core includes: Xain'd Sleena bootleg versions (xsleenab, xsleenaba)
Two rbf files:

Arcade-XSleenaCore_20221212_120MHzSDR.rbf

Arcade-XSleenaCore_20221212_96MHzSDR.rbf

Rename the one that works best in your MiSTer system to Arcade-XSleenaCore_20221212.rbf (see Readme.md). Availaible by default the 96MHz SDRAM version.

[mr-o-big]

15/12


New Computer Core: Homelab
Homelab was a series of Hungarian KIT computers in the 1980s invented by József Lukács and Endre Lukács.

MiSTer conversion by JasonA, HTP support by Flandango

[mr-o-big]

17/12


Distribution repo:
- Using the new Cores Wiki page (https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Wiki_MiSTer/wiki/Cores) as the source of truth to retrieve the list of cores.
- Home folders are now read from that list, instead of extracting them from the CONF_STR.
- Download script reimplemented in python.
- Fixed bug that inserted NVRAM.dat file in Coleco games folder (file is now removed).
- Fixed bug that caused the omission of APPLE-I and PDP1 files and folders.
- Using authentication token in GitHub API call to avoid rate limit issues.
- Additional metadata support for tags in the DB calculator step.



ao486:

- Add CPU rating presets (newsdee, spark2k06, me).

Note: it's very approximate rating and doesn't provide cycle accuracy. Depending on specific application it may run either faster or slower than advertised rating.

[mr-o-big]

18/12


Tomy Tutor:
- Support for Cartridges with RAM
- Fixed CPU bug that caused some graphic glitches
- Added Video Cropping to remove top and bottom borders (not 216p though)

HomeLab KIT
- Fixed HTP loader. Now allows for non-Basic programs to autoload into RAM.

[mr-o-big]

21/12


PCXT:

- credits bug fixed

https://Ko-fi.com/spark2k06
https://www.tindie.com/stores/spark2k06/
https://twitter.com/spark2k06


PSX:

new features:
- black out display for 3 frames on screen transition(optional, default on)
- starting a game with any unsafe option on will now trigger a warning instead of the normal region hint

games affected by fixes:
- Internal Section
- Final Fantasy Tactics
- Primal Rage
- Simple Series Billard
- Alien Resurrection
- Grandia
- Aconcagua

fixes/changes:
- emulated justifer: implemented offscreen trigger mode for both offscreen shooting and using triangle button
- emulated justifer: implemented irq on/off command so that 2 players with justifiers are now supported
- emulated justifer: adjusted screen mapping to better match what games expect
- CD: don't stack up cd sectors when XA is playing
- CD: queued up IRQs will not be handled instantly anymore after old IRQ is cleared by CPU
- CD: increases pause waiting times to min values of psx spx documentation
- CD: fix bug where pending drive response would fill 3 slots in response fifo
- CD: on read after seek, keep seek status bit active until read status bit is set
- Video: store paused values instead of live values in savestate
- Video: corrected odd/even bit timing for both 240p and 480i content
- SNAC: Select fix, remove initial delay, cleanup, clk gen only done when port is active now
- GPU: add drawing area and offset to softreset
- SPU: repeat ignore also when voice is off
- SPU: always transmit written data so data fifo will get empty
- fixed a bug that could lead to wrong values being cached when using Turbo

accuracy improvements:
- Video: set hblank sample point significantly before end of line(fulfill HW test)
- Video: generate Hblank timer from video out statemachine, but instead of hblank for video/scaler also during vblank
- Timer: reset TMR0 on falling HBlank instead of rising HBlank



Distribution repo:
- Improved filtering for MGL files and top folders by including the folders related to such content. For example, using the term !mgl will remove not only all MGL files but also all the associated 'games' and 'docs' folders. Or using !computer will do the same for all computer folders.

[mr-o-big]

24/12


Menu:
- updated framework.

Main:
- ini option to disable autofire.
- Use names.txt for MGL and MRA as well.
- video: ini options to control brightness/contrast/saturation/hue and HDR (pseudo-HDR). (Sam Hardeman)
- other fixes and tweaks.

Linux:
- Add Fanatec wheel driver (Michael Huang).
- Include Logitech wheel drivers.
- Update wheel driver (atrac17).
- experimental cpufreq/overclock driver (Michael Huang).
- Add support for TP-Link UB500 Adapter (birdybro).
- xpad: Add 8BitDo Ultimate Controller ID (Ruud Klaver).
- add EDID utils.
- Other fixes and tweaks.



NeoGeo:
- Fix rendering the last two sprites (paulb-nl).

[mr-o-big]

26/12


New Arcade Core: Slap Fight / ALCON (Anton Gale)

[mr-o-big]

27/12


XSleena
Core update:

Unified core using dynamic PLL reconfiguration to adjust the speed to the pixel video clock for support different video modes (57.4Hz and 60.0Hz).
Many thanks to Martin Donlon aka @WickerWaka for helping me to understand how this works.

Added a Hacks menu to alternate CPU speed between 1.0x and 2.0x turbo mode.

You need to update both rbf and mra files.



Atari 2600/7800:

Fix mouse sensitivity when used as a paddle
Fix virtual lightgun not working when "crop overscan" is enabled
Improve virtual lightgun accuracy and add horizontal tuning option
Add option to allow some quirky usb to paddle adapters to have both paddles on the same controller (READ THE README)
Add support for new 7800 "Bankset" mappers (power of two sizes only)
Add support for pokey chip at $800 header parameter
Fix sound clipping when multiple audio sources are used at the same time (1942)

[mr-o-big]

02/01


TurboGrafx16/CD:
- Correct interrupt logic, support for XE1AP analog controller (David Shadoff).
- Updated framework.



Gameboy:
- Fix audio output (Mark Johnson).
- HDMA, audio and video fixes (paulb-nl).
- Separate MGL files for GB color and Magaduck (Roberto Garcia-Lago).



Mr.Jong:
New core includes: BlockBuster & CrazyBlocks.

[mr-o-big]

14/01


PSX:

new features:
- add pop'n controller type (special version of digital controller)

general fixes:
- fix popping sounds when CD audio track change
- fastboot will now only have effect when a CD is inserted, so booting into bios options is still possible
- SNAC: add delay, fixes issues with certain MCs.

games affected by fixes:
- Alien Resurrection (SPU: always check irq trigger against ram transfer address, even when not transferring data)
- Parasite Eve 2 (CD: when receiving pause command while seek+read is pending, the read is no longer executed after the seek)
- DBZ Ultimate Battle 22 JP (CD: only ack 0xA command when it's not already pending)


PCXT:

- Credits also with MDA
- Improved LPT dummy feature

[mr-o-big]

20/01


PCXT:

* MDA Upgrade to Hercules Graphics Card
* Enable/Disable of CGA and Hercules I/O ports (Only with PCXT model)
* 1st Graphics Card selectable from System & BIOS (Only with PCXT model)
* F11 Shortcut Key RGB / Composite for Tandy
* F11 Shortcut Key Hercules / CGA for PCXT

[mr-o-big]

22/01


Main
- NeoGeo: romwait/pwait xml options to fix audio in some games (paulb-nl).
- Rework HDR options. Use HDR=1 as most reliable one. (Sam Hardeman).

NeoGeo:
- Audio fixes (paulb-nl).

ZXNext:
- Revert previous change to fix Basic save function.
- Updated framework.

[mr-o-big]

24/01


New console core: BBC Bridge Companion

The BBC Bridge Companion was a console dedicated to teaching the game of bridge, released in 1984. It's features included:
- 12 buttons on the console (so you'll need a keyboard for this, please check the README for key bindings)
- 9 official software titles (they are all built in to the core, use the Cartridge option in the menu to change)
- No sound!

[mr-o-big]

14/02 à 17/03

PSX:

new features:
- add option to use virtual memcard or real memcard when using snac (by blue1)
- add support for using a paddle as negcon steering axis and spinner for mouse

games affected by fixes:
- Turbo Prop Racing
- KKND
- All Star Tennis 99
- Love&Destroy
- all Code Monkeys video-puzzle games, e.g. Animal Football, Dalmatians, Dinosaurs

fixes/improvements:
- GPU: allow full 512 pixel height and 1024 pixel width in framebuffer mode(480p hack now allows 512i->512p content)
- GPU: always generate 263 hblank timer signals per NTSC frame, even in interlaced mode
- CD: clean up CD command handling in respect to pending IRQ
- CD: add current sector time when going into pause
- CD: limit maximum seek time, even if seek was done while other command was still pending
- DMA: stretch CD DMA data transfer to real PSX values



PCXT:

- XTIDE ROM update: Updated with the Full Operation Mode option enabled, it is now compatible with the BASICA application and some other Tandy 1000 software that might be incompatible with this mode disabled. Thanks @akeley for investigating this problem.

Note: This update is about the SW folder of the GitHub repository, to take advantage of it you must rebuild the ROMs with the corresponding scripts located inside the same directory.


PCXT:

- PCXT31 and Micro8088 ROMs updated: Updated with the Full Operation Mode option enabled, it is now compatible with the BASICA application and some other Tandy 1000 software that might be incompatible with this mode disabled. Thanks @akeley for investigating this problem.

Note: This update is about the SW folder in the GitHub repository, to take advantage of it you must replace the ROMs of the games/pcxt folder in MiSTer with these, which contain the embedded XTIDE BIOS.


Main:
- Added Michael Simone's Y/C module to template.
- Add control for Y/C output.
- Fixes in HDR (Sam Hardeman).
- Improve single BIN PSX image handling (zakk4223).
- video: default preset and reset option (Martin Donlon).
- Support for disk routines of C128 core (Erik Scheffers).
- Support to use mouse wheel as spinner (Matheus Fraguas).

Note about Y/C output:
1) All cores will need update. They will be updated soon.
2) CVBS output is done through green channel (with Sync-On-Green enable option/switch). There are several ways to get CVBS (composite). a) through vga_mode=cvbs INI option, but voltage level is lower than CRT TV expects, so you may get dark video depending on your TV. b) through vga_mode=svideo and connect green and red outputs together. It will give a better voltage output. c) using external mixer/amplifier board to get a proper output.
CVBS also has dot crawl issue, so to workaround it, yc.txt file should be placed to the same location as MiSTer.ini which includes manually adjusted parameter for each core.
3) S-Video uses green as luma and red as chroma signals.



Menu, NES, SNES, NeoGeo:
- NES: support for keyboard (greyrogue).
- Updated framework.



Minimig:
- RTC: support for seconds (fixes RTC in Workbench 1.3).
- Updated framework.

that XTIDE's Full Operation Mode option generates problems with several games in Tandy mode. Thanks akeley for report it.

Therefore, it is now up to the user to decide which ROM to use, depending on whether the user is interested in BASICA or not

Note: This update is about the SW folder of the GitHub repository, to take advantage of it you must rebuild the ROMs with the corresponding scripts located inside the same directory.



PCXT:

- CGA CRTC updated to UM6845R
- Hercules CRTC updated to UM6845R

Several glitches of AREA5150 have been solved. The only glitch is the final part of the demo, the water effect.

There are also some minor issues with the edges that have yet to be resolved, which are more evident in this demo, but overall it looks very good.

Thank you @gyurco for the idea and the tips for implementation.



Arcade Updates, Aspect Ratio Updates, New Framework:
ATetris, Athena, Bagman, Bank Panic, BombJack, Breakout, BurgerTime, BurningRubber, Chameleon, CongoBongo, Cosmic, CrazyBallon, CrazyClimber, CrazyKong, CrystalCastles, Defender, DonkeyKong, Druaga, ExpressRaider, FoodFight, Galaga, Galaxian, Galivan, Gaplus, Joust 2, LadyBug, MarioBros, MCR3Scroll, MrDo, MysticMarathon, NinjaKun, PacMan, Pengo, Phoenix, Pooyan, Popeye, Qbert, Robotron, RushnAttack, Scramble, SEGASYS1, SlapFight, ,SolomonsKey, Sonson, SpaceRace, Tropical Angel, TurkeyShoot, Ultratank, Vball, Xevious, ZigZag

[mr-o-big]

Du 24/03 au 23/04

BattleZone

new arcade, includes red barron. Not sure red barron works quite right.


C128:

- Updated framework
- Fix sync issues with VDC on analogue output
- Fix MMU and CPU incompatibilities
- Added support for some C128 cartridge formats
- Various other small fixes

MiSTer C128 core



New arcade core: Freeze from Cinematronics
it includes:
- Jack the Giantkiller
- Freeze
- Zzyzzyxx
- SuperCasino
- Tri-Pool



UK101:
Updated framework.



VIC20:
- Support for paddles/spinners.



New arcade core: Cosmic Guerilla

TMS9980 based game from Universal

Did I do something useful?

buy me a coffee


Astrocade:
- Add option to use left/right analog stick as paddle.



PCXT:

- Always register SDRAM input to make use of Fast Input Registers
- Remove some unnecessary clock domain crossings
- Generate the opl2_cen in the clk_chipset domain
- Fix the rate which used to calculate fractional CE's, SAA(CMS) tone pitch is now correct

Thanks @gyurco for these improvements, @somhi for the pull request and @kitune-san for the review.

https://Ko-fi.com/spark2k06
https://www.tindie.com/stores/spark2k06/
https://twitter.com/spark2k06


New console core: Bandai's Super Vision 8000

-Second Generation console with Intellivision-like controllers, minus the side buttons.
-Massive game library of 7 Games!



New console core: Nichibutsu's My Vision Game System

-Released only in Japan
-Didn't use controllers, instead used membrane buttons on the console itself
-Total of 6 games (based on Popular Japanese Board games of the era)


Super Vision 8000:

- Added Swap Controller option to address Othello using Player 2 controller as primary controller.



Championship V'ball - Arcade:
Updated YM2151 / PCM clocks to fix audio timing.



New arcade core: Irem M92

Happy to announce that after a few weeks of testing and development by the community the M92 core has moved from on from it's alpha state and has been added to MiSTer. https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/Arcade-IremM92_MiSTer

This core has been in development for the last seven months and supports all games released on the platform:

Blade Master

Dream Soccer '94

Gunforce

Gun Force II

Hook

In The Hunt

Lethal Thunder

Major Title 2

Mystic Riders

Ninja Baseball Bat Man

R-Type Leo

Superior Soldiers

Undercover Cops



Irem M92 Update 20230422

Fix Superior Soldiers

Add FX volume adjustment

Fix flickering in uccops and nbbatman



Linux:
- Updated realtek WiFi drivers (Grzegorz Krzystek).
- Updated in startup scripts to improve WiFi startup.
- Enabled NFS driver in kernel. You still need scripts to initialize and mount NFS volumes.

Main:
- Updated saturn support (srg320).
- Fix OSD folder name scrolling starting with _.
- Added v option to CONF_STR to reset core settings if settings in new core build aren't compatible.
- Fix PCE support code (David Shadoff).
- Add preliminary NeoCD support (paulb-nl).
- some other fixes and tweaks.

[mr-o-big]

27/04 au 01/05 et joyeuse fête du travail


Downloader:
- Version 1.7 released.
- Database-scoped filters can now inherit terms from the global filter. (check changelog for more details)
- Added support for the yc.txt file.
- Added ntpdate mitigation code to the launcher.
- Optimizations to the HTTP client for more simultaneous requests.
- Various bug fixes and enhancements.



Linux:
- Fix for Edimax EW-7822ULC WiFi (Grzegorz Krzystek).
- Enable NFSv4.



S32X:
- Many fixes from srg320.
- Add support for load/save backup (for SRAM/FRAM for now) (srg320).


Gameboy:
- Audio fixes from Mark Johnson.

[mr-o-big]

03/05 au 11/05


PSX:
- updated framework (Add S-Video/CVBS encoder by Mike Simone)
- SPU: fix envelope volume and tick readback for main volume (fixes stereo output in Wipeout 3 US)



PCXT:

- Add 2nd SD card drive, by @kitune-san
- Remove some timing errors, by @kitune-san



Irem M92 Update 20230510

- Fix flip screen DIP switch support (for Lethal Thunder mainly, but supported in all games)
- Add HQ2x support
- Remove 240p crop option since the output is already 240p

[mr-o-big]

17/05


C64:
- Add support for cartridges Ocean Type 2 and GMod2(read-only) (Michael Jørgensen).
- Disk parallel port detection fix for SpeedDOS. You need to update SpeedDOS_plus_2.7.rom as well.

[mr-o-big]

26/05


Main:
- PSX: CD fix (zakk4223).
- Video: wallpaper folder name follows config INI name.
- OSD: reflect global volume status when changed by keyboard.
- input: Controller unique mapping (Martin Donlon).
- input: added selective controller unique mapping (for DIY and other quirks).



Oric:
- Tweaks in PSG (Ramón Martínez).
- Tap support, alternate bios loading, four floppy drives (Flandango).
- Updated framework.



ZX Spectrum:
- Added option for narrow border.