134 lines
6.8 KiB
Plaintext
134 lines
6.8 KiB
Plaintext
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
WHAT IS THIS?
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
This is DGen/SDL, a semi-fantastic emulator for Unix-esque operating systems
|
|
supported by the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) library. It produces a virtual
|
|
environment in which Sega Genesis (MegaDrive outside the US) games may run
|
|
with fairly accurate audio and video.
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
HOW DO I INSTALL IT?
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
You'll need SDL version 1.0 or greater. Fetch it from
|
|
http://www.libsdl.org/, and install it. Make sure, if you're
|
|
using prepackaged rpm's or deb's, to get both the SDL and SDL-devel packages.
|
|
|
|
For Intel/AMD/Cyrix CPUs, you'll also need NASM, which can be found at
|
|
http://www.web-sites.co.uk/nasm/, in order to utilize the assembler
|
|
optimizations. *WARNING*: The NASM that comes prepackaged with RedHat 7.x is
|
|
broken! Install the rpm from RedHat 6.x, and it should work. One such rpm can
|
|
be found at http://pknet.com/~joe/nasm-0.98-2.i386.rpm.
|
|
|
|
Now you should be able to build and install DGen like any other
|
|
autoconf-using package:
|
|
|
|
sh ./configure && make && make install
|
|
|
|
If you have egcs or GCC >= 2.95, you can give configure the '--with-extra-opt'
|
|
switch, which will add some insane optimization to the CFLAGS used to compile
|
|
the program, giving the binary a very decent speed boost.
|
|
|
|
The control configuration and other options available in DGen/SDL are set
|
|
through a file dgenrc, which should be in the location $HOME/.dgen/dgenrc.
|
|
The sample.dgenrc file in this archive documents all the fields, and so does the
|
|
dgenrc(5) manpage. If it doesn't exist, an empty one will be created when
|
|
dgen is run.
|
|
|
|
Now that it's been installed, running 'dgen ROMFILE' should run the Genesis
|
|
program contained in ROMFILE. For a list of all the fancy options supported,
|
|
run either 'dgen' with no options, or see the dgen(1) manpage for more detail.
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
IT'S TOO SLOW!
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Well, sorry. Here are some ideas to help accelerate it:
|
|
|
|
- Lower the value of "int_nice" in your dgenrc. 0 is good for short tempers :-)
|
|
- Turn off sound.
|
|
- Run fullscreen, if possible.
|
|
- Increase int_soundsegs to 16 or (if you're desperate) 32.
|
|
- Buy a faster computer. (sorry, had to say it ;)
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
IT'S TOO FAST!
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
I couldn't believe it either, but someone asked me this. If you happen to find
|
|
yourself in this unfortunate predicament, here's how to slow it down:
|
|
|
|
- Raise the sound rate to 44100Hz. It sounds a LOT better, and is a LOT slower.
|
|
- Increase the value of int_nice in your dgenrc. This is the best way to slow
|
|
things down, since it makes dgen much more CPU friendly.
|
|
- In the game, press the key set to 'dgen_cpu_toggle' (which defaults to F11),
|
|
to use the Musashi CPU core, which is slower and more accurate than
|
|
StarScream.
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Q: DGen segfaults on startup!
|
|
A: The two most common causes of this are a broken NASM, or an absent NASM.
|
|
RedHat 7.x distributions ship with a prepackaged NASM which doesn't work.
|
|
You'll need to use an RPM from a different distribution, or RedHat 6.x.
|
|
|
|
Q: How do I set up OpenGL mode?
|
|
A: OpenGL mode can be activated either from the commandline, or from the dgenrc
|
|
file. Using the '-G XxY' switch will activate OpenGL mode. The switch takes
|
|
the desired resolution as an argument. For example:
|
|
$ dgen -G 640x480 sonic.bin
|
|
will run with a 640x480 screen resolution.
|
|
|
|
So that you do not have to type this switch every time you use dgen, you
|
|
can add the following lines to ~/.dgen/dgenrc so that dgen will start in
|
|
OpenGL mode every time:
|
|
bool_opengl = yes
|
|
int_opengl_width = 640
|
|
int_opengl_height = 480
|
|
int_opengl_width and int_opengl_height can be changed to suit your own
|
|
preferences.
|
|
|
|
Q: I make dgen setuid-root, and try to run it fullscreen, and all I get is
|
|
a black screen with the game running in the middle of it.
|
|
A: You need to have your X server set up with a 320x240 video mode. For XFree86,
|
|
if you have XF86Setup installed (which is more than likely):
|
|
- Close all X sessions you have running.
|
|
- From a console, as root, run "XF86Setup". When asked "Would you like to use
|
|
the existing XF86Config file for defaults?" say Yes.
|
|
- After 30 seconds or so the X server should start in VGA mode, and put you
|
|
in the setup program. Everything else is set up, just click on the
|
|
"Modeselection" button in the top right-hand corner.
|
|
- From the list of possible modes, choose 1024x768 (or whatever mode you use
|
|
regularly), and 320x240 (which is the mode DGen wants). Choose a bits-per-
|
|
pixel from the list on the bottom (DGen works best in 15- or 16-bpp).
|
|
- Press "Done", then "Okay".
|
|
- It should restart the X server. When you see the message
|
|
"Congratulations!...", try pressing CTRL-ALT-KEYPAD+ to switch to your new
|
|
320x240 mode, just to make sure it works. Press CTRL-ALT-KEYPAD- to switch
|
|
back, and press "Save the configuration and exit".
|
|
- Restart your X session. If you use xdm, press CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE to kill
|
|
the X server and restart it. Fullscreen should work now.
|
|
|
|
Q: DGen's colors are messed up!
|
|
A: Some video cards, such as most Riva cards, use different pixel formats
|
|
for true-color modes. If you use 16-bpp bit depth, try 15- or 32-bpp bit
|
|
depth.
|
|
|
|
Q: I try compiling, but when I run ./configure, it tells me it can't find
|
|
sdl-config. I installed SDL from the rpm's.
|
|
A: You need to install the SDL-devel rpm as well:
|
|
http://www.devolution.com/~slouken/SDL/release/SDL-devel-<version>-1.i386.rpm
|
|
|
|
Q: Sonic 2 freezes right before the title screen!
|
|
A: There is a bug in the StarScream CPU core which causes Sonic 2 to freeze
|
|
at this point. Press F11 to switch to the Musashi core, until you get to
|
|
the title sequence, then press it again to switch back to StarScream. Save
|
|
a snapshot here, so you don't have to go through it again. :)
|
|
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
BUGS
|
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Of course the chances of finding a bug are unlikely, but if you do, tell me
|
|
about it. Send me a patch too, if possible :-) Also, check the FAQ above before
|
|
reporting bugs, to see if your question's already been answered.
|
|
|
|
Enjoy DGen!
|