Homebrew New VBA GX fork (2.3.0)

[ShadowOne333]

OK, will do!

You can use [game title].png, where [game title] is the ROM title. If you run the ROM in VBA-M and go to File>ROM Information, you'll see it.

libertyernie, I found a version of VBA that plays both Super Mario Land 2 DX and Metroid 2 DX hacks just fine.
VBA 1.8.0 Beta 3 does the job quite good.

I attached some pictures as proof.
Hope this helps on debugging the issue.

 

[awefour44]

VBA GX 2.3.2 release candidate
Can people try this out and see if it works for them?

Very well done! Just tested the 240p and it's working beautifully Many thanks libertyernie!

I don't think I'll be adding any new features in 2.3.2.
(I may not be making new versions after this - all the problems I know of are things I don't know how to fix.)

Frankly there's not left much to improve upon---in my view 240p was one of the last features really missing. With the addition of 240p, VBA GX is now on par with other emulators for the system (e.g. SNES9x GX) in terms of features.

That said, one thing I've always liked about genplus-gx is the ability to autoload the last-played rom (and, optionally, its savestate) upon launching the emulator. Likewise, the option to exit directly to the Wiimenu/HBC/USBloader from the in-game home menu, rather than first exiting to the VBA main menu. Together these two features allow the emulator's main menu to be bypassed altogether (both for start-up and quitting). It also allows multiple instances of the emulator to be installed, each one auto-booting a different game (useful if you like using channel forwarders).

 

[Chris_Highwind]

Personally, I'm waiting for a feature that gives GBA roms borders like in the Game Boy Player.

 

[libertyernie]

Here's release candidate 2:
https://github.com/libertyernie/vba...7351900fcb620f69c9a3c5/vbagx_wii.dol?raw=true

All the video modes have been changed to use a constant width of 704px. If some PAL users could test to see if it still works, that would be great.
Borders for GBA games are supported - first [ROM title].png is checked, then defaultgba.png. Note that to use the Game Boy Player borders, you will need to resize them down to half their size in each direction - the way I implemented it, the borders are rendered along with the game, so the game is always in the middle 240x160 px of the border.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Thanks for the RC 2!
Will test it out with my ROMS and the hacks too.

 

[ilikegoldengrahams]

Have the motion controls been fixed for WarioWare: Twisted and Yoshi's Topsy Turvy yet?

 

[libertyernie]

Update on the color hacks - I tried using code from VBA 1.8.0 and also some from VBA 1.7.2, and I still had the same problems. So it doesn't look like I'll be able to fix it.

Have the motion controls been fixed for WarioWare: Twisted and Yoshi's Topsy Turvy yet?

I don't remember. Were they broken in my version, or before that?

 

[ShadowOne333]

Update on the color hacks - I tried using code from VBA 1.8.0 and also some from VBA 1.7.2, and I still had the same problems. So it doesn't look like I'll be able to fix it.

Oh well, it was worth the try.
Thank you so much for taking your time to check it.

 

[powerpuffboysz]

would it be possible to add cheat support? or codebreaker/gameshark/action replay compatibility?

 

[ilikegoldengrahams]

I don't remember. Were they broken in my version, or before that?

I'm using 2.2.8 for the intact motion controls.

EDIT: I just downloaded the latest .dol (2.3.2) and the sontrols seem to be okay for Yoshi but still not picking up for Warioware: Twisted. Does not show calibrating screen.

 

[pippon3]

This is awsome! Does 2.3.0 or the latest support covers? The boarder mod is amazing and woud be epic with covers to

 

[Chris_Highwind]

Here's release candidate 2:
https://github.com/libertyernie/vba...7351900fcb620f69c9a3c5/vbagx_wii.dol?raw=true

All the video modes have been changed to use a constant width of 704px. If some PAL users could test to see if it still works, that would be great.
Borders for GBA games are supported - first [ROM title].png is checked, then defaultgba.png. Note that to use the Game Boy Player borders, you will need to resize them down to half their size in each direction - the way I implemented it, the borders are rendered along with the game, so the game is always in the middle 240x160 px of the border.

How about that, I talk about how I'd like to have GBA borders in an emulator, and the next post there's a release candidate supporting GBA borders XD.

Thanks a lot, now I just have to look for the Game Boy Player borders or other custom GBA borders to use ^^

 

[SuperrSonic]

now I just have to look for the Game Boy Player borders or other custom GBA borders to use ^^

I've never seen those borders readily available but I attempted ripping them a long time ago from the startup disc, some are missing/unfinished but the neat ones are usable.

I have ripped most of the GBP borders along with other more rare borders usually from demo releases. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ge6aukjcsevhyjk/AABzmUckuJg5CJVEFq2pXY92a?dl=0
They come directly from the source files, these were actually useful with RA because it supports the GBP's screen size width.
The missing borders(and the original ones) can be found here but they were not fully edited to work as borders. The GBP's borders are a bunch of pieces and patterns that get "built" on-the-fly, this makes some of them a bit impossible to rip accurately.

 

[Chris_Highwind]

Cool! Now, just to be sure, these borders can be used in VBA GX as is, correct? I know the dropbox page says RA Ready so I don't know if RetroArch and VBA GX 2.3.2 rc2 use the same border specs.

 

[SuperrSonic]

Cool! Now, just to be sure, these borders can be used in VBA GX as is, correct? I know the dropbox page says RA Ready so I don't know if RetroArch and VBA GX 2.3.2 rc2 use the same border specs.

Yes, at the time they were for RA but the only difference is transparency in the center. They work fine in vbagx and thanks to the screen width now being 704, the borders(and the games) show as they would in the Game Boy Player, i.e. sensual square pixels.

EDIT: I am incorrect, as libertyernie stated above, the border is rendered along with the game, so you need to resize it by half. Since the GBP borders are all 608x448 you must resize to 304x224.

 

[Sizednochi]

This is some fantastic stuff! My only issue with Wii emulation was finally fixed.

EDIT: Nevermind, 256x240 did the trick.

Have some crappy pics I took.

A few more:

Spoiler

All through composite though, which sucks but it still looks pretty good (well in person anyway, my cell phone's camera is awful)! I have to get an S-video cable now. Thanks for making this happen, it's fantastic! This is definitely the next best thing to having an actual Super Game Boy. I'd say it's even better since it runs Color and Advance games! My Wii just became way more awesome than it had any right to be. I'm probably going to remove my SGB from my retro corner - no more switching the 64m smart card between it and my GBA~

 

[vicmarto]

240p is NOT working well with my setup. When activated the VBA GX turns RED !!

First, with Video Mode Automatic, it's all working well:

Then, with the rest of options at default, if I activate 240p:

This is what happens:

But, not only the game turns RED, all the VBA GA turns RED!!!

This is with an european PAL Wii connected to a CRT TV via european SCART. This TV accepts a NTSC signal without problems.

The same happens with GBC and GBA roms.

libertyernie, if you need I do some tests just let me know.

Bye, and please, excuse my poor english.

 

[ShadowOne333]

Spoiler

240p is NOT working well with my setup. When activated the VBA GX turns RED !!

First, with Video Mode Automatic, it's all working well:

Then, with the rest of options at default, if I activate 240p:

This is what happens:

But, not only the game turns RED, all the VBA GA turns RED!!!

This is with an european PAL Wii connected to a CRT TV via european SCART. This TV accepts a NTSC signal without problems.

The same happens with GBC and GBA roms.

libertyernie, if you need I do some tests just let me know.

Bye, and please, excuse my poor english.

That's an Easter Egg.
Now you have a Virtual Boy filter for your Gameboy games!
HOW COOL IS THAT?!

 

[vicmarto]

Investigating more, the same happens if I select Video Mode NTSC (480i)..... But in other emulators, I can select 240p without these issues!!

 

[Jacobeian]

240p is NOT working well with my setup. When activated the VBA GX turns RED !!

First, with Video Mode Automatic, it's all working well:

Then, with the rest of options at default, if I activate 240p:

This is what happens:

But, not only the game turns RED, all the VBA GA turns RED!!!

This is with an european PAL Wii connected to a CRT TV via european SCART. This TV accepts a NTSC signal without problems.

The same happens with GBC and GBA roms.

libertyernie, if you need I do some tests just let me know.

Bye, and please, excuse my poor english.

That's because your SCART is awaiting RGB signals but NTSC video mode on Wii outputs S-Video instead of RGB. This was a common issue with early homebrew on PAL Wii when using SCART (no problem when using the composite cable).

The mod probably setups the wrong video mode for 240p (and 480i apparently), it should be NTSC for NTSC consoles and EURGB60 for PAL consoles.