Enhanced Nemesis 3 test version

Master (255)

17-01-2015, 21:19

http://www.gaga-play.com/test/nemesis3-enhanced-native.zip
This is a version of my emulator that just runs a slightly enhanced version of Nemesis 3 (using emulator hacks):
- Smooth scroll
- Stereo sound
- triggered drum samples

The smooth scroll effect is not perfect, but I have some ideas to improve that.

Just unzip and run the .exe
(Sorry, windows only for now; I'll package a platform independent java version later)

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

17-01-2015, 21:54

Is there a command to run it in windowed mode instead of full screen ?

By erikd

Master (255)

17-01-2015, 22:08

Sorry, no.

When I'll put the whole thing online with the GUI and all it will be possible though; this is just a test version.

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

17-01-2015, 22:23

Ok. I've just made the comparison with blueMSX using the same rom. As you know probably, blueMSX has already a smooth sound and its audio mixer allows 'intelligent" stereo with PSG and SCC. In your emulator, I can clearly hear nice enhancements, the stereo sound is more wide (like in a symphonic electronic approach) and the drums sound really more modern.

By erikd

Master (255)

17-01-2015, 23:30

Thanks for trying it out

TBH I didn't know about BlueMSX' stereo enhancements, so I just checked it out. It's indeed quite different.
I'm not sure what BlueMSX is doing exactly, but it seems it's panning the sound channels around. There's a bit more going on in my sound emulation (and I'm quite happy with the results tbh).
I don't know if the BlueMSX developers are visiting this site but I'd be happy to share what I did, if it's interesting for others.
I mean my own emulator isn't nearly as good as the likes of BlueMSX or OpenMSX (many games don't run at all), but I'd be glad to contribute one way or another.

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

17-01-2015, 23:57

I'm not the main coder of blueMSX, only one of the co-developers and coding is not my work. Indeed, the blueMSX audio mixer allows to pan the different channels around. If you go to the extreme positions (left and right), the channels will be completely separated, but if you use other positions, including positions close to the 'zero' position, as it is the case by default for PSG and SCC, the channels are mixed in a panning mode. It can also be combined with the volume for each channel, so each user can adjust the stereo according to its preferences (and it can be different for each song).

By syn

Prophet (2123)

18-01-2015, 00:39

Mars: What is this intelligent stereo you speak of (in bluemsx)?

I can only find a volume mixer with manual balance/panning settings

Also what is this special panning mode? In what way is it different from normal balance setting?

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

18-01-2015, 00:48

See my previous message and note that the word 'intelligent' is placed between some special characters

Actually, the intelligence is mainly in the end-user !

By erikd

Master (255)

18-01-2015, 00:52

Ah I see

Quote:

so each user can adjust the stereo according to its preferences (and it can be different for each song).

So the user can adjust the stereo per song? That's quite interesting. How does that work? How does BlueMSX know what song is playing?

In my emulator the stereo setup works like this:
* It emulates 2 SCCs; one on the far left, the other on the far right.
* These 2 SCC chips are slightly detuned (they both operate at a slightly different clock speed).
* The channels are progressively balanced 'outwards': So the first channel is balanced slightly to the left, the next next one slightly more the right, etc. until the highest channels are balanced most extremely to left or right.
* If a channel is balanced more to the right, the left channel is slightly delayed (and vice versa). The more a channel is balanced to one side in the stereo field, the more the other side is delayed. It's a neat effect that enhances the stereo image in a subtle but nice way, but should really not be overdone or it'll sound all mushy and 'reverby'.
* It works the same way with FM chips (but the PSG is always in the middle).

By mars2000you

Enlighted (6486)

18-01-2015, 01:04

blueMSX does not know which song is played, the end-user needs to change the settings in the audio mixer (panning and volume) each time that he feels the need to do it (and the more logical way is to make the adjustements song by song). It can be important if you want to make audio captures, without the need to make further changes in external tools.

Your approach is indeed very different, as you make the adjustements for all the songs trying to find the best optimization while adding some more modern touches. The end-user has nothing to do in this approach. Also you work probably with the internal channels of each sound chip, not only with the 'general' channel used by a specific chip.

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6067)

19-01-2015, 13:00

Sounds really nice... Would you like to share the details of the smooth scroll? What addresses you look etc.

It seems that it tries to emulate 50Hz machine (some people would say this was meant to be played with 60Hz machine, but that it nit picking) how ever it seems that the speed is not same all the time. When there is less elements on screen it looks like fast forwarding -> Not good effect for gameplay.