Work in Progress: new VT168 emulator

[davidstech]

Just a heads up on a project I'm working on,Following on from my MiWi2 dumps, which couldn't run in EmuVT because of a bizarre scrambling scheme, I decided it was time to write a new emulator for the later, less NES-based, VT devices starting with the VT168.

The next step after the VT168 is working would be to start adding support for even newer devices, particularly the VT368/VT369. I'm curious whether there are any ROMs suspected to be for these systems floating around, post here or PM me if you have any so I can start looking at reverse engineering those.


Release 0.10 is now public. This will run most of the MiWi2 and InterAct games, but has serious graphical problems in a couple still (mostly the "3D" perspective racing games).

Windows binary download http://davidstech.net/games/openvtx_0.10.zip

Source on GitHub (Windows or Linux) https://github.com/daveshah1/openvtx

MiWi2 ROMs to try out are in the dumping thread. InterAct ROMs are also posted in this thread.

[NewRisingSun]

Great! I considered adding VT168 support to Nintendulator at one point, but decided against it because the VT168 is not directly NES-compatible and thus would require turning the entire emulator core upside down.

I will post the other VT168 ROMs that I have when I get home. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

[kelvin donna]

davidstech

Dec 18 2017, 06:00:29 AM

Just a heads up on a project I'm working on, which I will release as open source soon. Following on from my MiWi2 dumps, which couldn't run in EmuVT because of a bizarre scrambling scheme, I decided it was time to write a new emulator for the later, less NES-based, VT devices starting with the VT168.

At the moment the CPU and memory stuff seems to be working, along with the opcode descrambling, it will load the MiWi2 ROMs without crashing. The next step is to deal with some bugs in the PPU implementation (at the moment all I have on screen is a few coloured squares).

Hopefully I'll have something publicly available this week.

The next step after the VT168 is working would be to start adding support for even newer devices, particularly the VT368/VT369. I'm curious whether there are any ROMs suspected to be for these systems floating around, post here or PM me if you have any so I can start looking at reverse engineering those.[/quote]can you make also a vt168 emulator for game boy advance please, so that my dream can come true

[davidstech]

I don't think there's ever going to be one for the GBA, buy a GPD Win

[kelvin donna]

davidstech

Dec 18 2017, 10:57:12 AM

I don't think there's ever going to be one for the GBA, buy a GPD Win[/quote]ok, i give up, i thougt it is 16 bit and it will work, but it doesn't, well i cant do anything to make my dream true, nothing , is there just one way to make my dream true  :O , i cant buy a GPD win, first, it is extremly expensive and this thing just runs FRICKING WINDOWS 10  >_> , it cannot run windows 7, neither windows xp  <_< , all that is more unnecessary, first, i actually own a overmax ov gamer 2:https://www.ceneo.pl/33605860, so it is ok  /:) , but i needed one for gba, simply because, it would be fun to play it on a actual gba

[Y2K05]

Yeah sorry kelvin, I understand and also love the GBA but apparently the homebrew scene is dead. Sorry to say.

And thank you so much davidstech. Lots of progress on VT emulation has been happening, which is a perfect Christmas present.

Also, I suppose he could get a GPD XD if these VT emulators have their APK counterparts eventually?

[davidstech]

Yeah maybe once it's done I could turn it into a libretro core then it could be used with RetroArch on Android - then you could use a GPD XD or any Android phone with a gamepad

[kelvin donna]

Y2K05

Dec 18 2017, 12:34:00 PM

Yeah sorry kelvin, I understand and also love the GBA but apparently the homebrew scene is dead. Sorry to say.

And thank you so much davidstech. Lots of progress on VT emulation has been happening, which is a perfect Christmas present.

Also, I suppose he could get a GPD XD if these VT emulators have their APK counterparts eventually?[/quote]ok, i now understand, my biggest dream, WILL, NEVER, COME, TRUE  
just a joke

[davidstech]

If anyone is curious I've attached some screenshots of the current state of development - at the moment the MiWi2/InterAct input is not emulated so can't get past the title screen.

Attachments:

• wip_interact_8in1.png (19.4 KB)
• wip_miwi2_sports.png (22.46 KB)
• wip_miwi2_games.png (15.43 KB)

[Y2K05]

Oohhh, nice!

Just curious but how did you dump those carts? Did you solder them or something? I know some months back I wished I could desolder plug'n'plays to dump but sadly cannot (especially dump and then put back together). Also, I'm not a programmer but I have been kinda obsessed with plug'n'play technology for a while now.

Additionally, is this VT168? The last screenshot with the drums or something reminds me of this, although someone told me it's Sunplus? I forget--maybe VT168 was made to compete with Sunplus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt5Wl69uRZ4

[kelvin donna]

davidstech

Dec 18 2017, 01:17:29 PM

If anyone is curious I've attached some screenshots of the current state of development - at the moment the MiWi2/InterAct input is not emulated so can't get past the title screen.[/quote]OH MY GOODNESS,JUST LOOK AT THE MIWI2GAMES PICTURE, THE BOY LOOKS LIKE HE IS THREATENING YOU SAYING "I WILL CRUSH YOU" =O

[davidstech]

The carts were dumped using an incredibly bodged adapter for my universal programmer, I've actually got a PCB ordered that will function as a proper dumper for various systems including the VT168. I'm also planning on building a jig using "pogo pins" for dumping the chip-on-board style ROMs common on plug and play handhelds.

Interesting to see that handheld, it's definitely Sunplus though.

[Y2K05]

Wait, so you're able to disassemble and dump plug'n'plays and cartridges for them?

[davidstech]

I haven't done any plug'n'plays yet, I should be able to by the new year though. I can dump OneBus cartridges already though. Curious if there are any systems for sale at the moment that people would like to see dumped.If anyone is curious, would like to help (help reverse engineering the MiWi2 input system would be much appreciated!) or just track progress I've put the source code so far on GitHub

https://github.com/daveshah1/openvtx

Binaries will be published once it's working well enough to release.

[Y2K05]

Hmm the source code seems to be based on MAME's. Do you plan to merge this into MAME?