ISO Loader 0.8.x Beta + preview of DreamShell v4.0 RC 5

[fafadou]

A good new to have a sd improvement

Please take your Time to polish this 0.8.30 version even if i'm very impatient to try it

[pcwzrd13]

(23.10.2023 10:45)SWAT писал(а):  

(22.10.2023 22:26)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Vanishing Point

Hmm this game works in RC3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr4swy_rzM0
The problem is obviously somewhere at the very beginning of execution. Looks like bad hardware state.

The music plays ok but the game will freeze if you press start. I don't believe it had this issue with previous loaders but I'll have to check. Edit: Nope, doesn't happen with 0.6.1.

[fafadou]

(22.10.2023 22:26)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Vanishing Point

The music plays ok but the game will freeze if you press start. I don't believe it had this issue with previous loaders but I'll have to check. Edit: Nope, doesn't happen with 0.6.1.

What's your preset please, I have black screen...
It works for me with 0.6.1 too with cdda.

(23.10.2023 10:45)SWAT писал(а):  DS RC3 support CDDA.

Thank you very much for this information and refresh my memories

(23.10.2023 07:07)CrisMod писал(а):  I'm using the VGA (I believe as you).

Yes I'm a vga lover Scart is too foggy for my TV.

(23.10.2023 07:07)CrisMod писал(а):  BUT if as in the cases of 'NBA 2K2' and 'Ooga Booga' the latest Loader has problems I leave the paramenters tests with Old loaders.

Ok I understand, and the 0.6.11_se is a very good loader specialy for ssd users as us (even if I have a CF mod now, I enjoy all devices, serial port too and i'm very happy to see the improvements that's @Swat shared).
Each device has its strength and weakness. You can read those games with low level and an ide hard drive disk.
Now 0.8.29 ide.bin and 0.6.11_se ide.bin have very close performances now and this last start the disc rotation when you run a game, so I use it when I have no choice only.

(23.10.2023 07:07)CrisMod писал(а):  What is certain is that the Looney Tunes situation in my case is truly singular

I'm sorry, I forgot you have a VA0 motherboard. I'm happy to helped you as you did with super runabout

(23.10.2023 07:07)CrisMod писал(а):  "Therefore, the list I've compiled is tailored to the hardware combination that I personally use. For anyone using this same setup, they'll already have the pre-configured parameters readily available. So, in this context, my contribution serves as an additional resource."

More there will be compatibility list, better it will for sure.

[SWAT]

(23.10.2023 15:12)fafadou писал(а):  A good new to have a sd improvement

Please take your Time to polish this 0.8.30 version even if i'm very impatient to try it

Enjoy. Also I update KOS and use new function for transfer DS screen texture to PVR memory, it's x5 faster that old, so UI should be a bit faster too.

https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/re...0.0RC5-T30

[pcwzrd13]

(24.10.2023 01:47)fafadou писал(а):  

(22.10.2023 22:26)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Vanishing Point

The music plays ok but the game will freeze if you press start. I don't believe it had this issue with previous loaders but I'll have to check. Edit: Nope, doesn't happen with 0.6.1.

What's your preset please, I have black screen...
It works for me with 0.6.1 too with cdda.

Settings are here. Mostly default but Maple heap. I don't think that makes a difference for booting though.

[MastaG]

Damn SWAT, you're on fire.
Guess I have to swap my GDEmu with GD-Rom drive + IDE pcb + CF reader soon

[SWAT]

(24.10.2023 18:39)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  

(24.10.2023 01:47)fafadou писал(а):  

(22.10.2023 22:26)pcwzrd13 писал(а):  Vanishing Point

The music plays ok but the game will freeze if you press start. I don't believe it had this issue with previous loaders but I'll have to check. Edit: Nope, doesn't happen with 0.6.1.

What's your preset please, I have black screen...
It works for me with 0.6.1 too with cdda.

Settings are here. Mostly default but Maple heap. I don't think that makes a difference for booting though.

My version of this game doesn't boot at all. Don't know region. I check another one.

(24.10.2023 21:35)MastaG писал(а):  Damn SWAT, you're on fire.
Guess I have to swap my GDEmu with GD-Rom drive + IDE pcb + CF reader soon

GD-EMU is for weaklings and piracy haha . Because you cant make dump of your original buyed GD-ROM discs to play without uses GD-ROM, but with GD-ROM presents.
I'm just kidding

[fafadou]

@Swat : Could you tell us about the improvements you made for this version ?
I follow the discord, I saw everyone very enthusiasm, but I must confess, I didn't understand everything, I'm sorry.

According to @dragoncity list : this game boot with PIO, low memory, no IRQ, sync16.

I 'll try it from my side this evening, despite my impatience. my drive is ready but I have some blackout at house...

[SWAT]

(25.10.2023 10:42)fafadou писал(а):  @Swat : Could you tell us about the improvements you made for this version ?
I follow the discord, I saw everyone very enthusiasm, but I must confess, I didn't understand everything, I'm sorry.

You've been following discord of the DS and KOS. What improvements are you talking about exactly?
About DS I write here. About my improvements for KOS not.
Sometimes I transfer some things born in the ISO loader to KOS with some additional improvements exactly for KOS.
For example I'm improved KOS sound streams with highly optimized for SH4 the PCM splitting algorithm that I wrote on assembler for ISO loader.
Dreamcast AICA SPU can't simply play stereo PCM, so separate channels are needed as mono to play them back separately with different panning.

BTW, this PCM splitting algorithm economy some CPU time for the SD soft SPI hard work, so this is more noticeable on SD with RAW CDDA.
Especially with the additional ~5% improvement for the SPI itself. It's very close to playable now. The SD users will appreciate this
Also I have some idea to improve PCM loading a bit more if the file is defragmented... Perhaps this will give something. Or not, I should check it.
Lots of ideas but not enough time in the day.

[fafadou]

(25.10.2023 14:40)SWAT писал(а):  

(25.10.2023 10:42)fafadou писал(а):  @Swat : Could you tell us about the improvements you made for this version ?
I follow the discord, I saw everyone very enthusiasm, but I must confess, I didn't understand everything, I'm sorry.

You've been following discord of the DS and KOS. What improvements are you talking about exactly?
About DS I write here. About my improvements for KOS not.
Sometimes I transfer some things born in the ISO loader to KOS with some additional improvements exactly for KOS.
For example I'm improved KOS sound streams with highly optimized for SH4 the PCM splitting algorithm that I wrote on assembler for ISO loader.
Dreamcast AICA SPU can't simply play stereo PCM, so separate channels are needed as mono to play them back separately with different panning.

Actually my lack of knowledge is too huge, I don't know which software you are using for making loaders, the software for making dreamshell and isoloaders... and how compilers are done...
I'm happy you found some men that can help you there more than we are doing here. Even if I feel, it's you who helped them you are a truly master !

(25.10.2023 14:40)SWAT писал(а):  BTW, this PCM splitting algorithm economy some CPU time for the SD soft SPI hard work, so this is more noticeable on SD with RAW CDDA.
Especially with the additional ~5% improvement for the SPI itself. It's very close to playable now. The SD users will appreciate this

I still keep the 0.6.x beta, hope this one will replace it definitively

(25.10.2023 14:40)SWAT писал(а):  Also I have some idea to improve PCM loading a bit more if the file is defragmented... Perhaps this will give something. Or not, I should check it.
Lots of ideas but not enough time in the day.

Thanks for explain you talked about "size of PCM 32k to 16k" If I understood well, I misunderstanding with the size of loader. anyway, The loaders of the last release is smaller than the 0.8.29 set and should be more efficient Well done.

For me you're right, reading defragmented data is a good thing, but focus on how reaching the low level with cdda that you mentioned will be a huge improvement, if it's possible...

[fafadou]

New tests :

Vanishing point no dma sync 16 or none, IRQ dma tmu2, low memory (no issue with start or something, but I can't change the race, not sure if it's normal).

the flinstones -> run well

millenium soldier -> NO DMA sync 8, no IRQ -> run well, but I didn't let the intro a long time in order to be sure

Sega rally 2 PAL / virtua cop 2 -> no boot with cdda, run well with low level I can finish the arcade mode of sega rally 2, no glitches
Sega rally 2 jap with cdda -> same issue

kao -> I tried faster preset for data than Those I choose for 0.8.29 and the game freeze

Sturmwind -> read error after the boot

zia -> run well

In general the cdda still have distorsion, not sure if it's more or less.



Issue with dreamshell : after the boot and dreamshell logo, the disc stop as usual and now restart.
I think the disc restart too when we start a game.

When we changed and save the new cdda menu ("adaptative" to "fixed" for example) it will not be saved .

[pcwzrd13]

Just tested Worms World Party online for almost 2 hours on the new loader and it worked great! It did freeze at a black screen after one of the matches but I'm not 100% sure that was DreamShell-related. On 0.6.1 the game would occasionally stutter when playing online but I didn't experience that with 0.8. It could still happen though as it was a fairly rare occurrence.

[SWAT]

(26.10.2023 03:01)fafadou писал(а):  In general the cdda still have distorsion, not sure if it's more or less.

There are only 2 reasons left for this.
1) Sometimes, due to a lag in the game, the PCM timer becomes desynchronized. I don’t know how to track this yet, but I think about it from time to time. By the way, this should happen less with a larger buffer, i.e. without IRQ.
2) Conflict for resources with the game. There is nothing the ISO loader can do more about this, need patch the games themselves.

[CrisMod]

(26.10.2023 03:01)fafadou писал(а):  New tests :

Vanishing point no dma sync 16 or none, IRQ dma tmu2, low memory (no issue with start or something, but I can't change the race, not sure if it's normal).

the flinstones -> run well

millenium soldier -> NO DMA sync 8, no IRQ -> run well, but I didn't let the intro a long time in order to be sure

Sega rally 2 PAL / virtua cop 2 -> no boot with cdda, run well with low level I can finish the arcade mode of sega rally 2, no glitches
Sega rally 2 jap with cdda -> same issue

kao -> I tried faster preset for data than Those I choose for 0.8.29 and the game freeze

Sturmwind -> read error after the boot

zia -> run well

In general the cdda still have distorsion, not sure if it's more or less.



Issue with dreamshell : after the boot and dreamshell logo, the disc stop as usual and now restart.
I think the disc restart too when we start a game.

When we changed and save the new cdda menu ("adaptative" to "fixed" for example) it will not be saved .

@fafadou, I recently came across another version of 'Super Runabout,' and if you're a fan of this game, there's the 'Super Runabout - San Francisco Edition (JP).' It's a unique version with text in both English and Japanese, and it runs smoothly with the latest 8.30 Loader.

I've noticed your comments regarding 'Sturmwind,' and I encountered I believe the same message as you and it's a message from the disc it self. It suggested cleaning the disc thoroughly due to surface imperfections O_o......

This message seems to be an issue related to the game itself, indicating a potential problem with the image dump. Is there anyone in this community who has a properly functioning .GDI image of this game?

[SWAT]

(24.10.2023 14:08)SWAT писал(а):  

(23.10.2023 15:12)fafadou писал(а):  A good new to have a sd improvement

Please take your Time to polish this 0.8.30 version even if i'm very impatient to try it

Enjoy. Also I update KOS and use new function for transfer DS screen texture to PVR memory, it's x5 faster that old, so UI should be a bit faster too.

https://github.com/DC-SWAT/DreamShell/re...0.0RC5-T30

Sorry I forgot to remove some test assets and some lines from startup.lua
I'm re-builded this.

[megavolt85]

(26.10.2023 08:38)CrisMod писал(а):  This message seems to be an issue related to the game itself, indicating a potential problem with the image dump. Is there anyone in this community who has a properly functioning .GDI image of this game?

This game is protected, it also has several encrypted executable files.
To be honest, I'm not ready to waste time on this game, there are more important things to do.

[luizroz]

Honestely, Sturmwind is one the best games in Dreamcast, the time in research to run in Dreamshell always wiil be productive for all.

[CrisMod]

(26.10.2023 13:52)megavolt85 писал(а):  

(26.10.2023 08:38)CrisMod писал(а):  This message seems to be an issue related to the game itself, indicating a potential problem with the image dump. Is there anyone in this community who has a properly functioning .GDI image of this game?

This game is protected, it also has several encrypted executable files.
To be honest, I'm not ready to waste time on this game, there are more important things to do.

Thank you and good to know @megavolt85, I will `mark`this game on the list that I'm preparing as this game wont boot with DS (for now).
The important that all of us we know about this problem (I will post also the screen error pic that we receive during the boot of the game), and absolutely take your time on it you must to enjoy your stuff with no stress .
Thank you for all your afford in Dreamcast community.

EDIT 1: Below I attached the message error from the disc, that we recieve after boot the game (sorry for the quality of the monitor but I use my stuff for testing).

[fafadou]

(26.10.2023 13:52)megavolt85 писал(а):  Sturmwind game is protected, it also has several encrypted executable files.
To be honest, I'm not ready to waste time on this game, there are more important things to do.

I'm agree with you and with @Crismod, I just test this game everytime because I like it and who knows, I hope an unpredictable wild luck happen and it will run
Because it runs with RC3 as we know and with 0.8.13 it loads with cdda or not until the game start .

I never be able to play quietly this game with gdemu clone and "real 5.20 version".
It's probably difficult to find and patch what happen.
It's better to wait when time and energy come again for that.
As he said there are more important things to do.

[CrisMod]

@SWAT, I wanted to ask you 4 simple and friendly questions:

1. In your latest version of Dreamshell/ IsoLoader 8.30 (I haven't had a chance to read the logs yet), have you by any chance improved the UI experience? Because I'm not sure if it's just my perception, but I've noticed that the UI feels smoother in DreamShell.

2. I've also noticed the addition of the 'OGG' folder in your latest version, which contains some music. Does DreamShell use these OGG music files somewhere?

3. If I want to test ISOs, do I have to do it exclusively through RETRODREAM? When I try to select an ISO file with the pointer in IsoLoader, it triggers an error with a full Terminal screen and a series of process-related messages in the background and doesn't allows me to continue for settings and so on... Why can't IsoLoader handle ISOs the way it does with other GDI/OPT & CDI images, and am I forced to use RETRODREAM for testing the ISOs?

4. Why doesn't your GitHub page (for example) have a folder with the entire history of the firmware versions that IsoLoader has used and is using? From the earliest versions you created to the most recent 8.30 (today's release). Even if you consider them unnecessary, for someone entering this world for the first time (or for someone like me that like to test the stuff), they have to rely on extensive searching and find them (fortunately) on websites like Dragoncity, which has collected various loaders that can be used in case of problems with the latest ones. This is especially crucial because if the latest firmware loader doesn't work with some games, those who aren't proficient in tweaking these things might mistakenly believe that DreamShell doesn't work with all games, which can discourage newcomers.