This is what Richard42, the author, said:

Hello N64 fans. Now that v1.2 is out, and the major contribution that I wanted to make is done (64-bit dynamic recompiler), I wanted to start a thread here to discuss the future of this emulator project a little bit.

First, the potential new features. Günther has done some great work in porting the Glide64-wonder-plus video plugin to amd64. This is very valuable in adding a 3rd video output option (and a very good one) to the project, so I'll integrate this. I played with it a bit today and it shouldn't take too much work.

Another thing is OSX/PPC integration. I looked over the ported code in lamer0's repository, and I while I didn't check it out in depth, it looked like sort of a mess at first glance. Since I don't actually own a Mac, there's no way I can make this work by myself. If a developer (preferred) or tester who has a PPC mac and/or an x86 mac would step forward, then we could tackle this as well.

A couple of the other developers who have recently submitted code have also expressed a desire for their own new features, so there may be other changes and additions as well.

Finally, I would like to solicit ideas for a new project name. There are 2 main reasons for this. For one thing, a lot of people read the name "Mupen64-amd64" and don't realize that the project is backwards-compatible and still runs on 32-bit machines as well. Secondly, the project is growing to encompass more than just Mupen64: it also includes Rice Video and soon the Glide64 plugins. So it would be nice to have a new inclusive name for the project. Some possible things to consider:

* The project is multi-platform, but it's really geared towards Unix. I tried not to do anything to break Win32 compatibility, but since no-one is testing and building on this platform, it's probably becoming less compatible.
* The thing that really sets this project apart from all other N64 emulators is native support for 64-bit (AMD64/EMT64) processors. But it builds and runs under 32-bit as well.
* The name can be anything - it doesn't have to include "Mupen64" or "Rice Video" or anything like that. When I make releases I'll pay proper tribute to these projects, but it's really a collection and extension of these other projects.

So, I'd like to hear ideas from you. Anybody got a good idea for a cool name for a unix N64 emulator compilation? ...

This is an unofficial update to the original RDB included with Project64 v1.6


Info:

This is just an update to fix a couple known issues with some games, and add a couple of games that hadn't yet been Added.

Changes are.
Fixed Mario Tennis U and J slowness.
Fixed Mario Tennis isn't stretched to window issue.
Added Missing Legend of Zelda (GC Bonus disk version).

theres quite probably a few more changes but i never documented them down at the time.


Download here and give feedback via comments ...

This is what the author said:

i saw ppl were asking how to get the rumble and both triggers working on the 360 controllers, so today i downloaded the DXSDK, learned XInput, and made this simple input plugin.

holy crap XInput is SO easy to program, I cant believe that MS could make something work so well, if only the controllers were bluetooth and i didnt have to have this stupid $30 dongle plugged in. lol

right now there is no configuration, next version will have that, but i think i got the controls set pretty good for now.

A = A and Y
B = B and X
C Buttons = Right Analog
Z Trigger = LT
R Trigger = RT
L Trigger = LB

Supports 4 Xbox 360 Controllers Wired or Wireless with Default Microsoft Drivers
Rumble and Both Triggers work separately

Download here and give feedback via comments ...

Info:

We've been really busy the past few months on Mupen64 development - I've put many hours into a fully-native 64-bit dynamic recompiler, NMN has written a new ROM browser, and DarkJezter added LIRC support for the NOGUI build. There are also a bunch of bug fixes from DarkJezter, Ebenblues, Günther, and myself. Thanks to the whole team for your effort!

As usual, there are links for both 32-bit and 64-bit binaries and individual source packages for RiceVideoLinux and Mupen64-amd64.

The major changes are:

Mupen64-amd64:
- New feature: Dynamic Recompiler for 64-bit
- New feature: New ROM Browser for Mupen64 GUI build
- New feature: LIRC remote control integration for NOGUI build
- Added R4300 profiling features
- TLB Optimization / bugfix
- Bugfix: memory leaks in mupenIniApi.c
- Bugfix: corrupted filenames being saved to disk for mupen64.ini
- Bugfix: crash in jttl_audio
- Bugfix: crash when running game from gui after first time
- Bugfix: spurious noise blip when running game from gui after first time

RiceVideoLinux:
- Bugfix: Texture dumping now works

Mupen64amd64-RiceVideoLinux-1-2-bin-32.zip
Mupen64amd64-RiceVideoLinux-1-2-bin-64.zip
Mupen64-amd64-1-2-src.zip
RiceVideoLinux-1-2-src.zip ...

via WorthPlaying

Rogue Galaxy is a fantasy-themed RPG which revolves around the game's main character, Jester Rogue. Players follow Rogue as he planet-hops around space, visiting a number of planets, each with their own unique ecosystem populated by various unusual creatures. North American producer Nao Higo gives us some details on the imminent project.



Q: How would you describe the world of Rogue Galaxy? What were the influences in creating the story and overall art direction?

NH: The game is heavily influenced by iconic action movies and popular sci-fi franchises. We even include nods to some of them in-game in the form of parodies. After working on Dark Cloud, Level-5 decided we wanted to do something different. So they discussed possible projects and decided upon making a sci-fi game. Space pirates actually weren’t the initial choice – they toyed with the idea of a semi-futuristic game based around a [cyberspace premise]. But ultimately the concept didn’t reflect Level’s 5 signature style, so they did some tweaking and thus we have Rogue Galaxy.

Q: How is the combat system in Rogue Galaxy unique for an RPG?

NH: You control one character but have access to two allies that you control through various commands. As you progress through the game, you will have access to eight total characters, which you can switch out at any time. Of course, you can switch between the three characters at any time during battle. There is a unique suggestion system where your two allies will ask if they can perform certain attacks and you can instruct them how to engage.

The combat system isn’t so much magic focused but rather is based on an ability system. Each character has a certain set of special abilities that they can use. The combo system in this game allows the player to execute a barrage of strikes against an enemy to turn the tide of battle instantly. This system, called Burning Strike, is executed by collecting orbs that are dropped by the enemy during the course of battle. Once you gather enough orbs, you will be able to unleash the Burning Strike, a timing based combination system where you are able to chain together up to 9 strikes.

Q: Can you explain the weapons creation systems and how they work?

NH: There are two ways to create weapons in the game. The first is called Synthesizer Toady, which is a frog that takes two objects and combines them to create a weapon. The second is the Factory System, where you will get clues from other characters in the game on how to create an item get the raw materials, assemble a factory line, and create a custom weapon. There are more than 500 weapons in the game so depending on how players forge their weapons there will be different levels of how the weapons will perform.

Q: Can you discuss the mini-games in Rogue Galaxy? What is unique about them?

NH: One game is a quarry system where you will need to hunt down characters/elements throughout the game that have certain prices attached to them.

The other mini-game is called Insectron. This is a collection and fighting game where you go around trapping up to 20 species of insects, rear them, and then have them fight in a tournament. As you work your way up the rankings in the tournament you will earn prizes and other items.

Q: What does Rogue Galaxy bring that’s different from other console RPG games?

NH: The biggest thing is the lack of load times. Each of the worlds transitions seamlessly and you can explore vast amounts of any given world without any pauses. It’s not something you really notice until you play a game like this, but it’s amazing how much time we spend in front of load screens during normal RPGs. Once you play Rogue Galaxy and experience traveling from place to place seamlessly, it’s hard to go back.

The other big thing is the high polish and look of the game. It is a standout graphical experience, particularly for PS2. The team used its deep understanding of the hardware to push it as much as possible. I think it’s one of the best looking games on this platform.

Q: What’s the one reason RPG fans can’t afford to miss out on the game?

NH: It’s the ultimate edition of the title, offering even more content than the Japanese release. We went all out for the U.S. edition, adding new worlds, scenarios, stages and weapons. We’ve put in so much effort into this game that it really went beyond Localization. It’s the final realization of the team’s original vision for the game.

Q: Is this a completely new game engine than what Level-5 has used in the past?

NH: The graphic engine being utilized in the game is an evolution of the graphic engine they’ve used for previous titles. ...

via WorthPlaying (Click on the link for screens)

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 adds new innovative features, enhancements and customization options to the franchise. Battle through 20 unique stages using more than 40 of the most loved and feared characters from the animation phenomenon. Unleash the hidden chakra from within and experience the best yet from the series.

Get the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 [PS2] Trailer off WP (35mb)

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 makes monumental leaps in the franchise with a host of "firsts" for the series. Players can now live through and be a part of all the major events that defined Story Arc 1 in Heroes History mode. Also, ninja-in-training can customize their characters with the Ultimate Jutsu which gives them that extra bit of edge during battle and allows them to earn points towards upgrading their strength, defense, chakra, agility and other special abilities. Turn playable characters into more powerful ninja of unprecedented size or summon giant creatures as allies with the new Summoning mode. In addition, Naruto fans throughout North America can experience the game in both English and original Japanese voice over.

"Naruto is an international sensation and Ultimate Ninja 3 is the perfect complement to the VIZ Media franchise," said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "CyberConnect2 has built upon the series and crafted a title that reaches Hokage level of fun."

In keeping with the tradition of the series, an exclusive and original story will have players exploring the massive 3D rendered Hidden Leaf Village, participating in battle royale matches and completing more than 55 missions. The unparalleled experience doesn't stop there as tons of unlockable content will be available to offer loads of replay value including movies, music and cards.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 will be available in March 2008 exclusively for the PS2. ...

via TechRadar

It seems pretty clear that Sony's PlayStation 3 is currently on the up and up, but we're surprised to hear a company exec suggest that its predecessor, the PS2, might get just another year of support from the parent company in spite of booming sales.

SPOng reports that Michael Ephraim, the managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, claimed the older console would soon be on its way out.
Software still coming

"We still are going to support PS2 hardware for the full year, we still have a number that is rather bullish, we're not backing off on hardware and we think the software tail will be very strong," he is reported as saying.

In other words, a year from now, the company will be hoping that gamers still considering buying PS2 hardware will be persuaded to go for the newer machine instead. Naturally, Sony still intends to sell plenty of new games to the PS2 fan base as well.

Whether that perception shift is accomplished through more must-have games appearing for the PS3 or by the seeming triumph of Blu-ray over HD DVD, it will definitely have to be accompanied by a lower price for the console as well. ...

News about Giana's Return, the upcoming homebrew game for Dreamcast.

Stuck with Diamonds

A funny thing happened yesterday… we found one out of 10 bonus holes, which actually did not have an exit defined. If we would imagine the game has gone public with that bug, urghs We could have probably renamed the game to “Stuck with Diamonds” then


Lava World Update

well… we are currenty working heavily on world number 4, which is also know by “lava world” at the moment. there were improvements in the tileset again. we now have a prefinal lava world, with one level converted. if everything goes straight, we have a new video next week.


Boss 1 - Decide a name!



We are in need of a name for our first boss, which you can see above in the bottom right corner. Any ideas? Let us know!


Lava World Screenshots





Screenshots of World 4 (Lava themed) with pre-final graphics.


Boss 1 - Name suggestion - The collection

Here are the names which were suggested by our visitors so far…

Zoieka
Harvey
Apollo
Brawnchik
Birdy
Mr. Dirb
Growlpick
Squirll
Cheesy
Rooster
Chicky-Bit
Hulsbeck
Henrique Eaglesias
Early Bird
Kentucky Fritz

Uhm… well… There are some interesting word games like “Henrique Eaglesias” but probably not the name we are looking for… ...

The latest news about the Sega Dreamcast emulator for Windows, Linux and Mac.


Rendering WIP

I’ve started fiddling with the vertex shader, which has been fairly educational. It hasn’t actually fixed any of the bugs yet, but I’m hoping it will eventually give much better rendering accuracy. (Thanks to dknute for some good suggestions on the z-buffer problem) Unfortunately turning on the VS (even with a trivial program) gave me a big performance hit on my (admittedly relatively old) hardware, so it remains to be seen whether this will be viable for said hardware.
Also did some work to get osmesa support up and running, which is mostly done now but doesn’t quite work correctly (there’s some weird texture bugs, as well as the occasional projection matrix screwup). Unfortunately it’s also _really_ slow on any kind of real scene, so I’m not sure how much effort it’s worth spending on it at the moment[0].

Currently I’m working on reworking the renderer to use vertex buffers (or client-side arrays in the absense of VBO support), which are purported to be outrageously faster than immediate mode. We’ll see if that’s true, but even if there’s no big difference, the resultant data structures should be a lot easier to work with for processing purposes (saves traversing the tilebuffer repeatedly).
After the dust settles on that, the next priority is to fix the known outstanding blatant render bugs:

* Bug #29: Texture coordinate problems.
* Obviously wrong colours in some scenes
* Issues with misplaced (or incorrect geometry) in some scenes (the pre-render data is demonstrably correct in these cases, so it’s either a misread of the scene data (probably), or cases that need to be handled specially).
* Various hw specific issues with certain texture types (my favourite thus far is a scene that breaks on both ATI and NV but in quite different and distinct ways…)

And then on to shadow volumes (interesting), RTT (easy), pixel-level transparency sorting (hard) and all the other fun stuff ^_^.

[0] It should be possible to take just the sw rasterization engine out of mesa, and blow away the front end more or less completely. This would be a fair bit faster than it is currently, but it still probably won’t be fast enough. It also looks to involve quite a bit of work as well.


Looking for linux (in all the wrong places?)

It turns out that the lc2000.iso link that was posted (btw, thanks for that! ^_^) is an earlier version of linux-dc (it identifies as running the 2.4.0-test8 kernel) than the one I’d been testing with, and it exposed a few issues that needed fixing. These are now fixed in svn, except for the keyboard issue, for which source [0] would be very helpful if anyone has it?
Unfortunately this does mean I’m still looking for the original dreamcast-linux-010605.tar.bz2 (and the associated pre-built CDI and NRG images) - so if anyone has them, or knows where to find them, please let me know. I’m quite happy to host them locally, at least until the bandwidth runs out ^_^.

Btw for the BSD fans, there was supposed to have been a live netbsd disc floating around somewhere (the link from gxemul is dead) - has anyone seen it?

Edit: Nevermind, the NetBSD 3.1 image is actually included in the main netbsd mirror… having a look at it now.
Changes

* Fix LDS/STS FPSCR/FPUL instructions to raise FPU disabled exceptions (wasn’t very well documented in the original SH4 manual)
* Fix IDE dma read looping forever if the disc was removed or failed in the middle of the operation
* Fix crash when changing maple peripherals (this one was just boneheaded)

[0] The image itself does have quite a bit of source on it, but I can’t find the associated linux-sh-dc kernel patches against 2.4.0-test8. Which, of course, is the bit I actually need…

Updated 13 Feb: I don’t need the 2.4.0 source patch anymore - turns out its not a bug, that version was just hard coded to expect the keyboard on the 4th maple port, and I had it on the 3rd. Although, it would still be good to see it for the sake of the history.


Render rewrite still going

Still working on the render rewrite which is now in the lxdream-render branch (which may or may not even compile, and certainly won’t work at the moment).

The frontend stage to extract the poly+vertex data out into a nice array format is working now, and it runs in just about negligible time. Current task is to execute the rendering from the vertex buffer, which should be pretty straightforward. So… once this is done we should have a renderer which is a) much cleaner/extensible, b) much faster, and c) about the same or even less code.

If only all software engineering was like that ^_^.

Trunk ...