News via http://emu-russia.net/en/

Atari 2600 emulator for Nintendo DS has been updated. Changes:
* Adding launch arguments so that other menus can be used for loading roms (Thx
BassAceGold for the tip )
* Fix power on/off graphics pb when return to menu (Thx Another World for the tip)
* Add more easy understanding message when no game in current diretory (Thx
Another World for the tip)
* Change sound when we quit emulator
* Add X/Y/R/L/SELECT button for each trigger
* Add Left Difficulty trigger
* Preliminary paddle support with button A and pad left/right (use Reset in "breakout"
to play, not fire button like in Atari Classic Nds game)
* Fix some few other bugs
* A bit faster (1~2 fps )

News source: http://www.portabledev.com

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News via http://dsx86.patrickaalto.com/DSblog.html

A new release of the Dos Emulator for the Nintendo DS

This version has the following improvements:

Implemented screen scaling for all common graphics modes.
Fixed the DOS and BIOS date/time functions to return proper Real Time Clock values. This might fix some hanging games.
Fixed EGA Read Mode 1 handling (fixes EGATrek graphical issues).
Fixed EGA Read Mask initial value (fixes Ultima V hanging).
Added a warning message for games that need a Floating Point Unit.
Screen copies are saved to incrementally numbered files SCR00.BMP..SCR99.BMP. Previously they were always saved to SCR.BMP file.

Below are some examples for EGA screen scaling. Silpheed uses 640x200 mode, and it has used smooth scaling in DSx86 as well. EGATrek uses the highest resolution available on EGA displays, 640x350. Since the vertical resolution is not easily scalable to 192 vertical rows, I instead scale it 2:1 to 175 vertical rows. Thus, there are some black rows on the bottom of the screen. The mode used by Mahjong Fantasia (640x400) is not a proper graphics mode that the EGA/VGA BIOS support, instead the game initially switches to 640x200 mode, and then doubles the vertical resolution by directly accessing the EGA card registers. Finally, A-Train is an example of the VGA high resolution 640x480 mode.

I also debugged the Windows 3.00a crashing problem, but could not yet solve that issue. I worked also a little bit on Windows 3.1 support, which complained about there not being enough XMS memory. I found and fixed this problem, but it is using some new protected mode opcodes and features that I did not have time to code for this version, so it will crash with unsupported opcode errors. I'll see if I can make it run better in the next version. Making Windows 3.1 run should also help me in locating the problem in Windows 3.00a.

There are also other misbehaving games on my TODO list, and I'll continue debugging these and fixing the problems. Thanks again for all of you who have tested the games and sent me debug logs and other information to help me in fixing the problems in DS2x86!


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News via http://dsx86.patrickaalto.com/DSblog.html

A new release of the Dos Emulator for the Nintendo DS

DS2x86 0.08 release notes
This version has a lot of previously missing opcodes implemented, so a few more games might run again. I did not have time to add support for new INT calls or I/O ports into this version, so those errors will still happen in the games that previously had these errors. I hope to be able to handle these in the upcoming versions.

I have also debugged some ill-behaving games, but sadly that has been mostly frustrating work with no clear improvements in the behaviour. I have collected a lot of information and have been able to close in on the actual problems, but have not yet been able to solve them yet.

After spending many days with various problems in the games, and getting frustrated, I decided to see if I could get Windows 3.00a to run in Standard Mode also in DS2x86. This basically meant porting the 16-bit protected mode features I had coded into the original DSx86 to DS2x86. This work progressed better, so that this version can run Windows 3.00a in both Real and Standard mode. The Enhanced mode would need support for virtual memory, which is not coded in yet, so that mode does not work.


The problem in Windows 3.00a that I have been fighting with today was that opening some programs, like Paintbrush, gave an error "File PBRUSH.DLL not found" or similar. I checked the Windows directory and the file does exist, and I even checked my SD card for errors, but still I got that error. Next I checked my emulated DOS System File Table contents, which has room for 64 entries, but there were only 16 entries used so that was not the cause. I debugged my DOS file routines, and made sure the directory and file name are exactly correct, and then found out that it was the DS2 SDK fopen() function that returned NULL for the file. Finally it then occurred to me to check the the SDK file system functions (which luckily come with source) to see what the file table size is there, and it had only 16 entries! So, I doubled the size to 32 entries, and now Windows 3.00a seems to run. I think I could increase the table to 64, to match my emulated DOS file table, but I'll do that later when I have more time to test that everything still works.

DSx86 0.32 release notes
This DSx86 version has only one minor fix, as I have been focusing on DS2x86 during this two-week period. I implemented the direct file reading into EGA VRAM, which is used by games like Rockford and Heimdall.

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EA has formally announced FIFA 12, "a revolutionary not evolutionary" next step for the series.

The crux of the "transformation" stems from a Player Impact Engine that EA has been beavering away at for two years.

"The Player Impact Engine processes decisions continuously in real-time at every point of contact on a player's body to create an infinite variety of natural and believable outcomes in every collision," EA explained.

These physics also apply to injuries, as the game analyses "the force of the collision and impact on the body". Send a non-fully recovered player out at your own peril.

We've already seen the results of the Player Impact Engine in a leaked FIFA 12 video.

However, the Impact Engine will only power the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. FIFA 12 will also be released on PC, Wii, PS2, 3DS, PSP and the iOS trinity of platforms.

Complimenting the Impact Engine will be precision dribbling for tight control, tactical defending and pro player intelligence. The latter bestows rudimentary personalities upon footballers. Kaka will apparently be "more likely - and quicker - to pick out a run from a teammate farther away than a player with poorer vision".

Elsewhere, the Career mode will expand to tell "real-world storylines" that involve player morale, on-pitch form and league position.

There's a "brand new", customisable menu system tailored towards your choice of arena player, Virtual Pro and favourite club.

Matches gain a "real-world broadcast look and feel", "dramatically improved lighting", "more authentic crowds" and a new default camera angle.

On PS3, up to seven people can play FIFA 12 together offline. On Xbox 360, that number is four.

Online, up to 22 people can play FIFA 12 together in full 11 vs. 11 matches.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...reveal-details ...

60-second ad during tomorrow’s final will bring Activision’s largest ever reveal campaign to a close
A trailer for Modern Warfare 3 will be shown during tomorrow’s Champions League final on Sky Sports and ITV1.
The ad will mark the culmination of what Activision described to MCV as “the largest ever reveal campaign undertaken so far for the Call of Duty franchise in the UK”.
The campaign kicked off on Saturday, May 14th with four teaser trailers, which have generated over 7.8m views on YouTube alone so far.
Earlier this week, the full reveal trailer was released worldwide, and aired during the US broadcast of the NBA Western Conference finals. Activision has also launched its UK online campaign with an MSN homepage takeover and ran the first TV teaser spots on Sky Sports News.
“We’re really excited to start showing our fans what they can expect from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3,” Activision’s European marketing director for COD Daniel Green told MCV.
“With over 7m YouTube views of our reveal trailer since it was released on Tuesday, it seems our fans are just as excited.”
Other major upcoming games due to be advertised during the Champions League final include Microsoft’s Gears of War 3 and Sony’s Infamous 2.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/44523/MW3-...ns-League-spot ...

The Japanese games market finally has a new number one, although sales for both software and hardware remain in the doldrums.

Acquire's self-published Akiba's Trip involves defeating vampire-like creatures by ripping off their clothes and exposing their body parts to sunlight. Set in Akihabara's busy shopping district the PSP game seems unlikely to enjoy a Western release and sold only 58,150 units to get to number one.

Tecmo's Dead or Alive Dimensions is the highest-charting 3DS game since the system's launch, but it sold only a meagre 23,078 units at number two.

Strategy game Gungnir at number four sold just 16,355 units and while Valve's Portal 2 on PlayStation 3 is a surprise entry at number six it registered only 8,942 unit sales.

The lowest ranked title in the top 10, 3DS title Steel Diver, sold only 4,583 units to ensure its appearance in the chart.

Hardware sales, obtained by website Andriasang, were similarly unimpressive, although the now familiar hierarchy was undisturbed as most formats saw sales decrease by a similar proportion.

The PSP led with 30,463 unit sales, followed by the 3DS on 17,240. The PlayStation 3 was down to 12,935, while the Wii was almost unchanged at 6,269.

Last Week This Week Title Format
New Entry 1 Akiba's Trip PSP
New Entry 2 Dead or Alive Dimensions 3DS
1 3 Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 Professional DS
New Entry 4 Gungnir PSP
5 5 Patapon 3 PSP
New Entry 6 Portal 2 PS3
6 7 Pro Baseball Spirits 2011 PSP
11 8 Wii Party Wii
14 9 Pokémon Black/White DS
3 10 Steel Diver 3DS
Platform This Week Last Week
PSP 30,463 34,655
3DS 17,240 18,324
PlayStation 3 12,935 13,789
Wii 6,269 6,336
Nintendo DSi XL 5,176 5,358
Nintendo DSi 4,938 5,292
Xbox 360 2,186 2,763
PlayStation 2 1,129 1,319
Nintendo DS Lite 158 208
PSPgo 65 171

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...slump-in-japan ...

Nintendo and Sony need to "reinvent" the concept of the portable console, according to new comments made by Remedy Entertainment executive vice president Aki "AJ" Järvilehto.

"Many smartphones and tablets offer mind blowing value to gamers. Right now you can buy tons and tons of fun on iOS with the price of a single handheld console game. Heck, you can get tons of fun for free with advertising based concepts," said Järvilehto in an interview with website IndustryGamers.

"So I do think the traditional handheld consoles will need to reinvent themselves if they want to compete." The Alan Wake developer's most recent title is mobile app Death Rally, which has already been received positively. Järvilehto confirms in the interview that the company has been evaluating the 3DS and NGP platforms, but no decision has been made to support them.

"I think the market is changing in a radical fashion," said Järvilehto. "Barriers of entry are literally being blown away. New business models are booming and this is not about devaluation. Facebook is doing tremendous things to gaming and attracting completely new people to enjoy different more casual and social games.

"I can't see how the fact that mainstream consumers are finally embracing our industry could be negative. After all isn't that what we've been hoping for since forever?"

Järvilehto did not confirm that the company was involved in Facebook development, but instead stated, "We absolutely still love the console business model though; that's where the big stuff gets done and shines."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-alan-wake-dev ...

Rockstar Games' L.A. Noire has become the fastest-selling new intellectual property ever in the UK, as it debuts at number one in the weekly sales chart.

Although as usual no specific sales data has been released, chart creators Chart-Track indicate that L.A. Noire sold on par with Rockstar's previous hit Red Dead Redemption, released at the same time in 2010.

Sales of the game, which started life as a PlayStation 3 exclusive, were fairly evenly split at 58 per cent for the Xbox 360 version and 42 per cent for the PlayStation 3. As a result L.A. Noire becomes the 13th fastest-selling Xbox 360 of all time in the UK and the 11th fastest on the PlayStation 3.

The other major new entry of the week, released on Tuesday rather than the Friday of L.A. Noire and most other new games, is PC exclusive The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. The game debuted at number five in the all format charts and sold three times more than the original game in its launch week.

There was little other movement in the chart, with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean down only 6 per cent at number two, but Brink dropping by 48 per cent to number three.

Retail promotions saw an increase in sales of 71 per cent for Crysis 2 at number six. There was also a 266 per cent increase in sales for Mario Kart Wii thanks to the launch of the new lower priced Wii hardware bundle. The game remained just outside the top 20 though, at number 23.

This Week Last Week Title
1 New Entry L.A. Noire
2 2 Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
3 1 Brink
4 3 Zumba Fitness
5 New Entry The Witcher 2
6 9 Crysis 2
7 4 Portal 2
8 8 FIFA 11
9 6 Mortal Kombat
10 5 Call of Duty: Black Ops
11 11 Just Dance 2
12 7 Lego Star Wars III
13 Re-entry Wii Sports Resort
14 18 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
15 15 Red Dead Redemption
16 12 Operation Flashpoint: Red River
17 10 MX vs. ATV Alive
18 13 Wii Fit Plus
19 Re-entry Homefront
20 16 Pokémon Black

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-ip-ever-in-uk ...

There were no new entries in the UK multiformat top 20 last week, as Valve's Portal 2 remains the number one selling game in the country, followed by Warner's Mortal Kombat.
Although the double bank holiday meant only three normal working days for the week ending April 30th there were new releases to be had - most notably Sega's Thor move tie-in and the heavily advertised Virtua Tennis 4.
In the end though neither title appeared in the new top 20, with Virtua Tennis 4 debuting only at number 23.
Given the unusual nature of the week the 51 per cent fall in sales for Portal 2 and 42 per cent drop for Mortal Kombat cannot be directly compared to the previous week, but the drops are more than other lower-placed titles.
Codemasters' Operation Flashpoint: Red River saw only a 21 per cent decrease in sales at number four, despite a mixed critical reception.
It was denied the number three spot though by Zumba Fitness, which also saw a decline in sales of 21 per cent. The title was boosted by the delayed release of the PlayStation 3 version though, which accounted for 10 per cent of this week's sales.
According to Chart-Track the Xbox 360 version accounted for 10 per cent and the Wii version 81 per cent.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...lead-uk-charts ...