Porting ZSNES to PSP

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August 9th, 2005, 03:47
doomgaze3

Porting ZSNES to PSP

I got to thinking about this earlier today. I did some searches and found a program called TextMaestro. It's a program used to convert from various assembly languages into C. The program obviously requires a good amount of tinkering to work. Libraries must be composed which tell TextMaestro how to convert certain instructions. The end result, however, would be an easily readable, already highly optimized version of ZSNES that could compile and run on the PSP. What's more is when the libraries are completed, this conversion would only take a single click. I have a solid programming background with some instruction on assembly language, and I think this is an idea no one's thought of yet.

While SNES9X is a fine emulator core, since it accomplishes much of its work in high level language constructs, it's Super FX chip, transparency, and Mode 7 support is much slower than other emulators. That's not to mention it's sound implementation, which unfortunately seems to lack in certain areas. I have much faith that even a half-assed port of ZSNES would run games far more efficently then SNES9X does.

Would any devs here be interested in taking on such a project?
August 9th, 2005, 04:18
DDRLord

The reason why ZNES is faster is because it's in assembly.
So wouldn't converting it from assembly over to C just give you... SNES9X?
Don't take it as a negative comment, I just want some enlightenin'.
And, heck, if it gives us a better SNES emulator (not that the ones we have now are all that bad) then more power to ya'.
August 9th, 2005, 14:46
shadowprophet

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDRLord

The reason why ZNES is faster is because it's in assembly.
So wouldn't converting it from assembly over to C just give you... SNES9X?
Don't take it as a negative comment, I just want some enlightenin'.
And, heck, if it gives us a better SNES emulator (not that the ones we have now are all that bad) then more power to ya'.

As I understand it you couldnt just convert it over. It wouldnt be that simple.
To get zsnes on psp. Somone would have to start from scratch.
August 9th, 2005, 22:01
DDRLord

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadowprophet

As I understand it you couldnt just convert it over. It wouldnt be that simple.
To get zsnes on psp. Somone would have to start from scratch.

I know that porting from ASM to C isn't easy, but he's saying he has a method that'll do it. What I asked wasn't, "is it portable?" but "will we see any benefit?"
After all, if you lose the assembly we'll just end up with another C-based SNES emulator. Of course that may just be my own misinformation, and the graphics core of ZNES may be more impressive than what I've heard (though I've had much better results with SNES9X myself.)