Wolf32X - finally in beta!

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February 17th, 2009, 04:27
JLF65

Wolf32X - finally in beta!

Okay, after a LOT of work, here's beta 1 of Wolf32X. I completely reworked the "file" handling so that everything is in ROM, with no memory allocated other than static arrays used for things that change. No more memory corruption! This also slimmed things down a bit - Wolf32X now has 19 M Power!! That's 2.5 MB for those of us that laugh at the Mbit unit. ;)

The other major addition is working digital sound - this is fully tested on a real 32X. The sound is great and doesn't slow the game at all. I'll probably take a break before working on FM audio.

As usual, all the source is included. That includes the new unpacker I wrote to fully process the data files. It should work on the Wolf3D full files, as well as Spear of Doom shareware and full files. If there's a call for it, I'll compile a version of the SOD shareware.

EDIT: Went ahead and compiled SOD Shareware. The second link has BOTH Wolf3D and SOD Shareware.

EDIT 2009-02-21: Minor update - fixed six button controller support. Thanks to snake for the help!

EDIT 2009-03-09: Major update! Added FM sound effects and Load/Save!

EDIT 2009-03-11: Added auto-map. Read readme for details.

EDIT 2009-06-07: Added mouse support.

Wolf32X-b1.zip
w3d-sod-sw-b1.zip
w3d-sod-sw-b2.zip
w3d-sod-sw-b3.zip
w3d-sod-sw-b4.zip
w3d-sod-sw-b5.zip
February 18th, 2009, 09:20
Tyr

Finally some REAL 32x homebrew! , very cool indeed.

Just out of curiousity which backup unit did you use to run this on your 32x?
February 18th, 2009, 12:52
JLF65

I'm using the MD-Pro 64 from TotoTek. I just got it last week - I was using Gens/GS to do testing before that. TmEE did the first test on a real 32X back at alpha 1. That's when I ordered my MD-Pro.
March 7th, 2009, 16:04
xenonsoft

I don't find the parallel cable, so next week I'll buy one to test deeply this game.

Also, from now all releases will be Wolf 3D + SOD?

Regards,
March 8th, 2009, 02:29
JLF65

Yes, new releases will have both shareware games. Given how well they compress, I don't see a reason not to include both.
March 9th, 2009, 17:12
JLF65

Okay, here's beta 3. This is a pretty major update, adding FM sound effects and Load/Save game ability. You only get one save. The Load/Save menu still shows ten, but they all just do the same thing. There's only room in the SRAM for one save game. Since there's no keyboard and I don't want to make the effort to add an on-screen keyboard, the save tag is set to the map name automatically. That way you can at least tell what level you saved on. START + X is now Quick Load, and START + Y is Quick Save. For three button controllers, just use the menu to load/save.

The FM sound effects are synthesized before compiling using the MAME YM3812 OPL emulation. That is the way FM sound effects are played in most ports of Wolf3D, they just do it on the fly. There is a bug in the OPL emulation. Have you seen reports on the PSP version of Wolf3D that certain FM sound effects are missing? They're not missing, just very VERY quiet due to a bug in the OPL emulation. I scale certain sounds while they're being generated so that they are audible in Wolf32X. The volume is probably wrong, but I think they sound like they should. I'll be looking into this more.

Next up, music! :D
March 9th, 2009, 18:17
wraggster

awesome ill get newsposting :)
March 12th, 2009, 01:55
JLF65

Okay, I lied. Music wasn't next - I added an auto-map! :D

Read the README!!
March 18th, 2009, 01:19
xenonsoft

Thanks for your great work. I've been very busy, but hope finally I'll be able soon to test all betas in the real hardware. I've played them on KEGA Fusion :D
March 18th, 2009, 17:42
Maturion

That's fantastic! Thank you a LOT!
June 7th, 2009, 07:27
JLF65

Okay, here's beta 5! The main feature this time is mouse support. I know some folks don't like using a pad for FPS. Now you don't have to! :)

Of course, you DO have to have a mouse. You do, don't you? ;)
June 7th, 2009, 20:52
Tyr

Are there any known standard pc mices that are compatible with the megadrive ?
June 8th, 2009, 04:26
JLF65

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyr

Are there any known standard pc mices that are compatible with the megadrive ?

No. Not that I'm aware of. The new code supports SEGA's MegaMouse that commonly shipped with Wacky Worlds. This is a mouse that plugs into the SEGA Genesis controller port, which is a DB9 connector. It's nothing at all like any PC connector, other than the mini-serial. Mini-serial interface PC mice won't work on the SEGA Genesis.
June 8th, 2009, 19:28
Tyr

I wonder if the mouse even came out in Europe cause it seems pretty damn hard to find here thats for sure.
June 8th, 2009, 20:12
JLF65

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyr

I wonder if the mouse even came out in Europe cause it seems pretty damn hard to find here thats for sure.

I got mine on eBay pretty cheap. Just get a US mouse - even if you can't use the cart that comes with it, the mouse is usable on any SEGA system.
June 8th, 2009, 20:56
Tyr

Don't like ebay , i wonder if its possible to build one out of a pc mouse and a slaughtered megadrive pad or if its much more complex than that.
June 8th, 2009, 21:39
JLF65

More complex. Just look at the code in the source to read the mouse. The SEGA mouse uses a PIC chip - I suppose if you knew enough about that sort of thing, you could make an adapter that converts a modern optical mouse into a SEGA mouse packet. If you really want to work on that, I could probably help with details on the SEGA mouse packet.
June 8th, 2009, 22:53
Tyr

Nah sounds like its way out of my range, thanks anyways.
June 23rd, 2009, 00:46
xenonsoft

Seems that I will need to find a Megadrive mouse :D

Thanks again!

PS: Will you open a website for this port in a near future?