RocknesX Archives

Version 2.0 beta3 (07/31/2001)

(By Fx3)
- This is the last beta that I have. The new feature is a fast SuperEAGLE/2xSai.
I hacked some text to display beta 3, but sometimes you may found beta 2.

Version 2.0 beta2 (06/03/2001)

- The battery save is FINALLY working
- The GUI menu item File->Play Selected Rom has been fixed
- Now RockNES X stores the roms list in a file (rocklist.dat), so it do not need to search for your 5000 roms
every time the emu is started :)
- The way screenshots are named has changed. Now, the screenshots are automatically saved as <romname> 0.bmp,
<romname> 1.bmp... <romname> N.bmp. It is not needed to change the slot to save different shots during the
gameplay. Using the old system (slots), you could save up to 10 shots per game. Now this number has been
increased to 2 billion :)

Version 2.0 beta1 (05/31/2001)

This is the first beta release of the RockNESX 2. It has new features, like Netplay, 3D mode, Zip support.
Please send you bug reports to <alexandre@rocknesx.com>. Enjoy!

DIRECTX 8 NEEDED!!!!!

- The way RockNES X and the RockNES core interacts has been completely rewritten
- Input Control partially rewritten (major joystick bugs fixed)
- Sound Engine rewritten: the output quality is better and the lag has gone away :)
- Added 48kHz support to the Sound Engine
- Sound Device selection fixed
- The audio buffer size can be configured now
- Scanline support rewritten. This new version is MUCH faster
- Now it is possible to toggle between Windowed and Full Screen Mode while playing (F11 key)
- 3D Hardware Support added (of course using bilinear filtering!)
- Font Engine Optimized and partially rewritten, to support the 3D mode
- Frameskip support removed (due to the RockNES emulation core requirements)
- The Screenshot system has been improved and also supports the 3D mode
- The GUI has been improved (lot of bugs removed, things added/removed)
- The Folders dialog now has the "look subfolders" option
- The .dat (the RockNES X config file) format has changed, to support more options and future format updates
- Netplay mode (support for TCP/IP, serial port, IPX and modem2modem). Remote savestate loading is also supported
- Several bug fixes
- Error handling HEAVILY improved
- Zip support added (finally! :))
- In sync with the latest RockNES source (1.9x). It is really a lot of things to describe here.

Version 1.61 (12/08/2000)

X-specific:

- This new RockNES X version can be 40-120% faster than the previous version.
- Added triple buffering
- 8 bit rendering engine optimized
- Auto frameskip added (highly recommended!)
- Ppu code optimized
- Now RockNES X creates automatically the savegames, movies and battery save directories when necessary.
- Battery save fixed
- Added screenshot support

Emulation:

- Mapper #33 improved somewhat (support Flintstones);
- Mapper #43 (150-in-1) changed to number #235;
- Mapper #48 (SMB2j (LF36)) changed to number #43;
- Fixed mapper #21 (Ganbare Goemon Gaiden 2 has correct gfx);
- Fixed mapper #68, more games are playable;
- Fixed VS Atari RBI Baseball patch (on reads);
- Fixed pAPU timing (was completly wrong, damn!), output is better;
- Added ppu tile caching system
- Added a decent savestate format - unhappily NOT compatible with the old ones;
- Added a new method for noise luts, much clean;
- Added mapper #180 (Nichibutsu, game Crazy Climber supported);
- Added preliminary VS UniSystem reads handler (Atari RBI Baseball works),
thanks to xodnizel;
- Added a cheap hack to get Paris-Dakar Rally Special working (map66);
- Fixed a major bug in the mapper #40 (SMB2j) reset;
- Fixed mapper #83 CHR bankswitch (World Heroes2 works);
- Fixed mapper #232 (BF9096 chip - used by Codemasters' Quattro carts);
- Fixed mapper #233 (the '20-in-1' half works, 'reset' to active);
- Fixed number of cpu cycles per sprite DMA transfer;
- Fixed ppu layout (frame starts at VBlank);
- Fixed ppu latch system and ppu reads, thanks to Ki for his findings
(pass ok in the tests programs).
- Fixed mirroring state saving (when a mapper uses a custom mirroring);
- Tweaks in the FDS driver, more games are working;
- Cleaned up the 16k CHR RAM support code, used by mapper #13;
- General cleanups to boost the performance;
- Added a 'secret' mapper, as explained in the rocknes homepage...
- NES sound driver partially rewritten. Added real-time state for register
$4015, which fixes sound output for all games;
- Added mapper #76 driver (Namco 109);
- Added mappers #72, #92, #101 (Taito mappers);
- Added mappers #83 (Cony mapper), #240;
- Added mapper #100 (NESticle MMC3 hack mode, untested);
- Fixed mapper #70 (small hack for Kamen Rider Club);
- Fixed mapper #113 (to support HES carts);
- Removed duplicated pattern table saving on games with no VROM.
- Fixed a bug on sound reset, the noise channel is now working properly.
- Better noise emulation;

Version 1.42(10/19/2000)
- Windows 2000 bug solved!
- Small GUI problems fixed (now you know when the ROM is incorrect)
- Better noise emulation (by Fx3)

Version 1.41(10/15/2000)
-Improved Rendering Engine
-Windowed Mode Support
-VS Palettes Support
-Pause Key
-Improved Joystick Support
-GUI bug fixes
-GUI support for NES, VS and FDS roms
-and... ALL the core is in sync with the newest RockNES (DOS) version.
(TONS of changes to describe here!)


Version 1.201
- Joystick mapping fixed
- Now you can play again with sound disabled ;o)

Note: the RockNES X 1.1 was not public released.

Version 1.2
- Joystick support!!!!
- Load Game fixed
- GUI improvements and fixes
- New artwork
- New "Font Engine"
- Pixel Interpolation (if supported by the hardware)
- Scanline modes added
- The 16-bit mode is compatible with old videocards
- 24-bit mode fixed
- 8-bit color palette now is 100% correct
- new synchronism system: now the video is smooth even on ultra-fast machines
- now a thread controls the sound output. Many sound related problems (mainly with
slow machines) were solved
- Command line support. Now you can type "RockNESX game.nes" or create shortcuts to
your favorite games!
- A ROM can be loaded by a Windows standard load file dialog (you asked for it...
so you got it!)
- FULLY compliant with the RockNES 1.06 (newest DOS version)


Version 1.05
-All the emulation related changes in the rocknes 1.05 (dos) release
-Minor speed improvements in the rendering engine
-High color and True Color modes support (16, 24, 32 bits)
-if supported by hardware, the stretched mode uses pixel interpolation...
on a Viper 770 it looks just great!
-in newer video cards (like Viper770), the 16-bit mode is faster than
the 8-bit mode
-2 players support (thanks!)
-The keys are now configurable
-now the configurations are saved when are editing them, not only when you
close the RockNES X
-the savestate format changed (because of the new CPU core)
-Better sound output
-New keyboard controls
-Now the GUI supports files with any extension
-GUI bug fixes
-General code optimization
-Minor bug fixes

Version 1.0 (03/09/2000)
-RockNES X released!
-RockNES 1.03 DOS-version compliant

This is the first release of the new RockNES X emulator. A lot of work is
needed, so do not expect an incredible emulator... it is the first release!

Joystick and 2-player support, as well more compatible sound emulation are
under development. Some optimizations can be made, so future releases will
be much faster (and better!) than now.