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[IMG News]

Richard Bannister recently discussed the likely system requirements for his soon to be released Mac OS X version of bsnes. A Super Nintendo emulator designed for accuracy rather than speed, bsnes makes some hefty hardware demands. Those wishing to test the Mac OS X version at full frame rate will need at least a 2.3 GHz G5.

bsnes has been developed for accuracy over speed. It uses a cycle exact hardware emulation, along the lines of that used by Nestopia, and it does not use any special hacks to improve emulation performance at the expense of accuracy. The net result is without question the most system heavy emulator ever to be released on this web site. Full frame rate in bsnes will require a G5 running at a minimum speed of 2.3GHz.

As such, it is with considerable reluctance that I have decided to make bsnes require the presence of a G5 chip to run. I know if I do not do this then the many who do not read documentation will contact me to whine about performance, or more likely rant about my inadequacy on review sites. Testing on the fastest production G4 system out there has shown that the emulator can just about scrape full speed but only rendering one frame in four, so you're not missing much. (Performance gain from frame skipping in bsnes is relatively speaking negligible).

The Mac version of bsnes should be available in the next few days. For more about the emulator, and a handful of screenshots from the Mac version, check out the links below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[Shinxy]

I created an account specifically to say how this is the most fire trucking retarded thing I've ever heard of.

It's even more retarded that the system requirements for such a niche gamergeek/programmergeek product would qualify as "news" on one of the top mac game sites.

Seriously.  Those system reqs are higher than Doom 3, and it's an snes emulator.  Maybe they could work just a tiny bit on optimizing that code?

[Hansi]

Shinxy, on November 1st 2005, 04:57 PM, said:

I created an account specifically to say how this is the most fire trucking retarded thing I've ever heard of.

It's even more retarded that the system requirements for such a niche gamergeek/programmergeek product would qualify as "news" on one of the top mac game sites.

Seriously.  Those system reqs are higher than Doom 3, and it's an snes emulator.  Maybe they could work just a tiny bit on optimizing that code?

This should explain things a bit for those that don't know why it's being made:
http://forums.emusce...p?p=19691#19691

On a second note why does IMG only cover emulators made by Bannister (or the occasional MacMame update)?

The others aren't worthy of your time? See http://www.emuscene.com/ news none of those are ever reported on at IMG (well ScummVM gets mentioned every 2-3 updates).

[NeoWolf]

Shinxy, on November 1st 2005, 09:57 AM, said:

I created an account specifically to say how this is the most fire trucking retarded thing I've ever heard of.

It's even more retarded that the system requirements for such a niche gamergeek/programmergeek product would qualify as "news" on one of the top mac game sites.

Seriously.  Those system reqs are higher than Doom 3, and it's an snes emulator.  Maybe they could work just a tiny bit on optimizing that code?

Thank you for revealing that you either have trouble reading, comprehending, or perhaps both.  

Either way since you obviously don't know what's going on it's in your best interest to just ignore it. I mean it's not like you're in any way harmed by someone working on software you obviously don't want.


As to later discussions, it would be nice is IMG covered more emulation news in general though I guess it's less of a priority since there are sites dedicated to emulation in general on a Mac.

[Shinxy]

No seriously, someone explain to me why you would truly want cycle exact emulation of a super nintendo that requires a multi-thousand dollar machine to achieve?

Why not just buy a super nintendo if you're that concerned about totally accurate emulation?

And I'd appreciate not being talked down to just because I call bullpopsnizzle on spending half a decade working on an SNES emulator that won't work on anything but the highest end macintosh.  What a waste of time and energy.

[Shinxy]

Hansi, on November 1st 2005, 12:45 PM, said:

This should explain things a bit for those that don't know why it's being made:
http://forums.emusce...p?p=19691#19691

Oh...
Now I understand.
You guys are nerds.

[NeoWolf]

Quite the hurtful comment coming from someone posting on a web-board.

[NeoWolf]

Shinxy, on November 1st 2005, 01:17 PM, said:

No seriously, someone explain to me why you would truly want cycle exact emulation of a super nintendo that requires a multi-thousand dollar machine to achieve?

Why not just buy a super nintendo if you're that concerned about totally accurate emulation?

And I'd appreciate not being talked down to just because I call bullpopsnizzle on spending half a decade working on an SNES emulator that won't work on anything but the highest end macintosh.  What a waste of time and energy.

Accuracy. Snes9x and zSNES are both very fast but also take hacks and shortcuts where ever they can for a speed boost. This works with most games but not all. There are other places that can be improved as well, especially in the sound hardware which snes9x is still fairly inaccurate with at times.

Again though, no one's stopping from working on snes9x. (In fact I believe the bsnes author works with people on both the snes9x and zsnes teams as is!) If you don't want to use it because you think it's pointless, fine who cares? That's no excuse to insult the authors for doing what they're interested in doing.

[Shinxy]

NeoWolf, on November 1st 2005, 03:31 PM, said:

Accuracy. Snes9x and zSNES are both very fast but also take hacks and shortcuts where ever they can for a speed boost. This works with most games but not all. There are other places that can be improved as well, especially in the sound hardware which snes9x is still fairly inaccurate with at times.

Again though, no one's stopping from working on snes9x. (In fact I believe the bsnes author works with people on both the snes9x and zsnes teams as is!) If you don't want to use it because you think it's pointless, fine who cares? That's no excuse to insult the authors for doing what they're interested in doing.

I just think it's sad that people with so much programming know-how would waste their time grinding through all the arcane SNES gobbledygook just to get the EXACT SNES experience.  A hobby is a hobby, but to spend so much time on a project of such limited usefulness seems like a tremendous waste.

But then, people can do whatever they want, and an announcement like this would be perfectly in keeping with the nature of a board like emuscene.  That would be fine.  But this is "Inside Mac Games", and I think it's idiotic that an update on what is essentially an experiment for bored geeks with needlessly powerful Macs qualifies as "news".  I mean, yes, maybe we're in a slow period for mac gaming, but COME ON.

[the Battle Cat]

Shinxy, I've deleted half a dozen posts of people calling you names.  I don't think this has ever happened before.  Please lighten up and realize that peoples interests and priorities are wide ranging, making us a very amazing and interesting race of beings.  Also Mac gaming news will be reported on a Mac gaming site.  To complain about that is folly.

[NeoWolf]

Shinxy, on November 1st 2005, 01:40 PM, said:

I just think it's sad that people with so much programming know-how would waste their time grinding through all the arcane SNES gobbledygook just to get the EXACT SNES experience.  A hobby is a hobby, but to spend so much time on a project of such limited usefulness seems like a tremendous waste.

But then, people can do whatever they want, and an announcement like this would be perfectly in keeping with the nature of a board like emuscene.  That would be fine.  But this is "Inside Mac Games", and I think it's idiotic that an update on what is essentially an experiment for bored geeks with needlessly powerful Macs qualifies as "news".  I mean, yes, maybe we're in a slow period for mac gaming, but COME ON.

They think it's useful though, and they're learning from it. Though think of it this way. It's news because this makes TWO emulators available for OS X and in active development. That is kind of a big deal for some people, especially in places snes9x fails. It's one thing to have disagreeing opinions. But it's another to be rude and insulting to the developers. Cycle exact emulation takes a LOT more CPU power, and that's why it's requirements are so high, not because they don't know how to optimize. Complaining like that just reflects ignorance and rudeness more than anything else. Either way it certainly won't win you friends.

[Eric5h5]

Shinxy, on November 1st 2005, 03:40 PM, said:

needlessly powerful Macs

Ooh, great quote.    Next time people start whining about Macs being too slow for games compared to PCs, I'll tell 'em to shut up, their Macs are needlessly powerful, so stop complaining!

--Eric

[The iMac Man]

the Battle Cat, on November 1st 2005, 08:47 PM, said:

Shinxy, I've deleted half a dozen posts of people calling you names.

But why not delete his post calling us all nerds?  

[Endymion]

You might have a hard time believing this, but development of SNES games is a prime reason that something like this is very desirable. When the hardware is emulated as precisely as possible it becomes easier to test an original effort, homebrew programmed to work with a Super Nintendo--or whatever console, provided it is possible to emulate its hardware fully. You could do this before writing an EEPROM and then taking it to a physical, living breathing Super Nintendo.

If you do not understand the need for something like this, it isn't for you.

And going off on someone online is the nerdiest thing in the world to do.

[Eric5h5]

The iMac Man, on November 2nd 2005, 11:34 AM, said:

But why not delete his post calling us all nerds?   

'Cause it's the truth?    Well, some of you are, anyway.  Not me!

--Eric

[the Battle Cat]

The iMac Man, on November 2nd 2005, 08:34 AM, said:

But why not delete his post calling us all nerds?  

Because I take "nerd" as a compliment... however unintended that was.

[NeoWolf]

HA!

[Shinxy]

NeoWolf, on November 1st 2005, 09:02 PM, said:

Either way it certainly won't win you friends.

Do you really think I give a flying one about making friends on the inside mac games web forums?  

I'm just surprised everyone is so touchy about their pet cycle-exact SNES emulator.  I still don't understand why it would be so important to people- 99% of users won't even be able to notice the difference.   I've played practically every SNES game in existence on SNES9x, at one point or another, and it worked out just fine for me.  Is the arcana of SNES chipsets really that compelling a topic?

[bobbob]

Shinxy, on November 2nd 2005, 07:09 PM, said:

I've played practically every SNES game in existence on SNES9x, at one point or another

And you can thank the guy who did this for parts of SNES9x, too, but SNES9x is notably lacking in sound emulation (it stinks compared to the real thing), and compatibility (ignoring hacks and workarounds for specific games). This guy is trying to make a better emulator, and eventually he might get around to optimizing it - WHEN IT'S EVEN CLOSE TO BEING DONE!

[Eric5h5]

Shinxy, on November 2nd 2005, 09:09 PM, said:

Do you really think I give a flying one about making friends on the inside mac games web forums?   

You should.  The folks on IMG are the only people who matter.  Everyone else is just a figment of your imagination.  Also, if you don't make friends on IMG web forums, I understand that eventually you wake up next to a horse's head.  It certainly pays to have the right friends!

Quote

Is the arcana of SNES chipsets really that compelling a topic?

Yes, actually, it is.  If it's over your head, move along to the next news item, there's a good chap.  

--Eric