emulation.net News Archives

May 1998

emulation.net may not be updated for a week or more, due to my sister's graduation from Harvard University. I'll be spending a week on the East Coast, and odds are slim that I'll get a chance to use many computers during the trip.
TileEater, a Nintendo ROM-editing utility, now has a 680x0-compatible version! Previously, this utility was PowerPC only.
Alternate links for MacTiger, a recently updated TI-92 emulator, have been provided.
MacMAME is likely to be updated to 0.33b4 within a few days. You can check from the MacMAME Home Page.

MacSloMo has been updated to version 0.55, which supports Millipede and fixes some crash bugs.
A Spanish translation of SNES9X 0.9.5a has been released.
Download links to the TI-92 emulator MacTiger seem to be broken. Hopefully this will be sorted out soon.
Oric/MacOS has been updated to version 1.1, and has cleaner audio support.
Boycott/MacOS, the newest Gameboy emulator, has been updated to version 0.3.9a. This version fixes a few porting glitches, but still does not support sound.
Handy/MacOS has been updated once again; this version features better sound, and less color glitching in certain titles.
BeDope is holding a fantastic contest to find out how many layers of emulation can be stacked up at once. For example, they ran a Mac OS emulator inside of BeOS, which was running RealPC, which was emulating an Apple II--four layers of emulation. The only restriction is that the BeOS must be one of the layers involved.

The Japanese-language version of SNES9X 0.9.5a has been released, thanks to the Emuletter Culturehall!
Handy/MacOS has been updated to version 0.4b2! This version fixes several porting issues and improves sound quality slightly.
Boycott/MacOS, a new Gameboy emulator, has been released! Although it doesn't support sound or limit speed yet, it's still a very good port by Richard Bannister.
Registered users of WACKE found an update to version 1.3.2 in their mailboxes today. No word on when the demo version will be released yet.

Graybox, a NES emulator, has received a minor update to version 0.25x! This fixes some more scrolling issues in games. It even works decently with Rad Racer!
MacSloMo, a Centipede/Millipede emulator, has been updated to version 0.5! This version features a real user interface, Appearance Manager support, and some bug-fixes.
MacTiger, a TI-92 emulator, has been updated! This version has several bugs fixed.

SNES9X has been updated to version 0.9.5a! This version removes the dependency on Navigation Services, since this new utility still seems a little buggy and has been found to cause instability and type 2 errors on some Macintoshes. If version 0.9.5 of SNES9X was causing errors on your machine, remove Navigation Services from your extensions folder and then try this update. Also, Game Genie support has been added to this release!
Graybox, a Nintendo Entertainment System emulator, has been updated to version 0.25! This version improves split screens, fixes several incompatibilities from previous versions and also has more accurate sound timing. The upcoming version 0.3 also promises even more improvements, like support for more mappers.

SNES9X has been updated to version 0.9.5!! This version is a massive improvement, supporting transparency, preliminary SuperFX support, improved sound, Appearance Manager, Navigation Services, keyboard layout, an improved freeze-file format, and more! Hurry up and go download it!

Connectix's Virtual PC has been updated to version 2.0.1! This version fixes some networking issues, improves compatibility with CD-ROM, and has an update to SYSINI.EXE.
Some major progress has been made on SNES9X. Expect a Macintosh release shortly--if all goes well, within the next few days. This release includes somewhat buggy SuperFX support--so far, only Yoshi's Island is playable--along with transparency support, improved sound and even better compatibility. This version runs about as fast as previous versions of SNES9X and is definitely faster than Silhouette. However, a 604e is recommended if you want to take advantage of transparency, and for playable SuperFX support, a G3 might be necessary.

MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33, beta 3! Notable enhancements include preliminary System 16 support, Double Dragon, and fixes to the Capcom CPS-1 driver's layering.
The emulation.net Site of the Month--err, Week--has been updated! "Emulators for Macintosh" is a Japanese-only site, but has great comparisons of most Macintosh emulators. It is also updated very frequently with news and information.
Not directly related to emulation, but I am extremely dismayed at MacWEEK's sudden betrayal towards the Macintosh community. Their plan to revamp the magazine into a cross-platform news source is doubly foolish; it completely alienates their current user base, and is unlikely to draw many new subscribers. I highly recommend that any remaining subscribers vote with their wallets, by cancelling their subscriptions to "E/media Weekly."

Power PC Engine, a TurboGrafx-16 emulator, has been updated to version 0.3.5! This version incorporates a new, animated about box, and some minor bug fixes. (Still waiting on the assembly processor core, though.)
NoSTalgia, an Atari ST emulator, has been updated to version 0.5! This version supports MIDI in and out through QuickTime, is more stable, and supports more video modes.
A version of NESMac for PowerPC processors has become available (unfortunately, this version still does not support any mappers at all).

iNES, the premiere NES emulator for Macintosh, has been updated to version 0.7 Plus! This version has undergone extensive assembly optimization which makes it nearly twice as fast as before on PowerPC Macintoshes, and supports the PCM audio channel for improved audio support! New Mac OS features such as the just-released Navigation Services have also been added to the iNES core. (Thanks to Arthur Langereis for a useful description of the PCM registers.)
The table below has finally been reworked to include icons for newer emulators.

An Atari Lynx emulator, Handy/MacOS, has been released! Currently in beta at version 0.4b1, this is a very exciting release from Richard Bannister.
Mac-81, a TI-81 calculator emulator, has recently been released! This is an excellent calculator emulator.
Insignia has recently begun a special $20 rebate offer for RealPC and SoftWindows 95, which started at the beginning of this month and ends on September 30. Only certain specially-marked boxes are eligible for the rebate, but at the discount price, RealPC retails for a scant $59.
The homepage of MESS, a new multi-console emulator, has been opened! (MESS is not yet available, however.) Unfortunately, it contains nothing really new in the way of information; even the screenshots are the same as before.

Unrelated to emulation, but today I was extremely fortunate to meet Steve Wozniak in person! As the keynote speaker for UC Berkeley's graduating class of 1998, he gave an impassioned speech promoting technology and the rise of user-friendly computing (not to mention a little free advertising for Apple thrown in as well). I was lucky enough to get to speak with him and even get a photograph of me and the Woz.
MacSloMo has been updated to version 0.43! This version is using some heavy optimization compared to previous versions and seems to be getting full speed on G3s. It has also been moved; it was previously listed along with Z80-based emulators, but Centipede used a 6502 processor.
Retrocade for the Mac OS is starting to come together! This is a new multi-emulator which promises to rival MAME. The Retrocade homepage has posted some in-progress screenshots.
A compatibility page for NoSTalgia, an Atari ST emulator, has just opened!

MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33 beta 2! This supports a few new games (including Magic Sword) and incorporates a few minor fixes.
The link to GBMac 0.9.5 has been fixed.
The "developer release" of Bernie ][ the Rescue 1.3 has been released! This allows Apple IIgs developers to code their programs using Bernie's unique tools and debuggers. If you don't intend to program for the Apple IIgs, though, the consumer release is better since it offers better performance.

GBMac has been updated to version 0.9.5.1! Sound support is improved and GBKiss file format is now supported (although GBKiss files are still quite rare).
Catakig has been updated to version 1.10b! Some small bugs have been fixed and it is now compiled using CodeWarrior Pro 3.
Thanks to the Emuletter Culturehall, Japanese versions of SNES9X 0.24b and Silhouette 1.0 have been released!
Along with Retrocade and MESS, Richard Bannister is now also porting an Atari Lynx emulator called Handy. The current beta versions are already very promising, and hopefully a release will be made sometime soon.
emulation.net has made headlines once again, now featured in a French magazine called "Univers Mac!"
Please excuse the delay between updates recently. Due to finals, it has become increasingly difficult to balance my responsibilities at school with the time necessary to keep this web page current. Thankfully, however, it won't be long before my schedule returns to normal.

MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33 beta 1! This version fixes several bugs from the previous release (caused by CodeWarrior Pro 3, which apparently has some code generation problems) and adds a few new games, most notably Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Version 0.32 was skipped to avoid confusion with MAME32, another MAME port.)
Bernie ][ the Rescue, an Apple IIgs emulator, has been updated to version 1.3! This version supports the communication ports on the IIgs. Version 1.3 also improves support for DiversiTune, a Karaoke-style IIgs toy.
The Neo-Geo emulator recently released for PCs will likely be receiving a Macintosh port soon!
Sources report that Brian Verre may continue work on GenEm, his Genesis emulator! Possible improvements include extended compatibility and sound emulation!
Users note that Hotline Server 1.2.3 and above are immune to the PSX-Emu Trojan, as it will no longer recognize invisible folders.
Apple has begun a new promotion called More Power/More Compatibility which will reward new Power Macintosh G3 customers with either a brand new copy of Virtual PC 2.0, or 32MB of RAM.

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	emulation.net may not be updated for a week or more, due to my sister's graduation from Harvard University. I'll be spending a week on the East Coast, and odds are slim that I'll get a chance to use many computers during the trip. TileEater, a Nintendo ROM-editing utility, now has a 680x0-compatible version! Previously, this utility was PowerPC only. Alternate links for MacTiger, a recently updated TI-92 emulator, have been provided. MacMAME is likely to be updated to 0.33b4 within a few days. You can check from the MacMAME Home Page.
	MacSloMo has been updated to version 0.55, which supports Millipede and fixes some crash bugs. A Spanish translation of SNES9X 0.9.5a has been released. Download links to the TI-92 emulator MacTiger seem to be broken. Hopefully this will be sorted out soon. Oric/MacOS has been updated to version 1.1, and has cleaner audio support. Boycott/MacOS, the newest Gameboy emulator, has been updated to version 0.3.9a. This version fixes a few porting glitches, but still does not support sound. Handy/MacOS has been updated once again; this version features better sound, and less color glitching in certain titles. BeDope is holding a fantastic contest to find out how many layers of emulation can be stacked up at once. For example, they ran a Mac OS emulator inside of BeOS, which was running RealPC, which was emulating an Apple II--four layers of emulation. The only restriction is that the BeOS must be one of the layers involved.
	The Japanese-language version of SNES9X 0.9.5a has been released, thanks to the Emuletter Culturehall! Handy/MacOS has been updated to version 0.4b2! This version fixes several porting issues and improves sound quality slightly. Boycott/MacOS, a new Gameboy emulator, has been released! Although it doesn't support sound or limit speed yet, it's still a very good port by Richard Bannister. Registered users of WACKE found an update to version 1.3.2 in their mailboxes today. No word on when the demo version will be released yet.
	Graybox, a NES emulator, has received a minor update to version 0.25x! This fixes some more scrolling issues in games. It even works decently with Rad Racer! MacSloMo, a Centipede/Millipede emulator, has been updated to version 0.5! This version features a real user interface, Appearance Manager support, and some bug-fixes. MacTiger, a TI-92 emulator, has been updated! This version has several bugs fixed.
	SNES9X has been updated to version 0.9.5a! This version removes the dependency on Navigation Services, since this new utility still seems a little buggy and has been found to cause instability and type 2 errors on some Macintoshes. If version 0.9.5 of SNES9X was causing errors on your machine, remove Navigation Services from your extensions folder and then try this update. Also, Game Genie support has been added to this release! Graybox, a Nintendo Entertainment System emulator, has been updated to version 0.25! This version improves split screens, fixes several incompatibilities from previous versions and also has more accurate sound timing. The upcoming version 0.3 also promises even more improvements, like support for more mappers.
	SNES9X has been updated to version 0.9.5!! This version is a massive improvement, supporting transparency, preliminary SuperFX support, improved sound, Appearance Manager, Navigation Services, keyboard layout, an improved freeze-file format, and more! Hurry up and go download it!
	Connectix's Virtual PC has been updated to version 2.0.1! This version fixes some networking issues, improves compatibility with CD-ROM, and has an update to SYSINI.EXE. Some major progress has been made on SNES9X. Expect a Macintosh release shortly--if all goes well, within the next few days. This release includes somewhat buggy SuperFX support--so far, only Yoshi's Island is playable--along with transparency support, improved sound and even better compatibility. This version runs about as fast as previous versions of SNES9X and is definitely faster than Silhouette. However, a 604e is recommended if you want to take advantage of transparency, and for playable SuperFX support, a G3 might be necessary.
	MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33, beta 3! Notable enhancements include preliminary System 16 support, Double Dragon, and fixes to the Capcom CPS-1 driver's layering. The emulation.net Site of the Month--err, Week--has been updated! "Emulators for Macintosh" is a Japanese-only site, but has great comparisons of most Macintosh emulators. It is also updated very frequently with news and information. Not directly related to emulation, but I am extremely dismayed at MacWEEK's sudden betrayal towards the Macintosh community. Their plan to revamp the magazine into a cross-platform news source is doubly foolish; it completely alienates their current user base, and is unlikely to draw many new subscribers. I highly recommend that any remaining subscribers vote with their wallets, by cancelling their subscriptions to "E/media Weekly."
	Power PC Engine, a TurboGrafx-16 emulator, has been updated to version 0.3.5! This version incorporates a new, animated about box, and some minor bug fixes. (Still waiting on the assembly processor core, though.) NoSTalgia, an Atari ST emulator, has been updated to version 0.5! This version supports MIDI in and out through QuickTime, is more stable, and supports more video modes. A version of NESMac for PowerPC processors has become available (unfortunately, this version still does not support any mappers at all).
	iNES, the premiere NES emulator for Macintosh, has been updated to version 0.7 Plus! This version has undergone extensive assembly optimization which makes it nearly twice as fast as before on PowerPC Macintoshes, and supports the PCM audio channel for improved audio support! New Mac OS features such as the just-released Navigation Services have also been added to the iNES core. (Thanks to Arthur Langereis for a useful description of the PCM registers.) The table below has finally been reworked to include icons for newer emulators.
	An Atari Lynx emulator, Handy/MacOS, has been released! Currently in beta at version 0.4b1, this is a very exciting release from Richard Bannister. Mac-81, a TI-81 calculator emulator, has recently been released! This is an excellent calculator emulator. Insignia has recently begun a special $20 rebate offer for RealPC and SoftWindows 95, which started at the beginning of this month and ends on September 30. Only certain specially-marked boxes are eligible for the rebate, but at the discount price, RealPC retails for a scant $59. The homepage of MESS, a new multi-console emulator, has been opened! (MESS is not yet available, however.) Unfortunately, it contains nothing really new in the way of information; even the screenshots are the same as before.
	Unrelated to emulation, but today I was extremely fortunate to meet Steve Wozniak in person! As the keynote speaker for UC Berkeley's graduating class of 1998, he gave an impassioned speech promoting technology and the rise of user-friendly computing (not to mention a little free advertising for Apple thrown in as well). I was lucky enough to get to speak with him and even get a photograph of me and the Woz. MacSloMo has been updated to version 0.43! This version is using some heavy optimization compared to previous versions and seems to be getting full speed on G3s. It has also been moved; it was previously listed along with Z80-based emulators, but Centipede used a 6502 processor. Retrocade for the Mac OS is starting to come together! This is a new multi-emulator which promises to rival MAME. The Retrocade homepage has posted some in-progress screenshots. A compatibility page for NoSTalgia, an Atari ST emulator, has just opened!
	MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33 beta 2! This supports a few new games (including Magic Sword) and incorporates a few minor fixes. The link to GBMac 0.9.5 has been fixed. The "developer release" of Bernie ][ the Rescue 1.3 has been released! This allows Apple IIgs developers to code their programs using Bernie's unique tools and debuggers. If you don't intend to program for the Apple IIgs, though, the consumer release is better since it offers better performance.
	GBMac has been updated to version 0.9.5.1! Sound support is improved and GBKiss file format is now supported (although GBKiss files are still quite rare). Catakig has been updated to version 1.10b! Some small bugs have been fixed and it is now compiled using CodeWarrior Pro 3. Thanks to the Emuletter Culturehall, Japanese versions of SNES9X 0.24b and Silhouette 1.0 have been released! Along with Retrocade and MESS, Richard Bannister is now also porting an Atari Lynx emulator called Handy. The current beta versions are already very promising, and hopefully a release will be made sometime soon. emulation.net has made headlines once again, now featured in a French magazine called "Univers Mac!" Please excuse the delay between updates recently. Due to finals, it has become increasingly difficult to balance my responsibilities at school with the time necessary to keep this web page current. Thankfully, however, it won't be long before my schedule returns to normal.
	MacMAME has been updated to version 0.33 beta 1! This version fixes several bugs from the previous release (caused by CodeWarrior Pro 3, which apparently has some code generation problems) and adds a few new games, most notably Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. (Version 0.32 was skipped to avoid confusion with MAME32, another MAME port.) Bernie ][ the Rescue, an Apple IIgs emulator, has been updated to version 1.3! This version supports the communication ports on the IIgs. Version 1.3 also improves support for DiversiTune, a Karaoke-style IIgs toy. The Neo-Geo emulator recently released for PCs will likely be receiving a Macintosh port soon! Sources report that Brian Verre may continue work on GenEm, his Genesis emulator! Possible improvements include extended compatibility and sound emulation! Users note that Hotline Server 1.2.3 and above are immune to the PSX-Emu Trojan, as it will no longer recognize invisible folders. Apple has begun a new promotion called More Power/More Compatibility which will reward new Power Macintosh G3 customers with either a brand new copy of Virtual PC 2.0, or 32MB of RAM.