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Dreamcast Emulator

  • 25-10-2002 9:59pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,507 ✭✭✭


    Where can i find one that plays cd's?


Comments

  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    Well thats a simple one...You can't;) sadly there's no dreamcast emulator advanced enough that will let you play dreamcast games on your pc. There are a few emulators written to run other platforms eg Snes on your dreamcast but thats about it.
    If you see any emulator claiming to run commercial games perfectly do NOT download them as they more then lightly contain a nasty viruses:mad:
    If you like you can keep an eye on Dreamemu or icarus which have both come on a bit recently. <Google search>


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭DiscoStu


    you certainly wont find one that plays cds. the pc cannont read dreamcast gd-roms.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭bugs


    Any DVD-rom will read a DC GD-rom, they used to stick extra's in the disks like calenders and what have ya. I have a feeling that some cd players could read them as well......in fact i'm sure they could as a friend used to copy them to cd.

    No point in emulating the system really, expensive cd's, most places don't even sell copied DC games anymore and it'd probably work out cheaper to buy a DC and the games you want than buy a PC powerful enough to emulate a DC (whenever it happens) and the various games.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    by bugsNo point in emulating the system really, expensive cd's, most places don't even sell copied DC games anymore and it'd probably work out cheaper to buy a DC and the games you want than buy a PC powerful enough to emulate a DC (whenever it happens) and the various games.
    Have to disagree with you, emualtion of the dreamcast is viewed as a vital stepping stone to emulating Sega Naomi Arcade harware which produced some great games ie Marvel Vs Capcom2, Dead or Alive2, Guilty Gear X, Power Stone and loads more that never made it to the dreamcast.
    I wouldn't worry to much about needing a monster PC to run the DC games. By the time it's emulated properly i'd imagine you'll have all the juice u'll need in a 4ghz p5 or whatever the standard in 2/3 years time is:)

    [edit] Just had to add in this lovely pic[/edit]

    mvsc2.jpg
    Drool.....


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭DiscoStu


    From boob.co.uk
    Q: How can I make my own Dreamcast bootlegs?
    A: You can't. It requires three things - special knowledge about
    how the Dreamcast works, at least one of the Dreamcast SDKs,
    and one or more types of special hardware to enable the GD-ROM
    to CD-ROM conversion. If you can somehow put together those
    three things and have the knowledge to make them work, then
    you stand a chance. Unfortunately, the average Joe Blow user
    isn't going to be able to copy/backup their own Dreamcast
    games anytime soon no matter how hard they wish.

    from megagames.com
    Dreamcast games come on discs similar to CD-ROMs, but they cannot be read by other CD-ROM drives.

    and finally: http://nixar.future.easyspace.com/GDR.htm

    personally i would trust what boob say about what can or cannont be done with dreamcast.


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  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    Well although i've seen loads of "Get your Dreamcast ISO's here!" the ISO's are not at that ever so popular chinise emulation website so i don't know if it's possible or not. DiscoStu, you never know maybe it's possible to read the GD-roms in a DVD-rom drive for the purpose of creating ISO's


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭DiscoStu


    the link i posted has a bit on what would happen if a gd-rom as placed in a dvd drive.

    the dreamcast disc begins with a section that is readable by all cd-roms. now if a dvd is used it explains that there are 2 lasers in a dvd one for cd and another for dvd. the cd laser is used first to determine if it is a cd or dvd. if a dvd is found then the dvd laser kicks in and away it goes, however if it detects a cd the cd laser stays on. now with the gd-rom the first part that is read is in standard cd format so the cd laser inside our dvd thinks its reading a standard cd and wont use the dvd laser to read the other sections of the gd rom disc. it then goes on to say that the dvd laser is focused too fine to read the gd-rom anyway.

    heres some more info on the dreamcast disc system.

    http://mozcom.com/~sknkwrks/gdcontroller.html

    i know im right on this one :)


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    Right so:D As i've mentioned in my last post I usually don't believe ISO's/Roms are available unless mentioned by said chinise website;)
    Well bugs reckons it can be done..bugs?? One question still remains how are they developing DC emulators to run commercial games on PC when its impossible for a pc to read the disc??


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭bugs


    *picks up "sword of berserk : guts rage", sticks in panasonic dvd/cd drive.... waits....waits.....sees index pop up, takes a look at calender that comes on CD*

    Don't ask me why or how, i don't know, i don't even own a DC. Bought one way back to play berserk, have had dead or alive for DC in the drive to look at extra pictures (and they mention that if you stick it in your pc you can in the manual)

    Perhaps i'm not able to read the contents of the entire GD-rom but theres definetly a good bit o' crap on the index.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,275 ✭✭✭Shinji


    Perhaps i'm not able to read the contents of the entire GD-rom but theres definetly a good bit o' crap on the index.

    Yep, that's basically how it works though - the inner tracks are at CD-ROM resolution, then the outer tracks are all at GD-ROM resolution (which PC DVD/CD drives can't read). Basically your PC looks at the disc and assumes it's a CD-Single sized disc, completely ignoring the unreadable section beyond that - which is where all the game data is stored.


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  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 5,042 Mod ✭✭✭✭spooky donkey


    Any one know if there is still any where still selling the consoles, game had they up the a few months ago?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,751 ✭✭✭Ste-


    saw one on saturday in a games shop at the end of talbot street
    think it was talbot street down near the train station.
    €50


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    Originally posted by djste18
    saw one on saturday in a games shop at the end of talbot street
    think it was talbot street down near the train station.
    €50
    Jesus even thats steep you can pick one up in the uk for £20;) I'd check the Buy&Sell cause there's always a little kid who wants a new xbox or PS2 and will be flogging his dreamcast with a few games


  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 5,042 Mod ✭✭✭✭spooky donkey


    I might try that so lads thanks for the help!


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,751 ✭✭✭Ste-


    try the for sale board
    ive seen sum for sale in there
    might get lucky


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE




  • Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 5,042 Mod ✭✭✭✭spooky donkey


    Well those guys are a long way off having a working emu it could be another year from now before we see the first beta`s!
    Theve been over 6 months on it now and are still a long way off the finish!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 931 ✭✭✭ozpass


    I can't absolutely refute the fact that a CD-drive or DVD-drive can read GD-Roms but......

    Any Dreamcast ISO's that are out there were produced by using:

    1) A Dreamcast.
    2) A coder's cable (or, the mythical BBA)
    3) A copy of Utopia BootCD 1.1 (or above)
    4) A PC with serial port and Teraterm.
    5) About 24 hours of a person's life.

    i.e. the Dreamcast boots special software whose sole purpose is to read the GD-Rom bit by bit and transmit it down the 'coders cable' at 115Kbps where teraterm accepted the bits and wrote 'em to the PC's HDD.

    As far as I'm aware, nobody got a drive in a PC to read the GD-Roms directly. :D

    There are now drivers to mount the GD-Rom drive (in full, GD-Rom reading mode) in DC Linux which opens another technique for achieving the above.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 2,965 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoGiE


    Well that would seem reasonable enough. All a person would need now is a nice connection to download the ISO's :) which in ireland seems to be in the distant future...but then again it's lightly this emulator will have been perfected by then (2004-5ish)


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