[Scummvm-devel] Nintendo64 port patch into tracker

[Fabio Battaglia]

Hello everyone!
I sent a patch to add my N64 ScummVM port to the tracker for review:
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=418822&aid=2921832&group_id=37116

As stated in the patch description, the port uses an open source dev
library I based off alt-libn64
( http://hkzlab.ipv7.net/files/consoles/hkz-libn64-27122009-1.zip )
though I rewrote most of the original code to add required features and
fix bugs.

Max N64 cart size is 512 megabits (yeah, just 64mb for games), so not
much space for cd games (though some fits using ogg compressed audio).
Right now, savegames can be stored on controller paks only, limiting
storage to 32kb, I'm planning to add support for saveram found in some
original carts, which should give the user 256kb of space.
The port (through the library) detects and uses the N64 memory
expansion, which is HIGHLY recommended (some very simple games can
probably be run without, like agi games, but I've yet to check this).

Although the N64 can go up to 640x480 at 32-bit, this port is limited to
320x240 with 16 bits disabled, for memory and speed reasons: to use
framebuffer mode, I need to place a double video buffer into system ram,
which is not terribly fast and uses quite a bit of precious ram
already... not to mention that probably most (all?) 640x480 and 16bit
games wouldn't fit the cart anyway.

Alas, I'm very limited in game testing options: my devkit (an unexpanded
Doctor V64) is limited to 128mbits for cart images, this should
hopefully change soon if the expansion I bought gets here.

So far the game that I've been able to fit the cart played fairly good:
MI1, MI2, Fate of Atlantis, DOTT and other scumm games were very
playable, cursor in gob is a bit sluggish but the game can still be
played, I also checked Kyra1 for amiga, simon the sorcerer and BASS and
all of those work very good.

To run the port an user needs a flash cart (NEOFLASH should come out
with a new easy-to-use and maybe cheap model soon) and the ability to
generate a romfs (http://romfs.sourceforge.net/) image with the games in
it to be appended to the end of scummvm binary.

Also, currently the port uses a custom makefile: i intend to add
configure support once the port is in trunk.

Impressions and ideas are welcome :)
Hkz

PS.
Thanks to joostp for all the development ideas, and being supportive: he
saved the port while i was inches away from throwing everything in the
bin.

-- 
* Member of the Italian Retro DECnet -> http://decnet.ipv7.net *
* HKZlab Hobbyist Network -> http://hkzlab.ipv7.net            *
* Internet: hkzlabnet at gmail.com | RETRO DECnet: 1126::HKZ      *
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