Gamepark 32 (GP32) Emulators

Name

fCOL32

Author

Ryleh

Description

Colecovision emulator for the GP32

Screenshots

Download

HERE

Information

fCOL32 09/12/03 first release (public), (c) 2003 rlyeh

1. What's fCOL32 ?
2. History
3. Features
4. Screenshots
5. Installing fCOL32
6. Using fCOL32
7. FAQ
8. Resources
9. Credits
A. Greetings

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1. What's fCOL32 ?
------------------

ColEm is a portable ColecoVision console emulator coded by Marat Fayzullin and others.
fCOL32 is a emulator port for the GP32 handheld console by rlyeh, mainly based in ColEm.
It was ported and modified from the original ColEm 1.0 sources for UNIX.

You can download the original ColEm source code from http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/

You can download the latest fCOL32 binary from http://www.retrodev.info
I will not release the source code since I was explicitly told by Marat to not release it.

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2. History
----------

09/12/03: fCOL32 first release (public)

- full working savestates and loadstates
- full working virtual numeric keyboard
- fixed a strange bug related to SMC health. No more clusters lost :-)
- improved speed when grabing snapshots (PNG format)
- improved compatibility with some odd games (like "Bump 'n Jump")
- new ability at choosing ColecoVision boot up bios
- new ability to stretch screen (full screen, 1.25:1.25)
- new adjustable autofire for A and B buttons
- new cool icon (thx Antiriad!)
- new fast fileselector (able to scan some hundred zipped roms per minute)
- new screen stretching support
- new sound core from MAME but fixed noise channel
- new user interface (fSMS32 style)

What's lacking:

- improving noise channel accuracy a little more
- adding more missing options
- fixing known bugs as usual :-)
- slowing the gameplay a bit?
- Adam computer support maybe?

25/03/03: fCOL32 first beta (private)

- full ColecoVision support,
- full ROM/BIN/COL/ZIP loading, (packed files using ZLib)
- sound support,
- crystal sound rendering output, using CHN's library,
- saving screenshots to PNG format, using my own library,
- CRC32 ROM naming detection using GoodCol by Cowering,
- featuring extras: preliminary GUI.

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3. Features
-----------

- full ColecoVision support,
- full ROM/BIN/COL/ZIP loading, (packed files using ZLib)
- full working savestates and loadstates
- full working virtual numeric keyboard
- crystal sound rendering output, using CHN's library,
- fast fileselector (able to scan 1,200 zipped roms per minute)
- fSMS32 style user interface
- support for PNG screenshots, using my own library,
- support for long names detection using GoodCol by Cowering,
- support for normal or full screen mode
- support for autofire at A and B buttons
- support for original and hacked ColecoVision bioses
- support for full screen

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4. Screenshots
--------------

Not available in txt file.

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5. Installing fCOL32
--------------------

Put your fCOL32.FXE into GPMM\
Put your ROM/COL/BIN files uncompressed or zipped into GPMM\COL

Note: Only first file from ZIP will be used at the moment. It will be fixed soon.
Note: I suggest using *ONLY* zipped files. It improves speed at loading and
minimizes SMC space usage.

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6. Using fCOL32
---------------

PAD is mapped as both Coleco joysticks.
A fires the joystick button A.
B fires the joystick button B.
L fires the superAction button C.
R fires the superAction button D.

START key should start most games nicely.
SELECT key shows or hides a virtual keyboard.
Press L+R to choose options while playing.

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7. FAQ
------

Q. How do I start some games?
A. By pressing START you should start it, otherwise press SELECT and follow the game instructions on screen.

Q. Why do some games like 'Meteoric Shower' play music but I am not able to start the game?
A. Some games featured a music tune before playing.
Wait some seconds.

Q. Why do some games like 'Spy Hunter' freeze when I lost all my lives ?
A. Some games had not a start menu after the game over screen.
Press START key to start a new game.

Q. Lots of options are not yet implemented, why?
A. No time enough. Please wait for a next release.

Q. I have some games not working, why?
A. Compatibility is around 98%, but Fathom, The Heist, Rock 'n Bolt and some Public
Domain (PD) roms by Daniel Bienvenu and Marcel de Kogel have emulation issues.
Wait for a further beta.

Q. L and R fire buttons do not seem to work in some games, why?
A. First check your game supports SuperAction fire buttons (ie, Spy Hunter),
then check you have chosen it in the game options menu.

Q. The screen splits itself into 4 pieces sometimes, why?
A. It's a bug related to programming double buffering video without the SDK.
RobBrown is looking for a solution nowadays. Meanwhile press L+R and B to fix it.

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8. Resources
------------

ColEM at Marat's site - [ http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ ]
PD roms at Kojote's site - [ http://www.pdroms.com/ ]

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9. Credits
----------

Marat Fayzullin and others, for the ColEm 1.0 emulator.

Christian Nowak, for the GP32 soundbuffer library.

Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler, for the ZLIB library.

Cowering, for the GoodCol DAT file.

Mr_Spiv, for the B2FXEC tool.

MameDev team, for the SN76489 sound core.

Maxim, for the SN76489.txt tech file.

vimacs, for betatesting fCOL32 when I was at work ;-)

_Anarchy_, for supporting fCOL32.

reliant77, for his one hundred snapshots.

Antiriad, for his cool icon.