Sub-forum request : "Xenoborg Official Discussion"

[patrickvl]

Wouldn't it be a splendid idea to create a new sub-forum for all Xenoborg-related discussions?

Some topic's I'd like to talk about:

- Would blueshogun96 be willing to open up the Xenoborg source on SourceForge?
- What parts of LLE emulation are the hardest?
- How could we contribute to Xenoborg (apart from donating graphics ;)) ?
- How far could we get with a hybrid LLE+HLE emulator?
- Should we try to merge all publicly available code (at least from cxbx and xproject)?

So, what's the general opinion on such a forum?

While we're at it, how about also adding sub-forums for "Dxbx", "XProject" and "General" discussions?

[blueshogun96]

You got questions? I got answers :)

1. Q) Wouldn't it be a splendid idea to create a new sub-forum for all Xenoborg-related discussions?
A) As far as "Official" forums go, it's not going to happen because the official forum is already located at GeneralEmu (General Emulation (http://www.generalemu.net)). That's already been decided long ago (and I wouldn't change it for the world) :)

2. Q) Would blueshogun96 be willing to open up the Xenoborg source on SourceForge?
A) Eventually yes. We just haven't done it just yet. We have a private SVN right now hosted by drk||Raziel (author of nullDC) on emudev.org just for devs and some potential testers (somethings I just can't tell you right now). It was down for many months, but now it's back up as of about 2 weeks ago so hopefully I can see what drk||Raziel has been up to with it.

3. Q) What parts of LLE emulation are the hardest?
A) Ok, let's see... here's my list

CPU (x86): Medium
Memory: Hard
VGA: Easy
GPU: Medium-Hard
Video Encoder(s): Variable
Sound: Painfully hard
USB Devices: Easy
Network Adapter: Not sure
HDD/DVD: Easy-Medium
PCI: Variable
MCPX: Variable


4. Q) How could we contribute to Xenoborg (apart from donating graphics) ?
A) Graphics? I'm sorry but what do you mean? Documentation helps. Some things are more documented than others. Xbox-Linux has been the most helpful so far. They did a very good job documenting Xbox hardware, but lacking in the GPU and Audio areas. No decent documentation for the NV2A has ever surfaced until last year (and it's still not complete), and the SoundStorm APU isn't even documented. If you can find documentation or an open source driver for the NVIDIA SoundStorm, let me know. That's the only major thing I need atm. Other than that, things like low-level open source Xbox demos/source code will help too.


5. Q) How far could we get with a hybrid LLE+HLE emulator?
A) Depends. HLE-ing the kernel would be a good alternative when the BIOS isn't yet emulated. The BIOS is [partially] emulated, but the emulator isn't advanced enough to actually boot it and launch the dashboard. But HLE-ing the DirectX and Xapi stuff, I wouldn't recommend it because that's what Cxbx is for :).

6. Q) Should we try to merge all publicly available code (at least from cxbx and xproject)
A) As far as my emu goes, Cxbx and Xenoborg do have the agreements to exchange code when/where necessary.

7. Q) So, what's the general opinion on such a forum?
A) As long as it's not named "The official forum", there won't be any problems. No biggie to me.

8. Q) While we're at it, how about also adding sub-forums for "Dxbx", "XProject" and "General" discussions?
A) Usually an emulator shows some graphics before it gets a forum :)

There you go. :)

[patrickvl]

Thanks for clarifying this!

How does the nullDC dynarec relate to a project like VirtualBox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox) ?

I know I'm probably simplifiying this beyond reason, but this Q&A is still interesting to ponder : Is it feasible to take another open-source virtualisation tool (apart from VirtualBox I can think of KQEMU (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kqemu#KQEMU) or Xen-HVM (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xen#Hardware_assisted_virtualization.2C_allowing_f or_unmodified_guests) ) and replace all relevant hardware emulations with XBox-specific implementations?


Regarding merging code-lines :
Last week I mailed with x9999 on XProject (he has paused development on it for about 2 to 3 months) - He's using large portions of Cxbx, but I think his code to load/dump/write and convert XBE/EXE/ELF format executables is really great in comparison to that in Cxbx.

Wouldn't it be much more efficient if resources where bundled by combining all similar XBox-emulation projects into one, sharing as much code as possible from each other? (perhaps one HLE and one LLE project, both in the same SVN archive)

I don't know if we can still contact _SF_ (from Xeon fame), but since Caustik is still (somewhat) involved, and x9999 is also available (via SF) - wouldn't you guys be able to construct some kind of cooperation in this?

Parts that could be combined :
- Cxbx is the most complete emulator overall (supports the most API's)
- XProject has good executable handling (and cross-platform compatibility)
- Xenoborg offers LLE where HLE isn't sufficient (nullDC's dynarec)
- Dxbx offers XIso and XdkTracker

Currently, these people are still involved in one sense or the other:
- blueshogun96 (replying here :thumb:)
- Caustik (last Cxbx SVN update nov'2007)
- Zomby (last Dxbx SVN update may'2008)
- Shadow_tj (last Dxbx SVN update may'2008)

Devs with (to me) unknown status :
KingofC, Sop Skrutt, Koitsu, Martin, _SF_

[shadow_tj]

if all documentation is bundeld together would be also a perfect idea :)

some days ago someone asked me to support the xbox emulation wiki.
does annyone still got the link ????


cant find it annymore in my archive :(


best thing to start is to place documentation on that wiki and make links into our programs.
to visit the xbox wiki page.
or into the readme`s, but link into help would be nicer.

this because ppl dont read readme`s ... except if they get errors :P


prehaps also change the original cxbx wiki, with documentation and stuff

[shadow_tj]

dump your wow adds somewhere else :)

[patrickvl]

Usually an emulator shows some graphics before it gets a forum :)

You want graphics? I got graphics :)

No, really - last night I got dxbx to produce an exe that can call into cxbxkrnl.dll (dxbx is still 'just' a port, so we're taking it in steps).
See the attached screenies - shadow_tj whas _kinda_ excited when he saw this :rotflmao:


So, does this justify our own subforum now?! I already asked Chronos Archangel this via PM, but still no reply from him - would another admin please create an Dxbx sub-forum? Thank you.

[Hard core Rikki]

Is a forum/subforum really looking this indispensable?

Demand justifies addition of forum sections/subsections generally... Wouldnt it be closer to a development subforum actually ?

[patrickvl]

Is a forum/subforum really looking this indispensable?

Demand justifies addition of forum sections/subsections generally... Wouldnt it be closer to a development subforum actually ?

Well, I see more Dxbx related posts coming in the future, and I wouldn't want to abuse the Cxbx subforum for this.
Also because Xeon has it's own subforum, I think it'd be better to create separate subforums per emulator and a "Misc Xbox Discussion" forum.
In fact, this is exactly in line with the PS2 (http://forums.ngemu.com/ps2-emulation/), Dreamcast (http://forums.ngemu.com/dreamcast-emulation/), Gamecube (http://forums.ngemu.com/gamecube-emulation/) and N64 (http://forums.ngemu.com/n64-emulation/) emulation forums.

I would propose to configure it like this :

Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > Cxbx Official Discussion (http://forums.ngemu.com/cxbx-official-discussion/)
Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > Xeon Official Discussion (http://forums.ngemu.com/xeon-official-discussion/)
Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > Dxbx Official Discussion
Optional: Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > XProject Official Discussion
Optional: Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > Xenoborg Discussion
Emuforums.com > Xbox Emulation > Misc Xbox Discussion


..Just my 2 cents.

[Chrono Archangel]

Hey guys,

Yeah I did get the PM. I still think we're not to there yet for individual forums for the different projects (heck not even sure if Xeon at this point should have it's own subforum)

However, I will add a "Misc Xbox Discussion". This will at least help keep the cxbx subforum clean.

[shadow_tj]

thx Chrono :)

here we can post dxbx stuff into then...
without floading cxbx forum

[Chrono Archangel]

thx Chrono :)

here we can post dxbx stuff into then...
without floading cxbx forum

yup, once dxbx starts showing abit more goodies, we'll gladly make a sub-forum :)

[Master Chief]

Great to see your still at it on XenoBorg blu! It's nice to know we got some active Xbox emus going again (maybe this scene aint dead after all :D).

[blueshogun96]

Thanks Chief, and sorry since it's been so long that I told you what's been going on with it :( Since Bush is f@#%ing up our economy one day at a time, I've had alot more things to worry about in the IRL realm. This emulator has been on my mind 24/7 at my crummy job and I wish I could have less things to worry about it so I can spend more time on it. The SVN has been down for a long time, but it's back again.

[shadow_tj]

hee Master chief, also back to the scene... :)
good to see yah still with us.

The reason that even the early joiners are comming back to post some items. is even more tho say. xbox emulation is very alive and kicking ;)

[Bobbi]

We will add new forums once the first news post appears on the mainpage and discussions pick up a bit more. With the recent progress being made, I can see this happening rather soon :)