New Dreamcast emulator for Linux : lxdream 0.8 released!

**Chrono Archangel** · November 3rd, 2007, 00:25

Thanks to cyclonmaster for reporting this on our forums. lxdream is a new Sega Dreamcast emulator for Linux. Here's what the author, nkeynes, had to say about this first major release:

With the work done in the last month both for performance and usability, it seems worthwhile to release a new version. And since this version is actually (hopefully) useable by people who aren’t me, lxdream now has a real version number rather than a milestone. W00t!
Download it and enjoy. And of course, let me know how it goes.

Note: Please do not report rendering problems at this stage - there are many known bugs and unimplemented features, and it’s looking like the whole rendering stage may need to be rewritten for the next version.

Changes
Implement more user-friendly GD-Rom changer (closes off #31)

Add recent GD-Rom image tracking

Fix for CDI images with more than 1 track per session

Save render buffers as part of the save state (issue #34)

Show preview screenshot in save state open dialog

Remove gnome dependency (now just depends on GTK 2.0+)

Screenshot of the shiny new GUI:

» Download*lxdream 0.8 right her on NGEmu!

» Check out lxdream's homepage for more information

__________________

6BIT - Gaming, Emulation & Tech News

Tatsh · November 3rd, 2007, 17:56

I know no one cares, as seemingly no one (especially here) runs Linux or would choose it over Windows to run emulators.

Like most Linux apps, the source is available, unlike almost ALL Windows emulators (for some reason the developers think distributing their source is evil even though they give the binaries for free?)

Anyway. Built the source fine on AMD64 on Gentoo. Runs pretty good. Can't do much yet, but at least the source is open. We need more projects like this; nobody is competing to make the best emulator. In a case like this, if another person wants to make a better emulator, then they can take his source but they cannot steal it (make the new source unavailable). It's all for the increase in available information to all.

The proprietary software model works by letting users know nothing about how things work and expecting users to pay money every time a little thing goes wrong. Where is Microsoft's own Windows manual with all those registry hacks and everything else?

I run most emulators on Linux. But Project64 is still the best N64 emulator right now, so for some emulation I'm forced to use Windows (also MAME). I really hope ePSXe source gets released in the future; I'd like a fully native 64-bit build of it.

__________________
My notebook:
HP Pavilion dv5030us
-ATI Mobility RADEON Xpress 200
-AMD Turion 64 2.0GHz
-1GB PC2700 (2 x 512MB)

**Chrono Archangel** · November 3rd, 2007, 18:32

Thanks for the little open source rant...
It still amazes me that people still bring this up. There are tons of projects that are open source and are never picked up by anyone. (Open source != better.... remember that)

I'm willing to bet it'll be the same thing for this one... No offense to the author as I'm glad to see new projects like this.

__________________

6BIT - Gaming, Emulation & Tech News

**Hard core Rikki** · November 3rd, 2007, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatsh

I know no one cares, as seemingly no one (especially here) runs Linux or would choose it over Windows to run emulators.

Like most Linux apps, the source is available, unlike almost ALL Windows emulators (for some reason the developers think distributing their source is evil even though they give the binaries for free?)

Anyway. Built the source fine on AMD64 on Gentoo. Runs pretty good. Can't do much yet, but at least the source is open. We need more projects like this; nobody is competing to make the best emulator. In a case like this, if another person wants to make a better emulator, then they can take his source but they cannot steal it (make the new source unavailable). It's all for the increase in available information to all.

The proprietary software model works by letting users know nothing about how things work and expecting users to pay money every time a little thing goes wrong. Where is Microsoft's own Windows manual with all those registry hacks and everything else?
I really hope ePSXe source gets released in the future; I'd like a fully native 64-bit build of it.

Seconded. Keeping hardware and emus documented is a significant contribution to 'the scene', rather than "just" working binaries.

A lot of people actually use Linux here, but binary incompatibilities is pushing for rough choices. Well, at least theres always Ubuntu, who can easily be considered the standard to ensure compatibility with. Funnily enough, thats not always the case, but hey at least fixing that is possible, plus contributing it back for everyone's benefit. An opensource DC emu sure sounds a very nice idea. Well, at least, if nkneys loses motivation or hits a wall

, it could still be resumed, for everyone's benefit

__________________

NGemu toolbar http://ngemu.ourtoolbar.com

chris-007 · November 4th, 2007, 02:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tatsh

I run most emulators on Linux. But Project64 is still the best N64 emulator right now, so for some emulation I'm forced to use Windows (also MAME). I really hope ePSXe source gets released in the future; I'd like a fully native 64-bit build of it.

sadly, there are less emulators on linux, often slower and without a GUI.

The source of ePSXe is said to be lost.
Edit: this was just a rumor. see http://forums.ngemu.com/generic-epsx...s-1-6-0-a.html

pSX works quite well under linux, but is not and will not become open source.

__________________
AMD Athlon64 (Newcastle) 2,0GHz | ASUS K8N | 1GB Samsung DDR400-333 | Leadtek WinFast A6600 GT TDH

Last edited by chris-007; November 4th, 2007 at 03:35..

**drkIIRaziel** · November 4th, 2007, 17:03

Nice to see yet another dc emu realsed ! This is getting fun

Tatsh :
Dont be so bad about closed source projects .. its not allways possible to open em.There are many devers & other problems (like, where did the docs come from ?) that get in the way.I dont know about other developers, but keeping nullDC closed source was a hard decission for me (and, it will possibly go opensource at some point .. or some parts of it ... duno

).Plus, you have to keep in mind that most open source emus for windows get recompiled/edited with buildin virus/spyware and then released as 'enhased' versions ......

**Hard core Rikki** · November 4th, 2007, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by drkIIRaziel

Tatsh :
Dont be so bad about closed source projects .. its not allways possible to open em.There are many devers & other problems (like, where did the docs come from ?) that get in the way.I dont know about other developers, but keeping nullDC closed source was a hard decission for me (and, it will possibly go opensource at some point .. or some parts of it ... duno

Well, keeping stuff closed for reasons such as using code from another closed project is understandable. Its actually the fact that emus can die so easily, with no hope for continued building on their successes that does a significant harm. It'd be nice if there was some kind of secure central repository for sourcecode supersecure storing for closed source stuff, for in case they're "discontinued" or "anything bad" happens, so they could be disclosed to the future generations of coders in severe cases, such as death of authors or "HDD crashes"

Well, a new nullDC release wouldn't be bad anyway, for starters. Sounds cool if the code is considered to be opened, even if its for after 5 years

Let's hope no "HDD crashes" will happen till that day

__________________

NGemu toolbar http://ngemu.ourtoolbar.com

**drkIIRaziel** · November 4th, 2007, 17:21

Dont worry, nullDC uses an svn for the source, and i regularly backup the svn too

.There was a release planed for 1/11 (yes, 3 days ago) but ngemu had problems and after that my net went down for a few days and after that i had some ****ty stuff to cleanup with uni. So it got delayed once more (its like the 8th time ... meh)

PsyMan · November 4th, 2007, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by drkIIRaziel

There was a release planed for 1/11 (yes, 3 days ago)

Is this the point where I start mentioning all the previous "Release Dates" we had or should I leave it for another time?

__________________
I'm not insane. YOU are insane... You are all insane!

Click Here to Visit my Blog Page

**Hard core Rikki** · November 4th, 2007, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsyMan

Is this the point where I start mentioning all the previous "Release Dates" we had or should I leave it for another time?

PM with past and future dates or it didn't happen

__________________

NGemu toolbar http://ngemu.ourtoolbar.com

November 3rd, 2007, 00:25	#1
Chrono Archangel 6BIT Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 8,090	New Dreamcast emulator for Linux : lxdream 0.8 released! Thanks to cyclonmaster for reporting this on our forums. lxdream is a new Sega Dreamcast emulator for Linux. Here's what the author, nkeynes, had to say about this first major release: With the work done in the last month both for performance and usability, it seems worthwhile to release a new version. And since this version is actually (hopefully) useable by people who aren’t me, lxdream now has a real version number rather than a milestone. W00t! Download it and enjoy. And of course, let me know how it goes. Note: Please do not report rendering problems at this stage - there are many known bugs and unimplemented features, and it’s looking like the whole rendering stage may need to be rewritten for the next version. Changes Implement more user-friendly GD-Rom changer (closes off #31) Add recent GD-Rom image tracking Fix for CDI images with more than 1 track per session Save render buffers as part of the save state (issue #34) Show preview screenshot in save state open dialog Remove gnome dependency (now just depends on GTK 2.0+) Screenshot of the shiny new GUI: » Download*lxdream 0.8 right her on NGEmu! » Check out lxdream's homepage for more information __________________ 6BIT - Gaming, Emulation & Tech News

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

November 3rd, 2007, 17:56	#2
Tatsh Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 9	I know no one cares, as seemingly no one (especially here) runs Linux or would choose it over Windows to run emulators. Like most Linux apps, the source is available, unlike almost ALL Windows emulators (for some reason the developers think distributing their source is evil even though they give the binaries for free?) Anyway. Built the source fine on AMD64 on Gentoo. Runs pretty good. Can't do much yet, but at least the source is open. We need more projects like this; nobody is competing to make the best emulator. In a case like this, if another person wants to make a better emulator, then they can take his source but they cannot steal it (make the new source unavailable). It's all for the increase in available information to all. The proprietary software model works by letting users know nothing about how things work and expecting users to pay money every time a little thing goes wrong. Where is Microsoft's own Windows manual with all those registry hacks and everything else? I run most emulators on Linux. But Project64 is still the best N64 emulator right now, so for some emulation I'm forced to use Windows (also MAME). I really hope ePSXe source gets released in the future; I'd like a fully native 64-bit build of it. __________________ My notebook: HP Pavilion dv5030us -ATI Mobility RADEON Xpress 200 -AMD Turion 64 2.0GHz -1GB PC2700 (2 x 512MB)

November 3rd, 2007, 18:32	#3
Chrono Archangel 6BIT Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 8,090	Thanks for the little open source rant... It still amazes me that people still bring this up. There are tons of projects that are open source and are never picked up by anyone. (Open source != better.... remember that) I'm willing to bet it'll be the same thing for this one... No offense to the author as I'm glad to see new projects like this. __________________ 6BIT - Gaming, Emulation & Tech News

November 4th, 2007, 17:03	#6
drkIIRaziel Emu author Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Athens,Greece Posts: 584	Nice to see yet another dc emu realsed ! This is getting fun Tatsh : Dont be so bad about closed source projects .. its not allways possible to open em.There are many devers & other problems (like, where did the docs come from ?) that get in the way.I dont know about other developers, but keeping nullDC closed source was a hard decission for me (and, it will possibly go opensource at some point .. or some parts of it ... duno ).Plus, you have to keep in mind that most open source emus for windows get recompiled/edited with buildin virus/spyware and then released as 'enhased' versions ......

November 4th, 2007, 17:21	#8
drkIIRaziel Emu author Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Athens,Greece Posts: 584	Dont worry, nullDC uses an svn for the source, and i regularly backup the svn too .There was a release planed for 1/11 (yes, 3 days ago) but ngemu had problems and after that my net went down for a few days and after that i had some ****ty stuff to cleanup with uni. So it got delayed once more (its like the 8th time ... meh)