I've got an idea/experiment/theory regarding VisualBoyAdvance....

[Goku7]

Ok, from the current versions of VBA, it seems that nearly everything in it has been emulated to a pretty good level, to where even totally new games that are released, such as Metroid Fusion already are compatible with the emu.

However, now that I've got my own GameCube, and Metroid Prime, and that I also have Fusion via emulation, I'm starting to think that it may be possible to emulate the GBA-GCN link function using VBA, or some other GBA emu. So, those of you who're into cable splicing or simply jury-rigging a PC>GCN adaptor may gather around:

First, we would need an easy way of getting an output port for VBA to communicate with the "outside world". I think we can solve this by adding code to have it either take control of a Serial or Parallel port (whichever one would be available, perhaps a Parallel port would work better, since IIRC a Serial cable/port doesn't let information flow upstream and downstream at the same time, an ability which we may need).

Now that we've got a port thru which we can output stuff, we need a cable that it'll travel thru. Considering that we've been able to get n64 and PSX controllers to work with DirectX via an adapter, we know that translating the signals is possible.

For you people who wanna see if cable splicing can do the trick, that's where the experimentation comes in. Once its done right, we should be able to have VisualBoyAdvance recognize and "talk" with the GCN, and thus unlock various things that you would get had you used a real GBA.

I know what you're saying. "Dude, just get a GBA and the game to hook it up and get the stuff."

Well, here's the thing. This idea I have, its just to see if it could be done in the first place, and you gotta admit, some of you are probably wondering if this could be done anyway. Obviously, even if a PC->GCN adapter could be jury-rigged, we'd still need the emu to be coded to interface with the GCN thru whatever port that would be used.

So, anyone interested?

[wknight]

Noone will do that for a fair while, im personally waiting on a GBA emulator for ps2 :\, and yes i do realize some games wouldnt fit into the ps2's ram.

[Mad]

how much RAm does the PS2 have???
and how BIG can a gba rom be??

[jegHegy]

gawd, people, this is a month old thread!

nyaa

[T.O.F.K.A.Z]

Can anyone close this thread already ???

[Shiori]

Well, no one has answered his query until now.

[ChrisJ]

Why should some close this thread? Anyways, I think that it would take a lot more coding to implement the connection. Also, the PS2's RAM is bigger than the entire game how could the game require more RAM than space it takes.

[Goku7]

Heh. So, people finally did reply to this. Well, I appreciate the fact that people did indeed read this.

Now that I got people actually talking about this, lemme ask another question:

Exactly how much difference is there in the wiring in the Game Link Cable compared to, say, a USB cable?

I was noticing that the other day, the connector on the Game Link Cable/normal GameCube Controllers look a lot like that other, older type of USB cable connector. I think it was called a "Type A USB connector" or something.

[felinusz]

Hate to be a pessimist >8-( but...

Seeing as noone has made anything that allows one to use those godawful pokemon games for gameboy WITH those godawful pokemon stadium games for N64 over two different emulators (and this doesn't require any hardware adapters to be researched and tooled up by hand) and seeing as N64 has been emulated for quite some time, I don't think it is very likely that you will be able to achieve this... best of luck though !

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like such an a$$hole there...

[Phoenix]

IIRC Forgotten has said that he won't be writting such line of code to link VBA between computer or even through the net. Refer to this please:
http://www.ngemu.com/forums/showthre...threadid=31234

[felinusz]

I don't care if Forgotten or anyone else has said that they will not be writing such a piece of code, I am using the fact that such a piece of code DOES NOT EXIST and WILL NOT EXIST to try and prove the point that this idea is unlikely to go anywhere.

Please read posts more thouroughly so that you will completely understand what their author is trying to say.

[Goku7]

Originally posted by felinusz
I don't care if Forgotten or anyone else has said that they will not be writing such a piece of code, I am using the fact that such a piece of code DOES NOT EXIST and WILL NOT EXIST to try and prove the point that this idea is unlikely to go anywhere.

Please read posts more thouroughly so that you will completely understand what their author is trying to say.

I sense hostility......at least, from that last line.

Look, you could have said that with a little more tact, as it sounded very close to being a flame projected at the idea of it. As I stated, its only a theory. This may be a stupid question but how is it that you know the code itself is physically impossible to exist in a program, present or future (obviously not present, but its a figure of speech)? The code may be possible to write, but the cable needed to connect the two is the major hurdle, as there doesn't seem to be one in existence. Yet.

For all we know, some guy in Asia with too much time on his hands may come up with a cable that can work, its all about signal translation, and that usually, is what adapters (like ps/2 to USB adapters) do.

Second, if you're refering to my post in the other thread, I wanted to ask Forgotten what his reasons may be for not bothering to write in such code, as it seems he never really addressed the GBA-GCN link in that thread, so I figured it really wouldn't hurt to ask.

For refusing to do netplay coding, he has valid reasons, especially considering that not everyone has broadband. Some of those reasons, though, don't necessarily apply to emulating only the GBA-side of a GCN-GBA link, as one console is the real deal, plus there really wouldn't be any additional CPU power needed than what running VBA already takes, as only one system needs emulating.

As far as needing to emulate the speed of data thruput, a USB cable/port (even the v1.1 USB) could easily handle the output of the GBA, IF the output rate using the link cable is roughly the same as the thruput seen between two GBA's on a multiplayer game.

[felinusz]

I apologize, I was pretty pissed when that innocent fellow directed me to a post that had nothing to do with what I was trying to get across.

As for how I know that this piece of code is impossible: The fact is that I don't, my saying that it will never exist is simply me blowing hot (angry) air around.

I am merely saying that it is quite a difficult project to get into, I am not accusing you of having a stupid idea, it is an interesting concept, just one that I personally believe requires more work than the results would warrent.

Please, no offense was meant in any way up there.

As for that guy in Asia, I am sure that he is out there somewhere, working hard to make his dream and life-work become a reality.

[Goku7]

I didn't say that you were actually flaming me. Just that it sounded awful close to being a flame.

Don't worry, I am not taking offense, considering that you could have been responding to ANYBODY other than me, that has already spoken in this thread.

By the same token, you should (as a courtesy to the other people) probably specify who you're talking to (either directly or with a quote), when posting something that could otherwise be taken by multiple people as possibly a flame message that's directly aimed at them.

Originally posted by felinusz
I am merely saying that it is quite a difficult project to get into, I am not accusing you of having a stupid idea, it is an interesting concept, just one that I personally believe requires more work than the results would warrent.

True, for many people that may be the case. However, as my parents have essentially BANNED me from owning any sort of physical GB hardware (they think I play games to much already to have access to portable ones....), I am essentially locked out of all the goodies that such a link would make possible for me; otherwise, I would certainly pay the money for a real GBA so I could get access to that stuff.

[felinusz]

Goku7: Good, glad no one is offended.
Back to the issue at hand though, your first goal is to find out how exactly the GCN controller cables are wired, then find someone knowledgeable (and good enough with a soldering iron ) enough to make you a adapter... This problem might be already solved for you as I believe that I saw a GCN controller - USB adapter for sale on Lik-Sang... you would just (JUST -> eheh :eyes: ) have to cannibilize that and add some new features to it.

Originally posted by Goku7


.....my parents have essentially BANNED me from owning any sort of physical GB hardware.....

\\\




That really sucks.

[Goku7]

Originally posted by felinusz
Back to the issue at hand though, your first goal is to find out how exactly the GCN controller cables are wired, then find someone knowledgeable (and good enough with a soldering iron ) enough to make you a adapter... This problem might be already solved for you as I believe that I saw a GCN controller - USB adapter for sale on Lik-Sang... you would just (JUST -> eheh :eyes: ) have to cannibilize that and add some new features to it.

Hmmm...it goes GCN controller->USB Port, in that order?

In that case, all I may need is a female->male adapter to make it plug into the GCN, and then some code that would make VBA output thru the proper channels....

Which means that there may not be that much cannabilization needed in the first place.

[Phoenix]

Originally posted by felinusz
I apologize, I was pretty pissed when that innocent fellow directed me to a post that had nothing to do with what I was trying to get across.

I was just trying to show Goku7 that Forgotten won't be writting such a thing. In that thread a few posts below is Forgotten's reply.
One more thing, doesn't matter how pissed off you can be, is no excuse to be so hostile with people like that.
Maybe I didn't read the post completely so I could be more helpful on what Goku7 was saying.
The fact that you apologized, tells me that you're a reasonable nice person.