Future of Xeon

[stranger90]

I'm think that in the 2007 Xbox can be playable on PC! Also with original DVD (remember that Xbox DVD can't be read by normal DVD drive. What do you thinking?

[dynamicVoidMain]

I think nobody will care.

The only reason it is so far behind in development is becase nobody has any interest in it being emulated, otherwise I think it would probably be easiest to emulate the xbox because it has an x86 cpu...

[chipsugar]

The old "it's an x86 cpu so it will be easier" argument has been done to death. Basically the problem is that the development kit (XDK) used to code each game has near total control over the xbox hardware. That means that each function of the XDK that is called has to be wrapped to an equivalent kernel/directx function or - where no equivalent exists - has to totally rewritten. given the amount of functions and XDKs that is no mean feat. the "x86 cpu" factor may make the resulting emulator run faster but it will not make coding it easier.

However your point about the lack of interest is much more of a factor.

[emwearz]

I think one of the main reasons people are not intrested is due to the fact most of its 'big hitting games' (Like Fable, or Knights of the old republic) can be played on pc's.

[blueshogun96]

I think it would probably be easiest to emulate the xbox because it has an x86 cpu...

Quite frankly, that's far from true. For LLE's sake, emulating the Pentium III is really no big deal, but almost everything else is what makes the system hard. For instance, the hardest chip to emulate on the Xbox is the GPU, aka the NV2A which is an NVidia Geforce 3 on steroids. Even though all NVidia GPUs are VGA compatible and operate with the same register offsets, they are poorly documented. Only a few NVidia GPU register offsets are documented, and a handful of the documented have unknown purposes. Second is the MCPX (Media Communication Processor for Xbox) which is also crafted by NVidia. This processor is highly mysterious especially when it comes to the boot process. Next is the Audio system. The Xbox audio system contains 4 (or is it 5?) DSPs. The only one to my knowledge that is at all documented is it's Motorola 56300 DSP. It also has an AC '97 codec. The other DSPs are a mystery and are undocumented. And the BIOS, oh God... not the BIOS... what the Xbox BIOS does during many parts of the Xbox boot processes is still a mystery to this day. There's alot more to add to this diffculty, like the PIC (Programmable Interrupt Controller), Xcodes, various video encoders, etc. So don't let the "It should be easy to emulate because it's just like a PC." line fool you, because emulating the Xbox using LLE is VERY hard And if you ask me, it's by far one of the hardest of hard systems to emulate (even if you are using HLE). And yes, I dare to say this in spite of the flames I might get... harder than PS2.

Basically the problem is that the development kit (XDK) used to code each game has near total control over the xbox hardware. That means that each function of the XDK that is called has to be wrapped to an equivalent kernel/directx function or - where no equivalent exists - has to totally rewritten.

HLE wise, yeah, thats really only a part of the problem. Not only that, but all of the xbox's kernel functions have to be intercepted and hijacked too. Last I checked, Cxbx's HLE kernel thunk was very empty (66 out of 366 functions emulated). So even if you hack every XDK ever made by M$, you still can't emulate very many games.

And yes, the lack of interest is definetly the biggest reason why Xbox emulation isn't doing so good, if it's at all doing.

[dynamicVoidMain]

harder than ps2? Hmm, thats news for me

Ok, so what your saying is that there are whole bits and pieces of the xbox that have no documentation of in existence to the public domain?

[blueshogun96]

Actually, harder than PS2 is just my opinion, others may vary.

Ok, so what your saying is that there are whole bits and pieces of the xbox that have no documentation of in existence to the public domain?

Yeah, the Xbox contains alot of little chips and hardware peices that most people overlook and not notice the difficulty of emulating. And the information that does exist isn't complete. But don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that emulating the Xbox using LLE is impossible. It is, but the amount of public domain documentation available to do so is limited.

[ready2rumbelX]

So, from anyones knowledge, are there any XBOX emu's still in production? From what I understand, the odds are small....

r2rX

[FrostyTheSnowman]

I think it would be nice to emulate the XBOX one day, but realistically I don't see it happening. There are too many Sony/Nintendo fanboys, and not nearly enough Microsoft fanboys for any XBOX emulators to ever really be developed.

And, for the record, I do agree with blueshogun96 on the fact that the XBOX would be harder to emulate than the PS2. Just because the PC and the XBOX have similar CPUs, it doesn't mean it would be any easier to emulate.

[dynamicVoidMain]

but once compatibility reaches a decent level the speed will be great


I doubt anyone would though, and the xbox doesnt have many if any original exclusive titles unlike the ps2/gc..

[slayer410]

Originally Posted by dynamicVoidMain

but once compatibility reaches a decent level the speed will be great


I doubt anyone would though, and the xbox doesnt have many if any original exclusive titles unlike the ps2/gc..

O RLY? I can name three of the top of my head. Black, Conker, Halo 2, and there is many more...

[dynamicVoidMain]

halo 2's coming to PC

as for the rest, well there aren't nearly as many as on the ps2/gc nor are their qualities as high

[blueshogun96]

Actually, most of my Xbox games are Xbox exclusives (i.e. Azurik, Oddworld, Night Caster, Shenmue 2, Panzer Dragoon Orta and more I can't remember). Azurik: Rize of Perathia is my favorite Xbox game (Halo aside) and I don't see any good reason to hate the game so much.

@slayer: Black is NOT an Xbox exclusive. There is a PS2 version.

And don't worry, there's some bravehart out there who's willing to take on this impossible challenge... I'm sure of it.

[emwearz]

Shenmue 2 is not exclusive to xbox.....

[shafeen]

well so cant some guys make an emu team and carry out emulation there are some good coders here not engaged in other projects

i could be a tester

[dynamicVoidMain]

I cna make an emu team, but it will consist of just one person, and I don't know the first thing about emulation... I'm still trying to understand how linked lists work

[blueshogun96]

@emuwearz: Oops, forgot

Also, I just wanted to point out that Halo 2 is going to be Windows Vista only (via DirectX10) afaik. And there arent that many gamers willing to spend x amount of money just to upgrade to Vista just to play Halo 2. I'd personally rather have Halo 2 emulated on WinXP or 2k using OpenGL.

[slayer410]

Maybe someone should start a team?

[Dave_utopias]

Xbox emulation would be cool...
If someone make up a team and then worked up maybe someone can appreciate this...

I appreciating this when it come out because i'm a fan of oddworld series..

and i've never played Oddworld Munch oddysee or just Oddworld Strangers WRATH on my xbox (because i don't have an xbox , i've buyed that titles just for have it...)

I wanna playing it ; and don't tell em now Xbox 're cheap and other think...
I wanna playing on my pc for more space at my Home..

Feel free to say that xbox is more cool for other game like that...


is for this reason that someone must construct - develoaping somewhat.

If is necessary i'm going to study coding c++ c# and java and then i'm looking for homebrew production.

[JKKDARK]

and i've never played Oddworld Munch oddysee or just Oddworld Strangers WRATH on my xbox (because i don't have an xbox , i've buyed that titles just for have it...)

It's illegal if you don't have the console..