openMSX 0.11.0 released

The openMSX team just released a new version of the MSX emulator that aims for perfection.

openMSX 0.11.0 -NotOneButDoubleOne- brings you the following important new features: VDP access timing now also for MSX1 modes (corruption with too fast VRAM access will be visible now), implementation of most detailed differences between all used VDP chips and emulation of MegaFlashROM SCC+ SD.

On top of that, there are some important (long standing) bug fixes, like the proper implementation of envelopes for MSX-AUDIO, fixing for example "Copy is Crime" by Impact. And last but not least, a lot of work was done under the hood, giving you even better performance and preparations for the future.

Together with openMSX an updated version of Catapult, the user-friendly GUI for openMSX, was released with only some minor improvements to it this time.

Here are the highlights:

MSX VDP support

• implemented access timing also for character and text modes (both for MSX1 VDP's and V99x8): too fast VDP access will now cause corruption on openMSX too
• added support for specific MSX1 VDP's (mostly thanks to hap for all the research):
  
  • the exact VDP type can now be specified in the config file
  • differences between Toshiba T6950/T7937A, TMS99xx and TMS91xx MSX1 VDP's are now emulated (except sprite cloning)
  • updated many machine configs with the proper MSX1 VDP type (where known, additions/corrections are welcome!)
• implemented that V99x8 does not support undocumented mixed modes
• fixed bug in 5/9th sprite detection status register
• added I/O port mirroring to machines of which we are certain it exists

MSX-AUDIO (Y8950) and related

• fixed envelope for MSX-AUDIO (Y8950), the infamous legato-envelope bug is now finally fixed!
• fixed handling of key-off for percussive tones
• fixed detection of Philips Music Module in Tetris II Special Edition

Other MSX device support

• added emulation of MegaFlashROM SCC+ SD. Note: the implementation is such that existing software works on it, but do not fully rely on it when developing for this cartridge!
• improved Sony HBI-55 emulation
• fixed some details in several machine configurations
• fixed KANA/CODE key not working in CHARACTER input mode
• added the following machines: Daewoo CPC-51 Zemmix V, Daewoo CPC-300E, Toshiba HX-51I, Yamaha YIS-503IIR, Toshiba FS-TM1, Sanyo MPC-10 (Wavy 10), Yamaha CX5MII, Fujitsu FM-X (thanks to NYYRIKKI, Werner Kai, Maxim Vlasov and Alex Krasivsky)
• added the Casio KB-7 and KB-10 docking stations (note: these extensions only work with the Casio PV-7 and MX-10 respectively; do not be worried when they appear to be not working according to Catapult!)
• added the MSX Acid Test machines, contributed by FRS
• added the Gradiente CT-80E 80 column card extension, thanks to Maurício Braga

New or improved emulator features

• added de-flicker video filter via new 'deflicker' setting. Use this to remove flickering in cases like the dvik demos where 105 colors are simulated on MSX1 by alternating different native colors. It's disabled by default.
• performance improvements, with sped up execution of Tcl scripts and many various other optimizations
• fixed auto_enable_reverse (set/unset auto enabling reverse at startup)
• rewrote most OpenGL 2 code to be more compatible with OpenGL ES
• improved guessing of mapper type for 64kB ROMs
• fixed a bug with watch_points affecting the execution flow
• fixed corruption in XSA disk images
• added NYYRIKKI's fast CAS loading/saving script, enable with setting the
• 'fast_cas_load_hack_enabled' setting to on
• joysticks/controllers changes: setting to configure dead zone for joysticks, added support for joystick hats (can be used just like buttons) and improved support in OSD menu (take deadzone into account)
• added dir-as-disk support for the OSD menu
• removed experimental libao sound driver
• added support for R-ALT on Korean keyboard (thanks to Miso Kim)
• TAS: added possibility to query the length of the current replay (defined as the time stamp of the last input)

Build system, packaging, documentation

• even more use of C++11 features, when using gcc use 4.7 or higher
• removed build dependency on libxml2
• removed many/all unused features/libs from the build system
• added support to cross compile with MinGW-w64 for (at least) 32 bit Windows using Linux
• cleaned up the stuff in the doc directory - you now get what we really wanted you to get :)
• changed packaging method to include stuff by default instead of exclude stuff by default
• fixed native compilation on mipsel
• upgraded C-BIOS to release 0.27

And of course the usual various bug fixes.

Have fun!

Relevant link: openMSX website