IgpSP
From wikiPodLinux
- The title of this article should be igpsp. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical limitations.
 | The content of this article is UNSUPPORTED. Please do NOT contact the core iPodLinux team if you have problems with anything mentioned here! |
| Gameboy Advance emulator for the iPod | |
| |
| Category | Emulator |
|---|---|
| Maintainer | Keripo |
| Last updated | 11 May 2008 |
| Version | 0.9-2xb K3 |
| Runs on | All Color iPods supported by iPodLinux |
| Requires | iPod with iPodlinux, legal obtained GBA bios, legal obtained ROMs |
| Download | Image:IgpSP-0.9-2Xb-K3.tar.gz |
| Support | forums (http://www.ipodlinux.org/forums) |
igpSP is a GameBoy Advance emulator for the iPods supported by hotdog. It is a port of Exophase's fast gpSP (http://gpsp-dev.blogspot.com/) emulator written for the PSP and GP2X. igpSP is currently maintained by Keripo.
| Table of contents |
Features
- Port of latest open-source source code (gpSP 0.9 2Xb)
- ARM optimizations via GP2X target
- Uses hotdog for fast graphics rendering on the iPod
- Uses the iPod's co-processor (COP) for slight speed boost
- Able to achieve 50-70% real-time speeds (depending on the game - see ROM list below)
- Poor but working sound support (very choppy due to slow emulation, no sound recommended)
- Slimmed down menu with added 'Alpha Blending' setting
Downloads
- Keripo's build, 0.9-2xb K3 (Latest release)
- Keripo's build, 0.9-2xb K2 (Second release)
- Keripo's build, 0.9-2xb K1 (Clean re-port)
- Zacaj's latest version, 0.9-2xb (No sound)
- Zacaj's older version, 0.9-2xa (With sound)
- Zaphod's build, 0.9-2xa (http://scs.ryerson.ca/~sriddle/igpsp0_9xa.zip) (First port - source code here (http://scs.ryerson.ca/~sriddle/igpsp_src0_9xa.zip))
Installation
Usage of igpSP is the same as with the PSP and GP2X versions. These instructions are for Keripo's latest build.
1. First you need a legit BIOS dump of your GameBoy Advance named 'gba_bios.bin' and placed in the same directory as the igpSP binary. The GBA BIOS is copyright material; distribution of the file is illegal. Do not ask others for where to find it. For instructions on dumping your BIOS file from your GBA hardware, see here (http://wiki.pocketheaven.com/GBA_BIOS).
2. After you have a legit BIOS dump, you will want to get some games (ROMS) to use with the emulator. If you want to play commercial games, you will have to dump them from your own cartridges. Distribution of commercial ROM files is illegal. There are, however, hundreds of free, public domain homebrew games written for the GBA that will work on igpSP. To download some of these free, public domain ROMs, visit PDRoms (http://www.pdroms.de/files/gameboyadvance/).
3. Once you have your 'gba_bios.bin' and ROM dumps, copy the files along with the igpSP binaries and the 'game_config.txt' file directly to your iPod. You can place the ROM files anywhere you want provide that you're willing to spend the time to browse to them on your iPod later. All the other files need to be put in the same location.
4. Now you're prepared to run the emulator. igpSP can be either started up directly or run with a ROM file as its argument. One method is to browse to the igpSP binary from podzilla2 and execute it. You may also use Loader 2 but you will have to change the working directory to the same location as your binary (i.e. symlink 'minix' to 'cd', have Loader 2 execute a script file which will 'cd' to the right location then execute your igpSP binary with a ROM file as an optional argument).
Controls
Once you find your way into igpSP, you will want to know how to navigate around. To change games, go to the "Load new game" menu item and browse around for the ROM file you want to play (gpSP recognizes only files with a '.gba' and '.bin' file extension).
Switch between in-game and menu by using the hold switch at the top of your iPod.
In the igpSP menu, the controls are as followed:
MENU = up PAUSE/PLAY = down REWIND = left (on settings) FAST FORWARD = right (on settings) CENTRE = selection (of menu item) HOLD SWITCH = exit menu
In-game, controls are based on wheel touches as well as key presses. They are as followed.
TOUCH UP = up TOUCH DOWN = down TOUCH LEFT = left TOUCH RIGHT = right TOUCH UP-RIGHT = A TOUCH UP-LEFT = B TOUCH DOWN-RIGHT = start TOUCH DOWN-LEFT = select MENU = up + B PAUSE/PLAY = down + B REWIND = left trigger FAST FORWARD = right trigger CENTRE = A HOLD SWITCH = enter menu
Tweaking
Once you get familiar with igpSP, you may want to tweak some settings to improve speed for your game.
There are two builds of igpSP: one with sound and one without. The build with sound will playback in-game sound as expected; however, due to slow emulation speed from the iPod's insufficient hardware, the sound output may be very choppy (especially for commercial games) and generally not worth having on. The build with no sound has sound support completely removed and, as a result, is significantly faster. It is highly recommended that the build without sound be used for speed.
igpSP can also be sped up through setting tweaks at the cost of proper emulation. In the 'Graphics and Sound' sub-menu are settings pertaining to frameskipping and an added one for alpha blending. The frameskip value is recommended to be set at 4 to 6 for speed (2 to 3 if things get too choppy). Depending on your game, turning alpha blending off may help improve speeds but at the cost of poorer graphics (i.e. areas that make use of transparency will instead be solid colours). How you decide to tweak your settings depends on both your game and how much true-emulation you're willing to sacrifice for emulation speed.
Images
Click on the images to enlarge them.
Working Roms List
Note: When you add working games to the list, please report correct emulation speeds in comparison to a full-speed emulator. Just because a game seems playable to you doesn't mean it is running at 70% speed - most commercial ROMs only run at between 40-70% speed even with the latest igpSP build. Many of the speed percentages listed on the below ROM lists are also inaccurate. If you are able to test the same ROMs and can compare the performance with a full-speed emulator (i.e. a emulator for the PC or gpSP on PSP or GP2X), please correct the numbers. Thanks!
Discussion
The current igpSP thread can be found here (http://ipodlinux.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29996). The original first thread can be found here (http://www.ipodlinux.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=24520) (Locked topic). A later discussion thread can be found here (http://ipodlinux.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27834).
Thanks
- Exophase/Excimer (http://gpsp-dev.blogspot.com/) - Developer of the amazing gpSP emulator
- Zaphod (http://www.ipodlinux.org/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=15176) - First ported gpSP to iPodLinux
- Zacaj - Continued Zaphod's work with optimizations
- Keripo - Re-ported gpSP cleanly and current maintainer
- iPL Devs - Developing hotdog and porting Linux to the iPod
