MasterGear-Android 2.7.1 Published

[fms]

Hello, All!

For the first time since last September, I released the new version of MasterGear for Windows and Linux. MasterGear 3.7 binaries can be downloaded from the homepage:

http://fms.komkon.org/MG/ -- homepage
http://fms.komkon.org/MG/MG37-Windows-bin.zip -- free Windows binary
http://fms.komkon.org/MG/MG37-Ubuntu-x86-bin.tgz -- free Linux binary

This release adds options to force the 4:3 "television" screen and disable Direct3D linear interpolation, if required. I have also made many improvements to MIDI playback and recording and fixed a few platform specific things here and there. See below for the complete change list.

ALL CHANGES:
* Added "Nearest Neighbor" option to disable linear interpolation.
* Added "Force 4:3 Screen" option to MG-Windows.
* Fixed "Hit MIDI Drums" option in MG-Windows.
* Fixed 44kHz sound hiccups when 50Hz sync selected in MG-Windows.
* Computing effective waveform power when simulating samples via MIDI.
* MG-Windows will not overwrite last loaded file name with other names.
* Keys [1]-[8] will toggle individual sound channels in MG-Windows.
* Key [0] will toggle all sound channels in MG-Windows.
* Added -4x3 command line option to MG-Unix.
* Fixed creating file associations on Windows 8+.
* Added a new icon to MG-Windows.

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

MasterGear 3.6.9, a new version of my Sega MasterSystem and GameGear emulator for Android, is now online:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This release improves the Layout Editor, maps your analog gamepad triggers to L2/R2 buttons, and adds cheats for more GameGear games. See complete change list below.

ALL CHANGES:
* Tap screen to toggle title bar in Layout Editor.
* Items no longer jump in Layout Editor when you start moving them.
* Analog gamepad triggers now mapped to L2/R2 buttons.
* Fixed MIDI drums option that simulates noise channel with drums.
* Added cheats for 3 more GameGear games.
* Added cheats for Incredible Crush Dummies.
* Added cheats for Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade.
* Added cheats for Itchy And Scratchy Game.

Have fun!

[fms]

Hello, All!

MasterGear 3.6.11, a new version of my Sega MasterSystem and GameGear emulator for Android published today, rolls out changes previously introduced in my other emulators:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

I have fixed several special effects filters on devices with low-precision 3D hardware and removed tiny text cues from gamepad skins that have their own cues.

ALL CHANGES:
* Fixed CMY/RGB filter shaders on low-end GPUs (Mali-400).
* Fixed scanline simulation shaders on low-end GPUs (Mali-400).
* Removed text cues from joystick skins that have them already.

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

MasterGear 3.7 for Android is now online:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

For this release, I have added support for "content://" URIs, so MasterGear should now work with more third-party apps, such as email clients and file managers. Among other things, compatibility with the latest Astro File Manager has been restored. I have also refactored quite a lot of code, including the virtual buttons implementation and the utilities for obtaining extended info from ROM files. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Fixed support for opening SMS/GG files from Astro File Manager.
* Added support for opening "content://" URIs.
* Refactored file type definitions in the manifest.
* Refactored EMULib library code.
* Moved virtual buttons implementation into OvrButton class.
* Moved file-specific utilities into FileInfo class.

Have fun!

[fms]

Hello, All!

I have published MasterGear 4.0 for Android, the next major release of my Sega MasterSystem, GameGear, and SG-1000 emulator:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This release adds support for the SMS2 console (aka Mark IV Jr) and its extended screen modes. GameGear compatibility improved as well, since some GameGear games use the same extended screen modes. I have also enabled EEPROM emulation in two more GameGear titles and fixed sprites in Madou Monogatari 2. Finally, by public request, MasterGear will no longer ask for the READ_PHONE_STATE permission, previously used to obtain the IMEI. I have now switched from IMEI to AndroidID, in case you need help and I have to identify your device in the logs. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Added "Emulation | Model | MasterSystem 2" options.
* MasterSystem 2 is now the default hardware model.
* Implemented proper 224/240-line screen modes.
* Fixed Linus Spacehead (GG) flicker and offset screen.
* Fixed StarTrek Next Generation (GG) offset screen.
* Fixed Micro Machines (SMS/GG) scrolling problems.
* Fixed Madou Monogatari 2 (GG) by setting VDP[6]=0xFF on reset.
* Fixed missing "TM" letters in many title screens.
* Fixed World Series Baseball '95 (GG) hangup due to missing EEPROM.
* Fixed World Series Baseball (GG) hangup due to missing EEPROM.
* No longer asking for READ_PHONE_STATE permission.
* Application will use AndroidID rather than IMEI to identify users.
* When emailing for support, attach your AndroidID (dial "*#*#8255#*#*").

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

MasterGear 4.0.1 for Android, a new version of my Sega MasterSystem, GameGear, and SG-1000 emulator, is currently online and ready to download:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This release fixes a bunch of rare crashes reported by the new and improved Google Play Console. I have also improved support for certain gamepads that report trigger buttons as a directional axis. When emulator detects such a fake "axis" it automatically ignores it. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Eliminated false directional events from analog gamepads (XBox360).
* Fixed multiple crashes reported by the new Google Play Console.
* Fixed crashes when showing or dismissing progress dialog in the File Selector.
* Fixed crash when blitting image to screen while exiting.
* Fixed crash when starting a game from the Gallery on Android Nougat.
* Fixed crash when exiting Palette Editor on Android Nougat.
* Hopefully fixed rare crash in the File Selector onCreate().
* Hopefully fixed rare crash in Palette Editor RGB dialog.

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

I have just released MasterGear 4.0 for Windows and Linux, the new version of my universal Sega MasterSystem, GameGear, and SG-1000 emulator:

http://fms.komkon.org/MG/ -- homepage
http://fms.komkon.org/MG/MG40-Windows-bin.zip -- free Windows version
http://fms.komkon.org/MG/MG40-Ubuntu-x86-bin.tgz -- free Linux version

This release adds support for the SMS2 hardware model and now uses it as the default, since some games expect SMS2-specific features. I have also fixed many games, mainly ones made by Codemasters, and added support for DirectInput joysticks on Windows. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* MasterSystem 2 is now the default hardware model.
* Implemented proper 224/240-line screen modes.
* Fixed Linus Spacehead (GG) flicker and offset screen.
* Fixed StarTrek Next Generation (GG) offset screen.
* Fixed Micro Machines (SMS/GG) scrolling problems.
* Fixed Madou Monogatari 2 (GG) by setting VDP[6]=0xFF on reset.
* Fixed missing "TM" letters in many title screens.
* Fixed World Series Baseball '95 (GG) hangup due to missing EEPROM.
* Fixed World Series Baseball (GG) hangup due to missing EEPROM.
* Added -sms2 command line option.
* Added "Hardware | Console Model | MasterSystem 2" option to MG-Windows.
* Added support for DirectInput joysticks to MG-Windows.
* Moved all input-related options to the "Input" menu in MG-Windows.
* Fixed crash when changing audio sampling rate in MG-Windows.
* Added "Draw 65% Frames" option to MG-Windows.
* Fixed screen updates after changing scaling algorithm in MG-Windows.

Have fun!

[fms]

Hello, All!

I have published MasterGear 4.0.2 for Android today, a new version of my Sega MasterSystem, GameGear, and SG-1000 emulator:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This version is based on the latest MasterGear 4.0 for Windows and Linux, released earlier this month. In addition, I have fixed a bunch of real and potential crashes in both native and Java code. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Released free MasterGear 4.0 for Windows and Linux.
* Hopefully fixed a crash in the native startup code.
* Hopefully fixed two native crashes when drawing screen.
* Fixed crash when parsing URI during startup.
* Fixed two Java crash sources when the emulation starts.
* Fixed crash when dismissing progress dialog in Cheatopedia.
* Fixed the order of calls in onPause() / onStop() / onDestroy().

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

The new MasterGear 4.0.3 for Android is now online:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This release fixes a bug where the File Selector would get stuck on unreadable folders, not letting the user switch away from them. This version will not let you go into unreadable folders. If you need to quickly jump between folders (such as internal and external storage), use the new "Change Folder" option in the File Selector. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Added "Change Folder" option to the File Selector for jumping between folders.
* Fixed File Selector getting stuck at unreadable folders.
* Made folder listing error a bit less threatening, since it has become the new normal in Android 7+.
* Fixed native crash when processing initial commands sent by Java side.
* Fixed crash when loading an invalid skin bitmap file.
* Fixed minor bug with YM2413 drum channels when loading state.

Enjoy!

[fms]

Hello, All!

MasterGear 4.1 for Android is now online:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=com.fms.mg

This release majorly improves automatic hardware and language detection and adds correct video timings for both NTSC and PAL modes. I have also did some work on the Joystick Layout Editor, fixing a bunch of bugs and making display rectangle freely resizable in both dimensions. Do keep in mind though that since the console screen has a certain ratio, it may not necessarily fill the rectangle you choose. The screen will always "stick" to the top of the rectangle. See below for all the changes.

ALL CHANGES:
* Console model and other hardware options will now be saved.
* Greatly improved automatic hardware and language detection.
* Fixed video timings for both NTSC and PAL modes.
* Fixed scanline length to 228 CPU clocks.
* Fixed NTSC/PAL screen length to 262/313 scanlines.
* Fixed music speed in Sonic Chaos (GG).
* Greatly improved the Layout Editor, fixing many bugs.
* Layout Editor now lets you resize screen in both dimensions.
* Screen rectangle will stay centered while resizing.
* Buttons gravity will be restored when resetting layout.
* Made states/screenshots deletion more reliable.
* Fixed hangup on exit where Java code waits for non-existent native thread.
* Removed outdated features from the EMULib code.

Enjoy!