whatsnew.txt

0.58


Other drivers changes:
----------------------

- Fixed (?) collision detection in Thunder Cross. [Eddie Edwards]

- Fixed the VLM5030 emulation (Punch Out, Track & Field, Yie-Ar Kung Fu etc.).
  [Tatsuyuki Satoj]


Changes to the main program:
----------------------------

- [windows] New blitting effect "-effect sharp". This gives a sharper image
  than the default. [Aaron Giles]


Source:
-------

- New macros have been added to declare common callback functions and enforce
  naming conventions. All drivers have been converted to the new macros:

      void init_drivername()            -> DRIVER_INIT( name )
      int generate_int()                -> INTERRUPT_GEN( func )
      void name_init_machine()          -> MACHINE_INIT( name )
      void nvram_handler()              -> NVRAM_HANDLER( name )
      void name_vh_convert_color_prom() -> PALETTE_INIT( name )
      int name_vh_start()               -> VIDEO_START( name )
      void name_vh_stop()               -> VIDEO_STOP( name )
      void name_vh_eof()                -> VIDEO_EOF( name )
      void name_vh_screenrefresh()      -> VIDEO_UPDATE( name )

- Major change to the way machine drivers are set up. A series of macros is
  now available (defined in driver.h) to "build up" a machine driver. The
  ordering of items in the machine driver is arbitrary, apart from CPU-specific
  data, which is tied to the most-recently referenced CPU. With this new format,
  machine drivers can now be built by modifying another machine driver,
  providing a primitive inheritance mechanism. See any driver for an example
  of the new format. See mcr.c for a more complex example of inheritance.

- New functions auto_bitmap_alloc() and auto_bitmap_alloc_depth() are now
  available to create automatically managed bitmaps. Combined with auto_malloc(),
  there is no need for a video_stop function in most cases. All existing
  drivers have been modified to take advantage of these features.

- The old interrupt system has now been made officially obsolete. This means
  that the function cpu_cause_interrupt() is no longer available; you must use
  cpu_set_irq_line() or cpu_set_irq_line_and_vector() instead. It also means
  that a number of old/conflicting constants have been removed. In addition,
  interrupt generation callbacks for CPUs no longer return an IRQ line or
  vector. Instead, the interrupt callback must actively cause the interrupt
  via cpu_set_irq_line(). All existing drivers have been updated to these
  changes.

- New interrupt callback functions: nmi_line_pulse(), nmi_line_assert(),
  irqn_line_hold(), irqn_line_pulse(), irqn_line_assert(). These functions
  replace the old interrupt() and nmi_interrupt() callbacks and can be used
  directly as interrupt callbacks.

- The function tilemap_set_clip() has been removed. In its place, there is a
  new 'cliprect' parameter to tilemap_draw(). All existing drivers have been
  updated to support this change.

- In preparation for partial updating support, the parameters to video_update
  have changed. A new parameter 'cliprect' has been added, which should be
  honored. In the future, the parameter will contain the subset of the screen
  to render; for now, it just contains Machine->visible_area. In addition,
  the 'full_refresh' parameter is gone; update functions must always redraw
  the requested portion of the bitmap. Some drivers have been updated to fully
  support the cliprect; others still need to be updated.

- Two new functions have been added to the timer system. timer_create() creates
  a new "permanent" timer, and timer_adjust() adjusts the scheduling of that
  timer. This is now the only way to dynamically manipulate a timer. The old
  functions timer_set() and timer_pulse() are still around, but they no longer
  return a handle to the timer they create. Timers created with timer_create()
  should be created at initialization time, not dynamically. Timers also now
  participate in the automatic resource tracking, so there is no need to
  explicitly dispose of them. All existing drivers have been updated with the
  necessary changes.

- Basic generic NVRAM handlers have been added. For a number of games, it is
  sufficient to point the global variables 'generic_nvram' and
  'generic_nvram_size' to the location and size of the NVRAM area. In the
  machine driver, you can now specify 'generic_0fill' or 'generic_1fill' to
  request a generic NVRAM handler. The 0fill and 1fill refer to how the memory
  is initialized in the absence of an .nv file.

- The following old functions and macros have now been fully deprecated:

     cpu_get_pc()           -> activecpu_get_pc()
     cpu_get_sp()           -> activecpu_get_sp()
     cpu_getpreviouspc()    -> activecpu_get_previouspc()
     cpu_get_reg()          -> activecpu_get_reg()
     cpu_set_reg()          -> activecpu_set_reg()
     cpu_set_op_base()      -> activecpu_set_op_base()
     cpu_get_pc_byte()      -> activecpu_get_pc_byte()
     READ_WORD              -> (no equivalent)
     WRITE_WORD             -> (no equivalent)

- New function force_partial_update(), call this to force a partial update to
  occur up to and including the specified scanline. [Aaron Giles]

- ARM CPU emulation [Bryan McPhail, Phil Stroffolino]


MAME Testers bugs fixed (there are probably more)
-----------------------

rampart057yel
artwork057gre
mrgoemon36b16gre
pigout37b4gre


New games supported:
--------------------

Gun Force 2 [Chris Hardy]
Angel Kids [David Haywood]
Noboranka [Stephane Humbert]
Steel Force [David Haywood, Stephan Humbert]
Mug Smashers [David Haywood, Stephan Humbert]
Captain America [Bryan McPhail]
Lemmings [Bryan McPhail]
Flyball [Stefan Jokisch]
Grand Cross [David Graves]


New clones supported:
---------------------

Mayday (set 3)
Alpha One (prototype of Major Havoc)
Blaster (kit)
Buck Rogers (encrypted)


==========================================================================


0.57


These drivers have improved GRAPHICS:
-------------------------------------

- Fixed Quantum colors. [Aaron Giles]

- Misc fixes to Taito F3. [Bryan McPhail]

- Fixed colors in Battle City and Vs. Tetris, plus other fixes to the vsnes
  driver. [Kale]

- Fixed background color in Van-Van Car. [Nicola Salmoria]


These drivers have improved SOUND:
----------------------------------

- Added reverb to the 054539, improving sound in Xexex and Twinbee Yahhoo.
  [Olivier Galibert]

- MSM5232 support in Fairy Land Story and Buggy Challenge. [Jarek Burczynski]

- Fixed missing speech in Twinbee. [Uki]

- Fixed sound in Kirameki. [Uki]


Other drivers changes:
----------------------

- Improved C-Chip simulation in Bonze Adventure. [Stefan Jokisch, Ruben Panossian]

- Simulated protection in Pop Flamer. [Paul Priest]


Source:
-------

- New function get_black_pen() which allows to fillbitmap() the background with
  black without relying on a palette entry.

- MSM5232 sound emulator. [Jarek Burczynski, Hiromitsu Shioya]

- BSMT2000 sound emulator. [Aaron Giles]

- SSG EG type support added to YM2203 emulation (which is now complete).
  This fixes hbarrel wave sound on start of level 1, and some sound effects in
  other games (e.g. Dark Seal). [Jarek Burczynski]

- Z180 emulator. [Juergen Buchmueller]

- Fixed a bug in the nec V30 disassembler. [Bart]

- Fixed OUTSB/OUTSW bugs in I86 emulation. [Julien Frelat]


MAME Testers bugs fixed (there are probably more)
-----------------------

gameplan055red
wwfmaniab13gre
dariusg053gre
taitof3c053yel
ridingf053gre
elvactr37b15gre
asukac37b16gre1.
paperboy055yel
alleymas055yel
alpha68k055red
brkthruc055red
ajax056red
champbas056gre
msword056gre
cvs056gre
ironhors056gre
gunbird056red (to be checked)
snowbros056gre
razmataz056yel
exterm055red
harddriv055red
captcomm36b11yel
ghouls37b11gra
rbibb37b11red
excitbkj37b15gre
truxton2055gra


New games supported:
--------------------

Quiz Kokology 2 [Luca Elia]
Air Gallet [Luca Elia]
Dramatic Adventure Quiz Keith & Lucy [Luca Elia]
Survival Arts [Luca Elia]
Drift Out '94 - The Hard Order [Luca Elia]
Lovely Pop Mahjong Jan Jan Shimasyo [Luca Elia]
Meosis Magic [Luca Elia]
Mahjong Hyper Reaction 2 [Luca Elia]
Monster Slider [Luca Elia]
Gourmet Battle Quiz Ryorioh CooKing [Luca Elia]
Pachinko Sexy Reaction [Luca Elia]
Wit's [Luca Elia]
SD Gundam Psycho Salamander no Kyoui [Bryan McPhail]
Subroc 3D [Aaron Giles]
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom [Aaron Giles]
Revolution X [Aaron Giles]
Battle Toads [Aaron Giles]
Playball! [Aaron Giles]
Acrobat Mission [Bryan McPhail]
Destroyer [Stefan Jokisch]
Onna Sansirou  - Typhoon Gal [Uki]
Forty-Love [Uki]
The Undoukai [Uki]
Welltris [David Haywood]
Ultra Maru-hi Mahjong [Takahiro Nogi]
Mahjong Ren-ai Club [Takahiro Nogi]
Crystal Gal [Takahiro Nogi]
Mahjong Uchuu yori Ai wo komete [Takahiro Nogi]
AV2Mahjong No.2 Rouge no Kaori [Takahiro Nogi]
Rettou Juudan Nekkyoku Janshi - Higashi Nippon Hen [Takahiro Nogi]
Ojanko Yakata [Takahiro Nogi]
Ojanko Yakata 2bankan [Takahiro Nogi]
Chinese Casino [Takahiro Nogi]
Ojanko High School [Takahiro Nogi]
Taisen Idol-Mahjong Final Romance 2 [Takahiro Nogi, Uki]
Taisen Mahjong FinalRomance R [Takahiro Nogi, Uki]
Taisen Mahjong FinalRomance 4 [Takahiro Nogi, Uki]
Mahjong Pon Chin Kan [Takahiro Nogi, Uki]
Mosaic [Nicola Salmoria]
Sky Base [inside out boy]
Car Jamboree [inside out boy]
Popper [inside out boy]
Super Cross 2 [inside out boy]
Reikai Doushi [Phil Stroffolino]
F/A [Phil Stroffolino]
Numan Athletics [Phil Stroffolino]


New clones supported:
---------------------

Road Blasters (set 2)
Block Out (Japan)
Mahjong CLUB 90's (set 2)
Pop Flamer (protected)
Gun Bird (Korea)
Demon's World (set 2)
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (set 2)
Space Echo (= Speak & Rescue)
Volfied (US & World)
Don Pachi (Korea)
Catch-22 (= Combat)


==========================================================================


0.56


These drivers have improved GRAPHICS:
-------------------------------------

- Fixed Gururin. [Miguel Angel Horna]

- Rowscroll in Kaneko16 games. [Luca Elia]

- Overlay for Demon. [Pete Ashdown]


These drivers have improved SOUND:
----------------------------------

- Fixed sound in Venture and other Exidy games. [Aaron Giles]


Changes to the main program:
----------------------------

- Updated the cheat engine. [Ian Patterson]


Source:
-------

- V60 cpu core. [Farfetch'd, R.Belmont]


MAME Testers bugs fixed (there are probably more)
-----------------------

quizkof37b4gre
speedfrk055yel
vectorsshot055gre
chasehq055gre
blazstar37b16gre
mazinger053gre
block37b14yel
spacfury36finalgre


New games supported:
--------------------

Water Match [Nicola Salmoria]
Spatter [Nicola Salmoria]
Raflesia [Chack'n]
Kosodate Quiz My Angel [Luca Elia]
Kosodate Quiz My Angel 2 [Luca Elia]
Puzzle De Bowling [Luca Elia]
Chameleon [Luca Elia]
Wai Wai Jockey Gate-In! [Luca Elia]
Metamoqester [Luca Elia]
Star Guards [Aaron Giles]


==========================================================================


0.55


These drivers have improved GRAPHICS:
-------------------------------------

- Preliminary road support in the Taito Z games. [David Graves]


These drivers have improved SOUND:
----------------------------------

- Added support for using AY8910 and YM2203 at the same time, fixing sound in
  City Connection. [Tatsuyuki Satoh]

- Sound in Money Money and Jack Rabbit. [Nicola Salmoria]


Source:
-------

- Changed vector games to use direct RGB modes. [Mathis Rosenhauer]

- New data type pen_t, use it instead of UINT32 when dealing with pens and
  colortables.


MAME Testers bugs fixed (there are probably more)
-----------------------

3wonders054gre
artwork054gre
bssoccer054gre
bublbobl054red
cps2c054ora
drtoppel054gre
galaxian053gre
ghostb054yel
holeland37b10gre
konami054red
madmotor054gre
mrgoemon37b9gre
offroad054gre
sharkatt37b15red
stfight054red
tailg054gre
ym2151_054yel


New games supported:
--------------------

Ninja Baseball Batman [Bryan McPhail]
Sports Match [Sports Match]
Zero Hour [David Haywood]
Sky Smasher [David Graves]
New York New York [Darren Olafson]
Crazy Rally [Mathis Rosenhauer]
Space Fortress [Mike Coates]
Ultraman Club - Tatakae! Ultraman Kyoudai!! [Luca Elia]


New clones supported:
---------------------

Dream Soccer '94 (Japan)
Space Invaders DX (Japan v2.0)
Typhoon (= Ajax)
Rambo III (Europe set 2)
Space Invaders DX (US)
The Hand (=Got-Ya)
Ms. Pacman Champion Edition / Super Zola Pac Gal
Kuri Kinton (Japan, US)
Blomby Car (encrypted)


==========================================================================


0.54


These drivers have improved GRAPHICS:
-------------------------------------

- Fixed road lines in Top Speed. [David Graves]


These drivers have improved SOUND:
----------------------------------

- Decrypted the sound CPU in Dream Soccer 94. [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed crowd noise in Premier Soccer. [Olivier Galibert]


Source:
-------

- Fixes to the YM2610 and YM2151 emulation, verified on the real chip.
  [Jarek Burczynski]

- New core function palette_get_pen() replaces the removed osd_get_pen().
  Renamed palette_change_color() to palette_set_color().

- Major changes to the CPU interface. As a result of this, some games are
  temporarily broken, most notably CPS2. [Aaron Giles]

- improved auto_malloc so that you can auto_malloc at machine_init time and
  have the memory disposed of on a reset. [Aaron Giles]


MAME Testers bugs fixed (there are probably more)
-----------------------

sidepckt37b16yel
tumblepb37b16red
strahl37b16ora
rtype37b1gre
poundfou37b1gre
tp8437b7gre
bloodbroc053red
terraf37b13gre/terraf053gre
cinemat053red
dotrone053gre
relief053yel
pbancho053red
goindolc053gre
namcona1c053red
hellfire053yel


New games supported:
--------------------

Fire Barrel [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]
Time Limit [Ernesto Corvi]
Youjyuden [Nicola Salmoria]
Gulf Storm [Nicola Salmoria]
Minesweeper [Frank Palazzolo]


New clones supported:
---------------------

Space Force (= Meteoroids)
Last Mission (Japan)
Gun Dealer '94 (= Primella)
Blue Hawk (NTC)


==========================================================================


0.53

We have abandoned the "beta" numbering scheme, which was becoming pointless.
The current version is 0.53 because 0.36 (the last "non-beta" release) + .16
(the number of "beta" releases since then) = 0.52.


These drivers have improved GRAPHICS:
-------------------------------------

- Fixed background in Bioship Paladin. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed some issues in Taito B system games. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Real shadows in some Konami games (88 Games, Chequered Flag, X-Men, Asterix,
  Surprise Attack, Sunset Riders, etc.). [Nicola Salmoria]

- Real shadows in some SNK games (Ikari Warriors, Victory Road, etc.).
  [David Haywood]

- Real shadows in Cisco Heat and F1 Grand Prix Star. [Luca Elia]

- Fixed some protection related issues in Sunset Riders. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed colors in Major Title 2. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed colors in Berlin Wall. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed radar display in Aztarac. [Mathis Rosenhauer]


These drivers have improved SOUND:
----------------------------------

- Decrypted the sound CPU in Gunforce, Blade Master, Lethal Thunder, Undercover
  Cops, Mystic Riders, Major Title 2, Hook, R-Type Leo, In the Hunt, and
  Perfect Soldiers. [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed a EX550x bug that caused Taito F3 and Incredible Tech games to sound
  bad. [Aaron Giles]


Other drivers changes:
----------------------

- Fixed the remaining issues in Slapstic emulation.
  - Pit Fighter works to the end
  - Rampart works to the end
  - Tetris now uses the slapstic code
  [Aaron Giles]

- Fixed the protection in the original Robocop. [Bryan McPhail]

- Decrypted the original Popeye. [Nicola Salmoria]

- Fixed Free Play mode in Galaga. [Scott Brasington]

- Added support for the target data extracted from the laserdisc to MACH 3.
  [Fabrice Frances]


Changes to the main program:
----------------------------

- The Windows port is now called "MAME" (instead of "MAMEW"). The DOS port is
  called "DMAME".

- [Windows] CLI improvements:
  * config option for steadykey (default: OFF)
  * parse debug.ini in debug builds
  * mamew \anywhere\roms\pacman.zip works
  * improved -log option
  * mame will now parse argv[0].ini instead of mame.ini.
    i.e. if the mame executable is called "m37b17.exe" it will
    parse m37b17.ini instead of mame.ini
  [Paul Priest, Bernd Wiebelt]

- [DOS] Support for C64/Atari/Sinclair joysticks connected via DB9 or
  Turbografix interface. [Aley Keprt]


Source:
-------

- Big changes to the palette system. 8-bit modes are no longer supported, only
  16-bit ones are used. 8-bit support may be removed from the OS dependant
  code; the core will never ask for an 8-bit deep screen. 8-bit bitmaps could
  still be used though.

- Palette compression has been removed. palette_recalc(), palette_transparent_pen
  and palette_used_colors[] are not available anymore. Drivers that relied on
  PALETTE_COLOR_TRANSPARENT for transparency effects must be rewritten to
  implement them differently.

- tilemap_update() is gone. Everything is handled by tilemap_draw().

- IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR PORTERS: the OS dependant code is now required to
  guarantee, in 16-bit palettized mode, that Machine->pens[i] == i. The "pens"
  argument to osd_allocate_colors() will be NULL, actually it has been renamed
  "rgb_components" since direct RGB modes are the only ones that will pass that
  argument.

- Remove VIDEO_MODIFIES_PALETTE and the "modifiable" parameter from
  osd_allocate_colors().

- New flags VIDEO_HAS_SHADOWS and VIDEO_HAS_HIGHLIGHTS that automatically extend
  the palette creating a darker(brighter copy for shadows handling.
  palette_set_shadow_factor() and palette_set_highlight_factor() allow to
  control the adjustment to apply (shadow can be > 1.0, making it an highlight,
  and highlight can be < 1.0 making it a shadow - the names are just conventional).
  [Nicola Salmoria]

- New function palette_set_brightness(), allowing selective control of palette
  brightness independently of the palette RAM contents. [Nicola Salmoria]

- MachineDriver.color_table_len can now be 0, meaning that the colortable is a
  1:1 mapping from the palette. Note that you CANNOT use this feature if you use
  TRANSPARENCY_COLOR; but of course, if you need TRANSPARENCY_COLOR you'll not
  have a 1:1 colortable.

- New function tilemap_draw_roz(). [Phil Stroffolino]

- New function auto_malloc(); this is the same as malloc(), but the memory is
  automatically freed when the driver exits. [Aaron Giles]

- osd_bitmap.line is now a void ** to prevent confusion.


New games supported:
--------------------

Mazinger Z [Luca Elia, Nicola Salmoria]
Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon [Luca Elia, Nicola Salmoria]
Sokonuke Taisen Game [Luca Elia]
Mahjong Doukyuusei [Luca Elia]
Mahjong Doukyuusei Special [Luca Elia]
Big Run [Luca Elia]
Magical Crystals [Luca Elia]
Sand Scorpion [Luca Elia]
Continental Circus [David Graves]
Chase HQ [David Graves]
Battle Shark [David Graves]
Special Criminal Investigation [David Graves]
Night Striker [David Graves]
Aqua Jack [David Graves]
Double Axle [David Graves]
World Grand Prix 2 [David Graves]
Super Real Mahjong Part 3 [Takahiro Nogi]
Mahjong Yuugi [Takahiro Nogi]
Funky Jet [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]
Sotsugyo Shousho [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]
Hasamu [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]
Kengo [Bryan McPhail, Nicola Salmoria]
Dirt Fox
Mighty Guy [Victor Trucco]
Ultra Tank [Phil Stroffolino]


New clones supported:
---------------------

Astro Flash (= Transformer)
Twin Hawk (= Daisenpu)
Omega (= The End)
Gingateikoku No Gyakushu (bootleg, set 2)
Point Blank (= Gun Bullet)
Robocop 2 (World, Japan)
Don Doko Don (US)
Thunder Fox (World)
Camel Try (US, alt sound)
Robocop (World rev 4)
Chelnov (World)
Twin Hawk (World)
Swimmer (set 3)
Boulder Dash (Japan)
Robocop (Japan)
Great 1000 Miles Rally (USA)
Super Real Darwin (World)
Pit Fighter (bootleg)
Klax (2 prototypes)
Up'n Down (encrypted)


Removed:
--------

Speak & Rescue bootleg (identical to Speak & Rescue with copyright notice removed)