A New Arnold emulator version (Amstrad cpc 6128+)

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Aeliss
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I have too much problem with winape, so I have modified the arnold source, to make a special version optimised for my "Game machine".

Arnold is a Amstrad Emulator, It can emulate the 6128 plus version (Caprice can't) so you can use it to emulate the GX4000 system. It isn't the best amstrad emulator but one of the more accurate.

I have had some features :

Full joystick support for 2 players.
Better Fullscreen support. I have put 3 /4 possibles resolutions in the application but you can try other in the ini file.
It work with ini file instead of registry.
Better command line, you can use the auto run now, so the game run directly.

It s a computer so in order to use it in a cabinet or like me in a couch I have add :

Joypad shortcut for enter/space/esacape.
A special "On screen display menu".
A special key for joypad to quit, because escape is used by the emulated system.
The F1 > F9 key are simulated by 1 - 9 key , F1 to F10 are used by arnold for shortcut (like fullscreen, load, save reset ect ...).

On the menu, usable with joypad, you can :
- Change disk
- Load/save snapshoot.
- Simulate a key, It s not yet a virtual keyboard, but you can use your joypad to press a "Y" or a "N" without using your keyboard.

By defaut It s configured to emulate CPC 6128+ so some game will not work, the 6128+ is the better system but not not 100/100 retro compatible. But it can too emulate 464, 664 464+ and 6128. The system will be modifiable by command line.

To use it.

Code: Select all

  <System>
    <Name>Amstrad CPC</Name>
    <AppPath>F:\emulateur\Amstrad\CPC\My_Arnold\MyArnold.exe</AppPath>
    <RomPath>F:\emulateur\Amstrad\CPC\Dsk</RomPath>
    <SnapPath>F:\emulateur\Mgalaxy\snapsemul\amstrad</SnapPath>
    <VidPath />
    <Emu selected="1">
      <Cmd id="0" name="WinAPE [Script]" value=""%path\%file%ext" /A" />
      <Cmd id="1" name="Arnold" value="-Fullscreen -Drivea "%path\%file%ext" /A" />
    </Emu>
    <Extensions>.zip,.dsk</Extensions>
    <Active>True</Active>
    <Script>False</Script>
    <Database>False</Database>
  </System>
No scripts are needed.

Atm I m in the testing period, I have tried *.dsk file, *.sna snapshoot file, *.cpr file (cartridge for gx4000 system) and *.zip (it have zip support). I have impoved sound system (less background noise, better enveloppe support) but it still 8 bit sound, some previous features are still desactived because I need to re write them. But first I need to speed up the Drive emulation.

There is lot of bugs yet and my menu is really ugly , but if you have time to make somes tests ....
I have test it only on Seven with 64 bit system.

To make a try > (link in the next post)

The original source is here http://arnold.emuunlim.com/

Edit : I have put a new version

- Now The emulator work at full speed during loading time to speed them.
- New option in the on screen menu to switch 6128/6128+ (arnold reload the game itself).
- Little Graphic correction (A strange Vsync problem visible during scrooling like in OutRun).
- Another bug in sound enveloppe.
- Now can select up to 3 snap with joypad.
- A z80 boost.
- Now can select the joypad sensitivity in the ini file.
- Automatically disable the screen saver and monitor sleep during fullscreen.
- Less bugs.
Last edited by Aeliss on Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mgalaxy
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Joined: Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:46 pm

Hi Aeliss,

A couple questions about your Arnold version:
- may I host the executable on mGalaxy website? (I would like to add it to this page: http://www.mgalaxy.com/tutorial_emulators.html)
- is there a volume parameter that could be passed by command line?

Thanks!!
Aeliss
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Posts: 900
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:55 pm

In fact, I have just updated the link because someone have ask for it. Kevin is making a new version for his emulator (soon finished) so I have stoped my project and waiting for the new version. I will implement my functionnalites on the future version.

For the moment this version work perfectly so you can host it without problem. There isn't commandline for sound volume but I can add it.

Link for the modified executable> https://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/emulators/another-version-of-arnold-emulator/
Last edited by Aeliss on Wed Sep 09, 2020 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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