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MSX Guide

Тема в разделе "International Zone", создана пользователем Neville, 21 июн 2023.

  1. Neville

    Neville

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    I'm not entirely sure whether to publish this one or not. As far as I know, this website doesn't offer MSX downloads.

    However, it does offer Macintosh games. I've dabbled in Macintosh emulation, but I'd rather sit on a spike than write a guide on them. You are better off consulting the E-Maculation wiki or downloading the pre-configured emulator setups from the main site.

    So yes, the MSX.

    ai.imgur.com_aybKRp2.png

    Unlike other 8-bit computers of the 1980s, the MSX aren't the product of a single hardware manufacturer. They were an attempt to create an standard for 8-bit computer systems, by the initiative of Microsoft and ASCII Corp. back in 1983. So MSX computers can be found under many brand names, such as Philips, Sony, Panasonic, Casio...

    The MSX was successful in a number of countries, such as Japan, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain. But since they weren't successful in either the UK or the USA the standard didn't catch. They also made it into Russia, were the Soviet state adopted them for educational use from 1985 until 1990, when they were substituted by IBM PCs. To be exact, the former USSR acquired Yamaha YIS503II computers with 64 Kb. RAM and a RS232 communications port.

    Among the causes of the MSX standard not catching on in the rest of countries, there was the competition of the likes of the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64 . It didn't help matters that most disk and tape games -the more affordable- were often ZX Spectrum ports.


    Generations.

    We distinguish four different generations of the MSX standard.

    MSX1 is how we call the first batch of MSX computers. Their hardware is ver similar to American computers Spectravideo SVI-318 and SVI-328 They have a Zilog Z80A CPU at 3.58 Mhz, 32-64 Kb. RAM, a Texas Instruments TMS9918 chip for video (with 16 Kb. of dedicated video RAM) and a General Instrument AY-3-8910 chip for sound. The operating system is MSX-DOS v1.0 by none other than Microsoft.

    The MSX2 models came out in 1985 and are significantly more powerful. The CPU remains the same, but there are new video (Yamaha V9938) and audio chips (Yamaha V9958). RAM is upgraded to 64-256 Kb. and video RAM to 64-128 Kb. MSX-BASIC is updated to v2.X.

    MSX2 computers have new video modes and vertical scroll controlled by hardware, which translates into much more sophisticated games.

    The MSX2+ revision only appeared outside of Japan in the form of upgrade kits. They add some more graphic modes and horizontal scroll controlled by hardware. They don't have much specific software, but there are many MSX2 games that will use their capabilities when they detect them. Many MSX2+ machines also add a Yamaha OPLL YM-2413 sound chip, also known as MSX-MUSIC .

    The MSX Turbo R are the final MSX generation. They appeared in 1990 and are the only 16-bit MSX machines. Only two models exist, the Panasonic FS-A1ST and the FS-A1GT . They have a new 16-bit CPU, the R800 at 7.16 MHz with 256-512 Kb. RAM, but they also include a Zilog Z80A a 3.58 Mhz. to maintain compatibility with earlier MSXs.

    The video chip is also a new one, a Yamaha V9938 with 64-128 Kb. reserved to video, and the sound department adds an 8-bit PCM device to the earlier Yamaha V9958 and MSX-MUSIC chips. Once again, Microsoft revised its MSX-BASIC to v4.X.

    ai.imgur.com_fY47JQw.png

    All MSX computers are easily expandable, usually through one of the two cartridge ports. The most popular add-ons were RAM expansions (with or without a memory mapper) and sound chips such as the Yamaha Y8950 ( MSX-AUDIO ) or the Yamaha YMF278B OPL4 ( Moonsound ), but you can also find IDE and SCSI disk interfaces or even an MSX-DOS 2 upgrade for the OS.


    How to load games.

    Games for the MSX come in the form of tape, disk and cartridge dumps. All systems support the three methods with the exception of the Turbo R , which lacks tape support.

    However, it's better to use each game with the MSX sub-system it is intended to, because there are compatibility issues among them.

    a) Tapes are generally designed to run on MSX1 computers. They load with one of the following commands:

    RUN"CAS:"

    BLOAD"CAS:",R

    LOAD"CAS:",R

    or:

    CLOAD followed by RUN

    ai.imgur.com_qKE8cRA.png

    ai.imgur.com_QzVPcPC.png

    If a tape refuses to load, reset the MSX and keep the left CTRL key pressed. This disables the second disk drive and frees more memory for programs.

    b) MSX disks are available for every generation of the MSX. Most of the time, they include an AUTOEXEC.BAS file that allow them to run automatically.

    If they don't, type FILES from the BASIC prompt to see a list of the files on the disk, and then enter RUN"FILENAME" to run a program.

    ai.imgur.com_mLzKIrn.png

    In some instances, you will also need to press the left CTRL during boot-up to free memory.

    c) Game cartridges are usually available for the MSX1 and MSX2 generations. Their size ranges from 8 Kb. to 1 Mb. Their use is very simple, you plug them and then reset the computer, if that hasn't already happened automatically.

    Most of the best known MSX games are cartridge games, such as Metal Gear , Nemesis or Vampire Killer .

    ai.imgur.com_7snexAb.png

    Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake


    Emulation.

    The best MSX emulators are currently openMSX and blueMSX .

    openMSX is my favorite of the two. It emulates an incredible array of machines and expansions, and includes the frontend Catapult , which makes it very easy to use.

    ai.imgur.com_MzljFtD.png

    Unfortunately, it doesn't include the necessary BIOS files, and finding all of them can be a chore, even if this website often hosts a complete set.

    blueMSX is almost as good, and it includes any BIOS file you're going to need.

    ai.imgur.com_ApKkiyk.png

    blueMSX running Tetris
     

    Вложения:

    Последнее редактирование: 11 июл 2023
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  3. MAZterXP

    MAZterXP

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    I wonder if anyone tried to write an Apple II emulator for MSX?
     
  4. Neville

    Neville

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    I've never heard of it.
     
  5. Neville

    Neville

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    I think I'm going to recommend a few games... in the guide I didn't have the chance to express how much I like this system.

    The first one is Penguin-kun Wars, a MSX1 cartridge game full of colors and fun.



    It has an MSX2 sequel with even better graphics and sound and more enemies.


    Then there's Vampire Killer, one of the best-known MSX2 cartridges. Yes, it's a Castlevania title. It was developed and released more or less at the same time than the first Castlevania game for the NES, so they are very similar. However, this MSX2 version has a few quirks. For instance, I think this is the only Castlevania game where you need to pick up keys to progress through Dracula's castle.




    And finally, there's KPI-Ball. This is not an ordinary MSX game. It's a homebrew clone of Pang, and it definitely makes use of everything an expanded MSX can do. It requires MSX2 or better and supports both the FM-PAC (MSX-MUSIC) and the Moonsound sound modules.



    The only cons I can think of are the loading times (it's a disk title) and that some versions break at the stage thirty-something. But good luck getting there anyway.
     
    Revolter, Das_Monster, Михаил_128к и ещё 1-му нравится это.
  6. Neville

    Neville

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    Today I've heard good news about the MSX2 remake of "Batman" released by FX in 2014. They've decided to publicly release the ROM so it can be played on emulators. Until now said remake was only available in physical form.



    Download here.
     
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  7. Neville

    Neville

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    More fun with openMSX ... or with the Takeda Common Binaries , if you prefer.

    Once upon a time, in 1983 or 1984, a most peculiar MSX machine was released: the Pioneer PX-7.

    ai.imgur.com_1u3gfno.png

    It's an MSX1 machine, but designed to interact with a LaserDisc, which was something like the BluRay of the 1980s. When working together, the PX-7 could superimpose stuff on top of video images, and also edit video, just like the earlier Sony SMC-70 did.

    Ehhhh... and why does that matter to us gamers? Well, obviously the PX-7 was designed with video professionals in mind, but a dozen of games or so exist that take advantage of the LaserDisc. I mean, its storage size was unheard of at the time, and it had great possibilities.

    These games are available as video rips from Archive.org .

    So how do we play those? As I said, with either openMSX or the Takeda Common Binaries .

    In the later case, we'll need to take some extra steps:

    1) We rename the PX-7 BIOS files as BASIC.ROM and EXT.ROM.

    2) We install this video codec .

    3) We run ePX7.EXE.

    Now we can insert the video file from the "Laser Disc" menu option.

    In the welcome screen, we choose the first type of BASIC. That's the one with the LaserDisc extensions.

    ai.imgur.com_wPKb8de.png

    Then we enter the command CALL LD to start the game.

    ai.imgur.com_bAfXuqw.png

    But wait, that's only a video file we're loading. Where's the MSX program? Actually, the MSX part of the games is encoded on the audio of the video file:

    ai.imgur.com_VNmEoSE.png

    These Laser Disc games are of course very heavy on the video part. Here's a couple of them:

    ai.imgur.com_bmvaEJN.png

    This is Badlands , a shooting game sporting animated graphics. If it only had a crosshair to aim properly...

    Although one prefers Cosmos Circuit , an antecessor of sorts to Nintendo's F-Zero :

    ai.imgur.com_lK9Bmyj.png

    If you don't want to use the Takeda Common Binaries , openMSX can emulate the Pioneer PX-7 just as well. Video files are loaded from the internal console...

    ai.imgur.com_TdK2lfl.png

    ...or with the Catapult frontend, in which case we'll need to copy them to the openMSX\Catapult\BIN folder.
     
    Последнее редактирование: 25 сен 2023
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  8. Neville

    Neville

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    I'm a big supporter of CNGSoft's CPCEC , a damn good Amstrad CPC emulator. Even more so since it's become a suite of sorts that also emulates the ZX Spectrum and the C64. Adding MSX emulation seemed the next logical step, but I did not expect to hear again from this emu since it entered a hiatus.

    But lo and behold, CPCEC has returned, now boasting MSX, MSX2 y MSX2+ emulation, and is already running games from tape, disc or cartridge.

    ai.imgur.com_foDHrPy.png

    Corsarios

    ai.imgur.com_L5RrsWF.png

    Batman Remake

    The author himself says in the release notes that VDP timings are not exact and that FMPAC / MSX-MUSIC emulation is very basic, but it already runs most of the stuff I've tried.

    EDIT: Another nice feature of this emu is that it supports the TSX tape image format. TSX is a relative newcomer and tries to preserve tapes with the same accuracy of the TZX format for ZX Spectrum emulators.

    You can get TSX tape images for your favorite games from the TSX MSX Files Repository.
     
    Последнее редактирование: 11 апр 2024
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