Hello and welcome to a port of The BBC Micro Emulator (B-EM) for the GP2X
hand-held console.
B-EM emulator by Tom Walker
Port by Matt Jesson
Introduction:
The is a port of the B-EM BBC Micro emulator. It doesn't modify your GP2X
in any way (all libs are
static). It was written using SDL.
Installation:
1. Get one of the desktop ports of the B-EM emulator (e.g. the Windows binary
from
http://b-em.bbcmicro.com/)
2. From here extract (and make lower case) the following files into the
bem2x directory:
roms/OS -> bem2x/roms/os
roms/b/DFS.ROM -> bem2x/roms/dfs.rom
roms/b/BASIC.ROM -> bem2x/roms/basic.rom
3. Obtain a disc image of the game you want to play (use your imagination).
For example Thrust.ssd. Copy (and make lower case) into bem2x/discs/thrust.ssd
4. Edit b-em.cfg to taste (see below).
4. Copy the whole bem2x to your SD card.
Configuration:
b-em.cfg is documented in the B-EM distro. I've added a couple of things.
All filenames
must be lower case. For example, the thrust game can use the following button
setup.
GP2X_BUTTON_UP =
GP2X_BUTTON_LEFT = CAPSLOCK
GP2X_BUTTON_DOWN =
GP2X_BUTTON_RIGHT = RCONTROL
GP2X_BUTTON_L =
GP2X_BUTTON_R =
GP2X_BUTTON_A = SPACE
GP2X_BUTTON_B = ENTER
GP2X_BUTTON_X = LSHIFT
GP2X_BUTTON_Y =
GP2X_BUTTON_CLICK =
This maps GP2X buttons to BBC Micro keyboard keys (actually these are the
PC keyboard keys).
For example: 'A' - 'Z', '0' - '9', 'UP', 'DOWN', 'CAPSLOCK', 'RCONTROL',
ENTER (not RETURN), etc.
The "disc0 = discs/thrust.ssd" can be changed to insert the
appropriate disc into the drive.
Again, remember to make filenames lower case.
Operation:
1. Run from the utilities menu. The script is called bem2x.gpu
2. Press the <start> button at any time to return to the GP2x menu.
3. Press the <select> button to "type" CHAIN "LOAD"
to run many games.
Known Issues:
1. I Don't know why the files must be lower case. A problem with my GP2X
runtime library perhaps.
2. It's still a little slow, although very playable. This is my first go,
a quick port, I'll
continue to work on it.
3. Some cropping occurs, at times the top and / or bottom of the screen
become hidden.
4. Source code will be released soon. I've some house keeping to do, then
I hope to release the
code as part of Tom's distribution.
5. Could use a pause / save state option.
6. Would also benefit from an in-game config editor / game selector.
7. Implement sound.
8. Only BBC-B supported at the moment.
9. Oh, and perhaps a keyboard simulator for the BBC BASIC fans like me (Dijkstra
hates me).
Problems / Questions. Reach me (bohemiath) on the forums at http://www.gp32x.com/
Thanks:
Many thanks to Tom Walker and everyone else in the BBC Micro emulator scene
without whom this
would not have been possible. It's been nearly 20 years since I've played
Thrust, great fun.