05/09/2000 - MESS version 0.37b2 is released! [Posted by DarkMazda]

MESS Emu version 0.37b2 is released! Here is what is new

Note: .inp record/playback does still not work currently.


New System Drivers Supported (in no particular order):
------------------------------------------------------

Spectrum +4 (48K) [David Robertson]
Inves Spectrum 48K+ [David Robertson]
TK90x Color Computer [David Robertson]
TK95 Color Computer [David Robertson]
Timex Computer 2048 [David Robertson]
Timex-Sinclair 2068 [David Robertson]
Spectrum +2 [David Robertson]
C128 Italian [Peter Trauner]
Vic64s (c64 swedish version/or c64 with swedish expansion kit) [Peter Trauner]
Vic20swe (vic20 with swedish expansion kit) [Peter Trauner]
Cbm40pal, Cbm80pal, superpet [Peter Trauner]
Nascom2 [Paul Daniels]
Memotech MTX512 [Lee Ward]
Acorn Atom (preliminary) [Paul Daniels]
Sam Coupe (preliminary) [Lee Hammerton]


System Driver Changes:
----------------------
- PC: Mouse now very usable, PC CGA scrolling support in 320x200x2 fixed
(Boulderdash), Tandy1000 Graphics memory switching enchanced (Lemmings),
Joystick changes (slow autocenter remaining), added xtcga with mf2 keyboard
and turbo switch, split the xtvga in xtega (vga with ega monitor), and added
palette handling to ega/vga. [Peter Trauner]

- C364: preliminary speech added (similar hardware in the C64
cartridge Magic Voice, used in few programs). [Peter Trauner]

- C128: Esc-x to switch c128 to 40 column mode. Keypad enter to switch
emulator to 40 column mode. In the input keys configuration menu you
should find several key assignments with normal (not reversed)T. Change
these to another key, and the normal T will work. (in the system file
these keys are disabled, until I find a better solution) [Peter Trauner]

- MACPLUS: driver boots (must use the 68k C core) [Nate Woods]

- SEGA MASTER SYSTEM: Rewrite of the SMS video code, so quite a lot of games with
interrupt problems or corrupt graphics run fine now. [Charles MacDonald]

- SPECTRUM: Added support for 128K .SNA and .Z80 files, ensured that the 48K Basic
ROM is paged in when running 48K snapshots on 128K machine (for improved
reliability and access to the default character set), changed +3 initialisation,
128 and +3 now set 0x4000-0x7fff to bank 5 (Now not changed if switching to shadow
screen), cleaned up spectrum_plus3_update_memory, fixed bug in decoding uncompressed
v2+ .Z80 files, and changed running speed of 128K Machines to 3.54690MHz
[David Robertson]

- COMMODORE: cbmdrive (memory freeing) fixed, cia6526 tod fix, c128fra fix,
50 hertz machines now really have 50 hz video refresh, c16 1551 simulation fixed
[Peter Trauner]

- DRAGON series: Now supports a new variant of the .PAK file format for snapshots.
[Nate Woods]

- TI99: Mini Memory Support (rename minimemc.bin to minimemm.bin for it to
work correctly), fixed a bug in banked roms when a hard reset (F3) is done, rom
images are now identified by their filename extensions (image order isn't important
anymore), no need to use NUL when no grom image, both alt -> fctn and both ctrl -> ctrl
added, and new rom image extensions (.c .d .m .g .crom. drom. mrom .grom).
[Norberto Alfredo Bensa]

- A7800: Support for bankswitched carts and carts with extra RAM, added 160B video mode,
increased screen height to fix clipping at bottom, updated header format (details can be
found in machine/a7800.c), added support for light gun trigger (not the light gun
targetting yet, just the trigger), and removed requirment for a cartridge (since the 7800
starts in the BIOS it doesn't technically need a cartridge) [Dan Boris]




Other Changes:
--------------

- The core is based on MAME 0.37b2. This incorporates all
features of the update to this core. [MAME team]

- TOOLS: Disk Utility added (mkhdimg.exe) which will create variable sized HD images
for use in MESS. Can create images from 9,216 bytes to 142,606,848 bytes
without problems. The Western Digital 1004A that is emulated in MESS is
limited to 1024 Cylinders and 16 heads. The sector size is limited to 512
bytes as well as the sectors per track being limited to 17, this is also
due to the WD1004A's limitations. [Randy Rains]

- TOOLS: Generic image tool added (imgtool.exe) with the following features:
*MAME/MESS style driver architecture; where the image formats are contained in drivers.
Currently, the only driver is for CoCo .DSK disk images, but there could be more.
*Runs on the command line.
*Commands for listing image contents, retrieving and storing files.
*Supports images in .ZIP files.
*"Engine" is separate from the "shell"; which gives the potential for front ends for
those who don't like command lines. [Nate Woods]

- Disk write support for AMSTRAD CPC [Oscar Mart匤 Gonz疝ez]

- Wave timer fix [Oscar Mart匤 Gonz疝ez]

- m6510t/m7501/m8502 CPU cores added [Peter Trauner]

- Extensive CRC updates.
[Kurunir, Chris Henry]
SysInfo.dat documentation update
[Chris Henry]
Please send all CRC/sysinfo file contributions to Chris Henry.
(battlepriest@hotmail.com).