Multiplayer Split Screen Capibility?

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This really isnt a problem more of just a suggestion and sry if Im putting
this in the wrong place but Id love to have some multilayer if that would
be possible. Other than that vba-gx is one of the best GBA Emulators Ive
ever used  

Original issue reported on code.google.com by touchmed...@gmail.com on 22 Apr 2009 at 11:52

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The difficulty is that VBA-M, which this is based on, may have broken link 
support 
when they rewrote the emulator core.
Also, most parts of the emulator assume only one instance of themselves exist.

By the way, this emulator already has multiplayer support for Super Gameboy 
games, 
although I haven't tested it yet.

Do you want split-screen link support for Gameboy Color or for Gameboy Advance?

And we need to know what game to use for testing purposes, what other version 
of VBA 
can play it successfully in multiplayer, and how to get it working with that 
emulator. Then we can have a go at getting "link" support working. Currently I 
haven't been able to play any multiplayer link games on the PC yet, but I 
haven't put 
much effort into it.

Original comment by Carl.Kenner@gmail.com on 24 Apr 2009 at 9:39

• Changed state: Accepted
• Added labels: Priority-Low, Type-Enhancement
• Removed labels: Priority-Medium, Type-Defect

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A splitscreen Multiplayer Support for Gameboy Adavance and Gameboy Color would 
be
really really great.

Gameboy Color: Pokemon, Zelda Oracle Series, Tetris, Dragon Warrior Monsters, 
Harvest
Moon - RiverKing, Pokemon Puzzle League.

Gameboy Advance: Pokemon, Zelda Four Swords (A Link to the Past), Kirby Series
(Nightmare and Amazing Mirror), Golden Sun Series, Mario Kart Super Circuit, 
Advance
Wars, Metroid

I believe these are the most known games for multiplayer on the Gameboy.
It's general difficult to realize a multiplayer support, cause there are some 
issues.

First there are 2 methodes you can do.
One is, to open the emulator 2 times and make a virtual connection between both
applications (This is was VBAlink does). Or, you have one emulator which has 
one core
and make another instance for a second screen (this is what TGB Dual does)

The other problem is, how to handle savestates.
If the same game is played 4 times (on gba) like mariokart, you have to create 4
savestates (sav, sa2, sa3, sa4). The first state must be the regular (single 
player)
one. One user shall also have access to the other savestates as well (if he is
playing alone). But I believe you have implement this feature indirectly to vba 
gx,
cause you are still allowing to make more SRAM Files.

But you can also play 2-4 different games. Like Pokemon or Golden Sun.
Here you have to load the primary savestate (sav) for both instances.
So you have to check how many games are open and which games are open.

For GBA Games you have to differ between single card multiplyer (one gamecard is
streaming part of the games to other gbas) and multi card multiplayer (everyone 
has
his own copy of the game). Example here for is Mario Kart Super Circuit which is
supporting both methods.

Another thing is the power of the processor. Four or Two instances needs more 
power.
I think you can compensate that with lower resolution. (One screen in a 4 or 2 
Player
splitscreen doesn't need the whole processing of the resolution for 480p).

The configure settings can be saved in one file with different sections (also 
made by
TGB).

These is the experience which I made about gameboy multiplayer.
It's not easy to implement multiplayer support, but it would be fantastic (and 
vba-m
could copy another feature :P).
I think the code is still in vba-m (like the Super Gameboy Multiplayer support) 
but
has to be reactivate.
I suggest to start with 2 Player Splitscreen Support (with Super Gameboy and 
Gameboy
Color) and extend the feature step by step to 4 Player GBA. 

I would help to realize this feature, but at the moment I have to little time 
to make
homebrew. -.-

Original comment by starlord...@googlemail.com on 1 Jun 2009 at 10:56

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Do different games link with each other? Or is it always the same game?

Original comment by Carl.Kenner@gmail.com on 1 Jun 2009 at 1:43

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It's not always the same game.

Example:
Golden Sun can be linked with Golden Sun: The Lost Age
Zelda Oracle of Ages can be linked with Oracle of Seasons
Pokemon Red,Gold,Ruby can be linked with Pokemon Blue,Silver,Sapphire
Megaman Network Red can be linked with Megaman Network Blue
Metroid Fusion can be linked with Metroid Zero Mission

But some of these Games can be linked with the same game, too.
Like Pokemon (Red with Red or Silver with Silver).

Original comment by starlord...@googlemail.com on 1 Jun 2009 at 2:49

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I don't think that multiplayer on VBA would work, however cool it might be.  
Things like pokemon, where you can trade pokemon and battle, couldn't work 
because 
there aren't two files.  
Maybe if there was the ability to connect over a network like in the DS 
version, it 
might work.

Also, in most games, the shrunken screen would be a huge impairment.  

Original comment by williamd...@gmail.com on 1 Jul 2009 at 12:15

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Why couldn't it work???
Never tried TGB or VBA-Link?
There are using 2 different methods to realize multiplayer capability, but it's
working with every game.
Example: put Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire with savestates in the roms/saves
folder and you can battle/trade on one screen.

The shrunken screen is also a smaller problem (think @ Mario Kart 64/Wii, you 
have 4
smaller screens without any issue ^^).
Also VBA-Link resizes the screen (for performance) and you won't have any 
problem. ^^

The problems are:
-Loading two different games in a user comfortable way. 
-Saving and handling states in a comfortable way.
-The performance of vba-m must be good enough to emulate 2-4 GBAs and the Link
connection.

Original comment by starlord...@googlemail.com on 1 Jul 2009 at 8:11

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not very feasible.

Original comment by dborth@gmail.com on 1 Jul 2009 at 4:32

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have you seen the noGBA$ multiplayer where it can have up to 4 screens on going.

Original comment by Gamewiza...@gmail.com on 10 Nov 2009 at 12:50

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or no$gba

Original comment by Gamewiza...@gmail.com on 10 Nov 2009 at 12:50

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Original comment by dborth@gmail.com on 2 Dec 2009 at 9:56

• Changed state: WontFix

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If multiplayer works on snes for the wii, why wouldn't gameboy advance with 
multiplayer work for wii? It would be awesome to play Zelda Four Swords and 
Shining Soul 2 with some friends on the TV!

Original comment by kray...@live.se on 14 Jun 2010 at 8:38

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It works for the SNES because there's only one game to emulate. For VBA, it 
will have to emulate 2 games at once, which brings up problems such as 
performance issues and how to save savestates for each player.

Perhaps it could append 2_ or 3_ to each savestate depending on the controller 
number that saved it? Or, to differentiate between GC and Wii pads, do Wii2_, 
or GC2_ before the names?

Original comment by tbang...@gmail.com on 3 Jul 2010 at 8:13

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i dont think the wii is up for this... unless you could run two vbas onscreen 
at the same time

Original comment by Gamewiza...@gmail.com on 3 Jul 2010 at 9:49

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i dont think the wii is up for this... unless you could run two vba gx's 
onscreen at the same time

Original comment by Gamewiza...@gmail.com on 3 Jul 2010 at 9:50

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I can understand not running two games on the same wii as problem, i thought 
the same as those guys as well before.

However i have an idea, is it possible for something similar to netplay to be 
installed? 

That way if someone has two wii's, knows someone else, or just want a random 
fight online with someone, that way you can exchange 'Freind codes' or just 
pick up 'Random codes' from other users.

What do you guys think?

Original comment by PPX...@gmail.com on 23 Nov 2010 at 10:12

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crazy...

Original comment by Gamewiza...@gmail.com on 27 Nov 2010 at 2:46

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http://youtu.be/XS75TdP0NtI

Original comment by rbureau%...@gtempaccount.com on 18 Oct 2013 at 12:28

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If Sonic Adventure DX could do Game Gear mulitiplayer I think VBA GX could do 
mulitiplayer... >_>

Original comment by pkmnTrai...@gmail.com on 18 Jul 2014 at 6:36