[IMPROVEMENT] Future Features, Milestones and source code

[3XistencE]

Hi, i remember some milestones about DosBox on RetroArch and, in case somebody doesn't know, point out that there is actually as binary, but also as source code, a DosBox SVN version compiled already with those additional features: +Emulation of a 3Dfx voodoo card with internal (software or OpenGL) or external wrapper +improved emulation of OPL3 (a chip for FM sound synthesis from Yamaha) +more balanced sound and more authentic volume of FM sound reproduction +improved sound of PC speaker emulation +Roland MT-32 midi synthesizer emulation +Integration of Fluidsynth (a software midi synthesizer with Soundfont support) +Support for up to 10 joystick axes and 2 D-Pads (2 complete 360-compatible controllers)+Mouse keys can also be placed on keyboard keys or controller buttons in the mapper +Support of up to 384 MB main memory, necessary for the use of Windows 9x with DOSBo +4MB video memory, reduces sprite flickering in games with the build engine (“Duke Nukem 3D”, “Blood”, etc.) +Support of MSF time stamps in CUE files and support of MP3, FLAC, WAV and OPUS files as compressed audio files

I think it can be usefull and time saving to check the source in order to have a better idea about how to add those features (if i remember well the 3dfx was a future milestone to reach for DosBox on RetroArch or ask directly the guy if he want to collaborate.

link to downloadable source code

[realnc]

I added much of this to this core:

https://github.com/realnc/dosbox-core

It's not in the RA updater though. You need to compile it from source. I was told the RA build bot is overloaded and can't take more cores so it can't be in the updater.

I also added BASSMIDI support (in the BASSMIDI branch,) which AFAIK no other dosbox fork has :)

[3XistencE]

A Wonderful job @realnc ! So it's already with all those stuff but simply is not merged with the main repository? I'm really curious to test it and feel myself back with a 486dx2 (i will ever miss the "turbo" button on it).

What are the next milestones/features to add?

[realnc]

It will never be merged. It's a new core that's independent of this one. As to when it will be added to RA, I don't know. I'll try and ask around on the libretro discord about the buildbot.

If you want to try, the latest build is here: http://83.212.109.87/~realnc/dosbox-core/

Note that you need to download the bass and bassmidi DLLs and put them in the RA system folder:

BASS: https://www.un4seen.com/download.php?bass24 BASSMIDI: https://www.un4seen.com/download.php?bassmidi24

Make sure to copy the bass.dll and bassmidi.dll from the x64 folders of the zips.

[inactive123]

I'm OK with a new core being added. I think I communicated this the last time around too.

Let's decide on a name for the new core. dosbox-core? Can you also explain how it will differentiate itself from Dosbox SVN so that we know what to tell users?

[3XistencE]

Well the quantity of features added is huge: mainly dosbox SVN is a fork from the main dosboxsvn and this version is a modded/patched one with additional features not already added on the main dosboxsvn.

DosboxSVN can be just a fork of the original dosboxSVN and dosbox"Retro" it will be an improved build with additional features mod/patches.

@realnc think at a nice name for your modified core =) Does this version will be also 32bit?

Also if it's possible i suggest to add the feature, especially because of the nature of RetroArch itself, inside the dosboxsvn core options about the quantity of -freesize (1024 or some selectable default value between 1mb to also 800mb for CD-rom installations) at the end of pre-done mount function. This will let the final user to install or save without problem using dosbox as it is. Can be good also to add a selectable mount directory (as sometimes our old dos stuff needs to be into a specific directory)

Right about now there's no free memory and some software go crazy without free memory.

[realnc]

@twinaphex

I'm OK with a new core being added. I think I communicated this the last time around too.

You mentioned that the buildbot was not ready yet. So it's ready now?

Let's decide on a name for the new core. dosbox-core?

Well we can keep the name, unless you think it's too confusing when it appears in the updater and users don't know whether to use "-SVN" or "-core".

Can you also explain how it will differentiate itself from Dosbox SVN

There's added features (native midi on windows/linux, as well as fluidsynth, munt mt-32, bassmidi and cycle-accurate opl3) as well as some improvements and bugfixes. Future additions and improvements will go into the new core.

[realnc]

@3XistencE Yes, the core works fine on 32-bit as well. I now uploaded a 32-bit windows build as well to the above URL.

As for suggestions or bugreports, you should open new ones here: https://github.com/realnc/dosbox-core/issues