So Robert Peip (FPGAzumSpass) Is Working on a New Core...

[Waifu4Life]

Knowing that he mostly does consoles and assuming that it's not something that we already have or that's being worked on, what do you think it is?
-Virtual Boy: Would make sense, he's done 3 portables so far
-NDS: He's already worked on a non-MiSTer core in the past
-3DO: Cause why not?
-CDi: For shits and giggles
-PC-FX: 失敗した日本語専用コンソールを望まない人はいますか?

[mcf81]

I’m sure nobody wants to say it because “it’s impossible”, but this could be the N64 core that everyone is dreaming of … Robert has expressed significant interest in creating an N64 core in the past. If it is in any way possible, Robert would be the man to pull it off.

Maybe DS is more likely because he has already done a large amount of work there, but I feel that if it were DS he might just come out and say it ? Whereas even mentioning an N64 core would generate so much hype that he may be hesitant to post that he’s working on it without some kind of functioning prototype.

Whatever the core turns out to be, the MiSTer project is truly blessed to have engineers like Robert contributing! I also just want to say a big thank you to all devs for their work — the MiSTer project is a monumental achievement in retro computing that cannot be overstated.

[12characters]

My first thoughts were directed towards 3DO or Virtual Boy. However, based on the clues that he has given on his Patreon page (including a screenshot), my bet is now on a different beast.

With this in place, I'm now able to try and run all kind of homebrew or original software. While most fully-fledged programs won't do anything yet, being able to run testprograms for all the subsystems already opens up a large field of things to work on and validate.
....
I can tell you it's using different width for different subsystems :)

Do the math!

[Waifu4Life]

My first thoughts were directed towards 3DO or Virtual Boy. However, based on the clues that he has given on his Patreon page (including a screenshot), my bet is now on a different beast.

With this in place, I'm now able to try and run all kind of homebrew or original software. While most fully-fledged programs won't do anything yet, being able to run testprograms for all the subsystems already opens up a large field of things to work on and validate.
....
I can tell you it's using different width for different subsystems

Do the math!

But we already have others working on a Jaguar core already, seems like a waste.

[rhester72]

But we already have others working on a Jaguar core already, seems like a waste.

Same thing happened with PSX, and look how that turned out =)

[jca]

But we already have others working on a Jaguar core already, seems like a waste.

I did not see anything new in years.

[thorr]

I am sort of hoping that someday he will write a replacement for ao486 in the vain of PCXT with a BIOS and full compatibility and cycle accuracy. I would think at least a DX2-66 could be done, and maybe a DX4-100, maybe without the math coprocessor, maybe with.

[Armakuni]

My money would be on 3DO

N64 is not possible on the DE-10

There is not much else it could be really apart from Jaguar....

[Moondandy]

Very exciting to hear Robert is starting another core. It's fun to speculate based off of what he has teased. The few facts from the post are:
It's a MiSTer core (i.e. it's not N64 or something running on a board more powerful than the DE-10, like his abandoned 2DS core)
There is homebrew for the system (rules out a number of things, and means it's definitely not an arcade system)
This line here is curious "I can tell you it's using different width for different subsystems " - does he mean that the core covers different systems (i.e. how the Master System core also covers Game Gear) or is this a technical thing I don't understand?

I am wondering if the font in the graphic is a known system font, could that be a clue to what the system is? Does anyone recognise it?

Based off of what he has said in the past I think 3DO is very unlikely, and my money would have been on Virtual Boy for his next endeavour. Atari Jaguar is a good shout though. The current core doesn't look like there is enough dev interest to get it fully working, and seems it may not feasibly be possible, and although JT said he wants to do Jaguar he said the same about NGPC, back in 2021, which led to Robert moving on to PS1 instead. Now it is 2023 and Robert has finished PS1 and the JT NGPC core is still not released. So I don't think Robert would be put off by JT putting his towel down on Jaguar.

Looking forward to the eventual reveal, will be happy with whatever he choses to work on next.

[Pepeart]

I think it's the Atari Jaguar "Do the math 32+32=64" I remember that from the commercials and adds on gaming magazines

[Moondandy]

Oh nice, I didn't spot that. Jaguar and CD certainly has a decent homebrew scene, so it adds up there.

That would be really exciting if it is Jaguar.

[Moondandy]

Wait, did Robert actually write "do the math"?

[Marcellus]

NDS would be great. Many fantastic 2d pixel art games. Early 3D games are waste of time. They are fossils.

[Moondandy]

DS isn't doable on MiSTer, Robert already started a core and found the DE-10 not powerful enough to handle the 3D elements in games so abandoned it. DS would be one for whatever one day way in the future supersedes MiSTer with a more powerful board, if that ever happens. It isn't worth speculating about though.

[mario64]

I honestly hope it isn't Virtual Boy. I have a consolized VB and it just isn't the same. These games were designed to be played in 3D. Playing them in 2D on a TV is not very fun imo.

[retro]

I honestly hope it isn't Virtual Boy. I have a consolized VB and it just isn't the same. These games were designed to be played in 3D. Playing them in 2D on a TV is not very fun imo.

Wouldn't the DE-10 Nano's HDMI port be able to output a 3D signal on a compatible TV?

[Moondandy]

My understanding is in theory, yes a 3D VB core could be made. However if I remember correctly Robert said he wasn't interested in the 3D aspect. But if a 2D core was made someone else could add 3D support. This is all very hypothetical though.

[Newsdee]

Playing them in 2D on a TV is not very fun imo.

There are 3D displays that can take side-by-side video from HDMI. That would work nicely

[KremlingKuthroat19]

Fun topic! If I were to guess it’d be either between the Jaguar and Virtual Boy. Both have strong homebrew scenes. NGPC, 3DO and CD-I are lacking homebrew.

Robert expressed interest in Jaguar via a poll where he mentioned it being one of the consoles he was interested in prior to committing to PSX. Also, the timing is just too perfect. The best Jaguar emulator ever just came out in BigPemu. This emulator supports all Jaguar and Jaguar CD games! The first emulator to play Jaguar CD games! I wouldn’t be surprised if Robert was sharing notes with this emulator’s author.

That’s just my speculation. I suppose we’ll find out soon

[LamerDeluxe]

I honestly hope it isn't Virtual Boy. I have a consolized VB and it just isn't the same. These games were designed to be played in 3D. Playing them in 2D on a TV is not very fun imo.

Wouldn't the DE-10 Nano's HDMI port be able to output a 3D signal on a compatible TV?

Yes, it can. There are already 3D cores for NES and Master System. It is just a matter of outputting a side-by-side or over/under image (or even interlaced). Then the TV can handle the conversion to show it correctly.

Alternatively you could add an anaglyph mode for people without 3D displays, so cheap red/cyan glasses could be used.

[mercuryshadow09]

My money would be on 3DO

N64 is not possible on the DE-10

There is not much else it could be really apart from Jaguar....

Everybody also said 32X wasn't possible, yet here we are.

[neogeo81]

My money would be on 3DO

N64 is not possible on the DE-10

There is not much else it could be really apart from Jaguar....

Everybody also said 32X wasn't possible, yet here we are.

you are really comparing the complexity of the N64 and RAM and BUS speed with a 32X? Lol, you're funny.

[pbsk8]

it's cougarboy

[12characters]

This line here is curious "I can tell you it's using different width for different subsystems :)" - does he mean that the core covers different systems (i.e. how the Master System core also covers Game Gear) or is this a technical thing I don't understand?

Look at a PC; they call Pentium a 64-bit system, it is, but they also have 8-bit chips and 8-bit parts of the system as well; the clock is 8-bit. In Jaguar there's 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit in parts of it.

Do the math!

[Tulius]

I really hoped it was a 3DO core but it seems Jaguar its the most certain one... heck we dont even have a NeoGeo CD core yet why??
Some computer cores would be great like a PC 98 or FM Towns Marty.
And I think a Virtual Boy core that would be a waste of time.

[Moondandy]

I really hoped it was a 3DO core but it seems Jaguar its the most certain one... heck we dont even have a NeoGeo CD core yet why??
Some computer cores would be great like a PC 98 or FM Towns Marty.
And I think a Virtual Boy core that would be a waste of time.

Furrtek who made the Neo Geo core did some work to add in NGCD support but never finished it and has been working on other projects (right now he is finishing off TMNT Arcade). Maybe he, or someone else, will come back to it at some point - it is possible CD code could be taken from another core now we have CD support in a number of cores, which could make it easier to implement now.

PC 98 and FM Towns really need a Japanese developer to do them, as the documentation is all technical and Japanese so very very difficult for a non native speaker. We do have a Japanese dev Puu-san who has early WIP cores for both PC 98 and FM Towns you can download from the relevant forum threads is you know the systems well enough to run them.

it's cougarboy

Rysha beat Robert to the punch, she added support for Mega Duck AKA Cougar Boy to the Gameboy core awhile back.

[PistolsAtDawn]

Robert did such a great job with the PSX core that whatever this turns out to be will also be excellent, I'm sure.

Robert - if you somehow are doing a Virtual Boy core, I own one that I would be happy to donate if that would be helpful. The same goes for any developer who wants to work on it.

[pac]

heck we dont even have a NeoGeo CD core yet why??

Habe a look at the NGCD thread. Would love to see one or as an addition to the NG core, but seems that the majority of people do not care.

That being said - super excited what Robert will do next.

[FPGAzumSpass]

Wow, a lot of discussion on that already.

I just wanted to tell you that i don't keep it private just for fun, but because i want to present at least something, so the disaster of the DS doesn't repeat, where some games where already running and i still had to give up. "The burnt child fears the fire".

[Moondandy]

That's all good Robert, we are just excited and having fun speculating. We'll be excited and grateful for whatever you choose to do next.