Gamestation Pro

[big_guitar]

In Windows,  you can extract the main firmware img file using 7-zip, which extracts to 5 other img files

 

0.IDBlock.img    458752
1.uboot.img      524288
2.boot.img      4718592
3.rootfs.img   77594624
4.data.img    142606336

 

This is 4.data.img below, files 0 and 1 won't extract further with 7-zip

Edited December 9, 2023 by big_guitar

[fluxit]

6 minutes ago, big_guitar said:

In Windows,  you can extract the main firmware img file using 7-zip, which extracts to 5 other img files

 

0.IDBlock.img    458752
1.uboot.img      524288
2.boot.img      4718592
3.rootfs.img   77594624
4.data.img    142606336

 

This is 4.data.img below, files 0 and 1 won't extract further with 7-zip

rootfs.img is the squashfs.  Apparently there is an extractor and compressor for squashfs available, but I haven't tried it.

[big_guitar]

So under rootfs, urs/lib/libretro, I wonder if I could place bluemsx_libretro.so to try CV. 

For Windows users, we can install WSL (win subsystem for linux) and perhaps we can then use the squashfs-tools.

Will get back to this to see how far I can get with that (if someone else doesn't beat me to it).

[Domeshtan]

One thing is killing the SNES support. The emulation might be a bit slow or choppy at times... But most of the games are unplayable for one simple reason. There is no A button mapped for the Super Nintendo controller! Looks like you got Select, Start, B and something else. I'll figure it out in a minute. Without the A button most games you can't even start. Others are unplayable. (Bomberman 4 without bombs for instance.) 

[Riko]

1 minute ago, Domeshtan said:

One thing is killing the SNES support. The emulation might be a bit slow or choppy at times... But most of the games are unplayable for one simple reason. There is no A button mapped for the Super Nintendo controller! Looks like you got Select, Start, B and something else. I'll figure it out in a minute. Without the A button most games you can't even start. Others are unplayable. (Bomberman 4 without bombs for instance.) 

I wonder if they will update that? Or someone figure out how to set keybinds.

[Shannon]

Just did a cursory glance over the IMG files in the update.  I think most everything that will be needed to figure out everything is in there.  I would not be surprised to see someone come up with something where things can be done more "customized" without affecting the underlying setup.  Looks to me like they use an SQL database file to determine which retroarch cores to call depending on the game selected and what parameters to pass to it... etc.

 

It looks like at one point they were testing for lynx, jaguar and Atari 800 games.  There is code in there but it is commented out.  They also have code to call stella current.  But I'm not sure what the deciding factor is. Likely something in the included SQL databse.

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Shannon

[Domeshtan]

Yep, from what I'm seeing the GSP A button is B on the SNES controller. B and C on the GSP stick are the X and Y buttons. Can't tell which. (Tried Super Mario World. I could not dismount from Yoshi but I could throw fireballs with B and C) Select and Start are Select and Start.

[Domeshtan]

4 minutes ago, Shannon said:

It looks like at one point they were testing for lynx, jaguar and Atari 800 games.

Jaguar? I can't even get Jaguar to run decent on my laptop computer.

[NISMOPC]

Updated firmware - I am unable to push HOME + START to get to SD card menu on HOME screen. Thoughts??

 

But I found if you hold MENU + HOME for a second - the LED lights change color and sequences. ?!?!?!

 

EDIT: DISREGARD! I had to format SD card as exFAT and now all works fine!

Edited December 9, 2023 by NISMOPC

[Shannon]

11 minutes ago, Domeshtan said:

Jaguar? I can't even get Jaguar to run decent on my laptop computer.

 

Yeah I'm sure they figured out REAL quick that Jaguar emulation is nigh unlikely.  If the guy who did bigPemu made a retroarch version I bet they could get some decent speed. 

[Shannon]

There is an sqlite3 database called games.db in 3.rootfs.img\usr\local\share\minigui\res\db\ that contains the game database.  It also determines which emulators to run for each specified game.  It looks like Atari 2600 paddle games are type "15" which calls a standalone build of stella that they have in the usr/bin folder.  All other 2600 games look like they are type "5" which calls the retroarch version of stella ( Stella 2014 ).

 

There are 17 slots for the game type.  Three are empty.. but here they are..

 

  0) nothing
  1) NES ( calls retroarch nestopia )
  2) Genesis/SMS/GG ( calls retroarch genesisplusgx )
  3) SNES ( calls retroarch Snes9x [current] )

  4) GB/GBC/GBA ( calls retroarch MGBA )
  5) Atari 2600 ( calls retroarch stella2014 )
  6) Atari 7800 ( calls retroarch prosystem )
  7) nothing

  8 ) nothing

  9) Arcade ( calls retroarch jungle2014 [ mame 2014? ] ) Quantum is the only game that uses this.
  10) Arcade ( calls retroarch jungle2003 [ mame 2003? ] )
  11) Arcade ( calls retroarch jungle2016 [ mame 2016? ] )

 

  12) Atari 5200 ( calls retroarch A5200 ).  I noticed they have the Atari BIOS files on there in addition to the 5200 bios ( not sure if it is 2-port or 4-port version ).  I don't know if they added that or they put it in but never figured out how to get A5200 to find the BIOS files. 

 

I will add a link later to an A5200 source file that shows the CRC's of all the ROMS that it has in it's internal database.  Should make it easier to get the right images that it knows how to deal with.  They are definitely using the old A5200 cause in addition to my changes I significantly updated the internal database.

  13) Atari 5200 ( calls a5200_libretro_new ).  Looks like meebzork is the only one that uses this.

 

  14) Jaguar ( calls retroarch virtualjaguar ).  However that core is NOT present on the images provided.
  15) Atari 2600 ( calls standalone stella ).  They seem to use this only for paddle games.
  16) NEC PC-Engine/TG-16 ( calls retroarch Mednafen PCE Fast ) which should also be able to do CD games.  Just a matter of figuring out how to activate it.

 

  17) Calls ( retroarch Vice Xpet ).  A Commodore Pet emulator.  I have no clue why they have this in there.     Definitely a candidate for swapping out with another core.
 

As for keyboard mappings.... I suspect they are using full retroarch configs with the keys setup a certain way.  Stored in..

 

3.rootfs.img\usr\lib\libretro\retroarch\

 

They have standard config, 4:3 configs and 16:9 configs for each core.

 

 

More information as I find it...

 

Edited December 9, 2023 by Shannon

[Shannon]

Correction on type 1.. it actually calls retroarch FCEUmm and not Nestopia.

 

1) NES ( calls retroarch FCEUmm )

[+Mocotechprfl]

I just did the firmware upgrade and had no issue with the upgrade.  I was able to browse the new folder structures I created without issues.

However, I did notice a few unusual things.

1. The SNES game Super Punchout won't allow you to enter your name, and thus the game won't start. I'm wondering if it's some type of issue with the button mapping, like with the Y button or something, when that button is already mapped to the Menu/Pause button. On my XBox controller I can navigate but can't enter any letters. With the GSP controller I can't even move the joystick around to even select a letter!

2. For both SNES Doom and Wolfenstein, I can't seem to use any of the buttons to open doors. So that makes both those games useless.

2. When you move the ZIP arcade games to a folder, make sure to copy the artwork, samples, cfg, and other subfolders so that you get the necessary sounds and artwork/bezels to work properly.

 

---- Mocotechprfl ----

[ahofle]

I really wish they would get rid of the menu mapping when running games from the SD card since the menu is pretty much useless anyway. I tried Alladin SNES and pressing Y on the Xbox ONE controller brings up the menu and also makes Alladin attack, so it's mapped to both.

Just an FYI that you can move ALL the MAME folders (artwork, cfg, etc) into an "Arcade" subfolder and it works perfectly. No need to leave those folders at the root of Games.

All things considered this little console is amazing. Biggest bummer for me so far is that the paddle doesn't work with anything on the SD card. Playing Kaboom or arcade Arkanoid with it would be amazing.

Edited December 10, 2023 by ahofle

[Domeshtan]

1 hour ago, Shannon said:

Correction on type 1.. it actually calls retroarch FCEUmm and not Nestopia.

I noticed one of the homebrew games I wrote for NES seemed to have slightly different colors. Think that happened using a different core on my Legends Gamer Pro as well. Seems to make more sense now.

[Domeshtan]

40 minutes ago, Mocotechprfl said:

The SNES game Super Punchout won't allow you to enter your name, and thus the game won't start. I'm wondering if it's some type of issue with the button mapping, like with the Y button or something, when that button is already mapped to the Menu/Pause button.

I tested a bunch of my Super Famicom games and most are unplayable. From what I can tell they don't have the SNES "A" button mapped... Which is used quite a bit.

[Riko]

25 minutes ago, Domeshtan said:

I tested a bunch of my Super Famicom games and most are unplayable. From what I can tell they don't have the SNES "A" button mapped... Which is used quite a bit.

Certainly there must be some way to map it? It's such a oversight that i wonder if it was intentional or just not addressed due to time.

[atwwong]

So I can arbitrarily create directory names inside the "Games" folder and place game types within, i.e., .a26 (Atari 2600) files into a directory called Atari 2600, A2600, Atari VCS, or whatever I decide, and the .a26 files will still work properly?    

[+Mocotechprfl]

17 minutes ago, atwwong said:

So I can arbitrarily create directory names inside the "Games" folder and place game types within, i.e., .a26 (Atari 2600) files into a directory called Atari 2600, A2600, Atari VCS, or whatever I decide, and the .a26 files will still work properly?    

That is 100% correct!

[xboxiso]

12 hours ago, fluxit said:

The 8bitdo Genesis Bluetooth receiver works on the GsP.  Warlords works great with the wii nunchuck stick.  I almost like it better than the dial on the GsP controller😆.

 

Has anyone come up with a reliable method of getting the GsP to recognize a 3rd party controller as 'controller 1,' with working start and select buttons?  Regardless of the connection method, or type of controller I use, I can only ever get A, B, C, menu, and home buttons to work.  Other than the sticks and dpads, which usually work more or less, if the buttons are working.

 

Of course now that we have direct access to the config files, all things *should* be possible in time.

Would be awesome if Intellivision and Colecovision support could be added at some point. I think both of those systems would fit right in with the Atari systems supported.

 

Love folder support on the sd card with the latest firmware...

[NISMOPC]

Updated firmware to V1.3 and I have been able to load ROMS for all of the following systems and they all seem to work. I have not done any thorough testing of button mappings or game compatibility due to the numerous amount of ROMS that I have loaded on my SD card. I am also trying to filter out all the ROMS to only be US released games which has not been an easy task.

Game Boy
Game Boy Color
Game Boy Advance
NES

SNES

Sega Genesis

Sega Master System

Atari 2600

Atari 7800

Atari 5200

 

I plan to load MAME ROMS soon, but overall am quite amazed at the ability this $99 unit performs so far. Reading through this thread, I know there are incompatibilities and potential button mapping issues, etc. but overall (so far) this is quite an amazing addition to my collection.

[xboxiso]

35 minutes ago, NISMOPC said:

Updated firmware to V1.3 and I have been able to load ROMS for all of the following systems and they all seem to work. I have not done any thorough testing of button mappings or game compatibility due to the numerous amount of ROMS that I have loaded on my SD card. I am also trying to filter out all the ROMS to only be US released games which has not been an easy task.

Game Boy
Game Boy Color
Game Boy Advance
NES

SNES

Sega Genesis

Sega Master System

Atari 2600

Atari 7800

Atari 5200

 

I plan to load MAME ROMS soon, but overall am quite amazed at the ability this $99 unit performs so far. Reading through this thread, I know there are incompatibilities and potential button mapping issues, etc. but overall (so far) this is quite an amazing addition to my collection.

TG-16 works now too. Also the sdcard has folder support added as well. Very cool. The new firmware is awesome. 

[Domeshtan]

Between playing Super Mario World and Bishoujo Janshi Suchie-Pai I know for sure now how the GSP buttons are mapped to a Super Nintendo controller ...

GSP A = SNES B

GSP B = SNES Y

GSP C = SNES X

GSP Select and Start are the same on the SNES controller.

[Riko]

28 minutes ago, Domeshtan said:

Between playing Super Mario World and Bishoujo Janshi Suchie-Pai I know for sure now how the GSP buttons are mapped to a Super Nintendo controller ...

GSP A = SNES B

GSP B = SNES Y

GSP C = SNES X

GSP Select and Start are the same on the SNES controller.

Does plugging in another type of controller add more button options? Or does it just cap out at b y x start select?

[Domeshtan]

1 minute ago, Riko said:

Does plugging in another type of controller add more button options? Or does it just cap out at b y x start select?

From what I remember testing with my PS Classic controller I think there was a game or two that recognized the R2 button on my controller. (Not L2 this time). It seemed like it just acted like one of the buttons already mapped. Don't know which one or which game offhand. Otherwise I think the PS Classic mapped out as X=SNES B, O=SNES Y and Triangle=SNES X.