How to load homebrew with GDEMU

[KeiDash]

Hi dreamcasters!

Many months has been passed since I was stoped (temporarily) my BeatTendency project for Dreamcast because of my Dreamcast lens can not read CD-ROMS, so I can not make debug on the console.

To solved it, this last week I bought GDEMU and I installed and works perfectly but in the official website, it says that to run homebrew the games should be in .iso files.

After I compile my game, I use the BootDreams software to make a .cdi file that works on emulators, but I do not find any documentation to convert to cdi file to iso.

I tryed with daemon tools, mounting the cdi image file and using ImgBurn, try to make a .iso .. ImgBurn can make the iso file but is not compatible with GDEMU, this says "unrecognized format ".

I triyed with ISO_Make_pack_v2.4 too, with the cdi2iso utility, but this doens't work too.

So, can anyone help me? I would like to continue my development.

Many thanks,

[Tarnish]

Dunno about .iso files, but GDEMU can boot .cdi files no problem. I have a GDEMU as well and had no problem booting the .cdi of Propeller Arena for example.

EDIT: It also says so on the website: https://gdemu.wordpress.com/details/gdemu-details/

Supported image types:

-GDI (for GD-ROMs)
-CDI
-CCD+IMG+SUB
-MDS+MDF
-ISO (as data carriers for homebrew)

[KeiDash]

Dunno about .iso files, but GDEMU can boot .cdi files no problem. I have a GDEMU as well and had no problem booting the .cdi of Propeller Arena for example.

EDIT: It also says so on the website: https://gdemu.wordpress.com/details/gdemu-details/

Supported image types:

-GDI (for GD-ROMs)
-CDI
-CCD+IMG+SUB
-MDS+MDF
-ISO (as data carriers for homebrew)

Hi @Tarnish,

I tried to use the cdi file directly but the GDEMU notice me that "is a unrecognized format". It's right that DGEMU work's with CDI files but only for original games.

I'm talking about homebrew, this is the problem. As the details says:


ISO (as data carriers for homebrew)

[Aleron Ives]

Not all CDI files will work. If you burn a mode 1/mode 2 data/data CDI to a disc, the DC will boot it, but GDEMU won't boot the CDI. On the other hand, a mode 2/mode 2 data/data CDI will boot in GDEMU.

I don't know how you're supposed to boot ISO, because ISO is not a valid format for DC games. All games and homebrew require 2 sessions to boot in MIL CD format, and ISO does not support the concept of sessions. That's why CDI is so popular: it supports multiple tracks and sessions inside a single image file.

[KeiDash]

Not all CDI files will work. If you burn a mode 1/mode 2 data/data CDI to a disc, the DC will boot it, but GDEMU won't boot the CDI. On the other hand, a mode 2/mode 2 data/data CDI will boot in GDEMU.

I don't know how you're supposed to boot ISO, because ISO is not a valid format for DC games. All games and homebrew require 2 sessions to boot in MIL CD format, and ISO does not support the concept of sessions. That's why CDI is so popular: it supports multiple tracks and sessions inside a single image file.

Hi @Aleron Ives,

I made the CDI file with BootDreams as Data/Data file. It generates a MODE2/FORM1/2336 with a File system ISO9660; Joilet cdi file.

I don't know if Mode2/Mode2 it's the same like this. I don't supposed anything, I only paste the technical specifications of GDEMU publish on the oficial website.

I don't know how to do a Mode2/Mode2 CDI file, I have the knowledge to develop a game but not for make a compatible cdi files with all environments. At the momment, BootDreams make a CDI file compatible with Emulatos and a CD-ROM for the real console.

Can you guide me if you have knowledge?

Many thanks,

[Tarnish]

Maybe someone on this Discord server meant for DC devs can help you out:
https://twitter.com/simulantengine/stat ... 5398052865

[KeiDash]

Well, I solved the problem. It was that some data structure (in code) don't work on GDEMU for something that I don't know yet.

I must make a code refactoring to solve it.

Thanks for all and for your time.

Regards,

[NeoSnk]

I have the same problem with Counter Strike DC it doesn't boot on GDEMU. I'm using the CDI.

[Anthony817]

Yeah, both Counter Strike and the Condition Zero port both refuse to work. In fact I think we should research into recompiling the discs so they display the correct names and artwork on the GDMENU screen. I am sure we could recompile all of the discs to have custom disc texture images too. But this should be easily fixable with modern tools. They Hunger runs beautifully for me as well as 007 mod. However Gunman Chronicles displays no textures on the 1P player arms. I remember it working at release.

[KeiDash]

If you use a CD version or load the game on emulator works? In my case, the problem was that the language that I use to develop the game is BennuGD. On CD version or in emulator works fine, but in SD-Card with GDEMU, a piece of complex code crash for something that I don't know.

I need refactor the code in this point.