Application:Gnuboy

NOTE: To successfully follow these instructions, you should know a bit of Linux. If you're uncomfortable with Linux, alternative instructions are available here.

Setup:

1. Setup Debian.

2. Setup DirectFB.

Some program specific notes about the directfbrc config file:

mode=320x480
primary-layer=00
pixelformat=RGB16  #This needs to be changed from ARGB to RGB16 for accurate gameboy color emulation.
no-vt
no-cursor
bg-color=00000000
hardware

3. Run, outside the chroot:

<source lang="text">/sbin/initctl stop LunaSysMgr #NOTE: THIS WILL KILL THE GUI</source> 4. Run, inside the debian chroot: <source lang="text"> apt-get install -y gnuboy-sdl </source>

Run:

Get into the Debian chroot: <source lang="text"> export SDL_VIDEODRIVER="directfb" export SDL_NOMOUSE=1 sdlgnuboy --scale=2 --density=2 --bind q quit --bind u +up --bind h +left --bind k +right --bind j +down YOURROMFILE.GB </source>

Notes

• You will have to unzip your gameboy rom in order to work with gnuboy
• Mappings for the gameboy start and select buttons are not specified in the program launch parameters, but the defaults are enter for start and space for select.
• If sound is not working for you, try installing the package 'libsdl1.2debian-all' in your debian chroot. To disable sound in the emu, add --sound=0 as a launch parameter.
• If you have problems installing the 'gnuboy-sdl' package, run "apt-get update".
• If you have trouble using your Pre as a USB drive after mounting debian, you can still use SSH and a SFTP program such as WinSCP to and drag and drop files onto your Pre. To set up SSH see Next_steps. In this case, USB drive functionality is returned by turning off your Pre with the remove battery/turn off option, and then turning the Pre back on.
• If you notice poor performance on the pre, do a full shutdown and power back on.
• To experiment with different gnuboy settings, see the gnuboy readme.
• Playability in this emulator is excellent. Gameboy and Gameboy Color games run at full speed.

Launching Gnuboy from within Webos

The emulator can be launched from the Mojo Webos Terminal app, which can be downloaded from Preware. The emulator even works with Luna on, meaning you can launch it from the Webos Terminal, and receive calls even when playing a game. To exit games when playing like this, press the orange button or the Gnuboy quit button to return to normal Webos function.

However, with Luna on, the Webos GUI functions will turn off the screen and go into sleep mode after a period of time, which causes the emulator to crash. This period of time is defined in the Webos 'Screen & Lock' application under 'Turn Off After'. A workaround is to either tap the screen periodically before the screen turns off, use the functionality in the Webos app NoDoze, or use the "More Standby Times" patch that can also be applied using Preware (original patch notes available here).

Scripts for quick launch

make a script to launch debian, and call it debian.sh. <source lang="text"> mount -o loop /media/internal/debsmall.img /media/cf mount --bind /dev /media/cf/dev mount -t devpts none /media/cf/dev/pts mount -t proc none /media/cf/proc /usr/sbin/chroot /media/cf #Just that easy! </source> then do the command: <source lang="text"> chmod 755 ./debian.sh </source>

then make a script to run the gameboy emulator. call it gameboy.sh <source lang="text"> export ROM=$1 export SDL_VIDEODRIVER="directfb" export SDL_NOMOUSE=1 sdlgnuboy --scale=2 --density=2 --bind q quit --bind u +up --bind h +left --bind k +right --bind j +down $ROM </source> do command: <source lang="text"> chmod 755 ./gameboy.sh </source>

and now you can run gameboy games with two lines.

1. go to debian script directory <source lang="text"> ./debian.sh </source> 2. go to gameboy script directory, with roms in that directory <source lang="text"> ./gameboy.sh YOURROMFILE.GBC </source>

Video

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