Another question I forgot to ask in my last post. Some of the stuff I grabbed has a bunch of DLDI files included. Those shouldn't be necessary on the R4, correct? They're just there for the sake of patching the .nds file?
Many thanks for answering all the silly questions. I want to know what I'm getting into before I receive the thing as I dislike accessing the internet from home.
So, I've heard good things about the M3 and R4. Which one and why? Also, will most of the programs on the starter post work with the m3/r4? I'd really like to be able to use my ds as a tablet to draw and save pictures.
I think the biggest draw to the R4 is the price tag. The deal mentioned on page 1 is for the R4, a Kingston 1GB microSD card (SD card adapter included) and a usb card reader all for $45 shipped. Dealextreme is Hong Kong based, however, so there is a fairly long waiting period for delivery and a small chance of being screwed over by pirates. (I believe several users here have received the product as advertised, however, so no sweat there.)
I believe DS-Scene, also mentioned earlier in the thread is a good source of hardware reviews and software downloads as well. I'd have to do a little research to see what you could draw and save pictures with, however. (I belive DSOrganize has something for drawing pictures...)
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mntorankusuI'm not sure how to use this thing....Registered Userregular
edited April 2007
There's a really nice drawing program called Phidias with smooth lines and a nice color selector with alpha.
DSOrganize's drawing app is terrible and I would never recommend using it ever. The touch screen response is awful, and it doesn't utilize the pressure values properly so you end up having random lines appear on the screen if you touch it too lightly.
Well, I just joined the club. Ordered M3 Simply for $32 shipped.
Quick question, since I'm impatient and know nothing about this stuff. I can put multiple applications onto the same microSD card, right? Is there some sort of "Home" menu where you select an application to run?
I'm pretty sure you can keep as many apps on one card as you have space for. Also, I'm pretty sure that apps like Moonshell work kind of like an operating system for loading apps and the like. I could be mistaken though, as I have not yet received my R4.
I gotta say, I'll sleep easier when I get the R4. I cannot track the order past the Hong Kong Post. It's like it left Hong Kong and disappeared. Kinda bugs me. (Land of milk and piracy, etc.)
I was browsing around over at DS Scene and noticed that a new version of DSOrganize was released. Here are the release notes:
Fixes found in 2.7
*Massive overhaul to the sound system allowing for vastly superior sound:
*Modules are now played at 44100 instead of 22050 frequency.
*Wav files don't stutter anymore on higher bitrates.
*Oversampling for .mpa/mp2 files brought up to 2x.
*Oversampling for .mp3 files brought back to 4x (streams stay at 2x).
*Sped up .m4a/.m4b decoding so higher bitrates play.
*Oversampling for .aac files brought up to 2x (streams stay at 1x).
*Fixed slight skip heard in some .flac audio files.
*.nsf file are now played at 48000 isntead of 40000 frequency.
*Oversampling for .sid/spc/nsf files is now up to 2x.
*Fixed the weird echo issue with .spc files.
*Overhaul to the HBDB system allowing for much better databases:
*Changed the way that the HBDB sorts files, allowing for categories and more card types.
*Changed the way that the HBDB detects the dsorganize or root directories.
*Changed the downloader system to be more robust.
*Added simple web browser!
*Added eq meters to .flac and .m4a/m4b/aac files.
*Added left and right d-pad support to browser and web browser to act as page up and page down.
*Added ability to edit m3u and pls files on the fly in the text editor.
*Added chishm's DLDI loader to DSOrganize. This fixes booting on MMD.
*Added support for cellspacing/cellpadding in tables (mostly makes fark.com readable).
*Changed </tr> tag to add a line break if not already present.
*Changed the way the HTML renderer recognized header and body positions, fixing several pages.
*Changed IRC button mapping to be more consistent with other apps and stop accidental disconnects.
*Changed local HTML file viewer to show title.
*Changed IRC channel windows to display the number of people in the channel.
*Fixed a wrapping error with long HTML files.
*Fixed <p> rules to reflect optional end tag.
*Fixed <a> tags erasing bold property.
*Fixed underline placement for large font.
*Fixed an error in the html render with scripts containing < in them.
*Fixed HTML pages that use & in the text improperly.
*Fixed <a name> tags to not change the style of text.
*Fixed an issue with <a> tags that didn't contain name or href elements.
*Fixed HTML renderer to properly ignore carriage returns.
*Fixed a bug with homebrew downloader percentages.
*Fixed the major issue with corrupting directories. This does not fix the problems with some M3 devices as the driver is defective for them.
*Fixed bug where html tag properties with > in them would prematurely end the html tag.
*Fixed some memory leaks on the home screen.
*Fixed bad command handling on the IRC windows.
*Fixed an error with bookmarks in HTML local files.
*Removed ninjaDS driver as it can be patched in and has long load times.
NOTE: Since the plugin architecture has been updated in 2.7, please download the latest version of your favorite plugins to continue using them.
Now, does this mean DSOrganize is better for MP3 playback than Moonshell? I think earlier we established that MP3 playback on the DS was typically below average frequency. (Is that the word I'm looking for here?) If I'm reading these notes, MP3 playback on DSOrganize should now be up to standard, right?
Now, does this mean DSOrganize is better for MP3 playback than Moonshell? I think earlier we established that MP3 playback on the DS was typically below average frequency. (Is that the word I'm looking for here?) If I'm reading these notes, MP3 playback on DSOrganize should now be up to standard, right?
It has nothing to do with software. The DS hardware isn't capable of playing back anything above 32768 Hz. Anything above that must be resampled.
That doesn't mean that the new version doesn't have better quality output than MoonShell, though. I haven't tried it myself.
I have a GBAMP with Max Media Launcher and a 64MB CF Card. Should I abandon all of that for the R4? Is it better?
Not really. I actually prefer the GBAMP over most other devices, due to the ability to use any .nds file as the boot menu. So unless you really want a Slot-1 device, I'd stick with the GBAMP.
Oh, awesome. I've been checking the Hong Kong post tracking site every day, hoping they would update. On a whim, I checked the USPS tracking, which hasn't been showing any records of my order at all. Apparently, it has arrived. Now I must escape work and get on with the homebrews. I've downloaded a grand total of over 100 games, demos, applications and utilities and they're all going to need testing/troubleshooting. (I even laid out a homebrew catalog in Excel, so I can keep it all straight. What a dork I've become.)
It's still clearly a work in progress but everything seems to work pretty well. You're going to need to reconfigure your control setup from the first one, though. But stuff like model textures is implemented, finally. I guess lighting and internet play are next. Not bad, really. Like I've been saying, I'm surprised iD didn't do this a long time ago, but hey, that's what the homebrew community is for.
Phidias added to the OP. Giant-ass FlashMe FAQ added to second post. Figured I might as well, since it turns out they're actually still updating it and all.
Is this $44 deal better than my GBAMP?Max Media Launcher setup?
Well, it doesn't stick way out of the bottom of your DS, and the GBAMP isn't all that great. So yeah. But if you already have stuff that works for you then you might not want to bother buying new stuff.
Is this $44 deal better than my GBAMP?Max Media Launcher setup?
Well, it doesn't stick way out of the bottom of your DS, and the GBAMP isn't all that great. So yeah. But if you already have stuff that works for you then you might not want to bother buying new stuff.
Homebrew software compatibility on the GBAMP is better than the R4. It's a slight difference now, with DLDI and all, but I don't know where you get the idea that it's not all that great. And like I mentioned before, auto-nds booting is a feature sorely lacking from almost every other device out there. I hate being forced to go through some shitty-ass Supercard, M3 or R4 menus just to get to MoonShell.
The only real advantage the R4 has is that it won't stick out, which could be a pretty big advantage depending on how portable it needs to be and your own personal opinion about huge things sticking out of your DS. Plus, I suppose there's also the fact that lots of devices use mini/micro/SD cards, so microSD cards can be pretty multi-functional.
I received my R4. I'm officially part of the homebrew scene!
Sucks for you guys, though.
Well, first things first. MicroSD scares me. To death. I've never been put into a position where I might accidentally inhale a GB of data. It feels about as sturdy as a potato chip and I have to jam it into a spring loaded slot. I've always been told I have pianist fingers, long and thin. (Like a girl, wanna fight about it?) But these MicroSD cards make me feel like Chubby McFatfingers. Suffice it to say, it scares me. O_o
So, funny story...
I was really getting into the homebrew thing last night. My girlfriend was in the living room testing out Drug Wars and WordUp, and I was on the computer preparing my next round of test subjects. I was moving files on my thumb drive, swapping around directories all over the hard drive, converting a divx file to a dpg file, streaming from a CD, the works. Suddenly... "PFFT!" *Computer powers down, the hard way*
Maybe I can just turn it back on. *click*... *clickclick* .... *clickclickclickclick*
:x
I checked it out and finally came to the conclusion that the power supply just lunched itself. Luckily, I happen to have my previous computer, which was killed by a power surge, in storage. Long story short, I performed a power supply transplant and thus far, all is well again. Still, someone out there doesn't want me to enjoy my homebrew. I lost a fair bit of time on that surgery.
Far as the homebrew itself goes... I think I need to research the Doom and Quake projects to make sure I'm putting paks and wads in their proper places. It seems to be having trouble accessing them. I'm disappointed that Whee! and Eurotunnel don't seem to work on my R4, nor does MegaETk. (They all freeze either on a menu or the initial loading of the game.) So, I think I'm going to be hunting for compatible versions, if they're available. If anyone has any leads on R4 compatibility lists, or any kinds of neat tricks, by all means, pass them on. WordUp, Word Wrap, Drug Wars and Tetatt DS all worked great, at least after patched.
I like the Moonshell interface, but a few things trouble me. Why are the media and application portions seperate? Is it a matter of them not fitting together in the resident memory? Also, why button browsing instead of the touchpad? I would have imagined the top screen would be relegated to displaying directory structures and file information, maybe the clock/calender or a pretty background. Is this planned for any future versions, or is there another reason, such as a memory or programming restriction? At any rate, cool app. The audio and video I tested were better than expected, to be honest. I will say that I'm going to have to look into custom skins/themes, however. The clashing styles bother me when I'm browsing around. I just like things to be fairly uniform.
I've tried Phidias, ComicBookDS and DSOrganize as well. All three are very cool. The only thing that disappointed me was that my fabricated directory structure was raped by Phidias and DSOrganize making their own folders where they wanted them. It can't be helped though, so no big deal.
I'm going to stop babbling for now, but I'd like to ask any other R4 users to share their experiences as well. I've got a lot to figure out on this thing...
isnt there a new homebrew tool with the word Ninja in the name that is supposed to be insanely smooth and easy?
The Ninjapass X9 works the same way most other slot1 devices work: you put a MicroSD card into a little slot on it and then plug it into your DS.
EDIT: The DLDI driver for it is read-only, so it sucks for homebrew. Stay away.
I like the Moonshell interface, but a few things trouble me. Why are the media and application portions seperate? Is it a matter of them not fitting together in the resident memory? Also, why button browsing instead of the touchpad? I would have imagined the top screen would be relegated to displaying directory structures and file information, maybe the clock/calender or a pretty background. Is this planned for any future versions, or is there another reason, such as a memory or programming restriction? At any rate, cool app. The audio and video I tested were better than expected, to be honest. I will say that I'm going to have to look into custom skins/themes, however. The clashing styles bother me when I'm browsing around. I just like things to be fairly uniform.
You can change something in some .ini file to have the folders on the touch screen (controllable with the stylus) but it's not as stable this way.
And there's an absolute fuckton of different themes out there for it; just look around. I found one that looks very much like the DS's main menu, but I think it's specific to the built-in Moonshell-derivative on my EZFlash V.
isnt there a new homebrew tool with the word Ninja in the name that is supposed to be insanely smooth and easy?
The Ninjapass X9 works the same way most other slot1 devices work: you put a MicroSD card into a little slot on it and then plug it into your DS.
EDIT: The DLDI driver for it is read-only, so it sucks for homebrew. Stay away.
I like the Moonshell interface, but a few things trouble me. Why are the media and application portions seperate? Is it a matter of them not fitting together in the resident memory? Also, why button browsing instead of the touchpad? I would have imagined the top screen would be relegated to displaying directory structures and file information, maybe the clock/calender or a pretty background. Is this planned for any future versions, or is there another reason, such as a memory or programming restriction? At any rate, cool app. The audio and video I tested were better than expected, to be honest. I will say that I'm going to have to look into custom skins/themes, however. The clashing styles bother me when I'm browsing around. I just like things to be fairly uniform.
You can change something in some .ini file to have the folders on the touch screen (controllable with the stylus) but it's not as stable this way.
And there's an absolute fuckton of different themes out there for it; just look around. I found one that looks very much like the DS's main menu, but I think it's specific to the built-in Moonshell-derivative on my EZFlash V.
Gotta say, I was looking at the EZFlash and beginning to regret the R4 purchase. The 3-in-1 expansion looks very slick. Sadly, I think I'll be missing out on a lot of future apps due to my lack of slot-2/ram expansion. Still, for my money, I think I got a good deal. Like I said before, the MicroSD alone probably would have cost me about $15, nevermind the reader and the device itself. A good starter package for sure. I just hope that homebrew compatibility adapts to MicroSD devices, since they seem to be the cheapest/quickest package without any major detractors. (Specifically, sticking out of the DS excessively. Though lack of .gba options stings more than I had initially suspected.)
Well, I took a good look at the Quake DS instructions and I think I see my mistake. I forgot the id1 folder in the root directory. (I used my own directory structure and had the pak's in a folder with the .nds file.) So, I'll try it again tonight. I think I also need to add a "Patched" field to my catalog, so I can track what I have and have not patched. Maybe I'll even right it down when something doesn't have DLDI or something. I doubt it would really be of any use to anyone but me anyway.
Alright. I've stocked up on shareware FPS games and I'm clear on Quake DS. Now I just have to wait 4.5+ hours to get off work.
Hopefully my luck will be a little better tonight. If not, I shall play some WordUp, so it's all good.
Oh and one last note. They're not kidding when they say to keep the lid closed when running PixelFixer. I don't normally get motion sickness/migraines, etc, but for some reason it had me feeling pretty queasy. A shame it didn't seem to rid my top screen of that blue pixel. Does anyone know how long you're supposed to leave it running?
You can use that EZFlash 3-in-1 with a non-EZFlash slot1 card. This guy has a DLDI-enabled program working that can record stuff to it from (for instance) an R4. The thing is, the forum this guy's working from has a lot of warez talk. Let's see if I can find a "clean" link for it.
It's still in beta and the usual disclaimers apply, but you can buy just the EZFlash 3-in-1 expansion alone for like $23 plus shipping from KickTrading (whenever they get it back in stock, anyway).
To be honest, I kind of wish I knew this was possible before buying the EZFlash, since the R4 is more compatable with DS stuff (you can't launch programs from the file browser in DSOrganize on an EZFlashV, for instance).
As to PixelFixer, can't help you there. I've not had to use any of that stuff.
Just tried quake and I'm very impressed. Apart from a few cosmetic odds and ends its pretty flawless. I was expecting it to stutter and struggle in places but its pretty damn smooth.
Just tried quake and I'm very impressed. Apart from a few cosmetic odds and ends its pretty flawless. I was expecting it to stutter and struggle in places but its pretty damn smooth.
Yeah, this release of it is really good. A couple of weeks ago it was nothing more than a tech demo and now it's basically fully playable.
Well, I AM satisfied with my GBAMP/MML set-up, but I'd prefer a solution where I don't have to worry about f'ing up the USB CF Reader/Writer. Plus, I only have a 64MB. This comes with 1GB.
Any other HB solutions that are under $50 and will solve my problems?
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mntorankusuI'm not sure how to use this thing....Registered Userregular
Well, I AM satisfied with my GBAMP/MML set-up, but I'd prefer a solution where I don't have to worry about f'ing up the USB CF Reader/Writer. Plus, I only have a 64MB. This comes with 1GB.
Any other HB solutions that are under $50 and will solve my problems?
The R4 is as cheap as they come. Though, you can save a few bucks by buying the R4 alone (without the microSD card-- it still comes with the USB card reader) and then buying a cheaper microSD card from somewhere else instead.
Well, I AM satisfied with my GBAMP/MML set-up, but I'd prefer a solution where I don't have to worry about f'ing up the USB CF Reader/Writer. Plus, I only have a 64MB. This comes with 1GB.
Any other HB solutions that are under $50 and will solve my problems?
Well, you could buy a 1 GB CF card for your GBAMP for like ten dollars from Newegg.
But for stuff that doesn't stick out of the bottom, the R4 deal looks like the best right now.
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mntorankusuI'm not sure how to use this thing....Registered Userregular
Well, you could buy a 1 GB CF card for your GBAMP for like ten dollars from Newegg.
Sigh. I remember in 2005 when I bought a 256 MB card from Newegg for my GBAMP, for $20, and it was a pretty good deal.
Then more recently I got a 1 GB card for $14 when they were still around $40-$50 on Newegg and it was a great deal. This wasn't even that long ago.
Oh, technology.
No kidding. Hell, I remember reading an ad in some PC magazine when I was a little kid about this massive hard drive. "A gig for a grand", it said, underneath a picture of a hard drive that was so big it took a 5.25" drive spot. Now a gigabyte costs fifteen dollars, shipped, and is the size of my fingernail. Surreal.
Using the 3-in-1 with the R4 is an interesting prospect. Does it have interchangeable DSL/DS sized casings? I'm still using my silver DS. (It seems like that may become a permanent arrangement, as well.) It kind of bothers me that the loading/unloading process seems to take a while, but am I correct in my assumption that this would give me access to .gba homebrew? If so, I may need to requisition $20 more. (Especially since it includes rumble and ram on top of everything.)
The size is a hurdle though. Can't do Lite sized peripherals.
Using the 3-in-1 with the R4 is an interesting prospect. Does it have interchangeable DSL/DS sized casings? I'm still using my silver DS. (It seems like that may become a permanent arrangement, as well.) It kind of bothers me that the loading/unloading process seems to take a while, but am I correct in my assumption that this would give me access to .gba homebrew? If so, I may need to requisition $20 more. (Especially since it includes rumble and ram on top of everything.)
The size is a hurdle though. Can't do Lite sized peripherals.
No. They're making a full-sized version, but it won't have a Lite casing. This is basically the main reason why everyone is going with slot1 devices.
And the rumble and RAM don't work with commercial games, it seems.
And the loading/unloading takes a while because NOR flash is quick to read and slow to write, so it can approximate GBA ROM quite well. SD cards (for instance) use NAND flash, instead.
Using the 3-in-1 with the R4 is an interesting prospect. Does it have interchangeable DSL/DS sized casings? I'm still using my silver DS. (It seems like that may become a permanent arrangement, as well.) It kind of bothers me that the loading/unloading process seems to take a while, but am I correct in my assumption that this would give me access to .gba homebrew? If so, I may need to requisition $20 more. (Especially since it includes rumble and ram on top of everything.)
The size is a hurdle though. Can't do Lite sized peripherals.
No. They're making a full-sized version, but it won't have a Lite casing. This is basically the main reason why everyone is going with slot1 devices.
And the rumble and RAM don't work with commercial games, it seems.
Ah. So that's the trick. Well, if it can do .gba and give me a ram boost for some upcoming homebrew, I'd still have to consider it. Shame they don't work with the physical games, though.
Still... If a ram expansion would allow me to play a homebrew Quake 2 (Please!), nothing would stop me from obtaining one. Or, two perhaps and a DSLite so my girlfriend and I could deathmatch, just like the old days.
Then again, she always got kinda pissed when I would start cleaning up... So perhaps just one.
I'm not really sure what else is likely to require a ram expansion though.
Quake 2 seems like it might be a bit much for the DS to handle.
Yeah, theres a video up from the guy doing Quake DS. It runs at about 1fps. However, he claimed Quake1 wasn't much different initially, though he suspected there would be serious RAM issues down the line. (He mentioned wanting to test it with an expansion pack, I believe.)
[edit] Wait a minute, you're talking Quake and linking to Quake 2? Wha?
Let me clarify. The Quake 2 vid is from the same person releasing Quake DS. (I already downloaded Quake DS and I am aware of it's existence.) The argument was that the DS might not be able to handle Quake 2. The video both proves and disproves that argument, to some degree. It's a proof of concept insofar as that really is Quake 2 running on a DS, but it is entirely unplayable due to the speed. I've read statements by the programmer saying he would like to see what he could do with Quake 2 if he had access to an expansion pak, however, which brought me to want both an expansion cart and a completely ported Quake 2.
I was paying attention, I'm just ace at not getting my point across.
He says next to the vid its using the software renderer. Since the DS has no FPU, its a wonder it runs as fast as that. It doesn't really give any indication of what speed might be possible once he offloads all the rendering to the hardware.
Got my R4DS today. Awesome. I'm loving me some Quake DS.
Some quick questions...WordUp doesn't seem to support saving high scores, and seems to have "Arcade" mode locked. Did I do something wrong?
Moonshell also gives me an error when I start it up ("An error was found when trying to access a disk or file..."), but then it goes away and I can play mp3s and whatnot just fine. Again...did I do something wrong?
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mntorankusuI'm not sure how to use this thing....Registered Userregular
edited May 2007
That error in MoonShell isn't actually an error. It's there in case it does halt when trying to read from the disk. There's only a problem if the message stays on the screen.
Hong Kong post confuses me. My package says it shipped on 19 April, and HKP says it left Hong Kong on 26 April. Now, the Dealextreme site says it should arrive 4-7 business days after shipping and now it's been 9. Is there a way I can track my package on the USPS site? Putting in the HKP tracking number on the USPS form does nothing.
Posts
I believe DS-Scene, also mentioned earlier in the thread is a good source of hardware reviews and software downloads as well. I'd have to do a little research to see what you could draw and save pictures with, however. (I belive DSOrganize has something for drawing pictures...)
DSOrganize's drawing app is terrible and I would never recommend using it ever. The touch screen response is awful, and it doesn't utilize the pressure values properly so you end up having random lines appear on the screen if you touch it too lightly.
Quick question, since I'm impatient and know nothing about this stuff. I can put multiple applications onto the same microSD card, right? Is there some sort of "Home" menu where you select an application to run?
I gotta say, I'll sleep easier when I get the R4. I cannot track the order past the Hong Kong Post. It's like it left Hong Kong and disappeared. Kinda bugs me. (Land of milk and piracy, etc.)
I was browsing around over at DS Scene and noticed that a new version of DSOrganize was released. Here are the release notes:
*Massive overhaul to the sound system allowing for vastly superior sound:
*Modules are now played at 44100 instead of 22050 frequency.
*Wav files don't stutter anymore on higher bitrates.
*Oversampling for .mpa/mp2 files brought up to 2x.
*Oversampling for .mp3 files brought back to 4x (streams stay at 2x).
*Sped up .m4a/.m4b decoding so higher bitrates play.
*Oversampling for .aac files brought up to 2x (streams stay at 1x).
*Fixed slight skip heard in some .flac audio files.
*.nsf file are now played at 48000 isntead of 40000 frequency.
*Oversampling for .sid/spc/nsf files is now up to 2x.
*Fixed the weird echo issue with .spc files.
*Overhaul to the HBDB system allowing for much better databases:
*Changed the way that the HBDB sorts files, allowing for categories and more card types.
*Changed the way that the HBDB detects the dsorganize or root directories.
*Changed the downloader system to be more robust.
*Added simple web browser!
*Added eq meters to .flac and .m4a/m4b/aac files.
*Added left and right d-pad support to browser and web browser to act as page up and page down.
*Added ability to edit m3u and pls files on the fly in the text editor.
*Added chishm's DLDI loader to DSOrganize. This fixes booting on MMD.
*Added support for cellspacing/cellpadding in tables (mostly makes fark.com readable).
*Changed </tr> tag to add a line break if not already present.
*Changed the way the HTML renderer recognized header and body positions, fixing several pages.
*Changed IRC button mapping to be more consistent with other apps and stop accidental disconnects.
*Changed local HTML file viewer to show title.
*Changed IRC channel windows to display the number of people in the channel.
*Fixed a wrapping error with long HTML files.
*Fixed <p> rules to reflect optional end tag.
*Fixed <a> tags erasing bold property.
*Fixed underline placement for large font.
*Fixed an error in the html render with scripts containing < in them.
*Fixed HTML pages that use & in the text improperly.
*Fixed <a name> tags to not change the style of text.
*Fixed an issue with <a> tags that didn't contain name or href elements.
*Fixed HTML renderer to properly ignore carriage returns.
*Fixed a bug with homebrew downloader percentages.
*Fixed the major issue with corrupting directories. This does not fix the problems with some M3 devices as the driver is defective for them.
*Fixed bug where html tag properties with > in them would prematurely end the html tag.
*Fixed some memory leaks on the home screen.
*Fixed bad command handling on the IRC windows.
*Fixed an error with bookmarks in HTML local files.
*Removed ninjaDS driver as it can be patched in and has long load times.
NOTE: Since the plugin architecture has been updated in 2.7, please download the latest version of your favorite plugins to continue using them.
Now, does this mean DSOrganize is better for MP3 playback than Moonshell? I think earlier we established that MP3 playback on the DS was typically below average frequency. (Is that the word I'm looking for here?) If I'm reading these notes, MP3 playback on DSOrganize should now be up to standard, right?
That doesn't mean that the new version doesn't have better quality output than MoonShell, though. I haven't tried it myself.
Not really. I actually prefer the GBAMP over most other devices, due to the ability to use any .nds file as the boot menu. So unless you really want a Slot-1 device, I'd stick with the GBAMP.
I've got busy days ahead, certainly.
http://quake.drunkencoders.com/
It's still clearly a work in progress but everything seems to work pretty well. You're going to need to reconfigure your control setup from the first one, though. But stuff like model textures is implemented, finally. I guess lighting and internet play are next. Not bad, really. Like I've been saying, I'm surprised iD didn't do this a long time ago, but hey, that's what the homebrew community is for.
EDIT: Also a new version of FlashMe was released today, and the guy's (piracy-free) web site is back up.
http://home.comcast.net/~olimar/flashme/
This one supports Recovery Mode from a slot-1 device, and is probably worth using just for that. I'll put stuff in the OP about it.
Well, it doesn't stick way out of the bottom of your DS, and the GBAMP isn't all that great. So yeah. But if you already have stuff that works for you then you might not want to bother buying new stuff.
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
The only real advantage the R4 has is that it won't stick out, which could be a pretty big advantage depending on how portable it needs to be and your own personal opinion about huge things sticking out of your DS. Plus, I suppose there's also the fact that lots of devices use mini/micro/SD cards, so microSD cards can be pretty multi-functional.
Well, first things first. MicroSD scares me. To death. I've never been put into a position where I might accidentally inhale a GB of data. It feels about as sturdy as a potato chip and I have to jam it into a spring loaded slot. I've always been told I have pianist fingers, long and thin. (Like a girl, wanna fight about it?) But these MicroSD cards make me feel like Chubby McFatfingers. Suffice it to say, it scares me. O_o
So, funny story...
Maybe I can just turn it back on. *click*... *clickclick* .... *clickclickclickclick*
:x
I checked it out and finally came to the conclusion that the power supply just lunched itself. Luckily, I happen to have my previous computer, which was killed by a power surge, in storage. Long story short, I performed a power supply transplant and thus far, all is well again. Still, someone out there doesn't want me to enjoy my homebrew. I lost a fair bit of time on that surgery.
Far as the homebrew itself goes... I think I need to research the Doom and Quake projects to make sure I'm putting paks and wads in their proper places. It seems to be having trouble accessing them. I'm disappointed that Whee! and Eurotunnel don't seem to work on my R4, nor does MegaETk. (They all freeze either on a menu or the initial loading of the game.) So, I think I'm going to be hunting for compatible versions, if they're available. If anyone has any leads on R4 compatibility lists, or any kinds of neat tricks, by all means, pass them on. WordUp, Word Wrap, Drug Wars and Tetatt DS all worked great, at least after patched.
I like the Moonshell interface, but a few things trouble me. Why are the media and application portions seperate? Is it a matter of them not fitting together in the resident memory? Also, why button browsing instead of the touchpad? I would have imagined the top screen would be relegated to displaying directory structures and file information, maybe the clock/calender or a pretty background. Is this planned for any future versions, or is there another reason, such as a memory or programming restriction? At any rate, cool app. The audio and video I tested were better than expected, to be honest. I will say that I'm going to have to look into custom skins/themes, however. The clashing styles bother me when I'm browsing around. I just like things to be fairly uniform.
I've tried Phidias, ComicBookDS and DSOrganize as well. All three are very cool. The only thing that disappointed me was that my fabricated directory structure was raped by Phidias and DSOrganize making their own folders where they wanted them. It can't be helped though, so no big deal.
I'm going to stop babbling for now, but I'd like to ask any other R4 users to share their experiences as well. I've got a lot to figure out on this thing...
The Ninjapass X9 works the same way most other slot1 devices work: you put a MicroSD card into a little slot on it and then plug it into your DS.
EDIT: The DLDI driver for it is read-only, so it sucks for homebrew. Stay away.
You can change something in some .ini file to have the folders on the touch screen (controllable with the stylus) but it's not as stable this way.
And there's an absolute fuckton of different themes out there for it; just look around. I found one that looks very much like the DS's main menu, but I think it's specific to the built-in Moonshell-derivative on my EZFlash V.
Gotta say, I was looking at the EZFlash and beginning to regret the R4 purchase. The 3-in-1 expansion looks very slick. Sadly, I think I'll be missing out on a lot of future apps due to my lack of slot-2/ram expansion. Still, for my money, I think I got a good deal. Like I said before, the MicroSD alone probably would have cost me about $15, nevermind the reader and the device itself. A good starter package for sure. I just hope that homebrew compatibility adapts to MicroSD devices, since they seem to be the cheapest/quickest package without any major detractors. (Specifically, sticking out of the DS excessively. Though lack of .gba options stings more than I had initially suspected.)
Well, I took a good look at the Quake DS instructions and I think I see my mistake. I forgot the id1 folder in the root directory. (I used my own directory structure and had the pak's in a folder with the .nds file.) So, I'll try it again tonight. I think I also need to add a "Patched" field to my catalog, so I can track what I have and have not patched. Maybe I'll even right it down when something doesn't have DLDI or something. I doubt it would really be of any use to anyone but me anyway.
Alright. I've stocked up on shareware FPS games and I'm clear on Quake DS. Now I just have to wait 4.5+ hours to get off work.
Hopefully my luck will be a little better tonight. If not, I shall play some WordUp, so it's all good.
Oh and one last note. They're not kidding when they say to keep the lid closed when running PixelFixer. I don't normally get motion sickness/migraines, etc, but for some reason it had me feeling pretty queasy. A shame it didn't seem to rid my top screen of that blue pixel. Does anyone know how long you're supposed to leave it running?
EDIT: Here we go, the guy's web page seems clean.
http://nds.cmamod.com/
It's still in beta and the usual disclaimers apply, but you can buy just the EZFlash 3-in-1 expansion alone for like $23 plus shipping from KickTrading (whenever they get it back in stock, anyway).
To be honest, I kind of wish I knew this was possible before buying the EZFlash, since the R4 is more compatable with DS stuff (you can't launch programs from the file browser in DSOrganize on an EZFlashV, for instance).
As to PixelFixer, can't help you there. I've not had to use any of that stuff.
Yeah, this release of it is really good. A couple of weeks ago it was nothing more than a tech demo and now it's basically fully playable.
Any other HB solutions that are under $50 and will solve my problems?
Well, you could buy a 1 GB CF card for your GBAMP for like ten dollars from Newegg.
But for stuff that doesn't stick out of the bottom, the R4 deal looks like the best right now.
Then more recently I got a 1 GB card for $14 when they were still around $40-$50 on Newegg and it was a great deal. This wasn't even that long ago.
Oh, technology.
No kidding. Hell, I remember reading an ad in some PC magazine when I was a little kid about this massive hard drive. "A gig for a grand", it said, underneath a picture of a hard drive that was so big it took a 5.25" drive spot. Now a gigabyte costs fifteen dollars, shipped, and is the size of my fingernail. Surreal.
The size is a hurdle though. Can't do Lite sized peripherals.
No. They're making a full-sized version, but it won't have a Lite casing. This is basically the main reason why everyone is going with slot1 devices.
And the rumble and RAM don't work with commercial games, it seems.
And the loading/unloading takes a while because NOR flash is quick to read and slow to write, so it can approximate GBA ROM quite well. SD cards (for instance) use NAND flash, instead.
Ah. So that's the trick. Well, if it can do .gba and give me a ram boost for some upcoming homebrew, I'd still have to consider it. Shame they don't work with the physical games, though.
Still... If a ram expansion would allow me to play a homebrew Quake 2 (Please!), nothing would stop me from obtaining one. Or, two perhaps and a DSLite so my girlfriend and I could deathmatch, just like the old days.
Yeah, theres a video up from the guy doing Quake DS. It runs at about 1fps. However, he claimed Quake1 wasn't much different initially, though he suspected there would be serious RAM issues down the line. (He mentioned wanting to test it with an expansion pack, I believe.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu4VczrZBdQ
Proof of concept, as far as that goes. Even if it were smoothed out a bit, networking is more than likely a pipe dream at that point.
[edit] Wait a minute, you're talking Quake and linking to Quake 2? Wha?
Let me clarify. The Quake 2 vid is from the same person releasing Quake DS. (I already downloaded Quake DS and I am aware of it's existence.) The argument was that the DS might not be able to handle Quake 2. The video both proves and disproves that argument, to some degree. It's a proof of concept insofar as that really is Quake 2 running on a DS, but it is entirely unplayable due to the speed. I've read statements by the programmer saying he would like to see what he could do with Quake 2 if he had access to an expansion pak, however, which brought me to want both an expansion cart and a completely ported Quake 2.
I was paying attention, I'm just ace at not getting my point across.
Some quick questions...WordUp doesn't seem to support saving high scores, and seems to have "Arcade" mode locked. Did I do something wrong?
Moonshell also gives me an error when I start it up ("An error was found when trying to access a disk or file..."), but then it goes away and I can play mp3s and whatnot just fine. Again...did I do something wrong?
Hong Kong post confuses me. My package says it shipped on 19 April, and HKP says it left Hong Kong on 26 April. Now, the Dealextreme site says it should arrive 4-7 business days after shipping and now it's been 9. Is there a way I can track my package on the USPS site? Putting in the HKP tracking number on the USPS form does nothing.