You probably won't believe me but not long ago I beat NES Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! on a laptop using Mesen and a keyboard for input, and the laptop had a stock LCD screen. That was back in 2019. If there was any lag it didn't stop me from KO'ing Tyson, and without savestates either. I think people blame "lag" for their own lack of skill, to be honest.
First let me say that I appreciate this awesome site and the great work you do for it. Seriously man, I do. So I hope I'm not coming off like a prick. That said, I get irked when I see people disparage software emulation like it's inferior to FPGA.
Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and software emulation both aim to replicate the behavior of original gaming hardware, but they do so through different means. FPGAs recreate the hardware architecture at a low level using programmable logic blocks, which allows for highly accurate and parallel processing similar to the original hardware. This can result in lower latency and more precise timing, particularly beneficial for older systems where exact cycle replication is crucial. However, modern software emulators have made significant strides in accuracy and performance, leveraging powerful multi-core CPUs to execute instructions in parallel, much like FPGAs. High-level software emulation can achieve cycle accuracy and even surpass FPGA accuracy by simulating individual transistors when detailed hardware knowledge is available. Furthermore, software emulation offers flexibility and features such as save states and enhanced graphics that FPGAs cannot easily replicate due to their fixed hardware nature. And FPGA struggles with more complicated architecture, yet we have PS2 and PS3 emulation in software already. For Sega Saturn emulation, RetroArch is highly recommended due to its excellent compatibility and versatility, using the Beetle-Saturn core based on Mednafen. For Nintendo 64 emulation, Project 64 is a top choice for its ease of use and feature-rich environment, while Simple 64 offers a highly authentic experience with support for original controllers and attachments.
PC emulation costs more than the FPGA device you mentioned in your article. But my point never had anything to do with price, that was a strawman you introduced. My point had to do with competency of software emulators in today's world. Your article implies software emulation is inferior to FPGA, but in reality it is not. It is more expensive than FPGA yes, but you also get far more features with software emulation compared to FPGA. And there are myriad consoles and handhelds that have software emulators today, which still do not have FPGA cores yet at all.
If you know all that, then you know this statement, in 2024, is false: "Unlike software emulation, which can often suffer from latency and inaccuracy." The key word there that is false is "often". Not in today's world with modern software emulators. I'm not suggesting the FPGA device you reviewed here isn't a good deal, but I am suggesting your article throws software emulation under the bus to make said device seem more appealing. Modern software emulation, and I mean the latest and greatest emulators, do not "often" have latency or inaccuracy - to the contrary in fact. Run-Ahead and Beam Racing alone have been game changers in this regard.
I have many hardware handhelds that come with well functioning emulators, especially after updating their firmware/OS with better than stock. I'm fond of my Miyoo Mini+, PowKiddy V10/V90, RetroidPocket 2, for example. All of those run games without latency or emulation corruption, and also without need of FPGA.
The draw is elitism I suppose. Or perhaps the draw is being unable to find the best software emulators, unable to configure them correctly with adequate hardware to power them, using old LCD monitors that introduce latency external of software, and therefore having a sub-optimal experience with software emulation via end user incompetency.
Comments 12
Re: Your Next Retro Emulation Handheld Could Cost You 35% More Than Usual
Removed
Re: Your Next Retro Emulation Handheld Could Cost You 35% More Than Usual
Removed
Re: Your Next Retro Emulation Handheld Could Cost You 35% More Than Usual
Yes, I do indeed come to a retro gaming news site, so that I can be fed political opinions instead.
Re: This New Patch Unlocks Hidden Debug Menus Inside Cult Dreamcast RPG 'SEGAGAGA'
If it was Nintendodo it would have been fan translated twenty years ago.
Re: Review: Anbernic RG34XX - A GBA Clone That's So Good Nintendo's Name Should Be On It
I don't think this is superior to the Powkiddy V10. Other than the native form factor of the handheld, but that's subjective.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
@Bonggon5
You probably won't believe me but not long ago I beat NES Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! on a laptop using Mesen and a keyboard for input, and the laptop had a stock LCD screen. That was back in 2019. If there was any lag it didn't stop me from KO'ing Tyson, and without savestates either. I think people blame "lag" for their own lack of skill, to be honest.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
@Damo
First let me say that I appreciate this awesome site and the great work you do for it. Seriously man, I do. So I hope I'm not coming off like a prick. That said, I get irked when I see people disparage software emulation like it's inferior to FPGA.
Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and software emulation both aim to replicate the behavior of original gaming hardware, but they do so through different means. FPGAs recreate the hardware architecture at a low level using programmable logic blocks, which allows for highly accurate and parallel processing similar to the original hardware. This can result in lower latency and more precise timing, particularly beneficial for older systems where exact cycle replication is crucial. However, modern software emulators have made significant strides in accuracy and performance, leveraging powerful multi-core CPUs to execute instructions in parallel, much like FPGAs. High-level software emulation can achieve cycle accuracy and even surpass FPGA accuracy by simulating individual transistors when detailed hardware knowledge is available. Furthermore, software emulation offers flexibility and features such as save states and enhanced graphics that FPGAs cannot easily replicate due to their fixed hardware nature. And FPGA struggles with more complicated architecture, yet we have PS2 and PS3 emulation in software already. For Sega Saturn emulation, RetroArch is highly recommended due to its excellent compatibility and versatility, using the Beetle-Saturn core based on Mednafen. For Nintendo 64 emulation, Project 64 is a top choice for its ease of use and feature-rich environment, while Simple 64 offers a highly authentic experience with support for original controllers and attachments.
PC emulation costs more than the FPGA device you mentioned in your article. But my point never had anything to do with price, that was a strawman you introduced. My point had to do with competency of software emulators in today's world. Your article implies software emulation is inferior to FPGA, but in reality it is not. It is more expensive than FPGA yes, but you also get far more features with software emulation compared to FPGA. And there are myriad consoles and handhelds that have software emulators today, which still do not have FPGA cores yet at all.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
@Damo
If you know all that, then you know this statement, in 2024, is false: "Unlike software emulation, which can often suffer from latency and inaccuracy." The key word there that is false is "often". Not in today's world with modern software emulators. I'm not suggesting the FPGA device you reviewed here isn't a good deal, but I am suggesting your article throws software emulation under the bus to make said device seem more appealing. Modern software emulation, and I mean the latest and greatest emulators, do not "often" have latency or inaccuracy - to the contrary in fact. Run-Ahead and Beam Racing alone have been game changers in this regard.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
@845H
I have many hardware handhelds that come with well functioning emulators, especially after updating their firmware/OS with better than stock. I'm fond of my Miyoo Mini+, PowKiddy V10/V90, RetroidPocket 2, for example. All of those run games without latency or emulation corruption, and also without need of FPGA.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
@Lanmanna
The draw is elitism I suppose. Or perhaps the draw is being unable to find the best software emulators, unable to configure them correctly with adequate hardware to power them, using old LCD monitors that introduce latency external of software, and therefore having a sub-optimal experience with software emulation via end user incompetency.
Re: Review: MiSTer Pi - A $99 Gateway To FPGA Retro Gaming
"Unlike software emulation, which can often suffer from latency and inaccuracy"
Apparently the author hasn't tried any software emulators since the late '90s.
Re: JRPG 'Breath Of Thunder' Could Come To The Jaguar, Saturn, N64 And (Reads Notes) Virtual Boy
@KingMike
There is an RPG on Atari 2600: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonstomper
My review: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/atari2600/584695-dragonstomper/reviews/167514