This week I'm adding NES back to RetroCopy. As most would have seen from the videos on youtube it is fairly advanced in some ways , in others not.
The biggest issue with adding NES back to RetroCopy is I need to make the .GAME format support it. Anyone following the drama over at SMSPOWER when I mentioned a new Master System format would understand it's a rather delicate issue. It seems a lot of people absolutely hate the idea of something new, especially when it isn't brought about by general consensus.
I was running NES in RetroCopy simply using a .NES loader like most emulators, however like most formats the .NES format is broken in some ways, and also it doesn't do what I believe a ROM format should do. If you have used RetroCopy you would see what I mean, the ability the see the input devices, the prefered region, 3d game boxes, etc, allows games to played and understood with relative ease. There is also no "what input devices does this game use" question, because you can easily see what input devices it uses, which is a major burden with some games.
Some games do not work with the .NES format and require CRC32/checksumming to determine "this game is special" similar to how MEKA and other emulators handle games. This to me is a big no no. Whilst I may not be able to get other emulator authors to accept change, hopefully over time they will appreciate the effort. Some others have tried in the past to get a new NES format happening, UNIF came and went, INES v2.0 almost happened before disappearing. The NES .GAME format will happen though simply because that is my mentality, if I plan to do something I try my hardest to complete it. That and what else do I have to do? For the time being I look at RetroCopy as my job, so I put in the hours and try and achieve new things.
I'm still a few weeks away from the big announcement I want to make in regards to RetroCopy, which is a bit annoying to me having to hold it back for a while now. I do believe it will be worth it in the end. However in the meantime, in a week or two some cycle accurate NES will be playable in RetroCopy and surely that is something to celebrate.