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C64 emulator for iPhone

by Mike Schramm May 9th 2008 at 11:00AM

Unfortunately we don't have much more than a splash screen on this one, but Stuart Carnie sends word that he's used the Apple SDK to port a Commodore 64 emulator on to the iPhone. He has yet to put in a Save/Resume state mechanism, a way to browse for files and disks, or a virtual keyboard/joystiq to control it with, but the hard stuff is done, so by the time the App Store comes around, we may have a working C64 emu in there ready to go.

As long as it's ok with Apple. In point of fact, we have no idea how any emulators might work in the App Store -- actually, we have no idea how any apps will get in the App Store. Sure, it would be cool to play the original versions of Sim City or Maniac Mansion or Elite, but without Apple's OK to let any of those on the platform, we may not be able to do so without jailbreaking the thing anyway. We'll see -- if Carnie, once his work is done, can't get an official emulator in the App Store, maybe we'll be able to try it out and put it to use in some other, less official way.

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Unfortunately we don't have much more than a splash screen on this one, but Stuart Carnie sends word that he's used the Apple SDK to port a...
 

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Stuart Carnie

BTW, check my blog, as I've converted the same emulator to .NET / C#, with the code available on source forge, here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sharp-c64

May 11 2008 at 12:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
miguel falconi

Please do note that this could be a hoax... Vwallpaper which allows you to play videos as backgrounds for your iphone has a downloadable video which resembles the C-64's interphase.. Do check your source and if this is no a hoax a beta or even alpha release will settle our minds...

May 10 2008 at 8:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to miguel falconi's comment
Stuart Carnie

It is no hoax. I will try to post a video tonight with something primative running :) No sound yet, but that is in the works. Once the basic hardward is emulated, I'll have to write my own 'virtual keyboard' from scratch, which could take a week...

Given the interest, I'll probably make the virtual keyboard / joystick generic enough to try my hand at an Apple II and Atari 800XL...

May 11 2008 at 12:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Marcus Heller

I wonder if it'll be good enough to play demos, or will only time tell? If I can listen to some SID tunes, I might have to get myself an iPhone just for this!

Hopefully this'll mean an iPhone native version of SIDplay..

May 09 2008 at 12:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Marcus Heller's comment
Stuart Carnie

Sidplay is next...

May 09 2008 at 3:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Stuart Carnie

As for performance - if the simulator is equivalent to the hardware, it is hardly taxing the CPU right now. I'm using the scan-line emulation; however, I'll give the single-cycle a try.

"Frodo is capable of running most games and demos correctly, even those with FLI, FLD, DYCP, open borders, multiplexed sprites, timing dependent decoders, fast loaders etc."

May 09 2008 at 3:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gil

Heart be still, Colonial Conquest here I come.

May 09 2008 at 11:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
luz

Wouldn't that be the same story as Java? The SDK license forbids any form of interpreters. A 6502 processor emulator is an interpreter (interpreting 6502 machine code) like JavaVM is one (interpreting byte code).
So I'd bet we'll not see this nice work in AppStore but rather in Installer.app (once jailbreak is out for iPhoneOS 2.0)...

May 09 2008 at 11:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dave

I'm bound to get flamed for asking, but other than nostalgia, what's the purpose of having a C64 emulator? Is there really some app or game that can only be ran on one that is still better than any alternative? That's a reasonable enough purpose for this, but I'm curious what is?

May 09 2008 at 11:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Dave's comment
jizzknob

Video Games 101, Lesson 1-
As well as having awesome video and audio hardware, the C64 sold very well (understatement) and as a result there are many games for it (understatement). The list of games that are unique to the C64, or that have a superior version on the C64 is endless. The choice hardware gives the games a distinctive look and sound I have not seen travel to ports or remakes. Some of my current faves are:
Wizball (superior version of a choice game),
Monty on the Run (oddly dark mood. Best music ever),
Parallax (unique, choice music),
Ankh (spooky and unique),
Sentinel (superior version of choice game).

I can only gather from your comments you have either never used a C64 or have no taste in games. If the former is the case I recommend you look at some lists of greatest C64 games and try some of them on an emulator or preferably a real C64. Provided you have taste in games it should be a highly rewarding experience.

PS There is always a nostalgia factor but a good game is a good game :)

July 16 2008 at 5:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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