Accuracy takes power: one man's 3GHz quest to build a perfect SNES emulator

[JonnyBritish]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/08/accuracy-takes-power-one-mans-3ghz-quest-to-build-a-perfect-snes-emulator/

[+FujiSkunk]

Interesting article.

 

I know the recent versions of MAME have gotten flack for requiring more processing power for the same games, and a lot of it is because they are trying to emulate the original hardware more accurately.

 

There's definitely arguments to be made for the different emulation goals, whether they are "good enough," "perfect," or even "better than the original." In fact I wonder if such goals really have to be so segregated. Perhaps an emulator could be written in modular pieces such that for example, you can use the piece that "perfectly" emulates the SNES's Mode 7 graphics, the piece that can actually run at full-speed on slower computers, or the piece that smooths and upscales those graphics for a more "modern" presentation.

 

Easier said than done, I'm sure, but it still seem feasible.

Edited November 9, 2012 by FujiSkunk