Stella 6.6 released

[+stephena]

It's time for a new release of Stella.  Now available is version 6.6, with some nice new features.  Please test to make sure everything is working, as this was a long release cycle (real life issues getting in the way), and we didn't get a lot of feedback.  Thanks again to the other members of the Stella team, @Thomas Jentzsch and @DirtyHairy for their work on this.  Changelog as follows:

• Added preliminary PlusROM support for saving high scores.
• Added preliminary support for 'MVC' bankswitching scheme by Rob Bairos.
• Added web links for many games.
• Added dead zone and linearity settings for analog controllers.
• Added 'Check for Update' button to Help dialog.
• Added different mask patterns for scanline emulation.
• Fixed MindLink controller.
• Fixed SaveKey not working with QuadTari.
• Added TIA randomization on startup option.
• Added different debug color luminances for player and missile copies.
• Added hotkeys for TV roll speed and toggling 'Developer settings' sets.
• Debugger: enhanced prompt's auto complete and history.
• Debugger: added optional logging of breaks and traps.
• Debugger: added Thumb cycle counting.

As usual, Stella can be downloaded at https://stella-emu.github.io/downloads.html, and donations can be made at https://stella-emu.github.io/donations.html.  Feedback and bug reports can be made in this thread, or preferably by creating a Github issue at https://github.com/stella-emu/stella/issues.  Have fun!

[JFD62780]

The heck is this PlusROMS thing?

 

I'm frankly used to the escape key bringing me back to the initial game select UI screen... O.o

Edited November 17, 2021 by JFD62780

[Thomas Jentzsch]

@JFD62780 Huh? What's your problem? 😕

Edited November 17, 2021 by Thomas Jentzsch

[JFD62780]

Forgive the tone of that post, I wasn't offended, just a bit weirded out by the not-quite-expected change in the inner workings of Stella.

 

That's what I get for focusing on the Emulation section of the forum rather than the 2600 section.

 

MovieCarts are an awesome idea tho!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

11 minutes ago, JFD62780 said:

Forgive the tone of that post, I wasn't offended, just a bit weirded out by the not-quite-expected change in the inner workings of Stella.

What exactly has changed for you? There should be no unexpected changes. Also, from which version are you updating?

Edited November 17, 2021 by Thomas Jentzsch

[JFD62780]

My previous version was 6.4.

 

Pressing escape would usually quit the game out to the game select/ROM listings UI.

 

I presume PlusROM support was just added, as escape now brings up the prompt for a name to register for high scores, I guess?

 

In any case I was (am?) not ready! XD

Edited November 17, 2021 by JFD62780

[+stephena]

I think you may have to reset the event mappings.  Options -> Input Settings -> Default.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Agreed, that should not happen. The ESC key should work as previously.

[Rodney Hester]

Entirely unofficial RetroN 77 build attached - not trying to steal @DirtyHairy's thunder in any way, just built for my own use and figured if it was useful/valuable to anyone else before there's an official release, so much the better.  😃

 

Congrats to the Stella team on another fine release!

sdcard.img uImage

[+stephena]

There's one last feature we're trying to squeeze into the R77 port, so that one will come later this week.

[+Al_Nafuur]

5 hours ago, JFD62780 said:

The heck is this PlusROMS thing?

PlusROM functions are for internet communication from within the ROM like loading level data or interaction with other users via a internet backend

 

18 hours ago, stephena said:

• Added preliminary PlusROM support for saving high scores.

saving high scores is only one usecase for the PlusROM functions.

[+stephena]

4 minutes ago, Al_Nafuur said:

saving high scores is only one usecase for the PlusROM functions.

That's all we've tested in Stella, so that's the only functionality I mentioned.  This is also implied with the 'preliminary' support.

[+Al_Nafuur]

1 minute ago, stephena said:

That's all we've tested in Stella, so that's the only functionality I mentioned.  This is also implied with the 'preliminary' support.

I think @Thomas Jentzsch also tested C.A.V.E. Apocalypse:

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Just now, Al_Nafuur said:

I think @Thomas Jentzsch also tested C.A.V.E. Apocalypse:

Yup, and that works too.

[+stephena]

1 hour ago, Al_Nafuur said:

I think @Thomas Jentzsch also tested C.A.V.E. Apocalypse:

 

@Al_Nafuur, maybe you can update your ROM release links to indicate that Stella now supports this as well.

[+Al_Nafuur]

5 hours ago, stephena said:

@Al_Nafuur, maybe you can update your ROM release links to indicate that Stella now supports this as well.

Update done (only the posts I could still edit). I also updated the PlusROM documentation.

[JFD62780]

12 hours ago, stephena said:

I think you may have to reset the event mappings.  Options -> Input Settings -> Default.

Just did a minute ago.  Flawless! :D

[alex_79]

While I'm not following the Atari scene very much lately, I fire up Stella quite regularly for a quick round, or to tinker with the debugger to see how existing games work, sometimes also to troubleshoot my occasional attempts at programming.

 

So, thank you so much to the Stella team for the continuous work to refine and upgrade this amazing emulator!

 

[Capt Moore]

On 11/17/2021 at 7:51 AM, stephena said:

There's one last feature we're trying to squeeze into the R77 port, so that one will come later this week.

Thanks for the update.  I am really looking forward to the paddle deadzone and keyboard controller issues being fixed for the retron I encountered.

 

Hopefully this will be out soon.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

1 hour ago, Capt Moore said:

I am really looking forward to... keyboard controller issues being fixed for the retron I encountered.

What are your keyboard controller issues?

[Capt Moore]

20 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

What are your keyboard controller issues?

From my May post, I believe it was fixed in the prerelease version, I never figured out how to get the unreleased builds onto a card to test for sure. 

 

 

 

[Thomas Jentzsch]

5 minutes ago, Capt Moore said:

From my May post, I believe it was fixed in the prerelease version, I never figured out how to get the unreleased builds onto a card to test for sure. 

Thanks. I had already forgotten that we fixed this issue.  

[Rodney Hester]

May I ask what the R77 paddle deadzone issue is (behaviorally)?

[Capt Moore]

48 minutes ago, Rodney Hester said:

May I ask what the R77 paddle deadzone issue is (behaviorally)?

Discussion is from my post down.

 

 

Basically, it’s a Linux os problem (rather than Mac or pc) which makes an axis (such as the paddles use) have an area where you turn them but nothing happens.  I guess the community firmware also has (or hopefully soon had but now fixed) same problem.

 

I only got it to occur on some games, and not on Mac Stella with the same hardware, which made it a bit hard to figure out. (Breakout had the issue, but not super breakout for example).

 

I believe Stella’s web page has a script for any Linux users to stop the issue, but there was no way to user install it on the retron.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Capt Moore

[Rodney Hester]

Thanks!  I'd never noticed this, and it's interesting that it's game-specific!  Happy to assist in testing the fix once complete.  😃