DraStic Universal Windows Platform version

[corey]

Hi, I'm a Windows user, a Windows 10 Mobile user to be exact, really hoping that you will consider to bring Drastic to Windows 10. I've read the previous messy thread about Drastic W10M while searching for info about the possibility of W10M version in development. There are some incorrect/outdated information about Windows 10 Mobile. Firstly the Jit/DynaRec support on Windows Phone which was the main problem why devs couldn't port newer emulators such as N64/NDS etc with playable speed. Starting on Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft has added the support for JIT/Dynarec and a dev already bring an N64 emulator, Win64e which support both Windows 10 PC and Mobile. But sadly no NDS emulator.

Secondly, I think a lot of devs misunderstood that because of W10M 'closed OS' nature, like iOS, Microsoft does not allow emulator apps to be publish on the Windows store. This is not true. Microsoft has always allow them as long as the devs don't put a link or endorsement on ROM piracy. Some of the emulators (GBA/NES/PSX) even dated back on WP8 days and still available till today.

I realize that we don't have a gigantic user base base as Android, but on the other hand, because of the lack of NDS emulator on W10M, I think you will find some success here especially with the rise of Pokémon popularity, a lot of user wanting to play Pokemon again, myself included. TBH, I'd pay for a good NDS emulator like Drastic. And as you probably already know, UWP apps can run on variety of Windows 10 devices including the phone, PC and even Xbox One (Win64e already been apporoved on Xbox One store) and HoloLens which not so small user base imo. I really hope you will consider it. Thanks

[Exophase]

This is something we've actually been looking at for a while. We have Windows Phone devices for testing and have followed the developments of JIT support, emulator availability on the store, etc. We've also done a fair amount of work in porting (and at least at this point have a build working on Windows x86 desktop)

We'd like to see it happen, but ironically supporting Windows Phone 10 ARM devices is a lot more work for us than x86 devices, and we're not even totally sure if it's possible with our code because Microsoft says that only Thumb-2 is supported. Our tests show otherwise, but if we find that it can't be done it's pretty much a show-stopper; conversion to Thumb-2 would be an enormous undertaking. It's possible that we'll release something on the Windows Store that only supports x86 devices like PCs, Atom tablets, and the upcoming GPD Win.

I made some more comments buried in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3027

[huckleberrypie]

Hmm, was it just me or am I actually looking forward to this? As much as I hate UWP for being a complete dud e.g. with Quantum Break (which led to Remedy announcing a Win32 API-based retail and Steam version), for as long as there's a Windows version I'd be golden.

Oh, and another thing... Since MS has updated Windows 10 with limited Linux support, have you tried running your internal Linux build of Drastic through it (along with Xming of course)?

[Ezequiel Gomes]

A real shame, but I've settled that Windows Mobile was made for emulators ...

[Exophase]

Oh, and another thing... Since MS has updated Windows 10 with limited Linux support, have you tried running your internal Linux build of Drastic through it (along with Xming of course)?

It's not necessary, we can already run properly on Windows with a desktop build. UWP isn't quite there yet, but doable without too much work for x86. ARM still remains a kind of big target.

Unfortunately it looks like XBox One support is off the table, MS appears to not want emulators on that store.

[ericbazinga]

It's not necessary, we can already run properly on Windows with a desktop build.

Ad when does that come out?

[JeaneMaggie]

It's not necessary, we can already run properly on Windows with a desktop build.

And when does that come out?

NEVER

Seriously though, if it does get released to the public, I'm buying it.
*Goes back to using desmume*

[ericbazinga]

It's not necessary, we can already run properly on Windows with a desktop build.

And when does that come out?

NEVER

Seriously though, if it does get released to the public, I'm buying it.
*Goes back to using desmume*

Shame, Desumme is slow on my not-designed-for-gaming laptop.
And if DraStic DID get a Windows build, I'm pretty sure Exo would put it on the Windows Store, perhaps as one of those snazzy new universal apps that run on both desktop and mobile. And that way he could charge for it too.

[JeaneMaggie]

*Goes back to using desmume*

Shame, Desumme is slow on my not-designed-for-gaming laptop.

How fast is it? It's weird that the desmumu runs better on a 2ghz intel core than a 2ghz quad core...

It's also a shame No$GBA .sav files are a pain in the *ss to convert. It's decent on my laptop though.

And if DraStic DID get a Windows build, I'm pretty sure Exo would put it on the Windows Store, perhaps as one of those snazzy new universal apps that run on both desktop and mobile. And that way he could charge for it too.

*Sits patiently and awaits its arrival, if it does happen.*

[ericbazinga]

*Goes back to using desmume*

Shame, Desumme is slow on my not-designed-for-gaming laptop.

How fast is it? It's weird that the desmumu runs better on a 2ghz intel core than a 2ghz quad core...

I don't know what it's powered by, but Desumme runs about 50fps when playing a full-3D game. It really depends on the game, to be honest. Less demanding games like Picross 3D run fine.