The Gamer's Quarter

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject: i have a gp32!

it's true! i traded a copy of dodonpachi on the saturn for a gp32. it is a marvelous little thing!

it's not backlit, but it is a very pleasing device to look at and to hold. i like the way the stick clicks. right now on my smart card i have c-dogs, a hard-to-play port of noiz2sa, and some emulators--nester (hello kitty, ninja-kun!), dr md (psycho pinball!) and gp-engine (portable galaga 88 without obscenely expensive NEC hardware!).

i had frodo on it, because portable crossroads would be the greatest thing imaginable, but unfortunately it freezes moments after the game starts (breaking my heart). i also tried to install the nethack port, but apparently i'd need to use a hacked file manager to copy the files to my gp and i'm not sure i trust it.

what else should i put on my wonderous little handheld? also, where can i find a dc 3v, 250mA adapter for use with my gp? these are the things my heart burns to know!!
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DonMarco · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 349 Location: 33903

mechanoriINtransit · . Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 33

Don't fear the hacked firmwares! Most of them are much better than the original one. The only danger is in the installation, but if you have fresh batteries, you should be fine.

Also, with the plug thing, I've heard about issues with the polarity. I think its supposed to be reversed, but you should check.

GP32x.com is the website and the forum to get your info from. They're a pretty cool bunch.

Get FGB32. It's an excellent gameboy emulator. The creator has it at his website, I think ( retrodev.info ) but GP32x has it too.

Mafi Sushi Panic is cute.

Tobi Drumman is awesome.

So is Lacuna.

I use the Slubman Firmware, by the way. It is fully featured. It has PC Link software built in (which makes the GP32 act as an external drive when plugged in) but you can get the same functionality with a regular program called PHODRIVE.

Ask away!

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject:

so how do i go about installing a new firmware? i'm not sure i trust gp32 manager, because it gives me "timed out" messages a lot.
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mechanoriINtransit · . Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 33

Send the program over and run it! Simple as that. If you want to test the waters first, most firmwares are released as executables as well, which is to say you can play around with a firmware but your original one won't be overwritten.

Have you tried phodrive yet? I never had a problem transferring anything with that.

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:20 pm Post subject:

i installed phodrive!

...what do i do with it?
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mechanoriINtransit · . Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 33

Launch it, then connect the usb thingy. That's it! Windows XP will then recognize it as an external drive and you can drag stuff onto it.

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:18 pm Post subject:

huzzah! this is marvelous! and i can play nethack now!

thank you <3
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dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

So. Is it possible to get any GP32 flavor to place nice with a mac, or do they all require asinine loader software?

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject:

so hey, someone ported spout to the gp32!

also robotfindskitten! huzzah!
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 6:01 pm Post subject:

european gp32 commercial!

i put drsms on my gp, mostly to play the amazing master system port of majestic-12. my efforts with the ninja and vampire are being frustrated by the fact that my gp seems to have trouble recognizing diagonals. is this a common problem? is there an ointment i can apply?
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mechanoriINtransit · . Joined: 21 Jan 2006 Posts: 33

That ad is very unnofficial, which is to say it was never aired or anything. It's fan made.

Also, the diagonals thing is a common issue. You can fix it by putting paper somewhere or something. There's a guide on gp32x.com. They're always there to help if you can't find it!

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

aha!

i am going to find a small screwdriver, say a little prayer, and try this.
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Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 2:59 pm Post subject:

(status report: as of yet, i havn't found a small enough screwdriver to open the gp32. those screws are really tiny!)
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Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:52 pm Post subject:

update: i just found a $2 glasses repair kit screwdriver! it seems to fit in the screws.

matt, please im me because i have something to ask you about!
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dessgeega · Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 4:56 pm Post subject:

the two top screws are quite formidable and i have not, as of yet, been able to loosen them.
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dessgeega · Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:35 am Post subject:

okay, these screws just don't want to come out. i've been loosening them for the past week and they are not coming out.

i may abandon this endevour.
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dark steve · . Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 1110

Try wrapping a big ball of duct tape around the top of the handle for more torque?

dessgeega · Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 6:29 am Post subject:

so i've got this screwdriver covered in tape, and i keep turning these screws, always to the left, and they appear to be in different positions when i lift the screwdriver, but they never get loose.

am i just an idiot at screwdrivers?
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simplicio · . Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 1091

sounds like they're stripped to me.

Alc · . Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 109 Location: UK

Me too. Assuming they're Phillips-head (crosshead), check to see if they've been worn down. Also make sure your screwdriver head isn't too small (doesn't sound like it from the description).

Assuming the screws aren't too bad, if you have a soldering iron and are feeling brave, heat the offending screw up with the tip. Screws should be reasonably far away from any circuitry so the heat shouldn't be an issue to the unit, but should melt the plastic around the screw enough for you to get in there and get it open. This sounds more hair-raising than it actually is.

If the screws are too bald for the screwdriver to grip, you could try the Biro trick - remove the guts from a plastic Biro and heat the end with a lighter, without setting it on fire. When it's all gooey jam it into the screw. The idea is that it moulds to the contours of the screw and you can use as a screwdriver substitute. Probably won't work in your case because the screws are so tiny.

Scratchmonkey · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 1439

And by "Biro", he means "pen".

Alc · . Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 109 Location: UK

Oops. Yeah, one of these:

Disposable and cheap. Preferably one with a narrow hard bit of plastic. Works great for bigger screws, never tried it with anything small.

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:32 am Post subject:

hey, does nestergp support the famicom disk system by any chance? i assume no, but i can't find anything about it on the official page. not that i spent a lot of time perusing that tiny tiny text box.
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Harveyjames · the meteor kid Joined: 06 Jul 2006 Posts: 3636

Nestopia does. If you play a FDS rom, then click the option to 'eject disk', then 'power off' and 'power on', you can watch the original Famicom Disk System 'insert disk' screen. It is great. While the insert disk message is on the screen, Mario and Luigi run onto the screen and jump about, and do a 'bit' where they fight over a lightswitch in the middle of the screen. It's probably the most geniusly economical piece of character animation I've ever seen, since they have so much character even though they only have like 4 frames of animation apiece.

I'm glad there's stuff like this in the Wii BIOS, too.

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:23 pm Post subject:

there's a nestopia port for the gp32?

yeah, that animation is great. i love when it makes it onto newer consoles, like the gba super mario 2 or famicom detective club on the sfc.
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Redeye · . Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Posts: 986 Location: filth

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:18 pm Post subject:

the resolution is i gave up and just went back to playing spout and robotfindskitten.
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