History of Videogame Emulators: Emulation Names

Emuhype

Emuhype Website: Home, M1 and GXP, Modeler and ZiNc

The Emuhype project was created in March 2000 by iViLDeD with the aim of developing several emulation projects. In its beginnings, it took with it the Impact project launched in early 2000 for Windows and Linux, of the Capcom Sony ZN-1 and 2 and Taito FX1-A arcades, developed by Duddie and Tratax since early 1999, in which iViL also helped. iViLDeD was an expert on the Sega System 32 hardware, and within Emuhype helped to develop the Modeler project, launched in late 2000 for Windows.

Modeler (Sega Model 1)

Impact (Capcom Sony ZN-1 and 2 and Taito FX1-A)

The project was led by Farfetch'd, with Richter Belmont and Sarayan joining in 2001. Impact ended its activities in early 2001 and Modeler in late 2001. In late 2001, Duddie returned with another emulator to the project, the System 11 Emulator, emulating the Namco System 11 board. At the time, he also thought about emulating the Namco System 10 and 12 boards, but there were no ROMs for them to develop the work. The release took place in late 2001 for Windows. The project has only one release.

S11Emu (System 11 Emulator)

ZiNc (ZN-1 and 2, FX1-A and B and System 11)

After that, Duddie revived a project created in early 2001, which intended to emulate all the cards emulated by Impact and System 11 Emulator. This project was developed with Tratax and consolidated in early 2002 for Windows and Linux. It was called ZiNc. In addition to the cards mentioned, it also emulated the Taito FX1-B, Raizing PS, Atlus PS, Konami GV, Namco System 12 and Tecmo TPS. A month after its launch, Duddie and Tratax left the project, and Emuhype put it on standby. In 2004, Richter Belmont and SMF revived the project, ending it in 2005.

Plugins: OpenGL and D3D (Impact) and ZiNc JAMMA Keyboard Driver and WinZiNc Glide ( ZiNc )

Other projects were made by the group, such as the OpenGL Renderer and D3D Renderer plug-ins for Impact in early 2000, with single releases, Glide Renderer also for Impact in early 2000, updated until mid-2005 and also used in S11Emu and ZiNc, in addition to the ZiNc plug-ins, ZiNc OpenGL D3D from early 2002 to mid-2004, also for the Linux version of the emulator, ZiNc Jamma Keyboard from early 2002 to late 2004 and MesaGL Renderer in early 2002, with a single release and only for the Linux version of ZiNc. All were created by the duo Duddie and Tratax, with the exception of MesaGL which was created by Richter Belmont.

M1 and GXP

The M1 player was also created for Sega Model 1 and 2 games, and later for over 1400 games in 2001, by Richter Belmont and Phil Bennett, updated until early 2008. And the GXP player, released two days after the M1 and also created by Belmont, and which played music from nine Konami GX games. The player had a single release. The Emuhype project existed until early 2006.

Emulators:

Impact (2000), Modeler (2000), System 11 Emulator (2001), ZiNc (2002)

Plugins:

OpenGL Renderer (2000), D3D Renderer (2000), Glide Renderer (2002), ZiNc Jamma Keyboard (2002), MesaGL Renderer (2002)

Programs:

M1 (2001), GXP (2001)

Atani

Mike Dunston, known as Atani (a name inspired by the works of JRR Tolkien), is a programmer who became known for porting several emulators to Windows, as well as creating games and servers for local servers. Mike was born in 1977, in Riverbank, California, in the USA. His experience with software began around the early 1990s, creating games for BBSs. Among them are the RPG, Lost Legends, and the Hack And Slash, HellBound.

Dúnedain BBS and WWIV Networking for UNIX

After that, he had several BBS servers and finally created his own BBS software using the WWIV software. Initially, he created The Zone, and finally Dunedain (another name inspired by the works of JRR Tolkien). For those who don't know, BBS was the internet system that existed before the world wide web. A person would create a BBS server in their home and others would access their server through BBS software and their phone number. Servers near their home were usually accessed due to phone quality issues. Mike's software bundled several other WWIV programs created by third parties, enabling editing, chat creation, file sharing and even online games.

WebRing

In 1996, Mike created WebRing, a website to help with webpages, creating a way to group websites, what we now call a favorites tab. WebRing ceased to exist in 2000. In 1998, he created a version of his Dunedain BBS software for Linux. He developed it almost completely, except for the networking part. It ended up never being released. In 2004, he launched WWIV Networking for UNIX, running BBS software on systems like Linux. He sold his product for 25 dollars.

SEMU/SegaEMU (SMD, SG-1000 and Sega CD)

In mid-1997, he entered the world of emulation, developing his own emulator, SEMU, initially developed for MS-DOS. In 1998, he changed his programming to Windows. In late 1999, he launched it as SegaEMU. The emulator ran Mega Drive and SG-1000 games, and some Sega CD games. The 32X core was also worked on, but it was never released. When it was launched in 1999, it only ran MD games, and in 2000 the SG-1000 was added. The Sega CD only ran partially, as he abandoned development that month when the Ares emulator began supporting the console in 2000. Regarding the emulator, on fast PCs the games ran with very high frame rates and the music very fast, making it impossible to play. The SG-1000 games didn't even have sound.

Atani Software Website

The emulator came to support the DirectX plug-in also created by Atani, but it only worked in windowed mode. The sound plug-in, DirectSound, emulated the sound of only some games. It also supported a video SDK plug-in, which was a plug-in designed specifically for developers to modify. In late 2000, the emulator's latest version was released. In 2001, a release was promised to emulate SMS and GG, but this never happened. The emulator developed 50% of SMS, GG and Sega CD and 99% of SG-1000 and MD. Due to its knowledge of SEMU, it began to create Windows versions of third-party MS-DOS emulators.

Generator32 (SMD)

DC Generator/DCGen

The first is Generator, for Mega Drive in 2000, under the name Generator32. It released five versions of the emulator in total. In 2001, it ported it to Dreamcast under the name DC Generator, becoming DCGen in the same year. DCGen was the first homebrew/homemade emulator officially/legally released for Mega Drive for Dreamcast. In 2002, it began to be taken care of by Metafox (creator of the Laser emulator).

Genital32 (SMD)

Raine32 (Toaplan, Jaleco, Taito, Tecmo, etc...)

After Generator came Genital, also in 2000, called Genital32, with only one version released, Laser in 2001, called Laser32, which ran arcade games between 1976 and 1980, also with one version released, and Raine, known as Raine32, in 2001, of several arcade boards, with two versions released. In 2000, he also worked on the port of the MCHE (Multiple Console And Handheld Emulator) emulator, which emulated Gameboy, Sega 8-bit, NES and FDS games, but this port ended up never being released. It would naturally be called MCHE32.

Generator32, Genital32 and Raine32 Documentation

In addition to ports, he also contributed to several projects, such as AGES for 32X in 2000, Genital for MD in 2000 with technical information and general help, Xega for MD in 2001, Gens for MD in 2001 with help on Sega CD and general and Raine for arcade in 2001 with improvements in the source code alongside other influencers.

Bliss32 (IntelliVision)

In 2001, he switched to Linux as his main form of programming. It was at this time that he began to take part in the Intellivision Bliss project, porting the Windows emulator to Linux. This was his first port for this UNIX system. Also in 2001, he created the DC GBA project, a GBA emulator for Dreamcast, but it ended up being discontinued that same year. In mid-2002, he announced the end of his projects in the emulation world.

Doc Dreamcast and Cryptic Allusion DCDev

At that time, he began to dedicate himself exclusively to projects involving the Dreamcast. Also in 2002, he created documentation on how to develop software for the Dreamcast console. At that time, he also took part in the Cryptic Allusion DCDev project to develop software for the Dreamcast. This project gave rise to the LibDream and KallistiOS toolkits, which greatly helped the scene in developing software for the console.

Chain Reaction (DC)

Copper Swapper (DC)

Still involved with Dreamcast, in 2004 he created the game Chain Reaction, a puzzle game based on Bejeweled and others. The game was submitted to a contest by the GOAT website, which specializes in selling classic video game hardware and software. The game was never officially released, remaining 80% complete. In the same year, he created another puzzle game, Copper Swapper, based on the games Bejeweled and ZooKeeper, and also submitted to the GOAT website contest. The game was made in partnership with the Team Screamcast group and was 100% completed. The game was officially released on Atani's website in 2005, and was also released on the Goat website CD later. After that, Atani did not develop any other work in the gaming area, updating his website until 2007. In 2019, he transformed his website into a blog, where he talks about releases and curiosities in the world of games, computers, technologies, electronics and programming. In 2021, he returns with the classic information on his website, leaving it on display as a form of tribute to his work.

SourceForge and GitHub

ESP32 Command Station, FeederUtils and ESP32 OpenLCB IO Board

Atani has also created projects that he posted on his GitHub from 2020 onwards, mainly focused on remote communication and circuit board assembly. Among them, seven projects mainly use the ESP32 chip, found in alarm boards, security systems and remote controls, commonly using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems. Among them is the ESP32 USB in 2020, a project that uses the TinyUSB library to provide USB support to ESP32 systems, for use with keyboards and hard drives, ESP32 Command Station in 2021, a virtual command station software for model railroads (here known as railways) that uses the ESP32 chip, where through Wi-Fi, you control locomotives, lights and other accessories, ESP32 OpenLCB IO Board in 2021, an expansion board with input and output for toy trains, controlling LEDs and other functions on them, ESP32 Feeder Controller in 2022, a controller to help assemble components on boards using Gcode drive and OpenPnP software, ESP LCD Touch XPT2046 in 2022, which is a drive to control the XPT2046 touch screen (used in control panels and embedded systems) using the ESP32 chip, and bringing coordinated readings and integration with libraries. graphics, with LVGL, ESP LCD ILI9488 in 2022, a driver for ILI9488 LCD screens, allowing integration with the APIs used in the ESP32 chip, bringing communication functionality, using modes such as SPI and Intel 8080, and adapting the colors from 16 to 18 bits for better integration between the LCD screen and the ESP32 chip, and ESP TCA8418 in 2024, which is a library that helps to connect a matrix keyboard (numeric keypad) to a TCA8418 microcontroller that works in conjunction with the ESP32 chip.

In addition, he also developed FeederUtils in 2022, which are utilities for feeders (devices for assembling internal circuit boards), converting board assembly layouts created in the KiCad system to the OpenPnP system, bringing greater efficiency to the project. In total, he developed 14 projects on the platform.

Mike Dunston (2017)

Modesto Junior College, Advantage Route Systems and Oracle Corporation

Outside the world of BBS, emulation and electronics projects, he graduated in 1996 with a degree in computer science from Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California. He worked for California Relay Service in Riverbank from 1996 to 1998 as a relay operator, and for Advantage Route Systems in Turlock from 1998 to 1999 as a software engineer (creating the Route Manager 2000 program), both in California. Around 1999, he worked for Oracle Corporation in Redwood Shores, California as a compilation engineer, working at the time as a configuration manager for the JDeveloper software (created a year earlier), a development tool in the Java language (among others). He also participated in the development of other projects in the company, such as Oracle Collaboration Suite in 2002, Oracle WebCenter in 2007, Oracle Beehive in 2008 and Oracle Social Network in 2011, all corporate and business collaboration tools, aimed at improving communication, collaboration and content management within companies, with a focus on integration, productivity and digital experience. He still works at the company today. In 1999, his only son was born. In 2013, he married Emily Bess Earhart. He currently lives in Sonora, California, with his wife and son.

Games:

Lost Legends, HellBound, Chain Reaction (2004), Copper Swapper (2004), ZooKeeper (2004)

Programs:

The Zone (1995), Dunedain BBS (1998), Dunedain BBS (Linux) (1998), WWIV Networking for UNIX (2004), ESP32 Command Station (2021), FeederUtils (2022)

Emulators:

SEMU/SegaEMU (1999), Generator32 (2000), Genital32 (2000), Laser32 (2001), Raine32 (2001), DC Generator/DCGen (2001), Bliss (Linux) (2001)

Oracle Corporation Projects:

JDeveloper (1999), Oracle Collaboration Suite (2002), Oracle WebCenter (2007), Oracle Beehive (2008), Oracle Social Network (2011)

Plugins:

DirectX (2000), DirectSound (2000), SDK (2000)

Documentation:

Writing software for the Sega Dreamcast using free tools (2002)

Drivers:

ESP LCD Touch XPT2046 (2022), ESP LCD ILI9488 (2022)

Caz

BeEmulated Website

SDLEmu and Caz Website

Carwyn Jones, known as Caz, entered the world of emulation in 2000. At the time, he joined the website BeEmulated, which converted game emulators for the BeOS system. He is the author of the ports of the emulators BeMAME from MAME (which changed its name to MAME in 2001) and DGen from MD in 2000 (later replaced by Jack Burton's SDL versions from 2001 and Edge from 2003). The year 2001 was Caz's most active year, when he ported the emulators TGemu for PCE, O2EM for Odyssey 2, GNUBoy for GB, Jum's Atari 5200 for Atari2500, SMSPlus for SMS, Snes9x for SNES, Laser, Raine and Final Burn/SDL for Arcade, FCE Ultra/SDL for NES, fMSX/SDL for MSX and NeoCD/SDL for NG CD. In parallel with BeEmulated, he also worked on the website SDLEmu, alongside the Dutchman, Niels Wagenaar from 2001.

Cygne/SDL (WonderSwan Color)

BeMAME (MAME) (2000) (Arcade)

BeS9x/Snes9x 1.39 (2003) (SNES)

BoyCott Advance/SDL (GBA)

DGen (SMD)

FCE Ultra/SDL (NES)

The site converted emulators to SDL and ran them on various systems such as BeOS, Linux, Windows, FreeBSD and others. In 2001, they converted the Handy emulator for Atari Lynx, Neopocott for Neo Geo Pocket and BoyCott Advance for GBA (the last two by Niels Wagenaar) to other systems. Caz also brought the BeOS ports to the BeEmulated site. In 2002, he converted the Cygne emulator for Wonderswan together with Niels. Caz remained on the SDLEmu project until mid-2002. At the time, he claimed to stop making ports for BeOS, but he continued to do them on the BeEmulated project. Returning to ports on the BeEmulated site, Caz also ports NeoPop for NG Pocket in 2002, Gens for MD, Hu-Go! from PCE and Project Tempest/SDL from Atari Jaguar in 2003 and PIE from Pacman games and ZSNES from SNES in 2004.

FinalBurn (Arcade) and Pie (Pacman Games)

fMSX/SDL (MSX)

Gens (Sega CD)

Handy/SDL (Atari Lynx)

Hu-Go! (PC Engine) and BeMAME (2004) (Arcade)

Jum52 (Atari 5200)

In 2004, he created another version of BeMAME, now created natively, making the other version just be called MAME. In addition to the ports, Caz developed several programs to help emulators in BeOS versions. Among them, in 2001 we have the SNES SPC Plug-in, a SNES music player, Super Wildcard: sound ripping software through the Super Wildcard DX accessory, SimpleSAP, an Atari 8-bit music player, in addition to porting to BeOS the Sega Genesis/Megadrive Gym program, an MD music player, among others. In 2002, he created SoftVMS, which reproduces the Dreamcast's visual memory system and an OpenGL plug-in especially for the port of Mupen64 from N64 to BeOS. In 2003, he created a new port of Snes9x, now from the new phase of the project and based on version 1.41 of the same, with the name BeS9x.

NeoCD/SDL (NeoGeo CD)

NeoPop (NeoGeo Pocket)

OEM2 (Odyssey 2)

Raine (Arcade)

Snes9x 1.37 (2001) (SNES)

TGemu (PC Engine)

BeSMSPlus (Master System) and R-Type DX (R-Type)

In the same year, he also created the Cheat'O Be program to cheat on any emulator for BeOS and the BeGGConvert program, which converted cheat codes for NES, SNES, MD, GB and GG games into Hex code, allowing them to be added to the ROMs of that system permanently. In 2004, he ported the GXP sound player for BeOS, which reproduced sounds from Konami GX arcade games. In addition to the projects already mentioned, he worked on the port of ZSNES in 2001, when he was working on the original project team, but it ended up being ported only in 2004. He also worked on the port of Virtual Jaguar for Atari Jaguar in 2003, but it ended up never being released. The BeEmulated website even released the source code for it.

BeSwcSend (Super Wild Card) and Cheat 'O Be (Cheat)

Laser (Arcade)

Haiku (OS)

In late 2004, Caz decided to stop porting BeOS and left the emulation world. The BeEmulated website stopped its updates soon after, promising to be revamped in early 2006, but never returned. From 2008 to 2009, he contributed DirectWindow code alongside Stefano Ceccherini to the Haiku project, an open source operating system based on BeOS. Caz made other contributions to the OS.

Game Emulator Ports for BeOS (2000-04):

2000: BeMAME (MAME), DGen

2001: TGemu, O2EM, GNUBoy, Jum's Atari 5200, BeSMSPlus, Handy, Snes9x (Snes9x v1.37), Laser, Raine, FCE Ultra/SDL, fMSX/SDL, NeoCD/SDL, Final Burn/SDL,

2002: NeoPop, Cygne

2003: BeS9x (Snes9x v1.39/v1.41), Gens, Hu-Go!, Project Tempest/SDL

2004: BeMAME, PIE, ZSNES

Programs Created for BeOS (2001):

SNES SPC Plug-in: SNES music player

CL-AMP SPC Plug-in: Amplified SNES music player

Super Wildcard: Sound ripping software via the Super Wildcard DX accessory

SimpleSAP: Atari 8-bit music player

SramHeader: makes changes to the SRAM of Snes9x and ZSNES emulators

NeoCDStrip: a converter to make your BIOS usable with NeoCD

Sega Genesis/Megadrive Gym (djim) (port): MD music player ported to BeOS

Programs Created for BeOS (2002):

SoftVMS: Reproducing the Dreamcast's Visual Memory System

OpenGL Plugin: for the BeOS port of Nintendo 64's Mupen64

FreeCNC: an engine for playing Command And Conquer from 1995 for MS-DOS

Programs Created for BeOS (2003):

Cheat'O Be: to cheat on any emulator for BeOS

BeGGConvert: converts cheat codes for NES, SNES, MD, GB and GG games into Hex code, allowing you to add them to the ROMs of this system permanently.

Phoenix: Creates Phoenix arcade game emulator for BeOS

Programs Created for BeOS (2004):

GXP (Eng): Konami GX arcade game sound player for BeOS

Hikaru

Website

Hikaru is a Japanese who created ports of Windows emulators for the first Xbox console in 2002. Among them we have the Nester emulators for NES and Visual Boy Advance (known as U-VBA X) for Game Boy, Color and Advance in 2002 and Snes9x for Super Nintendo, XPCE for PCE, Gens for Mega Drive, 32X and Sega CD, Oswan for WonderSwan, NeoPop for Neo Geo Pocket, Dega for Master System and Game Gear and Daedalus for N64 in 2003.

U-VBAX (GB, GBC and GBA)

XPCE X (PC Engine)

Gens X (Sega Genesis)

Nester X (NES)

Their names were changed only with an X after their names. All of his emulators were released alongside the Xbox, being the console's original emulators. In 2004, he created ChihiroX, which brought together all of his emulators into a multi-emulator for Xbox. Hikaru ended all projects in early 2004.