I’m currently working on a non-MAME preservation project based on a framework that was created by the 0Mhz team. As that team is particularly picky about what software they’ll choose to put out, I wouldn’t be able to contribute directly– but that doesn’t mean I can’t do packages that are identical to what they’d put out and will fit nicely into an existing MiSTer FPGA install just like theirs do.

This means learning a bit about the guts of the AO486 core and the PCXT core. I’ve been putting off the one last thing I really REALLY need to learn about them, which is how to map config menu entries to the MRA menu entry file settings. This will require me to do a bit of code digging, unfortunately, which is why I’ve been putting it off.

As for preparing material, DOSBox has been particularly useful in getting materials in a nearly-ready state. Then I import them to a VHD using the misterfs tool, finish the configuration, and begin a testing cycle. Testing can be the longest part of the whole thing; many old MS-DOS games had no speed limiting in place so getting the speed “right” requires a bit of trial and error to work out what AO486 settings map best to what the game wants without being too fast or slow.

This also means that many of these games are never going to feel perfect to everyone; Wing Commander on a 386-SX16 is going to feel different from a 386-DX40. Which is more correct to you depends on what you were used to playing it on.

If you dig around Archive.org, you might just find my work out there somewhere…

— Firehawke