diff --git a/2024-07-30/01-first-impressions-fpgbc.md b/2024-07-30/01-first-impressions-fpgbc.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ef5301 --- /dev/null +++ b/2024-07-30/01-first-impressions-fpgbc.md @@ -0,0 +1,141 @@ +# First impressions: FPGBC + +Here is something for nostalgia: I just put together a [Game Boy +Color](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Color) made of completely new +parts for a friend: here is the +[FPGBC](https://funnyplaying.com/products/fpgbc-kit). + +The _FP_ part of the name comes from +[FPGA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field-programmable_gate_array), because +instead of software emulation this device use FPGA to reproduce the device. +While I am not convinced that FPGA is necessary more accurate than a good +software emulator, one advantage of FPGA is the (possible) lower input latency +thanks to the avoidance of complexity to handle the user input (e.g.: the +Operational System). A quick playthrough against [Motocross +Maniacs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motocross_Maniacs) seems to be fine, but +I can't see much difference from my [Miyoo +Mini+](https://retrogamecorps.com/2022/05/15/miyoo-mini-v2-guide/) (I will do +more comparisons between the two devices later), that is a software emulation +device. + +But I think focusing in accuracy is wrong, the main reason of getting a device +like this one is for nostalgia, and this definitely hit the mark. The quality +of the case is as good as I remember the original, and most of the details are +replicate perfectly, including reproduction stickers in the back of the device. +The only differences that I can find is the usage of USB-C port for charging in +place of the barrel jack power adapter (thanks!), and the fact that the screen +bezels are smaller compared to the original (because the screen is bigger) and +doesn't include the Game Boy Color logo (that is fine in my opinion, since it +would look weird in the fine bezels). It even has a supposedly working [Link +Cable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Link_Cable) (I don't have another +Game Boy to test). Sadly it is missing the infrared sensor, but the usage of +that was pretty limited anyway. + + +[![FPGBC running Tetris.](https://capivaras.dev/images/1545d11f.jpeg)](https://capivaras.dev/images/1545d11f.jpeg) + + +[![Back of FPGBC. It includes even reproduction stickers of the original.](https://capivaras.dev/images/6746624f.jpeg)](https://capivaras.dev/images/6746624f.jpeg) + +So how well does it work? I can't say for sure. I don't have any original games +with me, so I am relying in backups and a +[flashcard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashcard) for now. Many games that I +tested works fine, a few of them have graphical issues that can be fixed in the +menu (more about it later), and some of them doesn't boot. But I don't know if +the issue with the games not booting are because of the roms, the flashcard or +the device itself. + +By the way, the flashcard I am using is a cheap knockoff of an [Everdrive +GB](https://gbatemp.net/review/everdrive-gb.141/). This FPGBC came with +firmware v1.09, while there is an update available for v1.10 in the +[website](https://funnyplaying.com/products/fpgbc-kit). I had an weird issue in +the new firmware where no games would boot with this knockoff Everdrive so I +had to go back to v1.09, but again, I am not sure if the issue was fact that I +am using a knockoff device or this would happen with an original Everdrive GB. +If you are going to buy a proper Everdrive, you probably wouldn't get a +Everdrive GB anyway since it is discontinued, and it seems the [newer +versions](https://www.reddit.com/r/Gameboy/comments/1atwjh3/fpgbc_everdrive_compatibility/) +have better compatibility with FPGBC. + +Sadly that the update didn't work, since there is this +[repository](https://github.com/makhowastaken/GWGBC_FW) that patches the +firmware to boot the original logo instead of the ugly FPGBC one. And yes, for +some reason the v1.09 firmware from this repository still doesn't work with my +knockoff Everdrive. + +About the features of the device: if you press the volume button (yes, you can +press it now), it opens the following menu: + + +[![FPGBC menu.](https://capivaras.dev/images/4391c351.jpeg)](https://capivaras.dev/images/4391c351.jpeg) + +The first 2 features are the LCD backlight and volume. I didn't talk about +those, but the LCD screen seems to be IPS, and the quality is really good, and +also looks bright enough to play even under bad lightining conditions. And the +speaker has good quality, the sound is better than I remember, but sadly the +maximum volume is kind low. Still should be enough for playing in a quiet room. + +`DISPMOD` is probably the most controversial option: it allow you to set which +scale you want. Anything with `EMU` at the end means emulating the original +colors, and as far I remember it gets really close. You can also chose betwen +`X4`, `X4P` and `FUL`, the last one is the one shown in the photos where the +image fills the whole screen at the cost of non-integer scaling. `X4` is +integer scaling, however the image doesn't fill the whole screen. The `X4P` +also includes a pixel effect that makes the image closer than the original +screen. It actually looks good, but the fact that I chose a white border for +this FPGBC makes the border really distracting. Maybe the black one is a better +choice if you want integer scale. + +`CORE` is simple: you can choose between `GB` (Game Boy) or `GBC` (Game Boy +Color). For those who don't know, you can run Game Boy games in Game Boy Color +and they will be automatically colorised. Some people don't like this and +prefer the colors of `GB`, so you have this option. The `GB_PALETTE` allows you +to chose the color in GB mode, for example, the green-ish colors from the +original Game Boy or the blue-ish colors from [Game Boy +Light](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Game_Boy_Light). And yes, you can +choose the color palette for Game Boy games running in `GBC` mode by pressing a +[button combination](https://gbstudiocentral.com/tips/game-boy-color-modes/) at +the boot screen, but it seems not working in my unit and again, not sure if the +fault is my knockoff Everdrive. + +`FRAME_MIX` basically is an option that makes some effects, like transparency +in [Wave Race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_Race), to work at the cost of +introducing blurriness. The reason for this is that those effects depends in +the fact that the Game Boy screen was slow refresh, so you could rely on it by +rapidly changing pixels to create some interesting effects, but sadly those +effects doesn't work well in modern displays. + +`GB_CLRFIX` is the option I mentioned before, where some Game Boy games just +get completely wrong colors for some reason, e.g.: [The Addams +Family](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Addams_Family_(video_game)). Turning +on fixes those games, but I am not sure if this option breaks other games. + +Finally, `SPD` allows you to increase or decrease the CPU clock, slowing or +speeding up the games (including the sound). The result can be hilarious, so I +think this is a nice addition to the features. Sadly you can't know what the +default speed is, so you need to rely on sound to adjust back to the default. + +So in the end, can I recommend a FPGBC? I am not sure. If you want a device to +play games, I still think something like a Miyoo Mini+ is a better choice. Not +only you will have access to more games from different platforms, you also +don't need to rely on flashcards or cartridges. Also it has way more features +than FPGBC, like wireless multiplayer, +[RetroArchivements](https://retroachievements.org/) and save states. + +But the actual reason to get a FPGBC is nostalgia, and for that I think the +FPGBC is difficult to beat. The price of the kit to assemble ($69.90) is +cheaper than most Game Boy's in good condition you can find in eBay, and you +get for that price a rechargable battery, an amazing quality screen, the PCB +and the speaker. You need to buy separately the case and the buttons, but in +total you will still end up paying less. And the result device is not only in +mint condition, it is really convenient too: recharging batteries (via USB-C +even) is much more convenient than buying AA batteries, and the screen not only +is better but it even has backlight. + +This is the classic case of do what I say, don't do what I do. This FPGBC is a +gift, and I will buy another one soon. Can't wait to play [Pokémon +Gold](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_and_Silver) in (almost) +original hardware. + + +[![The kit before assemble.](https://capivaras.dev/images/7f34caba.jpeg)](https://capivaras.dev/images/7f34caba.jpeg) diff --git a/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_123847458.jpg b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_123847458.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b29a652 Binary files /dev/null and b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_123847458.jpg differ diff --git a/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175131157.jpg b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175131157.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b20cdc Binary files /dev/null and b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175131157.jpg differ diff --git a/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175245569.jpg b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175245569.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c11038 Binary files /dev/null and b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_175245569.jpg differ diff --git a/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_210604830.jpg b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_210604830.jpg new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d2cd321 Binary files /dev/null and b/2024-07-30/PXL_20240729_210604830.jpg differ