Model 2 Emulator

Model 2 Emulator

Developer(s)	ElSemi (Aka Miguel Ãngel Horna)
Latest version	1.1a
Active	No
Fate	Assumed to be abandoned by author.
Platform(s)	Windows
Emulates	Sega Model 2
Website	nebula.emulatronia.com
License	GPLv2

Model 2 Emulator is a closed-source Sega Model 2 emulator for Windows written by Miguel Ãngel Horna, otherwise popularly known by his nick "ElSemi".

Download

	Sega Retro archive Has all the older versions
	emuDownloadCenter archive Has all versions from 0.4 to 1.1a
	French Language build By Emu-France
	Version 1.0 for Pixel Shader 2.0 graphics cards By Emu-France, Updated: 2012/12/29

The latest version, 1.1a, is available in 2 files: Normal and Multi-CPU (HT or DC). Note that you must have the latest DirectX update (DirectX 9.0 files?) on your PC and a video card preferably compatible with PixelShadel 3.0 (otherwise the program will use PS 2.0).

Misc:

• Model2 Emu Screenshots Preview Pack 1.0 (Updated: 01/01/2011)

• DAYTONA USA HD Textures pack 25th anniversary (For original or Nuexzz modified versions. Updated: 27/02/2019. Forum link.)

Frontend

There is an alternative way to play this old emulator with a third-party frontend.

• Sega Model 2 UI - New 2019 open-source frontend for Windows made by Nuexzz. He later also created a similarly styled Sega Model 3 UI for the open-source Sega Model 3 emulator called Supermodel.

Alternatives:

• Emu-France (French language)
• EmuCR.com

Old frontends:

• Model2 Emulator (Daytona USA ++) v1.1a (Modified version by Nuexzz with custom menu options for the Daytona USA game. Updated: 24/01/2018.)

Overview

The Model 2 Emulator was formerly known as Nebula Model 2. It was created by ElSemi, Aka Miguel Ãngel Horna, who was also the coder of old 2000-decade emulators like Nebula (For CPS1 & 2, SNK MVS, NeoGeo CD, PGM and Konami X arcade machines), CPS3 Emulator (For Capcom Play System 3 arcade machine) and Crystal System Emulator (For Brezzasoft's arcade machine). ElSemi has also donated the Sega Custom Sound Processor emulator to the Supermodel team (Perhaps the original team behind the initial Supermodel effort). Usefully, he also donated his Crystal System codes to MAME.

The emulator is 32-bit only and runs on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10. The first version under the old name of Nebula M2, was probably uploaded on the author's website publicly over 2 years before version 0.3, which was under the current Model 2 Emulator name and updated on 22nd June, 2006. The last version was updated on 2nd of January, 2014.

The emulator has an overall great compatibility. Most games work without problems, although some configuration may be required for the optimal experience in some titles. It is easy to use and the system requirements are moderate. There is support for increasing the internal resolution, force feedback and GPU hardware acceleration. It has networking support, though it is flaky. There is an issue of how the emu's interface crashes if you have more than three USB devices connected and proceed to try and set up your analog controllers and calibrate them. For a long time it was, and still is for most titles, the only way to play Model 2 games. However; it is Windows only, closed source and hasn't been updated since 2014. By that time, ElSemi was working at SEGA and there would be no more new releases of the emulator.

MAME has implemented a Sega Model 2 driver but only a few titles work as of 2019, and it lacks the force feedback support for control peripherals and GPU hardware acceleration (The latter unlikely to be implemented in MAME) that Model 2 Emulator has. The MAME developers have access to the Model 2 Emulator source code, but it has been of limited use due to its hard-coded reliance on Win32, x86 assembly, and Direct3D9.

Issues

To bypass the 'Network Board Not Present' message you need to set the 'Link ID' to 'Single'. To do this, enter Test Mode ('F2'), then select 'Game System' ('z' moves down, 'c' moves up, '1' selects) and select 'Single' in 'Link ID'. Finally, exit out of Test Mode and everything should work.