DreamPotato
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| Developer(s) | Rikki Gibson |
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| Latest version | v0.3.1 [+] |
| Active | Yes |
| Platform(s) | Windows Linux macOS |
| Architecture(s) | x86_64 |
| Emulates | VMU |
| Programmed in | C# |
| License | MIT |
| Source code | GitHub |
| Issue tracker | GitHub |
DreamPotato is a VMU emulator available for Windows, macOS and Linux, developed by Rikki Gibson.
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Overview
editIt's aimed at supporting flycast connectivity and, in the future, any other Dreamcast emulator whose developer wishes to add connectivity support to DreamPotato via "maple over TCP" spec which hasn't been stabilised yet.
To achieve this, it uses the already-existent TCP connection implementation used for Flycast-to-DreamConn controller communication with minimal modification. When VMU is emulated in plugged-in state, it receives graphics + buzzer data from the emulated Dreamcast, fulfilling memory card read/write requests, and so on. When it's ejected, the file manager, mini-games and clock functions are available for use just as on a real VMU.
It works on "hot plugging" by having DreamPotato send a message to Flycast when the VMU is inserted or ejected, asking Flycast to re-query the device state and refresh the Maple devices, basically using a virtual insert/eject function.
The FlyCast/DreamPotato feature is demonstrated in a 
YouTube video on Rikki Gibson's channel, where he demonstrates it twice:
First, a Sonic Adventure feature allowing you to upload your Chao to your VMU in a Chao garden, then play Chao Adventure VMU mini-game to earn a fruit, then upload the fruit back to the main game.
Second, Skies of Arcadia's Pinta's quest where you find items and gold in a VMU mini-game, then bring them back to the main game.
Supported by DreamPotato is VMU-to-VMU connection for serial play/file transfer and, possibly, VMU-to-NAOMI connection which, according to the author of DreamPotato, should work. Please test VMU-to-NAOMI connection (for example, by transferring a 100% complete Spawn: in the Demon's Hand savefile between the Dreamcast and Naomi arcade versions of the game, in both directions, to unlock characters from one version in the other, or make another alternative test. See here.).