Editing Flycast

{{lowercase title}}
{{Infobox emulator
|title = Flycast
|logo = Flycast.png
|logowidth = 130
|version = [https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/releases GitHub]<br/>[https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]<br/>[https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.flycast.Flycast Flathub]
|active = Yes
|platform = [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]]<br/>Linux<br/>[[Emulators on macOS|macOS]]<br/>[[Emulators on Android OS|Android]]<br/>[[Emulators on iOS|iOS]]<br/>[[Emulators on Switch|Nintendo Switch]]<br/>[[Emulators on Xbox One|Xbox One]]
|target = [[Sega Dreamcast emulators|Dreamcast]]<br/>NAOMI<br/>Atomiswave<br/>Windows CE
|developer = flyinghead
|website = [https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast Site]
|source = [https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast GitHub]
|license = GNU GPLv2
}}

'''Flycast''' is an open-source [[Sega Dreamcast emulators|Dreamcast emulator]] currently available for [[Emulators on Windows|Windows]], Linux, [[Emulators on macOS|macOS]], [[Emulators on Android OS|Android]], [[Emulators on iOS|iOS]] and [[Emulators on Switch|Nintendo Switch]]. It is a fork of [[reicast]] - another Dreamcast emulator for Windows, Linux and Android. It has a work-in-progress wiki available [https://github.com/TheArcadeStriker/flycast-wiki/wiki here], complete with guides and information about various features.

==Downloads==
{| cellpadding="4"
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Win|Lin|Mac|APK|iOS|Switch|XboxOne}}
|'''[https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds CI Builds]'''<br>
|-
|colspan="2"|<hr/>
|-
|align=center|{{Icon|Linux-big}}
|'''[https://flathub.org/apps/details/org.flycast.Flycast Flatpak nightly binary]<br/><small>via [https://flathub.org Flathub]</small>'''
|}

==Overview==
Flycast requires a GPU that supports OpenGL 3.0 or OpenGL ES 2.0. A Dreamcast BIOS file is optional, but NAOMI and Atomiswave BIOS files are required. It has support for almost all Dreamcast, Windows CE, NAOMI and Atomiswave games. It also has support for the following features:

*Emulating standard Dreamcast controllers, Keyboard, Mouse, Light-Gun (with your mouse), Twin Sticks, and even the ASCII Mission Stick
*Emulating two expansion sockets per controller (VMU, Purupuru/Rumble Pack, or Microphone)
*Widescreen (Rendering outside of screen)
*Resolution and Texture Upscaling
*Frame Skipping
*Dump textures and load custom textures
*Support for HLE BIOS (note that it's recommended to use a real BIOS)
*High compatibility and high performance
*Widescreen Game Hack (Auto-applying codes/patches to certain games to do Widescreen instead of using the hack)
*Compatible with NAOMI games that use analog sticks (Monkey Ball, Gun Survivor 2) and trackball (Outtrigger)
*VMU Support for compatible NAOMI games (Street Fighter Zero 3 Upper, Virtual-On, etc)
*[https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/136 flycast Compatibility list]

==Netplay==
* Networked Dreamcast & NAOMI games are supported natively with [https://dreamcastlive.net/ Dreamcast Live] configured by default for supported games.
* Local multiplayer netplay support available in the netplay fork, '''[https://github.com/blueminder/flycast-dojo/ Flycast Dojo]'''. Peer-to-peer, delay-based netcode with spectating available. 2 Players only. Featured as a part of [[FightCade]].
* For '''Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation vs. Zeon & DX''', a custom fork of Flycast and private game server is maintained [https://github.com/inada-s/gdxsv here].

==Libretro core==
Two reicast cores on [[libretro]] called '''reicast OIT''' and '''reicast regular''' were introduced [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/introducing-reicast-oit-libretro-core-updated-reicast-regular-core/ in June 2018] that replace the original core. These cores backport changes from [https://github.com/flyinghead/reicast-emulator flyinghead's fork] that rework the rendering system. The regular core is compliant with OpenGL 3 and GLSL 1.30 in order to support mobile devices and mid-tier PCs. The OIT core supports a graphics feature of the Dreamcast called Order-Independent Transparency that can only be properly emulated using OpenGL 4.3 and later, so it's only available for Windows and Linux at the moment.
The two reicast cores have been merged in one '''reicast libretro''' core [https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-and-reicast-oit-libretro-merged-into-one-what-you-need-to-know/ in October 2018]. In 2019 the core was first renamed to '''Beetle DC''' and a short while later '''Flycast''', for licensing reasons.

===Availability of versions===
*Windows and Linux (64-bit and 32-bit)
*Mobile devices (Android and ARM hardware. NAOMI arcade hardware also supported.)
*Nintendo Switch.

===Supported GPU features===
*Tile clipping support
*Fogging support
*Volume modifier shadow support
*Multipass rendering (enabled by default for non-OIT)
*Render to texture buffer
*Log 2 depth buffer
*Order independent transparency ('''OIT''' only)
*Two-volume mode support ('''OIT''' only)
*Accumulation Pixel Buffer Size core option ('''OIT''' only. Can be set to 512MB, 1GB or 2GB, depending on how much VRAM your video card has. May help with correct output at higher resolutions.)
*[https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-updates-shenmue-12-now-runs-plus-reicast-hackathon-event-july-6-8-switzerland/ 64-bit dynarec] (Fixes ''Shenmue 1/2, Marvel vs. Capcom 2'' and ''Heavy Metal Geomatrix'')
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWqxydgUe-U Flat shading] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4TU7juoiNs bump-mapping]
*[[Texture_filtering|Trilinear filtering]] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SShXk8l1NOs Video])
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH53fynF-N0 Improved palette/YUV texture quality] (Converts to 32-bit colors instead of RGB565; i.e. lossless quality of background textures in ''Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare'' and is equal to DEmul and redream.)
*[https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-progress-report/ Display VMU screens in-game] (Positioning, opacity levels and sizing available. Can also show all 4 attached VMU screens at once.)
*Extra Depth Scaling (Fixes graphics in Samurai Shodown VI (NAOMI).)

===Misc features and enhancements===
*Analog trigger and digital trigger simulations ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDQGAxTyL0 Analog controls] also work on NAOMI)
*[https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-now-supports-naomi-other-additions/ Fast GD-ROM Loading] (Cuts down virtually all loading times in games)
*Improved ADPCM decoding (Audio)
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNTXZ5AmfiQ Floating point maths accuracy improvements] (Fixed broken enemy AI in ''Soldier of Fortune'')
*[https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-updates/ EEPROM saving/loading implemented] (NAOMI)
*[[Shaders_and_Filters#Smoothing_shaders|xBRZ]] texture upscaling
*[https://www.libretro.com/index.php/reicast-libretro-updates-26-7-2018/ Render to texture upscaling] (Lets you set the upscaling factor to output whole screen at multiples of native resolution. Only affects games which render the screen to a texture, e.g. ''Dead or Alive 2'' or ''Crazy Taxi''. Results look amazing, ala what the xBRZ filter does to emulators for 2D-graphics consoles, e.g. SNES, GBA and etc.)

==Forks==
* [https://github.com/blueminder/flycast-dojo flycast-dojo]: A fork of Flycast, with a focus on netplay features and replay.

[[Category:Emulators]]
[[Category:Console emulators]]
[[Category:Home console emulators]]
[[Category:Sega Dreamcast emulators]]
[[Category:Windows emulation software]]
[[Category:Linux emulation software]]
[[Category:MacOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Android emulation software]]