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:;[[reicast]]
::Eventually, nullDC's author forked his own project into reicast, with the main objective to widen platform availability to smartphones and tablets. While wider availability is generally a good thing, this resulted in cutting accuracy corners from the nullDC codebase to achieve the speed goals necessary to run on these platforms. Advancements in mobile hardware should have led to the removal of such "hacks"; however, lack of developer resources and interest led to long delays in Reicast development, and the codebase remained virtually untouched for years before the RetroArch team began working with it as part of a "Reicast core", later named Flycast.
::;[[Flycast]]:::Fork of reicast available as a standalone emulator and as a [[libretro]] core. Libretro collaborators, primarily [https://github.com/flyinghead/reicast-emulator flyinghead], dramatically improved Reicast in areas such as graphics, input, system clock, and Dreamcast VMU. Atomiswave and NAOMI SH-4-based arcade systems have also been added to great fanfare<ref group=N name="flycastnaomi">https://github.com/libretro/flycast/issues/136</ref>, along with full MMU support, which is needed to run Windows CE-based games such as ''Armada'', ''Half-Life'', and ''SEGA Rally Championship 2''. It has recently been tackled through an experimental branch (anyone following Dreamcast emulation over the years understands what a tough nut this is to crack). Aside from some audio stuttering issues in games such as "Looney Toons Space Race" and "Resident Evil: Code Veronica", this is a highly compatible and accurate emulator. Also there is a [https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/issues/1390 feature request] for implementing an LLE renderer similar to the redream one.:::;Flycast Dojo::::Fork of Flycast with a focus on netplay features and replay. Also, available on the [[Fightcade|Fightcade]] matchmaking service.
;[[redream]]: Multi-platform and easy to use, but it's closed-source. It has a good user interface, is easy to set up, and can run without a BIOS. Runs on [https://youtu.be/rywLHa1i9yk?t=529 low-end machines] provided that they support OpenGL 3.1. There's a payware premium version that provides high-definition rendering and additional slots for save states. Emulator work unstable on AMD GPUs with actual driver version. Recently, redream developer "inolen" implemented an LLE video renderer that utilizes a compute shader (like [[Recommended_N64_plugins#Video|parallels-rdp for Nintendo 64]]) that allows [[High/Low_level_emulation|low-level]] graphics emulation to be run on the GPU. This can provide acceptable performance to those who want more of an accurate experience with some decent GPU to handle it comfortably. Since using a computer shader will net you some massive performance benefits, it could also allow you to upscaling/downscaling in the same manner that [[Recommended_N64_plugins#Video|parallels-rdp]] can which can be a lot of fun too. See [https://discord.gg/zuEAVTG redream discord channel] for more information.
;[[Makaron]]
:A closed-source Dreamcast emulator that was once noteworthy for being one of the few two, along with Demul, that could properly play Windows CE games. It has since been superseded by newer emulators.
==Enhancements==
| ?
|-
| Ray-tracing<br/><small>([https://devblogs.microsoft.com/directx/announcing-microsoft-directx-raytracing/ DXR], [https://www.khronos.org/blog/ray-tracing-in-vulkan VRT] and [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/metal/metal_sample_code_library/accelerating_ray_tracing_using_metal MRT])</small>| colspan=4 | <small>Implementing ray-tracing in an emulator is unfortunately quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future.<br/>However you can try "[[Shaders_and_filters#Notable_ReShade_shaders|Screen-Space Ray Traced Global Illumination]]" shader using ReShade.<br/>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FyUY3yrO4k Demonstration][https://reshade.me/forum/general-discussion/5442-release-misc-emulators-with-depth-buffer-access]</small>
|-
| Super-resolution techniques<br/><small>([https://github.com/NVIDIAGameWorks/Streamline/blob/main/docs/ProgrammingGuideDLSS.md DLSS], XeSS and [[Wikipedia:GPUOpen#FidelityFX_Super_Resolution|FSR 2+]])</small>
| colspan=4 | <small>Requires access to the depth buffer and temporal data like motion-vectors so it's quite challenging and unlikely to be feasible in the near future.<br/>Besides any GPU that can use DLSS can run these emulators at 8k native with ease anyway.</small>
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| {{?}}
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| [[Wikipedia:Comparison_gallery_of_image_scaling_algorithms|Post-rendering scaling]]<br/><small>(Sharp bilinear, Lanczos and [[Wikipedia:GPUOpen#FidelityFX_Super_Resolution|FSR 1]])</small>
| {{Y}}
| {{?}}
| Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|Cheat Manager]]
| {{Y}}[https://github.com/flyinghead/flycast/blob/master/core/cheats.cpp *]
| ?{{Y}}
| ?
| ?
| {{✓}}
| {{N}}
|-
|colspan=2 | [https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/dreamcast/#interactive-shell Interactive shell]
| {{✓}}
| {{?}}
| {{?}}
| {{?}}
|-
! colspan=6 | Peripherals
|colspan=2 | Jump Pack
| {{y}}
| {{TBDY}}
| {{TBD}}
| {{TBD}}
|colspan=2 | Light Gun
| {{y}}
| {{TBDy}}
| {{TBD}}
| {{TBD}}
|-
|colspan=2 | [[#Taisen Cable|Taisen Cable]]
| {{NY}}[https://old.reddit.com/r/emulation/comments/1bgdlar/flycast_v23_battle_cable_more_systemsp_games/]
| {{N}}
| {{N}}
Developer interest in Dreamcast emulation was previously hindered by the availability of the closed-source but "good enough" Chankast, and by less interest in the console relative to other 6th generation consoles. For the emulators that are either mature or maturing, a very large percentage of games work well, but some games still have problems and glitches.
For more information about PlayStation 2 Dreamcast hardware and reverse engineering;
* MVG: [https://youtu.be/rj56VU_VmWg How the Sega Dreamcast Copy Protection Worked - And how it Failed], [https://youtu.be/rN0vEa8Y4J4 The Sega Dreamcast 20 years later 9-9-99], [https://youtu.be/NMDpPRGuaq8
* [https://www.copetti.org/writings/consoles/dreamcast/ Rodrigo Copetti's Dreamcast Architecture Practical Analysis]The Arcade Sega Dreamcast - Revisiting the Sega Naomi Arcade Hardware], [https://youtu.be/lWGiHgTdLBc The Original Xbox is the Sega Dreamcast 2?]
==Downloads==
[[Category:Sega Dreamcast emulators|*]]
[[Category:Sixth-generation video game consoles|!Dreamcast]]
[[Category:Very early emulation (MAME)Driver Status: Preliminary|!Dreamcast]]
[[Category:Windows CE-based|!Dreamcast]]
