Dreamcast:Flycast Emulator: Difference between revisions

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== Setting Up Flycast ==
Flycast is an emulator for PC and Android capable of emulating Dreamcast games. This page will walk you through setting up the emulator.


To start, we will need a copy of Flycast.
== Flycast Online Warnings ==


You can download a nightly build of Flycast [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ here].
Flycast Online Warnings:
* Do not use save states while in online play! It can break things.
* Do not use "Fast Forward" functions while online! It can break things.
* Do not pause/bring up the quick menu while in online play! It can break things.


The links at the top of the page are the latest builds. Grab the Windows x64 download.
With Flycast for Android configured, you should now be able to launch into the game!


[[File:15.png]]
== Setting Up Flycast (PC) ==


Extract the .zip file to the folder of your choosing. I would keep your directory simple, like c:\flycast, but so long as you know the directory anywhere will work. The zip should contain one .exe file that is the Flycast emulator program. I will use "c:\flycast" as the working folder in the following examples for simplicity's sake.
# Download a nightly build of Flycast [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ here]. The links at the top of the page are the latest builds. Grab the Windows x64 download. <br> [[File:15.png]]
 
# Extract the .zip file to the folder of your choosing. Preferably, use a simple directory name such as `C:\flycast` (which will be the example directory in this guide). The zip should contain one .exe file that is the Flycast emulator program.
Before we can launch the emulator, we need to aquire a Dreamcast BIOS file.
# Acquire a Dreamcast BIOS file and ensure it is named `dc_boot.bin` and place it in `C:\flycast`. A download for one can not be linked here, as it is copyrighted content, but you can dump your own from
 
Specifically, we need '''''dc_boot.bin'''''.
 
We cannot link directly to a Dreamcast BIOS file, but a quick google search for "Dreamcast Bios" should turn up something you can use.
 
When you have sourced a copy of "dc_boot.bin", place the file in your C:\flycast folder.
 
We will also need an '''"Ives' Pack"''' .CDI image for our Flycast online setup.
 
Refer to the above [[Dreamcast:Phantasy_Star_Online_Connection_Guide#Connecting_To_Sylverant|Connecting To Sylverant]] section of this guide for information on the "Ives' Packs".
 
When done, your c:\flycast folder should look something like this:
 
[[File:17.png]]
 
Before we first boot the emulator, we need to decide how we want to configure our controls.


=== Flycast Controller Configuration ===
=== Flycast Controller Configuration ===
To get the most out of PSOV2 with Flycast, I strongly recommend a controller. Not only will this make playing PSO more enjoyable, but it will free up our PC's keyboard for in-game chat and navigating menus.
Flycast works with any controller Windows can connect to, and my tests have had "zero-configuration required" success with PlayStation 4 controllers over the USB, as well as Xbox One controller synced over Bluetooth.
If you do not already have a gamepad to use, I recommend picking up the '''8BitDo SN30 Pro USB''' as it is cheap, well-made and doesn't require special configuration on your PC. It will connect as an "Xbox 360 Controller" in Windows and is compatible with basically everything.


[[File:18.png]]
Before we first boot the emulator, we need to decide how we want to configure our controls.  


You can pick one up on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/8Bitdo-Sn30-Pro-USB-Gamepad-Gray/dp/B08Y9RC49N here].
Flycast works with any controller Windows can connect to, and most controllers (such as a PlayStation 4 controller or Xbox One controller) do not require any specific configuration. This guide will assume you are using a controller with your PC and walk you through how to configure the game pad / keyboard combo that will work the best.  


This guide will assume you have a controller for your PC set up, so we can cover how to configure the game pad / keyboard combo that will work the best with PSO.
# With your controller of choice plugged in, launch the Flycast .exe from inside the `C:/flycast` directory. By default, Flycast will launch in a window as shown below. <br> [[File:19.png]]
 
# Use your mouse to click on the "Settings" option in the top-right of the window. Select the "Controls" tab and match the following settings (important settings highlighted yellow). Your controller may show up as something other than Xbox 360 Controller. <br> [[File:20.png]]
With our controller of choice plugged in, launch the Flycast .exe from inside our c:/flycast directory.
#* Essentially, you are setting Flycast to not use the default keyboard control assignments and forcing keyboard inputs to simulate a keyboard plugged into Port B, the same as you would with a real Dreamcast. This is particularly handy for Phantasy Star Online to access all the features available on the Dreamcast, such as keyboard in-game chat and navigating the menus with keyboard commands.
 
[[File:19.png]]
 
By default, Flycast will launch in a window. Use your mouse to click on the "Settings" option in the top-right of the window. Select the "Controls" tab. We want to change the following settings:
 
In the Settings / Controls tab:
Dreamcast Devices:
Device A - "Sega Controller" - "Sega VMU" - "Sega VMU"
Device B - "Keyboard"
Physical Devices:
SDL-Keyboard: Port = "None"
SDL-Xbox 360 Controller: Port = "A"
 
[[File:20.png]]
 
In the above image I have highlighted the key settings.
 
In a nutshell, we are telling Flycast to not use the default keyboard control assignments, and that we want our keyboard inputs to simulate a keyboard plugged into Port B, the same as you would with a real Dreamcast. This allows us all the features PSO offered players with keyboards on the Dreamcast, such as keyboard in-game chat and navigating the menus with keyboard commands.


As an aside, some of the more esoteric commands you can enter in PSO with the keyboard are detailed [https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/05/phantasy-star-online-keyboardlobby-animation-faq-379417 here].
As an aside, some of the more esoteric commands you can enter in PSO with the keyboard are detailed [https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/12/05/phantasy-star-online-keyboardlobby-animation-faq-379417 here].


=== Remapping The Menu Button ===
=== Remapping The Menu Button ===
By default, Flycast's controller button mappings should be ideal for most games, in my case with the '''8BitDo SN30 Pro USB''' gamepad no further configuration was required for gameplay. However, we have one change that I recommend for PSO online play specifically.
By default, Flycast's controller button mappings should be ideal for most games. However, you may want to prevent accidental access to the Quick Menu as '''''pausing or using save states makes the game client out of sync with the server, and can crash the game or possibly corrupt your character data'''''. You can accomplish this by navigating to the Settings/Controls window and clicking the "Map" button to the right of the SDL Controller (whatever your gamepad is labeled).
 
In Flycast, there is a quick menu that can be launched that pauses the game grants access access to disc swapping, save states, and the option menu.
 
This would normally be a handy feature, but while we are in online play, it is a bad idea to pause or use save states.
 
'''''Pausing or using save states makes the game client out of sync with the server, and can crash the game or possibly corrupt your character data.'''''
 
I would suggest that you rebind your controller mapping to disable accidental access to the Quick Menu.
 
We can accomplish this by navigating to the Settings/Controls window and clicking the "Map" button to the right of our SDL Controller (whatever your gamepad is labeled).


[[File:22.png]]
: [[File:22.png]]


Scroll down a bit and find where the "Menu" button is located. By default, it is going to be mapped to your "Select" button on 8BitDo or PlayStation controllers, or "Map" button on Xbox controllers.
Scroll down a bit and find where the "Menu" button is located. By default, it is going to be mapped to your "Select" button on most controllers. It is not possible to delete a controller input mapping, so you will need to move the button bind to an uncommon button, such as "Left Trigger".
 
As far as I can tell, there is no way to delete a controller input binding in Flycast, buy we can simply move the button bind to something that won't break our online game, such as "Left Trigger".


Press "Map" next to "Left Trigger", and press the "Select" button on your gamepad before the countdown runs out.
Press "Map" next to "Left Trigger", and press the "Select" button on your gamepad before the countdown runs out.


[[File:23.png]]
: [[File:23.png]]


In the above example, you can see our controller mapping (6) has moved from the "Menu" to "Left Trigger" assignment. This will prevent us from accidentally pausing the game if we press the select button, and also prevents the quick menu from accessing the save state functions of Flycast. We can simply reverse this change for offline play or for playing other games on Flycast.
In the above example, you can see the controller mapping (6) has moved from the "Menu" to "Left Trigger" assignment. This will prevent accidentally pausing the game if you press the select button, and also prevents the quick menu from accessing the save state functions of Flycast. You can simply reverse this change for offline play or for playing other games on Flycast.


=== Controller Drift in Flycast ===
=== Controller Drift in Flycast ===
While it is not currently available in the menu, Flycast has a dead zone feature that can be used to combat controller drift if you are experiencing issues with characters "moving on their own".
While it is not currently available in the menu, Flycast has a dead zone feature that can be used to combat controller drift if you are experiencing issues with characters "moving on their own".


ONLY after you have made an [[Dreamcast:Phantasy_Star_Online_Connection_Guide#Flycast_Controller_Configuration|alteration to the controller configuration]], Flycast will create a remap file and folder in its main directory, for example "c:/flycast/Mappings/SDL_Xbox 360 Controller.txt".
ONLY after you have made an alteration to the controller configuration, Flycast will create a remap file and folder in its main directory, for example `C:/flycast/Mappings/SDL_Xbox 360 Controller.txt`.


From here, you can add a line to the config to change the default dead zone to whatever you prefer, in the following example we are increasing the defualt 10% deadzone to 15%:
From here, you can add a line to the config to change the default dead zone to whatever you prefer, in the following example we are increasing the default 10% deadzone to 15%:


  [emulator]
  [emulator]
Line 104: Line 54:


=== Additional Flycast Configuration and Optional Settings ===
=== Additional Flycast Configuration and Optional Settings ===
Going back into the options menu, we have a few more more settings to configure.
Going back into the options menu, there is a few more more settings to configure.


We want to change the language settings to English.
We want to change the language settings to English.
  In the Settings / General Tab:
  In the Settings / General Tab:
  Language = English
  Language = English


Most Dreamcast games (including PSO) support a higher resolution VGA mode. We can set that now.
Most Dreamcast games support a higher resolution VGA mode.
 
  In the Settings / General Tab:
  In the Settings / General Tab:
  Cable = VGA
  Cable = VGA


Widescreen [optional]:
Widescreen [optional]:
Widescreen mode will fill the entire 16:9 display when in full-screen mode. This is a emulator trick as the original game was presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. While there might be a couple graphical pop-ins and inconsistencies, (especially when not in full screen mode), I find PSOV2 to be very attractive and playable with widescreen mode enabled. To enable:
Widescreen mode will fill the entire 16:9 display when in full-screen mode. This is a emulator trick as the original game was presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. While there might be a couple graphical pop-ins and inconsistencies (especially when not in full screen mode), it's worth trying out. To enable:


  In the Settings / Video Tab:
  In the Settings / Video Tab:
Line 123: Line 71:


Upscaled Graphics [optional]:
Upscaled Graphics [optional]:
If you have a modestly capable graphics card and PC, you can also change the Scaling (SSAA) from the default 1.0 to something higher. I recommend starting at 2.0 and seeing if the game still plays smoothly. To do so, set:
If you have a modestly capable graphics card and PC, you can also change the Scaling (SSAA) from the default 1.0 to something higher. It's recommended to start at 2.0 and seeing if the game still plays smoothly. To do so, set:


  In the Settings / Video Tab:
  In the Settings / Video Tab:
  Scaling (SSAA) = 2.0
  Scaling (SSAA) = 2.0


====Broadband (BBA) Mode [optional]====
====Broadband (BBA) Mode (optional)====
All Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem that every online game supported. However, a handful of games supported the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory. The BBA replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds. Phantasy Star Online V2 through Flycast supports the BBA, so we can expect a bit better online performance by enabling it. To enable BBA Mode:
All Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem that every online game supported. However, a handful of games supported the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory. The BBA replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds. To enable BBA Mode:


  In the Settings - Advanced - Networking Tab:
  In the Settings - Advanced - Networking Tab:
  Check the "Broadband Adapter Emulation" Box.
  Check the "Broadband Adapter Emulation" Box.


Using the broadband adapter will require an additional configuration step. The '''Ives's Pack''' has a BBA configuration screen from the Phantasy Star Online V2 main menu, accessible by selecting "WEBSITE".


[[File:24.png]]
=== Final Notes About Flycast (PC) ===
'''Alt-Enter:''' In Flycast, you can press Alt-Enter to enter and exit full screen mode. The widescreen hacks will not be enabled until you have entered full screen.
 
'''Closing The Game:''' When in windowed mode, it is simple to close the Flycast with the X in the top-right corner. As mentioned above, you can toggle to windowed mode with Alt-Enter.
 
== Setting Up Flycast (Android) ==
Flycast also has a fully functional Android version. To set this up, you will need to install the Flycast emulator apk and a file management app (in this example, ZArchiver is used). You will also need to source the Dreamcast BIOS file '''''"dc_boot.bin"''''' (which you can dump from a Dreamcast).
 
=== Downloading Flycast for Android ===
On your Android device, navigate to [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ the Flycast GitHub page] and download the latest nightly build.
: [[File:Flycast1.png]]  


From here, we can ignore the actual configuration. We just need something saved to the emulated Dreamcast's flash memory for PSO and Flycast to connect. Select "Save To Flash".
<br> Look for the latest build of the Android release. Long-press the Android release download link.
: [[File:Flycast2.png]]


<br> Once the long-press menu pops up, we need to select "Download link".
: [[File:Flycast3.png]]


[[File:25.png]]
<br> Because the nightly builds of Flycast aren't coming from a "trusted" source (such as the app store), your android device will try to protect you from running malicious software. However, we trust Flycast and want to run it. Choose "Keep" to continue.
: [[File:Flycast4.png]]


When Prompted "Are you sure you want to save all settings to flash?", Select "Yes".
<br> Once again your device is warning you. We can choose "OK" to keep Flycast.
Now, we can select "Exit" and proceed as normal in the main game.
: [[File:Flycast5.png]]


=== Launching "Ives' Pack" PSOV2 From Flycast ===
<br> Once downloaded, you should see this prompt at the bottom of your device. Press the "Open" link to launch the Flycast APK.
: [[File:Flycast6.png]]


'''''Flycast Online Warnings:
<br> Once the Flycast APK launches, it will prompt you to install the software on your device. Choose "Install" to continue.
1 - Do not use save states while in online play! It can break things.
: [[File:Flycast7.png]]
2 - Do not pause/bring up the quick menu while in online play! It can break things.
3 - To save progress in PSO, you must exit the game back to the main menu!'''''


As you may have observed already, Flycast doesn't automatically detect the '''IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi''' inside its built-in file explorer to launch. We can tell Flycast to launch it a couple of different ways:
<br> Don't open the program just yet, click "Done" to continue.
: [[File:Flycast8.png]]


====Normal Way====
If Flycast was installed correctly, we should have a new shortcut on our device's home screen.
Flycast needs to be pointed to a directory to populate the internal file launcher. Navigate to the Options Menu. In the Settings / General Tab, find the "Content Location" field.


[[File:26.png]]
=== Downloading "dc_boot.bin" (Android) ===
You will need to source a Dreamcast BIOS file named as '''''"dc_boot.bin"'''''. While we cannot provide direct links to this file, you can dump your own dc_boot.bin from a Dreamcast.


Click "Add" and navigate to your c:/flycast folder. The folder should now be listed. When you back out, the IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi should be listed. From here, you can select the entry to boot into the game.
=== Flycast File Management with ZArchiver (Android) ===
At this point, you will need to use a file manager to move files around on your device. In this example, '''ZArchiver''' will be used.  


====Lazy Way====
When Zarchiver first launches, it will prompt you for permissions to access your files and folders. Tap "ALLOW" to continue and press "OK" to dismiss the popup tips.
To launch the '''IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi''', simply navigate your file explorer to the c:/flycast directory and drag-and-drop the Ives's .cdi onto the flycast .exe file. The emulator should launch, starting the game.


====Fancy Way====
: [[File:Zarch2.png]]
Start by simplifying the file name of the Flycast emulator .exe. The long file name is meant as a version marker, but for our purposes we should rename it to something simpler. Right click on the executable and select "Rename". I've renamed mine for this example '''"flycast"'''. The full file with extension would be '''"flycast.exe"'''.


With out emulator renamed, let's make a link that opens Ives's PSOV2 Pack automatically.
You will need to create a folder for our BIOS and Flycast Config Files. For this example, a folder named "Flycast" is created in the `/storage/emulated/` directory by pressing the large green plus icon followed by the folder icon on top.
From your c:/flycast directory, right-click the recently renamed "flycast.exe" file and select "Create Shortcut". Windows will place a shortcut in the same directory.


Now right-click the link we just created and select "Rename" to give the shortcut a more specific name for our task. I chose to rename mine "PSOV2 For Flycast Launcher", but rename it anything you prefer.
: [[File:Zarch6.png]]


Finally, right-click the link one last time and select "Properties".
Navigate to the "Download" folder (if that's where your Dreamcast BIOS is located) and move them to the "Flycast" folder you created. If it is a zip file, open the zip file and extract it to the download folder.  


At the end of the "Target" field, enter a space (one push of the spacebar) and type or copy and paste the name of the Ives's .CDI. Unless it was renamed, the pack is titled "IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi".
: [[File:Zarch8.png]]


If you have followed the tutorial example of "c:/flycast", and your Ives's Pack is named "IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi", you can simply copy and paste the following into your "Target" field.
: [[File:Zarch9.png]]


C:\flycast\flycast.exe IVES_PSOV2_US_R2_EP.cdi
Long press `dc_boot.bin` and select Copy.


[[File:21.png]]
: [[File:Zarch11.png]]


'''''We should now have a handy shortcut that we can copy to our desktop or wherever we like to boot into PSO with a double-click!'''''
Navigate back to the "Flycast" folder that you created earlier and tap the clipboard icon in the top-right of the screen to paste `dc_boot.bin`.


When you first boot into the "Ives' Pack" PSOV2 from your Flycast emulator, scroll up and refer to the [[Dreamcast:Phantasy_Star_Online_Connection_Guide#Entering_Your_SNAK_on_PSO|Enter Your SNAK on PSO]] section for details and help getting started.
=== Configuring Flycast (Android) ===


=== Final Notes About Flycast (PC) ===
Navigate back to your Android device's home screen and launch Flycast.
'''Alt-Enter:''' In Flycast, you can press Alt-Enter to enter and exit full screen mode. The widescreen hacks will not be enabled until you have entered full screen.


'''Closing The Game:''' When in windowed mode, it is simple to close the Flycast with the X in the top-right corner. As mentioned above, you can toggle to windowed mode with Alt-Enter.  
: [[File:Flycast10.png]]


'''Remember to back out to the main menu to save your PSO progress!'''
When Flycast launches, it needs you to set the working directory for the app. This is the location it will place any configuration data, as well as where it will look for any BIOS files. From within Flycast, navigate to the "flycast" folder you created and select "Select Current Directory".


== Flycast for Android and PSO ==
If you set up your "Flycast" folder correctly, and correctly pointed the app to the folder, Flycast will detect and list your Dreamcast BIOS as shown below.
Flycast also has a fully functional Android version as well that we can use to play PSOV2 Online.


To set this up, we will need to install and use three programs on our Android device: The Flycast emulator apk, a file management app (in this example I am using ZArchiver), and a way to download the [[Dreamcast:Phantasy_Star_Online_Connection_Guide#Connecting_To_Sylverant|Ives' Pack .CDI]] using a Torrent downloader app (in this example I am using Flud).
: [[File:Flycast11.png]]


We will also need to source the Dreamcast BIOS file '''''"dc_boot.bin"''''', and do some basic configuration on Flycast similar to what was required in the [[Dreamcast:Phantasy_Star_Online_Connection_Guide#Setting_Up_Flycast|Windows version]].
Before we launch the game, we need to take a moment to configure some items in the "Settings" window. Tap "Settings" in the top-right corner of the screen and make the following changes.


=== Downloading Flycast for Android ===
Language settings:
First, we need to grab a nightly build of Flycast from the Flycast Github page. Navigate your Android device to [https://flyinghead.github.io/flycast-builds/ here]. In this example I am using Chrome as my web browser.


[[File:Flycast1.png]]
In the Settings / General Tab:
Language = English


Look for the latest build of the Android release. Long-press the Android release download link.
Most Dreamcast games support a higher resolution VGA mode.


[[File:Flycast2.png]]
In the Settings / General Tab:
Cable = VGA


Once the long-press menu pops up, we need to select "Download link".
Widescreen [optional]:
Widescreen mode will fill the entire 16:9 display when in full-screen mode. This is a emulator trick as the original game was presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. While there might be a couple graphical pop-ins and inconsistencies (especially when not in full screen mode), it's worth trying out. To enable:


[[File:Flycast3.png]]
In the Settings / Video Tab:
Check the "Widescreen" Box.


Because the nightly builds of Flycast aren't coming from a "trusted" source (such as the app store), your android device is trying to protect you from running malicious software. However, we trust Flycast and want to run it. Choose "Keep" to continue.
Upscaled Graphics [optional]:
If you have a modestly capable graphics card and PC, you can also change the Scaling (SSAA) from the default 1.0 to something higher. It's recommended to start at 2.0 and seeing if the game still plays smoothly. To do so, set:


[[File:Flycast4.png]]
In the Settings / Video Tab:
Scaling (SSAA) = 2.0


Once again your device is warning you. We can choose "OK" to keep Flycast.
Broadband (BBA) Mode [optional]:
All Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem that every online game supported. However, a handful of games supported the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory. The BBA replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds. To enable BBA Mode:


[[File:Flycast5.png]]
In the Settings - Advanced - Networking Tab:
Check the "Broadband Adapter Emulation" Box.


Once downloaded, you should see this prompt at the bottom of your device. Press the "Open" link to launch the Flycast APK.
When you are finished changing settings, press "Done" at the top left of the screen.


[[File:Flycast6.png]]
=== Flycast Controls (Android)===
====Touch Controls====
: [[File:Flycast12.png]]


Once the Flycast APK launches, it will prompt you to install the software on your device. Choose "Install" to continue.
The above picture demonstrates the default touch controls for Flycast on Android. The four face buttons and triggers are available on the right side of the device's screen, and the analog and d-pad are on the left. Note that currently, Flycast on Android does not have any keyboard implementation, so communication and entering text info, such as your SNAK, must be done using the controller bindings.


[[File:Flycast7.png]]
====Bluetooth Controller====
Any controller with Bluetooth support should work.  


We don't want to open the program just yet, click "Done" to continue.
To enable your Bluetooth controller, make sure your controller is on and paired with your Android device. Once paired and enabled, go to your "Settings / Controls / Physical Devices" tab in Flycast and make sure your device is detected and assigned to "Port A" (example using 8BitDO SN30, highlighted):


[[File:Flycast8.png]]
: [[File:Flycast13.png]]


If Flycast was installed correctly, we should have a new shortcut on our device's home screen. Before we run Flycast and PSOV2, we need to complete a few more steps.
In most cases, the button and joypad assignment should be automatic, but if you need to make any changes, the "Map" selection next to your device (either Bluetooth controller or Virtual Gamepad controls) will allow you to make adjustments and reassignments. When finished, press "Done" at the top of the screen.

Latest revision as of 03:36, 16 May 2022

Flycast is an emulator for PC and Android capable of emulating Dreamcast games. This page will walk you through setting up the emulator.

Flycast Online Warnings

Flycast Online Warnings:

  • Do not use save states while in online play! It can break things.
  • Do not use "Fast Forward" functions while online! It can break things.
  • Do not pause/bring up the quick menu while in online play! It can break things.

With Flycast for Android configured, you should now be able to launch into the game!

Setting Up Flycast (PC)

  1. Download a nightly build of Flycast here. The links at the top of the page are the latest builds. Grab the Windows x64 download.
    15.png
  2. Extract the .zip file to the folder of your choosing. Preferably, use a simple directory name such as C:\flycast (which will be the example directory in this guide). The zip should contain one .exe file that is the Flycast emulator program.
  3. Acquire a Dreamcast BIOS file and ensure it is named dc_boot.bin and place it in C:\flycast. A download for one can not be linked here, as it is copyrighted content, but you can dump your own from

Flycast Controller Configuration

Before we first boot the emulator, we need to decide how we want to configure our controls.

Flycast works with any controller Windows can connect to, and most controllers (such as a PlayStation 4 controller or Xbox One controller) do not require any specific configuration. This guide will assume you are using a controller with your PC and walk you through how to configure the game pad / keyboard combo that will work the best.

  1. With your controller of choice plugged in, launch the Flycast .exe from inside the C:/flycast directory. By default, Flycast will launch in a window as shown below.
    19.png
  2. Use your mouse to click on the "Settings" option in the top-right of the window. Select the "Controls" tab and match the following settings (important settings highlighted yellow). Your controller may show up as something other than Xbox 360 Controller.
    20.png
    • Essentially, you are setting Flycast to not use the default keyboard control assignments and forcing keyboard inputs to simulate a keyboard plugged into Port B, the same as you would with a real Dreamcast. This is particularly handy for Phantasy Star Online to access all the features available on the Dreamcast, such as keyboard in-game chat and navigating the menus with keyboard commands.

As an aside, some of the more esoteric commands you can enter in PSO with the keyboard are detailed here.

Remapping The Menu Button

By default, Flycast's controller button mappings should be ideal for most games. However, you may want to prevent accidental access to the Quick Menu as pausing or using save states makes the game client out of sync with the server, and can crash the game or possibly corrupt your character data. You can accomplish this by navigating to the Settings/Controls window and clicking the "Map" button to the right of the SDL Controller (whatever your gamepad is labeled).

22.png

Scroll down a bit and find where the "Menu" button is located. By default, it is going to be mapped to your "Select" button on most controllers. It is not possible to delete a controller input mapping, so you will need to move the button bind to an uncommon button, such as "Left Trigger".

Press "Map" next to "Left Trigger", and press the "Select" button on your gamepad before the countdown runs out.

23.png

In the above example, you can see the controller mapping (6) has moved from the "Menu" to "Left Trigger" assignment. This will prevent accidentally pausing the game if you press the select button, and also prevents the quick menu from accessing the save state functions of Flycast. You can simply reverse this change for offline play or for playing other games on Flycast.

Controller Drift in Flycast

While it is not currently available in the menu, Flycast has a dead zone feature that can be used to combat controller drift if you are experiencing issues with characters "moving on their own".

ONLY after you have made an alteration to the controller configuration, Flycast will create a remap file and folder in its main directory, for example C:/flycast/Mappings/SDL_Xbox 360 Controller.txt.

From here, you can add a line to the config to change the default dead zone to whatever you prefer, in the following example we are increasing the default 10% deadzone to 15%: 

[emulator]
dead_zone = 15

If you are experiencing controller drift, experiment with this value until you find the lowest setting that corrects the issue.

Additional Flycast Configuration and Optional Settings

Going back into the options menu, there is a few more more settings to configure.

We want to change the language settings to English. 

In the Settings / General Tab:
Language = English

Most Dreamcast games support a higher resolution VGA mode. 

In the Settings / General Tab:
Cable = VGA

Widescreen [optional]: Widescreen mode will fill the entire 16:9 display when in full-screen mode. This is a emulator trick as the original game was presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. While there might be a couple graphical pop-ins and inconsistencies (especially when not in full screen mode), it's worth trying out. To enable: 

In the Settings / Video Tab:
Check the "Widescreen" Box.

Upscaled Graphics [optional]: If you have a modestly capable graphics card and PC, you can also change the Scaling (SSAA) from the default 1.0 to something higher. It's recommended to start at 2.0 and seeing if the game still plays smoothly. To do so, set: 

In the Settings / Video Tab:
Scaling (SSAA) = 2.0

Broadband (BBA) Mode (optional)

All Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem that every online game supported. However, a handful of games supported the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory. The BBA replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds. To enable BBA Mode: 

In the Settings - Advanced - Networking Tab:
Check the "Broadband Adapter Emulation" Box.


Final Notes About Flycast (PC)

Alt-Enter: In Flycast, you can press Alt-Enter to enter and exit full screen mode. The widescreen hacks will not be enabled until you have entered full screen.

Closing The Game: When in windowed mode, it is simple to close the Flycast with the X in the top-right corner. As mentioned above, you can toggle to windowed mode with Alt-Enter.

Setting Up Flycast (Android)

Flycast also has a fully functional Android version. To set this up, you will need to install the Flycast emulator apk and a file management app (in this example, ZArchiver is used). You will also need to source the Dreamcast BIOS file "dc_boot.bin" (which you can dump from a Dreamcast).

Downloading Flycast for Android

On your Android device, navigate to the Flycast GitHub page and download the latest nightly build.

Flycast1.png


Look for the latest build of the Android release. Long-press the Android release download link.

Flycast2.png


Once the long-press menu pops up, we need to select "Download link".

Flycast3.png


Because the nightly builds of Flycast aren't coming from a "trusted" source (such as the app store), your android device will try to protect you from running malicious software. However, we trust Flycast and want to run it. Choose "Keep" to continue.

Flycast4.png


Once again your device is warning you. We can choose "OK" to keep Flycast.

Flycast5.png


Once downloaded, you should see this prompt at the bottom of your device. Press the "Open" link to launch the Flycast APK.

Flycast6.png


Once the Flycast APK launches, it will prompt you to install the software on your device. Choose "Install" to continue.

Flycast7.png


Don't open the program just yet, click "Done" to continue.

Flycast8.png

If Flycast was installed correctly, we should have a new shortcut on our device's home screen.

Downloading "dc_boot.bin" (Android)

You will need to source a Dreamcast BIOS file named as "dc_boot.bin". While we cannot provide direct links to this file, you can dump your own dc_boot.bin from a Dreamcast.

Flycast File Management with ZArchiver (Android)

At this point, you will need to use a file manager to move files around on your device. In this example, ZArchiver will be used.

When Zarchiver first launches, it will prompt you for permissions to access your files and folders. Tap "ALLOW" to continue and press "OK" to dismiss the popup tips.

Zarch2.png

You will need to create a folder for our BIOS and Flycast Config Files. For this example, a folder named "Flycast" is created in the /storage/emulated/ directory by pressing the large green plus icon followed by the folder icon on top.

Zarch6.png

Navigate to the "Download" folder (if that's where your Dreamcast BIOS is located) and move them to the "Flycast" folder you created. If it is a zip file, open the zip file and extract it to the download folder.

Zarch8.png
Zarch9.png

Long press dc_boot.bin and select Copy.

Zarch11.png

Navigate back to the "Flycast" folder that you created earlier and tap the clipboard icon in the top-right of the screen to paste dc_boot.bin.

Configuring Flycast (Android)

Navigate back to your Android device's home screen and launch Flycast.

Flycast10.png

When Flycast launches, it needs you to set the working directory for the app. This is the location it will place any configuration data, as well as where it will look for any BIOS files. From within Flycast, navigate to the "flycast" folder you created and select "Select Current Directory".

If you set up your "Flycast" folder correctly, and correctly pointed the app to the folder, Flycast will detect and list your Dreamcast BIOS as shown below.

Flycast11.png

Before we launch the game, we need to take a moment to configure some items in the "Settings" window. Tap "Settings" in the top-right corner of the screen and make the following changes.

Language settings: 

In the Settings / General Tab:
Language = English

Most Dreamcast games support a higher resolution VGA mode. 

In the Settings / General Tab:
Cable = VGA

Widescreen [optional]: Widescreen mode will fill the entire 16:9 display when in full-screen mode. This is a emulator trick as the original game was presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio. While there might be a couple graphical pop-ins and inconsistencies (especially when not in full screen mode), it's worth trying out. To enable: 

In the Settings / Video Tab:
Check the "Widescreen" Box.

Upscaled Graphics [optional]: If you have a modestly capable graphics card and PC, you can also change the Scaling (SSAA) from the default 1.0 to something higher. It's recommended to start at 2.0 and seeing if the game still plays smoothly. To do so, set: 

In the Settings / Video Tab:
Scaling (SSAA) = 2.0

Broadband (BBA) Mode [optional]: All Dreamcast shipped with a 56k modem that every online game supported. However, a handful of games supported the Broadband Adapter (BBA) accessory. The BBA replaced the 56k modem and used Ethernet networking to deliver much higher internet speeds. To enable BBA Mode: 

In the Settings - Advanced - Networking Tab:
Check the "Broadband Adapter Emulation" Box.

When you are finished changing settings, press "Done" at the top left of the screen.

Flycast Controls (Android)

Touch Controls

Flycast12.png

The above picture demonstrates the default touch controls for Flycast on Android. The four face buttons and triggers are available on the right side of the device's screen, and the analog and d-pad are on the left. Note that currently, Flycast on Android does not have any keyboard implementation, so communication and entering text info, such as your SNAK, must be done using the controller bindings.

Bluetooth Controller

Any controller with Bluetooth support should work.

To enable your Bluetooth controller, make sure your controller is on and paired with your Android device. Once paired and enabled, go to your "Settings / Controls / Physical Devices" tab in Flycast and make sure your device is detected and assigned to "Port A" (example using 8BitDO SN30, highlighted):

Flycast13.png

In most cases, the button and joypad assignment should be automatic, but if you need to make any changes, the "Map" selection next to your device (either Bluetooth controller or Virtual Gamepad controls) will allow you to make adjustments and reassignments. When finished, press "Done" at the top of the screen.

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