2017-08-18 05:18:15 +00:00
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A game folder
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is higan's way of grouping all
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the information and resources required
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to properly emulate a particular game.
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For example,
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to represent a Super Famicom game named `dkc3`,
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higan would create a game folder named `dkc3.sfc`,
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and inside it store the game data as `program.rom`
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and the save data as `save.ram`:
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```text
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+- Super Famicom
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+- dkc3.sfc
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+- program.rom
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+- save.ram
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```
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In contrast,
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other emulators typically
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group resources related to a game
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by requiring that every file has the same base name
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but different file extensions.
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For example,
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if another emulator loaded the game `dkc3.sfc`
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it might store the save data in `dkc3.srm`:
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```text
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+- Super Famicom
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+- dkc3.sfc
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+- dkc3.srm
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```
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Why game folders?
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-----------------
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A file extension doesn't offer
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much room for description,
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so the traditional name-based-grouping system
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only really works when games use a small number of files,
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Also,
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since file extensions traditionally describe
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the format of the file in question,
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it also means a game can't use
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two or more files in the same format.
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Compared to other emulators,
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higan can use a larger number of files per game.
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For example,
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higan's low-level emulation of Super Famicom co-processors
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often requires [separate firmware files][firmware].
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higan's [MSU-1 feature][msu1]
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supports up to 99 audio tracks per game,
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and higan supports up to 133 save-states per game.
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Thus,
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higan suffers from the limitations of name-based-grouping
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more than most.
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higan's game folders allow a game
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to have unique, descriptive filenames
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for all its resources,
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and for each file to use the extension
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that's most appropriate.
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They also allow emulator-specific extras
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like save-states and the cheat database
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to be kept separate from the game's actual data,
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by putting it in a sub-folder.
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[msu1]: ../guides/import.md#msu-1-games
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[firmware]: ../guides/import.md#games-with-co-processor-firmware
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For a more detailed motivation for game folders,
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see [Game Paks on the higan website][gp].
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[gp]: https://byuu.org/emulation/higan/game-paks
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What's in a game folder?
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------------------------
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A game folder collects all the information relevant
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to emulating a particular game.
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Not all of the following files
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are relevant for every console,
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or even for every game on a console,
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but they may be present under particular circumstances.
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All the files directly in the game folder
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are expected to be useful
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to all emulators that support them:
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- `manifest.bml`:
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The [manifest](manifests.md) for this game folder.
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- `program.rom`:
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For most consoles,
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this contains
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the executable instructions and graphics data
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from the cartridge's ROM chips.
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For the Famicom,
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this contains only the executable instructions.
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- `character.rom`:
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For the Famicom,
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this contains only the graphics data
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from the cartridge's ROM chips.
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- `ines.rom`:
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While other consoles typically include enough hints
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in `program.rom` for icarus to guess a working manifest,
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the Famicom does not.
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Famicom games not stored in game folders
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typically include an "iNES header" to store that information,
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which icarus preserves after import as `ines.rom`.
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- `save.ram`:
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Games that include a save feature
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will create this file.
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Note that it is only written to disk
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when higan exits gracefully;
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if higan crashes or is forced to quit,
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in-game saves may be lost.
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Other emulators sometimes call this an "SRAM file",
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even though the same filename is used
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with games that included EEPROM or Flash storage,
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not just battery-backed Static RAM.
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- `rtc.ram`:
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Games that include a calendar or real-time clock
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will create this file.
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- `*.data.rom`, `*.program.rom`:
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Files named like this are usually [co-processor firmware][firmware].
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- `msu1.rom`:
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Holds streamable data for [the MSU-1][msu1].
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- `track-*.pcm`:
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Holds streamable audio for [the MSU-1][msu1].
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Files that are only useful to higan specifically
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are placed in a `higan` sub-folder:
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- `cheats.bml`:
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All information present in
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[the Cheat Editor](../interface/higan-tools.md#the-cheat-editor)
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is stored here.
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- `states/quick/slot-*.bst`:
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All [Quick States](save-states.md#quick-states) are stored here.
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- `states/managed/slot-*.bst`:
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All [Manager States](save-states.md#manager-states) are stored here.
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