WinAGES v0.20a (Nebula)         *** COPYRIGHT ***  by Quinntesson
http://ages.emuunlim.com


Minimum requirements
--------------------
You will need Windows, DirectX 3.0 or higher, 16-bit color, and a fast CPU
with MMX.  To use a joystick, you will need DirectX 5.0 or higher.

Getting Started
---------------
Use Ucon or other program to convert all of your 32X ROMs to BINARY format.
Then rename their extensions to ".32X".  Download the 3 32X BIOSes.  Configure
AGES (via "Config->File IO->Load System ROM") to be able to load them.  The
32X Master SH2 ROM is 2048 bytes, the 32X Slave ROM is 1024 bytes, and the 32X
M68000 ROM is 256 bytes.  You can also try to use AGES's BIOS faking option
[Q's note: BIOS faking is automatically used regardless of whether it is
enabled in the config menu].  Even if you use BIOS faking, you must still
have the 32X M68000 ROM.  You can download Ucon and the complete 32X
BIOS fileset from Eidolon's Inn.  (http://www.eidolons-inn.de)

There are two 32X compatibility lists on the WWW (that I know of).  These
lists are not impeccably accurate (see resetting comment below) or up-to-date,
but they can give you a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't.
http://www.emuunlim.com/32x
http://www.explosionnet.co.uk/emu/32x/


Caution
-------
To run AGES in windowed mode, you must set your desktop's color depth to 16
bit.  AGES will close itself immediately if, when it is loaded, a DirectDraw
call fails.  To avoid this, load AGES in the foreground and do not switch
tasks until it is completely loaded.  If, during loading, a DirectInput call
fails, AGES will stay open, but alert you that you will only be able to watch
games run.

AGES's resetting routines are still buggy (yes, I am working on fixing them).
When you play one game and decide to switch to another without closing AGES
and reloading it, the second (and third etc...) game loaded may behave
differently.  (This is only occasionally a problem, but be aware of it
nevertheless.)

On some computers some of the time, AGES will crash on exit or leave a picture
of the emulation window on the monitor screen.  This is just a stupid but
pain-to-fix bug, it should not harm anything.  It is on my little to-do list,
so fret not.

AGES will respond to the joystick or keyboard even if it is not "in focus."
Just pause the emulator (Alt-P) if you are going to switch away.  Again, I
have not yet fixed this problem because it is minor and I am lazy.  It is on
my to-do list.


What's implemented
---------------
+ Player 1 and player 2 controllers. [3 button and 6 button]
+ M68000 and Z80
+ Master and Slave SH2s
+ All three 32X graphics modes
+ 32X/Genesis layering
+ most SH2 peripherals
+ Dual frame buffer support
+ BIN/GEN, SMD, MD, and 32X filetypes.
+ Battery RAM saving and loading


What's not implemented (yet)
----------------------------
- Game saved state files
- Sound
- Sega mouse, menacer, and teamplayer
- SH2 INTC (partial)
- SH2 SCI (partial)
- Zipped and Rar'd ROM support
- Raster effects
- Shadow and Highlight effects
- Interlace mode
- SVP (might not even do this one anyway)


Keys
----
Alt-L           - load a ROM
Alt-P           - pauses emulator
Alt-R           - resets emulator (still somewhat buggy)
Alt-X           - exists emulator
F1              - about AGES
F2              - save state (not yet implemented)
F3              - load state (not yet implemented)
F4              - switch between windowed and fullscreen modes

AGES defaults to the following keys for gameplay:

Player 1
    numpad up       - D-pad UP
    numpad down     - D-pad DOWN
    numpad left     - D-pad LEFT
    numpad right    - D-pad RIGHT
    enter           - START
    a               - A
    s               - B
    d               - C
    z               - X
    x               - Y
    c               - Z
    v               - MODE (does not actually switch modes; use config menu)

Player 2
    o               - D-pad UP
    .               - D-pad DOWN
    k               - D-pad LEFT
    ;               - D-pad RIGHT
    l               - START
    t               - A
    y               - B
    u               - C
    g               - X
    h               - Y
    j               - Z
    b               - MODE (does not actually switch modes; use config menu)


Configuration
-------------
Options marked with a ## are adjusted automatically by AGES, but you can
modify them by editting the AGES.INI file if you want.

* File IO
    Load System ROM    - Use this to provide AGES with the full path to you
                         Genesis and 32X system ROMs.
    GSV Path           - GSV's are direct dumps of the battery RAM.  These
                         files (if they come from a Genesis game) should be
                         completely compatible with Genecyst.  This option is
                         useful if you want to play your games off a CDR and
                         still have battery RAM support, or if you just don't
                         want your ROM directory to be cluttered.  [You have
                         to edit AGES.INI for this, its not implemented in the
                         UI yet.]
 ## ROM Path           - AGES remembers the directory that ROMs are loaded
                         from.  It also remembers the previous file type used.
 ## GSS Path           - This is the directory to store your game saved state
                         files in.  Again, it is useful for playing games off
                         a CDR or simply not cluttering your ROM directory.
                         [Game saved states are not implemented yet.]

* Graphics
    Frame Skip         - Can be set to none, 1, 3, or 7.
    Screen Size        - Sets the screen size.  F4 toggles between fullscreen
                         and previous windowed mode.
    Scan Lines         - Chooses a scnaline option: none, 50% intensity, or
                         blank lines (the classic full effect).  This option
                         is only used in the double resolution and fullscreen
                         graphics modes.
    Enhance Visibility - Forces a pre-cooked palette on the Genesis, and 32X
                         256 Color graphics modes.  If a game is chugging
                         along without establishing a palette, the screen
                         stays blank and the game isn't playable.  Use this
                         option to "see in the dark."  This may also
                         benficial to game developers/hackers.

* Sound
    (no options yet, sound not emulated.)

* Input
    Player 1/2         - Select the device that each player uses.  Choices are
                         keyboard, joystick, and network connection.  [Though
                         you can set this to "network", AGES does not support
                         network play yet.]
    Keys...            - Define which keys are used for gameplay.  Press the
                         "change" button to change a key, and the value will
                         turn into flashing ?'s until you press a key.  If you
                         do not press a key after 6 seconds, the selection
                         will revert to its original value.
    Joystick...        - Define joystick buttons used for gameplay.  You
                         can not change up, down, left, or right.  Press the
                         "change" button to change a key, and the value will
                         turn into flashing ?'s until you press a key.  If you
                         do not press a key after 6 seconds, the selection
                         will revert to its original value.
    Network...         - Configure network options for network games.
                         [Reserved for future expansion.]

* Machine
    Miscellaneous
      Region           - Select region.  Choices are Autodetect, USA, Japan,
                         and Europe.
      Region Order     - Works with the Autodetect option.  Use this to
                         control the search order (top down) of the
                         autodetector.  Click on a region to bring it to the
                         top of the list.
      Port 1/2         - Select the device which will be emulated on that
                         input port.  Choices are 3 button controller, 6
                         button controller, Sega mouse, menacer, and
                         teamplayer.  [Presently, only the 3 button and 6
                         button controllers are emulated.]
    Genesis
      Disable Z80      - Some games require Genesis Z80 emulation to work.
                         Due to bugginess, some games will not work if
                         Genesis Z80 is enabled.  Use this option accordingly.
      Autofix checksum - Corrects a ROM's checksum in memory.  It is not wise
                         to use this option as some ROMs use a different
                         checksum scheme.  [Reserved for future expansion.]
    32X
      BIOS faking      - Use this if you do not have a copy of the 32X BIOS
                         ROMs.  [This option does nothing yet, you must have
                         the third 32X BIOS to run 32X games.]


Thanks
------
AGES could not have existed without the help of many individuals out there.
Special thanks go out to (in no particular order) Eric Quinn, Atani, Snorter,
Flavio, Charles MacDonald, The Fox, Kilrathi, Red5, and Zoop.  I hope I didn't
forget anyone.  Email me if I did.
