help with finding a sega saturn emulator and sonic 3d blast

[JoeSafdia]

Hello, I'm hoping you can help me out with finding a Sega Saturn emulator so I can play Sonic 3D Blast for the first time since I owned it on my actual Sega Saturn 20 years ago.

I keep trying to download emulators, but either the sites don't seem to host working links anymore, or the application within just does nothing but give me error messages. The only that seemed to load the emulation program itself was Satourne, but it didn't actually DO anything. It just loaded the UI with the play and stop buttons and all that.

I've also downloaded the Sonic 3D Blast Saturn rom from two different sources. Both times, I just get a bin and a cue file that's six times larger than the actual emulator. From my experience with SNES emulation (just Super Metroid), that doesn't seem right.

I've looked online for help, but no one seems to have a good answer. Everything I hear is super complicated, and I'm not really good with this stuff. I don't know how to "adjust my binary cores" or whatever. I just want to play a Sonic game from my childhood.

Can anyone point me in the direction an easy to use emulator and rom for the Sega Saturn and Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn version)? I'll be most grateful.

 

[JoeSafdia]

Well, I just tried the Sonic 3D Blast here on the Repo.

View attachment 20302

No issues with that one, game started normally.

View attachment 20303

Okay, the Repo only had one file to download, a 7z file. Same error message.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:35 AM

i'm sorry for asking so much, but can you write the error message exactly?

Also, there's a file in mednafen folder called "stdout.txt"
can you either upload it or copy paste its content here?

The non-CUE files say "Error loading "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sonic 3D Blast\Sonic 3D Blast (U)(Saturn (1)\Sonic 3D last (USA) (1).7z": maximum allowed size of 6710886 bytes exceeded." Naturally, that changes depending on the exact name of the file.'

The CUE file says "Error opening CD: Referenced path "F:\SEGA SATURN\101-150-SONIC.TXT" is potentially unsafe. Contains colon. Contains backslash. Refer to the documentation about the "filesys.untrusted_fip_check" setting."

Give me one moment to work on that txt file.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:36 AM

i'm sorry for asking so much, but can you write the error message exactly?

Also, there's a file in mednafen folder called "stdout.txt"
can you either upload it or copy paste its content here?

Starting Mednafen 1.32.1
Build information:
Compiled with gcc 4.9.4
Running with MinGW-W64 Runtime 5.0.5 (alpha - rev. 0) 0000-00-00
Compiled against zlib 1.2.13, running with zlib 1.2.13(flags=0x00000065)
Compiled against libiconv 15.1, running with libiconv 15.1
Compiled against SDL 2.28.5(SDL-release-2.28.5-0-g15ead9a40 (mednafen-x86_64-000)), running with SDL 2.28.5(SDL-release-2.28.5-0-g15ead9a40 (mednafen-x86_64-000))
Running with libFLAC 1.3.4
Base directory: C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sega Saturn\Mednafen
Emulation modules: apple2 nes snes gb gba pce lynx md pcfx ngp psx ss ssfplay vb wswan sms gg sasplay snes_faust pce_fast demo cdplay
Opening lockfile...
Loading settings from "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sega Saturn\Mednafen\mednafen.cfg"...
Loaded 7904 valid settings and 0 unknown settings.
Initializing joysticks...
Loading "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sonic 3D Blast\Sonic 3D Blast (U)(Saturn) (1)\125 Sonic 3D Blast (U).cue"...
Error opening CD: Referenced path "F:\SEGA SATURN\101-150\SONIC.TXT" is potentially unsafe. Contains colon. Contains backslash. Refer to the documentation about the "filesys.untrusted_fip_check" setting.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:38 AM

Ok and i know for a Fact on this. Batocera has a Damn good Saturn Emulator. you will need the BIOS, but all of the Saturn games, i have tried, work Perfectly with it.

And you can run it from a usb/External HDD.
https://batocera.org/
and it has a Simple how to
https://wiki.batocera.org/systems:saturn
You can even upscale it, and smooth the graphics if you like
View attachment 20307

I am not ignoring you, just trying to work on this fast paced Mednafen action. I will check out your suggestion if that falls through.

 

[Zerpina]

I am not ignoring you, just trying to work on this fast paced Mednafen action. I will check out your suggestion if that falls through.

Didn't think you where. You absolutely will need the Bios for any Saturn emulator you use. i find Batocera will run most if not all <some exceptions of course> Games perfectly.

Best of luck. hope you get it going yo!
if you need the bios DM me. i will help you Legally Acquire them

 

[JustLooking123]

Oh! i'm sorry! there was a power outage right in middle of our chat!

and thank you for your patience.

honestly i don't understand why it thinks there's an unsafe character in there, but you can disable this error check easily.
open "mednafen.cfg" in notepad, search for this: "filesys.untrusted_fip_check"
on same line, change the 1 to 0
it should (hopefully) work now.

also about the 7z file you downloaded, if you want to use it, you should first extract it. it's a compressed file format (like zip)

 

[JustLooking123]

By the way, if it works, probably mednaffe should work correctly too.

 

[Spike]

Okay, the Repo only had one file to download, a 7z file. Same error message.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:35 AM

The non-CUE files say "Error loading "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sonic 3D Blast\Sonic 3D Blast (U)(Saturn (1)\Sonic 3D last (USA) (1).7z": maximum allowed size of 6710886 bytes exceeded." Naturally, that changes depending on the exact name of the file.'

The CUE file says "Error opening CD: Referenced path "F:\SEGA SATURN\101-150-SONIC.TXT" is potentially unsafe. Contains colon. Contains backslash. Refer to the documentation about the "filesys.untrusted_fip_check" setting."

Give me one moment to work on that txt file.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:36 AM

Starting Mednafen 1.32.1
Build information:
Compiled with gcc 4.9.4
Running with MinGW-W64 Runtime 5.0.5 (alpha - rev. 0) 0000-00-00
Compiled against zlib 1.2.13, running with zlib 1.2.13(flags=0x00000065)
Compiled against libiconv 15.1, running with libiconv 15.1
Compiled against SDL 2.28.5(SDL-release-2.28.5-0-g15ead9a40 (mednafen-x86_64-000)), running with SDL 2.28.5(SDL-release-2.28.5-0-g15ead9a40 (mednafen-x86_64-000))
Running with libFLAC 1.3.4
Base directory: C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sega Saturn\Mednafen
Emulation modules: apple2 nes snes gb gba pce lynx md pcfx ngp psx ss ssfplay vb wswan sms gg sasplay snes_faust pce_fast demo cdplay
Opening lockfile...
Loading settings from "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sega Saturn\Mednafen\mednafen.cfg"...
Loaded 7904 valid settings and 0 unknown settings.
Initializing joysticks...
Loading "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sonic 3D Blast\Sonic 3D Blast (U)(Saturn) (1)\125 Sonic 3D Blast (U).cue"...
Error opening CD: Referenced path "F:\SEGA SATURN\101-150\SONIC.TXT" is potentially unsafe. Contains colon. Contains backslash. Refer to the documentation about the "filesys.untrusted_fip_check" setting.

Post automatically merged: Sunday at 6:38 AM

I am not ignoring you, just trying to work on this fast paced Mednafen action. I will check out your suggestion if that falls through.

The .7z file you downloaded from the repo.
Is compressed with 7-zip.
You need to extract it with 7-zip first and use the .cue on the emulator to play.
You can also use bizhawk emulator.

I know about as much about that as I do about "downloading the bios" or whatever and don't want to mess around with the specs of my computer

When we say Bios we mean the Saturn Bios, not your computer's.
You need the Saturn bios to play Saturn games.
It doesn't have anything to do with your PC config. It's the emulator config.

 

[Spike]

@JoeSafdia Follow this if you still couldn't play:

1. Download pre-requisites
Extract, Run installer, once complete close and delete both the .zip and installer.

2. Download bizhawk 2.1
Extract zip to a folder.

3. Download Bios files
Download both zip, Copy both .zip

4. Open bizhawk (EmuHawk.exe)
Click Config > Firmware > click "Open firmware folder"
Paste both .zip there, extract both .zip there, should look like this:


5. Click "Scan". Scroll down until Saturn, should look like this:


6. Download "Sonic 3D Blast (USA).7z"
Extract it with 7-zip

7. Right click it "extract here".
You will get a folder "Sonic 3D Blast (USA)" with a bunch .bin and a single .cue file.

8. On bizhawk click File > Open ROM,
Find the .cue file.

Uh-Oh,
You can't move.

9. Config > Controllers
Set all keys you can clear the previous keys by highlighting one and pressing ESC.


10. Play!

 

[JoeSafdia]

Oh! i'm sorry! there was a power outage right in middle of our chat!

and thank you for your patience.

honestly i don't understand why it thinks there's an unsafe character in there, but you can disable this error check easily.
open "mednafen.cfg" in notepad, search for this: "filesys.untrusted_fip_check"
on same line, change the 1 to 0
it should (hopefully) work now.

also about the 7z file you downloaded, if you want to use it, you should first extract it. it's a compressed file format (like zip)

No need. It was time for me to go to bed anyway. Thank YOU for trying to help me with this.

Mednaffe now works correctly insofar as it has the information about the bios (I already had downloaded the NA/European bios and put it in the folder, so it appears there) and I was able to add the folder with the game (freshly downloaded, the 125 Sonic 3D Blast BIN and CUE files).

But it still does nothing.

Trying to open the BIN file--either through Mednaffe or dragging and dropping into Mednafen--gives me the same error message as before. "Error loading "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\Sonic 3D Blast\Sonic 3D Blast (U)(Saturn) (1)\Sonic 3D Blast(U)(Saturn) (1)\125 Sonic 3D Blast (U).bin": maximum allowed size of 67108864 bytes exceeded. If you are trying to load a CD image, load it via CUE/CCD/TOC/M3U instead of BIN/ISO/IMG."

Trying to open the CUE file the same as the BIN gets me "Error opening CD: Error opening file "F:\SEGA SATURN\101-150\125 SONIC 3D BLAST (U).BIN" for reading: No such file or directory".

Trying to open the CHD file from before (only through drag and drop) gets me mostly the same error as the BIN file, without the suggestion to open it differently.

Trying to open Mednafen itself by double clicking gets me "No command-line arguments specified".

 

[Spike]

@JoeSafdia Follow this guide.
If you continue to use files downloaded from a different site you will continue to have problems.

 

[JoeSafdia]

@JoeSafdia Follow this if you still couldn't play:

1. Download pre-requisites
Extract, Run installer, once complete close and delete both the .zip and installer.
2. Download bizhawk 2.1
Extract zip to a folder.
3. Download Bios files
Download both zip, Copy both .zip
4. Go to your bizhawk folder, go into /Firmware
Paste both .zip there, extract both .zip there, should look like this:
View attachment 20397

5. Go one folder up. Open EmuHawk.exe
Click Config > Firmware > Scroll down until Saturn, should look like this:
View attachment 20396

6. Download "Sonic 3D Blast (USA).7z"
Extract it with 7-zip

7. Right click it "extract here".
You will get a folder "Sonic 3D Blast (USA)" with a bunch .bin and a single .cue file.

8. On bizhawk click File > Open ROM,
Find the .cue file.

Uh-Oh,
You can't move.

9. Config > Controllers
Set all keys you can clear the previous keys by highlighting one and pressing ESC.
View attachment 20395

10. Play!
View attachment 20398

There is no Firmware folder.

 

[Spike]

There is no Firmware folder.

Open bizhawk (EmuHawk.exe) Config > Firmware > click "Open firmware folder"
And it will create it for you.

EDIT: I've updated the guide.

 

[JoeSafdia]

Open bizhawk (EmuHawk.exe) Config > Firmware > click "Open firmware folder"
And it will create it for you.

EDIT: I've updated the guide so it makes sense now.

IT WORKS.......ish.

It is slow, choppy, and sounds like a distant distress signal breaking up.

 

[Spike]

You can try Config > Display > Display Method > OpenGL
Saturn is a demanding console to emulate, the speed will depend on the power of your hardware.

 

[JoeSafdia]

You can try Config > Display > Display Method > OpenGL
Saturn is a demanding console to emulate, the speed will depend on the power of your hardware.

SLIGHTLY better. Still sounds awful though.

My laptop is from 2013. Still, I'm surprised it can't easily handle a console from the mid-1990s. I've played games like Sins of a Solar Empire and fan games like AM2R and Sonic Galactic and no problem.

 

[Spike]

Saturn is demanding! 2013 is pretty old tech it also depends on what it is (CPU+GPU).
For example:

• A 4th gen core i5 with a dedicated GTX 780 Ti will have no problem emulating saturn, even if released in 2013.
• A laptop with integrated graphics will have a hard time.

----
You can try increasing the "Buffer Size" under Sound Config.
Or the Output method.
But ultimately if the raw power isn't there, it can't do much.

 

[JoeSafdia]

Saturn is demanding! 2013 is pretty old tech it also depends on what it is (CPU+GPU).
For example:

• A 4th gen core i5 with a dedicated GTX 780 Ti will have no problem emulating saturn, even if released in 2013.
• A laptop with integrated graphics will have a hard time.

----
You can try increasing the "Buffer Size" under Sound Config.
Or the Output method.
But ultimately if the raw power isn't there, it can't do much.

And recommended settings? I increased the Buffer Size from 100 to 150 and changed the Output method to OpenAL, and it still sounds awful.

Though I think the issue is that it runs so slow. Sonic moves like he's underwater, and I know that's not how Sonic is in that game. Everything seems like the game is trying to push through a gelatinous cube. I know my computer is old, but I can't believe it would be having this much trouble running a game from 1996.

 

[thecrow2313]

I'm sorry, I don't understand that sentence.

I have to create a CHD file?

It's a command used for chdman. Use Notepad++ to create batch file, .bat. What you need is the chdman.exe file as well, which you can get here @ https://www.mamedev.org/release.php. You place the folder with the .bin & cue files where chdman.exe & .bat file is located to create chd.

For .gdi (Sega Dreamcast) use createcd not createdvd.
Only. iso (PSP-PS2) use createdvd.

 

[Spike]

Converting to chd is not necessary and won't make the game run better.
The device isn't strong enough to emulate Saturn.

 

[Spike]

I'm locking this since people can't seem to understand basic rules nor know when to stop.