Performance question for ScummVM on a FPGA or Raspberry Pi/Radxa Zero

[kaboekieman]

Hi all, I have a question.

When using ScummVM on a FGPA (like the Mister) is my assumption correct that there is no advantage (performance-wise) if you compare this when using the Linux distribution for ScummVM on a Raspberry Pi (or the soon to be released Radxa Zero)??

Cheers, Jeroen

[LogicDeLuxe]

If you use a FPGA based retro machine, you're better off playing the games natively. Those cores are made to recreate vintage systems after all. Emulation (which ScummVM does to a degree despite being an interpreter) and vintage CPUs (which the cores provide) aren't a very performant combination for sure.
Unless you have a really fast system like the Amiga Vampire, ScummVM would run poorly, if at all.

[kaboekieman]

Hi LogicDeLuxe,

Thx for your answer. So FPGA is the way to go for a best experience?
So (for example) the C64 FPGA core for the C64 version of Maniac Mansion ??

I was told ScummVM is a reimplementation of the games it supports, it is basically using the art and scripting assets in the game files and 'running' them in a modern cross platform executable. So when using ScummVM you can expect a little Emulation in combination with Simulation?

I have a (last ) question (I hope you can elaborate ion this)
The Mister is a nice machine but comparing it the the new Radxa Zero (https://forum.radxa.com/t/introduce-the-radxa-zero/6550) or the well known Raspberry Pi 3, or Pi 4 : In your opinion is a FPGA that much better to shell out the 300+ dollars over a SBC solution (purely if you look at Point-and-Click games)?

grts, J

[sev]

ScummVM is not an emulator. We are not even trying to emulate the original system hardware like screen or inputs, moreover, we do abstract those with our layer called OSystem. We do have emulators for the sound card chips, though.

You got correct information that ScummVM is basically a rewrite of the original game engines in a portable way. Thus, somebody could compile it to an FPGA, though, I think, a specialized, simpler backend would be needed for that, similar to a framebuffer backend we used to have for the GP32 handheld console.

Would it bring some advantage? Not necessary, as we're quite low on resource requirements (being NOT an emulator), thus, Raspberry Pi runs most of the engines smoothly and the overhead their OS is bringing is minimal.


Eugene

[kaboekieman]

Hi Eugene, thx for your answer, wow a ScummVM lead
So I guess a FPGA (like the super nice Mister FPGA) running scummVM doesn't mean a superior experience comparing it to a Pi (or a Radxa Zero) doing the same?

I'm planning to do a ScummVM handheld in combination with the Radxa Zero (when this PCB is out), and a big enough IPS (but not huge) with custom controls.

If interested I'll let you know how progress goes.

All the best, Jeroen

[sev]

I do not see how it could be superior, but perhaps I am missing something. Could you perhaps relate more about the features you keep in mind?

Yes, it is always interesting to see where our project runs. Please keep us posted.


Eugene

[Dark-Star]

I wonder why people are so obsessed about FPGAs recently...

Games do not "run on the FPGA". The FPGA emulates a CPU (+the rest of the system). And that is a very old CPU. So you're basically getting the same experience than running ScummVM on an Amiga 500. Which is something between "horrible" and "not at all". Grab a cheap Intel NUC or if you're desperate a RPi4 and run ScummVM on that

You cannot run ScummVM (or any other game engine, emulator or whatever) directly on an FPGA