SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis (Project Lunar) Hack Update Part 6

SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis (Project Lunar) Hack Update Part 6

Hi all, this is a quick blog update as one of us is away for a few days so we wanted to get a blog update out before hand.

To summarise what key features that have been done recently:

– Internal (NAND) only mod finalised and working

-External Storage mod finalised and working

– Multi firmware support added (if running USB, you can run upto 9 different region/custom firmwares)

– Memory optimisation working. (More performance and less crashes)

– Desktop App development underway.

– Editing and removal of stock 40 roms will NOT be supported on first release. (It will be added in, in a future release)

Now to touch on a few subjects in more detail…

Yes, there will be an internal only mod available as of the first release. We heard you loud and clear so we prioritised this feature and it’s now working.

External media is now working too with external savestates. Below will be a small screenshot outlining how we plan on it working.

We have also provisioned the functions to delete savestates however we haven’t made an interface for it yet as we are still undecided how to implement this feature.

Due to high demand, we added in the ability to load in / patch in upto 9 custom/stock region firmwares on your console safely.

This means if you had 4 different region firmwares you can switch between them on the usb or even have a mix of stock and custom set ups which can be run from your console. These firmwares are selectable from the options menu on console.

We just finished the memory optimisation to go along with the CPU tweaks.

This involves adding 122MB ZRAM compression and an optional 255mb SWAP memory sponge if you are using external media.

This will give you minor increases in performance in memory intensive loads and the swap also ensures that any memory leaks/ static loads get adsorbed by the SWAP instead of the DRAM or ZRAM ensuring you are able to squeeze as much as you can out of the memory. This also comes with the added benefit of less OOM crashes.

The desktop app is under development as we speak. We currently have two desktop apps being worked on in parallel with the first release app being windows based. (Cross platform will come in future release of the second desktop project)

Lastly a somewhat negative point. To confirm, the first release will NOT support the removal or swapping of the original 40 stock roms, only the addition and managing of extra roms will be initially supported. This is due to the huge complexity of managing this process with the stock UI  and it is going to cause too much grief and potential pit falls for the initial release. We rather limit the scope a bit and have the project more refined/stable before adding in more complex features.

Thanks again for the continued support and patience. As we said before, we don’t intend to be the first but we hope that we get it right the first time and give you guys a good experience from the word go.

ModMyClassic

Screenshots of region swapping on a JPN console:

How savestates on external media will work:

Memory optimisation in effect:

Mod My Classic

19 Comments

Nick Posted on11:38 pm - 17th October 2019

Amazing. Even faster than expected. Curious, but would this be able to play Master System or Sega CD games from the stock UI?

YoshiAngemon Posted on1:05 am - 18th October 2019

Adding and managing additional ROMs is fine. I would never remove the stock 40.

Kimsor Posted on8:15 am - 18th October 2019

Excellent work guys, thanks! I think the first release will be more than enough for me.

jack chen Posted on9:38 am - 18th October 2019

If we can, we really want a solution similar to PSC, just buy a U disk, simple plug and play principle can solve these problems, request this! Thank you very much. We are from China, no credit card, request to add WeChat payment or Alipay payment, and finally, thank you very much.

Graeme Meredith Posted on10:27 pm - 18th October 2019

Thanks to everyone for all the hard work you’re doing!

jonas Posted on4:09 pm - 20th October 2019

is there any way you can let us know the date of release please? there are many games i wish to put on mini

    YoshiAngemon Posted on11:20 pm - 23rd October 2019

    If the comments are up, then it might be soon, but not too soon, I hope.

    Greg Posted on6:04 pm - 22nd November 2019

    They will put it out when it is ready. Don’t try to set a date, it will only end poorly. Let them take the time they need to get it working perfectly.

Shaun Posted on10:41 pm - 22nd October 2019

Great update! Love the mini and wouldn’t want to remove the initial games just add more from my childhood. Thank you for your hard work on this.

PhasmaNL Posted on6:16 pm - 25th October 2019

Great job! 🙂 When is the next update coming. Curious about the progress. 🙂 Keep it up!

azoreseuropa Posted on10:25 am - 30th October 2019

I can’t wait for Sega Mega Drive Mini to be hack soon. Keep up the good work!

Angel Rodriguez Posted on11:43 pm - 6th November 2019

Hello guys thank you for all your work can’t wait for the final product also I have a question where can I find or purchase one of your project Lunar cartridges for The second genesis mini that I seen on a YouTube video from a YouTuber I would like to purchase one keep up the great work you guys rock

NeilZander Posted on4:37 pm - 10th November 2019

It’s been quite awhile since any news just curious about the current progress? Looking forward to being able to add the titles missing on this amazing little mini device as well as Sega CD and 32X titles.

Curious if will be able to launch the 32X and Sega CD games on the stock Ui to make it seem more authentic? Also just a thought but it would be awesome to have a Ui option in the future that changes the Mini into the Sega Channel that would be an amazing throw back to have including it’s boot up screen. Since that’s just about the only thing missing in terms of accessories.

Good Luck to the team regardless and thank you for doing this!

Metro City Posted on10:24 pm - 10th November 2019

Wow, great work,I waiting this with impatience 😀

NeilZander Posted on12:32 pm - 12th November 2019

Just wanting to know what the progess has been lately as it’s been awhile for any kind of update? just curious looking forward to this and being able to play 32x and Sega CD Good luck to the team and thank you so much for everything you do!

Also just a neat suggestion if you don’t mind?

After this done and set to go do you think you might do a nod to the SEGA Channel like maybe make it’s Ui or at least have the SEGA Channel boot up screen for Nostalgia sake’s? as it stands that’s the last thing that will technically be missing since it was stated we would get 32X and CD features this would be a cool throw back? Again I’m not making a demand it’s only a suggestion since it’s the only accessory that will be missing and this will help complete and preserve it in some way.

YoshiAngemon Posted on1:25 pm - 14th November 2019

It’s been over a month. When’s the next update?

shitter Posted on7:42 am - 19th November 2019

I have ASIAN version. I can make dump

Alex Menne Posted on9:31 pm - 27th November 2019

Is Project Lunar dead?

Omega Posted on8:40 pm - 29th November 2019

How much longer? I can’t wait!!

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