A new version of PSPMSX has been released. New in this version:

• Cheat support
  
• Memory monitoring engine to find your own cheat code
  
• Zipped ROM files are now decompressed in memory
  
• New render modes (x1.25, x1.5 and x1.75)
  
• Added vertical shift & vsync feature
  
• Improved file requester with virtual keyboard to sequentially choose ROM files beginning with a given letter
  
• Added documentation for settings in help menu
  
• The virtual keyboard is now usable in the file requester menu to choose the first letter of the game you search
  
• In the emulator menu you can go directly to the keyboard and settings menu using the L-Trigger key
  
• Source code can now be compiled to build a Linux version

Relevant link: PSPMSX 1.4.0

Source: konamito.com

The Associación Amigos del MSX, or AAMSX for short, have announced the 34th MSX Users Meeting. This legendary Spanish users meeting, colloquially known as RU, will take place on December 6, 2008 at the usual location, Sala l'Altell de las Cocheras de Sants. The time schedule is not set, yet, but the meeting will most probably run from 9:00 to 18:00. Further details will be available on the AAMSX website shortly.

We will add this meeting to our list of MSX fairs and meetings in the near future.

Relevant link: konamito.com
Relevant link: AAMSX

mcleod_ideafix has developed a video interface for the ZX Spectrum using a TSM9928. Now it is possible to use the VDP capabilities from the Spectrum in a dual screen environment. The video output of this interface can show an MSX game (previously adapted) while the Spectrum shows debugging messages.

In this article mcleod_ideafix explains in detail how it works. Demonstrated as well is some software ported from MSX to Spectrum (Snow Climber by Vincent van Dam).

This interface can also be used to develop MSX and Spectrum software in parallel, cross-platform so to say.

Relevant link: ZX Projects

It's been a while since we heard about the annual MSXart contest, organized by Passion MSX. It may even have slipped your mind that there was a deadline planned for this sunday, the 12th of October.

Of the best 12 entries a calender will be created. It doesn't take rocket-science to realize that at least 9 more entries will be required to be able to have 12 unique pictures: one for each month.

Perhaps this post might serve as a wake-up call in case you once had planned to join the contest but completely forgot about it. You'll be happy to know that the deadline has been extended by a week, so if you had a concept laying around: do finish it in time!

But for the moment let's first focus on the new entry, the third one: 25 Years later. This image was submitted by Spanish MSX friend Frank Romero, whose entry shows a large collection of famous MSX game characters.

And so, to recap: your objective for next week is to create the kind of image you'd like to see on a calender. Any image you like, as long as it's based on the MSX theme. Over a hundred images have been created in the past editions of this contest, in case you could use a little inspiration you can see what has been made before. The new deadline is Sunday, the 19th of October.

Relevant link: Passion MSX - MSXart'08 - #3: 25 Years later

Django continues to provide us partial translations of Japanese games. This time he tackled the Japanese RPG Tir-Nan-Og (1990), a traditional birdview RPG by System Soft. This and other translations are available in the goodies section of Passion MSX.

Relevant link: Passion MSX - Django translations

Days ago, the successful Bonami Retro Fair attracted quite a lot of visitors. Spanish MSX'er dioniso decided to visit the place and took a number of photos, which he has put online for you to enjoy!

Relevant link: Bonami Retro Fair - dioniso photoshoot

..is Carmen Sandiago? No! But we're still reasonably close, as SLotman is now seeking all of us, instead of just Carmen. Inspired by a similar forum thread from another community, SLotman decided open a forum thread inviting MSX users around the world to pinpoint them self onto a Google map. If all of us join this initiative we will get a perfect overview of where everyone lives. Perhaps someone's living nearby while you didn't even know about it!

Adding yourself to this map is quite easy. First you'll need to be logged in with a GMail account. Then click this link, click on Edit on the panel at the left, the icons will show up. Find your location on this planet and drag the pinpoint icon to your position. Click the icon to change its contents and click Done. If everything went well, you should now be on the map!

Relevant link: MSX'ers on Google Maps

Earlier this year, the MSX Error 51 meeting was held in Argentina. Finally, two videos of this event have been released at youtube, to give you an impression of this meeting.

Relevant link: Video 1, Video 2

Nowind has released new firmware for their USB hardware. This is the firmware as it was used at the end of the day at the Bussum fair, a week ago. The most important changes are a fix for write support and a "call image" feature that can change the inserted image by entering the name of the image on an MSX, like: _image( "somedisk.dsk" ).

Relevant link: Nowind

The leading videogames website for the Spanish market, MeriStation, has just published an article about Konami's Knightmare saga on MSX. This article appears as one of the first entries in a section called Back to the Past, dedicated to retro games and published at weekends. This section appears in the splash home page of the site and normally consists of seven to nine pages. Examples of previous entries in this section are Super Mario World, Ghouls 'n Ghosts and the Donkey Kong Country saga.

The entire site is in Spanish. However, the quality of the article and the section is superb and it is worth translating it in your language for reading. It does not only cover the Knightmare saga, but it also mentions other excellent MSX games from the 80's and 90's, as well as mentioning some of the remakes done by Braingames - focusing on the Maze of Galious remake.

Relevant links: MeriStation