153 lines
No EOL
5.9 KiB
Markdown
153 lines
No EOL
5.9 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
title: Getting Started
|
|
weight: 1
|
|
chapter: false
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
## System Requirements ##
|
|
|
|
### Windows ###
|
|
|
|
* Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 are supported
|
|
* DirectX 11
|
|
* .NET Framework 4.5+
|
|
|
|
### Linux ###
|
|
|
|
* glibc 2.24+
|
|
* Mono 4.2.1+
|
|
* SDL 2
|
|
|
|
## Installation ##
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox right"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/ConfigWizard.png" />
|
|
<span>Configuration Wizard</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
There is no actual installer for Mesen -- run the Mesen.exe application and a first-run configuration wizard will be shown.
|
|
|
|
**Data Storage Location**: This section of the wizard allows you to select where you prefer to keep Mesen's files.
|
|
|
|
**Input Mappings**: Select which input types you want to use to play games. There are built-in presets for:
|
|
|
|
* Xbox controllers
|
|
* PS4 controllers
|
|
* WASD keyboard layout
|
|
* Arrow keyboard layout
|
|
|
|
You can select multiple presets at once, but only a single keyboard layout.
|
|
|
|
**Create a shortcut on my desktop**: Check this option if you want to add a Mesen shortcut to your desktop.
|
|
|
|
## Using Mesen ##
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox right"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/GameMenu.png" />
|
|
<span>Game Menu</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
Mesen's default configuration should work out of the box and allow you to get right into playing games.
|
|
|
|
To load a game, use the **<kbd>File→Open</kbd>** command and select any supported file (`.nes`, `.fds`, `.nsf`, `.nsfe`, `.unf`) you want to load.
|
|
|
|
Once a game is loaded, you can pause, reset or stop the game via the `Game` menu.
|
|
The game menu also contains additional options for [Famicom Disk System (FDS)](#famicom-disk-system-fds-games) games and [VS System](#vs-system-games) games.
|
|
|
|
### Famicom Disk System (FDS) games ###
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox right"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/FdsGameMenu.png" />
|
|
<span>FDS Game Menu</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
{{% notice warning %}}
|
|
FDS games require a BIOS file. When you load a FDS game for the first time, Mesen will ask you for the BIOS file -- without one, running FDS games is not possible.
|
|
{{% /notice %}}
|
|
|
|
FDS games were originally stored on floppy disks - sometimes split across multiple disks and disk sides. The `Game` menu contains a number of additional shortcuts for FDS games to handle these:
|
|
|
|
* **Switch Disk Side**: Switches between sides A and B of the current disk.
|
|
* **Select Disk**: Allows you to select any disk and side combination availble for the current game.
|
|
* **Eject Disk**: Ejects the current disk. *Ejecting the disk is usually unnecessary and only available for the sake of completeness.*
|
|
|
|
<div class="clear"></div>
|
|
|
|
### VS System games ###
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox right"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/VsGameMenu.png" />
|
|
<span>VS System Game Menu</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
VS System games were originally in the form of arcade cabinets -- unlike FDS games, playing them does not require any special BIOS.
|
|
|
|
Being arcade cabinets, VS System games typically require the player to insert coins before the game can be played. Additionally, the arcade cabinets could often be configured via a number of physical DIP switches -- for example, to select how much money needs to be inserted to play, or to alter a game's difficulty. The `Game` menu offers additional options when playing VS System games to handle these:
|
|
|
|
* **Game Configuration**: Displays a configuration dialog containing the DIP switch options available for this game.
|
|
* **Insert Coin 1**: Inserts a coin into the first coin slot.
|
|
* **Insert Coin 2**: Inserts a coin into the second coin slot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<div class="clear"></div>
|
|
|
|
### NSF Player ###
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/NsfPlayer.png" />
|
|
<span>Mesen's NSF Player</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
NSF and NSFe files are used to store music from NES and Famicom games.
|
|
|
|
When loading NSF files into Mesen, the UI will change into a media player style UI. From this UI, you can control the volume, select the track, pause the music or fast forward by holding down the mouse button.
|
|
|
|
Additionally, the two icons at the top right allow you to toggle the repeat and shuffle playback modes.
|
|
|
|
<div class="clear"></div>
|
|
|
|
### Game Selection Screen ###
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/GameSelectionScreen.png" />
|
|
<span>Game Selection Screen</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
The game selection screen is shown when no games are currently loaded -- it will display the last 5 games you've played, along with a screenshot of the game at the point where you left off playing.
|
|
|
|
You can use this screen via the key bindings for player 1 - e.g press `Left` or `Right` on Player 1's d-pad to change game, and the `A` button to start the game. You can also navigate the screen with your mouse -- use the arrows on each side of the screen to change game, and click on the game's screenshot to start playing.
|
|
|
|
<div class="clear"></div>
|
|
|
|
### Shortcut Keys ###
|
|
|
|
Mesen has a number of shortcut keys that you may find useful:
|
|
|
|
* <kbd>**Ctrl-O**</kbd>: Open a file
|
|
* <kbd>**Ctrl-R**</kbd>: Reset the game
|
|
* <kbd>**Escape**</kbd>: Pause/resume the game
|
|
* <kbd>**Alt-1 to Alt-6**</kbd>: Change the video scale.
|
|
* <kbd>**F1 to F8**</kbd>: Load save state in the corresponding slot.
|
|
* <kbd>**Shift-F1 to Shift-F7**</kbd>: Save a save state in the corresponding slot.
|
|
* <kbd>**Ctrl-S**</kbd>: Manually save a save state to a file.
|
|
* <kbd>**Ctrl-L**</kbd>: Manually load a save state from a file.
|
|
* <kbd>**Tab**</kbd>: Hold the tab key to fast forward the emulation (defaults to 300% speed)
|
|
* <kbd>**Backspace**</kbd>: Hold the backspace key to rewind the emulation, frame-by-frame.
|
|
|
|
{{% notice tip %}}
|
|
If you load a state by mistake, you can use the rewind feature to undo the load state action.
|
|
{{% /notice %}}
|
|
|
|
The [shortcut keys](/configuration/preferences.html#shortcut-keys) can be customized in the [preferences](/configuration/preferences.html).
|
|
|
|
<div class="clear"></div>
|
|
|
|
### Command-line Options ###
|
|
|
|
<div class="imgBox"><div>
|
|
<img src="/images/CommandLineOptions.png" />
|
|
<span>Command-line Options</span>
|
|
</div></div>
|
|
|
|
Mesen supports a large number of command-line options.
|
|
To see a full list and some examples, click on the **<kbd>Help→Command-line Options</kbd>** menu option. |