Project Unreality version 0.4a -1 | |
| Developer(s) | BlackBag |
|---|---|
| Initial release | February 27, 1998 |
| Final release | 0.4a -1
/ May 25, 1998 |
| Written in | C, C++ |
| Operating system | Windows |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Video game console emulator |
| License | Freeware |
Project Unreality was a video game console emulator for the Nintendo 64. It was notable for being one of the earliest attempts at Nintendo 64 emulation (predating UltraHLE by nearly a year), and the first Nintendo 64 emulator to successfully boot a commercial game.
History
Development on Project Unreality started in late 1997, just over a year after the launch of the Nintendo 64. In its earliest days, Project Unreality had few contemporaries; at the time, emulators for current-generation consoles were often hoaxes or "shells" with extremely limited emulation capabilities.
By early 1998, Project Unreality could emulate homebrew games to some extent. The emulator's initial release saw its ability to boot commercial games, a first for any Nintendo 64 emulator.
Discontinuation
In May 1998, lead programmer Michael Tedder announced that Project Unreality would be "put on the back burner for now", though no future updates were ever released. Slashdot later reported that one of Project Unreality's developers was hired to a game studio, leaving the emulator's development in limbo. This news coincided with Tedder's hiring to Z-Axis, where he continued to work until early 2000.
Though Tedder repeatedly claimed that Nintendo hadn't contacted him regarding Project Unreality, the rumor that Nintendo halted the emulator's development spread throughout the emulation scene; it has been suggested that UltraHLE's development was carried out in secret directly as a result of this rumor.
References
- ^ Castro, Radford (2004). Let Me Play: Stories of Gaming and Emulation. Hats Office Books. p. 179. ISBN 1587363496. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ Booker, Charlie (April 1998). "Wave of Emulation Part Two: Consoles and Arcade Games". PC Zone. Retrieved January 26, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "The Making of Project UnReality". Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ a b c Tedder, Mike. "Project UnReality". Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ ":: Email Wars #8 ::". Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ a b "Project UnReality Interviewed". emuviews.com. 1998-05-16. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ ":: Email Wars #9 ::". Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Project Unreality". Zophar's Domain. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Project Unreality in limbo". Slashdot. 1998-07-12. Retrieved 2017-05-30.
- ^ "Michael Tedder". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- ^ "About the Author". deltaplayer.com. Archived from the original on 2003-12-03. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
- ^ "Emulation: Right or Wrong? aka "The EmuFAQ"". World of Spectrum. 2000-03-10. Retrieved 2017-05-30.