Stop Press! The DreamPod crew dives deep into the glorious world of Dreamcast magazines! 📔 🔹Official Dreamcast Magazine 🔹DC-UK 🔹Dreamcast Magazine (Paragon) 🔹Dreamcast Monthly 🔸US’ Official Magazine 🔸DCM 🌍plus rare international gems! Listen now: thedreamcastjunkyard.buzzsprout.com/42610/episod...

In May 2021, openMenu's original author told me on Discord he's "got something [I] might like." If you had told me then that five years later this would turn into one of my biggest passion projects, I probably wouldn't have believed you. Yet, here we are! Crazy to look back on.

Very sad... I donated to Myrient a while back and would consider a pretty generous donation again if it were part of a targeted effort. I think many would feel the same. I can only assume that such has been suggested and Alexey has said it wouldn't change his decision.

(1/3) v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is here, packing all sorts of new features and fixes! The most exciting one is Serial VMU, enabling virtual per-game VMUs (up to five slots per game) using nothing but a cheap serial SD adapter! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

So much good stuff in v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, headed your way soon! I want to ensure a few things get just a tad more testing, and then I'm ready for public release! For a list of fixes and enhancements, check out the following link: github.com/DerekPascare...

After v1.5 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, Windows and Linux users can use a built-in updater, including options to preserve their settings and assets! For now, macOS isn't on the table due to some ecosystem limits I'm not comfortable with. This may change in the future.

If you're a user of my openMenu build who is excited for this feature and interested in battle testing it, shoot me a DM and I'll invite you to the Discord. I don't need a ton of testers, really just one or two who may try things that I myself haven't! Working serial SD adapter required, of course.

Here's the first video capture of the work-in-progress "Serial VMU" feature, which gives openMenu users virtual per-game VMUs using nothing but an inexpensive serial SD card reader (and an SD card, of course).

Alright, I hate to do it, but v1.4-ateam has been pushed to address this awful bug, plus some other fixes/enhancements. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

A silly bug has reared its ugly head! Read more here: github.com/DerekPascare... I'll do my best to fix it ASAP.

Version 1.3 of openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is here! DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare... See below for what's new 😎

(1/6) If you're looking for a Dreamcast wireless controller solution and something like the DreamConn S is a bit too rich for your blood, and the Retro Fighters controllers have been unreliable for you, take a look at Pico2Maple. github.com/cluoma/Pico2...

openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is nearing ready for its v1.3 release! See the current changelog below.

Well, since Retro Fighters' wireless controllers are such a hot mess, I thought this a good time to add support for saving/loading openMenu settings to/from the serial SD card adapter! This is also useful for those who swap out VMUs frequently but want to retain their settings.

Users of wireless Retro Fighters controllers, note that you will encounter issues with v1.2's new Save/Load manager. I'm working on a fix because RF themselves have engineered out-of-spec products and will never fix them. Track progress here: github.com/DerekPascare...

(1/6) Version 1.2 of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle is here! This release packs tons of updates and fixes, which you can read all about in the changelog on GitHub. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare... One of the biggest new features is streamlined artwork management 👇

billymonks just released the first iteration of their English translation patch of the "Nekketsu Nikki" mode in the Japanese version of Project Justice (Moero! Justice Gakuen) on the SEGA Dreamcast. www.dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewto...

One of those old Saturn games I played in my youth that I was very proud to develop a translation patch for back in 2024. If you haven't tried it already, I strongly suggest you do! It's full of plenty of charm and good jams 😉 github.com/DerekPascare...

A user requested I do automatic conversion of Redump images to formats supported by GDEMU whenever someone tries to add them to their SD card. I'm happy to report that in v1.2, Redump CD-ROM rips *and* GD-ROM rips are both auto-converted to CDI and GDI, respectively! github.com/DerekPascare...

In the upcoming v1.2 release of the openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, not only is artwork assignment a breeze, but you can even import is artwork from other people's DAT files with just a few clicks. Stay tuned!

Ever had a file or folder on your GDEMU SD card accidentally open in another program while you clicked 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 in GD MENU Card Manager, and then wreaked havoc? With the upcoming v1.2 openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle, a "lock check" process executes before even trying to touch your files!

When v1.2-ateam of openMenu (and the Card Manager) is released, artwork management will be a whole lot easier 😎

(1/3) In the next version of openMenu, automatic save file loading is untouched, but users have the option to save settings to any detected VMU device. The save manger even tells you the detected device type! (Work-in-progress capture below)

The additional themes are now live. Read more here: github.com/DerekPascare...

New work-in-progress openMenu theme for Folders mode, sort of a Frankenstein monster of a few other themes, plus my own original work. I kinda like it! 😅

I wrote an article for @retrorgb.com giving an overview of my new openMenu Virtual Folder Bundle 🙂 retrorgb.com/breathing-ne...

Nothing set in stone, and never any promises, but I have a few ideas for future openMenu updates. These are in the "Roadmap Ideas" section of the README (github.com/DerekPascare...) for those curious to follow along as time progresses.

Awesome theme for my openMenu fork 😎

(1/2) Version 1.1 of the openMenu Virtual Folder bundle is here! A total of 40 fixes and enhancements have gone into this release, and I'm super excited for all of you to try it. These updates are for both the Card Manager and openMenu itself. DOWNLOAD: github.com/DerekPascare...

Nothing like cramming in just ONE more feature before v1.1-ateam of openMenu goes live! Fast boot options are back! Old gdMenu had this setting (less customizable than my implementation though), so I'm happy to bring it back. Just beware that not all games play nicely with it!

Who's interested in an openMenu DAT Merger tool? One challenge some users face with openMenu artwork/metadata is the disparate collections of DATs out there. They want to keep some from their own set, merge in some from others. My goal is to make that as easy as possible!

I think the v1.1-ateam release of openMenu is wrapped up. All that's left is some more testing! Here's a little tour video showing off just *some* of the new stuff 😎

In addition to the red/blue swirl default themes, v1.1-ateam of openMenu will also feature a text-only theme (in both swirl colors) for those who prefer it! The custom theming engine is what makes this so easily possible.

Working on a few final features for the upcoming v1.1-ateam release of openMenu! Here's the new enhanced "Exit to BIOS" menu, intelligently giving options based on presence of virtual VMU device (VM2/VMUPro/USB4MAPLE) and based on the disc type (an audio CD doesn't need option to send a Game ID).

(1/2) So many fixes/changes in my upcoming v1.1 update for openMenu Virtual Folder bundle, one of which is new button mapping while in "Folders" style mode! We've also got a new item details read-out at the bottom right (can be turned off).

To add to that, one of my other favorite things is having beautiful cover art for all of my video game OSTs, now gracing my SD card with their presence 🙂

Love seeing stuff like this!

I've added two neat things to the card manager, which will be included in the future v1.1 release of my new openMenu bundle. • Virtual folder intelligent drop-down. • Folder batch rename/move. This should make virtual folder management a bit easier!

Well, it's the day after release and already I've got two minor bug fixes and FOUR ENHANCEMENTS! github.com/DerekPascare... If you want to be updated via email whenever things like this get posted, click the "Watch" button on the top right of the GitHub repository.

One of my favorite things about my new openMenu build is that I can finally justify including all eight official MiL-CDs on my GDEMU SD card and not worry about cluttering up the game list!

(1/2) It's with tremendous pride that I'm releasing my new version of openMenu and the accompany card manager software, bringing virtual folders/subfolders to the GDEMU for the very first time (and more)! Download: github.com/DerekPascare... Video tutorial: youtu.be/YZtgtykCnM4

I think this is the final tweak I'm making before writing all the documentation, recording the tutorial video, and releasing. No longer are we restricted to the silly 39 character limit for game titles (or folder names). I've now implemented a 256 character limit, along with a marquee effect!

I lied... no separate tool will be needed to achieve virtual folders with GDEMU+openMenu. Instead, a special all-in-one package of the card manager software will be released that allows users to define folder paths just like you see in this screenshot!

(1/4) Okay, I've just wrapped up writing the first iteration of the virtual folder management utility. Like I said, one day this might all be part of a unified process with GDMENU Card Manager (same goes for artwork/metadata management), but for now, a separate tool is required.

There'll be a customizable theme format available for users of my virtual folder version of openMenu. That said, this is the work-in-progress default theme it'll ship with, both as an example for others building their own themes, as well as for those who want a nice clean UI.

(1/2) It's still a work in progress, but here's a look at my new virtual folder support for openMenu on the SEGA Dreamcast! The lack of a folder-like hierarchy structure with GDEMU menu software has been a shortcoming for ages, and I'm setting out to fix it 😎

A very happy new year to everyone! 🥂

Yesterday I added a few nice little updates to GDEMU's openMenu. Check my replies on the post below to see more, including a download link.

I always felt openMenu needed to report the current GDEMU firmware version like the old gdMenu does, so I added it! The pull request is here: github.com/sbstnc/openm... ...and those interested in using this version right now can grab it from here: dreamcast-talk.com/forum/viewto...

How it feels sometimes.