Model 3

Overview

The Sega Model 3 arcade board arrived in 1996 as a high-end successor to Model 2, powering arcade hits such as Sega Rally 2, Virtua Fighter 3 and Star Wars Trilogy Arcade. REG-Linux uses the model3/arcade system groups so the platform aligns with existing arcade metadata and artwork collections.

Technical specifications

• CPU: Multi-processor Sega Model 3 setup using a PowerPC 603/604 main CPU with Hitachi SH-2 helper chips (Step 1) and a Hitachi SH-4 RISC core (Step 2) for 3D geometry.
• Memory: Custom board carries 32 MB of main DRAM with dedicated buffers for texture and polygon storage plus extra RAM for the geometry pipeline.
• Display: Sega CG Board capable of ~180,000 texture-mapped polygons per second with lighting and perspective correction, made for 640×480+ raster output.
• Sound: CD-quality PCM audio with multiple simultaneous streams and hardware mixing plus Yamaha/QSound-style spatial effects.

Quick reference

• Emulator: Supermodel
• ROM folder: /userdata/roms/model3
• Accepted ROM formats: .zip (matching the board ROM + CRC)
• System group: model3, arcade

ROMs

Drop each official Model 3 ZIP into /userdata/roms/model3. Supermodel expects one compressed archive per game containing the required ROM and MIPS data; do not extract the archive or rename files. Use the Supermodel compatibility list to verify supported titles (all officially dumped games except “Boat Race GP” are playable).

Emulators

Supermodel

Supermodel is the dedicated Sega Model 3 emulator bundled with REG-Linux. It exposes model3.videomode plus the options below; configuration is also stored in /userdata/system/configs/supermodel/supermodel.ini.

ES setting name	REG-Linux.conf_key	Description & values
3D ENGINE	model3.engine3D	Select Legacy3D (legacy3d) or New3D (new3d).
QUAD RENDERING	model3.quadRendering	Enable modern quad rendering (0 Off, 1 On).
ENABLE WIDESCREEN	model3.wideScreen	Stretch to widescreen (glitches may appear).
CROSSHAIRS	model3.crosshairs	Toggle shooting-game crosshairs per player.
ENABLE FORCE FEEDBACK	model3.forceFeedback	Allow force feedback on supported controllers.
MODERN PEDAL CONTROLS	model3.pedalSwap	Swap accelerator / brake to triggers.
POWERPC FREQUENCY	model3.ppcFreq	Adjust emulated PPC speed (25–150).

Supermodel also supports save states (F5 save, F7 load, select slot with F6) stored under /saves/supermodel/. Non-volatile settings (high scores, config) persist in /system/configs/supermodel/NVRAM/.

Controls

The default arcade layout maps to the REG-Linux Retropad; heavy use of keyboard (F5–F12) handles save states and volume controls. Use the overlays in docs/images/controller-overlays/model3.png for a visual guide.

Troubleshooting

• Refer to the Supermodel FAQ for game-specific fixes.
• Use the service menu (6) when prompted, navigate with 5/6, and exit via the Exit option.
• If “Network Board Not Present” appears, set Game Assignments → Link ID to “Single” to bypass multiplayer checks.
• For light-gun reloads, press the right mouse button when using pointer input. For further help, see the generic support pages.