Vic-20 support

Neo-Rio · 16 Mar 2017, 04:11

I'm trying to get Vic-20 cart games to run in RetroPie. (I'm doing it on Ubuntu 16.04 x64)

First - it's a little disappointing that the current Retropie relies on the roms being in the c64 roms folder. They need their own folder and theme (eventually) in emulationstation. The VIC is a great little system with many Atari-2600-esque games.

I've also noticed how there are three configs for xvic: no expansion, full expansion, and cart in the emulators.cfg file in vice.

The trouble seems to be that xvic-cart isn't loading the .crt files. In fact there seems to be something wrong with Vice 3.0 in so far as the -cartgeneric argument when sent to xvic is complaining about the path to the rom itself. I changed the original xvic-cart config too, because it doesn't work (removed the hard quotes around 'xvic -cartgeneric'), and that still fails.

I'm trying to contact the VICE authors to see what can be done.
Any plans for better vic-20 support (and by extension C128, and plus 4) in retropie?

UDb23 · 22 Oct 2017, 17:26

@neo-rio I got the same issue with launching cartridges from command line. Just posted another support request here.

Concerning having a dedicated VIC20 folder I fully agree; it can be quite easily done by editing ES configuration and carbon theme files.
Check this thread. I specifically made also a SVG VIC20 logo.

ChaosFox · 22 May 2018, 08:03

Just wanted to add my support for this - in fact, it would probably be advisable to separate all of the VICE systems into different categories in RetroPie, so C64, VIC-20, +4, C16 and PET, although I'm not really sure if it would really be necessary to separate C16 and +4, as the +4 was capable of playing all C16 games.

Neo-Rio · 24 May 2018, 22:40

@chaosfox
It would just be nice to have the logos and themes in ES and seperate directories prepared when vice installs.

The C16/plus4 has quite a nice game library as does the VIC20. Also there are smaller game libraries for C128 and PET

Having retropie prepped with these for those who want to install them (such as myself) would be nice.
In the case of the C16/plus4, I would lean more on the plus4 given that it was not only backward compatible with the C16, but it also had 64K of memory, ensuring that the entire library of C16/plus4 games would work on it.

Pyjamarama · 27 May 2018, 09:07

Vic20 and Plus4 should have their own platform

UDb23 · 27 May 2018, 12:42

@pyjamarama said in Vic-20 support:

Vic20 and Plus4 should have their own platform

As said in previous post you can do it quite easily and specific logos are available.

It's up to the developers' to decide whether to implement or not these two system as default in Carbon (on top of existing C64).
@herb_fargus, @BuZz what do you think ?

Neo-Rio · 28 May 2018, 23:56

The only real problem is the vic-20’s weird expansion memory system. Some games run fine on an unexpanded vic, but others require more memory. The problem us that adding RAM to a vic-20 changes the memory map, so that unexpanded games won’t actually work when the vic is expanded to the max. Each game needs individual config of the vic.

Let’s get the vic set up in retro pie first and then we can worry about a method of configuration for the games

DougA · 29 May 2018, 00:59

@neo-rio I don't remember that it changing the memory map was the biggest problem, more that different memory cartridges filled in different parts of the addressable 64K map, and so software that worked with, for example the 3K expansion card would try to access memory that wasn't there if you has a 16K card. I do remember having to take out my 16K RAM card if I wanted to run some of the games though, so there were certainly some reallocation issues too

Incidentally, I saw this case on ETSY for those who want the "real" VIC-20 feel :-)

https://www.etsy.com/listing/514339314/commodore-vic-20-raspberry-pi-case-with?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-electronics_and_accessories-electronics_cases-other&utm_custom1=4b0b5cea-b61b-4245-8bb7-3127fdd6a5ee&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0a7YBRDnARIsAJgsF3ONctHiW7wnSyNTj2X83hV6DnKF_c_fsc0XHD__w5UY1zt6twz5Y-QaAnEkEALw_wcB

Jimbo · 29 May 2018, 04:00

@udb23 Like your SVG Vic20 logo, installed it on my Pi as well as the SVG C16 logo. I have Commodore 64, Commodore 16, Commodore 128 and Commodore Vic 20 systems all installed and working.

Currently just using Vic 20 NTSC carts so I dont have to keep changing settings in VICE.

Just need to find a way to scrape the roms and find a Commodore 128 SVG logo!

UDb23 · 29 May 2018, 05:05

@jimbo said in Vic-20 support:

Just need to find a way to scrape the roms

I was able to collect most of the box art in good quality from different sites.

Skyscraper can scrape from Mobygames that has many Vic20 and Commodore 64 games.

and find a Commodore 128 SVG logo!

Just did a quick check on actual box images: it seems 2 versions of the logo existed; one with the commodore typical font and one with a different font.
Shouldn't be difficult to recreate in SVG, will try.

UDb23 · 29 May 2018, 05:08

@udb23 3 logos actually: the logo on the machine is different that the 2 on the cartons.

Jimbo · 29 May 2018, 06:09

@udb23 I found this for the C128 but it didnt work in my carbon theme, ended up all squashed.

http://www.awsm.de/#bonus

UDb23 · 29 May 2018, 17:56

@jimbo said in Vic-20 support:

it didnt work in my carbon theme

Did some quick changes on that site's c128 logo for compatibility with ES and to fix colors.
Try this and let me know if it works.

The fonts used in that logo are not 100% those on the actual label on the C128.
As said multiple versions are available; will recreate all from scratch.

Meanwhile you should be able to use the above linked "modified" SVG.

Jimbo · 30 May 2018, 02:34

@udb23 Looks good, will try tonight when I get home.....Don’t happen to have svg files for Amiga 500, Amiga 1200 etc?

I notice Recalbox has them, but havent worked how to rip them off that platform to get them onto RetroPie.

Basically I have separated out all my Commodore systems so I don’t have a mountain of roms in each;

Commodore Vic 20
Commodore C16/Plus4
Commodore 64
Commodore 128

For Amiga games using WHDLoad files.
Amiga 500 - for ECS games
Amiga 1200 - for AGA games
CDTV
Amiga CD32

Jimbo · 30 May 2018, 10:28

@udb23 Thank you for the c128 logo, worked well..

I managed to rip the Amiga 600/1200 logo graphics from recalbox and uploaded to my Carbon theme. They appear to have worked as well!

UDb23 · 30 May 2018, 18:01

@jimbo said in Vic-20 support:

Amiga 500 - for ECS games
Amiga 1200 - for AGA games
CDTV
Amiga CD32

Found some box and actual machine images with the logos.
Except CDTV couldn't find any "real" vector logo for these machines. Also managed to find out the fonts used by Commodore for all these logos. Will add making these logos to my todo list.

Jimbo · 31 May 2018, 10:09

This post is deleted!

DougA · 9 Jul 2018, 20:04

If anyone is looking for the real Commodore feel, and happens to have a dead Vic20/C64 around, this guy sells interface cards that convert the Commodore to work as a USB keyboard, so you can put a Pi inside and run RetroPi on it without too much pain. No, I haven't bought one (I don't have a dead computer to work with) and I have no connection with the seller, but it looks like an interesting project, and is now on my to-do list.

https://www.tindie.com/products/tynemouthsw/commodore-64-usb-keyboard-kit/

elfoam · 15 Jul 2018, 16:46

@douga There's a very famous solution that's been around for a long time called Keyrah, you can check it out here http://www.vesalia.de/e_keyrahv2.htm . I know the C64 runs quite well on VICE but because it's such a famous machine there are better solutions around in FPGA if your life depends on a good modern version of the C64 in your original case. No real need to software emulate this one.