Old Computer Appreciation Thread

AdamBeGood · 3 Nov 2020, 11:01

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@AdamBeGood There is an official MSX1 release of Salamander, I think Folly called it super Nemesis because it borrows a lot of gameplay elements from that series.

The Gradius wiki article on MSX Salamander

I thought he might have put it under MSX2 because of this: https://www.msx.org/news/software/en/konamis-salamander-pimped-up

I've downloaded the patch now and it works fine. I haven't played the original enough to tell too much difference though.

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 15:32

Well, I'm mobile. Cannot react as i would like.

Always tought that Salamander was an MSX2 game. Indeed that "super nemesis" was just an expression of mine. Nice to know there is a patch. Will try that when I can.

I will edit the "summarized disk add for the pc-88" when I am behind my pi4.
Was doing this out of my head.

AdamBeGood · 3 Nov 2020, 18:34

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly The PC88 has this really strange game called Wibarm that is worth a look. Otherwise, Dragon Slayer 1 and 2 are fun!
On the PC98 I can't recommend Rude Breaker enough. Flame Zapper Kotsujin and Rusty are also very good.

I'm going to sort out PC98 tomorrow. You've convinced me.

Zering · 3 Nov 2020, 18:59

@AdamBeGood Good luck! The NEC PCs are among the trickiest to set up on RetroPie in my opinion. I still haven't figured out what's wrong with my PC98. I expect I'll have to un-install and re-install it and start fresh...
Just be aware that although there are great games on the PC98 it's mostly known for games of an erotic nature ^^

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:13

@Zering @AdamBeGood

Back on the PI4.

This is a better doc for lr-quasi88 :
https://docs.libretro.com/library/quasi88/

Perhaps we can borrow some info.

Tried with an .m3u file (it works)
(.m3u has to be lower-case, otherwise it will ask, how many files, and go into "basic")
I will take Wibarm as an example :
Make a text file (in this case: Wibarm.m3u) with the following content :

Wibarm.d88
Wibarm (User disk).d88

If you run this .m3u it will run, ok, directly.

This is the manual way (2 disk example) :
Start, for example, first disk to run the emulator.
(If configured, you can also use the joystick)

Press "F1"
Press "z"(back)
Select, with "x"(forward), "Subsystems"
Select, with "x", "Load 2-Disk Game"
Select, with "x", the first disk file
Select, with "x", "Subsystems"
Select, with "x", "Load 2-Disk Game"
Select, with "x", the second disk file
Select, with "x", "Subsystems"
Select, with "x", "Start 2-Disk Game"

Zering · 3 Nov 2020, 19:20

@Folly Just out of curiosity, is there any software that can automatically generate .m3u files?

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:22

@AdamBeGood said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly I got the games you mentioned, I was catching some rice balls in Konami Collection this morning!

You have to be fast !!! How many levels ?

When I first got this game. I could go five or six levels I think.
How further you go, it becomes dark, later it will lighten up again.

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:23

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly Just out of curiosity, is there any software that can automatically generate .m3u files?

You can just use a text editor.

Don't know if there are automated m3u generators.

Perhaps I can make something.

Well, it all depends on how the files are organized.

Zering · 3 Nov 2020, 19:35

@Folly The reason I'm asking is I don't see myself doing it manually for +5000 games ^^

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:38

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly The reason I'm asking is I don't see myself doing it manually for +5000 games ^^

Ofcourse, I get it.
Well, I will try some things.

Perhaps someone already did something like that.
We can see in the forums or on github.

Zering · 3 Nov 2020, 19:40

@Folly I'll look into it of course, but I thought I'd start by asking you!

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:48

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly I'll look into it of course, but I thought I'd start by asking you!

That's ok.

I was thinking about a bash solution with the command "ls".
If the files of 1 Game are in 1 directory you can check all the directory's and write the output to a file and use the directory's name and add an .m3u extension to that file.

The files have to be in good order though, then it will work.

Do you get it ?

Zering · 3 Nov 2020, 19:50

@Folly Not at all ^^

I'm terrible with terminal commands and whatnot. Could you show me an example?

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 19:56

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly Not at all ^^

I'm terrible with terminal commands and whatnot. Could you show me an example?

This is very basic.

You see if I go to that directory and run the command, it will output the files we need in the .m3u file.

pi@raspberrypi:~/RetroPie/roms/pc88/Wibarm (Arsys) $ ls -w1
 Wibarm.d88
'Wibarm (User disk).d88'

(-w1 => show everything in 1 column)

This will already create an .m3u that can be used :

pi@raspberrypi:~/RetroPie/roms/pc88/Wibarm (Arsys) $ ls *.d88 -w1 > Wibarm.m3u

*.d88 wil list only diskfiles, otherwise the newly created .m3u is also added in the file.

This will only list directory's :

pi@raspberrypi:~/RetroPie/roms/pc88 $ ls -d */
'Wibarm (Arsys)/'

If we put that in an array, we can list every directory one by one

AdamBeGood · 3 Nov 2020, 20:35

@Folly said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly I'll look into it of course, but I thought I'd start by asking you!

That's ok.

I was thinking about a bash solution with the command "ls".
If the files of 1 Game are in 1 directory you can check all the directory's and write the output to a file and use the directory's name and add an .m3u extension to that file.

The files have to be in good order though, then it will work.

Do you get it ?

I know this isn't helpful, but someone has put the contents of a batch file that produces .m3u somewhere on this forum I think. I saw it the other day and thought if I was downloading a lot of stuff it would be worthwhile.

AdamBeGood · 3 Nov 2020, 20:37

@Folly said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@AdamBeGood said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly I got the games you mentioned, I was catching some rice balls in Konami Collection this morning!

You have to be fast !!! How many levels ?

When I first got this game. I could go five or six levels I think.
How further you go, it becomes dark, later it will lighten up again.

I had a very quick go but I'll get on it properly tomorrow!

Folly · 3 Nov 2020, 20:46

@AdamBeGood said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Zering said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly I'll look into it of course, but I thought I'd start by asking you!

That's ok.

I was thinking about a bash solution with the command "ls".
If the files of 1 Game are in 1 directory you can check all the directory's and write the output to a file and use the directory's name and add an .m3u extension to that file.

The files have to be in good order though, then it will work.

Do you get it ?

I know this isn't helpful, but someone has put the contents of a batch file that produces .m3u somewhere on this forum I think. I saw it the other day and thought if I was downloading a lot of stuff it would be worthwhile.

This is helpfull.

Found this :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15551/sharp-x68000-multi-disk-games-questions/14?_=1604429566708
(too bad, windows batch)

There seems not to be some suff on the Retropie Forum.

AdamBeGood · 3 Nov 2020, 23:36

@Folly said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

Found this :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15551/sharp-x68000-multi-disk-games-questions/14?_=1604429566708
(too bad, windows batch)

There seems not to be some suff on the Retropie Forum.

That is the batch that I had seen, yep. Sorry that isn't useful to you.

@Zering - I've managed to set up PC98. I have to go to sleep now, but I managed to get Rude Breaker to work. It was an absolute punt actually, I had the four BIOS files but none of the hashes were right, and I couldn't find the .wav files anywhere (I don't know if that will cause me problems with some games). I really didn't expect the system to load at all.

So it works! My controller didn't, so I need to look at that. I'm not sure how to map it, and the game was running slowly but you mention somewhere above about a setting to sort that out.

I'll have another look tomorrow.

Edit: Oh, do .m3u files work with the PC98 emulator? They aren't listed on RetroPie wiki but then that doesn't mean they don't work.

Folly · 4 Nov 2020, 08:00

@AdamBeGood said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

@Folly said in Old Japanese Computer Appreciation Thread:

Found this :
https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/15551/sharp-x68000-multi-disk-games-questions/14?_=1604429566708
(too bad, windows batch)

There seems not to be some suff on the Retropie Forum.

That is the batch that I had seen, yep. Sorry that isn't useful to you.

I prefer a bash, but if that does not work, we can always try that batch. Lateron I was thinking that batch can also be run within the dosbox. Perhaps a solution.

I've managed to set up PC98.

Perfect.

I couldn't find the .wav files anywhere.

These are "YM2608 (OPNA) rhythm samples", I think.
Hope It's helpfull.

Edit: Oh, do .m3u files work with the PC98 emulator?

Not mentioned in both docs. We will have to try.

AdamBeGood · 4 Nov 2020, 08:05

Thanks, @Folly

I will try on the .wavs with that then, and I'll give .m3u a go.

All games apart from Rude Breaker seem to be giving me a Japanese "Please set the system disk" message... Do you think that relates to my BIOS being wrong or is this something you've encountered?