Old Computer Appreciation Thread

Zering

@folly I used lr-mess, added an lr-mess in configs/x1/emulators.cfg, placed the four x1 bios in my bios, roms and x1 directories and ran mess 0.151 software list roms in a .zip.
I'll find my last post and edit.

Zering

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Thanks. It's going to take a while. And I'll need to find some games to recommend for some of those more obscure systems ^^

Edit : Tried running X1 through MESS again. Got unexpected results.

I used Xanadu as an example as I'm mostly keen to try and get some multi-disk games started. The core starts but the game doesn't. I'm booted back to ES after a few seconds.

The log is strange :

log

Here is the part I think is at the source of the issue :

[libretro INFO] Starting game from command line:/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/x1/xanadu.zip
[libretro INFO] ARGUV[0]=/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/x1/xanadu.zip
[libretro WARN] Driver xanadu not found -1
[libretro WARN] Game not found: xanadu
[libretro INFO] Game name: x1, Game description: X1 (CZ-800C)
[libretro INFO] Game name: x1, Game description: X1 (CZ-800C)
[libretro INFO] System found: x1

"xanadu" approximately matches the following
supported software items (best match first):

It's like lr-mess isn't finding the software at all. Yet when I look at my x1_flop hash :

<software name="xanadu">
		<description>Xanadu</description>
		<year>1985</year>
		<publisher>æ—¥æœ¬ãƒ•ã‚¡ãƒ«ã‚³ãƒ  (Nihon Falcom)</publisher>
		<info name="release" value="198511xx"/>
		<info name="alt_title" value="ã‚¶ãƒŠãƒ‰ã‚¥"/>
		<part name="flop1" interface="floppy_5_25">
			<dataarea name="flop" size="415840">
				<rom name="xanadu_a.d88" size="415840" crc="89ff1612" sha1="a1e9abfde29f169841a6e77267cf85f1a69475cd" offset="0" />
			</dataarea>
		</part>
		<part name="flop2" interface="floppy_5_25">
			<dataarea name="flop" size="415840">
				<rom name="xanadu_b.d88" size="415840" crc="40bf59ac" sha1="3586dee49739d72ffe827435bf8fa3211d0b5cca" offset="0" />
			</dataarea>
		</part>
		<part name="flop3" interface="floppy_5_25">
			<dataarea name="flop" size="416384">
				<rom name="xanadu_c(user).d88" size="416384" crc="e3d2cff7" sha1="bc2bb8b7a145462b5233e353f500d9be1f5397f8" offset="0" />
			</dataarea>
		</part>
	</software>

There are some notes at the beginning of the hash file concerning compatibility, but nothing about Xanadu.

Games I haven't managed to start (possibly due to my mistakes):
* zeliard: at the end of the intro it prints "read EMM address [00]" while waiting for something
* suikoden, sangoku2, sangoku2a, nobuseng: sits to a jpn message waiting for who knows what
* revolty2: waits for something to happen
* reviver: waits for something to happen
* mule, mulea: waits for something to happen
* mugen2: waits for something to happen
* lastarma: sits forever at the first intro screen
* lagrange, dside: incomplete dump, needs system disc?
* hajafuin: waits for something to happen
* gatlabyr: how to start a game?
* gambler2: how to pass the first menu?
* crimson, crimsona: which disk combination is expected?
* blassty: stuck at no animation menu

Games with possible issues (either in emulation or in dump):
* wizardry->4: can't add character name. also how to create a duplicate disk (in pc8801 they were in the disk set)?
* profmj: true 400 lines mode not implemented?
* mightmag: corrupted chars
* lizard: waits for something to happen
* hydlide2b has no saved data, while hydlide2 &amp; hydlide2a have characters in them
* hydlide3b: fails to see the user disk + the set contains at least 1 hydlide disk (check crc16)
* gruppe: starts loading then errors out as if the disk is not recognized
* gradiusk: is this supposed to do something?
* frontlin: input issue?
* dione: does not display text correctly
* blckonyx: is it missing a data disk?
* bastard: does not start. input issue?
* arcus: black screen after wolfteam logo
* aokiooka: glitches (chars cut in half)
* alpha: is the title screen correct or is it glitched (I'd bet the latter)?
* advfant: glitches
* ys: character sprite is glitched until you enter a new area

Games which start loading but never reach the program:
* vipc
* vipd
* turbobas (but not the clone turbobasa)
* turbzbas
* scruiser
* psyoblad
* powermj
* kingkngt
* jesus
* jesusd
* hydlide3, hydlide3a (invalid disks 2?)
* aztec
* ys3

Games which are completely not recognized (maybe not for x1?)
* unk_fl1
* srdemo
* robowres
* punchbal
* manilove
* fmdata

This thing has me stumped. Maybe one of you computer whizzes can figure it out.

Here @Folly

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly I used lr-mess, added an lr-mess in configs/x1/emulators.cfg, placed the four x1 bios in my bios, roms and x1 directories and ran mess 0.151 software list roms in a .zip.
I'll find my last post and edit.

I am almost certain that doesn't work because after sept 2020 there was an update of lr-mess and my script for CDI didn't work anymore. It gave initializing. This was the old way of running things with lr-mess. Just like you do with "x1". We still don't actually know why it doesn't work anymore. And whats also a problem, of the old way, it uses a softlists. A database with filenames that only run if they are exactly the same. I see that in your logs.

To get it working we have to make a valarino alike script. Just what i did with P2000T.

It's very easy. I think I can edit one, because it's not on valerino's github.
So he didn't make this system.
Then we can try again.

EDIT : you can remove your logs, if you like.

Zering

@folly How do you make a script like that?

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly How do you make a script like that?

Do you want to do it yourself ?
It's very easy !

Zering

@folly I don't mind giving it a try if you explain to me how to do it.

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly I don't mind giving it a try if you explain to me how to do it.

goto :
/home/pi/RetroPie-Setup/scriptmodules/libretrocores
copy lr-mess-cdi.sh to lr-mess-x1.sh

replace all entry :

lr-mess-cdi

with

lr-mess-x1

Not, necessary, but you can remove the help :

rp_module_help=""

change this :

rp_module_name="Sharp x1"
rp_module_ext=".2d .d77 .d88 .1dd .dfi .hfe .imd .ipf .mfi .mfm .td0 .cqm .cqi .dsk"

change:

local _system="cdimono1"

into

local _system="x1"

change :

-cdrm

into

-flop1

Zering

@folly Well there's a first issue. The scriptmodules directory isn't there ^^

Edit : Never mind, I found it. Trying now.

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Well there's a first issue. The scriptmodules directory isn't there ^^

Where is you RetroPie-Setup directory ?

Zering

@folly I found it, for some reason the scriptmodules directory wasn't visible.

Anyway I'm editing it and I'm wondering what to do about this :

rp_module_id="lr-mess-x1"
rp_module_name="Sharp X1"
rp_module_ext=".2d .d77 .d88 .1dd .dfi .hfe .imd .ipf .mfi .mfm .td0 .cqm .cqi .dsk"
rp_module_desc="MESS emulator ($rp_module_name) - MESS Port for libretro"
rp_module_help="ROM Extensions: $rp_module_ext\n\n
Put games in:\n
$romdir/x1\n\n
Put BIOS files in $biosdir:\n
cdimono1.zip\n\n
Convert .cue/.bin to .chd:\n
https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/file/804-philips-cd-i-to-chd-batch-converter/ (windows only)"

Specifically the lines after the BIOS.

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly I found it, for some reason the scriptmodules directory wasn't visible.

Anyway I'm editing it and I'm wondering what to do about this :

rp_module_id="lr-mess-x1"
rp_module_name="Sharp X1"
rp_module_ext=".2d .d77 .d88 .1dd .dfi .hfe .imd .ipf .mfi .mfm .td0 .cqm .cqi .dsk"
rp_module_desc="MESS emulator ($rp_module_name) - MESS Port for libretro"
rp_module_help="ROM Extensions: $rp_module_ext\n\n
Put games in:\n
$romdir/x1\n\n
Put BIOS files in $biosdir:\n
cdimono1.zip\n\n
Convert .cue/.bin to .chd:\n
https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/file/804-philips-cd-i-to-chd-batch-converter/ (windows only)"

Specifically the lines after the BIOS.

Just edited my post, you can remove the help totally, this can be removed :

ROM Extensions: $rp_module_ext\n\n
Put games in:\n
$romdir/x1\n\n
Put BIOS files in $biosdir:\n
cdimono1.zip\n\n
Convert .cue/.bin to .chd:\n
https://forums.launchbox-app.com/files/file/804-philips-cd-i-to-chd-batch-converter/ (windows only)

Now we can try to install !

Zering

@folly Okay then I'm trying an install now!

Edit : It works! I'm testing Xanadu now.

There are some sound issues though, I'll keep testing.

Edit 2 : Tested a few games. They seem to run full speed. Disk control is easy through 'File manager'. It even lets you pick discs that are inside a zip. Still no luck with Revolty II but I still haven't tried the Neo Kobe rom.
However the sound is a deal breaker. There's a constant loud click. Are you having the same experience?

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Okay then I'm trying an install now!

Edit : It works! I'm testing Xanadu now.

There are some sound issues though, I'll keep testing.

Had to find the good bios.
I have it working too.

Zering

@folly How's your sound?

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly How's your sound?

oeps wrong computer !

Folly

@folly said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly How's your sound?

oeps wrong computer !

Tried galaga.
Sounds really good and I have stereo !

Zering

@folly Could my sound issues be caused by an error in my script?

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Could my sound issues be caused by an error in my script?

No

Which rom did you tried ?

Zering

@folly Xanadu and Galaga mainly, all with the same sound issue.
Other than that I think this might be the best way to play those games. I think it may even be possible to play zipped Neo Kobe roms, eliminating the amount of clutter in ES.

Folly

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Xanadu and Galaga mainly, all with the same sound issue.
Other than that I think this might be the best way to play those games. I think it may even be possible to play zipped Neo Kobe roms, eliminating the amount of clutter in ES.

I tried Balloon Fight, it took quite long to boot.
I was almost thinking it crashed.
But it runs good with good sound !