Old Computer Appreciation Thread

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 !

ecto

@zering

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@adambegood Ah well that's good to hear!

Speaking of recommendations, what games would you recommend for DOS? Outside of the obvious.

Dosbox is a really great tool, but getting DOS games to work is quite involved... Although I grew up with an Amiga (this you should try, too! It's an old computer and full of great games!) and a pc, it still is not an easy task!
Right now, I just want to leave some recommendations for some DOS games:

Alone in the Dark trilogy (that started the whole survival horror genre)
Blood (if you like ego shooters)
Dungeon Keeper (Real time strategy)
Heroes of Might and Magic (Strategy)
Mines of Titan (an RPG, quite old and a remake of Mars Saga on the C64)
Sim City 2000
Ultima (THE western RPG if there ever was one ;) especially 6, 7 and 7 part 2)
Wing Commander 1-4 (Space shooter simulation by Chris Robers who now works on Star Citizen
System Shock (was already mentioned, but I have to repeat the recommendation! ;)