Old Computer Appreciation Thread

Zering · 26 Nov 2020, 20:47

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 20:52

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 20:54

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:06

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:08

@folly How's your sound?

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:12

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly How's your sound?

oeps wrong computer !

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:17

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:19

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

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:19

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:23

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:27

@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 · 26 Nov 2020, 21:27

@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! ;)

Zering · 26 Nov 2020, 21:28

@folly Could my BIOS be outdated then?
Which version are you using?

@ecto Thanks for the recommandations! I tried Blood briefly, I got my ass handed to me minutes after the beginning of the game, but I'll press on ^^ Are you meant to be able to look up and down? I feel like I should be able to, but can't. Ultima is awesome! I finished the first one a few months ago, intent on playing through the whole series in order but 2 is horrible, so I think I'll skip ahead to UItima 3 and then replay 4 and 5 (possibly my favourite 8-bit RPG). What little I played of 7 is incredible, but I managed to put myself in a position where progressing the main quest was impossible so I stopped ^^
System Shock is awesome, need to play more. And I do intend to try the Wing Commander games, although they seem fairly difficult!

So far I've only found a few games I couldn't get running on DOS, all games with weird installs : The Magic Candle series, Darklands and Wizardry 6 and 7 mainly. And Alien Trilogy won't let me mount its bloody CD!

The thing about the Amiga that's intimidating to me is the amount of games! I don't know where to start! I played some Turrican but that's about it.

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:33

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly Could my BIOS be outdated then?
Which version are you using?

With Xanado I have a sort of crack too in the sound.
I can't swap disks. When i go to the directory I don't see disk files.

md5sum .
eaea301747715a0542dfb1c74583f286 ank.fnt
851e4a5936f17d13f8c39a980cf00d77 fnt0808.x1
59074727a953fe965109b7dbe3298e30 ipl.x1
5eb77365f4fc7dfec01212ab5b8166a8 x1.zip

Zering · 26 Nov 2020, 21:38

@folly I managed to swap disks with no issue. You need to press Scroll Lock on your keyboard, Tab and then into File manager. I managed to play some Xanadu although there were some pretty bad visual glitches.

I'll check the BIOS now.

Edit : What do you mean by disk files? .d88 etc?

Edit 2 : My BIOS is fine, it must be one of my settings.

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:44

@zering said in Old Computer Appreciation Thread:

@folly I managed to swap disks with no issue. You need to press Scroll Lock on your keyboard, Tab and then into File manager. I managed to play some Xanadu although there were some pretty bad visual glitches.

I'll check the BIOS now.

Edit : What do you mean by disk files? .d88 etc?

Edit 2 : My BIOS is fine, it must be one of my settings.

these extensions are all supported bu mame .

Zering · 26 Nov 2020, 21:45

@folly If you leave the files zipped you can swap disks easily, regardless of their extension I think.

ecto · 26 Nov 2020, 21:45

@zering Yeah, I remember a bug in Ultima 7 that made keys dissappear. So at one point (I think it was the last dungeon) I coudn't progess further. So I cheated ;) BUT if you're daring, you can get Exult as a port to run on the Pi. Most of those Bugs have been squashed, I think.
Ultima 4 and 5 are quite hard IIRC. U6 is really nice and has a great story. You can run that one on the latest ScummVM, too!

As far as Amiga goes you can start with the Cinemaware adventures (Defender of the Crown, It came from the Desert and Rocket Ranger). Then there is Shadow of the Beast (ultra hard, but nice art and music). Pinball Fantasies, Rick Dangerous, Great Giana Sisters (a cool Mario clone), Millenium 2.2, Populous ans (as you said) lots others.

Oh, and I forgot another DOS game: Pro Pinball Timeshock! is a must if you like Pinball games.

Zering · 26 Nov 2020, 21:49

@ecto Exult is how I played Ultima 7, although it was on a desktop computer. Come to think of it, Ultima 7 is one of the games I can't get to run on the Pi through DOSBox, something about needing to take out my expanded memory? I'll try Exult. That game is worth many headaches, from what I've played it seems like a strong runner for best computer RPG of the early nineties. Ultima 6 runs beautifully in DOSBox. I think I've even got 8 running although I've heard nothing but horrible things about it.
Thanks for all the recommandations! I'll add them all to the top post. Are there any games that were released on DOS that are better on Amiga?

@Folly Tried your .m3u method, it works a treat.

Folly · 26 Nov 2020, 21:54

@Zering

Seems that x1 can also run tape.
Log did not say unsupported, but it did not work.
Perhaps we also have to look at the BIOS :

80c48 NOT FOUND (NO GOOD DUMP KNOWN) (tried in x1)
ank.fnt ROM NEEDS REDUMP
WARNING: the machine might not run correctly.
Fatal error: Device Cassette load failed: Invalid image