Converted GX4000 .cpr - The topic (repository link in first post)

[dragon]

Just uploaded it to the wiki page, so the info I posted above for @remax is still correct for when he makes the next pack. 

Add you can abandon with joypad 2 button1

[Phantomz]

Add you can abandon with joypad 2 button1

Done. 

[remax]

Nice one. 

Any news on larger disk support with nocart or cpm support?

I could try and do more ports too then. 


I've done a couple more updates of games originally done by dragon.

"Boy Racer" Changes....

Game is ready for two players with joypads by default
Press Button 1 on Joypad 1 to Begin a Two Player Game
Press Button 2 on Joypad 2 to Redefine Controls
Press Button 1 on Joypad 2 to turn player two on or off ( car disappears for one player game )
Press the Console Pause Button on Menu to turn menu music on or of
Press the Console Pause Button ingame to quit
Poked version included which makes both players INDESTRUCTABLE.

"Bravestarr" Changes....

New version with a Tainer, gives infinite days, game can now be paused with Joypad 1 Button 2 and quit with the Console Pause Button.

These are available here and on the wiki page.

@remax

I've also updated a a couple of games I did, made a change here and there and also included a couple of poked versions etc.
I think everything is upto date on the wiki page now.

Game changes since your last pack are as follows I believe...... 

Dan Dare III - The Escape
West Bank
Smash TV
Tombstowne
Friday13
Official Father Christmas
Quick Draw McGraw
Savage
Trantor The Last Stormtrooper
Equinox
Guardian II - Revenge Of The Mutants
Thanatos
Tombstowne
Chase HQ
Robocop
Darkman
Avenger
Into The Eagle's Nest
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Crystal Castles
Hunchback
Bravestarr
Boy Racer

I'm more up to date than that but stopped my upload a few days ago as you and dragon posted new games as i was uploading.

I have now to find some time to upload a new package...


EDIT : Well... done !

[Phantomz]

Updated 3 games.....

There is now a new version of " APB - All Points Bulletin " it now includes a Trainer, 1 for Yes 2 for No.

There is also a new version of " Beach-Head " It's the U.S Gold version ( not amsoft ) has loading screen and a Trainer.

There is also a new version of " War Machine " this contains 2 versions, one with loading screen bug still and one without.

To make a version of the game with pokes, I had to convert a uncompressed version of the game.

All uncompressed versions of the game have the loading screen bug, but it doesn't affect the game.

So there is a normal version of the game and a poked version, both have the screen bug.

War Machine - Poked version gives the following

Infinite Energy
Infinite Lives
Infinite Bullets
Infinite Grenades
Infinite Time


I've also included a version of the game with the screen fixed, but I can't add pokes to this version due to compression.

For Both versions use the following:

Use Joypad 1 Button 2 for Grenades.

Pause / Unpause with Console Pause Button.

Quit Game with Joypad 2 Button 1

Use Joypad 1 Button 2 to continue on " You are now dead! " screen

[dragon]

Night breed is on the cpcwiki list? I don't see it.

[Phantomz]

Night breed is on the cpcwiki list? I don't see it.

No it isn't on the list.

[dragon]

I don't know how edit the wiki :p.

Anyway, As you, i really busy making a new compressed game. I migrated from basic  pokes technic. To winape assembler. So the metod is different, i need learn it, and the new game uses  the new  nocart expansion memory system, learning at fly. And a different metod to jump the compression less jumps in/out, but little more complex.

And i have problems to made nocart run .freezes in computer, not working commands .

After around 300 asembler line codes. The game status is working except the pause+abandon key,that i discover yesterday.

And it included a new metod different to  select the level in the crack. No more 1=up 2= left etc... i write a new assembler subroutine only  to manage this in gx4000 from the comodity of left and right button in the pad  .i include in the subrutine the discover made syx years ago , so at the same time you change the  start level you change another thing.

The good news is as the patch is made with winape assembler, i can upload the source code, so you can learn from it how made compressed games.

The game is two players cop.

Ah, very thank you to upload night breed 

[Phantomz]

Anyway, As you, i really busy making a new compressed game. I migrated from basic  pokes technic. To winape assembler. So the metod is different, i need learn it, and the new game uses  the new  nocart expansion memory system, learning at fly. And a different metod to jump the compression less jumps in/out, but little more complex.

And i have problems to made nocart run .freezes in computer, not working commands .

After around 300 asembler line codes. The game status is working except the pause+abandon key,that i discover yesterday.

And it included a new metod different to  select the level in the crack. No more 1=up 2= left etc... i write a new assembler subroutine only  to manage this in gx4000 from the comodity of left and right button in the pad  .i include in the subrutine the discover made syx years ago , so at the same time you change the  start level you change another thing.

The good news is as the patch is made with winape assembler, i can upload the source code, so you can learn from it how made compressed games.

The game is two players cop.

Sounds good, I'll still do what I can, doesn't matter how the carts are made as long as they work. 

I'm still using " Nocart 1.4 (Windows) " from page one of this thread, so I'm a little limited to what I can do still until @arnoldemu releases his new version with,

80 track *single* sided or ~396KB uncompressed and cpm2.2 (because it will work with 64kb) support.

I'm not sure if he will make a windows gui , because I'm unsure how to type the line before cpm in a dos command box. 

[ukmarkh]

Does anyone know if the new R-Type has been converted yet?

[Phantomz]

Does anyone know if the new R-Type has been converted yet?

I take it you mean the new 2012 version by easter egg?

If so, no it hasn't, it wouldn't work on the GX4000 anyway as it needs 128k.

I don't think there is a cracked version so it can't even be converted to cart for the 6128 plus as far as I'm aware,

I'm unsure why the game is protected if it's a free downloadable game.  Was it sold when it was released ?

It would make a great cart for the plus. 

[ukmarkh]

Yeah, somebody needs to fix that... We need 128K games to be compatible with the GX4000.


Are people seriously suggesting that Robocop 2 and Burnin Rubber were 64K? 


Oops! We lost the forum for a sec there! 

[Phantomz]

Yeah, somebody needs to fix that... We need 128K games to be compatible with the GX4000.


Are people seriously suggesting that Robocop 2 and Burnin Rubber were 64K? 


Oops! We lost the forum for a sec there! 

I agree, it would be nice to run 128K games, but this isn't possible with how nocart works, as far as I know anyway.

I'm pretty sure Robocop 2 and Burner Rubber are not 64k as such, but they were made for the cartridge format to start with, not discs games ported over.

I'm sure everything is possible but it's how do you do it?

I think we can't complain to much as the GX4000 can run a hell of a lot more games now though. 

I'd like a GX4000 with a 128k mod, anyone got one for me please. 

[ukmarkh]

Must be possible, Ocean and a few others made their 128K games work on the Plus. I'm not having a go, what we have is great! But playing ChaseHQ and many others in 64K...    All I'm saying, is if it can't be done for existing games, would it be possible for the creative juices of CPC Wiki to come up with a solution to incorporate GX4000 for all new games?

[robcfg]

Wouldn't it be easier to upgrade the GX4000 to 128Kb so more people would create newer games for it not limited to 64kb?....

[Phantomz]

Must be possible, Ocean and a few others made their 128K games work on the Plus. I'm not having a go, what we have is great! But playing ChaseHQ and many others in 64K...    All I'm saying, is if it can't be done for existing games, would it be possible for the creative juices of CPC Wiki to come up with a solution to incorporate GX4000 for all new games?

I didn't think you was having a go  I understand what you're saying, I'd love to be able to hear the speech in ChaseHQ and Robocop etc, or even the music in the Paperboy hack. 

Wouldn't it be easier to upgrade the GX4000 to 128Kb so more people would create newer games for it not limited to 64kb?....

I'll take an upgrade if possible. 

[dragon]

Neither did I until I tried, it's easier than making some of the carts we do. 

Sounds good, I'll still do what I can, doesn't matter how the carts are made as long as they work. 

I'm still using " Nocart 1.4 (Windows) " from page one of this thread, so I'm a little limited to what I can do still until @arnoldemu releases his new version with,

80 track *single* sided or ~396KB uncompressed and cpm2.2 (because it will work with 64kb) support.

I'm not sure if he will make a windows gui , because I'm unsure how to type the line before cpm in a dos command box. 

You're welcome, I would have done it when I added mine if I realised. 

All is learn and patience, anyway maybe i can made a tutorial with this game in example.nocart 1.7 is a litte bugged now, i think arnold emu release it when is finished, but always you can take a look to my path source  .
.............

So, well. When you changed the level entry, you change de music in the menu. So if you begining in level a, you heard the stardard music, in b the first hidden music of the game etc etc ....


P=pause

when you are in pause (joystick 1 always) fire1=resume and fire 2 abandon game.

if you push another button when you are in pause (up,left,down,or rght).You jumps to the next level.


left,right to select level, the rest is obviusly.

[robcfg]

Heh...


It seems that Piotr already converted a GX4000 into a 6128 Plus, so it's possible to upgrade the GX4000 to 128Kb RAM.

[Phantomz]

Heh...


It seems that Piotr already converted a GX4000 into a 6128 Plus, so it's possible to upgrade the GX4000 to 128Kb RAM.

I know   

So where do we get one already done from, or the service to upgrade one, I'd be happy with just the 64k upgraded to 128k, a keyboard port would be an added bonus.   

[dragon]

Yeah, somebody needs to fix that... We need 128K games to be compatible with the GX4000.


Are people seriously suggesting that Robocop 2 and Burnin Rubber were 64K? 


Oops! We lost the forum for a sec there! 

Oh yes they are 64k. But they not are 64k are much more than 64k.

Gx4000 have 64kb of ram, but it have 512kb of rom.


I mean, the diference is in ram you can read from it and write to it. In rom you only can read the store data.

The normal cpc range load data from tape or disk. This is very slow, load means cpc make a copy the content of the tape or disk in her ram.

Z80 only know 64kb. so 128k machines used the pal to exhanged the two blocks.

But the cartridge is diferent,is faster as ram, and you have 512kb you can read from it, but you not need to make a copy of  it in ram. you can read it directly.

So when chase hq have stored in ram a speech they have a copy of the disc data speech in ram. Gx4000 can have the speech in the cartridge and read directly from it,they not need 128k to store it, because they not need copy it. only need ram to varisbles thigs and the screen.

So is a thing of programming. A very high level programing  .

Thats because burning rubber and robocop are 64k,data is read directly from the cartridge  In tape or disc they probably need 128k to copy it in ram.

The best example is the turtles crack. They need more than 64kb of ram  to patch it, but part of the code of patch is in  the rom cartridge. And  gx4000 read directly from here without use the 64kb console ram  .

[ukmarkh]

So, for new games, with the ROM in mind, it can be done, and R-Type, could be modified as we have the source code, but as you say, high/low level programmer is needed?


We need a CPC > GX4000 hero, cometh the hour, cometh the man!   

[andycadley]

So, for new games, with the ROM in mind, it can be done, and R-Type, could be modified as we have the source code, but as you say, high/low level programmer is needed?


We need a CPC > GX4000 hero, cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Given the source code and other assets, I reckon R-Type could be done reasonably quickly - but I'm not sure they're available, are they?

On a wider scale, you'd never get a generic method for 128K games. There are too many program specific modifications that would be needed, even for titles that only use the extra 64K for unchanging data.

[dragon]

In the chase h.q the function of 128k (in the speech) is in 0b7a it read a from 1646 if is 64k jumps in the ret z and i is 128k continue.

And when it rearchers  0bec it returns to normal ram.

The program use this always call to the speech.

So, i think teorically if we make a copy paste if this funcion and change the jumps to acomodate it to the cartridge, maybe can work..... maybe XD.

[ukmarkh]

Sounds like a plan... 

[Phantomz]

I had a bit of spare time so I've converted " R-Type " sorry it's the 1988 version by Activision.

I know it's not the good version by Easter Egg, nothing I can do about that, unless they remove the protection and it can fit on a SS 80 disc  with the next version of nocart.

The game is fully playable, all 8 levels load up and it's completable ( no ending, just loops back to level 1 ).

I've remapped ESC to redefine keys to Joypad 1 Button 2.

I've also remapped ESC to Pause to the console pause button, any button will unpause.

The game used keyboard scanning for the above, I haven't been able to find the release key at the moment, I believe this is " [ " or " control ", this still needs mapping to Joypad 1 Button 2, but like I said, I can't find it at the moment.

For now, you can redefine the controls to Joypad 2 and play the game with that. 

I've included two poked versions, one gives " Invulnerability " the other " Infinite Lives ".

[andycadley]

In the chase h.q the function of 128k (in the speech) is in 0b7a it read a from 1646 if is 64k jumps in the ret z and i is 128k continue.

And when it rearchers  0bec it returns to normal ram.

The program use this always call to the speech.

So, i think teorically if we make a copy paste if this funcion and change the jumps to acomodate it to the cartridge, maybe can work..... maybe XD.

It's not enough to just find the routine, you need to replace the bank switching code to page ROMs instead of RAM. And to keep that in the same place you're probably going to need RMR2 to bank the one of the lower ROMs at &4000, which in turn requires that those ROMs are free for the data that would otherwise have been loaded into the extra 64K and you need to tweak the loader so that data is present in the correct pages because the disk loader obviously can't write it there. And then you have to find any code that tests for 128K and modify it and then tweak any other code that adapts it's behaviour based on that....

And that's before you even think about code that uses some of the banking combinations which switch larger amounts of RAM or relies on being able to update values stored there. It's a much more complex problem than, for example, hacking the keyboard layout and in some cases might require rearranging the memory map somewhat to suit the system better. It's probably not impossible in most cases, but without source requires considerable dedication to disassembling the source and figuring out what is stored where and when things are switched around.