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

[zeropolis79]

I believe someone has done such an upgrade to the GX4000 - part internal, part external.  I think Piotr Bugaj was the one behind it but I wouldn't swear to it.
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[/size][/color]Just looked it up and it was him - foudn the details on a post he did in Amstrad For Sale on Facebook:[/font]
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[/size][/size]mutant GX 4000 console Is  converted to CPC 6128. Inside is  PS2 keyboard interface allow to connect PC PS2 keyboard. Extra 64 kb of ram so total is 128k now. On  top is installed edge slot for special version of my DDI5 floppy emulator with large 2,42 OLED screen. DDI5  allow load DSK files.  DDI5 is  in set. Plus C4CPC cardridge also in set.

[Phantomz]

Yes. I've managed to produce a 64K-compatible crack of World Games and you can download it from NVG.

Cheers @Nich


I've been able to convert this game now. 


World Games


You can use both Joypads on the Menu.
Enter names by, press console pause button for P, Joypad 2 UP = 1, LEFT =2, RIGHT = 3, DOWN = 4.
Therefore can enter names as P1, P2, P3, P4.
Use Joypad 2 Button 1 to confirm, Button 2 is delete if make a mistake.
Press Joypad 2 Button 1 when you have enough player/s (on name entry).
Joypad UP and DOWN to change " Is this correct? ", Button 1 to confirm.

[iXien]

Not fully sure I agree with 128k being the norm. The 128K Commodore machine didn't exactly take off and blaze any trails. I can understand Amstrad keeping the 64k machines, it was a low cost alternative which would have helped boost sales. No incentive to upgrade from a CPC464 to a 464+ but still a viable starter machine for 1990.

I'm not sure an upgrade would actually be possible for the GX... the board is tight enough as it is with IC's, and I don't think the cartridge slot would register extra RAM. I could be wrong on that second part though.

You're rght, I know that the 464 even available after 1988 was a clever strategy, as always, from Sugar. But 6128 is so much better with 128k RAM and it's useful floppy drive. For all 6128 owners, 464 was a pain with its limited RAM and sad tape drive. So many games would have been so much better using 128kb RAM and fast loadings on demand. The C64/128 isn't a good comparison as the C128 replaced the C64 too late and with so many C64 owners, it was not interesting for publishers to develop games that could be played by so many few customers or let the teams work enough to create systematic enhanced content. And Commodore didn't make a lot of commercial effort as they were already concentrated on the Amiga and PC market. Maybe with low cost expansions for 464, we could make the same deal than on Amiga on which 1Mb RAM became the norm from 1990 rather than 512Kb thanks to unexpansive and easy to install RAM expansion boards. It's a difficult problem in commercial terms and once again, we can't rewrite history 


As far as I know, it would be difficult to create an easy to install expansion board for GX-4000 (maybe impossible) due to the the integration of components on the motherboard. But individually RAM can be replaced and with some others modifications the 128Kb become natively seen. But it would be difficult to standardize this kind of feature, yes. But whooooo, it should be nice to play Double Dragon or Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge on GX-4000 

[iXien]

Cheers @Nich


I've been able to convert this game now. 


World Games


You can use both Joypads on the Menu.
Enter names by, press console pause button for P, Joypad 2 UP = 1, LEFT =2, RIGHT = 3, DOWN = 4.
Therefore can enter names as P1, P2, P3, P4.
Use Joypad 2 Button 1 to confirm, Button 2 is delete if make a mistake.
Press Joypad 2 Button 1 when you have enough player/s (on name entry).
Joypad UP and DOWN to change " Is this correct? ", Button 1 to confirm.

Yesssssssssssssssss !    (and many thanks to @Nich too)

[iXien]

I believe someone has done such an upgrade to the GX4000 - part internal, part external.  I think Piotr Bugaj was the one behind it but I wouldn't swear to it.

Just looked it up and it was him - foudn the details on a post he did in Amstrad For Sale on Facebook:
mutant GX 4000 console Is  converted to CPC 6128. Inside is  PS2 keyboard interface allow to connect PC PS2 keyboard. Extra 64 kb of ram so total is 128k now. On  top is installed edge slot for special version of my DDI5 floppy emulator with large 2,42 OLED screen. DDI5  allow load DSK files.  DDI5 is  in set. Plus C4CPC cardridge also in set.

With all my respect for this individual initiative, this project sound like a joke. Completely destroying a poor GX-4000, he recreated... a 6128+!   But maybe some parts of this ambitious project could be useful, of course.

[Shaun M. Neary]

You're rght, I know that the 464 even available after 1988 was a clever strategy, as always, from Sugar. But 6128 is so much better with 128k RAM and it's useful floppy drive. For all 6128 owners, 464 was a pain with its limited RAM and sad tape drive. So many games would have been so much better using 128kb RAM and fast loadings on demand. The C64/128 isn't a good comparison as the C128 replaced the C64 too late and with so many C64 owners, it was not interesting for publishers to develop games that could be played by so many few customers or let the teams work enough to create systematic enhanced content. And Commodore didn't make a lot of commercial effort as they were already concentrated on the Amiga and PC market. Maybe with low cost expansions for 464, we could make the same deal than on Amiga on which 1Mb RAM became the norm from 1990 rather than 512Kb thanks to unexpansive and easy to install RAM expansion boards. It's a difficult problem in commercial terms and once again, we can't rewrite history 


As far as I know, it would be difficult to create an easy to install expansion board for GX-4000 (maybe impossible) due to the the integration of components on the motherboard. But individually RAM can be replaced and with some others modifications the 128Kb become natively seen. But it would be difficult to standardize this kind of feature, yes. But whooooo, it should be nice to play Double Dragon or Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge on GX-4000 

In fairness, games that actually took advantage of the 128k functions were few and far between on the Amstrad. Only one or two companies fully took advantage of the additional bank, and it was really only for additional sound or load in one solutions. Speaking for myself but growing up as a 464 owner, it really didn't make that much difference. It was really only post 1988 where we some some real results with 128k such as Shinobi, Double Dragon. I'd say Final Fight too but to be honest, that was way too slow to be playable. The CPC6128 was also too late in terms of a developers perspective because disk games weren't selling as much as the tape games early on, and most people had gotten hold of tape to disk transfer utilities or a multiface for those who got their hands on a disk drive.

Me, I'm just happy I can play the amount of stuff we can on a GX now as opposed to what... 28 titles initially?

[iXien]

In fairness, games that actually took advantage of the 128k functions were few and far between on the Amstrad. Only one or two companies fully took advantage of the additional bank, and it was really only for additional sound or load in one solutions. Speaking for myself but growing up as a 464 owner, it really didn't make that much difference. It was really only post 1988 where we some some real results with 128k such as Shinobi, Double Dragon. I'd say Final Fight too but to be honest, that was way too slow to be playable. The CPC6128 was also too late in terms of a developers perspective because disk games weren't selling as much as the tape games early on, and most people had gotten hold of tape to disk transfer utilities or a multiface for those who got their hands on a disk drive.

Me, I'm just happy I can play the amount of stuff we can on a GX now as opposed to what... 28 titles initially?

Speaking for myself but growing up as a 6128 owner  , it was sometimes a bit frustrating to launch a game and discover that half the content had disappear compared to 16bits versions not because of CPU or display constraints but because all had to be loaded in one time and stored in only 64Kb, as my CPC offered the double and a floppy disc drive to make fast loadings on demand. In opposite, as a child, I spent many time on Double Dragon, Shinobi, Titan, etc... without knowing that 464 couldn't play them (Titan version on tape is sadly a joke and doesn't need to be patched on GX-4000). For me, musics in Untouchables, Total Recall or Gryzor, it was just a normal thing. What a surprise when I discovered that they wasn't available on the GX-4000 conversion.

By the way, once again the context is as it is, so yes of course, as 64kb remained the norm on CPC, nowadays it's nice to be able to convert all these games to a GX-4000 that only have 64Kb RAM. You're so right    I suppose that I will personnally modify my GX-4000 in a near future as I have a friend of mine that know how to make the modification, just for my personnal pleasure 

Now it is time to enjoy Summer Games and World Games thanks to @Phantomz and @Nich .


PS : Just for information, I identified in the past 143 games that take part of 128Kb RAM (musics, SFX, more GFX, multiplayer options, more levels, etc). In these 143 games, 57 clearly need 128Kb RAM. But there is a lot of adventure games that can't be adapted to GX-4000 for other reasons in any case 

[iXien]

This discussion about 128kb made me want to try some CPR on my 6128+ (I don't connect it often, now it is totally yellowed). I think I will make a list of the CPR conversions that take part expanded memory (6128+ or pimped GX-4000)


And the first thing I see is that there is a little issue on the Dragon Ninja patched version you made @Phantomz . When you launch it on a 128Kb system, we're prompted to choose between 64Kb or 128Kb version but as this option hasn't been patched, keyboard is need to make a choice and continue to the game. Do you think you can quickly fix it 

[ComSoft6128]

Speaking for myself but growing up as a 6128 owner  , it was sometimes a bit frustrating to launch a game and discover that half the content had disappear compared to 16bits versions not because of CPU or display constraints but because all had to be loaded in one time and stored in only 64Kb, as my CPC offered the double and a floppy disc drive to make fast loadings on demand. In opposite, as a child, I spent many time on Double Dragon, Shinobi, Titan, etc... without knowing that 464 couldn't play them (Titan version on tape is sadly a joke and doesn't need to be patched on GX-4000). For me, musics in Untouchables, Total Recall or Gryzor, it was just a normal thing. What a surprise when I discovered that they wasn't available on the GX-4000 conversion.

By the way, once again the context is as it is, so yes of course, as 64kb remained the norm on CPC, nowadays it's nice to be able to convert all these games to a GX-4000 that only have 64Kb RAM. You're so right    I suppose that I will personnally modify my GX-4000 in a near future as I have a friend of mine that know how to make the modification, just for my personnal pleasure 

Now it is time to enjoy Summer Games and World Games thanks to @Phantomz and @Nich .


PS : Just for information, I identified in the past 143 games that take part of 128Kb RAM (musics, SFX, more GFX, multiplayer options, more levels, etc). In these 143 games, 57 clearly need 128Kb RAM. But there is a lot of adventure games that can't be adapted to GX-4000 for other reasons in any case 

The 6128 was handicapped by the 464 for serious software and games but if you wanted to sell the maximum number of copies both the 464 and 6128 had to catered for, but then again - no successful 464 - no 6128

[iXien]

The 6128 was handicapped by the 464 for serious software and games but if you wanted to sell the maximum number of copies both the 464 and 6128 had to catered for, but then again - no successful 464 - no 6128

We don't have to forget that if all manufacturers were here to make money with computers, consoles and videogames, that was even more true with Alan Mickael Sugar that sold CPC like he sold hi-fi systems and video recorders 

[Phantomz]

This discussion about 128kb made me want to try some CPR on my 6128+ (I don't connect it often, now it is totally yellowed). I think I will make a list of the CPR conversions that take part expanded memory (6128+ or pimped GX-4000)


And the first thing I see is that there is a little issue on the Dragon Ninja patched version you made @Phantomz . When you launch it on a 128Kb system, we're prompted to choose between 64Kb or 128Kb version but as this option hasn't been patched, keyboard is need to make a choice and continue to the game. Do you think you can quickly fix it 

@iXien  Here is the quick fix! 

[iXien]

@iXien  Here is the quick fix! 

And... you rocks (again)! Many thanks for that 

[iXien]

I continue in my investigations @Phantomz and this time it's amazing    Yes, amazing... we can't switch to ingame music mode on Gryzor 
Yes, if I made no mistake, keyboard remains necessary to select ingame music rather than SFX... a little, tiny fix 

And the Rococop patch have the same issue than Dragon Ninja.

Edit: I won't disturb you with other patches as I just ended my tests of GX-4000 patches on 6128+. After that, of course, there are some games that offer upgrades but on specific versions (Prohibition, Hostages, Zombi, Total Recall) but it is another subject. Here what is interesting is to keep the full pad compatibility when these 3 games already patched are launched on 6128+ for example (and I won't hidden you that it will be nice if I managed to pimp my GX-4000, of course  )

[Phantomz]

@iXien


I didn't see the need to remap the keys for 128k options at the time in games like Robocop and Gryzor as they would only run in 64k on the GX4000 and that was the target machine I was looking to make the games friendly for.


The options should still work, you just need to use the keyboard like you would normally have too, I'll have a look at the games, when get some free time. 



I'm not going to work on all the other 128k games, unless an easy option becomes available to give the GX4000 128k. 


Just had a quick look at Robocop , need to push up for option 2 = 128k, it's like that due to the trainer, I've now changed the 128k option to show the UP arrow.

[iXien]

Just had a quick look at Robocop , need to push up for option 2 = 128k, it's like that due to the trainer, I've now changed the 128k option to show the UP arrow.

Many thanks for this one, it's nice ! 

I didn't see the need to remap the keys for 128k options at the time in games like Robocop and Gryzor as they would only run in 64k on the GX4000 and that was the target machine I was looking to make the games friendly for.

Dragon Ninja and Robocop crack menus are similar and very smart as they automatically hide the choice of the memory version on systems with only 64Kb. What is more mysterious is why the menus offer this choice as the games themselves automatically recognize the RAM available to load voice digits of not.
In Gryzor, the ability to play with music is more anecdotic. You're right, it is available using the ESC key on the patched version to switch between Music/SFX. I suppose it wouldn't be very difficult to remap it the P or a J1B2   

I'm not going to work on all the other 128k games, unless and easy option becomes available to give the GX4000 128k. 

As far as I shown trying all the GX-4000 patched games that offer 128K upgrades, Robocop, Dragon Ninja and Gryzor are the only ones that needed a little additional patch. Games like Shinobi, The Untouchables, Lemmings or Super Monaco GP directly load additional features when 128Kb are seen and it's very nice.
Now I have a list of games that would need to be patched again using a 128Kb special version (Total Recall is an interesting case as the original game look at the memory to load SFX/music or not, but CNG Soft packed version used don't, you can find on his website two files to choose depending on memory available). But as I said previously, it's another story and you're right, there is no interesting reason to work on this until there are pimped GX-4000 users 

[Phantomz]

In Gryzor, the ability to play with music is more anecdotic. You're right, it is available using the ESC key on the patched version to switch between Music/SFX. I suppose it wouldn't be very difficult to remap it the P or a J1B2   

Pretty sure I did this already, have you tried pressing P. 

[iXien]

Pretty sure I did this already, have you tried pressing P. 

Yep, as far as I saw, it doesn't work. But as 128k is needed for the music to be available, maybe you didn't patched it because there was no interest in doing it.

[Phantomz]

Yep, as far as I saw, it doesn't work. But as 128k is needed for the music to be available, maybe you didn't patched it because there was no interest in doing it.

Odd, you must have an old version or something then.


I just grabbed the cpr from the GX4000 page, ran it in 128k mode and ESC or P, will change the Music / FX option.


You can also Pause with P or ESC, press P or ESC second time to quit.

[iXien]

Odd, you must have an old version or something then.


I just grabbed the cpr from the GX4000 page, ran it in 128k mode and ESC or P, will change the Music / FX option.

I just tried on an emulator and it works.
I know what happened. I think I have some problems with the keyboard matrix of my old 6128+. Yesterday I had problem to load games as U key doesn't work anymore. I suppose it's a whole sector of my keyboard that doesn't respond anymore 

[Phantomz]

I just tried on an emulator and it works.
I know what happened. I think I have some problems with the keyboard matrix of my old 6128+. Yesterday I had problem to load games as U key doesn't work anymore. I suppose it's a whole sector of my keyboard that doesn't respond anymore 

Not good, I hope you can get it fixed, maybe the Membrane has got stuck together.

[iXien]

Not good, I hope you can get it fixed, maybe the Membrane has got stuck together.

Don't worry, I have some 6128+ for part. Hope I will be able to fix it switching membranes or cleaning it. If it's the motherboard, it will need more efforts and I got others 6128+ working to quickly get around this problem    But it's never nice to see a CPC dying 

[GUNHED]

Don't worry, I have some 6128+ for part. Hope I will be able to fix it switching membranes or cleaning it. If it's the motherboard, it will need more efforts and I got others 6128+ working to quickly get around this problem    But it's never nice to see a CPC dying 

If you have problems with the keyboard, it's best to get rid of the resistor network inside the 6128plus (there is a thread about it here somewhere). I did that to all my 6128plus and their keyboards work like a charm. No need to exchange the membranes.    Sorry for getting off-topic. 

[iXien]

If you have problems with the keyboard, it's best to get rid of the resistor network inside the 6128plus (there is a thread about it here somewhere). I did that to all my 6128plus and their keyboards work like a charm. No need to exchange the membranes.    Sorry for getting off-topic. 

I was off-topic first    I will have a look. I will save this old friend for sure!

[iXien]

@GUNHED , @Phantomz Victory, the membranes were stuck and the part against the steel support was super dirty. How something like this could happen to my CPC + which systematically sleeps in its box, it's a mystery. As if the steel of the support had released a kind of white powdery substance which had adhered to the back of the membrane. With a good cleaning in order, everything is back to normal 

[iXien]

I was wondering if it would be interesting to convert the SHINOBI REMASTER V1.02 that tfmrx has released recently ? tfmrx has modified the same 64k compatible version as @dragon used to patch Shinobi in the past. The colours of this version are cute and it would offer a nice upgrade of Shinobi on GX-4000  .


Other idea, developed by the same guy, the Binary Design version of Double Dragon is originally 128K only. But I'm wondering if it would be possible to offer to GX-4000 the same kind of patched version as Shinobi, becoming 64K compatible with no music/sfx? I didn't see it anywhere but maybe this kind of version already exists for CPC464? The Dro Soft adaptation is so dule compared to the good work of Richard Aplin for Binary Design, even without sound it would be far better