Existing games => Cartridges

[mr_lou]

My apologies for being too lazy to do a proper search for this before posting.

For the GX4000 / CPC+ machines, what would it take to put an existing game, like e.g. the new Teodoro, onto a cartridge?

[beaker]

There's this link http://nocash.emubase.de/no$cart.htm. I've not used it personally but need to give it a bash at some point after Bryce kindly modified a cartridge (the solder burn was already on there when I received it and I decided my desoldering skills are just pants so it wasn't worth taking the risk of doing it myself and destroying the Chase HQ 2 cartridge  )...

Spoiler: ShowHide

Burnin Rubber cartridge even

I'd be interested to know how you get on with it.

[mr_lou]

As far as I understand, when reading what it says on that page, then everything will act like it always has? Except we should expect an amazing loading speed of course.

So, if we take a DSK that has a loading screen and then waits till a button is pressed before loading the game, then this loading screen will also appear on the converted cartridge version?

In short, it would be possible to convert ANY game to a CPR file then?

I suppose our only problem then is that we need to destroy an existing cartridge, in order to have something to put it into?

EDIT: I just read the txt file in the zip. Looks really interesting. Will have to try it out.

[Devilmarkus]

I also made some CPR and added them here:
http://java.cpc-live.com/gx4000.php

(Frogger with permission from Executioner)

[mr_lou]

But as far as I remember, we can't put these CPR files onto real cartridges as easy as the C64 people, right?

[arnoldemu]

Is it true that most of the games require 128k plus machines when done this way?

To make them work on all plus, it needs to be done another way.

[arnoldemu]

But as far as I remember, we can't put these CPR files onto real cartridges as easy as the C64 people, right?

correct.

one problem is the case.
another problem is that although there is an acid alternative (nilquader's hack), we don't have a 100% solution.

[mr_lou]

one problem is the case.
another problem is that although there is an acid alternative (nilquader's hack), we don't have a 100% solution.

So we need to "sacrifice" an existing cartridge?
Is it really that difficult to create one from scratch? I mean, we have so many experts here. Surely someone must have some skills to do this.

[arnoldemu]

So we need to "sacrifice" an existing cartridge?
Is it really that difficult to create one from scratch? I mean, we have so many experts here. Surely someone must have some skills to do this.

My understanding is:
* Bryce made a new schematic of the existing cartridge design. This could be used to make new pcbs
* We don't have any suitable case yet, so any pcb will be bare.
* There is an acid alternative made by Nilquader, it requires you to turn the computer on and off until it works, then it works great.
* The workings of the acid have been documented and confirmed as working, but we don't have any pin compatible acids made from this information, or a pcb which uses an alternative solution.

So yes, currently sacrificing an existing cart is still the only 100% way.

[mr_lou]

Bummer. I'd love to have the best of the new games on cartridges. :-)
Or be able to order a customized cartridge somewhere, containing the games I wanted.

[beaker]

But as far as I remember, we can't put these CPR files onto real cartridges as easy as the C64 people, right?

Don't we also need to convert them to a bin file using something like this?
CPRTools - Convert between CPR and BIN cartridge formats

[Octoate]

another problem is that although there is an acid alternative (nilquader's hack), we don't have a 100% solution.

Huh? Nil and I released the Verilog code for a 100% compatible ACID replacement. Buy an Xilinx XC9572, program it with an cheap programmer and have fun... So, everything you need to produce new cartridges is already there.
And beaker already mentioned the conversion tools by CPCMania.

Well, maybe someone wants to create a cartridge case in a CAD program, so we can print it with a 3D printer :-)!?

[mr_lou]

So you have already created a lot of real cartridges Octoate? All they're missing is the case?

[Octoate]

No, but I have a prototype with the ACID CPLD replacement here, which we used to test during the XzentriX 2.5 years ago. Bryce already created a cartridge board design, where you just have to replace the ACID chip with a PLCC44 socket for the CPLD ACID replacement.

[steve]

Bryce also came up with "acid inside" which takes the acid chip and puts it inside the CPC plus, you then do not need to put the acid replacement on the cartridge PCB.

[ralferoo]

* We don't have any suitable case yet, so any pcb will be bare.

You could easily make cases by making a silicon mold and casting a plastic case from that.

[arnoldemu]

You could easily make cases by making a silicon mold and casting a plastic case from that.

I know all the bits of the jigsaw are ready.
So who will actually make the first complete cart, with pcb, alternative acid, and case?

Ok, so if the cases are easy to make, who will make a batch?

[arnoldemu]

I know all the bits of the jigsaw are ready.
So who will actually make the first complete cart, with pcb, alternative acid, and case?

Ok, so if the cases are easy to make, who will make a batch?

in the c64 world you can buy empty plastic cases really easily.
also, making carts is much easier, and there are plenty.

in the atari world, games are being made for carts, and real carts are made and sold in limited quantities.

we want to be able to do the same for the plus.

I have 1 game that is on hold that I plan to make a cart version of, it would be great to see this for real, in a cart that is all new and not made from an existing one.

[mr_lou]

in the c64 world you can buy empty plastic cases really easily.
also, making carts is much easier, and there are plenty.

in the atari world, games are being made for carts, and real carts are made and sold in limited quantities.

we want to be able to do the same for the plus.

I have 1 game that is on hold that I plan to make a cart version of, it would be great to see this for real, in a cart that is all new and not made from an existing one.

Yes, we want to be able to do the same for the plus. So how to do that? How do we start?
Someone from the community needs to start producing plastic cases. Who's producing the ones for the C64? Maybe they could help? Or maybe it's just as easy to do it without help?

[TFM]

About Cartridge Cases: If someone starts to order them somewhere then I take 100 of them, that will help to reduce the price of the single unit.

[arnoldemu]

To push this a little furthur, do we have a templates for:
* making the stickers that go onto the cartridges
* to make a manual like the original (same size) for that authentic look; can be a template for openoffice or similar with the styles setup as needed
* a electronic drawing/schematic of one of the original boxes (that the cartridge goes into).
* the sleeve that goes inside the box that goes around the cartridge.

If new cartridges were made, what would be the best modern box to put them into, one that could also accept the manual?
Here I am talking of something like a DVD box, but suitable for a cartridge.. a cardboard box would be ok here too. Can we also make some progress here?

EDIT: I have the two parts of a cartridge case (here I talk of the case that the pcb sits inside, it is from a cartridge where the rom doesn't work). If somebody wants them so they can make a electronic/schematic drawing that can then be sent to a company to be made, then please send me a pm. I don't know what a company would need in order to make a new one.

Perhaps I should send some e-mails and ask.

[mr_lou]

Yea, we should start looking for a company who can make such cases for us. Obviously it shouldn't be too expensive, so I imagine they'll require to order at least 500 or 1000 maybe.

[TotO]

You can design the both cartridge parts to be the same, to half the final product quantity.


But, if making only the mold cost 2000$ (not expansive) and you produce 1000 parts do get 500 cases...
Than mean, each case cost virtualy 4$ only to refund the mold. (because you get nothing for this price)

[arnoldemu]

C64 cases can be found here.

stupid forum doesn't allow me to embed links anymore.

www jschoenfeld com /home/indexe.htm

[mr_lou]

And they make them themselves?

Then I suppose next step would be for someone to write them an e-mail and ask about possibilities to create CPC cartridge cases.


C64-Cartridge-Cases