Gauntlet Deeper Dungeons

[retrofreak90]

Hi guys. Never had a CPC back in the day (I was a C64 boy), but have discovered its joys via WinApe. Man, the CPC version of Gauntlet is awesome, so colourful and pretty, which leads me to my point; does anyone know where I can download a working "Deeper Dungeons"? I've tried files from four different sources and WinApe tells me that each disk file has corrupted tracks.

I have the C64 version but Amstrad Gauntlet is WAY prettier than the C64 version. There, I've said it.

[Cholo]

If i recall right, the DD is just a expansion, so you need to load the old original Gauntlet tape first, and when you get to the "loading lvl" you insert the DD tape instead (or something like that).

Did you do that? .. because its a bit odd that you didnt get 4 copies to work.

Edit: sorry just noticed you are using disc versions (aint got a clue about that)

[retrofreak90]

Thanks for the quick reply. The disk version asks you which "data set" you want to play when the game first loads, so I can't see at what point I'd load the DD levels.

The thing is, the Deeper Dungeons problem is flagged as soon as I attach the disk image in WinApe. WinApe tells me that the disk's "track sizes are invalid" even before I try and CAT the disk.

[MacDeath]

Hi.

Too bad Gauntlet 3 was such a disapointment.
Speccyed to death...ouch.
Yet good music.

It's true, CPC was juged inferior to C64. Well it was indeed on many points... yet it could really get far better graphics because of a better palette, if graphist could manage well the wide pixels of Mode0..

And when games were properly coded, they could manage a playability good enough to match C64 (not better, but good enough).

But I always wondered how the hell games on CPC can't do a lot a stuff in 64Ko Ram while C64 can get a shitton a additionnal stuff.
C64 games got more musics, more cinematics, games sequences and so on.
were Datas less big in memory thx to all those co-processors ?
Or was it the fact there were much more loadings (and were  they longer ?)

Or was it simply because it had a better market share so developpers simply invested more money in productions ?


Concerning Gauntlet, yes it was good on CPC.
Perhaps slightly less smooth and fast than C64.
But better colours of course.
Yet it would have been even better with more tiles/textures in my opinion.

You should try the Rick Dangerous 128+ for Amstrad 6128+... It runs well on WinApe.

Or any of the 2009 releases on CPC.
Good stuff too.

[retrofreak90]

Well, the C64 was a technological beast for its time, and could handle sprites and smooth scrolling superbly well. Also, it had the legendary and completely awesome SiD chip. It's just a shame its colour palette was so muted and...well...brown.

Games I've discovered thus far that are better on CPC than their C64 counterparts are Gauntlet (slower, yes, but I just LOVE that sumptious colour palette), Solomon's Key (for the same reason), Bomb Jack (C64 version was a travesty) , Chase HQ (ditto) and Chuckie Egg (the C64 version having apparently been coded by monkeys). I was also amazed at how 'Arcade perfect' CPC Donkey Kong is.


So I'm having a LOT of fun discovering the joys of CPC gaming, I just wish I could get Deeper Dungeons working...

[Axelay]

Hi

I just tried a download of DD and get the error reported by winape you mention, but dont worry about it.  I guess it's just a strange format.  Type |CPM and it will run fine, hopefully.  Well mine just did then.  The | is gotten with pressing SHIFT and [ on a PC keyboard in Winape.  Hope that helps!

[retrofreak90]

That worked perfectly! MANY thanks. So what does this actually DO? What does it change?

Thanks again, matey. 

[Axelay]

That worked perfectly! MANY thanks. So what does this actually DO? What does it change?

Thanks again, matey. 

The |CPM command basically tells the CPC to try and load an alternative DOS from a specially formatted 'system' disk.  Some people worked out how to stick game loaders on the disk in place of the DOS.  I came across a number of Gremlin titles like this.

Something to note if you're downloading DSK images is if you find a DSK that gives you a read fail when you CAT, even if the emulator didnt complain about the track sizes of the DSK or anything like that, it's worth trying the |CPM command.

[retrofreak90]

Ah...thanks for the explanation. I've found a few games that need this, so cheers, Man.

[Gryzor]

Heheh... been reading this thread, all the while thinking "I must find the dsk and |CPM load it", and then there you have it

Axelay's advise is very sound indeed.

But why did they have these |CPM loaders anyway? I remember loading Northern Light (or something like that - it was a lovely game)* back in the day and never figuring it out...

Not Northern Light. Something with Cross in it? I remember it looked like Dan Dare, but I can't find the title

[Nich]

But why did they have these |CPM loaders anyway? I remember loading Northern Light (or something like that - it was a lovely game)* back in the day and never figuring it out...

Not Northern Light. Something with Cross in it? I remember it looked like Dan Dare, but I can't find the title

North Star, maybe?

[Axelay]

North Star, maybe?

Heh, I'd been thinking that, it was one of my favourite Gremlin games.  But it was so damn hard I couldn't imagine anyone describing it as "a lovely game"!   

[Gryzor]

Yes! That's the one!!!! To tell you the truth, I don't recall if I ever got anywhere in it (though I think I did). But I remember it as 'lovely' I'll try it again.