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Printed Amstrad Addict magazine announced, check it out here!

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#1
Quote from: Brocky on Today at 02:13hackaday finally found SymbOS!

https://hackaday.com/2025/07/19/symbos-is-a-funhouse-mirror-look-at-a-future-that-never-was/


Thanks for the link, very nice article!

It's cool that they mentioned the new SymbOS AI client for ChatGPT and other LLMs by @prevtenet; this information was only posted here on CPC-Wiki so far. As it's still beta I didn't put it on the website yet. So it's interesting that they know/read (?) this forum?
#2
Quote from: vasilisk on Today at 19:43Can you post instuctions so other (inlcuding me) to try?
Here is exactly what I do to make the game starts:
- Turn ON the Amstrad
- OUT &EF00,71
- SW RAM/ROM, the amstrad boot in 32X mode
- SW RAM/ROM, the amstrad boot in 512K mode
- |CD,"your directory...
- RUN"install32 => The game starts !

But after a few seconds or minutes it hangs...
#3
My new video owes a big thanks to lots of CPC Wiki forum members for their part in the last section of this video (see this thread where I asked for help and input!) - where there's a technical analysis of the surprisingly clever code for the time (1987) - it's not often you see several layers of parallax hardware scrolling AND Mode 1 going beyond the limit of 4 colours.

So I thought I owed it to the game (based on one of my favourite films of all time) to take a deeper look. Which I do here that also includes a comparison to all the other versions of the game on the other home computers, not just the full Amstrad longplay. You'll see why...




Hope you enjoy it!
#4
Quote from: R0b1n on Today at 20:05How can we convert CPR files to BIN ? If we look at the size of Alcon 2020 game files, CPR is 513K and the BIN version is 512K.
http://www.cpcmania.com/cprtools/cprtools.htm   ;)
#5
How can we convert CPR files to BIN ? If we look at the size of Alcon 2020 game files, CPR is 513K and the BIN version is 512K.
#6
Quote from: Bryce on Today at 19:35
Quote from: hatman72 on Today at 16:55Drawing a bit of a blank on this. The two socketed chips have been in and out multiple times with no difference. I've been trying to spot any broken traces or anything suspicious but nothing is jumping out other than a stain around the sound chip. Suspect this was from a spillage or damp as there's also a bit of corrosion on the legs on this chip. My assumption is that a problem with the AY would not cause a boot issue but if people think differently then let me know.

Can you post a picture of the stain? If a capacitor has leaked it could be pulling the voltage rail down or could have corroded a solder joint nearby.

Bryce.


Two photos of the bottom and one of the top. Hope they are clear enough.

#7
Quote from: ikonsgr on Today at 19:46@R0b1n i suggest to upload the "ALCON 2020 for ULIfAC", for anyone interested to try loading the game too ;-)
I just emailed it to you  ;D
#8
And here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/um8s4e15zm85omc1dkrnm/Alcon-2020-for-Ulifac.zip?rlkey=9hjoqcq7n048exikw2bvyr19j&e=1&dl=0 is the link for anyone interested to try loading ALCON 2020 with ULIfAC board ;-)
#9
Can you post instuctions so other (inlcuding me) to try?
#10
Quote from: hatman72 on Today at 16:55Drawing a bit of a blank on this. The two socketed chips have been in and out multiple times with no difference. I've been trying to spot any broken traces or anything suspicious but nothing is jumping out other than a stain around the sound chip. Suspect this was from a spillage or damp as there's also a bit of corrosion on the legs on this chip. My assumption is that a problem with the AY would not cause a boot issue but if people think differently then let me know.

Can you post a picture of the stain? If a capacitor has leaked it could be pulling the voltage rail down or could have corroded a solder joint nearby.

Bryce. 
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