Horace Goes Skiing

[robcfg]

Hi!

I've been trying to dump and convert to .cas file two copies of this game, without success.

Yesterday I tried the wav dump with my Dragon, and it loads flawlessly. So I don't know if it has some kind of copy protection or a special loader which prevents it to being converted to .cas.

Here you will find the wav file, in case anyone can take a look at it.

Cheers,
Rob

[pser1]

Hello Rob,

I have downloaded the WAV and yes, it loads in a real Dragon64 at first try and works flawlesly.
Then I tried to convert it with DragonConvert for Windows and just opening the WAV the program asks me to ignore errors, I accept and then it shows a long list of found errors.
This is the whole list

Code: Select all

Loading D:\horasky1.wav
Read 11845362 bytes (11MB)
Calculated volume 31
Calculated average wavelength 11 bytes
Leader length 8 bytes
Block checksum failure at 44
Block checksum failure at 156411
Leader length 8 bytes
Block checksum failure at 191118
Block checksum failure at 244967
Block checksum failure at 263582
Block checksum failure at 289095
Block checksum failure at 290980
Block checksum failure at 311798
Block checksum failure at 343957
Block checksum failure at 357190
EOF (total 10 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 376030
EOF (total 1 block)
Block checksum failure at 393308
Block checksum failure at 406683
Block checksum failure at 430972
Block checksum failure at 468074
Block checksum failure at 496665
Block checksum failure at 513207
Block checksum failure at 542618
Block checksum failure at 576319
Block checksum failure at 608037
Block checksum failure at 617951
Block checksum failure at 626562
Block checksum failure at 650456
EOF (total 12 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 665756
Block checksum failure at 686092
Block checksum failure at 692965
Block checksum failure at 842333
Block checksum failure at 855258
Block checksum failure at 885572
Block checksum failure at 896527
Block checksum failure at 913914
Block checksum failure at 920723
Block checksum failure at 927590
EOF (total 10 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 953863
Block checksum failure at 985819
Block checksum failure at 997840
Block checksum failure at 1015804
Block checksum failure at 1039336
Block checksum failure at 1063613
Block checksum failure at 1085034
Block checksum failure at 1092483
Block checksum failure at 1114854
Block checksum failure at 1131447
Block checksum failure at 1163726
Block checksum failure at 1188420
Block checksum failure at 1208600
Block checksum failure at 1236482
Block checksum failure at 1256136
Block checksum failure at 1262559
Block checksum failure at 1282423
Block checksum failure at 1300646
Block checksum failure at 1310113
Block checksum failure at 1341873
Block checksum failure at 1369015
Block checksum failure at 1386953
Block checksum failure at 1403416
Block checksum failure at 1451108
Block checksum failure at 1457021
Block checksum failure at 1469923
Block checksum failure at 1482852
Block checksum failure at 1492556
Block checksum failure at 1517318
Block checksum failure at 1529562
Block checksum failure at 1542656
Block checksum failure at 1608256
Block checksum failure at 1619006
Block checksum failure at 1643972
EOF (total 34 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 1669568
Block checksum failure at 1703609
Block checksum failure at 1719171
Block checksum failure at 1745252
Block checksum failure at 1759143
Block checksum failure at 1804627
Block checksum failure at 1829317
Block checksum failure at 1854452
Block checksum failure at 1884603
Block checksum failure at 1934567
EOF (total 10 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 1954989
Block checksum failure at 1982144
Block checksum failure at 1994582
Block checksum failure at 2037248
Block checksum failure at 2053579
Block checksum failure at 2071150
Block checksum failure at 2092973
Block checksum failure at 2131290
Block checksum failure at 2144988
Block checksum failure at 2160427
Block checksum failure at 2181102
Block checksum failure at 2212736
Block checksum failure at 2250718
Block checksum failure at 2262579
Block checksum failure at 2284203
Block checksum failure at 2315292
Block checksum failure at 2332807
Block checksum failure at 2342318
Block checksum failure at 2363922
Block checksum failure at 2389178
Block checksum failure at 2409140
Block checksum failure at 2425788
Block checksum failure at 2443423
Leader length 9 bytes
Block checksum failure at 2454148
Block checksum failure at 2505477
Block checksum failure at 2526502
Block checksum failure at 2544883
Block checksum failure at 2562408
Block checksum failure at 2578259
Block checksum failure at 2608455
EOF (total 30 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 2635604
Block checksum failure at 2660122
Block checksum failure at 2679345
Block checksum failure at 2711448
Block checksum failure at 2732544
Block checksum failure at 2766576
Block checksum failure at 2784004
Block checksum failure at 2855426
Block checksum failure at 2881423
Block checksum failure at 2926204
Block checksum failure at 2930133
Block checksum failure at 2956970
Block checksum failure at 2967606
Block checksum failure at 3001601
Block checksum failure at 3009347
Block checksum failure at 3016799
EOF (total 16 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 3031345
Block checksum failure at 3058017
Block checksum failure at 3087372
Block checksum failure at 3104141
Block checksum failure at 3133269
Block checksum failure at 3158093
EOF (total 6 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 3167647
Block checksum failure at 3216942
EOF (total 2 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 3243919
Block checksum failure at 3271520
Block checksum failure at 3278973
Block checksum failure at 3293173
EOF (total 4 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 3313040
Block checksum failure at 3320825
Block checksum failure at 3352767
Block checksum failure at 3380454
Block checksum failure at 3396552
Block checksum failure at 3420029
Block checksum failure at 3436493
Block checksum failure at 3467212
Block checksum failure at 3485550
Block checksum failure at 3512090
Block checksum failure at 3533960
Block checksum failure at 3569787
Block checksum failure at 3585595
Block checksum failure at 3618060
Block checksum failure at 3650458
Block checksum failure at 3667677
Block checksum failure at 3681276
Block checksum failure at 3705506
Block checksum failure at 3715816
Block checksum failure at 3749954
Block checksum failure at 3766934
Block checksum failure at 3784595
Block checksum failure at 3875534
Leader length 12 bytes
Block checksum failure at 3910934
Block checksum failure at 3962722
Block checksum failure at 3979962
Block checksum failure at 3994866
Block checksum failure at 4017667
Block checksum failure at 4040720
Block checksum failure at 4057485
Block checksum failure at 4075859
Block checksum failure at 4080959
Block checksum failure at 4119307
Block checksum failure at 4140327
Block checksum failure at 4161982
Block checksum failure at 4214940
Block checksum failure at 4234374
Block checksum failure at 4253832
Block checksum failure at 4277097
Block checksum failure at 4296278
Block checksum failure at 4333401
Block checksum failure at 4360621
Block checksum failure at 4387249
Block checksum failure at 4421177
Block checksum failure at 4466750
Block checksum failure at 4497114
Block checksum failure at 4516226
Block checksum failure at 4535128
Block checksum failure at 4557268
Block checksum failure at 4593612
Block checksum failure at 4620951
Block checksum failure at 4641944
Block checksum failure at 4675775
Block checksum failure at 4700918
Block checksum failure at 4734854
Block checksum failure at 4745194
Block checksum failure at 4769462
Block checksum failure at 4807159
Block checksum failure at 4835946
Block checksum failure at 4854827
EOF (total 60 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 4871102
Block checksum failure at 4887034
Block checksum failure at 4911513
Block checksum failure at 4934703
Block checksum failure at 4964270
Block checksum failure at 4981186
Block checksum failure at 4991064
Block checksum failure at 5014791
Block checksum failure at 5048107
Block checksum failure at 5073689
Leader length 8 bytes
Block checksum failure at 5099171
Block checksum failure at 5140291
Block checksum failure at 5215610
EOF (total 13 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 5240393
Block checksum failure at 5259967
EOF (total 2 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 5282765
Block checksum failure at 5316195
Block checksum failure at 5341222
Block checksum failure at 5356386
Block checksum failure at 5387432
Block checksum failure at 5417437
Block checksum failure at 5433131
Block checksum failure at 5471385
EOF (total 8 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 5493484
Block checksum failure at 5508419
Block checksum failure at 5532030
Block checksum failure at 5546952
Block checksum failure at 5567537
Block checksum failure at 5602285
Block checksum failure at 5617492
Block checksum failure at 5644225
Block checksum failure at 5676719
Block checksum failure at 5697175
Block checksum failure at 5721204
Block checksum failure at 5736158
Block checksum failure at 5740756
Block checksum failure at 5803138
EOF (total 14 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 5832738
Block checksum failure at 5866418
Block checksum failure at 5882164
Block checksum failure at 5939892
Block checksum failure at 5958859
Block checksum failure at 5997855
Block checksum failure at 6017469
Block checksum failure at 6090738
Block checksum failure at 6095274
Block checksum failure at 6100932
Block checksum failure at 6131585
Block checksum failure at 6153581
Block checksum failure at 6181571
Block checksum failure at 6208102
Block checksum failure at 6223039
Block checksum failure at 6230887
EOF (total 16 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 6261806
Block checksum failure at 6280748
Block checksum failure at 6296972
Block checksum failure at 6353777
Block checksum failure at 6371830
Block checksum failure at 6389744
Block checksum failure at 6407446
Block checksum failure at 6434955
Block checksum failure at 6459929
Block checksum failure at 6495564
Block checksum failure at 6508553
Block checksum failure at 6534538
Block checksum failure at 6548128
Block checksum failure at 6566741
Block checksum failure at 6586120
Block checksum failure at 6623206
EOF (total 16 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 6640287
EOF (total 1 block)
Block checksum failure at 6655729
Block checksum failure at 6699409
Block checksum failure at 6712698
Block checksum failure at 6746195
Block checksum failure at 6769589
Block checksum failure at 6786987
Block checksum failure at 6802367
Block checksum failure at 6842960
Block checksum failure at 6847574
EOF (total 9 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 6854466
EOF (total 1 block)
Block checksum failure at 6881652
Block checksum failure at 6895276
Unknown block type at 6909986
Block checksum failure at 6930738
Block checksum failure at 6958262
Block checksum failure at 6969272
Block checksum failure at 6988084
Block checksum failure at 7004070
EOF (total 8 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 7036462
Block checksum failure at 7052802
Block checksum failure at 7069709
Block checksum failure at 7089912
Block checksum failure at 7118395
Block checksum failure at 7136512
EOF (total 6 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 7150034
Block checksum failure at 7162833
Block checksum failure at 7180007
Block checksum failure at 7202530
Block checksum failure at 7239988
Block checksum failure at 7264076
Leader length 8 bytes
Block checksum failure at 7287287
Block checksum failure at 7345685
Block checksum failure at 7363789
Block checksum failure at 7416807
Block checksum failure at 7435518
Block checksum failure at 7445300
Leader length 8 bytes
Block checksum failure at 7463596
Block checksum failure at 7499887
Block checksum failure at 7528423
Block checksum failure at 7574105
Block checksum failure at 7597029
Block checksum failure at 7617442
Block checksum failure at 7629971
Block checksum failure at 7646314
Block checksum failure at 7702913
Block checksum failure at 7718103
Block checksum failure at 7750101
Block checksum failure at 7765192
Block checksum failure at 7774283
Block checksum failure at 7791036
Block checksum failure at 7804528
Block checksum failure at 7863851
Block checksum failure at 7889617
Block checksum failure at 7910252
Block checksum failure at 7932236
Block checksum failure at 7949493
Block checksum failure at 7966227
Block checksum failure at 8034151
Block checksum failure at 8057950
Leader length 11 bytes
Block checksum failure at 8083849
Block checksum failure at 8151676
Block checksum failure at 8164585
Block checksum failure at 8188624
Block checksum failure at 8198180
Block checksum failure at 8206604
Block checksum failure at 8224054
Block checksum failure at 8237797
Block checksum failure at 8253815
Block checksum failure at 8270213
Block checksum failure at 8323061
Block checksum failure at 8344122
Block checksum failure at 8375585
Block checksum failure at 8392588
Block checksum failure at 8413575
Block checksum failure at 8431151
Block checksum failure at 8467145
Block checksum failure at 8487635
Block checksum failure at 8507727
Block checksum failure at 8517017
Block checksum failure at 8551411
Block checksum failure at 8574939
EOF (total 57 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 8604261
Block checksum failure at 8625659
Block checksum failure at 8645215
EOF (total 3 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 8665893
EOF (total 1 block)
Block checksum failure at 8691407
Block checksum failure at 8726589
Block checksum failure at 8735900
Block checksum failure at 8774683
Block checksum failure at 8796117
Block checksum failure at 8815930
Block checksum failure at 8859501
Block checksum failure at 8880914
Block checksum failure at 8894792
Block checksum failure at 8914501
Block checksum failure at 8923349
Block checksum failure at 8932551
Block checksum failure at 8955316
Block checksum failure at 8973757
Block checksum failure at 8992651
Block checksum failure at 9029974
Block checksum failure at 9063367
Block checksum failure at 9095611
Block checksum failure at 9111628
Block checksum failure at 9142339
Block checksum failure at 9176768
Block checksum failure at 9182512
EOF (total 22 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 9194748
Block checksum failure at 9228321
Block checksum failure at 9282653
Block checksum failure at 9310624
Block checksum failure at 9337946
EOF (total 5 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 9350361
Block checksum failure at 9392824
Block checksum failure at 9417113
Block checksum failure at 9446140
Block checksum failure at 9474537
Block checksum failure at 9496309
Block checksum failure at 9518609
Block checksum failure at 9539126
Block checksum failure at 9556784
Block checksum failure at 9577458
Block checksum failure at 9602490
Block checksum failure at 9651586
Block checksum failure at 9685297
Block checksum failure at 9700234
EOF (total 14 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 9737805
Block checksum failure at 9762729
Block checksum failure at 9786944
Block checksum failure at 9819310
Block checksum failure at 9848564
Block checksum failure at 9888516
Leader length 9 bytes
Block checksum failure at 9910582
Block checksum failure at 9949137
Block checksum failure at 9970074
Block checksum failure at 10007835
Block checksum failure at 10028648
Block checksum failure at 10063474
Block checksum failure at 10085081
Block checksum failure at 10131150
Block checksum failure at 10177623
Block checksum failure at 10187195
Block checksum failure at 10229008
Block checksum failure at 10263270
Block checksum failure at 10285868
Block checksum failure at 10295216
Block checksum failure at 10307780
Block checksum failure at 10337296
Block checksum failure at 10339752
Block checksum failure at 10352542
Block checksum failure at 10389097
Block checksum failure at 10401422
Block checksum failure at 10425390
Block checksum failure at 10447924
Block checksum failure at 10464214
Block checksum failure at 10513783
Block checksum failure at 10539191
Block checksum failure at 10561483
Block checksum failure at 10568533
Block checksum failure at 10583524
Block checksum failure at 10604574
Block checksum failure at 10626710
Block checksum failure at 10655080
Block checksum failure at 10668124
EOF (total 38 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 10683249
Block checksum failure at 10710269
Block checksum failure at 10740781
EOF (total 3 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 10767841
Block checksum failure at 10791462
Block checksum failure at 10813954
Block checksum failure at 10853157
Block checksum failure at 10888674
EOF (total 5 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 10903382
Block checksum failure at 10917878
Block checksum failure at 10953453
Block checksum failure at 10974115
Block checksum failure at 11004401
Block checksum failure at 11034674
Block checksum failure at 11046545
Block checksum failure at 11072516
Block checksum failure at 11120379
Block checksum failure at 11134226
Block checksum failure at 11157018
Block checksum failure at 11176871
Block checksum failure at 11187596
Block checksum failure at 11205804
Block checksum failure at 11229706
Block checksum failure at 11241324
Block checksum failure at 11292308
Block checksum failure at 11302274
Block checksum failure at 11341487
Block checksum failure at 11359932
Block checksum failure at 11393880
Block checksum failure at 11421616
Block checksum failure at 11442402
Block checksum failure at 11469511
Block checksum failure at 11482856
Block checksum failure at 11505989
Block checksum failure at 11518068
EOF (total 27 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 11545058
Block checksum failure at 11597078
Block checksum failure at 11622879
EOF (total 3 blocks)
Block checksum failure at 11631586
Block checksum failure at 11657107
Block checksum failure at 11687799
Block checksum failure at 11704766
Block checksum failure at 11723369
Block checksum failure at 11753983
Block checksum failure at 11772596
Block checksum failure at 11786814
Block checksum failure at 11801557
Block checksum failure at 11807978
Block checksum failure at 11827142
Miscellaneous data (11 blocks)
Finished

Most of them are checksum errors, but the output cas file that the program generates doesn't even show the program name on XRoar when trying to load it
Fortunately we have in the Archive a WAV and a CAS file that work perfectly and show the graphics credits page.
The WAV, that loads well on a Dragon, fails to load in XRoar, despite using the -no-tape-fast option, it simply hangs on a white graphic screen
It seems that there is some kind of error that doesn't do the same action on XRoar than it does on a Real Dragon (?)
I am sorry for not being of any help on this
regards
pere

[robcfg]

Thanks for trying!

Any bit of information could lead to the solution.

Regards,
Rob

[sixxie]

Sample rate converting to 9600Hz gets me a file that loads in XRoar, but it won't tape-rewrite...

[robcfg]

This gets interesting by the minute!

I was wondering if for such difficult games, we could build a device attached to the cartridge port that would give us advanced dumping capabilities.

[robcfg]

I asked a friend of mine, which told me to filter the wav file with Audacity, and guess what? It worked flawlessly!

You can find the .cas file it its wiki page.

[sixxie]

I guess that orange pixel in the "H" of the loading screen is there in the original then!

[robcfg]

Yep, you are right!

If it can be of use, I can make a video of the game loading on the real machine.

Cheers!

[pser1]

Hello Rob,
out of curiosity, what filter did you use in Audacity ?
thanks a lot
pere

[robcfg]

Effect->Equalization, with parameters as shown on the attached image.

AudacityDragonEQ.png (40.41 KiB) Viewed 4663 times