Return of the Ring

[Duncan]

Am using xroar and can't load up the forest moon section of the game using the .cas files, which one should be used? Also should there not be four files for this game? As i recall the start side of the tape had the set up for the character (this is file return.cas), then the game side had the planet (return2.cas) and forest moon (? return3), and the end game was back on the start side? (missing file). Also which Dragon User had the map and cheat programme?

[Alastair]

No problems loading the planet moon, though F12 seems to hang the initial loading of the planet part of the game so I have to do it the slow way.

Anyway, in answer to your question RETURN2.CAS contains both the planet and forest moon part of the game - just press a key when going to the moon, "reload" RETURN2.CAS and press a key when returning to the planet. RETURN3.CAS contains the final part, you don't need to touch it until you reach the end.

I cannot recall which Dragon User issue had the cheat program (besides, you don't need it!), but the January 1986 issue contained the map. However, I did upload a PDF of the map that includes a level not included in Dragon User, I suspect that was on the old forum so here it is again (I've had to zip it as the forum will not accept PDFs):

RotR_Forest_Moon.zip

(3.61 KiB) Downloaded 243 times

[sixxie]

No problems loading the planet moon, though F12 seems to hang the initial loading of the planet part of the game so I have to do it the slow way.

Erk, that shouldn't happen. F12 is supposed to simply add frameskip and bypass waiting on the sound device (which is what's used to time the whole system). I'll have to check this out.

Edit: hmm, is this repeatable? The leaders in those images are very very short, and it's possible that if the motor is already on when you insert the tape, it won't have enough time to sync to it, F12 or no. I've rewritten the cassette files with longer leaders here: http://www.6809.org.uk/tmp/da/return_of ... ritten.zip

[Duncan]

Thanks guys now retro-gaming to my hearts content!

[Alastair]

No problems loading the planet moon, though F12 seems to hang the initial loading of the planet part of the game so I have to do it the slow way.

Erk, that shouldn't happen. F12 is supposed to simply add frameskip and bypass waiting on the sound device (which is what's used to time the whole system). I'll have to check this out.

Edit: hmm, is this repeatable? The leaders in those images are very very short, and it's possible that if the motor is already on when you insert the tape, it won't have enough time to sync to it, F12 or no. I've rewritten the cassette files with longer leaders here:
[removed URL]

It may be my mistake. I originally "inserted" RETURN2.CAS when the game told me to insert the tape on the game side and rewind the tape, if memory serves at this point the game switches on the cassette motor. By skipping that section and "inserting" RETURN2.CAS when the game told me to press play I managed to load the planet part with F12 pressed.

Turning to your rewritten version, RETURN.CAS seems to reset XRoar, after using this site's RETURN.CAS the rewritten RETURN2.CAS can be loaded with F12.

[sixxie]

Coo. I must admit I didn't test those images - I'd got a bit cocky about my tape process! Now I'll have to find out why it didn't work

I've replaced return.cas in that zip with the original for now, seeing as that actually loads. At least the other two should be more reliable: they contain only standard cassette files, where the first one has some autorun stuff going on that seems to confuse things.

Edit: fixed my rewrite. Looks like I have some extra bits to add to my tape hack process

[snarkhunter]

I've just tried the "rewritten" version posted above, and it crashed on the screen where one is asked either to create or load a new character... Then the emulation performed a reset, so I didn't bother to try once more.

Lionel

P.S. and still running XP "Home", SP2

[Alastair]

I've just tried the "rewritten" version posted above, and it crashed on the screen where one is asked either to create or load a new character... Then the emulation performed a reset, so I didn't bother to try once more.

Is this the first or the fixed second version of the rewrite? I've had no problem loading the fixed rewritten RETURN.CAS into XRoar.

Lionel

P.S. and still running XP "Home", SP2

You should be running SP3 by now

[snarkhunter]

I've just tried the "rewritten" version posted above, and it crashed on the screen where one is asked either to create or load a new character... Then the emulation performed a reset, so I didn't bother to try once more.

Is this the first or the fixed second version of the rewrite? I've had no problem loading the fixed rewritten RETURN.CAS into XRoar.

Lionel

P.S. and still running XP "Home", SP2

You should be running SP3 by now

It's the version Ciaran posted on June 11 (see above). I'm unable to tell whether this is the first or the second fixed version.
I won't bother with SP3 now, when I'm fearing my PC might be slowly going down at the moment and might need to be replaced with another one within the next few weeks or months (one thin vertical line displayed across the screen, that appeared a couple of weeks ago). This is definitely not an emergency at the moment, I'm afraid... And if I should have to change, it's very likely I will have to switch to Vista, or purchase an XP license separately.

[sixxie]

It's the version Ciaran posted on June 11 (see above). I'm unable to tell whether this is the first or the second fixed version.

That's the one that the rest of us saw failing to load after the title screen. I then replaced it a couple of times. The one currently in place has longer leaders, and seems to load ok - I went through the character creation process fine, and then loaded the first game part proper (wait until you've acknowledged pressing play before inserting tape 2).

I'm in the regeneration room, apparently