Problems executing The-King and Downland

Hardware Hacking, Programming and Game Solutions/Cheats
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pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by pser1 »

Hello,
I have tested these two games:
- The-King.bin from the disc ARCAD02B (Snarkhunter collection)
- Downland.bin from the disc GAMES27A (Dragon Computer Consultancy)
both run without any problem on XRoar, with DDOS11C or with DDOS41 (as in Lafumat's controllers)

I have transferred some games from a VDK file in my PC to my Dragon64 via serial port. All games do work flawlessly but not these two.
My machine has a lafumat controller with a variant of Eurohard DOS 4.1 (which I have also used in XRoar and works well), and a HD63C09 CPU.
I only can play with these games on my Dragon if I press the "reset button" after having chosen the color screen I want to play with.

What is the difference between charging a BIN file from a VDK file in XRoar or simply Loading it in a Dragon?
It makes no sense for me that one way always works but the other needs a 'reset'. If I don't press reset then the computer simply hangs and shows garbage on the text screen.

A copy of the Snarkhunter / Dragon CC used on my Dragon doesn't work either. These two games need the reset button!

Any idea / advice would be welcome
thanks
pere
pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by pser1 »

No problem with the games, I have found another version of each one that run perfect on my Dragon from disk or loaded from PC via serial port
It's just that I don't understand why the indicated versions do work without problems on XRoar but not on a Dragon64 (with a 63C09)
regards
pere
zephyr
Posts: 1474
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:18 am

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by zephyr »

pser1 wrote:Hello,
I have tested these two games:
- The-King.bin from the disc ARCAD02B (Snarkhunter collection)
- Downland.bin from the disc GAMES27A (Dragon Computer Consultancy)
both run without any problem on XRoar, with DDOS11C or with DDOS41 (as in Lafumat's controllers)
Did you use the emulated 63x09e when you tested these games under XROAR Dragon emulation?
pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by pser1 »

yes,
I tried first with the emulated 6309 and then with the normal 6809
I will try that game on a not modified Dragon as soon as I have the time.
thanks
pere
zephyr
Posts: 1474
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:18 am

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by zephyr »

Did you use Steve Woolham's enhanced ROMs when you tested these games under XROAR Dragon emulation?

If so, try testing the same games under XROAR with 63x09e emulation and standard Dragon ROMs.
pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by pser1 »

Hello,
very good point, Steve
Yes I use the Steve Woolham's ones on XRoar, I did not remember it :oops:
I have set a bat file that uses both standard Basic ROMs (in fact a copy of mine saved to WAV and later to .rom)
At the same time I have used the Lafumat's DOS ROM he is including in his controller boards.
The results are the same than in my Dragon:
- with THE-KING.BIN I must press reset instead of answering the question about instructions else it hangs and shows garbage in the text screen.
- with DOWNLAND.BIN I must press Reset on the colour option screen, so it starts always in buff colour else it hangs immediately
So, it seems that the updates made by SJ Woolham to the BASIC ROMs are really mandatory to have a better machine :o
Another task to do ... burn two ROMs with the "d64rom1/2v31.5r.rom" as I don't use DLOAD.
Anyway, This tests give me a lot of confidence with my data transfer application between PC and Dragon using the standard serial port (at 19200 bauds) without any change or add-on.

thanks a lot
pere
zephyr
Posts: 1474
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:18 am

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by zephyr »

pser1 wrote: So, it seems that the updates made by SJ Woolham to the BASIC ROMs are really mandatory to have a better machine :o
Another task to do ... burn two ROMs with the "d64rom1/2v31.5r.rom" as I don't use DLOAD.
Steve recently sent me an updated set of enhanced ROMs (d64rom1/2v31.6r.rom). I have temporarily attached the enhanced non-DLOAD Dragon 64 ROMs to this post for you. I will post the others in the Uploads section at a later date.

The updated ROMs have a greatly improved 64K mode bootstrap routine and a 6309 interrupt service routine for improved 63x09e error trapping support.

RKEYS ON/OFF turns the keyboard auto-repeat on/off.


I will post more information about these ROMs when I have enough free time.

Regards,
Steve
Attachments
D64_ENHANCED_ROMs_v31exp6.zip
(27.28 KiB) Downloaded 300 times
pser1
Posts: 1655
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:32 pm
Location: Barcelona (SPAIN)

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by pser1 »

great,
I have downloaded it and have given it a try. I am going to use it in XRoar from now on.
We have some DOS versions: DDOS11, DDOS11C, DDOS12 and DDOS12A each 8K long.
You uploaded some time ago new versions with a better DIR, these ones need 16K.
Their names are something like DDOS11DIR, DDOS12DIR (I saved them with these names)
Just a question about these latter DOS Roms, to wich of the older are they related?
I mean, does a 16k version for both DDOS11 and for DDOS11C exist, or just for one of them?
thanks one more time, Steve
regards
pere
zephyr
Posts: 1474
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:18 am

Re: Problems executing The-King and Downland

Post by zephyr »

pser1 wrote: I mean, does a 16k version for both DDOS11 and for DDOS11C exist, or just for one of them?
Just DDOS11 (DragonDOS 1.1) and DDOS12 (DragonDOS 1.2).
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