Starting a game/demo via Softboot [Omega Race]
 

Hi Guys.

I have a game that completely refuses to run from Workbench (Old PD game Omega Race). Theres another whole thread about trying to get it to run, never got it going.

But it WILL run if i boot with no startup-sequence from the early boot menu and then manually CD to that directory and run it.

I know some games can do this but i can't find one now that i can copy an example from from but how would an iconx script look that can do this so i can simply, double double the icon in workbench and it reboots the system and starts the game.
Game needs no assigns or rubbish, it just runs as a single executable.

IE
c:reboot
dh1:games/o/omegarace/omegarace

hmm, infact, it isn't that simple is it?

This would make the machine boot, but it can't remember the next line, because it does a fresh reboot which loads S:startup-sequence from HD then.

One way is to modify/rewrite/replace the startup-sequence file to do what you want, but that'll easily end up in total mess, and it also makes filesystem errors more likely. So I wouldn't do that in any case.

Another option is to have some startmenu thing in the boot, which would do different actions if you keep mouse button or key pressed during the boot, but that isn't exactly what you want and it wouldn't be much easier than booting without the startup-sequence.

The closest solution I can think now (when still trying to wake up) is to use the RAD: drive (reset proof and bootable ram disk) to boot the game.

IconX script could look like this (didn't try):
When booting from RAD: you probably also miss some libraries which are needed to launch the game. You could either make the script make Libs directory and copy the needed ones to RAD:Libs, or maybe it would just work if you insert another Echo line there between the other echo lines (Echo "Assign LIBS: DH0:Libs/ ADD" >> RAD:S/startup-sequence) or so :)

I'll look into this but remember, nothing is needed to run this from a no startup-sequence boot, no libs or anything, i simply at the very first prompt type in the full path to the game, and it loads and works.

When you boot without startup-sequence, Kickstart has already assigned few directories, including Libs:, to the boot device (which still is your HD). So it very well might load something there even if it looks like that it doesn't need anything.

You could use Rebootscript from aminet: Link

Place both Runscript and Writescript in C directory, then add Runscript on top of you startup-sequence.

Just launch your program with: Writescript dh1:games/o/omegarace/omegarace

It will reboot the amiga and run the file.