LSD Docs disks in guide format

[mrodfr]

hello,

As an amiga user, I also would like to help the community by making something usefull for all (like killergorilla make with this great whdload packs, whdload team with their great installs, cfou! for his great eye of the beholder in AGA,...and all the guys who help this projects and other projects not resumed just before - sorry for that).

There are lots of amiga docs disks for amiga games in disks format and hard to use with our amigas with HD and graphic cards.

I have choosen to spent some of my free time to convert some disks to be used now directly on HD and with GFX cards.

I have converted ALL the 65 LSD docs disks and the 18 sprint docs disks. I have renamed around the first 20 LSD disks to readable name because name was 1 to xx (hard work) and made all in drawer and use a proggy called d2g to automatically made frontend in guide format. that mean, when using the guide frontend, all the file (txt/iff) clicked are showed by multiview.

Of course, the goal is to have docs from old amiga games easily accessed for our amigas and give the possibility to use all the datas for differents project like completed amiga game site database for example. Of course, all will be allowed to use the datas for all their project after.

I have made one example on the zone! and need your comments about:

- If you know a better tool than d2g for making dir2guide in some seconds.
- If you have some suggestions about others great docs disks (acu, science 451,...) who It's really really needed to be converted like LSD or SPRINT.
- General suggestions about the work done.
- Work on winuae, AOS4, others platform,...


I think I will release the package slowly untill xmas, on aminet, but I have a problem because some of the datas are amiga books or utility manual like dpaint or real3D and I don't know if this fact could cause problems with aminet.

Hope some of you will be happy in the futur by having a collection of amiga games docs, hints, cheat or manual that can be more easily showable than before.

I'm waiting your usefull comments before finishing the work completely.

yes I know, my english isn't the best, sorry.

[pbareges]

good project !! i remember having done similar stuff with lsd docs but my aim was only to convert the original file to ASCII format (and getting rid of the encoding).. i was not able to perform this with last disks as the encoding scheme was different than standard powerpacker...
3 suggestions :
- at the time, i found tables giving the game name for each number file, so this way you can automate the file name translation or implement an index tool pointing at the right file.
- i think that the gamebase and/or lemonade projects include some docs extracted from lsd docs- maybe you could first check what kind of work they accomplished to get raw data from them.
- why not making an ASCII conversion of everything so that the source files can be used in any other form/project.

thx in advance!

[Marcuz]

in all honesty, no offense intended, it is something i would not use: there are extensive summaries of what's in the lsd disks so if i want the original content, i check the original disk and use that, while if i just need the rough info, i use the ASCII conversion (already done by Fisken Uno some time ago, the thread is somewhere here to be found).
a nice area instead that's still empty is the one of freeware stuff. i'm not suggesting you to do that, i'm just saying, in the same spirit of availability of info, who knows what there is inside the hudreds of fish disks, compilations, etc? tons of memory lost little games ...

[mrodfr]

Originally Posted by pbareges

good project !! i remember having done similar stuff with lsd docs but my aim was only to convert the original file to ASCII format (and getting rid of the encoding).. i was not able to perform this with last disks as the encoding scheme was different than standard powerpacker...
3 suggestions :
- at the time, i found tables giving the game name for each number file, so this way you can automate the file name translation or implement an index tool pointing at the right file.
- i think that the gamebase and/or lemonade projects include some docs extracted from lsd docs- maybe you could first check what kind of work they accomplished to get raw data from them.
- why not making an ASCII conversion of everything so that the source files can be used in any other form/project.

thx in advance!

I have renamed around the 20 first LSD disks by cut'n'paste the title of the file. all the others LSD and SPRINT disks have original name (sometime more precised by hand).

my goal was to decrunch all the files and do a guide index (like on the LSD Disks 1 example on the zone!) for more easily access.

as the job is more or less finished, It's too late to ask to gamebaseor lemonade to take their previously job. I hope they could take my job to improve their project/site.

I don't really undertand ASCII, txt file isn't ASCII ?? BTW, if the problem was the crunched file and disk format, now It's txt file and easily access, It's surely easy to translate to ASCII if a people need that after. there is save in ASCII on amiga text editor ???? ASCII is same as TXT and showable with multiview ???

[mrodfr]

Originally Posted by marco pedrana

in all honesty, no offense intended, it is something i would not use: there are extensive summaries of what's in the lsd disks so if i want the original content, i check the original disk and use that, while if i just need the rough info, i use the ASCII conversion (already done by Fisken Uno some time ago, the thread is somewhere here to be found).
a nice area instead that's still empty is the one of freeware stuff. i'm not suggesting you to do that, i'm just saying, in the same spirit of availability of info, who knows what there is inside the hudreds of fish disks, compilations, etc? tons of memory lost little games ...

the LSD docs disk1 example is the same as original disk1 from LSD. just decrunched and files renamed and a little guide as frontend. with disk 20 and more, just file decrunched with same name and a guide frontend. Sure It's better to use the original disk if you want, no problem....

My new mystery is ASCII conversion.... Maybe my example is tested on PC with emulator and need ASCII file format and guide not working ???? I'm not understand

[Marcuz]

Originally Posted by mrodfr

the LSD docs disk1 example is the same as original disk1 from LSD. just decrunched and files renamed and a little guide as frontend. with disk 20 and more, just file decrunched with same name and a guide frontend. Sure It's better to use the original disk if you want, no problem....

My new mystery is ASCII conversion.... Maybe my example is tested on PC with emulator and need ASCII file format and guide not working ???? I'm not understand

sorry i used improperly the word ASCII. i meant base language, text, with it, in this case Word format, check here, middle of the thread:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=15324

as for the frontend, i'll try it, for the sake of it, but why should one use it instead of the one by the original lsd disks? i mean, you can already chose between: 1) display the content in the original reader, having nostalgic feelings as goal and sacrifying a little of the information useability, for instance copy/paste content to other text editors, good printing etc. also you have to utilize a whole winuae istance for display the content, abd so you cannot do anyting else. 2) use the Word format documents instead, having so full access to the content having the goal of use it. in the same time your winuae can run the emulation that needs the info you have just extrapolated from the documents, let's say a walkthrough for a game you are playing.

outside these two use... ? let's say you are on amiga only, then - maybe - this kind of work is useful...

[Marcuz]

ok tested. the interface is nice. i guess as a yet one more commodity it is not a bad idea.
however:
when i try to open any guide but the help, a requester tells me the VRAC device is not mounted...
a suggestion, if you want to go on this project, let's do a single archive and not one for every disk: make it subdivided by letter or by disk number. my 2 cents

[mrodfr]

hello,

I have made this work for having the datas of LSD and SPRINT Disks available for classics amiga (by using a simple guide frontend and decrunch files) and also the original floppy disk now in adf format don't work on real amiga with gfx cards and 68060 like mine, unfortunately.

sure this work isn't necessary for UAE user like you and I hope I'm not the only one with original amiga machine who need this work

hum: VRAC is my personnal link on my HD. damned. need to found something that work on all machine. thanks for the help.

updated version on the zone! without personnal path on the guide. if someone has 2 seconds for testing if that work on his computer.

[pbareges]

the idea of having it on real amigas within one reader sounds really good to me!!! i would enjoy it with no doubt! ASCII is just text, sorry for the confusion but from what i first read i thought you just renamed the files...i agree with previous post though, it would be much better if you merge all disks within one index guide.

thanks in advance.

[_ThEcRoW]

Cool, i'm still using my classics.
Where are those files to download?

[_ThEcRoW]

Ok, got it from the zone.
Thanks!!!!

[mrodfr]

Originally Posted by pbareges

the idea of having it on real amigas within one reader sounds really good to me!!! i would enjoy it with no doubt! ASCII is just text, sorry for the confusion but from what i first read i thought you just renamed the files...i agree with previous post though, it would be much better if you merge all disks within one index guide.

thanks in advance.

yes, just renamed files for LSD1 to LSD20. after LSD20, name are the same but I have completed some too short.

here, I have a drawer called LSD docs disks and inside LSD 1 to LSD65 and a guide with 65 links (LSD1 to 65). click LSD1 and see inside LSD1, return with multiview, click LSD15 and see inside LSD15,.....

[mrodfr]

Originally Posted by _ThEcRoW

Cool, i'm still using my classics.
Where are those files to download?

only the first are on the zone! for tesing if the archive work well on another computer. I have send a mail to aminet for putting all in aminet, even with books, comemrcial games and programs manual on disks.

[mrodfr]

hello,

even if I said I have renamed LSD 1 TO LSD 20, I haven't renamed all because I have some problems to rename some files on LSD18 and LSD19 because It's iff files for games and the problme is I can't check the original disk on my amiga with 1260+voodoo3.

I search after someone who would like to take some time to check LSD 18 and 19 on A500 or UAE and rename the last files on the LSD18-19 for me. there is maybe 20-30 files in total.

If I found someone, I will put LSD 18 and 19 on the zone! and wait the corrected archive came back on the zone!

don't forget to said to me id LSD Disk1 work on your computer, I must adapt all the other guide like LSD1 guide for removing the call to VRAC:

[pbareges]

i promise i will check this this we!!any news from aminet, can't wait to see the whole package...! can you post lsd 18 and 19 to the zone and let me know how to rename them ? i'm not sure i understood your problem (iff related??!!??), but will try it anyway from winuae

[mrodfr]

hello,

the goal is to take my LSD 18 and 19 most renamed and rename all files with number. the best is to have winUAE and original LDS18 and 19 to see the original LSD menu and compare and rename files.

all the files are small iff files (apparently maps or level for game but don't have the name on the iff file (when seing) and I don't have a PC at home (incredible isn't it ?? ;-)

I'll put 18 and 19 to the zone!

aminet not answers my mail untill now. In last extremity, I'll post all on eab but I prefer put all in aminet for maximum availability.

thanks for your job for LDS 18 and LSD19.

you are one of my only support thats not give me motivation for making the same with loon disks.

For the pleasure: to the zone!, the LSD index of ALL DISKS in amigaguide format (just to see ALL the content).

[pbareges]

as requested, LSD 18:
20 - Orge Diagram
30 - Sword and Galleons Map
32 - Shadow of the beast (SOTB) - Castle Dungeon Map
33 - SOTB - Forest Map
34 - SOTB - Graveyard Map
35 - SOTB - Tree Dungeon Map
36 - SOTB - Tunnel Maps
46 - Wizardry - Castle Level I
47 - Wizardry - Castle levels -II, -I
48 - Wizardry - Castle Main Enterence
49 - Wizardry - Forest Area
50 - Wizardry - Hall of the Damned
51 - Wizardry - Hall of the Dead
52 - Wizardry - Hazardous Area
53 - Wizardry - Idol Area
54 - Wizardry - Mine -I
55 - Wizardry - Mine Levels
56 - Wizardry - Mountain Area
57 - Wizardry - C. Hill
58 - Wizardry - River Area
59 - Wizardry - Swamp Area
60 - Wizardry - Codes I
61 - Wizardry - Codes II
62 - Wizardry - Icons

then LSD 19 :

25 - Death Knights of Krynn - Moon Diagram
26 - Death Knights of Krynn - Ruffian Map
27 - Death Knights of Krynn - Sabas Map
28....46 - Death Knights of Krynn - Picture 1 to 19
47 - Death Knights of Krynn - Reference to characters set included on disk
48 - Full Docs Disk Index


hope this will help you!! i can't wait to see your final updated whole package on aminet or on the zone....thx again!

[mrodfr]

Originally Posted by pbareges

hope this will help you!! i can't wait to see your final updated whole package on aminet or on the zone....thx again!

I have added your work to the main archive. now all is 100% finished for LSD and SPRINT also.

No news from aminet. maybe put the first on aminet and just see the result than wait after their authorization.

sad there is nobody who also want this collection for adding on their amiga game site or related.

[Marcuz]

aminet takes some time to answer, keep your hope.

[mrodfr]

hello,

I have looked a little loon disk 1 to 12. I could made the same for loon but the data are crunched.but can be decrunched by xfd.

but the crunched files are their beginning destroyed by LOON header+part of code and after normal text appeared well on the file. but I think the beginning is lost for all files. the problem are on disk 1-2 for example.

- I don't know is someone had a tips for decrunching well data files on loon disk 1-2-.... ????

- how much loon disk ??? 12 ???

- There is other amiga docs disks interesting ????

- There is other site with amiga docs disks like planetemu ???